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RHP Briam Campusano

Alex Rosen: Campusano is listed at 6’2,” 174 pounds, but looked to be at least an inch or two shorter out on the mound. He’s a two-pitch pitcher at this point in his career, relying heavily on a fastball/slider combo that has just enough velocity to overwhelm short-season hitters. The fastball sat 90-93 for the entirety of the outing, though it did touch 94 once. It’s got some arm-side run, but ultimately plays half a grade down due to the arm action. His slider sat consistently in the 84-86 mph range and was his go-to two-strike offering.

While the delivery isn’t necessarily bad, the arm action, uh, is. It’s a violent, unnatural motion that, in combination with his stuff, is going to force a move to the bullpen in the future. Speaking of stuff, the Mets are trying to work with Campusano on developing two additional offerings, a curveball and a change. If Wednesday night was any indication though, he still has a ways to go in that department.

Tyler Oringer: Fastball sat at 90-93 mph – topping out at 94 – with noticeable, yet unimpressive arm-side run and was used as his first pitch in most at-bats. Campusano could not locate his fastball, his primary pitch, at all inside the strike zone to righties or lefties and eventually hit a batter in his last inning of work in the fourth.

The right-hander was primarily using a fastball-slider combination, attempting to mix in a curveball and changeup in deeper counts. There was minor break and movement on any breaking pitches to begin with, but by the fourth inning Campusano was hanging pitches in the zone if they weren’t for balls. He is very quick and sudden to the plate out of the stretch and projects as a reliever rather than his starting role in Brooklyn.

LHP Kevin Smith

TO: Smith’s fastball sat at 87-90 mph Wednesday night and had a bit of sink to it. He predominantly worked away to both left- and right-handed bats, but was far more comfortable pitching to lefties and already has nasty movement on his slider, which was clocked in at 80-83 mph.

The Mets’ 2018 seventh-round selection, who boasts a 0.76 ERA and WHIP after Wednesday’s one-inning outing where he struck out two and walked one, could be more than just a LOOGY. Smith throws out of a windup with a pseudo-side arm release and has primarily been used as a long reliever with Brooklyn.

His approach reminded me that of Oliver Perez’s with the Indians this year, but he will need to improve his fastball if he wants to carve out a larger role.

AR: A low-slot lefty out of the SEC (Georgia), Smith was always a likely overdraft candidate despite his obvious deficiencies. He has experience starting in school and has made three starts with Brooklyn this summer, but his long-term home is in the bullpen as a LOOGY. Besides his slider, there’s a real lack of stuff here that’s going to limit Smith’s ceiling.

The stats (0.76 ERA, 28 K, 6 BB, in 23.2 IP) are exactly what you’d expect out of a crafty SEC southpaw in short-season ball. Smith’s slider will flash average to above and the delivery is relatively clean, but his fastball was topping out at 90 mph in just a single inning of work. Sounds an awful lot like the Daniel Zamora starter kit, doesn’t it?

I only saw one change at 79, an offering Smith will need to develop heavily to elevate his future projection. For now, he’s got the ceiling of a future LOOGY for me.

LHP Andrew Mitchell

AR: Selected six rounds after Smith this past June, Mitchell showed more velocity in his two innings Wednesday, as he worked with a fastball in the 91-93 mph range. It had some late life and was tough on lefties, as expected. His breaking ball is a little behind Smith’s at present, but it’s a funky curve that shows promise. I’ll take the velo over the present breaker for now and have Mitchell ahead of Smith on my personal pref list. I don’t think either is more than a LOOGY at the major league level, but Mitchell has the better chance to outpace that projection.

C Nick Meyer

TO: The Mets’ 2018 sixth-round selection certainly leaves a lot to be desired offensively.

Against the opposing right-handed starter Miller Hogan, the backstop was first-pitch swinging in front of a 88 mph tailing fastball away from the zone and grounded the ball to the opposing shortstop, who booted and then bobbled the ball. Meyer, who was clocked 4.68 down the line, was barely safe, but should have arrived a minute before he did.  There is a clear lack of comfort at the dish, which was never more evident than in his second at-bat as he looked at 85 for a strike, took an 81 mph-slider for a ball and then reached at a fastball outside the zone before popping it up to first for an out on the fourth pitch of the at-bat. In his third and final turn of the game, Meyer was again swinging at the first pitch and waited on a breaking ball which he lined to center for a single. Despite his one hit, Meyer’s shortcomings were easily recognizable as he lacks no real plate discipline, which is supported by his .282 OBP.

He is a defense first guy and did frame some questionable pitches for strikes. Today, some backup catchers in the majors hit sub-.200, so he has a shot.

AR: Ever heard of Jake Rogers, the glove first and second backstop in the Tigers organization? Well that’s Nick Meyer, except the overall defensive package isn’t nearly as strong, and the bat lags well behind even that of Rogers.

Meyer stole the low strike all night on the home plate umpire and was even surprisingly agile blocking to both sides, but I got two average (2.00+) pop times and his accuracy just wasn’t there. As for the bat, let’s just say it’s not a great sign when your college hitter is OPS’ing .559 in the New York Penn League. He doesn’t strike out (13%), but there’s well below average power and too much weak contact at present.

The offensive bar at catcher is so low that Meyer still projects as a big league backup, but the package here isn’t incredibly enticing.

OF Ross Adolph

AR: When a Day 3 guy flashes potential major league tools in addition to the performance, you’re probably going to hear about him. Adolph earned the rare Jeffrey Paternostro Mets draft pick stamp of approval after his look earlier this month, so naturally I had some expectation of what I was going to see from him on Wednesday. Well, Adolph went hitless in three at-bats, dropped a fly ball in foul territory and was thrown out at third trying to take an extra base. In other words, Adolph played his worst game of the summer. Yet I still thought he was the best player on the Brooklyn roster, and frankly, it isn’t particularly close.

You’re not writing a six anywhere on the card, but there’s enough here to believe Adolph is a future major league contributor in the outfield. He’s got deceptive speed underway and an arm that wouldn’t look entirely out of place in right. At the dish, Adolph has some sneaky pop due to via some strong wrists and subsequent bat speed.

The ceiling’s limited, but Adolph was a terrific find in the 12th round and is arguably a Top 15 prospect in the system right now.

TO: Adolph went 0 for 3, was thrown out at third and took two noticeably bad routes to balls in right field.

All that being said, the hype surrounding him is visible. At 6’1,” 205 pounds, the 21-year old possesses a very athletic build and quick feet. The results were not there on Wednesday, but his swing and approach at the plate are promising. His athleticism appears to be his best trait allowing him to be good (but not great) in each aspect of the game. A  solid find for the Mets nonetheless.

2B/OF Carlos Cortes

TO: Along with Adolph, Cortes clearly has one of the more advanced approaches to hitting on the Cyclone roster. Though he finished without a hit, the Mets’ ambidextrous throwing second baseman/outfielder has a clean, compact swing and waits for his pitch. The University of South Carolina alum is a clear pull side hitter and may have to balance out a bit as he rises the ranks. He didn’t barrel up any balls in Wednesday’s showing, but does show a potential for solid power.

Cortes’ second at-bat showed his poorest tool – his run. On a slow ground ball on which he was doubled up, Cortes ran an abysmal 4.7 out of the left-handed batter’s box. At just 5’8”, 200 pounds, his strides are short and clunky. He could potentially stick at second base with decent range and did flash some potential there. Nonetheless, I would not trust the fleet-of-foot Cortes in the outfield as he has a natural inability to cover ground.

AR: Cortes is a stocky 5’8” with some seriously slow feet that impact his range out at second. I had Meyer, a catcher, 4.68 out of the right-handed box and then got Cortes 4.7 flat out of the left-handed box. He didn’t look too smooth out at second, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now, as he’s played a ton of outfield as an amateur.

Nevertheless, the bat is what you’re buying here, and there’s already an advanced approach with some bat speed. Hudson Valley had the shift on him even with a runner on first – not out of the ordinary for an affiliate of the Rays – but his pull heavy approach could get him into trouble if the power never develops as expected.

I didn’t love what I saw, but Cortes is an SEC performer and I’m simply unwilling to jump to an early conclusion. He’s a prime “check back next year” candidate for me.

1B Chase Chambers

AR: Large adult sons like Chase Chambers can absolutely rake in college (.395/.500/.652, 17 HRs) and still drop to the 18th round. It’s of this writer’s opinion that the Mets could’ve done far worse than grab Chambers and his power potential that late.

The swing’s long and I have my doubts about how the power will play in Double-A, but he’s actually a pretty decent defender at first and isn’t as slow as I’d been led to believe. I’m intrigued and of the belief that there’s a non-zero chance Chambers has a major league future ahead of him. I’m willing to admit it’s highly unlikely, but this was an underrated grab late in the draft.

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

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

The Mets have thus far employed a draft strategy extremely similar to the one they’ve followed in recent drafts, which clearly hasn’t worked at producing even average major leaguers. After taking two prep players in the top fifty overall Monday, the Mets selected only college players on Tuesday. The Mets have shown an affinity in recent years for college performers with no major league tools, and it’s worked about as well as one would expect. While other organizations are looking for college players who might’ve been stuck behind a better player, or a catcher who could be converted to the mound, the Mets like to play it safe and take big school guys that performed well. That strategy hasn’t worked well for them and its predominantly why Jeffrey and the BP Prospect Team ranked the system as one of the worst in baseball earlier this season.

While the strategy was the same, did the Mets grab any interesting prospects?  Before we get into that, realize that these prospects are still young and the Mets player development staff will be given a ton of time to work with these players. Drawing any meaningful conclusions at this point would be a worthless exercise. That being said, let’s take a closer look at who they selected on Day Two and what kind of players they may potentially become.

Round 3, 83rd Overall: Carlos Cortes, 2B, University of South Carolina

Find you someone that looks at you the way the Mets look at Carlos Cortes’ scouting report.

— Jeffrey Paternostro (@jeffpaternostro) June 5, 2018

The Mets LOVE Carlos Cortes. They previously selected him in the 20th round of the 2016 draft, when Cortes was a prep infielder from Florida, and while they were very interested in signing him and reportedly made a very competitive offer, he decided to head to South Carolina. Cortes was a draft-eligible sophomore and will turn 21 at the end of the month. He enjoyed a terrific freshman season at the dish for the Gamecocks, hitting .286/.368/.565 with 12 home runs, but instead of building on that positive momentum, an early-season slump this year torpedoed his batting line below last year’s campaign. Through 42 games this season, he’s hitting just .260/.379/.507 with 15 home runs while splitting time between left field and second base.

It’s not completely out of the ordinary for a player to spend time in both the infield and outfield, especially in college, but it is out of the ordinary for a player to throw with a different hand depending on his position. Cortes is naturally a left-handed thrower, but he learned how to throw with his right hand in order to play second base. Cortes is just 5’7” and while he’s not a plus defender at either spot, his future home is at second.

The Mets didn’t draft him for his fielding ability though. Cortes is a stomp-and-pull guy from the left side with above-average raw power. He uses a hefty leg kick that allows his raw power to play effectively, but it severely impacts his contact ability, especially against good off-speed. I think there’s going to be a potentially lengthy adjustment period for Cortes against major league quality breaking balls in the minors.

Cortes should get slot value, which is $705,300, but it’s possible the Mets give him a little over-slot considering their deep infatuation with him, and Cortes’ ability to return to South Carolina.

Round 4, 110th Overall: Adam Hill, RHP, University of South Carolina

The Mets went right back to the University of South Carolina in the fourth round, selecting the 6’5” Hill after taking his teammate Cortes in round three. He’s started 14 games for the Gamecocks this season, with a 4.08 ERA, 46 walks and 92 strikeouts in 75 innings.

Hill works with a fastball that typically sits in the low- to mid-90s, but his velocity drops to the high-80s as he gets deeper into starts. The dip in velocity also impacts his arm slot, which drops lower as Hill gets tired. He also throws a changeup and a slider, of which the changeup is presently better but the slider projects as the better future offering. It’s not your typical Mets Warthen slider — it sits in the low-80s — but Hill gets enough break that it should be above-average at peak. He’ll need to work on developing the changeup if he wants to remain a starter, as the fastball and slider won’t be enough against lefties. While his delivery is repeatable, Hill has a tendency to plant his left leg toward the third base line instead of home, which causes command issues. While this helps Hill generate more movement, particularly on his fastball, you don’t see many deliveries like this in the majors.

His inability thus far to hold his velocity over multiple innings and a lack of polished secondary stuff might spell a future in middle relief for Hill, especially if he can’t clean up his delivery.

Round 5, 140th Overall: Ryley Gilliam, RHP, Clemson University

The Mets chose to spend their fifth-round pick on a college closer with no future as a starter. Gilliam has a future as an impact reliever, but do with that first sentence what you will. After starting some games for Clemson as a freshman, Gilliam made a permanent move to the bullpen in his sophomore season. A fastball/curveball reliever, Gilliam was incredible for the Tigers this season, striking out 53 to go with a 0.99 ERA in 36 innings.

Although he’s now a reliever, Gilliam still chooses to pitch out of the windup with nobody on base. It’s a quick and funky delivery that adds some deception while simultaneously causing Gilliam to miss more than he does out of the stretch. Once Gilliam signs, the Mets will have to work with him and decide how they’d like him to proceed. I think they’ll let him keep the windup until he proves it doesn’t work.

Gilliam is just 5’10,” but he’s a great athlete and sits in the mid-90s with his fastball. It’s a plus offering, as is his high-70s 12-6 curveball that routinely keeps hitters off balance. Gilliam also throws a changeup, which he’s all but scrapped since his days as a starter, and a cutter, which he introduced but sparingly used this season.

There are always going to be durability concerns with a 5’10” power reliever, but I think Gilliam’s arm action is clean enough and his athleticism should help him avoid injury problems in the future. He should move quickly through the system and has a shot at becoming more than a middle reliever should he add some ticks to the fastball or develop an above-average third pitch.

Round 6, 170th Overall: Nick Meyer, C, California Polytechnic State University

Meyer is a defensive whiz behind the plate but projects as a backup because of his offensive inefficiencies. While he’s incredibly tough to strikeout, Meyer has only hit three career home runs in over 600 collegiate at-bats. He recorded the highest slugging percentage of his career this season, .428, without hitting a single home run. He did have 14 doubles, but Cal Poly plays in the Big Sky, which is not exactly the SEC.

Here’s where the Mets’ draft strategy really starts to become a problem. Meyer might be a plus defender at one of the games toughest positions, but he doesn’t project as anything more than a defense-first catcher, and that’s even if the Mets work successfully with him on his bat. He’s more than likely never going to hit, so why cap your upside in the sixth round? While other teams are looking for untapped upside and potential regulars in these rounds, the Mets are looking for performers that don’t project to have any major league-quality tools. Combine that with the fact that they presumably went under-slot with their first two picks and it becomes all the more puzzling.

Round 7, 200th Overall: Kevin Smith, LHP, University of Georgia

Smith’s a low-arm slot left-hander who has performed in the SEC and on the Cape. He’s tall (6’5”), athletic and his low-slot allows him to carve up lefties, but I think he’s a potential LOOGY because of it. His fastball sits in the low-90s but Smith reportedly hit 94 down on the Cape. Smith’s best pitch is a sweeping slider, atypical for the Mets, that sits in the 78-82 mph range. He’s able to command it well and it’s a potential above-average pitch, especially away from left-handers. There’s also a changeup that’s far behind the other two offerings but has shown some signs of developing.

Smith has been a starter for Georgia over his collegiate career and while the Mets giving him a shot as a starter cannot be ruled out, his future is likely in the bullpen. He’s struggled with his command, a problem that can be better addressed in the bullpen, so look for the Mets to develop him as a LOOGY.

Round 8, 230th Overall: Tylor Megill, RHP, University of Arizona

Megill’s another big dude, 6’7 230-pounds to be exact, who battled inconsistency issues at the University of Arizona the past two seasons. A senior sign likely to get well under-slot, Megill is at least a worthy flier, albeit maybe not in the eighth round. Tall and athletic, he pairs a relatively clean delivery with a low-90s fastball and a curve. While his delivery is repeatable, it looks very similar to Hill’s, minus the left leg landing spot, and both have battled command issues because of it. There’s some crossfire action here that impacts Megill’s ability to command his pitches, particularly his fastball.

There isn’t enough stuff here presently to project Megill as anything but a potential middle relief arm, but if he signs well under-slot as expected, I suppose that’s not a bad pick. I think there may possibly be something a little more than that if the Mets shift him immediately to the bullpen and have him work out of the stretch, where his command improves and his extension plays up.

Round 9, 260th Overall: Bryce Montes de Oca, RHP, University of Missouri

MDO, as the Missouri faithful call him, was the most interesting Mets pick on Day Two. This is exactly the sort of player and profile the Mets should be betting on if they want to roll the dice on college arms. He has a Tommy John and an ulnar nerve transposition on his lengthy injury history, but he has a plus-plus fastball and a plus hard slider out of the bullpen. The fastball sits in the mid- to high-90s and touches triple-digits with regularity. MDO gets incredible sink and movement on it as well, making it a true plus-plus offering. He sits in the high-80s with his slider and it’s already a plus out pitch.

I’m not a fan of player comps so don’t take this for face value, but I get Dellin Betances vibes watching MDO. Both huge dudes with plus-plus fastballs and a plus off-speed offering that fit best in the bullpen. MDO’s delivery isn’t as violent as Betances, but they’ve both had issues commanding their stuff and it’s probably something MDO will always struggle with. There are a ton of “ifs” here: if he stays healthy, if his command improves, if he develops a useful third pitch, and that’s why he was available in the ninth round. This was a fantastic gamble by the Mets and the upside here is undeniable.

Round 10, 290th Overall: Manny Rodriguez, SS, University of Cincinnati

After finally taking a risk on Day Two, the Mets went back to the well with their 10th selection, selecting Manny Rodriguez. Rodriguez grew up in Brooklyn and is a local kid, but he really underwhelmed at Cincinnati prior to 2018. His 2016 and 2017 seasons left a lot to be desired, a .588 and .628 OPS respectively, but he made a swing change this year and its unlocked some raw power. He hit .292/.374/.589 with 12 home runs this year after hitting just two home runs combined in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

Rodriguez is a lean 5’10,” 165 pounds and projects to stay at shortstop in the future. While there are no questions about his future defensive home, Rodriguez will need to prove this power spike was no fluke. I’m skeptical he has the requisite bat-to-ball skills in order to make enough contact and you should be too, but maybe Rodriguez can become a utility infielder capable of playing short.

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports