Tom Brennan - Drew Gilbert's Impressive First Full Pro Season

Some Guys like Drew Gilbert (See Above) Just Look Athletic

While we all think of what new guys can help us from outside the organization next year, what about the new kid on the block?

Drew Gilbert was obtained in the trade by the Astros to acquire Justin Verlander at the trade deadline.  The Mets also got slugger Ryan Clifford, so that was a heck of a good haul for the great Verlander.

I have Gilbert as my #2 prospect, neck-and-neck with Jett Williams, and with LA Acuna as #3.

Pre-draft, Gilbert hit a sizzling .362/.455/.673 in college at Tennessee in 2022, with 36 XBHs in 58 games.

As a result, he was selected as Houston's 2022 first rounder (#28 overall).

He had a brief pro debut in 2022, less than 40 plate appearances, a season which reportedly ended prematurely when he collided with a wall. 

In 2023, Gilbert was healed by spring training  and played the full season as a 22 year old. He turned 23 in September, so based on age alone, both he and the Mets would certainly like him to arrive in Queens some time in 2024.

All that will take, it seems, is to conquer AAA.  

In his first full season this year, you see, he largely conquered AA.  

The 2023 conquering season, though, was not without some bumps.  

He hit .360/.421/.686 in 21 games in Houston's High A to start the 2023 season.  

"Promote Him!" must have been the fans' cry.  

And so they did.

In his first 13 games in AA, he hit .340.  Impressive. Unstoppable!

But then the adversity arrived.

In the next 6 games, he went 1 for 22.  Ugh.

Then, he had a hit in each of the next 2 games.  Phew. A smidgeon of relief.

Then followed a 6 for 48 stretch that dropped his AA average from that .340 all the way down to .200.  Ouch!

In all, it was a 9 for 71 nightmare stretch, with no HRs and one RBI.

Hey, it happens.

Sometimes, nightmares like that abruptly end.

In a late June game, he homered, and including that game, had a 4 game end-of-June stretch where he was 6 for 16.  Ahh, real relief! 

That monkey off his back, Gilbert hit an improved .277 in July with 7 doubles and 4 HRs in 83 at bats, still as an Astro farmhand. And played in the MLB Futures game.

Gilbert played his first Mets organization post-trade game in Binghamton on August 4, going 0 for 4.  “Uh oh”, all over again?  

Nope.  The rest of the way?  

“Dynomite!”, exclaimed Jimmy Walker.  

Drew as a Met AA dude was 40 for 119 (.335), 7 doubles, 2 triples, 6 HRs, and 21 RBIs and 19 walks.  That AA first-full-season nightmare for that 4 week stretch from late May to late June was receding well back in the rear view mirror.  

He was then 5 for 17 with a HR and 3 RBIs in post-season play.

His 18 games in his 2022 pro debut season and 116 games in his first full pro season added up to just 552 pro plate appearances to date.  One would think he'd have to secure at least a few hundred plate appearances in AAA before being ready to join the Mets.

Still, that late season Binghamton hot stretch makes a mid-2024 arrival not seem to be a stretch at all.

So what are his drawbacks?  Seems there is one small one.

Just 5'9". 

That, for my brother when asked, is not a little concern. 

“Where’s my 6’4” prospect?”, he asked. “I want 6’4” Kyle Tuckers!”

But Drew is a muscular, athletic 195 pounds.  His projected power rating is 45, which is pretty average (and, I definitely think, is understated).  

"Just" 20 HRs in his 552 career pro plate appearances. Just?

Other drawbacks?  Seemingly none. Nada. Zilch.

He did fan 99 times in his first 126 games, but considering the speed of his rise to the higher minors, that's actually quite good and promising. 

Kevin Parada struck out at a much higher rate, for example. Baty, too.

Some lefties can't hit lefties.  In 2023, though, Gilbert hit .306/.381/.506, against southpaws, so that result seems totally fine.

He's had 18 of 24 in steals in the equivalent of a full pro season's worth of plate appearances since turning pro in 2022.  

Why?  He's fast. 

He is rated 55 in speed, and a 60 rated lefty arm, Billy Wagner reminded me.

Gilbert was a highly thought of HS pitcher, who thankfully chose hitting as his craft.  He apparently hit 93 MPH while doing a little college pitching for a quality team (16 innings, 5 runs, 17 Ks), but has no pro pitching to his credit.  

But should the Mets ever run out of pitchers in a tight game?  Who knows? Drew to the rescue?

He's played mostly CF in the minors, so his arrival should be as a Mets centerfielder, since he has both speed and a cannon.   And he looks like a really positive guy, which will only help the team win.  

He is described as a very aggressive player and a fiery competitor. Nice.

Seemingly, just a matter of a little more time until Drew Gilbert becomes a successful major league outfielder.  It would be great, however, if he can squeeze out a few more HRs, as Nimmo has, which might make Gilbert a future MLB All Star caliber player. 

Were the Mets to (purely for the sake of argument) slightly shorten those outfield fences, I imagine it would also help Gilbert (and LA Acuna, Jett Williams, and Kevin Parada, when they arrive).

Anyway, I for one am excited to see what Gilbert will do in 2024. 

Especially when he arrives in Queens to stay, in 2024.