Observations –
We projected
the 2025 pitchers last week.
Let’s move on
to the 2025 bats…
Syracuse –
I already projected OF/IF Luiseangel Acuna and CF Drew Gilbert to move on to the Mets.
C Kevin Parada, 2B/OF Rowdey Jordan, 1B JT Schwartz, OF Matt Rudick, and 1B/OF Ryan Clifford should open up at AAA.
First base will get a little interesting, what
with both Schartz and Clifford joining the possibility of Luke Ritter returning. Me? I see
the blocked Ritter being dealt off in the off season.
Regarding second, Jordan will probably start
here. I don’t anticipate Pablo Reyes being resigned.
Short is wide open. Since Jett Williams has only had 39 at-bats
this season (.179), I see him being held back in Binghamton for at least the
first half of 2025.
Third will be Brett Baty, if he isn’t traded. I
just don’t see Baty being a Met anymore…. Or the currently injured Jose Peroza. He also would become
the backup second baseman.
Outfield will be Rudick, sometimes Clifford, sometimes
Jordan and probably Carlos Cortes. I don’t see Alex Ramirez making the jump.
Binghamton –
I predict C Christopher Suero, 2B D’Angelo Smith, SS Jett Williams, 3B Jesus Baez, and OF Nick Morabito opening the season
here.
The rest is
extremely fluid with a number of repeated players from last season plus
secondary filler players coming from Brooklyn.
First base
wise, Nick Lorusso is seriously blocked by a number of players in
Syracuse and will also have to deal with the promotion of Mateo Gil. Lorusso also plays
third and Gil plays short and also third so there is some flexibility here.
I just don’t
know where to slot second baseman Jeremiah Jackson. He is failing
miserably this season at the AA level and my guess he will remain here in a back-up
role. Marco Vargas would have given Smith a fit here, but he has spent a
considerable amount of time this season on the IL and I would open him up again
in Brooklyn.
Junior Tilien and Jacob Reimer should muddle this up
even more.
In the
outfield, I’ve got Jaylen Palmer repeating, Kellum Clark being promoted. The
rest look to be fillers.
That’s a bad picture. It all comes down to Gilbert, Acuna, Jett, Mauricio, Reimer, and Morabito rising. Acuna to me is the only sure thing right now to provide some help in 2025, and maybe Chuck Hiller Mauricio. Parada just strikes out too much. He is not the only one. Will Gilbert be as good as, or better than, Brett Baty? Unclear. And on and on. I have a feeling Syracuse may be veteran-heavy next year, again.
ReplyDeleteI agree
DeleteThe Mets always fill the AAA cracks with aging vets that can only earn a major league contract at this point in their career or failed first round picks that never worked
The list does not look impressive at all
ReplyDeleteI hope we have fixed the scouting and we can figure out when to trade the right prospects at the height of thier value
I would have sold some if we could have gotten skubal or the As pitcher
The Mets will have plenty of money to reshape this team if they want to
DeleteI predict Baty to be a Met next year. In fact, after this year, next year will be a true transition year. No Alonso, no Martinez, possibly no McNeil, this team needs a shakeup. Seattle embarrassed them and showed them how mentally weak they are. They faced adversity and didn’t bother putting up a fight. I welcome Acuna as the #9 hitter and Gilbert too. No Bader and Marte sucks against righties so he could platoon with Gilbert. Taylor is there for Nimmo. Mauricio will be in the mix. There won’t be any Inglesiad.
ReplyDeleteIf we don’t let the kids play, we will never learn. It took Bogk four years but Philly stuck with him. Have to let Baty figure it out. He has zero trade value but unlike Parada, he has succeeded in the minors. Let him play.
What if, we traded McNeil for a team’s IFA money, and then signed Roki Sasaki? I think that can be a win for both teams, and Sasaki would springboard the pitching staff while the Mets reset the Luxury Tax.
ReplyDeleteBTW
Deletethere is no chatter on any interest for Sasaki
As for Syracuse, I would trade Parada. He may not have much value, but as a project another team will give him a shot. Trade him for Kumar Rocker to totally troll the fan base.
ReplyDeleteI totally recommend reading Joe DeMayo’s update on the top prospects from yesterday. He claims that the Mets feel Acuna has a high baseball IQ. That is what I want to hear.
ReplyDeleteMack, I know there isn’t any chatter. But, why would a team make a $325MM offer to a young Japanese ace and then when a younger, better Japanese ace - who also hits like Ohtani - becomes available, not be interested? I think Cohen will be a shark on the next one and while everyone says Dodgers, I say no way. The kid will want New York advertising money to make up for his lost revenue of not being able to be an unlimited free agent and in Los Angeles he cannot DH as that is Ohtani’s.
ReplyDeleteHope so
DeleteThe Mets should have been sellers, not buyers at the deadline.
ReplyDeleteThey could have added four or five great prospects and taken a good minor league system to a top ten minor league system.
But the Mets have a history of not following a plan and often that comes back to bite them in the rear.
Gus, I hope Acuna does have high BB IQ. He is 5’8” going on 5’6” and has yet to prove he is better than a speedier Ruben Tejada.
ReplyDeleteViper, not sure that great prospects are easily traded, but I would prefer to see my team trying to win than always be the Pirates or Rays. I’m glad they are trying and let’s see what happens. At least the season will be more interesting than last year when we all tuned out by now. That’s just my opinion as I don’t want to waste the season completely.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of prospects, I read something a few days ago about a "Bridge League" currently active, in which various teams' '24 draft picks are playing.
ReplyDeleteMack, Tom, others-- do you have any info on this, and if so, will you be reporting about it?
Bill, I have heard the Mets and I believe 3 other orgs are taking the FCL and new draftees and playing vs. 3 other teams. To my knowledge, they don’t publish results.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteI agree with Gus that next year will be the transition year that we all thought was coming in ‘24. Having nearly all of their top prospects injured and missing most of the season really set this franchise back. Money is great to have, but it’s hard to commit to expensive, long-term FA contracts when you’re still not sure if and where three of your four best offensive prospects will fit, particularly as none of them have a 💯 set position, is a big gamble. I’d bet that the FO is hoping that at least two and hopefully at least three of those four will make their way into the lineup at some point in ‘25.
ReplyDelete