Tom Brennan - TOP 25 METS' PROSPECTS: # 23 RICKY KNAPP

Tom Brennan - TOP 25 METS' PROSPECTS: # 23 RICKY KNAPP

Ricky Knapp seems like a happy guy, from his photo shot.

He had a happy 2016, too, going 13-5 in A and AA, before an 18 inning standoff in AAA Vegas, where he was 0-1, with 11 earned runs in 18 innings - actually, for Vegas, that's good.

His overall ERA was still excellent as he put up a sterling 2.69 ERA, spanning 24 starts and 164 IP, after an almost as solid year in 2015 as well. 

(Political Commentary: after reading the Kyle Johnson article on the lawsuit against baseball for minor league "cooley" wages, it is interesting to note that Ricky made less than $500 per start in 2016.  Max Scherzer gets about $1 million per start.  Disgraceful job, MLB).

My concern with Ricky is his modest strikeout rate, just 6.3 per 9 innings in 2016, and 6.7/9 over his career, which has spanned 431 innings. 

A full year in Vegas may challenge him and maybe he'll turn out to be the next Seth Lugo or Dillon Gee.  On a positive note, his walk rate has been exceptional - 2.3BB/9.  He may want to focus less on low walks and accept a few more walks while trying to get guys to fan on pitches off the plate, to raise his K/9 rate.

Other than the strikeout rate, I'd have ranked Ricky higher in the Top 25 - but given that his 6.3 K per 9 innings in 2016 occurred against A and AA guys, I am concerned how that might minimize chances of fanning big league hitters. 


I noticed on the Mets sites' Top 30, Ricky is not included, which is a possible negative indicator too.  They did, however, include Chris Flexen, who I have barely outside of my Top 35.  I hope Chris has a great season and makes me look foolish in leaving his off.

Ricky, who turns 25 this May, was an 8th rounder in 2013 and has performed very well. I  wish his 2017 goes very well as well.  My guess is he is at best an MLB 5th starter, but we'll know more as 2017 progresses.

Well, gotta go...tomorrow, my # 22 prospect.

Richard Herr - So Whaddya Think? - 14

Connoisseursmanship

“So whaddya think?”

“Whaddya mean? What do I think?”

“Whaddya think about the crowd in the Mets’ outfield?”

“I think like a connoisseur,”

“I’ve never identified you as one of those. From what I can tell your tastes usually run to either the low-priced rotgut, or whatever the other guy’s buying.”

“You don’t recognize my delicate tastes.”

“I know. I know. You only eat the finest of bar peanuts.”

“I have delicate tastes when it comes to ball players.”

“So if the guy was drafted in 2009, that’s good because it was a vintage year?”

“You’re beginning to approach the idea, but from entirely the wrong angle.”

“Okay, tell me what you mean.”

“It’s like making fine wines. For instance there are the young rookies. They may have had a good half a year in A-ball and did pretty good when they went up to AA. They’re like the grapes on the vine in the late spring and the early summer. They look great. You know they’re going to grow into something. But it’s way too early to pick them.”

“I see.”

“Then there are the rookies. They have completed their stint in AAA. They have polished their skills there. They are ready to step into the majors. That’s like the grapes that are ripe. They are ready to be picked and turned into the wine.”

“You know, Citi Field is all clear grass. I don’t see any grapevines growing there.”

“Then there’s the major leaguer. He’s like the just-bottled wine. It has arrived; it is established. But we don’t know what the quality is like. The major leaguer could be a worthwhile utility guy. Kind of like a bottle of table wine that’s okay with a leftover dinner.”

“I’m still waiting for some reference to the Mets.”

“Then there’s the major league starter. He’s like a fine table wine you would serve when guests come.”

“Okay, I’ll go along with it. What else?”

“Then there’s the perennial all star. That’s like the great vintages, the banner years.”

“And the hall-of-famer is like the wine that’s gonna cost you a couple hundred clams a bottle.”

“Now you’re getting there.”

“What does this have to do with the right field situation?”

“You gotta look at the whole operation of the vineyard to make sure you’re putting out a proper line of products.”

“Right field? Please?”

“Let’s look at Jay Bruce. He’s a pretty good table wine, got a nice punch to his flavor. But he is blocking you from producing some more bottles, and he’s a little costly.”

“Gotta send him off.”

“You tried that and there’s no takers. They’re all saying they ain’t thirsty.”

“So whaddya do then?”

“Wait a little bit. Somebody’ll have one of their bottles break, and they’ll suddenly be real thirsty.”

“Okay, so you wanna--“

“--Then take Grandy. He’s been going along doing fine. He’s been a good wine for years. He also covers a bit more ground and goes well with more dishes. But you also gotta wonder how much wine is left there in the bottle.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then take Conforto. He’s like the grapes on the vine that sure look great, but you wonder if you shouldn’t leave them there to grow a little bit longer. But on the other hand, they might wither and die.”

“I don’t suppose--“

“--Then there’s Lagares. He covers a lot of menus, goes with a great number of different dishes. However, you gotta wonder if he packs enough punch to be an everyday wine. Maybe he’d do better at a more undemanding table.”  

“I’ll wait.”

“Then you got the other guys who are like Conforto: Nimmo, TJ, Cecchini. They’re the guys you’re waiting to pick, but you don’t think it’s quite time. But you also worry that they might wither on the vine. The question has to be should you wait on those grapes, or offer them to some other vineyard to pick.”

“I think what you’re saying is stick with Bruce for a while, until someone discovers they’ve got a need and comes calling. Have Conforto ready, but don’t leave him withering on the vine. Think about trading Lagares. Got off the pot on Nimmo, TJ, and Cecchini. Is that right?”

“Sounds good.”

“Amazing. And you did analog instead of digital. You said the whole thing without mentioning a single statistic.”

“You want me to do statistics?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, here’s a statistic for you. By my count I think it’s your round to buy.”

“I shoulda known better.”

Whenever Richard Herr isn’t solving all the Mets’ problems, he spends his time writing humorous science fiction novels.

You can see his books at https://www.amazon.com/Richard-Herr/e/B00J5XBKX4.

UPDATE - OF - Juan Lagares

The Mets were reportedly unwilling to trade outfielder Juan Lagares as of November, but teams are continuing to show interest in the soon-to-be 28-year-old, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post (Twitter link). It’s unclear whether New York is now open to moving Lagares, who’s far and away the most qualified center field candidate on a team loaded with corner outfielders. Dealing the defensively adept Lagares and getting rid of his $4.5MM for 2017 would perhaps give the Mets the financial freedom to address their bullpen, though, as Puma notes. Lagares, who’s fresh off back-to-back underwhelming offensive seasons, has four years and either $20.5MM or $29.5MM left on his contract – depending on what happens with his 2020 club option.

www.mlbtr.com

UPDATE - RP - Jerry Blevens

• 
  
• The Mets and left-hander Jerry Blevins “have been exchanging concepts” for some time now, writes ESPN’s Buster Olney, but the Mets have only proposed one-year scenarios to this point. Blevins is known to be seeking a multi-year pact and seemingly has a realistic shot of obtaining one. Payroll has reportedly been an issue for the Mets — their current projection of $146MM would be their second-highest Opening Day mark ever — though the New York Post reported yesterday that the Mets are open to pursuing a back-loaded deal, which could serve as a compromise of sorts.

www.mlbtr.com 

Tom Brennan - TOP 25 METS' PROSPECTS: # 24 TRAVIS TAIJERON

Tom Brennan - TOP 25 METS' PROSPECTS: # 24 TRAVIS TAIJERON

I was torn on this one. 



Should he even be in the top 25 any longer?

First the positives:



The guy has 295 extra base hits in 2,185 career at bats, an outstanding rate of 1 every 7.4 at bats.  I would consider him the best power hitter in the Mets' minors.



He has 401 career RBIs (which, assuming a 546 at bat season would equal 100 RBIs, which is fine run production).

His career line is .269/.370/.512, which if he could do that in the majors would make him a star.



However, there are real negatives:



He just turned 28 in January, quite old for a minor leaguer.

737 Ks in 645 games has always been a major negative.   166 in 129 AAA games last year - ugh!



And 2016 was a weird season for Travis.



In his career, the righty slugger has tattooed lefties - until 2016, when he oddly only hit .222 against them.



Somehow he managed to hit .294/.387/.535 against righties in 2016 - before 2016, he hit far, far better against lefties. 


But even his righty production in 2016 had a negative - he struck out 123 times in about 380 plate appearances against righties, an awful rate. 



But when he did not strike out, and made contact vs. righties, he was 98 for 210 (.466), with 48 extra base hits! Which tells me he scorches balls.  Career-wise, in fact, he hits .405 when he puts balls in play and doesn't fan.



I was high on him as of July 4 last year, when his AAA #'s were .314/.394/.579...I thought he had broken through big on AAA and might be on his way to being a Chris Davis type in the majors.  But by season's end, he'd regressed to .275/.372/.512, disappointing for him surely.



When he was signed in the 18th round on 2011, his rep was a high power, high strikeout player, and he has lived up to that billing.   But the strikeouts will have to drop drastically for a major league career, and that just has not showed up along the way.



My guess is his only real chance for the majors, given the strikeout rate which would only get worse in the majors, is to crush AAA lefties this year and hope for a call up as a righty bat against lefties. 



But a disturbing comp is another power hitting righty bat, Andrew Brown, the ex-Met: Brown, in 2,616 at bats in the minors, put up similar power #'s and a .286/.370/.521 line.  Brown hit for moderately higher average, and also struck out less (0.92 K's per game, while Travis is at a significantly higher 1.14 per game).  Brown did get up 328 times in the majors, hit just .220 with 101 Ks...so if Travis got called up, would he hit .203 in 328 at bats and fan 125 times?  That won't get it done.  He has to get hit higher and strike out at least 25% less, in my view.


Nonetheless, he has real power, and his career Brown-equaling .370 OB % is very decent (by comparison, TJ Rivera, a career .324 minor league hitter, has a career OB% just .001 higher than Taijeron).



I wish Taijeron well, as I respect his power game and having done as well as he has for an 18th rounder, and hope he can figure out the K flaw before it is too late.

Mack’s Mets – ‘Stuff’ – New Writers, Yoelkis Cespedes, Updated Top Prospects, Relief Market

Good morning.

First, some dirty laundry…

I started this blog around 10 years ago and the first writer to join it was the old Mets Fever writer, David Rubin. Well, David has returned to Mack’s Mets and, trust me, you will enjoy the content he will add. As Jack Flynn told me in a private message on Facebook, it looks like the old gang is getting back together. 

In addition, a long time reader of the site, Charlie Hangley, has also joined the site as a new writer. Charlie also doubles as the Deputy Treasurer for the Borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey.

And lastly, the guy that kept me above water the past few years through all my health issues and countless retirements, Christopher Soto, has returned. There is nothing boring about what Soto says and this is a huuuuuuge addition to the site.

What a week.

Now, if we could only find Michael Scannell, Ernest Dove, Stephen Guilbert, and Michael Freire

There is another Cespedes in baseball.

Yoenes Cespedes has a younger brother, Yoelkis, still playing Cuba ball. He’s 19 and hit .297/.361/.460 this past season. Check out the picture on the left… he’s already wearing a Mets shirt. Do you think his brother could get his agent to start working of getting this kid to the Mets complex in Port St. Lucie?

You may want to peek over to the right column on the front page of the site and review my top prospect list. I revise it weekly and here’s some recent changes I have made –

            I have taken off Seth Lugo. He pitched last year as a 26-year old and he no longer qualifies as a prospect.

Robert Gsellman has been raised to the #2 slot, based maily on what he produced last year in Queens. He will pitch 2017 as a 23-year old, which will technically be his last year on the prospect list.

Justin Dunn now comes in at #4. All of baseball seems to agree that he is already one of baseball’s top 100 prospects.

Same with Thomas Szapucki, who I have raised to #5.

P.J. Conlon is now listed at #8 and this might be conservative.

And Merandy Gonzalez (Cyclones – 14-starts, 6-3, 2.87, 9.26-K/9) comes in at #16

          MLBTR reports –

             As the Mets look to bolster their bullpen, the team is still weighing a variety of free agents, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). In addition to keeping open the possibility of a reunion with lefty Jerry Blevins, the Mets are also considering righties Sergio Romo and Joe Smith.

                       Blevens is 33-years old and pitched last year for the Mets: 73-games, 4-2, 2.79, 11.1-K/9. He was paid $4mil by the Mets.

                       Romo will be 34 and is now a free agent after being paid $7mil last year by San Francisco. 2016 stats – 40-games, 2.64, 9.7-K/9.

                       The ex-Met Smith will pitch 2017 as a 33-year old and was paid $5.25mil by the Cubs last year (16-G, 2.51, 1.11, 9.4-K/9)

           I really have no problems with any of these guys if they are healthy, but there is no way that Sandy Alderson is going to spend this kind of money on Romo. It’s not going to happen.

           Right now, my guess is Jeurys Familia will be staying home in April. This will leave righties Addison Reed and Hansel Robles looking for five other guys to join them in the pen.

           On paper, that is lefty Josh Edgin, lefty Josh Smoker, and righty Seth Lugo (Lugo would return to being a starter when Familia comes back and he’ll be shipped off to Las Vegas to await the phone to ring).

           In addition, lefties P.J. Conlon, David Roseboom, Sean Gilmartin, Adam Wilk, and righties Chase Bradford, Erik Goeddel, Kevin McGowan, Marcos Molina, Rafael Montero, Paul Sewald, Corey Taylor, Logan Taylor, and Ben Rowan are on the 40-man squad.

           You can look over this list of names as many times as you want and you still will walk away knowing that this team needs relief help.

Baseball Season Begins with the Release of 2017 Topps® Baseball Series 1

Baseball Season Begins with the Release of 2017 Topps® Baseball Series 1

Topps is Giving Away Two Million Original Cards in The Ultimate Card Giveaway 

As Voted by Fans, Chicago Cubs Third Baseman and NL MVP Kris Bryant is the No.1 card for 2017 Topps® Baseball 

(New York, NY; February 1, 2017) – Baseball season is back, and it begins with the launch of 2017 Topps® Baseball Series 1. Every year since 1952, The Topps Company, the exclusive trading card partner of Major League Baseball, has released its annual baseball card set that includes fan favorites, superstars, up-and-coming rookies and the recent addition of popular First Pitch™ inserts.

Today, baseball fans around the world can start ripping packs and collecting cards of amazing moments, rookies and superstars. As announced last week, Chicago Cubs third baseman and 2016 NL MVP Kris Bryant was voted by fans to be on Card No. 1 for 2017 Topps Baseball. Bryant joins a long list of great players who have been represented on the first Topps card of the year from Jackie Robinson and Ted Williams to Mike Piazza and Derek Jeter. Also included in the series are special cards depicting on-air personalities from the MLB Network, including Hall of Famer John Smoltz, hosts Greg Amsinger and Lauren Shehadi, and former players Harold Reynolds, Sean Casey and more. The first 10 cards of this 29-card set will appear in 2017 Topps Baseball Series 1 and the rest within the June release of 2017 Topps Baseball Series 2 and the October release of 2017 Topps Baseball Update.

Additionally, Topps is giving away two million cards in The Ultimate Card Giveaway, giving baseball fans a chance to find original Topps cards from throughout its 66-year history. There will also be opportunities to win great prizes including Topps Now™ and Topps BUNT® cards as part of The Ultimate Card Giveaway.

“Topps Baseball Series 1 is the official launch of the baseball season and a part of Americana as generations of fans eagerly await the annual baseball card release,” said David Leiner, General Manager and Vice President of the North American Sports & Entertainment Division at Topps. “Each year, Topps Baseball includes the best players and must-have rookie cards. Collecting cards is the perfect hobby to enjoy with friends and family, and we are proud to keep that tradition alive.”

Much of what makes baseball and Topps cards great is celebrating what happens on the field. This year’s annual release looks at memorable moments and milestones including Jackie Robinson Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, and special throwback nights showcasing Clubs’ classic uniforms. Topps is also honoring MLB’s award winners from 2016 with special cards made for the AL and NL Most Valuable Players, Rookies of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year, among others. 

Topps’s popular First Pitch™ insert cards also return, depicting newsworthy moments of celebrities throwing out first pitches prior to games. The set’s popularity has grown since its inception two years ago. 

“As the game has evolved so has our product offering,” said Clay Luraschi, Topps Vice President of Product Development. “This year’s release features a modern design and includes players’ social media information on the backs of cards, all while celebrating the rich history of Topps and Major League Baseball.” 

Opening a pack of cards brings joy to long-time and new collectors alike. Parents and grandparents can share the thrill and excitement of a lifelong hobby with younger family members. They can also teach them about Topps’ history with special cards dedicated to 1987 Topps, featuring the memorable wood-grain design that can be found in the new packs. Topps Baseball blends its rich heritage of traditional cards with new technologies including Topps NOW, on-demand trading cards, and digital cards from Topps BUNT®, which can also be found in the BUNT app.

The celebration doesn’t end there. With The Ultimate Card Giveaway, Topps is randomly inserting two million original Topps cards into packs beginning with 2017 Topps Baseball Series 1. Fans can find cards from The Ultimate Card Giveaway throughout the year in other products, including Topps Baseball® Series 2, Topps Baseball® Update, Topps Heritage® Baseball, Topps Allen & Ginter® Baseball and Bowman® Baseball.

The Ultimate Card Giveaway includes a great blend of new and vintage cards, giving collectors a taste what Topps has offered throughout its 66 years of creating baseball cards. Many of the cards will include a special foil stamp to celebrate the joy of rediscovering Topps Baseball, from fabulous memories of the past to the game’s greatest moments as they happen. 

You can also find rookie cards of the newest rising stars, including 2015 No. 1 Draft pick Dansby Swanson, 2015 No. 2 Draft pick Alex Bregman, international star Yoan Moncada, and New York Yankees standout Aaron Judge. 

Don’t miss out on the thrill of opening new packs of 2017 Topps Baseball Series 1 starting Feb. 1. 

Celebrities and newsworthy moments depicted on the First Pitch collection insert set: 

Judd Apatow

Deshauna Barber

Stephen Colbert

Luis Coronel

Brett Eldredge

Lou Ferrigno

John Goodman

Joan Jett

Leslie Jordan

Victoria Justice

Jon Lovitz

Bethanie Mattek-Sands

Keegan-Michael Key

Chris Lane

Joe Mantegna

Mase

Bob Odenkirk

Jeremy Piven

William Shatner

Paul Wall

About The Topps Company: 

Founded in 1938, The Topps Company, Inc. is the preeminent creator and brand marketer of physical and digital sports cards, entertainment cards and collectibles, and distinctive confectionery products. Topps' leading sports and entertainment products include Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Bundesliga, Indian Premier League, Star Wars, WWE, UFC, Wacky Packages, Garbage Pail Kids, Mars Attacks and other trading cards, sticker album collections and collectibles.  Topps’ app portfolio, including Topps BUNT®, Topps NFL HUDDLE®, TOPPS KICK® and Topps® Star WarsSM: Card Trader, has been a hit with millions of fans around the world.  Topps’ confectionery brands include Ring Pop®, Push Pop®, Baby Bottle Pop®, Juicy Drop ® Pop and Bazooka® bubble gum.  Topps was acquired by Michael Eisner’s Tornante Company and Madison Dearborn Partners in October 2007.  For additional information, visit Topps.com and Candymania.com. 

Media Contact: Susan Lulgjuraj, ToppsPR@topps.com

Reese Kaplan -- Ex Mets vs. Current Mets

How would the current Mets fare against a lineup of former Mets playing elsewhere?  I did a little digging to uncover who is around on other rosters and who is projected to start in various roles for the Mets.  What do you think?

1B

James Loney (Texas Rangers) vs. Lucas Duda – If healthy, obviously a huge edge to Lucas Duda as Loney is a singles hitter with only occasional power.  Early on he looked like a good fielder but when his bat went south so too did a lot of his defensive game. 

2B

Daniel Murphy (Washington Nationals) vs. Neil Walker – The Mets are paying Walker nearly $5 million more than the Nationals are paying Murphy and it’s not money well spent.  Huge edge to the Ex-Mets team here.

SS

Ruben Tejada (NY Yankees) vs. Asdrubal Cabrera – Former Terry Collins inexplicable favorite Tejada is on a minor league deal with the Bronx Bombers and may never see the big club.  Asdruba Cabrera was arguably the Mets MVP last year for the stability and offense he brought to the SS position.  Huge edge to the Mets.

3B

Justin Turner (Los Angeles Dodgers) vs. David Wright – Sorry, fans, but anyone who would take David Wright over Justin Turner (not even considering salary) is delusional.  His health and age are working against him while Turner is in his prime. 

LF

Angel Pagan (FA) vs. Yoenis Cespedes – This one is a no brainer with Cespedes’ offensive and defensive totals dwarfing what Pagan can provide at this stage of his career. 

CF

Carlos Gomez (Texas Rangers) vs. Curtis Granderson – I’ll probably get flack for it, but if I was starting a major league team right now and my choices to play CF were these two players, I’d have to go with Car-Go for his superior defense and speed.  Throw in the difference in salary -- $11.5 million vs. $15 million – and there’s another reason to take the 30 year old vs. the 35 year old.  You could argue the superior power from Granderson is worth the difference in price but the potential for rebound in 2017 seems higher for Gomez. 

RF          

Carlos Beltran (Houston Astros) vs. Jay Bruce – This one is a tough call.  Beltran’s defensive days are pretty much behind him, but then again no one is going to confuse Jay Bruce for Roberto Clemente out there in RF.  They posted similar run production numbers in 2016 but Beltran managed to hit .295 vs. Bruce’s .250.  Beltran is over 40 and earns $3 million more than does Bruce.  Bruce is playing for a contract for next year.  I’ll get killed for saying it, but I’d go with the much maligned Bruce as a better bet for the end of the year totals as I’m concerned about age and injury to Beltran (though playing DH would help in that regard). 

C            

Anthony Recker (Atlanta Braves) vs. Travis d’Arnaud – Another player who did better once he left New York, Recker delivered a much more acceptable .278 batting average for the Braves last season.  He’s a superior defensive catcher to d’Arnaud and has been healthy, too.  Despite that, I’d still pick d’Arnaud as I’ve felt the breeze from Recker’s swings way too many times. 

Starting Pitchers

For all the fanfare about the vaunted Mets rotation, there are some pretty good arms out there on the Ex-Mets side, too.  You have Rookie-Of-The-Year Michael Fulmer, former Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey, big Bartolo Colon, erudite Collin McHugh and poster child for trading a prospect for a project, Scott Kazmir.  I’d still give the edge to Noah Syndergaard, Jacob de Grom, Matt Harvey, Steve Matz and Robert Gsellman, but health could tip the scales the other way.

Bullpen

As good as Jeurys Familia and Addison Reed were for the Mets last year, there’s plenty of quality out there on the Ex-Mets team.  You have Tigers closer Frankie Rodriguez, excellent setup men in Darren O’Day, Joe Smith, Carlos Torres and Tyler Clippard, plus another two serviceable arms in Matt Bowman and (don’t laugh) Oliver Perez.  Compare that to who will start in April – Addison Reed, Hansel Robles, Seth Lugo, Josh Smoker, Zack Wheeler, Josh Edgin and Erik Goeddel – and I’d have to go with the Ex-Mets here.  Assuming you get Familia back in 30 days and he replaces whomever is deemed the weakest link it’s still mighty close. 

Conclusion:

1st Base and SS are mighty weak on the ex-Mets side, but the starting rotation is pretty darned good and the bullpen is outstanding.  Throw in some solid offense from Murphy, Turner, Gomez and Beltran and you'd have a team that could compete though probably fall short of the 2017 Mets.  

Tom Brennan - TOP 25 METS' PROSPECTS # 25 MILTON RAMOS

Tom Brennan - TOP 25 METS' PROSPECTS # 25 MILTON RAMOS

My take on the TOP 25 METS' PROSPECTS SERIES starts with SS Milton Ramos clocking in at # 25. Tomorrow, #24, the next day # 23, all the way down to #1 on February 25.  Hope you read them all.

Before I go the Route of Ramos, "da rules is da rules, bro."   The MLB rules as to who is still a rookie prospect and who is not are as follows:

A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limits.

So guys like Seth Lugo, who tossed over 60 innings last year, are not in my Top 25, while guys like Gsellman and TJ Rivera are still technically in prospect status..

Back to Milton Ramos, a 5'11', 180 3rd rounder out of high school in the 2014 Draft. 

He is touted as a glove wizard but, unlike Teddy Roosevelt, carries a light stick, which sounds like the description of 2015 South Atlantic League MVP SS Luis Guillorme (powerless Luis may in fact belong in the TOP 25, but his hitting fell off in 2016, and a hitting shortstop is a far more valued shortstop in today's game.  In that regard, I often wonder if Bud Harrelson would have made it in today's game).   

In today's game, you can field all you want, but hitting is hugely important when a team only carries 13 position players - defensive wizard alone is not enough - which is why SS Amed Rosario is so highly thought of.  He does O and D in spades and has a bigger frame.  Ramos, at the same age as the excelling Rosario, played in mid-A Columbia and hit just .220/.292/.273 in 400 plate appearances.  Not good.

Ramos, who seems to have only average speed, will have to do a lot more to convince me that he is more than the next Wilfredo Tovar, who has gotten all of 18 major league at bats.  Weight room, fellas.  Instead of "Great field, no bat", you need to get to "Great field, decent bat."



There is a lot of very decent talent below my Top 25, so on this first day of listing my Top 25 prospects in ascending order, let me add in my 26-35 guys, ever-so-briefly:



26. Jeff McNeil - the infielder missed all but 3 games in 2016, or he'd have been in my Top 25.  I see in Jeff a promising future MLB utility player.



27. Kevin McGowan - 6'5", 235 righty impressed with 84 IP, 83K, 2.35, 1.09 stats in 2016.  Can he replicate in 2017?



28. Ricky Knapp - righty was 13-5 in A and AA, but 0-1, 5.50 in 18 Vegas innings.  Overall, though, 13-6, 2.69 in 164 IP, the second straight strong year for the 2013 8th rounder.  A case clearly could be made for him in the Top 25.



29. Matt Oberste - Matt is older than Dom Smith by a few years, and has shadowed Smith's journey up the minor league rungs...but I am not sure there is enough bat or glove there for a major league career.



30. Harol Gonzalez - little righty pitcher tore up Brooklyn in 2016, second only to ace Tom Szapucki; is he up for real success at higher levels?  We'll see.



31. Ben Griset - the righty reliever excelled for St Lucie in 2016 (4-2, 1.80, 1.03 WHIP, 66 K in 60 IP).  Can he continue to impress?  Lots of guys falter starting at AA.



32. Eudor Garcia - a good lefty hitting 3B who missed 50 games due to performance enhancements.  Also injured in 2016, so he played only 162 games for Columbia the past 2 years..  He needs to stay healthy and show if he is the real deal in 2017.  4th rounder in 2014.



33. Nabil Crismatt - the 22 year old righty is 16-8, 2.56 in his career, with 239 Ks and just 50 walks in 221 innings.  Lots of that was in the DSL, so let's see what he can do in a full season of A ball.



34. Andrew Church - 2nd rounder in 2013 has really struggled to stay healthy, with only 228 IP in 4 years, but he was 7-4, 2.92 in 15 starts in 2016, his first good season.  Needs to replicate at higher levels.



35. Ricardo Cespedes - 18 years old, fine CF, 6'1", 200, and he hit great, including a scorching 10 game finish.  But he has exhibited very little power so far, and only modest SB results.  I may be a lot more excited in 2017 if he goes to Columbia and continues to stroke and add some pop.

Yes, you guessed correctly: No LJ Mazzilli and no Jhoan Urena in even my Top 35 - sorry gents, you both hit terribly in 2016.  Hopefully a wonderful 2017 will be had by each of you.

Also, other than DSL juggernaut Andres Giminez in my top 25, I shied away from guys in the DSL, such as Greg Guerrero.  Next year, buddy.