RHP Adonis Uceta

After he made 11 starts for the Kingsport Mets in 2016, the Mets promoted Uceta to Columbia to begin the 2017 season and moved him to the bullpen. While I never saw Uceta during his time as a starting pitcher, the early returns on his move to the bullpen are strong. The 23-year-old righty sat in the 93-96 mph range with his fastball, which he complemented with a changeup in the 81-84 range that has the potential to be an above average offering for him. The 6’1″ Uceta throws from a low three-quarters slot and does not have excessive amount of effort in his delivery. While it’s obviously hard to project out a single-A reliever, Uceta was the most impressive pitcher out of the bullpen for Columbia or Hagerstown during my four-day stay and I would feel comfortable projecting him to be a major league middle reliever.

RHP Matt Blackham

After missing a year and a half with a back injury, Matt Blackham has returned to the mound in 2017 and is doing so as a reliever, in the same role he pitched out of in college. The 2014 29th pick, now 24 years old, is an undersized righty who does not look any bigger than his listed height and weight: 5’11″ and 150 lbs. Despite his small stature, Blackham is able to sit in the 94-95 range with his sinker, which lives true to its name with significant sink. It’s a plus pitch for Blackham that can carry him all the way to the majors. He paired the pitch with a low 80s change that has the makings of becoming a solid average offering. He is clearly too good for this level and should be promoted to St. Lucie in short order.

RHP Gary Cornish

After hurling 25 dominant relief innings for the 2016 Brooklyn Cyclones in his draft year, Gary Cornish was suspended 50 games before the start of this season for performance-enhancing drugs. On the 51st game of the Columbia Fireflies’ season, Cornish reemerged with his first professional start. The 23-year-old Cornish has a strong pitcher’s frame and throws from a bit higher than a standard three-quarters arm slot. Pitching into the seventh inning, he displayed impressive command and feel for his four-seam fastball and curveball. The four-seamer, which sat in the 91-93 mph range, was frequently elevated and featured noticeable rise and life. His curve, which sat in the 79-81 mph range, has the makings of a solid average offering that can play up due to his ability and willingness to throw it in and out of the strike zone and in all counts. Given that he is exclusively a two-pitch pitcher, Cornish is likely destined for the bullpen. However, with his advanced command and feel for both of his pitches, he seems like the odds-on favorite to be the Binghamton…sigh…Rumble Ponies closer in 2019.

IF Michael Paez

Michael Paez, the Mets’ fourth round pick out of Coastal Carolina in 2016, had a rough start to his professional career with the Cyclones in his draft year, finishing the short season below the Mendoza line and with a .223 TAv. 2017 has been a different story for the former Chanticleer, who is presently sporting a .306/.400/.533 line for the Fireflies. He’s clearly too advanced for this level as an early round college pick and should be promoted to St. Lucie soon. Despite only being listed at 5’8,” Paez is able to make the most of his fringe-average raw power in games. He seems to have calmed down the uppercut slightly this season, but power remains his main focus at the plate. The hit tool, while more than fine for this level, still looks like a present 30. Given his experience and lack of his physicality and projection, it’s hard and likely unwise to expect significant growth in this regard. A college shortstop, Paez looked surprisingly advanced at third base, with the ability to play up the middle as well. Versatility is a key for a player with Paez’s profile to advance through the ranks and could be what allows him to reach the major leagues. While his upside is limited, he could carve out a major league role for himself in the future as fifth infielder who could play all across the dirt.

Notes

A converted catcher, RHP Joseph Zanghi sat 91-93 mph with his fastball, topping out at 94, and featured a low-mid 80s slider as well. He threw from a standard three-quarters release point with a fair bit of effort. Fellow reliever RHP Max Kuhns sat at 89-92 mph with fastball with a breaking ball in the 78-79 mph range. He threw from a three-quarters arm slot with high effort but had a decent amount of deception in his delivery.

Like the Mets’ first 10 picks, the crop from draft rounds 10-20 is also pitching-focused; six out of ten are pitchers, all right-handed this time. But rounds 10 and 11 also saw a few 2016 draft Mets’ firsts— their first outfielder and first high school prospect, respectively.

In the weeks since the draft, many contracts have already been signed—including fifth-round pick shortstop Colby Woodmansee, now a Brooklyn Cyclone, and at least seven of the players below—allowing us a few months of pure, unmitigated optimism at the promise of these young Mets-to-be.

Gene Cone (310th overall)

The 20-year-old South Carolina native has been a standout even amongst a star-studded, albeit unfortunately named, team—his fellow USC Gamecock, the pitcher Braden Webb, was also chosen in the MLB draft this year by the Brewers. Cone was named first-team All-SEC this May.

As the Mets’ first outfield pick, most would expect Cone to be a big hitter. With only four home runs in 2016, Cone is not exactly a power hitter, but arguably he is something better—he’s consistent. In 59 games, the USC Columbia junior hit .363/.474/.498, including 13 doubles and 30 RBI, and led Division I baseball (and set a school record) with a 31-game hitting streak. Opposing pitchers seem to find Cone a particularly formidable opponent as well—he finished the season with an impressive 45 walks to 26 strikeouts.

Cone is said to have signed a contract with the Mets last Friday, which included a $150,000 signing bonus, but it’s unclear whether he will start at the Rookie or Low-A level.

Cameron Planck (34oth overall)

I was surprised that the Mets’ first high school pick would be a pitcher, given how unpredictable his development is from here on out. That said, the 18-year-old is six-foot-four, has a fastball that currently ranges from 90-94 MPH, and has also had success as a first baseman, so coming from a pretty strong starting point.

Recruiters have had their eye on Planck for years—the Kentucky native is said to have verbally committed to the University of Louisville in 2014; that year he went 7-3 with 84 strikeouts in 60 innings.

Matt Cleveland (370th overall)

The Mets 12th-round pick was another high school pitcher—an 18-year-old Connecticut senior who also has a lot going for him, like  6’5” and a 95 MPH fastball. He’s a self-proclaimed Yankees fan, though, so I hope he’ll submit to some kind of ceremonial juju cleansing ritual if and when he finds his way to Citi Field.

Cleveland was named Baseball America’s No. 1 prospect in New England this year, number 34 in the country. He was said to have left his high school team at the end of May with an undisclosed medical issue, but the mystery setback evidently didn’t worry Mets scouts too much. Cleveland had a 2.07 ERA for 2016 upon his departure, and was slated to attend Florida Southwestern junior college before the draft.

Dan Rizzie (400th overall)

The Mets’ first prospective catcher for 2016 is the 22-year-old senior from Cincinnati’s Xavier University. Xavier has seen 10 players drafted in the last 12 years, all under the tutelage of coach Scott Googins, and Rizzie is considered the best of the best; he is particularly lauded for his defensive skills as catcher, having made the Johnny Bench Award watch list for three straight years.

Offensively Rizzie is strong as well, hitting .317/.383/.472 in 2016 with an impressive .483 postseason average, including eight runs and eight RBI over seven games. He earned NCAA All-Region honors twice while at Xavier. Rizzie currently appears on the 2016 roster for the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones.

Christian James (430th overall)

Another promising high school pitcher, James has seen success both as a starter and closer for his East Lake HS team in Florida. The 18-year-old senior went 9-2 with a save, a 1.29 ERA and 98 strikeouts across 71 innings in 2016.

James is 6’4″ and his fastball currently clocks in at about 93 MPH. Before the draft he announced plans to attend St. Petersburg College.

Jacob Zanon (460th overall)

The outfielder, who turns 21 this week, was one of four players drafted from Idaho’s Lewis-Clark State Warriors—at round 15, the Zanon was the school’s highest pick. In 2016 he hit .393/.464/.676 with 14 home runs, 56 RBI, and 27 stolen bases (in 27 attempts).

With those numbers, I’ll happily overlook this rather high-in-the-Google-search-results hothead moment for which he was suspended back in 2014.

The Warriors won the 2016 NAIA World Series, for which Zanon was named MVP. Zanon also appears on the Cyclones’ 2016 Roster.

Trent Johnson (490th overall)

The 19-year-old Florida-native was a sophomore at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, where he went 8-2 this season, with a 2.20 ERA and 89 strikeouts. In his starting career at Santa Fe he went 24-3, making him the winningest pitcher in the school’s history.

According to the Santa Fe Athletic office, Johnson has signed a contract and will report to the Rookie affiliate Kingsport Mets this week.

Jay Jabs (520th overall)

Former Franklin Pierce University third baseman Jay Jabs’ career as a minor-league Met is already off and running; he hit a two-run single for the Cyclones last week—his first professional hit and the team’s first 2016 victory.

For his 2016 season with the FPU Ravens, the junior hit .352/.466/.638 with 14 homeruns and 69 RBI (16th in the NCAA). He played third base, outfield and pitched while at Franklin Pierce, and is the third player in the school’s history to be drafted by the Mets.

Adam Atkins (550th overall)

The 22-year-old at Louisiana Tech was the first of three Bulldogs’ pitchers to be drafted this year. A closer for Louisiana, he finished out his senior season going 6-1 with 9 saves and a 1.20 ERA. His saves put him in fourth place in Conference USA, tied for second in the school’s history.

Atkins is 6’3 and right-handed. He has signed with the Mets and appears on the Brooklyn Cyclones’ roster.

Gary Cornish (580th overall)

Also a 22-year-old righty pitcher standing at 6’3, Cornish was in the starting rotation for the University of San Diego. He went 5-3 in his senior season with a 4.57 ERA but an impressive 80 strikeouts in 80.2 innings, a team high for the year.

Cornish has signed with the Mets and is also with the Cyclones.

Carlos Cortes (610th overall)

Rumored to be the best hitter in the state of Florida at the moment, Cortes was likely overlooked in earlier rounds because of his size; at 5’8 and 185lbs he’s short and stocky, which has led to some defensive shortcomings. He usually plays second base for the Lake Howell High School Silver Hawks, but has played outfield and catcher as well, with left field considered the position in which he might be most successful professionally.

Cortes played for the Rawlings Perfect Game 1st Team All-American and the Florida All-Region 1st Team in 2016, and is currently committed to the University of South Carolina.

Bonus fact: as a fun, albeit not entirely useful major-league skill, this lefty batter can throw with both hands.

Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports