Tom Brennan - TOP 25 METS' PROSPECTS: # 20 PAT MAZELKA
Pat Mazelka is a 6"3, 210 lefty
hitting catcher who had a phenomenal 2015 hitting season (.354/.459/.540 in 62
games) in Kingsport after he was drafted as a 21 year old in 2015. 2016 in full
season ball with the Columbia Fireflies proved challenging, as he was hurt,
limiting him to 70 games, but with a .305/.414/.402 line. He finished the season on an absolute tear, going 19 for 41 in his last 10 games.
Just 64 Ks in over 550 plate appearances in his career. Nice! In his career, a stellar .329/.432/.469. Certainly has to be one of the very top batting averages for anyone in baseball's minor leagues with at least that many at bats.
Pat has to be slated for St Lucie to start 2017, now that Tomas Nido will certainly be promoted to AA in 2017. A lefty hitting catcher that can really hit has to be attractive, and most likely, this gent will show up in the majors by late 2018 or 2019.
Negatives? Will he be able to stay at catcher, having only tuned down 36 of 120 runners in just 67 games behind the dish. He did play 11 errorless games at 1B in 2015. Having him down the road as a back up catcher and 1B and pinch hitter is a possibility, if he can not hit enough to snag a major league starting catcher or 1B slot.
I'd like Pat to replicate Tomas Nido's feat of 2016, and win the FSL batting title as a catcher in 2017, and add some more long ball pop, to move him towards becoming a bona fide major league hitter.
7 comments:
Morning Tom -
Another guy I like.He has NEVER hit below .300 (3 years in college, one in K-Port, one in Columbia).
I do question his defensive limits and I do not see him sticking behind the plate because of his lack of superior skills there and his height. I look for him to be switched to first base, especially if Tomas Nido keeps developing the way he is going.
Given his 8th round draft status I wouldn't expect he'll be on the fast track. It's really beginning to bug me when people are promoted based upon pride of selection rather than actual performance.
Reese, I really believe two things kept him out of St Lucie last year, Tomas Nido being one, and Mazelka's missing a big chunk of the early part of the season hurt being the second.
There are no good catchers (other than Plawecki, most likely re-ticketed to Vegas) ahead of them. All 3 will need to play # 1 catcher time, but if, say, Plawecki is called up due to a bad injury to someone, I'd immediately promote Nido to AAA and Mazelka to AA.
If Mazelka keeps clubbing, maybe he gets accelerated and Nido plays 75% of time as catcher one and Mazelka catches the rest, and otherwise plays 1B. It is not ridiculous to think that Mazelka could turn out to be as good or better a hitter than Dom Smith.
Why can't he become a part time 1b and reserve C? that is a nice profile in the game today... Not everyone is a All star but can contribute to a MLB ball club...
I would keep him as a C and hope he can hit his way on the club...
Tom -
He really needs to work on his defensive skills to stay behind the plate.
Eddie and Mack, Pat knows he has to get better - hopefully, he, like TDA, has worked hard on his defensive skills this off season.
I'd like to have Mazelka, by season's end, be a Mets' top 5 or top 10 prospect, knocking on the majors' doorstep.
I haven't seen the kid play, and I have no idea what his capacity may be to become a passable ML catcher, but the reports aren't great, and at a listed 6'3, he's on the tall side for the position. I hope the kid's bat is for real. He'll need it at 1B
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