Let’s Go Macro…
Through April 30, the Mets’ 4 minors teams combined were 54-42.
Last year, same period? 47-43.
I think this year is going to fare much better, though.
By the end of August last year, the 4 teams had slipped and were nearly a collective 30 games under .500, mostly thanks to an awful St Lucie 2024 team.
I expect the Mets’ 2025 minors current .560 win rate to continue, if not increase. Why?
More strong performing prospect players, fewer bad players, year over year.
A big part of that? The major 2024 injuries to 3 key hitters: Jett, Gilbert, and Reimer. All 3 are now playing, and healthy. Ronny Mauricio too.
SAME OLD METS HITTING STORY - EVERY - STINKING - YEAR
There always seems to be, on the Mets, every single stinking year, a large block of dudes who are just not hitting.
After the Arizona loss on Thursday, when Juan Soto (on May 1, right on cue) smacked his first two Citi HRs, the rest of the team garnered 3 lonely non-run-producing hits,
NINE GUYS (Winker, Taylor, Nimmo, Baty, Vientos, Alvarez, Senger, Marte, and Siri) were all hitting .219 or less and have collectively gone a paltry 108 for 547 (.197) with just 63 runs and 69 RBIs, and just 44 walks, but 145 Ks.
That, simply put, is awful collective performance.
And 9 of those 69 RBIs came in one stunning game by Brandon Nimmo.
Essentially....
What we have is 9 last place performers on a first place team.
(Ronny Mauricio entering into Friday’s rehab game was 1 for 9, making him about as hot and ready as the aforementioned 9 whiffers. Perhaps they all deserve to be sent to rehab.)
The rest of the Mets hitters (you know who they are, for Pete’s sake) are thankfully hitting .292.
Thank heavens for "the rest of the hitters", huh?
And, of course, the superlative pitchers, despite Manaea and Montas taking the first third of the season off, with pay.
HAPPY NOTE:
Those 9 lads, the ones that did play on Friday, went TEN FOR NINETEEN.
SOTO MONTHLY SPLITS THRU MAY 1:
.241/.368/.384 - March/April
.667/.750/2.667 - May
I prefer May.
METS HIT A LOT AND WIN ON FRIDAY
Hitting should become consistently contagious in consistently warmer weather. And Holmes, the winner, has been consistently consistent.
TWO GREAT MINORS OUTINGS
Nolan McLean: 6 scoreless
Felipe de la Cruz: bumped to AAA, he dazzled: 6 scoreless, 1 hit, no walks, 9 Ks.
And freakin’ Anthony Nunez faced 5 batters, retiring all 5. This season, he’s recorded 37 outs while allowing just one hit. Unreal.
EX-METS PROSPECT RHYLAN THOMAS IS UNIQUE
He was dealt last year for the now 0-3 Ryne Stanek.
Thomas heading into May was hitting .319 in AAA, with one 11 game stretch where he racked up 18 hits.
Thomas in one key respect is an old time throwback player…
Just 4 Ks in 104 plate appearances. Compare to Siri.
Thomas still is highly allergic to power, however, as he amazingly had just 1 double and 1 homer in those 104 PAs.
I did write repeatedly, while he was a Mets prospect, that he needed to add power to be considered seriously for the major leagues. Clearly, that hasn’t happened.
ONE WHO FLEW THE COOP
One ex-Met hit .275 this season prior to May, with 6 HRs, 21 RBIs, 23 runs, 12 steals and great defense.
Javier Baez? No…Pete Crow Armstrong. That bird flu.
AND ANOTHER COOP-FLYER....
Mike Vasil, who pitched poorly in the Mets minors in 2024 and 2025, has thrown 17.1 innings in 9 games, with a stunning 1.04 ERA. Could he end up being the White Sox's ALL STAR REPRESENTATIVE at this rate?
DJ STEWART
He is tearing it up - when he's at home and has mail to discard.
With Pittsburgh, he is now in AAA and hitting 5 for 51 there.
So, I guess his .177 last year as a Met was not a fluke.
And Dom Smith, in 23 AAA games, .201/.280/.281.
LAST YEAR'S BATTING CHAMP?
Jose Iglesias as a Met hit .337 in 2024, highest in the majors.
In 2025, the former Mets is hitting .278 with 4 doubles in 72 ABs ,10 RBIs.
That average? Higher than the Mets' bottom nine hitters noted above.
BLADE TIDWELL PROMOTED
5.00 AAA ERA, with early Matt Harvey stuff without early Matt Harvey command - yet. You can dominate, Blade - trust your stuff.
WHICH IS BETTER?
Nick Lorusso in AA (1B/3B) is hitting .294/.364/.485, while Ryan Clifford is hitting .195. You decide.
7 comments:
Tom,
I realize the batting coaches can't hit for the players, but should there not be more help in working with and correcting their batting approach?
Scary to think we are still in first place with those nine guys hitting that bad. Good to see Alverez hitting to RF. Someone must have sat him down and explained the facts of life to him. Hit first, the HR's will come.
Pitches listen to everyone they can find for help
Hitter's egos are too large to listen to anybody
Unlike Mack’s general point, which is true, Alvarez DID listen to advice, changed his stance, and looked GREAT at the plate last night. Vientos on the other hand flails too much, and needs to be more aggressive early in counts. Two strikes and he is in deep doo doo.
The METS, Syracuse, and Binghamton hit likegarbage in cold weather. Only Binghamton continues to hit likegarbage, except for Jett Williams and Lorusso
Good morning, Tom. Incredible that this team is 22-11despite so many guys’ slow offensive starts. Good news is that if the nine guys you mentioned, three are gone (for now) and it seems like Nimmo, Alvarez, and Winker are coming around. Marte’s even been hitting some balls hard. Vientos, on the other hand, looks completely lost, taking lots of strikes and swinging repeatedly at balls in the dirt two feet off the plate. Hoping he gets it together.
Don’t sleep on Felipe De La Cruz. A little (listed 6’0 160) lefty, he’s always been a pretty big strikeout guy who lacked control. That hasn’t t been an issue this year in 21 scoreless innings. He’s only 23, and maybe he’s figured it all out. With the new evaluation and development guys that Stearns has brought to the org, you don’t have to squint too hard to see a future where the Mets don’t ever really need to overspend in years and dollars for FA pitching help. A giant competitive advantage. Finally, Vinny Lorusso was a fantastic college bat and seems to be coming into his own at AA. Another guy on very few Top 30 lists who could easily break through into the big league conversation.
Adam…I agree.
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