7/9/26

MACK: Hot Bats – A.J. Saldago, Jose Ramos, Christian Pache, Antonio Jimenez

 

Minimum 113 at-bats

 


A.J. Saldago/St. Lucie - .796-OPS

A.J. Salgado (full name: Aaron Jacob Salgado) is a 24-year-old minor league infielder/outfielder in the New York Mets organization.

Born: September 16, 2001 (San Dimas, CA)

Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Height/Weight: 6'3" / 220 lbs

Position: Primarily 3B, with time at 1B, LF, RF, and other outfield spots

College: UCLA (he was a redshirt senior)

Salgado had a strong final season at UCLA in 2025, earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors. He hit .312/.418/.581 with 12 HR, 19 doubles, 56 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 64 games — showing power, patience, and speed. He went undrafted and signed with the Mets as a free agent on July 24, 2025.

Professional Career (Minor Leagues)

He has played mostly at Single-A St. Lucie (Florida State League):  2025 (A): 23 games, .264/.353/.375, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 6 SB in 85 PA. Good contact and plate discipline early on.

Career MiLB stats (through available 2026 data): Roughly .246-.251 AVG, 9 HR, good walk rates, and improving power (ISO around .200 in 2026 samples). He has shown versatility defensively.

Outlook

As a toolsy, athletic lefty bat with size and some pop/speed, Salgado is an interesting low-level prospect. He's still early in his pro career and working to refine consistency at the plate while handling full-season ball and injuries. Mets fans may see him progress toward higher levels (High-A and beyond) in the coming seasons if he stays healthy and builds on his 2026 power gains.

 


Jose Ramos/Binghamton – 41-RBI

Jose Ramos (full name: José Antonio Ramos) is a 25-year-old (born January 1, 2001) right-handed hitting and throwing outfielder (primarily CF) from Chepo, Panama, currently in the New York Mets organization.

Signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent in July 2018.

He worked his way through the Dodgers' farm system but never made his MLB debut with them.

After the 2025 season, he elected free agency (November 6, 2025) and signed a minor-league contract with the Mets (with a spring training invite) on November 25/26, 2025. He was assigned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Ramos is known as a power-hitting outfielder with good raw power (he has hit tape-measure home runs and shown the ability to go deep to all fields). He also has a strong arm and solid defensive tools in the outfield. His main challenge has been high strikeout rates (often 30%+), which have limited his consistency and prevented him from breaking through to the majors so far.

Career MiLB (through 2026 partial season): Around .250-.254 AVG, with 90+ home runs, solid OPS in the .780 range, and moderate speed (30+ steals).

2025 (with LAD): Split between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City (PCL). Hit .251/.326/.456 with 18 HR and 59 RBI in 102 games/362 AB. Stronger in Triple-A: .295/.359/.557 with 8 HR in 44 games.

He is a depth outfielder/prospect in the Mets system, not currently on the 40-man roster or in the MLB lineup. He is viewed as organizational depth with upside if he can improve plate discipline and contact rates. He is not typically ranked among the Mets' elite top prospects but remains a notable power bat in the upper minors.

In short, Ramos is a toolsy, power-oriented Panamanian outfielder who spent years developing in the Dodgers system before joining the Mets. He has legitimate big-league potential if he can cut down on strikeouts, but he remains a minor-league player as he continues to refine his game.

 


Christian Pache/Syracuse – 38-RBI

Cristian Pache (full name: Cristian Rafael Pache) is a 27-year-old Dominican outfielder (born November 19, 1998, in Santo Domingo Centro) in the New York Mets organization. He is known primarily as an elite defensive center fielder with plus range, a strong arm, and good instincts, though his bat has struggled to produce consistently at the MLB level.

Career Path

Atlanta Braves (2015–2021): Signed for $1.4 million in 2015. He rose quickly as a top prospect (consensus top-15 in baseball around 2021) and debuted in MLB in August 2020. He was part of the Braves' 2021 World Series team but saw limited playing time.

Traded to the Oakland Athletics in March 2022 (in the Matt Olson blockbuster).

Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023.

Bounced around in 2024: Phillies → Baltimore Orioles (trade) → Miami Marlins (waivers).

Signed a minor-league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2025, played the full year at Triple-A Reno.

Signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets in December 2025 with a non-roster invite to spring training. He’s currently with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets.

MLB Stats (through 2024, 251 games)

Batting: .181 AVG / .243 OBP / .275 SLG / .518 OPS (7 HR, 49 RBI, 5 SB in 557 AB).

Career WAR: Around -1.3 (his defense helps offset the offensive struggles).

Best MLB stint: 2023 with Phillies (.238/.319/.417 in limited action).

His offense has been a major issue (high strikeout rate, low power and on-base skills), limiting him to a backup/defensive replacement role.

2025 (Triple-A Reno): .251/.351/.389 with 5 HR and 8 SB in 70 games.

2026 (Triple-A Syracuse, as of early July): Hitting around .246 with 5 HR, decent production, and strong defensive plays (including highlight-reel throws, slides, and hits).

Pache is a depth piece and defensive specialist, similar to the role Jose Siri filled previously. The Mets value his glove in center field behind players like Tyrone Taylor (and others in the outfield mix). He has no minor-league options left, so any MLB call-up would require him to stick on the active roster or risk waivers.

In short, Pache is a glove-first outfielder who was once a highly touted prospect. He offers excellent defense and versatility across the outfield but needs to improve offensively to earn regular playing time. As of mid-2026, he’s providing depth at Triple-A with a chance to contribute in Queens if injuries arise.


PERIOD: 6/29 - 7/8

Antonio Jimenez/A-St. Lucie - .370/.393/.741/1.134-OPS, 2-HR, 4-RBI, 10-H

 Antonio Jimenez (full name: Antonio Andres Jimenez) is a shortstop prospect in the New York Mets organization. Born June 15, 2004 (age 22 in the 2026 season), in Hialeah, FL, he stands 6'1" / 200 lbs and bats/throws right-handed.

Draft and BackgroundThe Mets drafted him in the 3rd round (102nd overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Central Florida (UCF). 

He signed for an underslot bonus of $564,000 (slot value was around $752,000).

  • High school: Archbishop McCarthy (Florida).
  • College: Started at the University of Miami (limited playing time as a freshman in 2024: .182 AVG), then transferred to UCF for his sophomore year in 2025.
  • In 2025 at UCF, he had a breakout season: .329/.407/.575 with 11 HR, 51 RBI, 55 runs, 11 SB in 55 games. He earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors and was on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List (top college shortstop).
Professional Career and StatsHe made his pro debut in 2025 with Single-A St. Lucie (Florida State League) and has played in the Mets' system since. Key Minor League Stats (as of mid/late 2026):

  • 2025 (St. Lucie, A): .263 AVG, 0 HR, strong contact and speed (8 SB) in a small sample.
He ranks as a top 15–20 prospect in the Mets system (e.g., #15 on MLB Pipeline, around #19–20 on other lists). Scouting Profile
  • Strengths: Above-average raw power (especially pull-side), strong arm (plus potential), solid athleticism and speed for the position, good defender at shortstop with a chance to stick there or move to third/base utility. Mets highlighted his power and defensive upside.
  • Areas to Improve: Hit tool consistency (needs better plate discipline and spin recognition), strikeouts, and overall contact against better pitching. He's still relatively raw as a college draftee.
  • Projection: Power-speed potential with a mid-2028 MLB ETA. Could develop into a starting shortstop or versatile infielder. Some compare the profile to a toolsy player who could follow in the vein of Mets shortstop tradition.
He's expressed excitement about being with the Mets, noting it was his first youth team and mentioning inspiration from alumni like Darryl Strawberry and David Wright. 

In short, Jimenez is a promising but developing prospect with exciting tools who broke out in college and is working through the challenges of full-season pro ball. 


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Alex Rubinson - Mets Should Look in Untapped Market to find next Manager

The New York Mets fired Manager Carlos Mendoza two weeks ago, and it’s clear that Andy Green will not be taking over as the team’s full time skipper in 2027 and beyond. Green was never expected to be more than just the interim, but as Steve Cohen and David Stearns look ahead to the offseason, they have most likely already started putting together a preliminary list of candidates that they are interested in interviewing. The duo will start doing background research and asking around the league on these prospective candidates before the end of the current season. 

Names have already been thrown out as pure speculation. Guys such as Carlos Beltrán, Alex Cora and Albert Pujols have been just a few of the names on early lists. It’s no secret that being the lead man in New York (regardless of sport) is a different animal. There are more eyes on you than any other city in the United States. For that reason alone, many prefer a seasoned veteran (Alex Cora fits that bill), but just like any search (not just in sports), the Mets can’t afford to leave any stone unturned. 

As I mentioned in previous articles, MLB experienced unprecedented turnover this past offseason when a third of teams changed skippers. A large chunk of these managerial hires might have been seen as commonplace. 


The Atlanta Braves promoted Walt Weiss from bench coach. Weiss also had experience as the former manager of the Colorado Rockies from 2013-2016. Similarly, the Texas Rangers gave Skip Schumaker a second chance at being a manager after he was the Miami Marlins skipper just a few years ago. The Baltimore Orioles hired Cleveland Guardians' bench coach Craig Albernaz to lead their organization this past offseason as well. Hiring someone who was just a bench coach or field manager is the most common path, but for better or worse, it is not the only road. 


Although it has not worked out thus far (in fact, it has been a disaster), I still commend the San Francisco Giants from bucking the trend and turning to the college ranks when Buster Poesy and company hired Tony Vitello. Maybe it was also destined to fail, but we see professional teams hire from the college ranks all the time in other sports. I get that unlike most sports, baseball draftees spend years in the minor leagues before reaching the big leagues, but I still believe teams need to take chances. 


Another unconventional hire this past offseason was the NL East rival Washington Nationals hiring Blake Butera, the youngest MLB manager in half a century. Butera did manage a few seasons in the low minors but had since been high up in the Tampa Bay Rays’ player development department over the previous couple of seasons. The Nats have not had a perfect season by any stretch, but for a team that was predicted to lose 100-plus games and be in contention for the worst team in baseball, Butera and the rest of the staff have helped the team play well above expectations. 


So what does all of this mean for the Mets? Most likely, they are going to heavily pursue someone like Cora or a current MLB bench coach. That might be the right course of action, especially given the aforementioned climate in the big apple. With that being said, Cohen and Stearns would be doing the organization a disservice if they only looked at one type of manager. Of course, this is subject to change if you can get Cora to sign on the dotted line. One of the biggest reasons to conduct a broad managerial search isn’t even necessarily to hire a guy but to get an honest outside perspective on the organization. 


As we enter the back half of the 2026 season and will eventually turn our attention to 2027, I still don’t understand why other assistant coaches are not given a more serious look to lead a franchise. It appears only bench coaches and field coordinators are serious candidates on a major league staff to be plucked. That shouldn’t be the case. 


One of the prime candidates that comes to mind is Kyle Snyder, the pitching coach for the Rays since 2018. Tampa Bay does more with less on a yearly basis. Once again, they were predicted to finish near the bottom of the AL East and now see themselves as standing atop of the entire American League. The Rays develop pitching like just about no other organization (the Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers would like a word). Wouldn’t you want to at least interview the pitching coach behind all of that? Griffin Jax was a really solid reliever, who had a marvelous 2024 campaign. After the Rays acquired him at last year’s trade deadline, they have turned him into a really good starting pitcher. Jax has a 2.89 ERA since he became a full-time starter in Tampa's rotation. The jump from pitching coach to manager is a big step. I understand the two positions require separate skillsets, but the fact that teams don’t dive into this market is puzzling. 


Another name I would throw out there is Chris Hook of the Brewers. Like Snyder, he was hired as his team’s pitching coach in 2018, when Stearns was running the team’s baseball operations. Under Hook’s leadership, we have seen studs like Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff blossom and reach their full potential. Jacob Misiorowski always had other-worldly raw stuff, but he has been completely unleashed under Hook and the rest of the staff. He has also been responsible for revitalizing the career of Kyle Harrison, who is one of the top All-Star snubs this season.


Hook and Snyder are just two examples across the MLB landscape. Teams have put together complex hitting and pitching labs. Nobody would have expected the Nationals to be the best offensive team in baseball heading into the midsummer classic. Maybe it doesn’t make sense for the Mets to pursue this type of candidate given the unique nature of the New York market, but it doesn’t hurt to pick up the phone and bring in these types of candidates for an interview. In an era and an age where teams aren’t afraid to be unconventional and where teams will look to find talent under any rock, I still have not put together why teams don’t hire more pitching and hitting coaches to be managers. Maybe the Mets will be one of the first organizations to seriously explore that avenue and unlock that route for managers moving forward.


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Tom Brennan: Key Points on Mets’ Hitting Woes & Team Error Woes


ALL STAR 

Juan Soto was voted in as starting NL left fielder. 

Amazing.

Wow.

Why “WOW”?

It is encapsulated in this July 4 article excerpt from Anthony DiComo, quoting interim manager Andy Green:

“ At the precise moment  learned he had been voted a NL All-Star starter, he was leading the circuit with a .971 OPS. That would be impressive in any context. That Soto was doing it for one of the worst teams in the NL encapsulates, in Mets interim manager Andy Green’s words, “what makes him really special.”

“Certainly, everybody’s numbers tend to be better when your team is performing well,” Green said. “I think that’s contagious. I think everybody feeds off one another. We help each other by playing really well and doing our jobs well. He hasn’t had that, and I think he’s still leading the National League in OPS right now. So not much more you can ask from a guy like that. It’s been special.”

This is what Stearns fails to grasp.

And Cohen, perhaps, as well.

“EVERYBODY’S NUMBERS TEND TO BE BETTER WHEN YOUR TEAM IS PERFORMING WELL.”

Your team GREATLY SUFFERS when, for the first quarter of the season, your guys hit in poor hitting conditions in their hitter-friendly home park. 

Most of the hitters will press. Most will struggle.

Most will succumb to the pressure. 

Having to climb from a deficit, it will dog them the whole lost season.

As team losses increase, the pressure increases.

There are very few Soto types that can weather that pressure.

Alonso and Nimmo sure could. 

Stearns shipped them out and replaced them with glass-fragile veterans.

Veterans who had played very limited games pre-2026 in Citi Field.

A huge gamble. A really bad gamble.

Hence, the almost inevitable implosion. Guys get hurt. The pressure builds. The hull ruptures.

And the team with the Titanic payroll sinks like a rock.

The only easily controllable variable is fence depth. You reduce it, and pressure comes off the hull. 

No sinking. No stinking.

I do, of course, love 36 runs over the last 4 games. It might just be real.

Lindor is still MIA at the plate, but Ewing is turning into HOF Pete Friggin’ Rose, and Benge has been a second wonderful catalyst. 

Baty has stopped overthinking - AND STARTED HITTING - halleluia!

Polanco may suddenly be a real offensive upgrade over the AAAAs. 

And Robert had 2 hits in rehab last night.

If Lindor suddenly joins the bat party, might this offense become POTENT and become a repeat of 2015, where baseball’s worst offense through mid-July became its BEST offense the rest of the way?



ERRORS ARE THE OVERLOOKED ELEMENT

I saw this errors by team chart (below). Not surprisingly…

- Dodgers are best at a dazzling 0.29 errors per game.

- Mets are 28th at 0.66 per game.

HUGE DIFFERENCE. 

OVER 162 GAMES, THAT IS 60 MORE ERRORS THAN LAD.

Here is the team errors data link:


ERROR RATE BY TEAM

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7/8/26

MACK: Hot Arms - Alvaro Carrillo, Robert Stock, Henderson Hernandez, David Hurtado, Olmedo Barria, Leyvi Rodriquez

 


Period:  6/15-6/28

 


Alvaro Carrillo/DSL Orange – 1.67-WHIP, 3-IP, 3-K, 3-BB, 0-ER, 0.00

Alvaro Carrillo is a 21-year-old right-handed pitching prospect (born April 5, 2005, in Palo Negro, Venezuela) in the New York Mets organization. He signed as an international free agent with the Mets in July 2024 and has pitched exclusively in the Dominican Summer League (DSL Mets Orange).

He stands 6'4" and 175 lbs, with a projectable frame.

Career Stats

2024 (DSL): 7 G (0 GS), 1-0, 2.08 ERA, 8.2 IP, 8 K, 9 BB, 1.50 WHIP.

2025 (DSL): 14 G (4 GS), 3-1, 4.96 ERA, 32.2 IP, 33 K, 36 BB, 1.74 WHIP.

He shows strikeout ability (around 9-10 K/9 in small samples) but struggles with control and consistency, with a high walk rate.

As a DSL pitcher who has mixed starting and relief, he remains a low-level developmental arm with upside tied to his size and athleticism.

 


Period: 6/20-7/3

Robert Stock/Brooklyn – 0.47-WHIP, 6.1-IP, 8-K, 1-BB, 0-ER, 0.00-ERA

Robert Stock is a 36-year-old right-handed pitcher (born November 21, 1989) in the New York Mets organization.

He stands 6'1" and weighs 260 lbs, bats left, and throws right.

Stock was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2nd round (2009) out of USC.

 He originally came up as a catcher before converting to pitching. He reached MLB with the San Diego Padres in 2018 and has had a journeyman career:

MLB teams: Padres (2018–19), Red Sox (2020, 2025), Cubs (2021), Mets (2021).

MLB stats (through 2025, 57 games/75.1 IP): 2–4 record, 4.90 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 77 strikeouts, 44 walks. Mostly relief work with limited starts.

Best MLB stretch: Strong 2018 with the Padres (2.50 ERA in 39.2 IP as a reliever).

Other experience: KBO League with Doosan Bears (2022, 9–10, 3.60 ERA); various minor league and independent stops. He signed a minor-league deal with the Mets in late 2025 after a brief 2025 MLB appearance with Boston.

He is known for his durability in the minors, pitch development/analytics focus, and adaptability (including arm slot changes).

At age 36, he is a depth arm who has shown flashes but battled consistency and injuries.

Pitch Repertoire

Stock features a modern, multi-pitch arsenal with significant horizontal movement. He has evolved it over time, dropping his arm slot lower (into three-quarters/sidearm territory in recent years) to optimize his sinker and overall effectiveness. He uses pitch shaping, varying release points, and analytics heavily.

Key pitches (based on recent Statcast/BrooksBaseball/FanGraphs data):

Cutter (primary, often ~88–92 mph): High usage. Short horizontal break. Reliable for tunneling and weak contact.

Sinker (~93–95+ mph): Core pitch, especially after tweaks. Low spin, strong arm-side run (up to ~17–20 inches), near-zero vertical break. Excellent for ground balls and weak contact; he emphasizes "inefficient" spin for movement.

Four-seam Fastball (~94–97 mph): Used less as a primary but for elevation/ride. He has touched higher velocities in the past (triple digits earlier in career).

Sweeper/Slider (~80–84 mph): Big horizontal break (sweep up to ~17–19 inches). Strong whiff pitch, especially vs. righties. Varies between slider and true sweeper shapes.

Changeup (~78–86 mph): Used more vs. lefties for fade. Usage has varied; he has experimented with grips/slots.

Notable traits:

Big horizontal differentiation (sinker vs. sweeper can exceed 3 feet of movement).

Low arm slot enhances run on the sinker but can make lefties tougher (hence changeup/sweeper adjustments).

Good extension and varying arm angles/release points for deception.

In 2025 Triple-A, he showed solid strikeout ability and ground-ball tendencies with this mix, though MLB command has been inconsistent at times (career ~5.3 BB/9).

Stock is a classic late-career story of reinvention through data and mechanics.

 


Henderson Hernandez/DSL Blue – 0.50-WHIP, 4-IP, 3-K, BB, 0-ER, 0.00-ERA

Henderson Hernandez is a 19-year-old right-handed pitching prospect (born December 19, 2006, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) in the New York Mets organization.

He stands 6'2" and weighs 182 lbs, and throws right-handed.

The Mets signed him as an international free agent to a minor-league contract in May 2025, and he has pitched for the DSL Mets Orange in the Dominican Summer League (Rookie level).

2025 Performance (DSL)Stats: 9 games (5 starts), 1-2 record, 5.01 ERA, 23.1 IP, 19 strikeouts, 1.33 WHIP.

He has shown some strikeout ability (around 7.3 K/9) but has also allowed runs and baserunners at a modest rate in limited innings. As a very recent signee in a complex/Rookie league, this is his professional debut season, so expect development-focused usage with room for growth.

Hernandez is a low-level prospect not yet ranked on major public top-30/40 lists for the Mets.

He has starter potential due to his size, athleticism, and pitchability, but he lacks high-end present velocity based on early reports.

 In one scouting note, he is described as an "advanced" 6-2 righty who commands a ~90 mph tailing fastball and a long, blunt sweeper. He profiles as a craftsman with starter traits, though velocity is not yet a standout tool.


Period:  6/15-6/28

 


Daviel Hurtado/Brooklyn – 0.42-WHIP, 12-IP, 14-K, ER, 0.75-ERA

Daviel Hurtado (full name: Daviel Hurtado Diaz) is a 21-year-old left-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization (born January 26, 2005, in Havana, Cuba).

He stands 6'1" and weighs 166 lbs. He bats and throws left-handed.

Hurtado signed with the Mets as an international free agent on January 15, 2023, for a $640,000 bonus after leaving Cuba in 2022. He missed most or all of 2023 due to injury (including Tommy John surgery). He made his professional debut in 2024.

Minor League Career Stats (through mid-2026)He has progressed through the Mets' system with strong strikeout ability and improving command, though he had some early struggles and injuries.

2024 (FCL Mets, Rookie): 0-5, 6.32 ERA, 15.2 IP, 23 K, 10 BB (high walk rate in debut).

2025 (FCL + St. Lucie A): 1-2, 2.06 ERA, 65.2 IP, 75 K, solid improvement especially in the FCL (0.47 ERA).

Key 2026 notes: Promoted to High-A Brooklyn in late May. He represented Cuba in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He has posted dominant performances, including multi-inning outings with high swing-and-miss totals and low hits allowed.

Repertoire

Hurtado mixes four pitches with good command and swing-and-miss potential from a three-quarters/slingy arm slot.

Four-seam Fastball (primary pitch, ~93-95 mph, up to 96): Average ride and moderate arm-side run from a high release point. Well-commanded; generates ground balls (~55% GB rate). Decent but not elite bat-misser on its own.

Slider (86-88 mph): Heavy gyro movement. Strong whiff tool (~14% swinging-strike rate) and ground-ball generator (~50% GB rate).

Curveball (78-80 mph): Heavy downer shape; effective complementary pitch with good depth.

Changeup: Rarely used (firm around mid-80s in some data); developmental pitch.

His fastball velocity sits in the low-to-mid 90s (touching 96), and he generates solid induced vertical break. The combination of stuff, command, and a high strikeout/low walk profile has drawn attention as a helium prospect in 2026.

Outlook

Hurtado is a high-upside lefty starter prospect who has taken a big step forward in 2026 with better health and command. He is not yet on most top-30 Mets prospect lists but is generating buzz for his performance at High-A. Continued development of his changeup and durability will be key as he climbs the ladder toward Double-A and potentially MLB in the coming years.

 


Olmedo Barria/DSL Orange – 0.71-WHIP, 7-IP, 8-K, BB, 1-ER, 1.29-ERA

Olmedo Elias Barria is a 19-year-old right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization (born December 7, 2006, in Chepo, Panama).

He stands 6'4" and weighs 190 lbs, with a right-right batting/throwing profile.

The Mets signed him as an international free agent (UDFA) on January 15, 2025. He has dealt with some injury time (60-day IL stint in 2025) but has pitched in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) for the Mets affiliates.

He has primarily worked in relief so far (no starts listed) and shows promising command and swing-and-miss stuff in limited innings.

At his size (projectable 6'4" frame), he is the type of arm organizations target for velocity and development.

He remains a developmental prospect to watch in the Mets' system.

 


Leyvi Rodriguez/DSL Blue – 1.00-WHIP, 5-IP, 7-K, 2-BB, ER, 1.80-ERA

Leyvi (Leyvi Manuel) Rodriguez is a 20-year-old right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets system (born May 17, 2006, in Yaguate, Dominican Republic).

He signed as an international free agent in January 2024 and has pitched exclusively in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) for the Mets.

6'2", ~195 lbs; righty thrower/batter.

Career MiLB (through 2026): Struggled with high ERAs (career ~7.7-8.8 range in limited DSL sample), high walk rates, but has shown strikeout ability.

In 2024 (age 18): 6.52 ERA in 29 IP with more strikeouts than innings.

2025 was rougher with elevated hits and walks.

He’s a lower-level developmental arm still working to refine consistency. Walk rates have been high (often 10+ BB/9 early on), but he generates swings-and-misses.

As of 2026, he’s shown some improvement in the DSL.

Overall Outlook: Rodriguez is a lottery-ticket type prospect—athletic with projection left in his frame and arsenal. He’s not on major top-30 Mets prospect lists yet and needs to cut walks while building innings. Continued strong DSL performance could push him toward the FCL or Low-A in 2027.


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Tom Brennan: POTPOURRI POST: Mets Minors Hi’s & Lo’s; Bichette Turns 50; Bravo! And Wandy & Daviel

HEY!! I SEE SOME PEAKS AND VALLEYS

 

(MULTIPLE TOPICS TODAY. I STARTED WITH ONE, AND KEPT LAYERING.)


Sometimes, a game on a Sunday can tell a lot about a prospect.

Sometimes, though, it is just one game.


Binghamton?

They got meekly shut out on 1 hit on Sunday. 

Nick LoRusso had the one hit. He added a walk. Best AA Mets hitter.

- promote him.

On the debit side of the ledger? 

JT Schwartz & Jaylen Palmer? 0-7, with 7 Ks. 

 - Two Slices Of Burnt Toast? Maybe Schwartz isn’t.

 - He rebounded to hit a HR and drove in 4 Tuesday night.

 - At 1st glance, Schwartz’s 2026 looks weak, but has 9 HR in last 36 games.

 - Which I like.

 - So, play him every day and promote him to AAA, and see how he does.

Jon Santucci was superb in the loss, allowing 2 hits, 2 runs, and fanning 10 in 6 innings. But you cannot win when your feeble team gets shut out. Naturally, they scored 10 the next night.


Syracuse?

They lost. 

“Fireballer” Ryan Lambert walked 3 more, in one inning of inaccurate toil.

His 22 walks/hit batsmen in 20 innings are worse than the wildness of Bryce Montes de Oca when he was a Mets prospect. (See more on him below).

But, on the other hand:

Nate “the GREAT” Lavender? 

- He fanned SIX in 2 IP, and seems to be an authentic budding relief stud. 

- Nate’s 57 Ks in 34 IP? Super duper wow.

Nick Morabito remains hot. 50 runs scored in 74 games. I like runs myself.

 - Make him a Met by August 1. Once someone old and decrepit leaves.


St Lucie?

They trailed 5-1, heading into home 7th, but added 9 runs late to win 10-5. 

Antonio Jimenez (.174), in a rough season, had 3 hits. 

Maybe his big Sunday will get the 102nd pick of 2025 going.

(It seems so. In his next game Tuesday, Jimenez had 4 hits in a 11-2 win.)


Brooklyn? 

Yonaton Henriquez finally cracked .200, with a serious hot streak. 

He was somehow hitting a miniscule .145 in mid-June. 

To jump 60 points with a 22 for 63 (.350) break out in 3 weeks?  

That tells me to think he is perhaps getting close to AA ready. 

No one, including, I imagine, Yonaton thought AA was near-term possible 3 weeks ago.

His teammate, Colin Houck, OTOH, had a hit and an RBI - and 3 more Ks. 

Making it 111 Ks in 69 A ball games.  

18 Ks in his last 10 games, even while hitting a little better.

If he had not missed 10 games, but played every one of Brooklyn’s 79 games, he’d likely have 127 Ks, give or take one or two. 

As of the July 4 weekend. A bit rich for my “Low K” diet.

He mostly has hit 6th, 7th or 8th, limiting his total plate appearances.

He did bat leadoff in 62 PAs this year, fanned in 28 of them, and hit .145, so lead off was not working. 

In 280 plate appearances YTD, he fans once every 2.5 PAs.

To me, a true hitting prospect should be more like one K every 5 PAs.

So his task is quite simple…cut his Ks in half.

Houck, due to the 10 slot penalty, was drafted 32nd overall in 2023. 

Otherwise, the Mets would have drafted 10 slots earlier, at 22nd overall. 

Who was actually drafted 22nd overall? 

Colt Emerson.

Colt is already in the major leagues at age 20, a year younger than Houck,  hitting .212, but with an impressive 7 HRs and 19 RBIs in 132 at bats. 

And playing great SS and 3B, defensively. Better in that regard than Houck.

So…the “Ten Slot Penalty” can (did) have enormous negative implications. 

As it clearly has in this case. To the Mets’ long term detriment.


YES…WANDY ASIGEN IS PLAYING

The 16 y/o bonus baby had his first hit on Monday.  He is now 1 for 6 plus 6 walks in his ns ent career in the DSL League of Free Passes. 

In his team’s 13-8 loss Monday, there were 25 walks, of which he had two.  Wandy also plated 2 runs, and made his 3rd error. (He added another hit and walk on Tuesday).


ESCAPED AND THRIVING

“Let’s Go Brandon” Sproat, the guy traded for Never Ready Freddy, has allowed just 3 earned runs in 15.1 IP over his last 3 MLB Outings.  

 - All Sproat needed to do to succeed? 

  - - Leave Queens.


CRAZY WILD

The Mets minors, for possible closer-quality pen help, is bleak. 


Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert, both of whom I was very optimistic about entering 2026, have been beyond extraordinarily disappointing this season, and can’t be counted on any more than Bryce Montes De Oca could.  


Can I be honest? Bryce was an almost a control freak compared to these two.


Those two bums have surrendered 37 runs in 40 combined AAA IP this year. 


And given up a staggering 43 walks and 8 hit batsmen in 40 frames. 


WHAT???

I hate to call them bums, but those stats scream “BUMS”.


My advice? Aim for the absolute dead center of the plate. Every pitch.


You’ll still miss a lot, I’m sure, but you’ll miss less.


Let hitters make contact, rather than coughing up prodigious levels of walks and HBPs.


WINNER OF THE GOLDEN METS MINORS DELIGHT AWARD SO FAR

Daviel Hurtado

21 year old lefty has simply been BRILLIANT IN BROOKLYN.

36.1 IP, JUST 15 hits, JUST 5 walks, 1.49 ERA, 4-1, JUST a 0.55 WHIP.

In a season of poor performances in the Mets minors virtually all across the board, THAT performance is frankly incredible. 

Daviel….Congratulations!


BO BICHETTE TURNS 50

It happened a few days ago. Up to 50…RBIs?  Hitting .333 after May?

Guy is awesome. Quit griping about him.

He just needed to adjust, just like Lindor did in his first Mets season. 

A first season in Queens through May is almost always painful for hitters.

The Mets are already bottom 3 in scoring with him.

Without him, they’d be ranked maybe 40th in a 30 team sport. Maybe. So…

Keep him if you don’t get GOLD for him at the trade deadline.


BRAVO!

A 17 year-old young man named Royner Bravo went 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs and a walk on Monday in his DSL game. What else can we say, but BRAVO.

Also worth a bravo is my guy, outfielder Randy Guzman, playing a rehab FCL game on Monday after missing a full month with an undisclosed injury. It was suspended after 4 innings, but Randy had a double and an RBI in 2 PAs.

OTHER MINORS INJURY NOTES:

The only remaining significant prospect with significant injury is Boston Baro, who went 4 for 5 in a brief rehab, then was shut down. Sadly, I read this recent Baseball America blurb about a guy who seemed to have the potential to be another AJ Ewing:

“SS Boston Baro remains on the 60-day injured list at High-A Brooklyn as he recovers from a shoulder injury. He attempted a rehab assignment in May before shutting things down again. The Mets expect him to be out until August or September.”

- I wonder if he hurt the shoulder on a head-first dive. I prefer feet first.

Jacob Reimer is out still, too. Regarding him, I read this BA blurb:

 “AA third baseman Jacob Reimer tweaked his groin and went on the injured list on June 18. It is expected to be a short absence.”

- Maybe Reimer returns this week, if it truly is “short term”? Not last nite.

If the minors system right now had the bats of Reimer, Guzman, and Baro, that would have been a true offense boost. Trey Snyder had missed much time, but is hitting a solid .271 since returning in over 100 ABs. Trey is fast, but needs to stay healthy.

LASTLY…

Matt Seelberger had pitched in the minors since 2017. Not in the Mets organization. Never in the bigs. 

However, the pitching starved Mets acquired him for cash, and due to the bullpen running thin, The Mets put him in last night for his major league debut. In his first inning, he gave up the seven deciding runs. 

But he rebounded to throw a scoreless 2nd inning. Hard hit balls, but a zero.

After that difficult debut, I don’t know if he’ll get to throw a third inning in the major leagues, but he finally made it, in what became a Mets 16-12 loss.  Four field goals were not enough.

He actually has pitched well in the minors in his career, but I see one flaw:

Just three hit batsmen in 390 innings. Matt, you’re being too nice. Start nailing some hitters, it might help.

Adam Warren sucked, too. Eve warned me about Adam.

However, AJ Ewing, the Mets new superstar, had 4 hits and 4 runs scored. Soto, the current superstar, hit another big blast. 

Only Mets hitter to go hitless was Hamate Bone Lindor (.210).

Besides Seelberger and Warren, Senga (8.92 ERA) sucked, again. 

That trio gave up all 16 runs against one of baseball’s weaker offenses.

He can quickly again become an ace, though. If he goes to the Dodgers.



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