Tom Brennan - Mets Minors Guys Who've Astounded Me This Year

You watch some guys who so out-perform, all you can say is "Great Scott!"

You know, when Pete Alonso hit 46 HRs and drove in 146 runs in 159 minor and fall league games in 2018, I considered that astounding.

Last year, when Mark Vientos hit 22 HRs in his last 210 at bats in AA and AAA, that astounded me, for sure.

Some folks don't care if a guy does well in the minors - like quite a few folks on Facebook where, when you post about a minors guy doing something amazing, they can't keep their mean nature in check, but instead you get their favorite two words to share: WHO CARES.  They only care about the Mother Ship in Queens.

But me? I like following the kids, and marvel at those who astound me.

Francisco Alvarez is pretty darned astounding, with his 11 homers in his last 22 games.  Most starting in one zip code and landing in another.

BUT I wouldn't say he astounds me - because if someone asked me in March what his numbers would be this season by June 20, I'd have said, "right about where they are now." 

Guys who astound me are guys who severely out-perform whatever normal expectations one might normally have.

Five guys fit that bill in 2022:

WYATT YOUNG: My MAP of 2022 so far - MOST ASTOUNDING PLAYER.

Here's a diminutive 5'7" kid drafted in the 15th round in 2021, who gets 92 at bats in Complex League Rookie Ball (the fifth rung below the majors) and hits .370.  You think, "that's really nice, almost astounding, but it's rookie ball."  

Then he shows up in spring training and has a single and double in 4 at bats, while almost the Mets' prospects who got in spring games didn't hit a lick when they got their handful of ABs.  

Then they skip him over St Lucie and send him to Brooklyn for 3 games, with 3 hits.  They were convinced....then they skipped him over AA straight to AAA, where he hits .352 with a .446 OBP in 19 games.  Now THAT'S astounding.  Who does that? He then got shuffled down to AA and is hitting .227 there in 32 games, but by all rights, he should be in low A ball, not AA.  So even that .227 stretch is astounding, considering his 2021 level.

In 305 career at bats, he is hitting .298 with a .365 OBP, most of it in AA and AAA.  Astounding.

JUNIOR TILIEN: Another kid who had a little rookie ball earlier this year, gets promoted to Lucie, and in his 14th game there, the 19 year old SS hits 3 HRs in a game (when many Mets farmhands don't have 3 HRs all season). Six homers in a span of 12 games, at age 19, in a pitcher's league where HRs are not plentiful. Cooled off a bit of late, but that burst was... ASTOUNDING.

OMAR DE LOS SANTOS: Speed is his game. 36 steals in 53 games - a 110 steal pace over 162 games.  And 63 of 70 (90%) as a pro?  ASTOUNDING!  

And his 28 doubles 12 triples, and 15 HRs in 153 career games shows Omar is not a one-dimensional speedster.  The entire Mets team has 27 steals in their first 69 games.

Omar is the Road Runner, while most guys are in a far slower gear.  Cut the Ks and he'll get on ore and be doubly astounding.

NATE LAVENDER: the 14th round 2021 lefty gave us a 6.1 IP, 12K, 1 earned run tease in 2021 post-draft.  

In 2022, he upped the ante: 14 games, 27.2 IP, 2 earned runs, 5-1, 0.65 ERA, 41 Ks.  Hitters career-wise are hitting a paltry .140 against him. ASTOUNDING.  Lavender will earn a lot of green in his career if he keeps this up.

DANIEL JUAREZ: 2-0, 4 saves, 1.61 ERA, 43 Ks in 28 IP?  Not bad for a 5'11, 155 lefty 21 year old. The pride and joy of Guigue, Vz.

Honorable Mentions: 

Grant Hartwig - 4-0 in relief, stellar all season except for one bad outing.  

Calvin Ziegler, still searching for his first pro win (gotta go 5 as a starter to get a W), but a profusive 57 Ks in 35 innings.

You readers?  You astound me most of all.