Brooklyn Cyclones (Short-Season-A)

Hitter: Nick Meyer

The Mets made Meyer the 170th overall pick in this year’s draft not due to his prowess with the bat, but rather for his pro-ready glove. He hit well this spring for Cal Poly (.344/.408/.428) but that line looks like more of an outlier than a new normal. Meyer’s future is as a defensive backstop through and through but still, .243/.286/.297 in 111 at-bats is an ugly triple-slash for a high college pick in the NYPL.

Meyer differs from the majority of catchers in the lower levels of the organization in the sense that there aren’t any questions about whether he’ll be able to stay at one of the games premier positions. Jake Rogers is in the same boat over in Detroit, though he’s a more highly regarded defender and has shown some sense of competence with the bat in Double-A. It’s unlikely either player becomes an impact hitter in the bigs, but there’s value in a high probability backup.

Hitter: Carlos Cortes

Carlos Cortes was the organization’s third-round selection this past June and was subsequently sent to Brooklyn along with all of the other Day Two picks. He’s been solid in 123 at-bats, slashing .268/.336/.398, and should begin 2019 in Columbia. The Fireflies figure to be the Mets best minor league affiliate next season, as it’s possible we see Cortes, Jarred Kelenic, Shervyen Newton and Mark Vientos, among others, in the Sally.

Cortes doesn’t project as a fast-mover throughout the minors, but he needs to be challenged in full-season ball next year, and Columbia is the logical first destination. It’d be a disappointment if he were unable to reach Port St. Lucie by the end of 2019.

Kingsport Mets (Rookie Ball)

Hitter: Mark Vientos

Vientos has absolutely destroyed Appy League pitching thus far, smacking 10 home runs to go along with a .386 OBP and .520 SLG in 179 at-bats. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is an impressive 30:26, especially for a player who won’t turn 19 until December. Add it all up and one question remains: what is this guy doing in the Appy?

Vientos finished the 2017 season playing in four games for Kingsport so while this isn’t technically a repeat of the level, it’s still quite odd he returned for another go. Instead, he likely should’ve been with the Cyclones this year, preparing him for a full-season debut in 2019. It looks unlikely that Vientos begins 2019 with Columbia, but he should roll through the NYPL and force a promotion by seasons end.

GCL Mets (Rookie Ball)

Pitchers: Franklin Parra, Zachary Hammer, Saul Gonzalez

The Mets have been careful not to overwork any of the pitchers they selected in June and that’s no different for this trio of prep arms. All three have a chance to develop into starters, but, in an effort to keep their workload down and instead make good use of key player development time, their only appearances of the season have come out of the bullpen. This also includes Simeon Woods-Richardson, the team’s second-round pick, but he’s been inserted into the rotation for two turns now.

Parra was a local lefty from the Island who turned down JUCO powerhouse San Jacinto to sign with the Mets. He’ll turn 19 in September, making him a little older than Hammer and SWR, but he’s left-handed. With a four-pitch mix and room to add to the frame, Parra has some starter tools. In six innings out of the pen, Parra has allowed two hits, six walks and no runs against five strikeouts.

Hammer’s first appearance as a member of the organization came on Thursday, when he threw a single inning of relief. He struck out one and allowed a single hit, but the results aren’t what matter here. Most, if not all, of the high school pitchers selected have strict innings limits the Mets would like to adhere too. That Hammer will have some professional innings under his belt is an encouraging sign, and a far better outcome than if he weren’t to pitch at all in 2018.

Gonzalez is an imposing force out on the mound, combining an XL frame (6’7,” 235 pounds) with mid-90s velocity already. The problem is his lack of off-speed stuff, but the Mets think they can help him develop an oft-used curveball and possibly a changeup. When you’re able to blow 95 past unsuspecting high school hitters, you don’t need the secondary offerings. That all changes in pro ball though, and Gonzalez’s future hinges entirely on his ability to develop a second and possibly third pitch. He’s been roughed up in 2.1 innings, allowing five hits and three runs while only striking out one, but it’s only 2.1 innings.

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

Round 11, 320nd Overall: Franklin Parra, LHP, Copiague HS

The Mets were heavily linked to local prep arms with their second-round pick, but they passed in favor of Simeon Woods-Richardson at 48 and ultimately chose to wait until Day Three. A native of the Dominican Republic, Parra is a lean, 6’1” left-hander who struck out 74 batters in just 34 innings for Copiague this season.  Deceptive out of the wind-up and the stretch, Parra throws four pitches currently: a fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. Projectable with room to add to the frame, Parra will turn 19 later this season, which likely contributed to him being available on Day Three.

Parra is committed to play at San Jacinto Community College next spring, but he’s likely going to sign with the Mets for an over-slot deal. As a reminder, the bonus pool only applies to the first ten rounds of the draft. The Mets can pay any selection on Day Three a signing bonus of up to $100,000 without using a single dollar from the allotted bonus pool. If the Mets want to sign a player for over $100,000 though, they’ll have to dip into the bonus pool for the extra cash. I think it’s a safe bet to assume that Parra is going to get an over-slot deal, somewhere in the $300,000-$400,000 range, in order to forego his junior college commitment and sign with the Mets.

There’s undeniable upside here, but I’m not yet convinced that Parra was the right prep pitcher to target. A long developmental curve seems likely, but that’s not incredibly enticing considering his age. The Mets’ player development staff has their work cut out for them with Parra, so here’s hoping they can turn him into a prospect before he becomes Rule 5 eligible.

Round 12, 350th Overall: Ross Adolph, CF, University of Toledo

After taking Jarred Kelenic with the sixth overall pick, the Mets waited until the 12nd round to select another outfielder. Adolph fits a theme seen throughout the Mets draft: third-year college player who saw a power spike in his junior season but had previously underwhelmed. He broke out this season with a .322/.445/.654 line and 15 home runs after hitting a combined seven in the two seasons prior. He’s a good athlete who should stick in center in pro ball, but Adolph has major swing and miss issues. He struck out 47 times this season against 37 walks, his third consecutive season with at least 42 Ks, and he doesn’t project to have even an average hit tool at peak. The best chance for Adolph to make it seems to be as a three-true-outcomes player with good defense in center. If nothing else, Adolph provides some depth in a system sorely lacking interesting outfielders.

Round 23, 680^th Overall: Saul Gonzalez, RHP, Montverde Academy

Montverde Academy is known more for producing NBA draft picks such as Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and D’Angelo Russell, but the baseball program counts Fransisco Lindor among its established alumni and Gonzalez is looking to add his name to the list. Standing 6’7” and 235 pounds, Gonzalez has room to add some weight to his frame and possibly gain a couple more ticks on a fastball that already sits in the low- to mid-90s. Although he’s incredibly imposing on the mound, his delivery lacks physicality and likely needs some tweaks.

This all sounds incredibly enticing, especially in the 23th round, but Gonzalez has no feel for a breaking ball. He relied solely on his fastball this spring, choosing to sparingly use a curveball that needs a ton of work. Gonzalez is committed to Alabama State and would be a tough sign, but the Mets should have extra pool money to work with and adding an upside play like Gonzalez to the system would be a welcomed addition. Teaching pitchers spin is incredibly tough and the Mets don’t have a great track record of working with pitchers like Gonzalez, but there’s huge upside here. Signing Gonzalez to an over-slot deal is a worthy gamble in my opinion, but I’m admittedly not all that confident the Mets are the right organization to develop him.

Round 32, 950th Overall: Jake Mangum, LHP, Mississippi State

Mangum was the most talented player taken by the Mets on Day Three, but that’s not why he’s on this list. After the Mets took the Mississippi State junior in the 32nd round, he announced on Twitter that he won’t be signing and will instead return to school for his senior season. Mangum was the SEC freshman of the year after hitting .408/.458/.510 in 2016, but his numbers have regressed the past two seasons and he hasn’t shown any game power, slugging just four career home runs. He’s a switch hitter with a contact-based approach, but he doesn’t walk enough and strikes out a little too often for this sort of profile to work. His best tool is his plus-plus speed, but his instincts aren’t great, leading to mediocre stolen base production and questionable outfield defense. Mangum also has a plus arm, topping out at 93 mph on the mound, and was actually announced as a pitcher although that was a mistake. While I’m down on the profile overall, signing Mangum would’ve been a fine Day Three pick if the money wasn’t too exorbitant. His number was reportedly too high for the Mets liking though, so he’ll take his chances as a senior in the 2019 draft.

Round 39, 1160th Overall: Kody Darcy, SS, Kentridge HS

Beyond blessed to have been given the opportunity to play professional baseball in the New York Mets organization. Thanks to everyone who has helped me out along the way!

— Kody Darcy (@KodyDarcy) June 6, 2018

Darcy has a commitment to Xavier, but his tweet after being selected last night might indicate he plans to forego that commitment and sign with the Mets. A shortstop with good actions and a strong arm, Darcy looks comfortable at the six and projects to stay there as he ages. While his glove should provide most of the value, Darcy has an open stance and a slight leg kick that could help him unlock some raw power as he builds his frame out. He’s also shown an ability to take the ball to the opposite field and hit .425 with 18 RBI this season for Kentridge.

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports