MACK - MY Sunday Observations - Mets Future: OF (Part 1 of 2), - Trade Deadline (bullpen), ,Megill, Senga, Benge, Catcher Movement

 

 

 Mets Futures – Outfield (Part 1 of 2) 

There are a bunch of Mets minor league outfielders that could some day play somewhere in the majors.

For now, I’m just breaking out RED Prospects. There are lots of names below this that could emerge some day… Gilberto Celestino, Alex Ramirez, Diego Mosquera, Collin Houck, Willy Fanas (lol), Jeffry Rosa…  but, for now, I’m sticking with the red meat:

They are:

Drew Gilbert/Syracuse –

24/years old      5-9      195      LHH    LHT

Acquired by Mets in 2023 in trade with Houston (was #1 Astros prospect). In return, the Mets sent Houston pitcher Justin Verlander.

Stillwater High School –

    Junior )2018):     .400-BA, 7-1, 0.63, 100-K, 55.2-IP

    Senior (2019):     .417-BA, 0.14-ERA, 97-K

University of Tennessee –

    So. (2021):           .274/.341/.437, 10-HR, 62-RBI

    Jr.  (2022):           .362/.455/.673, 11-HR, 70-RBI

2023/High-A:         .361/.421/.686

          AA:                 .325/.423/.561

Total 2023:             .289/.381/.487, 18-HR, 59-RBI, 12-SB

And then…

2024/AAA:             Limited sue to hamstring strain in April 

                                 .206/.313/.393, 10-HR, 33-RBI in 62-G

2025/AAA (thru 6-2):

                                .211/.337/.308/.646, 2-HR, 13-RB1

Line-drive hitter, raw power, quick hands, excellent hand-eye

Exit velo exceeds 110

Strong plate discipline (9.4% in 2023)

Scouts project being a .820-OPS hitter with above-average contact

Defense:  strong in center. Arm hits 95

Covers significant ground at all three outfield positions

Projects long-term as an above-average centerfielder

Intangibles:  Fiery competitive nature, plays with intensity

Plays with “hair on fire”

Strong leadership playing center, positioning corner outfielders

Comp: Michael Conforto with a higher floor

Needs to develop more consistent power

      MACK – It seems like Gilbert has lost the ability to hit since the hammy thingy. Frankly, I wish the Mets would assign him as a pitcher only in the winter and come back possibly as a power starter or multiple-inning reliever. On my team, he no longer is my #1 centerfielder target.

 

Jett Williams/Binghamton –

We covered Jett in our shortstop analysis plus we are all pretty much up to date with his progress in AA ball. If you are reading this it means that he still hasn’t been promoted to AAA to fill the slot left open with the Ronny Mauricio promotion to Flushing. If you aren’t reading this, it means he has. This is getting weird.

      MACK - The first thing we need to remember here is also the most exciting thing we need to remember here… his age of 21.

I’m happy with his progress, but, to me, nothing is jumping off the page here. Is batting average isn’t embarrassing, but it also isn’t above .275. He walks a lot, but his OBP isn’t above .400. Both his home run and batted in numbers are nothing to write home about and, frankly, the only exciting thing so far is the amount of his successful stolen bases. Lastly, the Mets continue to not expand his game by playing him more in center.

But, he’s 21.

I simply can’t project Williams yet. I just can’t.

Next, is a guy I can get my teeth around…

 

Nick Morabito/Binghamton –

22/years old      5-10      185      RHH      RHT

2^nd round pick by Mets in 2022 draft, out of Gonzaga College HS (DC)

Compensation for Noah Syndergaard signing with Angels

$1,000,000 signing bonus (slot: $873,300)

HS senior:    .545, 12-HR, 52-SB – Washington DC Player Of The Year

2022 –

    GCL-Mets:   .091/.167/.136, 6-G, 14-K, 2-BB

2023 –

    FCL-Mets:    .324/.437/.432, 30-G, 1-HR, 11-SB

    St. Lucie:     .286/.403/.378, 27-G

2024 –

    St. Lucie:     .297/.530/.513, 24-G, 11-SB

    Brooklyn:    .294/.373/.374, 3-HR, 48-SB, 110-H (single-season record)

    Named Mets minor league player of the year

2025 –

    May 1 through June 3:  .320

Known for his speed, contact-hitting, and defensive potential in center

Scout Report –

    Hitting -   Grades:  Hit: 45-50  Power: 40-55  Speed: 70 (++)

                                      Fielding:  55    Arm:   40-45

    Short compact swing with above average bat speed

    Minimal wasted movement allows hard contact

    2024 exit velocities:  90.7-102.1

    53.5% ground ball rate (too high)

    Tendency to swing and miss IN the zone

    Explosive raw power but current approach is limiting his power potential

    Speed is his best tool both on the base but also in centerfield

    Defense – converted from SS in HS, now has over 1,000 pro innings in OF

    Projects as a capable centerfielder with potential long-term

MACK – I really like this guy and you know how much I like this guy in center. 

Yes, his arm is below what you want from a centerfielder, but his speed will get him to what is hit in front of him. 

Right now, I have no idea who wins the center-war, but my money is on this guy long term. Would fit perfect with this next guy in left… on Wednesday, with the other three current RED Prospects.

What might New York need at the trade deadline?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6396693/2025/06/02/this-week-in-mets-trade-deadline-needs/

How much of a boost will bullpen need?

The bullpen has been even better than the rotation, though its ERA is only good for second-best in the NL behind San Francisco’s relief corps. Edwin Díaz has looked sharper than he did at any point last season, Reed Garrett has been lights out for two months, and Huascar Brazobán has been a revelation as a high-leverage innings-eater.

At some point, they’re going to hit a snag — the way they did when A.J. Minter and Danny Young went down for the season days apart. New York has other options built in: Ryne Stanek has rebounded well from his rough period in late April, Dedniel Núñez should come back to the majors eventually, and Brooks Raley can help out from the left side in the season’s second half. But the likelihood is the Mets seek out assistance for the pen, whether it’s just another left-handed arm or a fresher arm for the back half of the pen. Remember, Stanek was Díaz’s primary set-up man in the postseason last year, and he was a mop-up man in August and September. Things change quickly down there.

Eno Sarris’ MLB starting pitcher rankings for the rest of 2025

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6375745/2025/06/03/sarris-mlb-starting-pitcher-rankings-rest-of-2025-season/

#42                             Tylor Megill

109 Stuff+                3.66 ppERA  

Stuff+                        109

Location+                 99

Pitching+                  108

Health                       75%

Proj. IP                      135

ppERA                       3.66

ppK%                         25.0%

Early MLB All-Star team picks

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6401037/2025/06/04/mlb-all-star-team-predictions-2025/

Kodai Senga, Mets — After a lost 2024 season (5 1/3 innings pitched), Senga is healthy and showing he’s the ace of the Mets’ staff. He is 6-3 with a 1.60 ERA over 11 starts. His ghost forkball has again been sensational; opponents are hitting just .108 against it.

Top 100 MLB Prospects for 2025

https://www.justbaseball.com/prospects/top-100-mlb-prospects/

41. Carson Benge – OF – New York Mets

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 185 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (19), 2024 (NYM) | ETA: 2027

HIT      PLATE DISC. GAME POWER        RUN   FIELD FV

50/55      50/55       40/50   50/50          40/50     50+

Much like his OSU teammate Nolan McLean, Benge was a legitimate two-way talent for the Cowboys. After a big freshman season, Benge tapped into much more power in his draft-eligible sophomore year, making it clear his future was in the batter’s box and there might be room for even more impact.

Hitting

A noisy operation in the box, Benge starts with an open stance and rocks into his back side with a big leg kick and barrel tip. He starts it all very early with impressive lower half control and balance that likely spills over from his experience on the mound.

After struggling to elevate in 2023, Benge slashed his ground ball rate by more than 10%, more than doubling his home run total to 18 while increasing his slug by 130 points. Upon shifting his focus to the batters box, Benge has tapped into much more raw power, posting above average exit velocities in High-A.

Benge could still benefit from getting the ball in the air more frequently and his moves may be difficult to time up against upper-level pitching. He has great hand-eye with impressive swing variance to get to pitches in tough spots.

A patient hitter, Benge has continued to draw walks at a high clip as a pro and can be difficult to put away. With the added raw power, Benge’s ceiling has been pushed a bit higher, with 20 home runs not completely out of the realm of possibility, but at least the chance to hit 15 with plenty of doubles.

Defense/Speed

He predominantly played right field in his collegiate career, but he looks like he can play up the middle. Though he’s closer to an average straight-line runner, Benge’s athleticism paired with the great reads he gets and efficient routes give him a good shot of becoming an average center fielder. If he moves off of the middle, he would grade as an easy plus defender in a corner where his plus arm would play well.

Outlook

Benge is a unique athlete who may just be scraping the surface of the player he can ultimately be. Early returns in 2025 have Benge on an upward trajectory as he has clearly added impact and made a seamless transition to High-A Brooklyn where some hitters can get frustrated by the ball flight. He has a wiry build and could probably add some more strength without losing speed and It’s not uncommon for two-way players to add mass upon shifting their focus from the mound. Added strength could also facilitate a simpler operation in the box. Benge has the potential to be an everyday center fielder with average or better tools across the board.

Mets are better equipped to hang with the Dodgers

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6404763/2025/06/05/mets-dodgers-pitching-details/

The Mets’ catchers aren’t moving behind the plate

In spring training, the Mets’ front office instructed their catchers to cut down on movement behind the plate. For example, no coming up out of the squat for high pitches or moving over for pitches inside. Instead, they wanted their catchers to set up directly behind the plate.

While they were in Milwaukee, president of baseball operations David Stearns and vice president Eduardo Brizuela had the Brewers work this way, too. The way some executives see it, positioning catchers up the middle provides a better tunnel for pitchers. Some pitchers say it gives a better visual for command purposes.

“We started doing that early in the season, and we’re getting really good results,” Luis Torrens said.

This is a small thing. But four of the six games so far this season between the two teams have been decided by one or two runs. The small details matter. And that’s especially true when it comes to the Mets’ pitching staff and command. In the six games during the National League Championship series last year, the Mets walked 42 batters. In the six games against the Dodgers so far in the regular season, the Mets have walked 22 batters.

Still, catchers can only provide the target; it’s up to the pitcher to remain confident and execute.