MACK – More Hot Bats

 

 

MACK – More Hot Bats

 

John From Albany and I started last week keeping track of Mets minor leaguers that have been yielding a hot bat in the last 10 games they had played.

John updated this Top 5 list on 6-15 regarding games played on 6/6-6/15.

Three players on that list… Emerson Estevez, Nick Lorusso, and Cleiner Ramirez… were on the previous list and biographical information on those three were included in last weeks post.

There were two new names this week:

 

JT Benson/A+ Brooklyn - .263/.440/.737/1.177, 2-HR, 6-RBI,25-PA

                JT Benson (full name: Johnathon Tyler Benson) is a 24-year-old outfielder in the New York Mets minor league system.

Born: April 1, 2002 (Louisville, KY)

Height/Weight: 6'0", 190 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

High School: South Oldham (Crestwood, KY) — He was a top outfield prospect in Kentucky coming out of high school.

College: University of Louisville (Cardinals)

He went undrafted in 2024 after a strong senior season but excelled in independent ball before signing with the Mets in March 2026.

College Career Highlights (Louisville)In 2024 (senior year), he posted career highs:.

.302 AVG   9 HR   41 RBI   52 runs   34 stolen bases (led the ACC, top-10 nationally)

He showed a strong combination of contact, power, and elite speed on the bases. Over three college seasons, he hit .284/.402/.494 with 51 steals.

Independent League Performance

2024 (Lake Country DockHounds, American Association): .286/.385/.418 in 27 games.

2025 (Evansville Otters, Frontier League): .295/.412/.477 with 10 HR, 40 RBI, and 24 SB in 26 attempts over 80 games.

Strong slash lines with good extra-base power (doubles, triples, HR).

Continued speed (steals).

Solid on-base skills but with swing-and-miss (strikeout rates in the mid-to-high 20s).

Scouting-wise, he profiles as a toolsy outfielder with plus speed, emerging power, and athleticism. His bat has shown it can handle wood (independents + early minors), though he'll need to refine his approach and contact consistency for higher levels.

As a recent signee who skipped the draft, Benson is an intriguing "sleeper" type prospect for the Mets. He's not yet in most major top-30 organizational rankings, but his combination of speed, production, and athleticism gives him a chance to rise as a fourth outfielder or upside platoon/bench piece if he keeps hitting. Keep an eye on his power/speed numbers as he advances through the system.

 

Roybert Herrera/FCL Mets - .438/.471/.688/1.159, 1-HR, 3-RBI, 7-H, 17-PA

                Roybert Jesus Herrera (born June 30, 2007, in Caucaugua, Venezuela) is an 18-year-old infielder (primarily 3B, also 1B/2B) in the New York Mets organization. He signed as an international free agent (UDFA) in January 2024.

Bats/Throws: Left/Right.

Height/Weight: 6'2", 175 lbs.

He has performed well in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) and is now in the Florida Complex League (FCL):

2024 (DSL, age 17): 24 G, .329/.407/.443 (91 PA), 1 HR, 8 SB, strong contact and on-base skills early on.

2025 (DSL, age 18): 39 G, .285/.371/.488 (143 PA), 6 HR, solid power development.

He shows a good hit tool, improving power (ISO around .200 in 2025), patience (BB% improving to ~10%), and speed. Strikeouts are manageable but present (21-25% range). He missed some time in 2026 with a minor injury (activated from IL in late May).

Herrera is a lower-level prospect who has not yet cracked major Mets top-10 or top-100 lists as of mid-2026. He is viewed as a toolsy, projectable young player with upside as he advances to full-season ball. His athleticism, left-handed bat, and positional versatility (infield focus) give him potential, but he needs more reps against better competition to rise.

He is still very young (turns 19 in late June 2026) and has time to develop. Expect him to continue progressing through the Mets' lower minors in 2026-2027.

 

John published a further update, for games played on 6/8-6/17:

 

Yohairo Cuevas/St. Lucie - .385/.515/.654/1.169

                Yohairo Alexis Cuevas (born September 16, 2003, in New York, NY) is a 22-year-old left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder/first baseman in the New York Mets minor league system. He stands 6'3" and weighs 172 lbs.

Cuevas was signed by the Mets as an international free agent in January 2021 (reported signing bonus around $500,000). Though born in New York, he trained/developed in the Dominican Republic (including at the Fernando Tatis Baseball Academy) and began his pro career in the Dominican Summer League (DSL). He has ties to former MLB player Juan Samuel (his uncle).

He has shown patience at the plate (solid walk rates) but struggles with strikeouts and consistent power. His bat has progressed unevenly, with strong showings in lower levels but challenges in A+.

Key seasonal highlights (standard batting stats):2021 (DSL Mets 1, age 17): 41 G, .155/.331/.214, 0 HR, 5 SB, high K% (30.8%) but good OBP.

2022 (DSL Mets 1, age 18): 51 G, .277/.374/.398, 2 HR, 7 SB — solid breakout.

2023: Split between FCL Mets (.310/.444/.577, 4 HR in 23 G — best offensive showing) and St. Lucie (A: .215/.308/.354).

2024 (St. Lucie, A): 113 G, .213/.333/.296, 1 HR, 20 SB — played a full season but low power.

2025: Strong in A (St. Lucie: .278/.440/.369, 50 BB in 63 G) but struggled in A+ (Brooklyn: .206/.289/.271).

Career minors (through ~2026): ~.228/.356/.330 with 11 HR, 69 SB in ~380 games. He draws walks (career ~15% BB rate) but has high strikeouts and modest power (low ISO).

Primarily an outfielder (LF/RF, some CF) with increasing time at 1B. He has above-average speed early on and has stolen bases consistently (though success rate varies). Defense has been reliable in limited samples.

Overall, Cuevas is a toolsy, athletic lefty bat with good plate discipline and speed, but he needs to improve contact consistency and power production to climb higher in the system. He's had some injury/rehab time in recent years but has shown resilience in full-season ball. Keep an eye on his performance in A+ for signs of breaking through.

 

Jonnhan Sanchez/DSL Blue - .400/.556/.600/1.156

                Jonnhan Jose Sanchez is a young Venezuelan outfield prospect in the New York Mets' minor league system.

Born: May 8, 2007 (age 19 as of mid-2026) in San Carlos, Venezuela.

Bats/Throws: Left/Left

Height/Weight: 6'0" / 160 lbs

Position: Outfielder (primarily right field, also left field; has seen some time at first base)

The Mets signed him as an international free agent to a minor-league contract in January 2024 (around age 16). He has played in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) for the Mets' rookie-level affiliates (DSL Mets Blue/Orange).

He is a switch-hitting style lefty bat with speed and developing power, though he's still very early in his professional development.

Minor League Stats

2024 (age 17, DSL Mets Blue): Limited action (7 games) — struggled initially with a .053 average in 19 AB, but showed some pop (1 triple).

2025 (age 18, DSL Mets Blue): Much stronger — .259 AVG, .373 OBP, .370 SLG in 20 games (54 AB), with 1 HR, 9 RBI, 6 SB, and improved plate discipline.

He dealt with injuries in 2025 (placed on the 60-day IL in July, activated in November).

Sanchez is a raw, toolsy prospect still in the very early stages (Rookie/DSL level). Left-handed hitters with speed who can play the outfield have upside, but he needs more consistent at-bats and development before climbing the ranks toward full-season ball. 

 

Yadier Fuentes/DSL Orange - .400/.571/.500/1.071

                Yadier Fuentes is a 17-year-old catcher (born September 4, 2008) from Panama who signed with the New York Mets as an international free agent in January 2026 for a $80,000 bonus.

Position: Catcher (C)

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Height/Weight: 5'11" / 195 lbs

He is a very recent signee and a low-level prospect in the Mets' system, acquired to add depth to their international/minor league catching pipeline. There is limited public scouting information or performance data available so far, as he is just beginning his professional career in the DSL.