HEY! WHO IS DOING WHAT, ANYWAY?
Not too many thoughts this morning, since it even remains to be seen which players with prior MLB experience this spring will stay in the Mets system in the minors.
Let’s take a peek at:
FIRST BASE:
in the Mets minors, there are as I see it two upcoming guys with near-term MLB potential. (Ryan Clifford, if he plays 1B, is a little further back).
Both of the nearly-ready duo started their minors careers in 2021. One went undrafted, the other one was a 4th rounder.
Player # 1 just turned 26 and hits righty. He played 99 games in 2023, 38 of those games in AAA last year, with a .270/.370/.397 slash line for Syracuse. He’s climbed hard.
Career…
841 PA, 26 doubles, 8 triples, 18 HR, 89 RBI, 30 of 36 in steals. Half his career at bats were in the park that stifles offense in Brooklyn, where overall he hit .225 (but hit a much better .283 there in early 2023).
Elsewhere, out of the windy beach park, he’s hit .275. He fanned 99 times in 99 games last year, a fairly decent rate.
(The opening day Star-Spangled Banner there will be sung by Gail Force. Some of her high notes are very long-winded, just my Gail Force Warning to all attendees). Anyway…
Player # 2 hits lefty and turned 24 three months ago. His highest level to date is AA. Stats?
851 PA, 741 AB, 47 doubles, 6 triples, 10 HRs, 108 RBIs, .275/.364/.395. 9 of 12 in steals, a lower 150 Ks in 206 career games.
Player # 1 is Joe Suozzi, who is 2 for 7 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs this spring, while player # 2 is JT Schwartz, who is 4 for 8 with an RBI this spring.
Suozzi in his career has played more OF than 1B. Schwartz has played more 1B than outfield.
Seems neck-and-neck between those two. But, what do I know?
What do you think?
Meanwhile, some of the “better-but-on-the-fringe” minor league hitters who’ve gotten in some spring games right now are:
Hayden Senger, 2 for 13, 4Ks.
Alex Ramirez, looking to rebound from 2023 doldrums: 4 for 11.
Carlos Cortes is 3 for 6 with 2 walks and 3 runs scored. On base machine.
Wyatt Young, Stanley Consuegra, Kevin Parada, and Brandon McIlwain, though, are a combined 1 for 18 and no RBIs with 11 Ks. Not impressing the bosses, even though each has been in admittedly limited official game action.
Let’s not jump to any conclusions, you might hurt yourselves. Move slowly and gently to the fridge instead.
But spring hitting can be tough. Let’s admit it.
Five guys who have gone a mere 27 for 185 (.145)?
That’s Lindor, Marte, Choi, Voit, and Stewart. Quite the audition for the latter three, huh?
(Ex-Met and ex-Nat Dom Smith meanwhile has gone 9 for 26 with the Cubs this spring. Danged how that works, huh?)
Oh, yeah, supremely surprising Simon Juan has raked, going 2 for 2, with 2 RBIs, in his official spring appearances. Meanwhile, ex-Met first rounders Kelenic and Crow are a damaging 10 for 77 (.130). I hear 1:30 and I think “lunch time”.
Spring always has its surprises.
No recap here on Drew Gilbert, Jett Williams, and Luisangel Acuna, as we all know they are the top hitter dawgs in the Mets minors. The trio did good. Let’s see them tear up the high minors once the minors regular seasons start. Then I’ll talk about them some more.
7 comments:
is Joe Suozzi the next Dr. Strange glove? Or perhaps, he is ridding his dad's coat.
There is only one first base prospect in the minors: Mark Vientos. There is no other one. Clifford has a great arm and I’d like that in the outfield, preferably left field since he isn’t fleet afoot.
JT is a superior fielder to Suozzi. JT out-hits him by 100 points on average. Schwartz up, Suozzi down.
All the hitting stats in spring training are hard to judge. Batters usually start behind the pitchers, so only the last couple weeks should count when they get their rhythm. But rhythm doesn't always happen when you want it to. If you have established yourself already, like Lindor, not to worry. If you need to establish yourself like Choi, Voit, Stewart, then worry a lot.
Mark would be quite the first baseman, Gus…but he is a major leaguer until directed otherwise LOL.
I will add one thing…Pete was just emerging into the majors at the same exact age (24 years, 111 days) as Vientos is now (he is 24-103 today). If Pete doesn’t stay for 2025, Vientos May be the Mets 1B next year. If so, they have to play him this year, and get him past the break in period completely.
Paul, Suozzi hit .270 last year, with 40% of his ABs in AAA. Not bad. And his 30 of 36 in career steals is an asset JT doesn’t have, Lastly, I think JT is really only a 1B, Suozzi plays a lot of both 1B and OF, making him more versatile. But, like Gus said, as a 1B, Vientos is ahead of both.
Vientos in AAA has hit .290 in 646 at bats with 39 doubles, 43 HRs and 126 RBIs. No comparison to the other two players. Those are Alonso 2018 minors numbers.
Senger "better- but - fringe"? He's 27, hasn't made it past AA in the 7 years he's been in our system, with a career .236 BA and an average of a K in every 3 AB.
He's got a good reputation as a defender, but who is he better than with the bat?
Bill I stretched it because he is supposed to be an excellent catcher defensively. Another guy who should study how Jerry Grote changed his swing anfter starting his career dwelling anround .200…and changed his career.
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