Mack – Revised Top 24 Prospects – May 2015

I find it necessary to update my pre-season prospect list. Some have graduated to Queens, gotten older, or fell off the charts. Either way. I only have 24 players left in the Mets system that warrant the tag 'prospect'.

My updated list is:

    1.     2B Dilson Herrera – Mets (previous: #1) - A - Herrera was on the top of my prospect list when I first made it in the off season and he remains there now. I believe he has the chance to be an all-star second baseman in this game while at the same time could win the batting title in multiple seasons. IMO, Herrera will go down as one of the great Mets steals via a trade.

    2.     OF Michael Conforto – St. Lucie (previous #4) - A - Conforto rises to the number two position on my prospect list based on his developed power alone. The word out of Florida is that opponent pitching continues to try and pitch around him in a league he should have played last year, not this one. Let's remember what the scouts said when this draft took place. Conforto was projected as the top college bat and I see nothing that has changed that opinion. The only thing that will prevent him from starting in the Queens outfield is the existence of current contracts in place for either Michael Cuddyer or Curtis Granderson. Yes, his bat has cooled off a little in the past week or two, but I still consider him a shoe-in as a future corner outfield starter.

    3.     RHSP Noah Syndergaard – Las Vegas (previous #2) - A - It's ironic that I have Thor dropping on my list while, at the same time, he's been pitching lights out in Las Vegas. He really hasn't dropped. I simply slipped Conforto's name ahead of him instead. I'm really happy to see that the Mets have promoted him for a 'spot start' though my guess is he's not going anywhere for the rest of the season.



    4.     LHSP Steven Matz – Las Vegas (previous #3) - A - I could say the same thing about Matz that I just said about Syndergaard. Both of these guys are ready for the majors and I only hope nothing weird happens while Matz waits for the phone call from New York that Thor received recently. Another future star.

    5.     C Kevin Plawecki – Mets (previous #6) - A- - This easily could be the last time you will see Plawecki on this list. Most pundits feel he will be sent back to Vegas when Travis d'Arnaud comes back from the disabled list, but I'm not one of those pundits. The Mets have very weak bats coming off the bench this season and, for that reason alone, he could be kept around. Either way, Plawecki has already proven he's a real time major league baseball player.

    6.     OF Brandon Nimmo – Binghamton – (previous #8) - B+ - Without fanfare, Nimmo has responded after a very slow start in Binghamton. The slugging never has happened which I guess is okay if he can consistently get on base and field well. He and Conforto are your future corner Mets outfielders, probably on opening day 2017.

    7.     SS Gavin Cecchini – Binghamton – (previous #32) - B+ - I've been tough on Cecchini since he was drafted by the Mets, but his game this year for the B-Mets is quickly winning me over. I now have him on the top of the list of a bunch of guys that could become the Mets starter at short some day.

    8.     SS Matt Reynolds – Las Vegas – (previous #18) - B - And then there's Reynolds who deserves the next shot at short once the Mets (finally) decide to give up on Wilmer Flores. He's proven he can eat up AAA pitching, but, like Flores, he's no defensive genius. I think any promotion here would be directly tied into the success level Herrera has on the parent team. What if Herrera's bat turned himself into a 1 or 2 hitter in the Mets lineup. Would this hasten a move to DFA Flores (in hopes of a trade) and slot Reynolds into the 8 hitting slot in the lineup? Remember one thing... it really isn't any big deal to hit .300 in Las Vegas. Everybody seems to be able to do that this year.

    9.     LHRP Jack Leathersich – Las Vegas – (previous #17) - B - 'Leather' jumped eight positions on my list based simply on the masterful job he has been doing so far this season in Las Vegas. 

   10.                        RHRP Paul Sewald – Binghamton – (previous #20) - C+ - Sewald is a particular favorite of mine, which is easy for me to say since he hadn't given up a single run during the season until last Saturday evening. I've bumped him up ten slots on my list and I look for a promotion to Las Vegas very soon. 

   11.                        RHRP David Roseboom – Savannah – (previously not ranked) - C+ - Another of the few bright lights in Savannah this season. Savannah isn't going to compete this season for a playoff spot, so there is no reason to hold back any of the few talented players they have on this team. Roseboom needs to move on as soon as possible to St. Lucie. Like Sewald, this could be a real find.

   12.                        RHSP Marcos Molina – St. Lucie – (previous #5) - C+ - I really like what this 20-year old is doing at the A+ level. He's showing the unique ability to get past bats that are in the hands of many more mature players than people his age are used to pitching to. For this reason alone, I don't see him jumping to Binghamton this season; however, I do consider him the top starter talent in the current lower levels of this organization.

   13.                        RHRP Akeel Morris – St. Lucie – (previous #15) - C+ - At last count, Morris has given up 13 earned runs in the past 115.1 innings pitched over three seasons. He also struck out 171 batters in the same amount of innings. The 22-year old is long overdue to pitch at the AA level.

   14.                         SS Amed Rosario – St. Lucie – (previous #7) - C+ - Normally, Rosario's mid-range stats at the A+ level would excite me. Hell, he is only 20 years old, but the problem is he is sandwiched in between Reynolds and Cecchini ahead of him and Luis Guillorme waiting on a promotion to this level. A good problem, but something has to give here.

   15.                         SS Luis Guillorme – Savannah – (previous #33) - C - Guillorme has been a breath of fresh air for a team that hasn't had much to brag about. Luis has always been known for his defensive skills and has now been tagged as the top defensive shortstop in the system (replacing Wilfredo Tovar). Now, all of a sudden, he's one of the top ten hitters in the Sally League. Keep an eye on this kid. Hitting .300+ and playing Golden Glove shortstop is exactly the kind of player this team is looking for.

   16.                        1B Dominic Smith – St. Lucie – (previous #13) - C - I dropped him three slots and, frankly, it could have many more. Smith is having another slump filled season plus he's added foot injuries to the bucket list of questions regarding whether it was a good idea to draft him. I still believe it was.

   17.                         RHSP Michael Fulmer – Binghamton – (previous #29) - C - I wish I could rank this guy higher but I have to respect the fact that he just doesn't seem to have the ability to stay healthy. What he needs is a good old fashioned full season which is already impossible to achieve in 2015. What I can say is that he will move quickly to Las Vegas if he does stay healthy for the remainder of this season, pitches quality games, and waits his turn for Syndergaard and/or Matz are called to Queens.

   18.                         RHSP Rob Whelan – St. Lucie – (previous #10) - C - Whelan is a great control pitcher that just needs to stay healthy to make his mark in this game. Four year minor league career ERA of 1.90, but only 30 games. He's only 21-years old so he still projects as a starter.

   19.                         RHSP Casey Meisner – Savannah – (previous #27) - C - The 19-year old has pitched excellently so far this season (1.93) for the Sand Gnats. I don't know when but he will definitely finish this season pitching for St. Lucie.

   20.                         3B Eudor Garcia – Savannah – (previous #31) - C- - I was so happy to see Garcia get promoted to Savannah this week and he has immediately made a positive impression with his bat. No one is really in his way on third base so you could easily see this guy move fast in the organization.

   21.                         OF Wuillmer Beccera – Savannah – (previous #11) - C- - Becerra is now 20-years old so he needs to start running up the engine a little more at the plate. 2014 slugging: .469... this year: .465. It's time to start dominating at the A level.

   22.                         SS Milton Ramos – Extended Camp – (previously not ranked) - C- - Ramos hasn't played yet this year and will most probably start at shortstop for the Brooklyn Cyclones.

   23.                         C Ali Sanchez – Extended Camp – (previous #26) - C- - Ditto Sanchez as the Cyclones catcher.

   24.                         3B Kenny Hernandez – Extended Camp – (previously not ranked) - C- - Anderson was an international bonus baby that was signed for a $1mil signing bonus. Ranked as the 12th top international prospect