The Mack Report (Larez, Tidwell, Super Bowl, Daniel, Ronny, A-Ram)

 

 

 One of the top 3 International prospects signed by the Mets -   

The club announced Monday it has agreed to terms with 27 players, including catcher Daiverson Gutierrez, the No. 27-ranked prospect on the top 50 international list. They also agreed to deals with outfielder Anthony Baptist, who ranks No. 29, and No. 43 Cristopher Larez. 

As for Larez, he is one of the most polished shortstops in the class and has a chance to be a five-tool player at a premium position. 

He already shows good bat-to-ball skills and has a chance to be a plus hitter in the future. There’s a chance he develops more power as he grows and his body matures. Defensively, his instincts are noteworthy, and he features all of the skills an emerging middle infielder needs to make his way through the Minor Leagues and eventually the big leagues one day. 

Larez is trained by Robert Vahlis, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program. 

Mack - Remember… the best athletes in Latin America always are shortstops and they easily can be converted to either second of third base. Just look at the Gimenez//Rosario comp. Two prospect shortstops that had one converted to an all-star second baseman. 

 

New York Mets Top 50 Prospects (2023)

https://www.prospects1500.com/nl-east/mets/new-york-mets-top-50-prospects-2023/?s=03 

7. Blade Tidwell, RHP, 21, Single-A

A strong 2022 draft class brought along righty Tidwell from Tennessee in the second round. Tidwell throws four different pitches featuring a great fastball and nice complimentary sliders/changeups that generate the swing and misses. He has the traditional starter build and projects to be a mid to back end starter as of now. Past shoulder tendinitis and inconsistent command is probably something to keep an eye on in his journey, but isn’t a huge concern right now. 

1-25-23 - The Athletic

Right-hander Blade Tidwell is probably their sixth-best prospect, if not better. A second-round pick last summer, Tidwell regularly sits in the upper 90s and can touch 100 mph. During his time with Low-A St. Lucie, he flashed the look of a prototypical power pitcher, including a curveball that tunneled well off his velocity and an ability to repeat his delivery, scouts said. 

Mack - Finally found someone that is agreeing with me that the top pitcher prospect in the Mets chain is Tidwell. He easily would have been one of the top five picks in the  2022 draft  if he didn’t get pulled for shoulder soreness prior to the season’s start. He still finished the season 3-2, 39-IP, 51-K, 3.00/1.08. 

Tidwell managed to get in five starts for the Mets last season, the first being for the FCL team (1-IP, 0.00) and the last four for St. Lucie (8.1- IP, 2.16). In total, 11-K in 9.1-IP (but also 7-BB). 

My guess is he opens up in Binghamton this spring and finishes the season in Syracuse. 

 

Ben Yoel @Ben_Yoel 

Steve Cohen dropping 7m on a Super Bowl ad is the most boss shit ever. Shohei Ohtani might as well start looking for real estate in New York. 

Mack - 

I think this is a first and it’s a pure, arrogant message being sent to the other owners that the Mets are here to stay, 

And Ben is right about the message this sends to future free agents that are looking for their last great contract. Cohen is determined to build a World Series winner and spending money means nothing to Cohen. And agents always stresses to their clients that it is their job to get them the best deal out there, regardless of what team is or where they play, 

Me?  I think Ohtani is a lock for Queens in 2024. 

 

Every minor league team in your chain need at least 25 players ti fill all the creaks in their wall… and if you are going to sign a first baseman, you might as well sign someone that led the league they played in last year in home runs. 

26-year old Dariel Gomez came out of the D.R. as an International free agent signed by St. Louis. He played five years in that chain, sat out a year due to injuries, and then returned as a member of the Seattle chain. 

The good news is he led the A+ Northwest League with 26 home runs. The bad news is his slash line was only .222/.321/.472 with 26 home runs and struck out 163 times in those 113 games. 

Still, he fills a hole in the future 2023 Binghamton roster 

 

The Athletic - Keith Law

87. Ronny Mauricio, SS, New York Mets

Age: 22 | 6-3 | 222 pounds

Bats: Switch | Throws: Right

International signing in 2017

Last year’s ranking: 40

Mauricio had 54 extra-base hits for Double-A Binghamton last year as one of the youngest regulars in the Eastern League despite an approach that you could euphemistically call “aggressive.” He’s a hacker, really, but his wrists are so quick and strong that he still managed to hit 26 homers and 26 doubles (and, if you’re too lazy to do the math, two triples). He reminds me a ton of young Alfonso Soriano, who also wasn’t the most discriminating hitter, and wasn’t even as good of an athlete as Mauricio is, but who had lightning-quick wrists and surprising strength in his forearms to hit 412 homers in 16 MLB seasons, peaking at 46 in 2006. Scouts really vary on whether he can stay at shortstop, although that only happens if he works harder on his defense; I’m in the camp that says he should move off the position, not because the Mets have a guy there, but because while I don’t think Mauricio has the footwork for it, he could be a 55-60 defender at third. He won the MVP in the Dominican Winter League this year, even though his pitch selection and swing decisions still weren’t good, and the Mets are going to have to make a choice at some point to hold him back until he shows real improvement in that area. It’s easy 30-homer power, though, and he doesn’t even have to walk much more to have real value if he ends up at third or second. Just making better choices to get to that power consistently against better pitching will be enough. 

New York Mets Top 50 Prospects (2023)

https://www.prospects1500.com/nl-east/mets/new-york-mets-top- 50-prospects-2023/?s=03 

5. Alex Ramirez, OF, 19, Single-A

Ramirez had an excellent season across both levels of Single-A. He enjoyed a blistering hot start in St. Lucie that got him the promotion to Brooklyn. Ramirez stopped striking out and walked slightly more this year. He sported a .281 average across both levels and while he did not hit a ton of homers this year, the extra base hits (30 doubles, 7 triples) stayed consistent and should only improve as his development across the Mets system continues. 

Mack - I am extremely high on A-Ram and ave been for quite some long. The desire would be to rush this kid aong since the Mets are light on outfield prospects, but he is only a 19-year old and needs all the direction the Mets coaching staff can give him next year at their home camp at Port St. Lucie. 

Look for a full season with the St. Lucie Mets.