MACK -. MY Monday Observations - My Chain Position Analysis - First Base

 

Good morning

 

The journey down the road of my current analysis of Mets chain players, by position, now continues with a jog to first base.

Not many pure prospects here. Frankly, only one. 

1B/OF Ryan Clifford – 21/yr old – 2022 11^th rd. draft pick by Houston – 2022 signing bonus out of HS: $1,256,530 –

2024 with AA/A+:  .228, .435-AB, 95-BB, 160-K

Clifford is projected more as a first baseman, but, if Pete Alonso extends, he easily can hold his own in all three-outfield position. Tom is right about this guy. If he doesn’t cut down on his K/AB% (36.78%), he’s going to have trouble at the MLB level.. So far this year…  43-AB, 9-BB, 1-HR, .233, .365-OBP

The Mets need to do everything they can to get Clifford to the AAA level what with the different balls, zones, veteran pitchers. The problem is he is blocked by the next guy that isn’t a prospect, but, so far, is having a decent season in Syracuse.

1B/DH/RF Joey Meneses – 30/yr old – 2011 IFA $15k signing bonus by Braves – Career: 1.1-WAR: .274/1,114-AB

So far this season: 

A solid fielder at first, but a work in progress (that will never happen) in the outfield. Past that, a DH.

Meneses is in Syracuse in case Pete goes down. Nothing more. It’s nice that he’s hitting well so far this season, but it’s all a bonus.

My guess is it is going to take a sizable reduction of Clifford AA strikeouts to nudge this guy out.

 

1B/3B/SS Trace Willhoite – 24/yrs old – Undrafted free agent (Mets refused to even pay him the $10K you normally give to college seniors. Obviously, the Mets considered this guy filler fodder. Tell that to Trace.

The boy from Lipscomb College at A-St. Lucie, simply because this team needed a warm body to play there. All that Trace has done so far is 39-AB, 2-HR, 12-RBI, .231, .861-OPS.

A guy like Willhoite seems to have the talent needed to wind up a perfect AAAA player in the upper levels of the chain. Has always been considered an assety at first, so there’s that.

IMO, not a threat to the other listed here, but what I great story it would be if I turned out to be wrong here.

Summation –

It’s 2025. There are five seasons before the next decade kick in. Pete’s got this year down. Past that, this position is… I hate this word… fluid. Sign Pete for 5-6 more years and we can save ink here.

Past Pete, this is Clifford’s job to lose.

Rating –      A-  

Thomas Nestico                 @TJStats

AVG with Runners in Scoring Position

 

Team ERA vs OPS

Mets sign 20 of 23 picks in this year's Draft

https://www.mlb.com/news/mets-2023-draft-signings-tracker

CB-A (32): Colin Houck, SS, Parkview HS (GA)

Pick value: $2,607,500

Signing bonus: $2,750,000

Houck, 18, was named the 2022-2023 Georgia Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year after leading Parkview High School to the Class 7A State Finals in 2023. The Lilburn, GA native batted .487 with eight home runs, 50 RBI, 16 stolen bases and posted a .587 OBP this past season. The No. 12 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and the No. 21 prospect according to Baseball America, Houck became the fourth-ever player from Parkview High School selected in the first round of the First-Year Player Draft joining 12-year veteran OF Jeff Francouer (2002, 23rd overall), All-Star 1B Matt Olson (2012, 47th overall) and INF Josh Hart (2013, 37th overall).

The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is also a three-star quarterback recruit and received several offers from Power 5 programs after throwing for 2,189 yards and 24 touchdowns during his senior season. Prior to signing with the Mets, Houck was committed to play baseball at Mississippi State.

"It's a dream come true for sure," Houck said at Citi Field after signing.

Mets sign 20 of 23 picks in this year's Draft

https://www.mlb.com/news/mets-2023-draft-signings-tracker

2 (56): Brandon Sproat, RHP, Florida

Pick value: $1,474,500

Signing bonus: $1,474,500

Sproat, 22, was previously drafted by the Mets in the third round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. The No. 54 prospect by MLB Pipeline and the No. 56 prospect by ESPN, Sproat was a Second Team All-SEC selection in 2023 after recording 134 strikeouts over 106.1 innings and held opposing batters to a .222 average. The Pace, FL native struck out 28 batters in four postseason starts this year, including 14 over two starts in the College World Series. In 56 career games over four seasons at the University of Florida, Sproat went 19-8 with a 4.27 ERA (106 ER/223.2 IP) and 242 strikeouts.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was the third Gator taken in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft joining OF Wyatt Langford (fourth overall) and RHP Hurston Waldrep (24th overall).