Our series on taking a deeper dive into our current minor league talent continues, but first I want to say something.
When I started this series of posts, I purposely left out the top prospects because, if you have been a loyal Mack’s Mets reader, you know plenty about guys like Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio.
I knew going in that there was more talent in the chain we all need to look deeper at, but I truly didn’t expect to be this deep into this series and still be writing about guys that are producing at levels far superior to the majority of what players in the minors are suppose to do… fill up a locker and roster spot only.
I am especially surprised at the positive results generated by the pitchers of a group of mostly unsuccessful teams this year.
Speaking of Mets pitchers, let’s look at someone that our own Tom Brennan turned me on to:
23-year old LHSP, 6-4/225 Nick Zwack, came to the Mets in the 17th round of the 2021 draft, out of Xavier University.
Zwack was a Friday night starter at Xavier (2021: 14-starts, 6-5, 3.15), but he has bounced around from the pen to starter by the Mets since signing. In 2021, for the FCL-Mets, he was a pure reliever. Last year, fighting through injuries he split his time in both. But this year, for Brooklyn, he is a pure starter again.
And the results so far have been quite promising:
5-starts, 0-1, 2.84, 1.05, 19-IP, 17-K
Fastball sits in low-90s and sits at 94 with high spin rate. He compliments this with an above average hi-70s, low-80s slider and changeup.
Zwack has always produced excellent K/9% results, but for some reason, it has fell off this year. Maybe he’s working at control more. Don’t know.
What I do know is he is working himself into a viable rotation option someday for the Mets.
Today’s featured draft prospect that should be around when the Mets pick, either at 1.11 or 1.14, is someone that was considered the top pitching prospect in this draft a year before Dylan Lesko was. They both went down for TJS, but this guy is fully healed now.
6-1/195, LHSP, Connor Prielipp was the future start for the University of Alabama, and was projected by mostly all the mock drafts to go off as the first pitcher when the 2022 draft came around.
However, he went under the TJS knife in May 2022 and wisely decided to opt out of the 2022 season.
Simply put, he has a devastating slider, which fits perfectly with a mid-90s fastball, that sinks up to 96. To date, he has thrown only 28 innings in college, but has produced a 0.96-ERA.
Listen. Every pitcher that comes out of TJS has a risk factor, but there simply is too much talent here to hold back a guy that only needed what is now considered a routine elbow surgery.
The Mets need to work this guy out and huddle down and discuss him.
Re: Extensions
Why can’t the Mets get these done? Is it can’t or won’t? Did the Juan Lagares extension really made this bad of a taste in their mouths?
And this even is a new administration.
There seemed to be no discussion with Scott Boras about Michael Conforto (which seems to have turned out the be a good thing). And candidates right now, like Brandon Nimmo and Chris Bassett have expressed their desires to remain a Met past this season. Don’t both these guys deserve, at least, a phone call to their agent?
And another question. Why do players say they don’t want to discuss an extension once the season starts? Isn’t that what they have agents for?
God, I’m full of questions this morning.
Per Nate Mendleson, Going into yesterday’s game, the Mets offense was ranked in all of baseball:
Hits - 502 - 1st
AVG - .264 - 1st
OBP - .335 - 1st
RBI - 273 - 1st
Triples - 13 - T-1st
Runs - 286 - 2nd
OPS - .743 - 3rd
Run Differential +76 - 3rd
Per Michael Meyer, going into last night’s game, Francisco Lindor was ranked among major league shortstops:
T/1st - 2.3 fWAR
1st - 45 RBI
1st - 39 R
1st - 25 BB
2nd - 9 HR
4th - .189 ISO
6th - 126 wRC+
7th - 7 SB
Greg Harvey (@BetweenTheNums)
Eduardo Escobar (33-152 D) became the oldest player to hit for the cycle, have 6+ RBI, and score 3+ R in the same game since Joe DiMaggio (33-177) in 1948!
He is the only 2nd Mets player in franchise history to accomplish this feat, joining Kevin McReynolds (1989).
Binghamton Rumble Ponies roster moves -
RHP Justin Lasko - Activated from Development List
RHP Dedniel Nunez - Returned from rehab assignment, activated off IL, and assigned to AA Binghamton.
RHP Kevin Gadea was released
12 comments:
I know hes missed a ton of time but kinda sucks seeing Dedniel Nunez start in AA. Hope its temporary.
He needs to consistently pitch and maybe he will get that opportunity better right now at AA
I think Deniel, off the little he's done so far in AA, will be in AAA shortly. I'm OK with the easy ramp up - not that AA is easy.
Prielipp sounds interesting.
We all need a good Big Zwack Attack.
Never thought I'd see Escobar and DiMaggio in the same record. Now all Eduardo needs to do is hit in 56 straight.
I did not see the Mets game last night but did see the Alonso HBP replay. Makes me wonder if other teams "accidentally" hit our guys hoping they'll get hurt, because hurt Mets are the only reason they might not become World Series Mets.
Have to agree with Ernest. When I read the line above the comments, I was taken aback because that guy was in the San Francisco Giants. Quite possibly the Mets want to work him up the competition?
Obviously, I like the writeup on the draftees, but is there a third option of a truly distinguished injures pitcher, just in case one of these two is drafted beforehand? Is it Tidwell?
Too, I don’t want an outfielder but I have learned to trust Taneous and Co. They have done an outstanding job these last few years. I’m surprised he hasn’t been stolen yet.
*a distinguished pitcher that injured
Another category we lead the league in.
Afraid to learn the outcome of the Alonso Marte situation. Fingers crossed. Really rough game all around but we've recovered before so hang in there boys.
Wow Tom! I had the same thought!
Back in the 1990’s when Pedro Martinez was hitting batters left and right, the Red Sox hitters were getting hit too. They eventually confronted Martinez and told him to cut it out and while he didn’t like it, he had no choice. I didn’t see any of the game except the hit by pitch, but I saw in the box score that three of our guys got hit and none of theirs. If we can get the pitchers to worry about hitting us, that plays into our advantage. They stop pitching inside for instance. The Mets have to do something and this Mother Theresa stance isn’t fixing anything! Darrell Strawberry who is now a preacher, said a month ago that someone needs to charge the mound. What are they waiting for?
Tis I, TexasGusCC
Pete needs to be given a "Charge" card. Get in their face. Just don't punch people - protect the hands.
Gus, it simply has to stop. I hate to repeat the same example, but the Mets might have competed in 1968 had Agee not been beaned in spring training by Gibson. His lousy 1968 was 100% due to that. Had he played in 1968 as he did in 1969, my guess is that would have been 10 more wins - then, who knows?
Similarly, we lose Pete? How many wins does that cost us? McNeil and Nimmo were nailed, too - they didn't get hurt, but my rough guess is for every 10-15 HBP, someone is heading to the IL.
We need a designated hitter.
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