5. 2B Reese Havens
Havens
was drafted in the 1st round of the 2008 draft by the Mets. He signed days
later which included a $1.4mil signing bonus.
MLB.com’s
comments on draft day:
Hitting
Ability: Havens has improved over time as a hitter and makes good contact with
a very patient approach.
Power:
Excellent bat speed does generate some pop and he could hit 10-15 homers, maybe
15-20 at best.
Running
Speed: He's a well below-average runner.
Base
running: Very alert on the bases and armed with good instincts, he won't hurt
you.
Arm
Strength: He's got a plus arm at short.
Fielding:
He catches the ball well when he gets to it.
Range:
His range is restricted because of his lack of foot speed. Some feel he'll have
to move to third.
Physical
Description: Havens is really put together with a strong, athletic body.
Medical
Update: He had a sprained thumb in the fall, but he's 100 percent now.
Strengths:
A good approach at the plate with the ability to make solid contact; good
knowledge of how to play the game.
College
Stats on Havens: 359 BA/.486 OBP/.645
SLG%/ 248 AB, 76 R, 89 H, 13 doubles, 2 triples, 18 HR, 58 BB-44 K, 13 E in 66
games, .953 FPCT
Recent
Scouting Report: Summation: Swing
mechanics and theories towards what makes up “the best swing” are very diverse.
But, there are many standards that I like to think are pretty constant when it
comes to making a good stroke. That is why I chose to examine Reese Havens
first. What you see in the video, and in the photos is a very refined hitter
with a polished swing. He has some small flaws here and there and other things
go into make a good hitter besides mechanics of his swing, but it is a good
place to start. Havens’ stroke is built to spray line drives to the gaps and to
all parts of the field. I’d be quite surprised if that polish doesn’t easily
carry him to a big league career.
From
Keith Law on Draft Day: - This is a great
pick for the Mets. He makes all the plays at shortstop because he reads the
ball off the bat so well. At the plate he has excellent pitch recognition and
hand-eye coordnation. If he has to move to second base because of the presence
of Jose Reyes at shortstop, he has more than enough bat. Havens has a great
approach and instincts, and he should move quickly through the Mets' system.
From
Kevin Goldstein (BP) on Draft Day: - I actually kinda like this pick. He's got
some pop, he's got some holes in his swing, but he's a monster makeup kid who
could move quickly, and is probably now the Mets 2B of the future
From
Adam Rubin the day after the draft: - Havens, born during the 1986 World
Series, hit .259 as a freshman and .274 as a sophomore in the Southeastern
Conference, but took off after shortening his swing under the tutelage of Mike
Roberts (the Orioles’ Brian Roberts’ father) while hitting .315 in the
prestigious wood-bat Cape Cod League. Havens hit .359 with 18 homers and 57 RBI
in 63 games this season for the Gamecocks. The Mets’ recent philosophy has been
to keep shortstops and center fielders at their natural positions until they’re
close to the big leagues, including Fernando Martinez remaining in center
field, but there already was draft-day speculation Havens could be converted to
catcher, which he’s never played, or second base. Havens was considered a
potential first-round pick out of high school, and the Red Sox were prepared to
draft him 26th overall in 2005, but he was seeking a reported $1.7 million
signing bonus - and Boston’s offer would have been $1.35 million. With teams
shying away, he dropped to a 29th-round pick by the Rockies and instead headed
to South Carolina.
SNY
the day after the draft: - I love the Reese Havens pick. This is not a guy I
expected Omar Minaya to pick, as he’s been leaning more toward tools and Havens
plays much greater than the sum of his parts. He is not an athlete, per se, but
definitely a baseball player. Through hard work and smarts, he proved capable
at short and may even project there, but not on the Mets. Some teams, including
the Red Sox, were rumored to want to move him to catcher. Havens, according to
the reports Thursday, was not enthused about that switch. Perhaps it’s still in
the cards for the Mets. He’ll sport a plus-lefty bat no matter where he ends
up, but expect it to be second base for New York. This year at South Carolina,
Reese had a .485 OBP/.628 SLG/1.113 OPS, walking 19 percent of the time.
ScoutingBook.com
ranked Havens as the 262nd top prospect: -
A successful shortstop in college whose range is a bit of a question in
pro ball, South Carolina graduate David Havens could make a heck of a second
baseman for a future Mets infield that already includes two All Stars and the
player picked just before him in the 2008 Draft, first baseman Ike Davis. A
solid line drive hitter with plus plate discipline, Havens could be a long-term
keystone for New York
In
June 2008, BA did a post-draft adjustment of their top 10 Mets prospects and
Havens was ranked #3, with the comments: “more likely a third baseman or
possibly a catcher, stands out with approach and pop. “
Braunstein
on Havens: - . 22 Reese Havens SS
Sullivans Island, SC U. South Carolina -
Again wonder why the Mets took him. Doesn’t have speed, a little bit of pop so
not your prototype 2B. The same Ps that the Mets could have selected instead of
Ike Davis were still around here. Wore #6 in college. High School - played for Mike Darnell.
Parents are Brent & Nancy. Mom graduated from U. South Carolina. Is a
sports & entertainment major. Named ABCA & BA 2005 HS All-American.
Played in 2005 HS All-Am. Game. 2005 S. Carolina AA POTY. 2004 & 5 SC AA
All-State team. 2005 HS team were AA state champions. P Was drafted 29th ‘05 by
COL. Was taken so late because of his strong commitment to USC. BA says has playing smarts but may have to
move to 3B because of lack of range. Makes good contact with a patient approach.
Has a plus arm. Swing is pretty compact. Doesn’t wait for the ball to get to
him so pro Ps could take advantage of that and limit his batting avg to
unacceptable levels. Looks like a hard-nosed player and may just work his way
to the ML.
In
late July 2008, ProjectProspect.com updated their top 10 Mets prospect list and
Havens was ranked 3rd.
In
2008, due to injuries, Havens was used exclusively as a DH, at Brooklyn, going
.247/.340/.471, with 3 HRs and only 11 RBIs in 23 games.
February
2009: MWOB on: - 2008 Top Pick: -
Reese Havens SS - Reese signed for a little over $1.4 million. He doesn’t quite have the pop of Ike Davis,
but he sent three more over the wall than Ike.
His slugging percentage was .471 even though his batting average was a
few points less than Davis. Reese will
be more of a gap hitter. The Mets didn’t
see a lot from him defensively, as groin and elbow problems limited him to
DH. There are some that think his foot
speed and first step quickness will not be adequate to stick at short and a
move to second will be in his future.
But since he wasn’t given much of a chance to show his stuff this year,
the Mets will give him an opportunity to field the position next year. At least he has no less range than Mets super
prospect Wilmer Flores. He does have
great makeup and has the intangibles to succeed whereever he is placed.
In
March 2009, Rotoworld ranked the Mets Top 10 Prospect: - 5. Reese Havens - SS -
DOB: 10/20/86 - ETA: Aug. 2010 -
.247/.340/.471, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 27/11 K/BB, 3 SB in 85 AB (SS-A Brooklyn)
- An elite performer in college, Havens
hit .359/.486/.645 as Justin Smoak's teammate at South Carolina last season. No
one saw him as a long-term shortstop, so it was thought he might fall out of
the first round of the draft. The Mets, though, took him at No. 22 with the
intention of grooming him as a second baseman. Havens hit plenty of homers in
college, but he figures to be more of a doubles guy in the pros. He'll both hit
for average and draw walks, so if he can deliver 35-40 doubles per year, he has
a chance to be a very valuable offensive player. He should begin to move
quickly this season.
2009 was an interesting year. On the down side, he only hit
.247, but produced 14 home runs, which tied him for 6th in the
league. His .422 slugging percentage ranked him11 th in the league and his .784
OPS put him in 10th place.
Forecast: Nothing but
blue sky, now that he has changed to second base. Havens goes from the 3rd,
maybe 4th SS prospect, to the #1 slot for 2B, and gives the Mets
potential pop at that position. Look for some additional errors this coming
season in Binghamton, but, as long as the bat produced, this will be your Mets
second baseman in 2012.
2-1-10: - Reese Havens – most prospect pundits still
have Havens as the top second base prospect in the organization, but I need to
see one more season out of him before I place him higher on my list. So far, he
hasn’t hit for average, though he is showing potential pop. Also, a little more
defense won’t hurt either. His future as a Mets may be similar to guys like
Dustin Martin.
5-17-10:
- Stock
up: Havens was promoted to Binghamton
after Friday night’s game for St. Lucie. The former first round draft pick is
no longer kicking the ball around at short and has become a full time second
baseman, in hopes of getting to Queens after Luis Castillo’s contract runs out
after the 2011 season. No one is going to ever award Havens a Gold Glove, but
did play A+ this season with zero errors in the field.In addition, his bat is
coming around… at Lucy this year: .281/.369/.509/.878, 3-HRs in 57-AB. Look,
Havens should be at AA and the rest of this season will be a good test for him.
He also will fit in well with a lineup of Nieuwenhuis, Evans, and Lutz. No
pitching around here.
5-24-10:
- Stock up: Havens was promoted to Binghamton after Friday night’s game for St.
Lucie. The former first round draft pick is no longer kicking the ball around
at short and has become a full time second baseman, in hopes of getting to
Queens after Luis Castillo’s contract runs out after the 2011 season. No one is
going to ever award Havens a Gold Glove, but did play A+ this season with zero
errors in the field.In addition, his bat is coming around… at Lucy this year:
.281/.369/.509/.878, 3-HRs in 57-AB. Look, Havens should be at AA and the rest
of this season will be a good test for him. He also will fit in well with a
lineup of Nieuwenhuis, Evans, and Lutz. No pitching around here.
6-7-10:
- Reese Havens hit another home run Sunday, his sixth in in Binghamton and
ninth for the season. The 2011 battle for second base is starting to get very
interesting, especially if Ruben Tejada plays the position well in Queens
during the period he is there. I still think Tejada has a good shot at
replacing Jose Reyes at short, simply because 2011 is Reyes last year, the Mets
have an option to get out at 500K, and, most important, he’s one of the only
players on the team that could warrant a one-for-one trade for an Oswalt-type
starter. I’m not calling for a Reyes trade, but a team can’t win in this sport
without a dominant starting rotation. Santana and Pelfrey aren’t enough.
6-12-10:
- Reese Havens was removed from the Binghamton game last night in the
second inning for "soreness"... manager Tim Tuefel told a reporter
that he's had this problem before, which makes one wonder if this is related to
him oblique strain that kept him out earlier this season. Right now, he is
listed day-to-day.
6-21-10:
- Havens was placed on the 7-day disabled list Sunday for soreness in his left
obique. This is the same oblique that put him on the DL earlier this season, so
it’s obvious that things aren’t healed yet. I have been told that this new
hiccup is just that, a small set-back; however, I would hope that the Mets sit
the boy down until he is fully healed this time. This, of course, may not be
the Mets fault and the player could have sent the wrong signs to the trainer.
It looks like Havens has a bright future with the Mets and he’s not part of any
trade package, so let him heal, even if it takes the rest of the season.
8-31-10
- 2011 Forecast: - Look, whether this kid is playing or on the DL, he's the
number one prospect second baseman in the organization. Injuries are injuries.
Some are natural, and others happen when someone takes you out on a double play
ball. Just because Strasburg is being operated on, doesn't make him the best
prospect pitcher in baseball. That being said, it would be nice if Havens
stopped trying to be like F-Mart. Havens
only had 125 at bats in 2010 (between St. Lucie and Binghamton), but they were impressive:
.312/.386/.592/.978, 9-HR, 19-RBI. Project those numbers over a full season and
you have an all-star. His latest injury is a nagging one, but shouldn't impede
his growth. I do expect him to play winter ball, probably Hawaii, and there's a
good chance he will compete for the Mets second base job, against Ruben Tejada,
in spring training. Otherwise, expect him in Buffalo in 2011.
2-14-11:
- The mystery of the disappearance of Reese Havens has finally been exposed by
Adam Rubin. Seems Havens had rib surgery about eight weeks ago. Dr. James
Andrews shaved some bone off of one rib that was irritating Reese’s obligue.
Havens says he’ll be ready for spring training. Remember, the only thing that
is preventing him from starting in Queens is his health. Trust me, if he plays
big in Buffalo this year, the Daniel Murphy experiment at second base could end
around September.
3-19-11:
- Down: - 2B – Reese Havens - word from
the camp is that Havens has not played an inning of spring training yet. This
doesn’t fair well for his chances of starting the season for Buffalo. This guy
just doesn’t seem to heal well. Looks
like Justin Turner, who has options left, will start for the Bisons.
3-24-11:
- Down: - 2B - Reese Havens - word comes
down fro ST that Havens will not be assigned to Binghamton come opening day.
Instead, he will remain back in extended camp still attempting to heal from
last year's injuries. Not a great sign
4-25-11:
- My sources tell me that we may see very little, if any, play time this year
from 2B Reese Havens. Boy, I hope I’m wrong about this one. Havens has had a
hard time recovering from surgery because, frankly, he is the first baseball
player to have ever had this surgery. Havens had Dr. James Andrew (how old is
this dude?) shave off around an inch of one of his ribs. The problem was called
“Rib-Tip Syndrome”. My source said it best:
“You can’t put a timetable on recovery for something you have no
history.”
6-4-11:
- A real good sign down in Binghamton is what 2B Reese Havens has been doing
since returning to the lineup this season. Last night, he went 3-5, raising his
Binghamton batting average to .292. There’s never been a question regarding
whether Havens can hit. He’s had a hard time staying healthy, but his injuries
have not been career threatening. I’d like to see him finish the season in
Buffalo so he can get on to Queens next year, but the most important thing is
for him to stay in the lineup.
7-1-11:
- It has come to my attention that the injuries currently preventing 2B Reese
Havens from playing are simple back spasms. He
hasn't taken BP or infield since the last home stand. He said he is
feeling better and should be back soon.
7-26-11:
- http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/7/26/2287253/mets-mid-term-farm-system-review-2011-binghamton#storyjump
- 2B Reese Havens - STOCK DOWN - As has become custom, Havens spent a lot of
time on the DL during the first half of the 2011 season. Initially, he began
the year nearly two months late as the team had him on a slow timetable for
return from an offseason rib surgery meant to alleviate his nagging oblique
problems. After 25 games back with Bingo Havens once again succumbed to injury,
though this time it was a back problem unrelated to the meddlesome oblique.
Nothing has changed here. When he plays, he looks like an impact player who
could easily join Ike and Niese as part of the new wave of cornerstone players.
Except he doesn't always play. As we've seen with Fernando Martinez, the more
that happens the less we can assume it will stop happening.
8-6-11:
- Stock Up – I can’t seem to make up my mind about this guy. First, I hated the
draft pick then I fell in love with his game. Now, once or twice a year he gets
hot and I get excited, which is usually followed by some leg or back injury.
He’s on a tear again. Had three hits, home run, double last night. .351 in the
last 10 days. Havens turns 25 in October. It’s time.
8-6-11:
- http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20110806/SPORTS/108060317/0/SPORTS02/Healthy-Havens-trying-to-get-back-on-track-for-Mets
- Havens, a 6-foot-1 195-pound square-jawed native of Sullivan's Island, S.C.,
played in just 152 professional games coming into this season. Injuries to his
elbow, hand, groin, quadriceps, oblique and back marred his first three
minor-league seasons. Despite the injuries, Havens' offensive prowess continues
to impress the Mets. The left-handed hitting Havens has shown the ability to
hit for average and power, and a willingness to take walks. Before this season
(23 games in short-season Single-A Brooklyn in 2008, 97 in Single-A St. Lucie
in 2009, 14 in St. Lucie in 2010, and 18 in Binghamton in 2010), Havens hit
.261 with 29 doubles, 26 home runs, 82 RBIs, 80 walks, and a .363 on-base
percentage
8-21-11: -
Observation - #12 – Reese Havens – 2B –
This is the closest thing the Mets have to a marriage of the good parts of
Ruben Tejada and Daniel Murphy. He’s good enough in the field and is a
professional bat. His only problem has been staying healthy due to a series of
unlucky field injures that have left him with back/leg problems. He has only
been cleared to play every day this week and yet he’s still hitting around
.300. My hope is they let him sit through winter ball and place him on some
lower body strengthening program. Then, play him at second base in Buffalo and
target him for 2013. I still believe he’s the Mets best long term option at
second. - ETA: Opening day, 2013
8-21-11: -
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/08/prospect-pulse-left-handed-hitters.html -
Reese Havens - Since the Mets made Havens their second, 1st round pick in the
2008 draft (after Ike Davis, and 22nd overall), everybody has heard what a
great hitter this guy is. Many call him the second coming of Rogers Hornsby.
There’s just been two problems with Havens so far. First he couldn’t stay at
his native position of shortstop, because of his lack of range and foot speed,
so he was moved to 2B at the start of 2010. Second, he can’t stay on the field,
he is constantly injured and has averaged only 50 games, and 186 AB’s per
season over his four minor league seasons. He has a lifetime .269/.367/.460
slash line, which shows some promise and pop, for a second baseman. If only he
can stay on the field, the numbers say he could be something special.
8-31-11: - http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/33468/farm-report-havens-delayed-not-deterred
- Havens has had setbacks this year.
Irritation from suspected scar tissue forced a late start to the season. And he
landed on the DL with back trouble this year, although Havens believes that may
be related to the original issue, since his offseason was spent idle and then
rehabbing without any baseball activity. Now, though, he has been back with
Binghamton for more than a month and issue-free. “Dr. Andrews and Dr. Clancy
did the surgery on me. I was real confident in their opinion and what they
thought the problem was,” Havens said. “I was also confident that it fixed it
because I could tell pretty immediate results once I got all the inflammation
out of there and started working out again. Everybody knows that scar tissue is
part of surgery. That’s what got me in spring training. I didn’t work out this
past (offseason). All I did was rehab to get back to where I didn’t feel the
side, and started doing some baseball stuff once I got down to Florida. So I
definitely think it’s what it was. But I don’t feel it at all now. It’s gone.”
9-3-11: -
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/09/prospect-pulse-buffalo-2012-help-on-the-way.html
-
Reese Havens -
Havens will be embroiled in a fierce competition for the Mets 2B job in 2012.
If they manage to retain Jose Reyes, the inside edge for 2B goes to Ruben
Tejada, with Justin Turner, Daniel Murphy, Jordany Valdespin, and Havens all
vying for the job. On natural ability and a balanced game, Havens may be the
best baseball player here. His sweet left-handed stroke, is ideal for not just
hitting, but hitting for power. And being a natural shortstop, he has made a
fairly seamless transition to 2B. He just needs to stay healthy in order to
open some eyes, and he could force his way into the picture anytime in 2012.
In 2008, the Mets
had two first-round picks. The first went to current Mets star Ike Davis. The
other went to Mets top prospect Reese Havens. The Mets have been very thin at
second base for as long as this decade can show, and their long-term solution
is absolutely found in Reese Havens. The South Carolina stud would have ideally
been called up to the show by now, but injuries have created setbacks for him
as many have praised his well-rounded approach at the plate.
9-22-11: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2011/09/22/2011-eastern-league-top-prospects
- Reese Havens, 2B New York Mets - “He
really stayed with his approach no matter how we pitched him. I had the
opportunity from second base to see how he hit. He got in good counts. We
started pitching him away more as the season went on and it’s like he changed
his approach. He was fun to watch.” – Eastern League hitter
10-20-11: - http://www.metsblog.com/2011/10/20/toby-hydes-take-on-reese-havens-at-2b
- Hey, guess who led Double-A Binghamton in games played at second base? If you
had Reese Havens at 51, you win. Havens, who will turn 25 on Thursday, hit .289
with a .372 OBP in 58 games for the B-Mets. He also drew more walks than
teammate 2B-SS Jordany Valdespin (27 to 21) in just over half the number of
games. This advantage in plate discipline is very important. So to is the fact
that Havens is a year older. When he has played, he’s hit. However, Havens will
be 25 on Opening Day 2012, so his time is now. I suspect he will break camp as
Buffalo’s second baseman, with Valdespin at shortstop.
10-26-11: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/what-do-the-mets-have-in-reese-havens
- Havens’ health has been his biggest flaw as a player since being drafted by
the Mets in the 1st round of the 2008 Draft (22nd overall) out of the
University of South Carolina. Skeptics
might be concerned he will never stay healthy.
While he does strikeout at a high rate, I will give Havens the benefit
of the doubt due to the lack of consistent at-bats. Overall, I like what I saw
from Havens when he was on the field.
That potential is what draws the attention of scouts and the Mets front
office staff. Havens just turned 25, and
the clock is ticking very quickly for him.
Should Havens stay healthy, the Mets look like they have their future
everyday second-baseman.
10-25-11: - http://www.minorleaguerundown.com/2011/10/25/2011-top-20-new-york-mets-prospects
- 2011 Top 20 New York Mets Prospects
- 10.Reese Havens, 2nd (High Class A,
AA): Going all the way back to his college career, Havens has shown quality pop
and the ability to get on base at a glove-first position. The second baseman
unfortunately underwhelmed in the power department this year while his
strikeout rate rose and his injury troubles continued. If he can show consistent
health next year in his age 25 season, it’s likely that Havens will be a
consistent offensive performer. If not, it’s highly possible that his power
will not fully show itself and the strikeout troubles will continue, severely
limiting his value.
11-21-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects-10-reese-havens-2b.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29
- What is all the excitement about? It can be described in one word. Power.
Havens’ sweet lefty swing generates plenty of natural power and lots of home
runs and doubles will be the result someday. Not only that, Havens is a
disciplined hitter with a strong sense of the strike zone. He generally has a
fairly healthy OBP (.366 for his career), and a decent SLG% for a second
baseman (.463), but the numbers are skewed as a result of the long stretches of
season he has missed over his time with the Mets. All he needs to do is play
everyday, and the numbers will pile up in a hurry. As a fielder, his natural
position is shortstop, but due to slow foot speed, he was moved to 2B by the
Mets at the start of the 2010 season, where his limited range would not be as
much of a factor. As a fairly accomplished infielder, Havens combines soft
hands, athleticism, smarts, and a very good throwing arm. Having been a
starting shortstop at a major college baseball program, Havens exhibits
excellent maturity and leadership qualities. This translates to a player who is
level headed and intelligent, and definitely posesses a “big league mind-set”.
Is it out of the realm of possibility for Havens to make his debut at Citifield
sometime next year? I’d say if he stays healthy, it will be inevitable.
11-23-11: - http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.js
p?ymd=20111110&content_id=25949502&fext=.j
sp&vkey=news_milb&partnerId=rss_nym -
Second base -- Reese Havens, Binghamton (58 games), St. Lucie (three
games): A line-drive, gap-to-gap hitter if there ever was one, Havens batted
.289 at Binghamton and collected 22 extra-base hits in an injury-shortened
campaign. Back problems cropped up in June and July. "Whenever Reese has
been healthy, he has always been able to perform," DePodesta said.
"He's a natural hitter." Havens, selected 22nd overall in the 2008
Draft, is New York's No. 9 prospect. "Big-league hitter," echoed new
Buffalo skipper Wally Backman, who managed Binghamton last season. "The
issue with him has always been health. If he had stayed healthy [in 2010], I believe
he would have been the second baseman for the Mets [in 2011]."
1-10-12 - http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/top-15-prospects-new-york-mets/
11. Reese Havens, 2B: Havens was drafted
with significant fanfare but his pro career has been disappointing to this
point, mainly due to an ongoing string of injuries. The infielder has yet to
top 97 games in any season and played just 90 games combined over the past two
years. When healthy, Havens shows a solid line-drive swing, although he
struggles with strikeouts at times. Defensively, he’s moved from shortstop to
second base where he should develop into an average defender.
