From The Desk – Junior Santos, Desmond Lindsay, Josh Jung, Tim Tebow, Garth Brooks

Good morning.

MLB Pipeline http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2018?list=nym   Top Mets Prospects –

         

   Junior Santos | Rank: 29 (Preseason: NR)

Team: GCL Mets (ROK)        ETA: 2022   Position: RHP    Age: 17 DOB: 08/16/2001

Bats: R Throws: R      Height: 6' 8" Weight: 218 lb.   Signed: Sept. 28, 2017

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 60 | Overall: 45

The Mets were very aggressive on the international amateur free agency market during the 2017 signing period, handing out a total of seven bonuses of six figures or more. While shortstop Ronny Mauricio and outfielder Adrian Hernandez were the big-ticket buys, with bonuses of $2.1 and $1.5 million, respectively, they were also happy to get Santos for $275,000. The long and lanky right-hander began his pro career in the Dominican Summer League, but pitched his way to the United States before the end of the summer.

Santos has grown since he signed and now stands at 6-foot-8. Unlike many young pitchers of that size, however, Santos has a very good feel for pitching and how to command his developing three-pitch mix. Using a high three-quarter slot, Santos fills up the strike zone with a fastball in the 91-95 mph range, thrown with excellent extension, and a pitch that should have more in the tank as he matures. When he signed with the Mets, Santos didn't have a breaking ball, but he has quickly gotten a good feel for a slider that has the chance to be an out pitch in the future. His changeup is below-average right now, but with his feel for pitching, the Mets are confident it will come on as a third effective offering.

Santos' size and plus command all point to a future as a strike-throwing starting pitcher. It's been no surprise the Mets have received multiple calls from teams looking to make deals asking about him as his first full season in the United States awaits.

Fangraphs https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-25-prospects-new-york-mets/   Top 25 Mets Prospects –

10. Desmond Lindsay, CF Video

  

     Drafted: 2nd Round, 2015 from Out of Door Academy HS (FL) (NYM)

    Age     22.0    Height 6′ 0″    Weight            200     Bat / Thr         R / R    FV       40+

  Tool Grades (Present/Future)

  

    Hit       Raw Power     Game Power  Run     Fielding          Throw

    30/45        60/60                30/50       60/55       45/50             50/50

Lindsay was frustrating to scout as an amateur. He flashed plus speed, potential plus power, and plus bat speed, but also suffered through a number of nagging injuries on his way to being a speculative second round pick by the Mets. The raw tools have still been there in pro ball but so have the nagging injuries, mostly of the hamstring and elbow variety. Lindsay also hasn’t shown much bat control at any point in his career, so his path to success (after staying healthy) is as a lower average hitter with some power playing a solid average center field. He’ll find himself lower on this list if he doesn’t stay healthy and produce this year, but there’s a route for him to turn into a player along the lines of new Mets center fielder Keon Broxton.

2019 CBD TOP 100 COUNTDOWN:  http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2019/02/08/2019-cbd-top-100-countdown-3-josh-jung-texas-tech/  3. JOSH JUNG (TEXAS TECH) –

         

   Josh Jung went undrafted out of high school, but he will likely be the first third baseman off the board in the upcoming draft.

As a freshman at Texas Tech in 2017 he hit .306 in 245 at-bats with 55 runs scored, 14 doubles, 6 home runs, 43 RBI, and a .395 on-base percentage.

That summer he hit .368 over 117 at-bats in the California Collegiate League with 24 runs scored, 6 doubles, 2 home runs, 31 RBI, and a .454 on-base percentage.

He stepped it up a notch during his sophomore season with Texas Tech hitting .392 in 263 at-bats with 69 runs scored, 17 doubles, 6 triples, 12 home runs, 80 RBI, and a .491 on-base percentage.

Tim Tebow https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/tim-tebow-turned-down-aaf-offer-to-pursue-baseball-steve-spurrier-says   turned down AAF offer to pursue baseball –

       

PC - Ed Delany

     Former college football star Opens a New Window.  Tim Tebow turned down another shot at a professional football contract in order to continue his bid to make a Major League Baseball roster Opens a New Window.  as a member of the New York Mets.

Steve Spurrier, the college coaching legend and current head coach of the Alliance of American Football’s Opens a New Window.  Orlando Apollos, told “Pro Football Talk” this week that he asked Tebow to join his team in the offseason. Tebow, however, declined the offer.

Garth Brooks http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/garth-brooks-trades-cowboy-hat-for-baseball-cap-during-spring-training   trades cowboy hat for baseball cap during spring training –

           "This is my team. I grew up with this team. Roberto Clemente that was my guy. I had his poster on my wall. The day that he died, I promised him that I would do something with baseball and kids like he traded his life for. This came late in my life," said Brooks.

That promise as a young kid to his baseball idol turned into a worldwide charity with Teammates for Kids.

"We started with a little over 30 major leaguers. Then we had one from every team. Then here comes the NHL the NFL, NBA, major league soccer, PGA, rodeo. They all kind of chipped in. Now 4,000 athletes strong we are hopefully just doing things for kids all across the globe,” said Brooks.