This is the next post in a series intended to bring awareness to some of the lesser-known prospects in the Mets' organization This series will post a different prospect each weekday at 11:00am EST for the benefit of our fans.
The 2021 draft was infamous for the Mets due to their selection of Kumar Rocker with their first pick and subsequent decision not to sign him. Hidden beneath that pick were a handful of very good players who are showing promise in the development system including Calvin Ziegler (2), Dominic Hamel (3), JT Schwartz (4), and Christian Scott (5).
JT came out of UCLA where he brought home a Pac-12 batting title in his junior year in 2021. He signed for $475k which was just under the slot value for a 4th round pick. He played 25 games with St. Lucie after being drafted and then spent the full season with the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2022, batting .273 as he got used to professional baseball.
Schwartz played the majority of the 2023 season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies where he found his mojo, slashing .302/.383/.437 and playing outstanding defense as their starting first baseman. JT missed over two months with a quad injury, but upon his return in July, Schwartz was one of the most productive hitters in a very talented Binghamton lineup, batting .348 with a .921 OPS over his last 39 regular season games.
This prospect rarely strikes out and has the kind of swing that translates to higher levels. Think of John Olerud without the batting helmet. JT has the size at 6-4, 215lb to hit with power, and has shown the ability to do so in batting practice, but his in-game strategy so far has been to maximize contact, which paid off with his PAC-12 batting title and his .302 average in AA. He will need to transfer more power into his game swing to win over the evaluators that value power highly, but it seems that he will take an evolutionary path there rather than a dramatic change.
His stellar season in AA last year got him an invite to the Arizona Fall League. There, he hit .247/.325/.411 with a .736 OPS in 73 at-bats over 20 games. Schwartz started very well, but suffered a slump over the last few weeks of the season that dropped his average from the .280s to the .230s before a late recovery. JT was third on the team with 13 RBI, named hitter of the week for the AFL in week 3, and was selected to play in the AFL fall stars game where he impressed defensively with a lay-out catch of a foul ball.
JT is both a solid hitter and a great glove guy. In AA Binghamton last year, he had 323 chances in 378 innings and committed one error. He has great range and starts the double play as well as anyone that has come through Binghamton in a long time. I think JT has a future in this organization and I am looking forward to watching him progress.
8 comments:
Have followed him through school
Thrilled Mets drafted him in round they chose
Fear he will be boxed out of AAA this year with one these veteran (old) first basemen they signed
My take on JT Schwartz is primarily that time in baseball is finite. He already turned 24 in December, and he needs to make a splash in 2024 in a big way. Ryan Clifford probably will move up very quickly.
So, I really hope Schwartz Added 20 or 25 pounds of muscle after his AFL stint in October and November. He has to make a huge impression, and pronto, and his power to date is just low. So, hitting 340 this year with 20 home runs and 40 doubles in 500 ABs would really raise his profile to the point of serious conversation.
He throws righty and fields well. Third base a possibility?
And somehow avoid down time. In 2018, Alonso played every game.
Right now, JT’s ceiling to me is Dom Smith 2023. The Mets don’t need Dom Smith 2023.
Not saying, they are geniuses, but prospects 1500 does the top 50 prospects for each team. Schwartz is not in the top 50. He’s not in the current MLB top 30. The latter particularly, takes a lot of care and coming up who they think should be in the top of 30. JT has now played, three years in the minors. He’s played OK, but all of those that show he needs to play a lot better to really be considered for the major leagues.
I like JT
We are assuming the Mets want to sign Alonso. Maybe it is Soto they covert.
If so there will have to huge savings elsewhere.
I wouldn't push JT to change his hitting angle to emulate Pate.
Concentrate on 1B defense
Mack, good points. My comments are sometimes blunt, but meant to be constructive. I wanted talented players to reach the big leagues. JT is talented.
Hmmm Tom Blunt it is and we appreciate it. I've got a crush on Emily Blunt hope she's not related LOL. The Wilpon years particularly after Madoff offered almost no hope but this year is shaping up to be a wild roller coaster ride and I'm ready to buy a ticket and hope it not for "Freefall". Question to all I just found out I need surgery to romove my prostate and was wondering if anyone here has had that done and if so any imput would be helpfull thank you.
Gary
I did 2 years ago. Routine with no negative recovery problems.
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