Tom Brennan - MY METS PROSPECTS: # 31 - # 35

Tom Brennan - MY METS PROSPECTS: # 31 - # 35

I expounded, in my own inimitable and erudite, fashion on each of my top 30 Mets' prospects one at a time over the past several weeks.  So please, stop snoring!!  Starting with this, 5 at a time to get us from # 31 to # 50.

Five more articles in this series, starting with the one today:

TODAY: PROSPECTS 31-35

AND THEN FOLLOWING ARTICLES:

• # 36-40

• # 41-45

• # 46-50

• Ten interesting players past # 50.

# 31 ADONIS UCETA - Uceta had an outstanding 2017 season in relief for Columbia and St Lucie, and held his own in 6 innings after a brief call up to AA.  

We have seen many a relief prospect who was cooking with gas falter upon reaching AA and especially AAA (e.g., Al Baldonado), which prevents me from elevating Uceta higher, but a strong 2018 could have him in the NY bullpen by next September. 

After all, Uceta (who frankly was mediocre prior to 2017) did his best Kenly Jensen impersonation in 54 innings of A ball this year: just 28 hits, 14 of 14 saves, 1.17 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 62 Ks.  He could leap to my top 10 in 2018 if he continues anything like that pace at higher levels in 2018.

# 32 LUIS CARPIO - dude only turns 21 next July, so his playing 2017 as a 19 / 20 year old in Full A ball is impressive. Glove man with little power, the 5'11" 190 IF only hit about .210 over the last 9 weeks of the season to finish up at .232/.308/.302.  He did flash speed, stealing 17 of 22.  21 errors at SS and 2B over 124 games is not unusual even for a glove guy at that age.  Seems his ceiling is Ruben Tejada, but time will tell.  Maybe I have him ranked too high at # 32.  I probably should have Kevin Kaczmarski here.

# 33 TIM PETERSON - great, great relief work for by Tim P for AA Binghamton - 41 games, 5-3, 1.14 ERA in 55 innings, 53 Ks, 0.78 WHIP.  (2 shaky early season relief outings in Vegas Hell, too, in the interests of full disclosure). 

Only ranked as low as 32 because he turns 27 in February, and why, therefore, is he not in Queens already?  Another start like this to his 2018 season, though, and he could be playing with the Mets before long, if there's room in the pen.

# 34 TONY DIBRELL - Tony was a 4th rounder who got off to a poor start with the Cyclones, surrendering 4 early HRs. The 6'3" 195 righty 21 year old evened the keel and in his last 9 games, went 15.2 IP, allowed 11 hits, and 7 walks, 5 earned runs and fanned 22.  I expect to see better in full season ball in Columbia in 2018, and arrival in the Mets' bullpen by 2020.

# 35 WUILMER BECERRA - slipped in my list all the way down at # 34?  I hope I am all the way wrong here, and that he belongs much higher.  

After a promising 2015 for Savannah at age 20, Becerra (the third guy in the trade that also brought Syndergaard and d'Arnaud to the Mets ) was playing with a bad shoulder early in 2016, but was still hitting an unreal .424 on May 9, 2016.  

He played some more, then needed mid-season surgery, as all Mets eventually seem to do, and returned in 2017 for a full season in St Lucie.  

His #s since May 9, 2016, though, have frankly been weak: 

627 at bats, hitting about .262, just 34 extra base hits (27 doubles, 2 triples, 5 HRs), 64 RBIs, and just 39 walks and a very high 171 Ks.  


Very substandard pop for a guy listed at 6'3", 245, my guess due to lingering shoulder issues, and a bad K to BB ratio.  


He has speed, having stolen 23 of 29 spanning this year and last, and will play all of next year as a 23 year old, so there is time for him to rebound and add a lot of power, some average, and cut down the Ks.  

Last year, I thought he would be an outfield starter in Queens by 2019.  Now, who knows if and when he shows up, and in what role.

Next article up: # 36 thru # 40.