I wrote earlier this week that there is going to be quite the mess at third base for the Mets starting next season. Guillorme, Baty, Vientos, and Mauricio all vying for one starting slot.
That being said, I must not forget the current starter Escobar. Not only is he a ++ fielder at the hot corner, but his bat has come alive as of late.
Last night, he produced the hitter's dream. He hit for the cycle.
If I was Steve Cohen, I would send the word out there that we would be interested in hearing some solutions for cleaning up this situation for us.
We seem to be able to easily lose, at least, one of these guys in return for a quality player at another position.
Today’s featured minor leaguer is one of the top in our system. Normally, I shy away from these guys because you already tons about them.
Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos… what more can I say here?
There’s one though that may need to know more about. Someone I rank on my top Mets prospect list as #1:
OF Alex Ramirez
Ramirez is a 19-year old 2019 top IDFA, out of the Dominican Republic. His massive $2.05mil signing bonus was the 3rd highest in franchise history, behind Francisco Alvarez and Ronny Mauricio.
Last year, for St. Lucie, he posted most numbers: 302-AB, .258/.326/.384/.710, 5-HR, but those numbers have clicked up this season to: 189-AB, .307/.345/..466/.810.
His projected power is beginning to develop this year in Florida. Hopefully, the weather down there will allow him the steadily improve in that area.
He is an above average runner in center and on the basepaths. There’s also a strong arm here and he has no errors this season.
I have Alex easily ending the season in Brooklyn, where he will probably start the 2023 season. Conservatively, that puts his Flushing ETA at 2026.
The next featured possibility for one of the Mets draft picks in the first round is someone we never had a chance to get when the prep/HS/college seasons started. He was easily ranked the top pitcher in the draft and was projected to be long gone when our picks came around.
Then, an injury and the emergence of Kumar Rocker has changed the entire dynamic of the first round.
Dylan Lesko is the top prep pitcher in America, out of Buford High School, in Buford, Georgia (some had him the best since Josh Beckett).
The 6-3/170 RHP Lesko throws a killer changeup (KIley McDaniel said it was the best change he has ever seen), that is set up by a mid-90s, T-97 fastball. His curve spins at 2900-rpm.
His arm soreness started on April 11th, resulting in TJS the first week in May. He was lost for the remaining of this year year as well as will be the entire season in 2013.
TJS is not the kiss of death anymore and the loss of a season is not as critical as an aging college junior.
In my book, he would instantly become the top pitching prospect in the chain.
Kiley McDaniel of ESPN said that “Right now, I think, that Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez is the best prospect currently in the minor leagues.”
The top two players on the opening day DSL-1 lineup were:
1. CF Simon Juan $1.9mil bonus
2. SS Dangelo Sarmiento $ 700K bonus
Lastly, Tom Brennan will not participate in this report going forward. Too much work and not enough time.
He will; however, continue to post his Tuesday and Thursday articles at 7am.
And hopefully, he can chime in here via comments.
13 comments:
So glad to see Escobar heating up.
I love him defensively and I am thrilled that his bat is heating up.
You can't have enough great players even if they all play the same.position.
Escobar has got a gun at 3B. It’s legal. Omar de los Santos has actually been neck-and-neck with Ramirez this year for St Lucie. He should be joining Ramirez in Brooklyn soon.
Lessko could be worth waiting for.
I do have a comment on Baty tomorrow in a high level minor league update I threw together.
I will deep dive on Santos on Thursday
It's just plain fun watching this team every day I love it. So Tom not enough rest on your "retirement"? I'm so impressed with how the FO is running this team and building from the ground up and how can you not be excited knowing we'll be adding probably Jake, Max and Tylor in the not to distant future. I wonder if using Williams (when MeGill comes back) to split a game with whoever is starting to help keep the BP strong because I will never understand how you don't totally burn out a BP when using 4 or 5 pitchers a night and this way hopefully we only use 2 pitchers that night.
My vote is for McGill
Mack, as we are heading into the final 40 days before the draft, it is good to try to weed through the players, especially at the top. As we pointed out about a week ago, hitting is probably the hardest skill to master, so I want elite hitters. Not good, elite. If they have high K rates in college, the rates will be higher in the pros. I know the top guys will be gone, but if Susac falls (which I doubt ten teams pass on a good two way catcher) or Berry, that’s fine. Otherwise, Lesko and Prielipp seem to be the start of a very talented haul with ace upside.
You are correct.
What you like me to break out?
Top 10 pitchers?
Top 10 hitters?
Both?
When Megill returns (hopefully next week), who gets bumped? Does Williams go back to being the long man? Does Peterson become a strong lefty in the pen? Does he return to 'Cuse to be a SP there?
Decision Day is coming soon.
Escobar has had a heckuva run lately. Last night's cycle was exceptional!
I have always loved his defense, and was particularly impressed with the fact that all of his throws are chest high, middle of the bag.
However, I had tired of his bat recently and will admit that I was wrong in calling for his demotion from the starting 3B slot. I just thought that 8 weeks was kinda long for a slump and figured he had lost something in bat speed or reaction time.
This is why Buck Showalter manages the Mets and I comment on games from my office.
Hey Bill
My guess is Williams
And a nice office it is!!!
Bill, I was saying to someone today - if this team gets fully healthy, EVERY SINGLE ROSTER SPOT will have players of real, playoff quality. How could anybody beat a team with Jake, Max, Tylor and May? And if McCann returns and provides a solid one-two tandem with Nido at catcher. How can they lose?
Get healthy and CRUSH opponents. Like 1986 again.
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