Tomorrow Never Knows --- Mets Prospect Lists in 2014

[Frayed Knot]

Baseball's top prospects overall heeding into 2014 based on a mash-up of the lists generated by BA, BP, Keith Law (ESPN), and Jonathan Mayo (MLB)

1	Byron Buxton	OF	Twins
2	Xander Bogaerts	SS/3B	Red Sox
3	Oscar Tavares	OF	Cardinals
4	Javier Baez	SS	Cubs
5	Carlos Correa	SS	Astros
6	Archie Bradley	RHP	DBacks
7	Miguel Sano	3B	Twins
8	Francisco Lindor	SS	Indians
9	Addison Russell	SS	A's
10	Taijuan Walker	RHP	Mariners
11	Kris Bryant	3B	Cubs
12	Jonathan Gray	RHP	Rockies
13	Gregory Polanco	OF	Pirates
14	Noah Syndergaard	RHP	Mets
15	George Springer	OF	Astros

d'Arnaud = 33

[Benjamin Grimm]

Frayed Knot wrote: 38 = d'Arnaud -- Stay. On. The. Field. His first injury-free season since 2011 would help make d�Arnaud a Rookie of the Year contender.

Is he still eligible for that?

[Edgy MD]

Yup. Only had 112 plate appearances in 2012.

In recent years, the strategy of delaying the launches of top prospects by 6-8 weeks to keep them on the ranch an extra year down the road has often robbed the Rookie of the Year race of full seasons from many of the top candidates.

Not having a full season isn't valued as highly in the RotY race as it is in MVP and Cy Young voting (Darryl Strawberry won handily with only 122 games in 1983, and Gregg Jefferies got votes after only a month of action in 1988), but it still counts for something. So it may be nice to see the Mets get a candidate with a full season of work to recommend him.

[Frayed Knot]

The Q&A session about BA's Top-100 list contains an Amed Rosario query

Q: Josh (NJ): Amed Rosario has gotten tons of praise for his tools here and at another prospect media outlet. He probably won't jump to Savannah in 2014 but could a strong showing in Brooklyn get him on next year's Top 100?
A: Matt Eddy (BA): Yes, absolutely. He�s an electric athlete with as much helium as any position player in short-season ball in 2013.

[Edgy MD]

Big whoop. Helium's, like, the second most abundant element in the universe.

Find me a prospect with a pocket full of thulium, then we're talkin'.

#metsmarathonpost

[Benjamin Grimm]

I wonder what his voice sounds like with all that helium in him?

[Edgy MD]

George Foster? That guy had a lot of helium.

_Qa4FALuUew

[MFS62]

BA position rankings:

Catcher
#3 Travis d'Arnoud
#8 Kevin Plawecki

First Base
#4 Dom Smith

Second Base
#12 Wilmer Flores
#16 Dilson Herrera

Shortstop
#17 Amed Rosario
#23 Gavin Cecchini


Corner Outfield
#17 Brandon Nimmo
#30 Cesar Puello

Right Handed Pitcher
#6 Noah Syndergaard
#29 Rafael Montero

Left Handed Pitcher
#29 Stephen Matz


Later

[Frayed Knot]

BP Team farm rankings:

#8. New York Mets
Farm System Ranking in 2013: 10
State of the System: Solid blend of pitching and positional talent, ranging from high-risk/high-reward types at the lower levels to safer high-floor prospects nearing the major-league level.
Top Prospect: Noah Syndergaard (11)
Breakout Candidates for 2014: Amed Rosario and Marcos Molina
Prospects on the BP 101: 3
Must-See Affiliate: Short-Season Brooklyn
Prospects to See There: Amed Rosario, Marcos Molina, Casey Meisner, Chris Flexen, Champ Stuart
Farm System Trajectory for 2015: Steady. The Mets will likely graduate four of the top five prospects in their system, but the helium from low-level talents like Rosario, Molina, and Meisner could keep the system holding strong in the top 10 in the game, despite the graduations.



Note also: Washington 18th, Miami 19th, Atlanta 24th, Philadelphia 25th
Not that this sort of thing can't change quickly, but it's beats the situation of a couple years ago when among the best prospects in all of baseball were names like; Strasberg, Harper, Heyward, Stanton, etc.

[Frayed Knot]

Mets fall slightly lower in BP's 'Under 25 Talent' list, which obviously includes all players under that age regardless of whether they have 'prospect status' or not -- and are leaped by several of our division rivals.

#12 New York Mets

1. Matt Harvey (24)
2. Zack Wheeler (23)
3. Noah Syndergaard (21)
4. Travis d�Arnaud (25)
5. Jenrry Mejia (24)
6. Wilmer Flores (22)
7. Rafael Montero (23)
8. Amed Rosario (18)
9. Dominic Smith (18)
10. Cesar Puello (22)

Made MLB Debut? 5
Farm System Ranking: 8
Prospects on the BP 101: 3
Top Prospect: Noah Syndergaard
Summary: Matt Harvey will miss a good portion of the 2014 season, but the Mets and their fans should be very excited for the potential duo of Harvey and Zack Wheeler in the foreseeable future. Noah Syndergaard has a high ceiling and could give the Mets a terrific third option. The back end of the team's U25 list is highlighted by intriguing position prospects Wilmer Flores, Dominic Smith, Amed Rosario and Cesar Puello. All could provide the Mets with an infusion of youthful talent and the fans with a little hope.




Full List

[Vic Sage]

the ones who've already debuted in the majors we have already seen. What i'm interested in is BA's view of the NEXT 10 prospects after those, and how they compare to BP.

1. Noah Syndergaard (21)
2. Rafael Montero (23)
3. Amed Rosario (18)
4. Dominic Smith (18)
5. Cesar Puello (22)

?

Plewecki
Nimmo
M.Molina
D.Herrera
G.Cecchini
S.Matz

[MFS62]

It will be interesting to see how Puello does this year while under the PED microscope. The scouting lists still rate him highly, so they must feel that is a thing of the past. He'll be playing in the PCL, where the high altitude and dry air make the curve ball a distant rumor.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yeah, Puello is intriguing. With Chris Young on a one-year contract, there will likely be an opening in the Mets outfield in 2015, and I'm curious to see how much consideration Puello gets for that spot. And depending on how the season goes, that opportunity for Puello could potentially come in 2014.

[Frayed Knot]

In an age-grouping exercise, BA lists Dominic Smith as 3rd best among 18 year-olds and OFer Ricardo Cespedes as 5th in the 16 y/o group (bet that list has a high swing-and-miss rate over time).


Full list up to age 25

Edited March 20, 2014 by Guest

[ashie62]

Frayed Knot wrote: In an age-grouping exercise, BA lists Dominic Smith as 3rd best among 18 year-olds and OFer Ricardo Cespedes as 5th in the 16 y/o group (bet that list has a high swing-and-miss rate over time). Full list up to age 25

Is that NY Post link correct? Thanks..

[Frayed Knot]

Ooops
Fixed
Thanks

[Frayed Knot]

NYM prospects who rank among the youngest at their level as the full-season leagues begin:

- Dominic Smith: 6th youngest in Sally Lg

- Dilson Herrera: 4th youngest in Fla St Lg; Gabriel Ynoa = 9th youngest

- Noah Syndergaard: 3rd youngest in Pacific Coast Lg


And for all those fans who claim to be "tired of waiting for" Wilmer Flores, he's currently the 7th youngest player in the National League
Bryce Harper, beginning what will be his third full season, is still the youngest player in MLB (15 days younger than Xander Bogaerts)

http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/whos-the-youngest-in-each-league-opening-day-2014/

[Benjamin Grimm]

I added each player's age as of April 1, 2014 and the team they played for in 2013: 1) RHP - Noah Syndergaard (21, St. Lucie, Binghamton) =#FF4040](Las Vegas) 2) C - Travis d�Arnaud (25, Binghamton, Las Vegas, Mets) =#FF4040](Mets) 3) 3B - Wilmer Flores (22, Las Vegas, Mets) =#FF4040](Las Vegas, Mets) 4) RHP - Rafael Montero (23, Binghamton, Las Vegas) =#FF4040](Las Vegas) 5) SS - Amed Rosario (18, Kingsport) =#FF4040](TBD - short season team) 6) 1B - Dominic Smith (18, Gulf Coast, Kingsport) =#FF4040](Savannah) 7) OF - Cesar Puello (23, Binghamton) =#FF4040](Las Vegas) 8) C - Kevin Plawecki (23, Savannah, St. Lucie) =#FF4040](Binghamton) 9) CF - Brandon Nimmo (21, Savannah) =#FF4040](St. Lucie) 10) RHP - Marcos Molina (19, Gulf Coast) =#FF4040](TBD - short season team)

I've now added, in =#FF4040]a weird shade of orange, the teams they're with as 2014 starts.

[Frayed Knot]

Catcher Kevin Plawecki makes BA 'Hot List' for this week

9. Kevin Plawecki, c, Mets
Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
Age: 23
Why He�s Here: .462/.500/.962 (12-for-26), 6 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBIs, 2 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: He may never be a defensive wizard behind the plate, but Plawecki continues to show improvement, and if he keeps hitting like this, he�s going to find a way to play most every day. He hits for average, has average power and strikes out infrequently. Add it up, and it�s a very useful combination of skills and tools.




Man, that's a heckuva week!

[Frayed Knot]

1	Byron Buxton	OF	Twins
2	Xander Bogaerts	SS/3B	Red Sox
3	Oscar Tavares	OF	Cardinals
4	Javier Baez	SS	Cubs
5	Carlos Correa	SS	Astros
6	Archie Bradley	RHP	DBacks
7	Miguel Sano	3B	Twins
8	Francisco Lindor	SS	Indians
9	Addison Russell	SS	A's
10	Taijuan Walker	RHP	Mariners
11	Kris Bryant	3B	Cubs
12	Jonathan Gray	RHP	Rockies
13	Gregory Polanco	OF	Pirates
14	Noah Syndergaard	RHP	Mets
15	George Springer	OF	Astros

Checking in on the pre-season top prospects (above chart)


Byron Buxton -- Just 20 ABs so far due to a wrist injury
Xander Bogaerts -- Everyday starting SS Boston Red Sox: .304/.397/.438
Oscar Travares -- Called up May 31. HR'd in 2nd ML AB
Javier Baez -- Having a brutal early season [.223/.280/.416] in AAA Iowa, striking out 1 time in 3
Carlos Correa -- Just 19 y/o and hitting well in A+ Cal Lg. Probably will NOT see ML action this year
Archie Bradley -- Injured elbow (although not TJ surgery) has limited him to just 5 starts on the year. Expected back in a month or so
Miguel Sano -- A position player out for the year with TJ surgery. Man it's a bad season to be a fan of Twins prospects (see also: Buxton)
Francisco Lindor -- Hitting well at AA
Addison Russell -- Torn hamstring, only 7 ABs so far
Taijuan Walker -- Set back by shoulder woes, only 12 innings of work so far this year
Kris Bryant -- Mashing at AA [.350/.453/.685 // 1138] in his first full season of pro ball
Jonathan Gray -- Pitching well at AA
Gregory Polanco -- Raking at AAA [.349/.411/.552] only fear of future arbitration payouts is keeping him off the ML roster and that should change soon
George Springer -- Called up in mid-April, already 10 HRs and 17 XBHs.

[Edgy MD]

Big Met represention (7 out of 23) on the Florida State League South Division All Star Team:

Infielders TJ Rivera and Dilson Herrera

Outfielder Brandon Nimmo

Pitchers Randy Fontanez, Matt Koch, and Steven Matz

Catcher Cam Maron

Not included is the hitter with St. Lucie's (and the league's) best batting average, Jairo Perez.

[Edgy MD]

That's fine, you say, but how about the South Atlantic League?

Savannah Sand Gnats headed to Hickory, NC for the Sally League All Star Game include:

Pitchers:

Player�	W�	L�	ERA�	G�	GS�	CG�	SHO�	SV�	IP�	H�	R�	ER�	HR�	HB�	BB�	SO�	WHIP�	HLD�	GF�
Kevin McGowan	3	1	1.57	8	8	1	1	0	46	29	11	8	0	2	17	35	1.00	0	0
Miller Diaz	5	0	1.93	8	7	0	0	1	42	31	10	9	0	4	18	53	1.17	0	1
Dario Alvarez	3	0	1.35	11	3	0	0	1	33.1	26	7	5	2	1	10	52	1.08	0	4
Akeel Morris	3	0	0.31	15	0	0	0	1	28.2	11	1	1	0	1	12	45	0.80	2	5
Robert Coles	0	2	1.75	19	0	0	0	10	25.2	24	5	5	0	0	5	30	1.13	1	16

Infielders:

Player�	POS�	G�	AB�	R�	H�	2B�	3B�	HR�	RBI�	TB�	BB�	SO�	SB�	CS�	OBP�	SLG�	AVG�	OPS�	E�
Jeff McNeil	2B	47	187	29	65	16	2	2	30	91	15	26	14	3	.414	.487	.348	.901	5
Gavin Cecchini	SS	47	189	32	48	11	3	3	19	74	21	33	6	1	.332	.392	.254	.723	11

Cecchini is doing alright, but LJ Mazzilli (.805 OPS) might have deserved this more.

Eighteen-year-old Amed Rosario, who the Mets were apparently holding back for half season ball in Brooklyn, got called up recently to Savannah. In his one game, May 29, he went 0-5 with five strikeouts. I'm not sure if he was sent right back to St. Lucie to wait for short-season ball to begin, but I probably would have done that.

The Gnats, be it known, are running away with the division, posting a 37-17 record so far. Sand Gnats manager Luis Rojas will be coaching the Southern Division team. Coaching for the Northern Division will be MFS62's ol' buddy Corey Ragsdale.

[Edgy MD]

2012 second round pick, middle infielder Matt Reynolds has made little impact on this thread, appearing only as the #31 prospect on a list either belonging to Baseball America or ESPN (I'm not sure) back in early February. And his track record certainly didn't make of an argument for him, as he went from .259 / .335 / .367 // .702 for Savannah in 2012 to .225 / .300 / .335 // .635 in 2013, mostly with St. Lucie. Bleh.

But, well, he's been something of a man playing with boys this year at Bingo, hitting .355 / .430 / 422 // .852, playing more shortstop than second, and earning a surprising callup to Las Vegas. This pretty much means he's leapfrogged Wilfredo Tovar, which is no small thing, considering Tovar's done everything you can ask of him alsos, going .313 / .377 / .373 // .751, is younger than Reynolds, and is spending the better part of his third season in upstate New York.

[Benjamin Grimm]

What's behind all the recent promotions to Binghamton? Does the Eastern League roster expand around now? Or did they (or Las Vegas) release some players to create openings?

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: What's behind all the recent promotions to Binghamton? Does the Eastern League roster expand around now? Or did they (or Las Vegas) release some players to create openings?

Half-way point. Lots of teams promote after the Florida State League All-Star Game.

I'm sure there were some minor-league guys released too. I know the Braves released the single A pitcher who makes my bagels two weeks ago.

[Edgy MD]

A lot of minor league teams have a big roster turnover at mid-season. If guys are clicking on their game and their age or prospect status has them on the fast track, they can expect to get bumped after a half season. Sometimes that means releases, sometimes it means demotions, sometimes it means more liberal use of the DL to clear room for the newbies.

It's pretty much the reason why a lot of minor league teams have a first-half champion and a second-half champion. They know the two teams are going to be very different.

[Frayed Knot]

Gotta make room for all those draft-picks, recent foreign signees, extended ST promotions, and the like too.
And, yeah, some of this means that a handful of kids (or older than kids) have recently been called into their managers office to be told that their baseball dreams are kaput.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

By the way Conforto has signed a deal. We're going to the Cyclones game next Wednesday -- may see him there!

[Edgy MD]

Gotta make room for all those draft-picks, recent foreign signees, extended ST promotions, and the like too.

Well, I would imagine 95-ish% of the recently signed amateurs will end up with short-season teams just starting their seasons, but yeah.

As far as recent signees, I saw where Alderson pulled another Montero move, jumping all over a 20-year-old Dominican shortstop, who had previously been declared ineligible at 18 for pretending to be his 16-year-old little brother.

OE: Here he is. Cecelio Aybar.

[seawolf17]

He's shaking my cahnfidence daily.