Tom Brennan - METS PROSPECTS # 46 THRU # 50
In the first 9 in this series of 10 articles on the Mets Top 50 prospects, I outlined my Top 45 prospects.
I resolutely and irrefutably explained why I felt Messrs. Alonso, Gimenez, Peterson, Mauricio, Kay, Vientos, Szapucki, Lindsay, Alvarez, Richardson, Kilome, Hernandez, Nido, Valdez, Humphreys, Newton, Toffey, Sanchez, Dibrell, Cecchini, Mazeika, Winaker, Paez, Vilera, Thompson, Cortes, Gilliam, Brodey, Hanhold, Tebow, Jannis, Kaczmarski, Viall, Carpio, Vasquez, Taveras, Cosuegra, Cavallaro, and Nogosek were my #1 thru # 45 dudes, respectively.
Simply indisputable - LOL. (Is it OK to joke around when reviewing prospects? I hope so.)
OK, OK, newly acquired guys like RHP Kyle Dowdy should be in my list, and aren't yet, but he is a top 20 Mets prospect to me, based on my logic in a recent article on Kyle (read it if you missed it) - I will add him after this 10 part article series is finished.
I resolutely and irrefutably explained why I felt Messrs. Alonso, Gimenez, Peterson, Mauricio, Kay, Vientos, Szapucki, Lindsay, Alvarez, Richardson, Kilome, Hernandez, Nido, Valdez, Humphreys, Newton, Toffey, Sanchez, Dibrell, Cecchini, Mazeika, Winaker, Paez, Vilera, Thompson, Cortes, Gilliam, Brodey, Hanhold, Tebow, Jannis, Kaczmarski, Viall, Carpio, Vasquez, Taveras, Cosuegra, Cavallaro, and Nogosek were my #1 thru # 45 dudes, respectively.
Simply indisputable - LOL. (Is it OK to joke around when reviewing prospects? I hope so.)
OK, OK, newly acquired guys like RHP Kyle Dowdy should be in my list, and aren't yet, but he is a top 20 Mets prospect to me, based on my logic in a recent article on Kyle (read it if you missed it) - I will add him after this 10 part article series is finished.
Today, I move on to the indisputable # 46 thru # 50 dudes.
# 46 MATT POBEREYKO RHRP
Now 27, Matt has come a long way fast, in mid-2016 through 2018 after leaving Indy ball, throwing hard but a little wild (one of many relievers who could be characterized as such in the Mets system). In 80 outings, mostly fine in A ball, briefly successful in AA, but like everyone, a brief painful episode in Vegas ensued.
All told as a pro, he has 118 innings with 150 Ks (Yes!), 51 walks (No!) and a solid 3.51 ERA.
Tame the control, and he could be a bullpen contender in 2019.
All told as a pro, he has 118 innings with 150 Ks (Yes!), 51 walks (No!) and a solid 3.51 ERA.
Tame the control, and he could be a bullpen contender in 2019.
# 47 HAYDEN SENGER C
I love "sengers", given that I am one. I seng all the time. My shower where I seng is sound proof, thankfully.
Anyway, this 21 year old 24th round catcher may have been a steal - he hit a terrific .301/.411/.417 in rookie ball in 32 games.
Impressive, albeit brief, but his likely next step into full season ball represents a higher challenge. Do that with the bat again in full season ball and he'll have everyone "senging" his praises. A catcher who can hit??? Wow.
He did have 5 errors and 6 passed balls, which are both a bit high, but threw out a decent 11 of 35 would-be larcenists. Defense, therefore, is an area to improve upon in 2019, most likely finding Senger starting out in Columbia.
Anyway, this 21 year old 24th round catcher may have been a steal - he hit a terrific .301/.411/.417 in rookie ball in 32 games.
Impressive, albeit brief, but his likely next step into full season ball represents a higher challenge. Do that with the bat again in full season ball and he'll have everyone "senging" his praises. A catcher who can hit??? Wow.
He did have 5 errors and 6 passed balls, which are both a bit high, but threw out a decent 11 of 35 would-be larcenists. Defense, therefore, is an area to improve upon in 2019, most likely finding Senger starting out in Columbia.
# 48 JAYLEN PALMER SS/3B
Palmer turned 18 just before August last season, so he is part of the Mets' strong teenage movement.
The 22nd rounder did well, briefly, with the GCL Mets, putting up .310/.394/.414 splits in 25 games, with 5 steals.
He may have been a steal for the Mets in the 22nd round, too.
The 22nd rounder did well, briefly, with the GCL Mets, putting up .310/.394/.414 splits in 25 games, with 5 steals.
He may have been a steal for the Mets in the 22nd round, too.
At 6'3", 195, he's got excellent size too. Out of Brooklyn, he is considered a strong defender with good speed. I think he jumps to Kingsport, with a promotion to the Cyclones in 2019 - perhaps he is a future starting player or utility specialist. Too early to tell.
# 49 MARCEL RENTERIA RHSP
Marcel is a sixth rounder in 2017, and the 24 year old righty put together 15 starts in Columbia to the tune of 5-4, 4.23, with 72 Ks in 77 IP. Nice.
He missed 2 months due to injury, but stepped it up when he returned in July, with 16 straight scoreless innings in his first 4 outings, followed by back-to-back nine-strikeout games spanning 13 innings.
He can reach the mid to high 90's, which makes him a pitcher of real interest, and he has a solid curve. If he puts it all together in 2019, he could certainly storm his way up this list.
#50 GUILLERMO GRANADILLO OF
Slipping into my top 50, Granadillo had a very solid year at Kingsport, but he is already turning 22 in February and lacks power, so he needs to keep accelerating.
In 51 games, he hit .303/.397/.333 with 21 steals. Nice, but he needs power too - just 3 doubles and 1 homer. Guillermo is 5'11", 200, so the righty hitter has enough size to add power I'd think. I would stick him in Columbia if there is room
I might have slotted 21 year old Anthony Dirocie here at # 50 instead, and maybe I should have - Dirocie, between Kingsport and Brooklyn last year, was .274/.375/.447 in 58 games, with similar quickness to Granadillo. But Dirocie also has to pick up the pace to be a future major leaguer.
Once I got down through my first 40 picks, I realized that there were many, many possible choices for that next 10 slots.
Guys who I did not include in my Top 50 who could have easily switched places with others that I ranked # 41 thru # 50 include:
Corey Taylor RHRP, Trey Cobb RHRP, Conner O'Neil RHRP, Tyler Megill RHRP, Chris James RHSP, Walter Rasquin OF, and Joe Zanghi RHRP.
Maybe you, the reader, can add a few others I left off.
He missed 2 months due to injury, but stepped it up when he returned in July, with 16 straight scoreless innings in his first 4 outings, followed by back-to-back nine-strikeout games spanning 13 innings.
He can reach the mid to high 90's, which makes him a pitcher of real interest, and he has a solid curve. If he puts it all together in 2019, he could certainly storm his way up this list.
#50 GUILLERMO GRANADILLO OF
Slipping into my top 50, Granadillo had a very solid year at Kingsport, but he is already turning 22 in February and lacks power, so he needs to keep accelerating.
In 51 games, he hit .303/.397/.333 with 21 steals. Nice, but he needs power too - just 3 doubles and 1 homer. Guillermo is 5'11", 200, so the righty hitter has enough size to add power I'd think. I would stick him in Columbia if there is room
I might have slotted 21 year old Anthony Dirocie here at # 50 instead, and maybe I should have - Dirocie, between Kingsport and Brooklyn last year, was .274/.375/.447 in 58 games, with similar quickness to Granadillo. But Dirocie also has to pick up the pace to be a future major leaguer.
OTHER GUYS WHO MISSED THE TOP 50:
Once I got down through my first 40 picks, I realized that there were many, many possible choices for that next 10 slots.
Guys who I did not include in my Top 50 who could have easily switched places with others that I ranked # 41 thru # 50 include:
Corey Taylor RHRP, Trey Cobb RHRP, Conner O'Neil RHRP, Tyler Megill RHRP, Chris James RHSP, Walter Rasquin OF, and Joe Zanghi RHRP.
Maybe you, the reader, can add a few others I left off.
To keep Mack happy, I'll add Wagner Lagrange IF, too!
Wagner's lack of power of late has me a bit suspect, with no homers in his most recent 250+ at bats, but maybe the 5'11" 190 Wags will rev the power game up in 2019 and fly up these rankings.
Wagner's lack of power of late has me a bit suspect, with no homers in his most recent 250+ at bats, but maybe the 5'11" 190 Wags will rev the power game up in 2019 and fly up these rankings.
Also, there were some very young dudes playing last year who could easily surge well up into the Top 50 in 2019 - these include:
Wilfred Astudillo C, Raul Beracierta OF, Yoel Romero IF, Andrew Mitchell RHP, and Joshua Walker RHP.
And, of course, anyone else that you, the expert reader, cares to add.
I was ("just kidding" alert) going to also include Cameron Planck - except that after being drafted 3 seasons ago, he has only recorded 2 outs. I require at least one out per season on average for consideration.
Good things take time?? C'mon, Cameron!
Planck only turns 21 in the spring - maybe he will erupt in 2019. Heck, fellow pitcher Zach Wheeler missed two seasons and look at him now! A Cy Young candidate in 2019 is Mr. Wheeler!
The astute list scrutinizer also might scream, "WHERE'S GREG GUERRERO?" Hey, scream all you want....
Yes, I left Greg Guerrero off my Top 50. What can you say about the cousin of Vlad the Supreme? "Get Well Soon?"
Greg played just 38 games and hit .217 in the GCL in an injury-shortened 2017.
Then, he regressed - he played zero, nada, zilch games in 2018 due to an injury.
If healthy, he probably belongs in the Top 50, based on pedigree and signing bonus.
If not 100% healthy in 2019, he does not. He may belong in the discard pile instead.
Cousin Vlad, signed at the same time, will by contrast be in the majors in April. And will be AL rookie of the year in November. Perhaps he will lead the AL in hitting while he is at it. But he is not a Met, sadly.
So concludes my series on my indisputable Top 50 Mets prospects rankings. I hope you found it enjoyable. Maybe this series is in your Top 50 all-time favorite? I hope so.
Pitchers and catchers before we know it!
If you read all 10 of my prospect articles, you, sir or madam, are in my Readers Top 50, that much I can tell you.
Pitchers and catchers before we know it!
If you read all 10 of my prospect articles, you, sir or madam, are in my Readers Top 50, that much I can tell you.
Prior articles in this series - look over in this web site's right hand column for links.
Copy-and-paste links are below.
Copy-and-paste links are below.
#'s 41-45
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#'s 36-40
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#’s 31-35
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#'s 36-40
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#’s 31-35
#’s 26-30:
#’s 21-25:
#’s 16-20:
#’s 11-15
#’s 6-10
#’s 1-5
12 comments:
All of which goes to prove it's a LONG, uphill climb from being a high school or college standout player to the professional ranks without turning rank yourself. It will be interesting to see how BVW approaches the draft.
This team needs to become a top 10 team in terms of draft and international, or it will never be a top 10 team for very long.
I do like our younger guys more than the older prospects, overall, so perhaps the tide was already turning pre-Brodie.
C'mon, guys...would any of you have Greg Guerrero in your top 50 after playing less than 40 games in the past 2 seasons?
Matt is a big fan of this site.
Very nice on Matt. Keep fanning them, Mr Pobereyko
Glad to see Wilfred Astudillo get an Hon. Mention will still be 18 in ST), but they had him playing 1B when called stateside last year. Had a 35% CS resume in the DSL.
A year older, but yet to come stateside is Andres Ragnault who put up a .333/,933OPS also a 35% CS rate. I'm watching him, hopefully stateside and breaking into your midterm correction list.
Regnault should be on the radar soon.
Team Building, in New York mind you.
Not such a relaxed and simple thing. The fans want the trophy like yesterday. So for most NYC sports teams (Mets, Jets, Giants, Islanders, Rangers, Nets) it is a dangerous tightrope act always. This is why...
Building a great team mainly from within takes time. Take the 2018 NY Mets as a classic example of this and the NY Knicks as well.
For the Mets, they had more than most teams share of rookie players, but good ones.
At first base: Dominic Smith, second base: Jeff McNeil, shortstop: Amed Rosario, third base: Reinhimer, left field: Dominic Smith (the cloned one), center field: Brandon Nimmo, and catcher Tomas Nido. Plus, about five rookie relief pitchers (my personal favorites being Tyler Bashlor with his cannon and aggressive style), Daniel Zamora (with his slider every batter is waiting for but cannot hit), and Drew Barrymore Smith (with that smooth delivery and something we all know will soon be gold for him).
Now here's the problem part once more, it's the fans, they want it yesterday and waiting on this many rookies to complete their development (which can only take place through MLB games) is like trying not to eat the inside white cream filling in an Oreo cookie with a large glass of milk in your hand. Can't be done. Time.
I think the New Mets GM did an outstanding job keeping the best young players here on the Mets, eliminating the guys who are either injured way too much and defy modern medical treatment, or may have begun their own personal swan song so to speak.
The 2019 NY Mets team looks really sound. Alot of the question marks have been removed and able bodied players brought in with honest game to take their places. I am thrilled.
Not Sorry Reeses
Anyway, on Jenrry Mejia signing with Boston recently.
I never doubt certain things in life.
1. Water and swimming in a triathlon. Don't do it. If you cramp up everyone will just swim over you like you are not there. And who knows, you may not be for long. Stick with the biking and running.
2. Close lightning. It stings. I know. Take shelter.
3. Women who right off say that they are b_tches on the very first date. Trust me here, they are. Let it go at that. Pay for the meal and move on, after eating of course. We aren't studip.
4. Dogs frothing. Do not try to pet. Assume it does not like you.
5. Teachers who warn you that you need "a miracle" on the final exam. They may know something. Take the challenge and study harder than usual, may be good advice.
6. Trying to squeeze ten more miles out of a vehicle already running on empty. Ask Cosmo. He knows this kind of stuff.
7. And if the Boston Red Sox do something, the chances of success with it are greater than 70%.
Jenrry Mejia can start or relieve. He may have gotten beyond the PEDs stuff, we will have to wait and see. But it is interesting because in Boston Mejia can begin completely over in his career.
Trying to make the rotation could be tough though. They have Sale, Price, Porchello, Rodrigues (ERod), Eovaldi, and this new AAA Pawtucket kid I have been telling you about all off season, Darwinzon Hernandez, who looks to me to be not just good but outstanding.
So Jenrry Mejia has a lot to prove with this kind of competition ahead of him in Boston. But stranger things have happened and the Red Sox bullpen ain't chopped liver either.
I wish Jenrry Mejia the very best. He could make the 25-man come Boston's Opening Day. He's that good.
On Keith and Donnie Baseball Making The Hall
Without sickness and back injury they would have been in. Otherwise no.
Appearance on "Seinfeld" did not help Keith that much. Doonie missed too many games with the back.
Anonymous waxing nostalgic and poetic. In terms of Dominic Smith, he has had 332 MLB PAs and is hitting .210/.259/.406. Which, for a team that intends to win, is a very long cameo.
Baseball Reference projects his 2019 at .231/.291/.418 - which sounds about right, and is not good enough for the 2019 Mets. It is less than Adtrian Gonzalez and the Mets dumped him.
He'd be an excellent guy for a really struggling team to play for as, with a lot of play, maybe by 2020 he'd be coming around and be an asset to that team. The Mets can't afford Smith to struggle for another several hundred plate appearances if they want to get into the post season.
Thank you for doing a 50 player ranking and doing it early...before ST.
I have a couple of comments that I have waited to send...
1. You said...”I will add RHP Kyle Dowdy (top 20 Mets prospect) after this 10 part article series is finished. Do you post this somewhere yet?...maybe I missed it.
2. FYI...a number of players I found on 4-5 other rank lists were NF on yours and these were the ones ranked pretty highly:
NAME POS AVG BRENNAN
RANK RANK
Christian James RHP 19 beyond 50
Walker Lockett RHP 21 NF
Jose Miguel Medina OF 23 NF
Sam Haggerty IF-OF 23 NF
Anthony Dirocie CF 24 NF
Juan Uriarte C 24 NF
Kevin Smith RHP 25 NF
Ranfy Adon CF 25 NF
Thanx again.
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