MACK - DEEP DIVE - UT Yonatan Henriquez - RHRP Saul Garcis - RHRP Ben Simon

 

Ernest Dove           @ernestdove

Mets 20 yr old super UT prospect & coach favorite Yonatan Henriquez  in the High A SAL playoffs

3 for 10

2 R

1 double

0 BB / 1 K

3 SB

Finished regular season hitting .286 in Sept

Has played SIX positions this season. All but P, C, 1B

      A deep dive…

Yonatan Henriquez is a 20-year-old baseball prospect in the New York Mets organization, born October 12, 2004, in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. He is a switch-hitting, right-handed throwing player, listed at 5'10" and 185 pounds.

Henriquez is versatile, primarily playing third base but also capable of playing centerfield, rightfield, and shortstop. He is currently active in the Mets’ minor league system, playing for the St. Lucie Mets (Single-A affiliate) and occasionally with the Brooklyn Cyclones (High-A).

Career Overview

Signed: Henriquez signed a one-year, $104,000 contract with the Mets, as noted by Spotrac.

Minor League Journey: He began his professional career with the Florida Complex League (FCL) Mets and has progressed to Single-A St. Lucie. He was briefly placed on the 7-day injured list by the FCL Mets but was activated and later assigned to St. Lucie.

Notable Performances: On August 2, 2025, Henriquez contributed significantly in a doubleheader against the Daytona Tortugas, hitting an RBI double to give the St. Lucie Mets the lead in a 6-1 victory in game two.

Stats and Scouting:

Positions: Third baseman, centerfielder, rightfielder, and shortstop.

Batting/Throwing: Switch-hitter, throws right.

Prospect Status:

Henriquez is not listed among the Mets’ top 30 prospects by Baseball America, but he is noted as a player to watch in their farm system analysis for 2025.

Additional Notes:

Henriquez’s versatility across multiple positions makes him a valuable asset in the Mets’ system, though his development is still ongoing in the lower minors.

His contributions in clutch moments, like the September 2025 game with Brooklyn, highlight his potential as a dynamic player.

Ernest Dove          @ernestdove

One of the most talented "stuff" arms in Mets farm continues to be 22 yr old RP Saul Garcia. Combined season stats between A+/AA

38 app

47.2 inn

29 H

9 ER (1.70 ERA)

28 BB

76 K

.571 opp OPS

      A deep dive

Saul García is a right-handed relief pitcher in the New York Mets' minor league system, born June 11, 2003, in Naguanagua, Venezuela.

At 6'0" and 180 lbs, he’s a prospect ranked No. 29 in the Mets’ system by MLB Pipeline as of the 2024-2025 offseason.

Signed as an international free agent in June 2021, García is noted for being part of the extended family of former Mets infielder Wilmer Flores. He’s currently active with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, with recent assignments also including the St. Lucie Mets and FCL Mets.

Career and Development

García is a late bloomer who didn’t sign until he was nearly 18, but he’s shown promise as a multi-inning reliever with potential to develop into a starter. In 2024, he pitched across multiple minor league levels, though specific stats for the season are not fully detailed in the available data. His development has focused heavily on improving command, as strike-throwing is a key area of growth for him, especially at the lower levels of the minors. The Mets have kept him in a rotation-like role to build his stamina, though his long-term future may lie in the bullpen.

Pitch Repertoire

García’s arsenal is built around three primary pitches:

Fastball: His primary pitch, described as “really interesting” by Mets director of player development Andrew Christie. It has above-average movement, allowing it to “get above barrels” (evade solid contact). While exact velocity isn’t specified, it’s implied to be a plus pitch with Major League-average quality for his level.

Slider: A sweeping slider in the low-80s, considered his secondary pitch and a “calling card” alongside the fastball. It’s effective at generating swings and misses, with Major League-average potential. Opponents have struggled against it, suggesting it’s a key weapon in his arsenal.

Changeup: A developing pitch, less prominent than his fastball and slider but part of his mix. It’s used to keep hitters off-balance, particularly lefties, though it’s not yet as refined as his other offerings.

Scouting Outlook

García’s fastball and slider are his standout pitches, both showing Major League-average quality for a minor leaguer, which is notable for his age and experience level. His ability to miss bats with the slider and evade hard contact with the fastball makes him a promising arm, but his command needs refinement to handle higher-level hitters. The Mets see him as a versatile pitcher, currently used in multi-inning relief but with the potential to stretch out as a starter if his development progresses. His work ethic, shared with his cousin Wilmer Flores’ brother (a Tigers prospect), has been praised, and he’s described as a focused, quiet competitor. 

Additional Notes

Injury History: García spent time on the 7-day injured list with the St. Lucie Mets but was activated in 2023, indicating no long-term concerns.

Prospect Status: His inclusion in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Mets prospects highlights his potential, though he remains a lower-tier prospect (No. 29) compared to higher-ranked Mets arms like Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean.

Ernest Dove                                       @ernestdove

Mets RP prospect 23 yr old Ben Simon last two months

August

14.2 inn 9 H 2 ER 4 BB 14 K

Sept (regular season)

4.2 inn 3 H 0 ER 1 BB 7 K

Postseason

2.1 inn 0 H 0 ER 0 BB 1 K          

                

      A deep dive…

Ben Simon is a right-handed relief pitcher in the New York Mets organization, drafted in the 13th round (396th overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Elon University.

Born on March 22, 2002, in Princeton, New Jersey, Simon stands at 5’11” and weighs 197 pounds

A local product from Hightstown High School, Simon grew up a Mets fan, idolizing pitchers like Jon Niese and Dillon Gee during the team’s 2015 World Series run. He’s noted for his mental toughness, having overcome a challenging freshman year at Elon to earn All-Colonial Athletic Conference second-team honors as a sophomore.

Repertoire

Simon’s pitching arsenal is built around a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can touch the high-90s, featuring high spin rates for late life. He complements it with a low-to-mid-70s power curveball, which serves as his primary secondary pitch. He also occasionally mixes in a slider and a changeup, thrown from a three-quarters arm slot with clean, repeatable mechanics.

Career Notes

    College Career:            

At Elon, Simon split time between starting and relieving as a freshman in 2021, posting an 8.44 ERA over 32 innings. He improved significantly in his sophomore and junior years, transitioning primarily to a relief role.

     Minor League Path:

After signing with the Mets for $150,000, Simon debuted in the Florida Complex League and St. Lucie in 2023, making six appearances. In 2024, he pitched for the Brooklyn Cyclones, though he spent time on the 7-day injured list. No MLB statistics are available yet, as he remains in the minors

Personal Background:

A student-athlete with a degree in applied mathematics from Elon, Simon values data-driven pitching development, appreciating the Mets’ pitching lab in Port St. Lucie. His Jewish heritage is a significant part of his identity, and he’s expressed interest in potentially playing for the Israel National Baseball Team.

Simon’s development focuses on day-to-day improvement, leveraging his high-velocity fastball and curveball to climb the Mets’ prospect ladder.