Mets Spring Training at Clover Park: What to Know Before You Go!

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – New York Mets spring training runs February-March and there is helpful information to know before heading to Clover Park. From parking, to tickets, to promotions, we have you covered!

 

New in 2023

 

·       Clover Park is now a CASHLESS facility. Guests may only use credit/debit cards and mobile payment methods (Apple Pay and Google Pay). Cash will not be accepted at the parking lot, ticket windows, concession stands or the Fan Shop. Fans can exchange cash for a Clover Park gift card in the Fan Shop and use that card throughout the ballpark if necessary. Gift cards come in $20 increments.

·       Bullpen reconfiguration – the home and visiting bullpens have been moved off the field of play. The Mets bullpen is located between the Budweiser Terrace and the Mets batting cages while the visiting bullpen is located behind the left field wall near the Corona Island Bar and stadium video board.

·       Playing surface – a new state-of-the-art field was installed at Clover Park during the offseason and is ready to go for spring training.

·       The left field bar has been renamed the Corona Island Bar and will feature Corona, Modelo, Pacifico and Funky Buddha along with many other premium spirits.

 

Open Workouts 

 

·   Open Workouts begin on Wednesday, February 15^th. Workouts are open to the public daily, including on spring training game days. Gates open at 9:30 a.m. (times subject to change). Parking (on non-gameday) and entry are free. Limited concessions are available for purchase.

o   On gamedays Open Workouts end at approximately 10:45 a.m. (time subject to change). There is a $15 parking charge for Open Workouts on gamedays. On non-gamedays Open Workouts shut down when the players leave the field.

 

Games and Times

 

·   Spring training games begin at 1:10 p.m., 6:10 p.m. or 4:10 p.m. (check the schedule at mets.com/springtraining). Gates open 1 hour and 40 minutes prior to first pitch for the general public. Season ticket holders may enter 30 minutes before the general public.

·   The Braves, Rays, Astros, Nationals, Marlins and Cardinals are all part of the home slate at Clover Park.

·   As teams prepare for the World Baseball Classic, the Mets will host exhibition games against Nicaragua (March 8^th) and Venezuela (March 9^th).

o   The WBC will run March 8-21 with the semifinals and finals taking place at loanDepot Park in Miami.

 

Parking and Directions

 

·   Parking is $15 per standard vehicle ($25 for bus and RV).

·   Due to construction and traffic near exit 121 off I-95, fans are reminded that Clover Park can also be accessed by taking the Midway Road exit (126) and following Torino Parkway to NW Peacock Blvd.

 

Tickets

 

·   The Box Office is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the weekends throughout the duration of Spring Training.

·   Tickets can be purchased anytime at mets.com/springtraining

·   Screenshots of digital tickets within the MLB Ballpark app will no longer be accepted as a valid method of entry into the stadium. Fans will be required to produce their digital ticket at the gates using the MLB Ballpark app or Apple Wallet NFC and will be refused access to the stadium if their barcode is not rotating, produced by the protect the barcode technology. With this added security, fans may have to adjust their previous methods of sharing tickets to others.

 

Team Store

 

·   The Fan Shop is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the weekends during spring training.

 

Important Policies

 

·   Bags are not allowed inside Clover Park. The only exceptions are medical bags, diaper bags, a small clutch or a purse or fanny pack that measures 5”x9”.

·   Smoking is not allowed inside the stadium. This includes vaping and any other e-cigarettes.

·   Folding chairs, lawn chairs and large umbrellas are prohibited inside the stadium.

·   Umbrella strollers are allowed inside but must be collapsible and fit under a seat.

 

Gameday Promotional Schedule:

 

·   February 25 – Magnet schedule (first 1,500 fans)

·   February 26 – Pop It! fidget toy courtesy of Holiday Inn (first 1,000 fans)

·   March 2 – Bucket hat courtesy of Residence Inn (first 1,000 fans)

·   March 12 – Dri-fit headband courtesy of Hilton Garden Inn (first 1,000 fans)

·   March 17 – Bucket hat courtesy of Delta (first 1,000 fans)

·   March 19 – Fanny pack courtesy of Budweiser (first 1,000 fans)

·   March 25 – Florida Mr. Met bobblehead courtesy of Solomon Urology (first 1,000 fans)

Reese Kaplan -- Suppose Your Best Employees Left for Over 2 Weeks

Manager Buck Showalter has been vocal about his concern regarding the upcoming World Baseball Classic with already a dozen Mets players committed to participate. Instead of showing gratitude for civic and national pride for the players representing the countries of their ancestral origin, he's more agitated about the loss of personnel from his spring training rosters.

This year the World Baseball Classic will begin its own version of a preseason on March 5th for pairs of warm up games against an assortment of competitors prior the actual beginning of the tournament which will commence on March 8th.

Now anyone with a calendar and a functioning brain will immediately conclude with exasperation, "Hey! That's right in the middle of spring training!"

Now you too have had your own Buck Showalter moment.

So what is the purpose of this tournament and why does it take place while including known major league ballplayers?

In a word, marketing.

Huh?

Well, back up and ask why this tournament exists? Other sports like soccer and hockey have similar global gatherings to put their best of the best on display. They accomplish two things with this approach.

First, putting a household name with premium skills on display lets otherwise ill-served market of prospective baseball fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to enjoy and respect the best arms, bats and gloves available anywhere in the world. This appreciation will help fortify the efforts of MLB to market itself to a wider audience.

Wait, won't that mean more demand for teams and leagues places further afield than Toronto (and at one time Montreal)? Wouldn't more teams mean more revenue from paying fans who demand seats, snacks and souvenirs?

Second, when aspiring ballplayers in these offshore locations see that they may not have to uproot themselves to play in Peoria working their way towards a hopeful career in the major leagues, you may find inexpensive athletes readily honing their skills with the avenue of playing closer to home. That approach swells the pool of talent for future draft picks and again helps market the game not only for today but also for the future.

There is a third issue with the WBC which people seem almost afraid to discuss openly. Given that real spring training begins in about a week from now, that gives a winter of lack of formal training and exercise not a whole lot of time to prepare for the more than 200 days that follow it for the marathon duration of the rest of preparatory work and the season that follows.

So what happens when you take a prematurely briefly prepared ballplayer and ask him to give his 100% all running, throwing and swinging at maximum effort when the now allowed warm up schedule is only about three weeks? The risk of injury would surely seem to increase just as most of the rest of us know that doing a strenuous activity after not having used those muscles for awhile know they will be in for pain and discomfort for quite awhile.

Anyone of us who has stretched a ligament, torn a muscle, broken a bone or placed such undue strain on a body part that requires total isolation from repeated activity in that area for an extended period of time.

Now if you are an accountant and have a support brace on a part of your body it won't really stop you from participating in your career. If, however, you are a professional athlete and cannot engage in athletics then you are an expensive paperweight on a team's payroll rather than an active participant in trying to win games.

So aside from the "Who cares?" attitude about the whole World Baseball Classic, is this monstrosity that has existed since 2017 and interfered with MLB spring training mean it is a good thing for the teams that populate the North American major leagues or is it only a good thing for the people who profit from the business of baseball?

Well, the non-roster invitees, minor league blue chippers and other MLB wannabes who wear baseball uniforms get a much bigger opportunity to show what they are capable of doing while playing far more innings than they would normally get the chance to do. While it's a good thing the team can get an extended up front and personal look at them, let's just hope it's not at the expense of a long term absence from an injured WBC participant.

The Mack Report (Vasil, Juan, Soto, Beltran, Morabito, Coonrod)

 

New York Mets Top 50 Prospects (2023)

https://www.prospects1500.com/nl-east/mets/new-york-mets-top-50-prospects-2023/?s=03 

12. Mike Vasil, RHP, 22, Single-A

Vasil has risen up through the organization prospect ranks after a great 2022 debut season. The strong 6’5” starter pitched to a 3.53 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 17 starts (71.1 IP). He was apart of the rising stars game in the AFL this year featuring his four pitch mix, beginning with his speedy four seam. Right now, it’s probably best to project him as a back end starter. 

                            2-6-23 - Keith Law's Top 20 Mets Prospects -

                                                10. Mike Vasil, RHP

Age: 23 | 6-5 | 244 pounds

Bats: Left | Throws: Right

Drafted: No. 232 in 2021

Vasil earned raves from scouts who didn’t have history with him as an amateur, but the changes the Mets made to his delivery, allowing his natural athleticism to dictate its movement and tempo, have brought back better velocity and offspeed stuff. He can get up to 95-96 mph with high spin and pairs it with a 55 slider and 50 changeup that has late action but not enough deception. 

He has to throw strikes, though — he walked 15 in 33 innings after a promotion to High A, then nine more in 15.1 innings in the Arizona Fall League. It’s good stuff but not good enough to carry a 12 percent walk rate. If he cuts that down, he’s a No. 4 starter. 

Mack - Vasil is one of the projected mid-rotation starters that needs to step up now that Matt Allan seems lost for the entire 2023 season. 

The 22-year old Vasil was an 8^th round pick in the 2021 draft, out of  the University of Virginia. As stated above, he had a wonderful debut pro season last year for three teams (FCL, A, A+) but he was even more impressive in the Arizona Fall League (6-G, 5-starts, 3-0, 2.9315.1-IP, 18-K). 

Vasil had eight starts for Brooklyn last season so there is a good chance he starts off this season in Binghamton.

 

 New York Mets Top 50 Prospects (2023)

18. Simon Juan, OF, 17, Rookie (DSL)

The 2022 Mets top international signee struggled a bit this summer at the DSL. The 6’2” prospect shows great power and speed already at 17 years old. He hit .219 and stole 16 bases along with 14 extra base hits (2 HR) in 201 at bats. There is no limit to his upside being only 17 and the Mets will take their time with an exciting player like Juan. 

Mack -I’m going to give him a pass for his first pro season. He was only 16. My hopes is he comes stateside in the spring and is part of the FCL Mets’ rotation. 

I understand there was an Instagram post this week put up by someone that said once Juan Soto signed with the Mets, he would be the first “500 million dollar man” in baseball history. I also understand  Soto “liked” the comment which cause some Mets fans to go bonkers. 

Me? I think it was a liking of the 500mil, not becoming a Met, that caused his response… though I don’t know any other owners that would pay this kind of money for one, single player.

 

 Jon Heyman @JonHeyman

Post exclusive: Carlos Beltran is leaving YES broadcast booth to work in Mets front office 

Mack - I’m not sure how I feel about this. Steve Cohen seems to like having a lot of baseball minds around him, but too many sometimes leads to conflict between the super-ego suits. I don’t care about the cheating thing. He paid his price already by losing the manager gig with the Mets. 

I need his role explained more get my blessing. Is he going to help the young centerfielders play better defense? I like that. Or, is he going to stand behind Buck in the dugout and bug the shit out if him? Don’t like that. 

 

New York Mets Top 50 Prospects (2023)

https://www.prospects1500.com/nl-east/mets/new-york-mets-top-50-prospects-2023/?s=03 

15. Nick Morabito, OF, 19, Rookie (FCL)

Morabito was drafted 75th overall in the 2022 draft out of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. He is listed as an outfielder, however he played SS in high school but it is unclear as of now where he will play. That’s the least of the worry at the moment because of his smooth swing and speed on the base paths. 

The 5’11” right hander consistently makes hard contact with underrated pop. He had a tough go in rookie ball but there is confidence he will rise up the organization. 

2-6-23 - Keith Law's Top 20 Mets Prospects -

9. Nick Morabito, OF

Age: 20 | 5-11 | 185 pounds

Bats: Right | Throws: Right

Drafted: No. 75 in 2022

Morabito was the Mets’ second-round pick, although he was their fourth pick overall, as a projection high school hitter who shows plus raw power in BP and 70 speed. He played a lot of short in high school but wasn’t good there, so the Mets moved him full-time to center field to take more advantage of his speed. He may take longer to get there than most high schoolers but there’s 20-homer/30-steels upside. 

Mack - Law has more contacts with scouts, team officials, and league personnel than most in this business. Trust me… he didn’t sit behind the plate at this kid’s high school  games all season. 

There’s very little we can draw from his pro career so far… 22 at-bats for the FCL Mets with only two hits. I am extremely surprised he is this high on Law’s list and I would gladly take a 20-HR/30-SB in the outfield some day. 

 

The Mets signed veteran reliever, 30-year old RHP Sam Coonrod off waivers from Philadelphia and designated outfielder Khalil Lee for assignment. 

He was originally drafted by the Giants in 1994, in the 5^th round, out of Southern Illinois University Carbondale (the same school as Dave Steib).

Coonrod has a 5.27 ERA in 4 big league seasons. Last season, his stat line for the Phillies was -0.3-WAR, 0-0, 7.82. 

His claim to fame so far was his statement made when he refused to take a knee in a team statement on the George Floyd murder: 

“I just can’t get on board with a couple things I’ve read about Black Lives Matter, how they lean towards Marxism, and … they said some negative things about the nuclear family, I just can’t get on board with that.” 

DFA a woman beater… replace him with this guy. Such a deal.

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - SS - John Peck

 

John Peck

SS Pepperdine

 

1-9-23 - FIVE SUPER-SLEEPERS WHO COULD GO NO. 1 IN THE 2023 MLB DRAFT

https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2023/1/7/five-super-sleepers-who-could-go-no-1-in-the-2023-mlb-draft?s=03 

JOHN PECK, SHORTSTOP, PEPPERDINE

Of the five names mentioned here, Peck is certainly the biggest longshot to go first overall, but he’s extremely interesting and worth a deep dive. In 2022, Peck slashed .361/.417/.578 with seven homers and seven stolen bases. He logged 39 starts, all at the shortstop position, missing about a month with an undisclosed injury. That performance landed him a roster spot with Bourne in the Cape Cod League. Peck would struggle, slashing .195/.270/.260, uncharacteristic strikeouts slowing his summer. 

Despite the underwhelming showing, it’s Peck’s batted-ball data that has analysts raving about what it could look like if he puts it all together. Over 96 balls in play, Peck peaked north of 111.5 mph. He hit close to 43 percent of his balls in play over 98 mph. Mix in his launch angles and suddenly we’re talking about a college shortstop who ranked among the best in college baseball in terms of barrel percentage. Peck has an extremely whippy bat path and his hands can get outside of his body too often, especially when he’s fooled. His hands and inconsistent swing plane affect his ability to impose consistent backspin on the baseball. Thus, home run numbers that don’t necessarily line up with his batted-ball data. Peck makes more than enough contact. It’s a solid average hit tool. If he irons out the bat path, he could unlock a new level of game power. If Peck can put it all together in 2023 and turn those missile ground balls and line drives into fly balls, he could put up prodigious numbers in the West Coast Conference.   

At 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, Peck is a well-built infielder with a glide to his game. He moves around the dirt well showcasing a quick first step and a quick release when fielding the ball. Peck has shown a willingness to change his arm angles when necessary and has more than enough arm to make most  throws, though he’s in no rush to show it off when he doesn’t need to. From this chair, it looks above average. He projects an average, maybe a solid average defender at the position, though his tools would play quite literally anywhere on the field. There are some similarities between Peck and 2022 Brewers first round pick Eric Brown, though Peck may be the superior defender, Brown the better pure athlete.   

It should come as no surprise Peck will need to annihilate the West Coast Conference this season to wipe away what was a frustrating summer with the wood bat. It wouldn’t surprise me if he took the Logan Davidson route this year. Davidson, the 29th overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Clemson, was a career .290 hitter with 42 home runs in college. On the Cape however, Davidson batted .201 with three homers and a 30 percent strikeout rate over 263 plate appearances. Peck will have every opportunity to prove himself in front of legions of scouts. It’s a long shot he jumps to the front of the pack, but you heard it here first. For now, he likely projects in the 3rd to 5th round range.

 

11-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: College Top 100 Prospects - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-college-top-100-prospects/ - 

87 John Peck SS Pepperdine West Coast

 

All the 2023 Draft Prospects in the Mack’s Mets database can be viewed by going to www.macksmets.blogspot.com and clicking on 2023 DRAFT PROSPECT DATABASE found on the top, left of the front page of the site. 

Paul Articulates – Buck’s three biggest priorities in spring training

Wednesday, February 15th is the date we have looked forward to in anticipation.  That is the day that pitchers and catchers formally report to spring training in St. Lucie.  So after months of following the trade rumors, the free agent signings, and the hot stove prognostications, we can finally see the product of the off-season work hit the field.

Spring training used to be the place where players loosened up their arms and got into shape, but these days the players arrive in much better condition after months of off-season workouts and performance drills.  You have probably already seen video of some of our Mets favorites working out.   Spring training is also the opportunity for everyone on the team to get on the same page – with offensive and defensive fundamentals and strategies.  This year that part will be interrupted by the loss of players to the World Baseball Classic (WBC), which overlaps most of the spring ritual.  The WBC finals will be played on March 21st, just about week before the first regular season MLB game on March 30th.

Buck Showalter and his coaching staff have plenty to think about during the six week spring training period, as they have many new players to evaluate.  Here are the three things that I believe to be the priorities for the Mets coaching staff.

1) The pitching approach.  This year brings many new faces (arms) to the Mets pitching staff.  New acquisitions Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, and Jose Quintana are the big names added to the starting rotation so there will be some evaluations of their preferences and their stamina.  But the big decisions are going to be about how to fill the relief innings after the starters have grabbed a towel.  We know that Tylor Megill and David Peterson will be vying for a spot in the rotation but are more likely to fill long relief and spot starter roles if Carlos Carrasco is healthy.  Beyond that, there are many new players to evaluate and this is where the early success of this Mets team may hinge.  With consideration of the age and arm health of the starters, they will likely be throwing only 4-5 innings, so that leaves 4-5 more innings to close the deal.  Who will be the first in from the bullpen?  Who will be the 6th, 7th, and 8th inning guys that set the stage for the sound of trumpets?  Who will stand out as the lefty-lefty specialist that can shut down the sluggers on the opposition?  There are several new names like Brigham, Raley, and Hernandez in addition to the more familiar names like Lucchesi, Nogosek, and Smith to evaluate.  Will it be Adam Ottavino or David Robertson in the 8th?  How much load can each pitcher handle if the bullpen gets called on six times in a week?  These are the make-or-break questions that will need to be answered by the end of the spring session.  Inevitably there will be many evolutions as the season wears on but it is always best to start with a plan.

2) The infield rotation.  The only real competition for a starting infield position will be third base where Eduardo Escobar aims to keep his spot but will face tough competition from prospect Brett Baty.  However, there are plenty of very capable infielders on the team that will be looking for playing time.  Buck will have to decide how much rest he will give each of the position players and how he is going to back fill.  He also has to give consideration to rotating some of the starters through the DH position since there is not a defined solution there.  Fortunately for Buck, these decisions are only tough because he has some very good players to consider.  Luis Guillorme was an outstanding utility player last year and he hit .273 on top of that.  Escobar can play multiple positions, as can new Met Danny Mendick.  Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio will want to make a name for themselves this spring, so look for them to press hard for a slot.

3) The DH position.  Last year’s DH platoon experiment was one of the least successful aspects of New York’s 2022 campaign.  Although Daniel Vogelbach brought some exciting moments to the team after the trade deadline, the right side of the plate was undermanned all season.  Neither Vogelbach nor Darrin Ruf nor any of the other call-ups ever put up a slash line that would make the lineup deeper.  With the addition of Tommy Pham to the outfield ranks, the three-headed catcher attack, and the depth of capable infielders I think Buck may decide to take a committee approach to the DH position.  That said, spring training always brings some surprises, so be prepared for someone to hit lights out in March and get his name inked in as DH.

Those are my three priorities.  I’m sure many of you would have put the battle for catcher on this list, but I think that is going to be an evolving story.  I can’t see former all-star Omar Narvaez watching from the bench in April, and I think that Tomas Nido has earned his stripes with the Mets.  They will mentor and tutor prized prospect Fernando Alvarez and eventually you will see Alvarez as the main guy – but that won’t happen in the spring or early season.

Tom Brennan - Some More Citifield (Non) Hitting Results Insights

    

Let’s not bear around the bush. Pete Alonso hits much better on the road.

Bill Metsiac, one of our astute readers and commenters, asked about the effect of seasonality in baseball, and more specifically, in Citifield.

(Metsiac is his real last name…he did change his real first name from Mets to Bill, just to be clear and transparent, to add some name variety. He does, of course, self-identify as a Mets fan).

So, I looked - I like to see what data tells me.

1) Yes, Citifield is rough on hitters. (But we knew that).

Now, the Mets had really good hitting last season.  You win 101 games, that is most likely a given. 

As a comparative benchmark vs. other teams, I like to see how they did on the road, since it shows the how the hitters hit, free from whether their park is a hitters' paradise, or nightmare.

The Mets in 2022 on the road had the 3rd best OPS (.758), just .004 behind the leading Dodgers (.762).

So...the Mets of 2022 could REALLY rake. 

Their road hitting showed that in spades.

Despite that strong Mets hitting ability, Citifield output (Mets and opponents combined) was just .679 in OPS (24th among 30 parks).

Just 25th in total HRs, too, in the Park That Ruth Didn’t Build (149).  

Now, part of the reason for the lower OPS and HRs by all comers in Citifield in 2022 was strong Mets pitching. But the thunderous Mets had half the Citifield ABs, and the park still comes in as low as 24th-25th in offense?

But, of course, Citifield hurts hitters, but does it help Met pitchers? Heck yeah! How much?  Well, in 2022, Mets hurlers had a 3.06 ERA at Citifield, but a 35% higher 4.10 ERA on the road.

So, in general, hitters get screwed there, and pitchers thrive.

How much of that offensive shortfall is also seasonal?  As in…Ball not carrying out in Citifield? 

Statistically, I could not find such Mets-only home numbers by month, although with more time, I could have created my own stats.

However, all other things being equal, lower averages and slug % reflect less ball carry, at least to some degree.

In 2022, the Mets averaged 4.1 runs per game at home in April, but 4.7 per game on the road - an indicator  (even if short on games played (22) data) that ball carry is worse in Citi in April than elsewhere.

In the 5 full seasons from 2017-22, seasonality was evident. In all games, home and away, in those years in April, the Mets hit .238 with a .387 slug. (Again, I lacked just the home data, and passed on the time needed to calculate it for just home results).

In July, when the ball carries better, those comparable Mets numbers were .243 and .414, a fairly significant higher difference.

So…clearly, Citifield hurts hitters in general…and hurts them even more in April vs. hotter months.

What does all that mean?

If I was Pete Alonso, and the Mets try to low-ball his $$$ extension, in part due to his suppressed Citifield offensive output (the park not being a controllable variable for him), I would head down the Turnpike and sign as a free agent with Philly in 2025.  Or in Colorado. In both parks, he is more likely to hit 500+ career HRs and thus more likely to head to Cooperstown as an inductee some day. 

Paid more AND Hall of Fame? Pretty enticing if you ask me.

Thus ends another deep Mets conversation.

EXCEPT…

You’re the Mets GM, and you currently face severe salary cap issues. Do you extend Pete Alonso anyway? What (if so) would the deal look like, that both the team and the player would be happy with?

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - C - Kyle Teel

 

Kyle Teel

C     Virginia 

2022 Virginia stat line - 58-G, 221-AB, .276, 6-HR 

 

1-20-23 - Top 25 Breakdown: No. 19 Virginia

https://d1baseball.com/season-preview/top-25-breakdown-no-19-virginia-2/

Pick to Click: Kyle Teel has played just about everyday for Virginia over his first two seasons, and as a .305/.409/.481 career hitter, there’s no arguing the fact that he’s been productive at the plate. But Teel took a step back by many measures last season, with his average dropping nearly 60 points while his power production stayed relatively flat, so there’s also a feeling that he has more in the tank to give. Certainly the offensive skills are in place. He already shows good plate discipline—he walked 41 times compared to 36 strikeouts last season—he has plus raw power and his athleticism makes him more of a threat on the bases than your average catcher. Teel has first-round upside, with his tantalizing defensive tools being a big factor there as well, and a breakout season offensively would help him cement his status as such.

1-9-23 - FIVE SUPER-SLEEPERS WHO COULD GO NO. 1 IN THE 2023 MLB DRAFT

https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2023/1/7/five-super-sleepers-who-could-go-no-1-in-the-2023-mlb-draft?s=03 

KYLE TEEL, CATCHER, VIRGINIA

Solid, projectable, accomplished college catchers are hard to come by and, if we’re going by upside alone, Teel represents one of the more exciting college catchers in recent years. A sweet-swinging lefty with tools aplenty, Teel has been on scouting radars since his high school days. He’s been a force for the Cavaliers with a career .305 average. In 2022, Teel slashed .276/.402/.439 with six homers and more walks than strikeouts. He started most of his time behind the plate but did log seven starts in the outfield where he’s proven plenty comfortable. 

The metrics really speak to a polished hitter here. Teel’s 13 percent strikeout rate and 80.4 percent contact rate are both impressive figures. Adding to the narrative is a 17.5 percent chase rate that ranked among the 93rd percentile for all college hitters. The deeper you dive, the better it gets. Teel doesn’t have one single pitch that gives him fits, nor does he have a pitch from righties or lefties that he tends to chase at an alarming rate either. The exit velocities here are rather healthy too, peaking at 109 mph. Teel hits a healthy amount of fly balls, maybe a tick too heavy if we’re nitpicking, but if he continues to add strength and his average exit velocity numbers move in the right direction, that could play to his advantage considering the amount of contact he makes.   

What Teel has can be very difficult to find behind the plate. He’s a fantastic athlete with above average run times, top-of-the-scale lateral mobility and a solid average arm. Baseball is moving in a different direction behind the plate, so it remains to be seen if a solid average arm will be enough in what figures to be a changing meta, but Teel checks every other box there is. It’s tough to find guys that move like this behind the plate and that will certainly have teams’ interest.   

The aforementioned added strength is where Teel will need to show growth in 2023. He doesn’t hit the ball nearly as hard as guys like Henry Davis, Adley Rutschman or Joey Bart did, so turning himself into a more physical, impact hitter will be the key if he hopes to go first overall.  

12-14-22 - Sox Machine

WAY-TOO-EARLY 2023 MLB MOCK DRAFT

https://soxmachine.com/2022/12/way-too-early-2023-mlb-mock-draft/

27. Philadelphia Phillies: Kyle Teel, C, Virginia Tech

Teel possesses offensive skills and defensive upside behind the dish. There are some swing questions here but the results have been good. Teel could go much higher as the top college catcher.

12-14-22 - Two Virginia Baseball Players Listed in Top 100 Prospects for 2023 MLB Draft - https://www.si.com/college/virginia/baseball/two-virginia-baseball-players-listed-in-top-100-prospects-for-2023-mlb-draft -

Junior catcher Kyle Teel came in at No. 28 in the Top 100 and was the 2nd-ranked catcher on the list. After earning Third-Team All-ACC honors at designated hitter as a true freshman, Teel started in all 58 games at catcher last spring. He batted .276 with 12 doubles, six home runs, and 45 RBI and hit three grand slams in 2022, the most grand slams by a Virginia hitter in a single season since 2000.

 

12-7-22 - MLB DRAFT 2023: WINTER'S MOCK DRAFT - https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/PBR/MLB-Draft-2023-Mock-Draft-First-Edition-4397815602?s=03 - 

23

Guardians

Kyle Teel

C/OF

Virginia; Mahwah HS (NJ)

Teel's dynamic athleticism allows him to play all over the diamond, but it is his left-handed bat that drives the buzz. The bat has a chance to flourish in the Guardians' system.

12-6-22 - 2023 MLB DRAFT - MOCK DRAFT 2.0 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022-mlb-mock-draft-n78w7-st9r4-wa35p-2n5ls-8addg-ed27s?s=03 - 

26. New York Yankees

Kyle Teel, C/OF, Virginia 

Kyle Teel is a freaky athlete for a catcher and it’s caught scouts’ attention. An above average runner with above average raw power, Teel can produce in a number of ways offensively. He’s a mature hitter who hardly ever punches out, and that has scouts excited about what’s to come when the raw power starts showing up more in games. He’s talented enough to stick behind the plate, but his tools could take him to a corner outfield spot, or even third base.

 

12-6-22 - Fall Report: Virginia - https://d1baseball.com/fall-report/virginia-2022/ - 

It starts with the return of junior third baseman Jake Gelof and junior catcher Kyle Teel, the cornerstones of the Virginia lineup and two elite prospects for the 2023 draft.

Virginia 3B Jake Gelof Teel is one of the best athletes in college baseball, to the point where Virginia brought him out from behind the plate to play right field some in 2021 while he and veteran backstop Logan Michaels shared catching duties before it became Teel’s job full time in 2022. Defensively, there is still some refinement to be done, but he moves extremely well and he has a plus-plus arm, which gives him a high ceiling in that regard. 

Offensively, Teel has done some nice things. He drew 41 walks compared to 36 strikeouts last season and has 15 career home runs across two seasons, but he’s looking to take the next step, which would help Virginia begin to replace the production from departed outfielder Alex Tappen, who had a breakout campaign as a fifth-year senior last season.

11-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: College Top 100 Prospects - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-college-top-100-prospects/ - 

12 Kyle Teel C/OF Virginia ACC

11-12-22 - 2023 MLB Draft – Top 50 College Prospects -

https://www.prospects1500.com/mlb-draft/2023-mlb-draft-top-50-college-prospects/ 

 

19. Kyle Teel, C/OF, Virginia – The best catcher in the college class this season, and it is not particularly close. Teel is incredibly athletic for a catcher and can easily play in the outfield if needed, something he does on his off days behind the plate for Virginia. His receiving ability has improved greatly over the past couple years and his arm is certainly above average. While watching him at the plate, it is easy to think he has an all or nothing approach, but he actually walks more than he strikes out, so there is a real approach to his ABs beyond the aggressive swings. He has really struggled with wood bats thus far, and he won’t get any more chances to prove he can adjust before transitioning to pro ball, but his success at the plate will determine if he flirts with being a mid-first round guy, or someone who slips deep into day two.

 

https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=21422&src=hmrep&s=03  

 

24. Cleveland Guardians | Kyle Teel, C, Virginia

 

The Guardians value contact/on-base skill as well as defensive versatility, and that sentence sums up Teel really well. It’s high-level contact skill with very good zone awareness, working plenty of walks, and he does a good job of fouling off borderline pitches in order to either work a walk or get a pitch he can drive. He’s an athlete who profiles well either behind the plate or in an outfield spot, and that versatility is key to an organization like Cleveland’s, which values the ability to juggle lineups and create ideal matchup scenarios. -BS

 

10-19-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects-fx4td?s=03 -

 

40 C

Kyle Teel

Virginia

Teel is a professional hitter with high contact rates and he really avoids punch outs. He's still learning and maturing into the slugger he'll eventually be, developing a profile at the plate. At times, he shows feel for lifting the baseball and tapping into his raw power, but more often than not as a true freshman Teel struggled with a consistent attack angle and ground ball woes. Still, at his best, Teel has above average or better raw power with feel for loft. He's a catcher in 2022, though some believe he may end up in a corner outfield spot, a position he played more often than not as a 19 year old. Teel has a lot of development ahead of him, but the pure ability on the field is plain and easy to see.

 

10-16-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: an early look at the ACC

http://dugoutedgebaseball.blogspot.com/2022/10/2023-mlb-draft-early-look-at-acc.html?m=1&s=03 -

 

8. C Kyle Teel, Virginia.

Bat: L. Throw: R. 6'1", 190 lbs. Born 2/15/2002. Hometown: Mahwah, NJ.

2022: 6 HR, .276/.402/.439, 3 SB, 36/41 K/BB in 58 games.

Kyle Teel didn't have quite as loud a season in 2022 as his teammate Jake Gelof, but his lengthy track record keeps them neck and neck in terms of prospect status. Teel had a chance to go in the top three rounds of the 2020 draft out of a New Jersey high school, but pulled his name before the event because he was dead set on Charlottesville. He made an immediate impact as a freshman, slashing .335/.416/.526 with nine home runs in 2021, but didn't hit for quite as much impact in 2022 as he dropped to .276/.402/.439 and he struggled in 14 games between the Collegiate National Team and the Cape Cod League (.146/.271/.195). Teel is a very disciplined hitter that works counts effectively, something you might expect from a seasoned ACC catcher, and that helps him continue to get on base consistently and provide value even when his bat goes cold. His load can get rigid as he stabs the handle towards his back foot a bit before exploding towards the ball, messing with his timing occasionally. Still, is strong pitch selection helps him keep the swing and miss to a minimum despite the moving parts in his swing, and when it's all clicking, he's a true impact hitter as we saw during that freshman season. Behind the plate, he's more athletic than most catchers and has shown the ability to handle multiple other positions around the diamond. His pure glovework is still a work in progress but that athleticism gives him a nice baseline and is plenty enough to give scouts confidence he'll eventually develop into at least an average defender back there. Left handed hitting catchers that can hit and field at a high level are hard to find, so if he can recapture his 2021 form while continuing to make strides on defense, he could go early in the first round.

 

 

9-19-22 - Top 20 college prospects for '23 Draft -

https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/top-college-prospects-for-2023-mlb-draft.html - 

14. Kyle Teel, C, Virginia

The best college catcher, Teel is extremely athletic for the position, possesses well above-average arm strength and could develop into a plus receiver. Whether he goes in the first round depends on his offensive production after he batted .276/.402/.439 last spring and struggled at the plate in the Cape Cod League and with Team USA.

7-28-22 - 2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 150 PROSPECTS 

https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects  

43  C Kyle Teel Virginia 

Teel is a professional hitter with high contact rates and he really avoids punch outs. He's still learning and maturing into the slugger he'll eventually be, developing a profile at the plate. At times, he shows feel for lifting the baseball and tapping into his raw power, but more often than not as a true freshman Teel struggled with a consistent attack angle and ground ball woes. Still, at his best, Teel has above average or better raw power with feel for loft. He's a catcher in 2022, though some believe he may end up in a corner outfield spot, a position he played more often than not as a 19 year old. Teel has a lot of development ahead of him, but the pure ability on the field is plain and easy to see.

All the 2023 Draft Prospects in the Mack’s Mets database can be viewed by going to www.macksmets.blogspot.com and clicking on 2023 DRAFT PROSPECT DATABASE found on the top, left of the front page of the site. 

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - RHP - Justin Lee

 

Justin Lee

RHP Notre Dame HS  (CA)

 

2-6-23 - Cameron Emamian @CameronEmamian

‘23 RHP Justin Lee, UCLA commit, was outstanding at Area code select west. Fastball sat 92-94, mostly 3’s and 4’s with FB command. Showed a nasty split sitting 83-84, and even flashed a breaking ball that showed potential. Multiple K’s in a clean inning

12-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft – Top 50 High School Prospects

https://www.prospects1500.com/general/2023-mlb-draft-top-50-high-school-prospects/

43. Justin Lee, RHP, Notre Dame HS (CA) – Not sure I have ever put a plus potential grade on a prep split before, but that is just what I have done for Lee. The pitch is something he just learned this summer and it is an absolutely filthy split grip change that sits 79-84 and absolutely falls off the table. He can run his fastball up to 95 and has a decent slider sitting 82-85. He works solely ou tof the stretch, but he has good balance, extension, and leg drive to go with one of the better right handed pick moves in the class.

 

7-28-22 - 2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 150 PROSPECTS

https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects 

48 RHP

Justin Lee

Notre Dame, Los Angeles, CA

 

Lee is an extremely athletic righty up to 94 mph with some of the most impressive metric traits you can find in this class. The fastball has near perfect four seam efficiency with serious ride coming out of a low launch release. The changeup fizzles out at the plate and falls off the earth, tumbling in at less than 1000 rpms at times. Lee can spin a slider in there too, flashing above average with strong velocity, up to 85 mph. There's starter traits here and projection as well.

 

All the 2023 Draft Prospects in the Mack’s Mets database can be viewed by going to www.macksmets.blogspot.com and clicking on 2023 DRAFT PROSPECT DATABASE found on the top, left of the front page of the site.