Tyler Oringer: Well, this one is obvious. If you’ve been following any of my coverage throughout the season, you know how much I love the future first baseman for the Mets. The fact that the 23-year old was not called up this season in order to manipulate service time for his age 31 season is beyond belief – but hey, let’s stick to the good part.  Alonso finished his 2019 minor league campaign (65 games at Double-A, 67 in Triple-A) with 36 home runs, 119 RBIs and a triple slash of .285/.395/.579. The changes to his swing from 2017 were real, and allowed him to drive the ball to more fields with major league power, while also advancing his plate discipline to another level. The former Gator saw his OBP jump from .355 to the aforementioned .395.  Alonso finished a full minor league season between Double-A and Triple-A at 23 years old with an OPS of .975. Yes, his defense is not good, but the bat makes him the clear MVP of the Mets’ system in 2018.

Breakout prospect of the year: Jeff McNeil

Alex Rosen: Jeffrey, Jarrett and I were all on McNeil as a future major league contributor before July (and as early as 2014 in Jeffrey’s case) but we’d all be lying if we said we saw this coming. Injuries limited him to just 21 games above A-ball in 2016 and 2017 but McNeil rode a vastly improved frame and a new stomp and pull approach all the way to Queens before the end of July. He’s been the Mets’ best position player since the day he arrived in Flushing – not to mention one of the best players across all of baseball – and gives the organization another cost-controlled above-average regular to build around.

“Cy Young”: Um… Justin Dunn and David Peterson… I guess

TO: DISCLAIMER: I don’t feel comfortable giving either of these guys a Cy Young vote here, but the Mets didn’t really have any impressive season showings from any of their developing starting arms. Dunn, a 2016 first round pick out of Boston College, was okay this season but did improve greatly from 2017. He did struggle a bit in Double-A but flashed some of the potential the Mets have seen, striking out 156 batters in 135.1 innings. Control has continued to be an issue for the 22-year-old, but next season should be a massive stepping stone in his development. I’ve always felt his relief potential was immense and he could be extremely valuable there, but it would be quite the stretch to move him to the bullpen any time soon. Like Dunn, Peterson was good, not great. The 2017 first rounder dominated full-season A-ball, but was knocked around by Advanced-A hitting, surrendering 74 hits in 68.2 innings pitched. The southpaw already has the control and movement to be a legitimate prospect, he just needs to serve up fewer hittable pitches as he goes on.

Platinum Glove: Luis Guillorme

TO: A favorite of mine who was handled as poorly as he could have been in 2018.  Regardless, Guillorme is already an elite defender. If given the chance to start at shortstop or second base in a full major league season, the 23-year-old would challenge for a Gold Glove.  Guillorme flashes some of the smoothest actions and fluidness that any middle infielder in the minors has shown over the past few years. There is a lot to love about Guillorme, if the Mets could just figure out a way to best utilize his talents.

Comeback prospect of the year: Justin Dunn

AR: Dunn’s full-season debut couldn’t have gone much worse, but he rebounded nicely and took care of business in 2018, tossing about 90 innings in Binghamton en route to winning the organizations minor league pitcher of the year award. It was more of “meh” season by top pitching prospect standards, but even that was markedly better than Dunn’s 2017 in the Florida State League. There’s still a ton of room for improvement, especially with the change-up, but 2018 was without a doubt a step in the right direction. The stuff came back, the command improved and Dunn’s now one step closer to the big leagues.

Most likely to have their service time manipulated: Peter Alonso Andres Gimenez

AR: Oh, this is for the future? (looks at personal pref list…) Andres Gimenez it is! Until the rules change in the next CBA, teams are going to hold down top prospects to gain that extra year of control. It’s going to happen to Gimenez too, unless the Mets find themselves in a pennant race in 2019 with a hole to fill. Nevertheless, Gimenez had a tremendous 2018 season across Port St. Lucie and Binghamton, solidifying himself as one of the best prospects in the game.

The Ty Kelly Memorial Roster Spot: Gavin Cecchini

AR: Cecchini was off to a solid start in Las Vegas before a foot injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. He’s seemingly been around for forever, though he somehow won’t turn 25 ‘till December, but his spot on the 40-man is hanging by a thread. The former first rounder has never really received an extended stay with the big league club, but seems like a prime candidate to hang around as organizational depth for a number of years.

Best early return from the 2018 draft: Ross Adolph

TO: Adolph was drafted in the 12th round of the 2018 First Year Player Draft, but has already shown his value in his first year in Brooklyn. In my live look at Adolph, he did not get any hits or even take good routes to the ball in the field, but the athletically built outfielder owned a noticeably advanced approach at the plate and looked the part. The Toledo alum put up some nice number with the Cyclones, OPSing .857 with 14 stolen bases and an affinity for chasing down balls in the outfield.

Most likely to receive the Dominic Smith treatment: Mark Vientos

AR: Vientos still has a long ways to go before he’s a viable major league contributor, but he’s an early round pick who might find playing time hard to come by at the big league level. Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez look to be franchise cornerstones in the infield and Jeff McNeil’s not going anywhere anytime soon, leaving Vientos without a future home on the dirt as of now. Of course, these things tend to sort themselves out, but it hasn’t with Smith at the big league level for one reason or another. A similar fate could be awaiting Vientos, though we’re at least a couple of years away from having to even entertain the possibility.

Most likely to pitch too many high leverage innings: Kevin Smith

AR: The Mets went reliever heavy on Day Two of the 2018 MLB Draft, using a seventh rounder to grab Smith, a crafty SEC lefty with starting experience. There’s likely some internal hope that Smith can start, but having seen him this summer, I can tell you with confidence that that ain’t happening. He’s a future LOOGY in the Jerry Blevins/Daniel Zamora mold who’ll probably be overused like Blevins was in 2017. To be clear, a major league LOOGY is a fine outcome here, but the Mets have an affinity for Smith that I just personally don’t see.

The Reliever of the Carousel of Relievers Who Is Legit:  Drew Smith

TO: Bad timing – I know.  Anyway, Smith possesses true back-end relief talent which has come through in his every stop in the minors and more recently, the majors. I wrote about Smith back in Week 7 of the Prospect Watch, and stand by those previous comments.  Smith’s fastball and slider combination poses the potential for some elite late-inning stuff which has already come to fruition in 2018. When Sandy Alderson traded a fading Lucas Duda for a relief arm, people were concerned, but it would not be crazy to me if Smith is closing with success for New York in the near future.

Biggest Disappointment: Desmond Lindsay

TO: When Lindsay was drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft, big things were expected. The centerfielder looked to have the tools, body, and pedigree to turn into a major league regular, but things have just not transpired that way. Lindsay is still stuck in Advanced-A ball, and has not shown any reason to get out of it. The right-handed hitting high school pick has OPSed .715 and .640 in consecutive seasons – and unless he makes the necessary adjustments to his approach, his athleticism may end up going to waste. Injuries have hampered the 21-year old throughout his short career, so there is still a bit of hope – but change must come fast.

Happiest Met to head to Syracuse: Nabil Crismatt

AR: If Crismatt pitched the entire season in Binghamton, he’d have been my choice for the Cy Young award. Unfortunately, we can’t erase those nine starts in Las Vegas and Crismatt will instead have to settle for the “Happiest Met to head to Syracuse” designation. His strong season in Double-A proved there’s a future major league contributor here, but the disaster in the desert muddied things. The Mets will need to protect Crismatt from the Rule-5 draft this offseason by adding him to the 40-man roster, which currently seems like a toss-up at best. He should absolutely be protected, but this is the Mets and they’ll let him go to Oakland, where he’ll suddenly become a No.3 starter.

Best trade deadline acquisition: Franklyn Kilome

TO: This is quite obvious, but not because the other acquisitions were bad – it’s because Kilome, the only player from the Asdrubal Cabrera deal with the Phillies, is that good. The 6’6,” 175-pound 23-year old, has shown to have an advanced upper-90s fastball along with an impressive curveball which has a swing-and-miss movement. In Double-A, Kilome struck out 125 batters in 140 innings, but did walk 61.  Kilome needs to work on his control, but the young right-hander does flash the stuff to succeed as a major league starter – and should see time on the big league club at some point next year.

Most excited to see in 2019: Thomas Szapucki

AR: Szapucki missed the entire season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but is set to return to the mound in 2019. He’s only thrown a total of 83.1 innings in his brief career and will turn 23 next June, but Szapucki has undeniable upside that enticed virtually everyone who saw him. He flashed three potential plus offerings from a tough slot prior to the injury, giving him top of the rotation upside if he could simply stay healthy. There’s no question he’s behind the developmental curve, but 2019 could be a make or break season for the left-hander.

Tim Tebow Award: Tim Tebow

TO: Sorry, I just had to.

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

As we have all seen, New York has a plethora of 95-98 mph fastball, slick slider guys with average to below average control (see Drew Smith, Bobby Wahl, Eric Hanhold, etc.), but no one really to note who may or may not get the call in September. Assuming John Ricco’s “compete in 2019″ mantra is not just for show, they will likely sign free agent relievers who are better than Anthony Swarzak.

But in a few days, Dominic Smith and Luis Guillorme will be called up for about the 25th time this year. Who is not being called up, is the most major league-ready of them all: Peter Alonso. So, I wanted to investigate what the Mets SHOULD do with these pieces rather than what they likely ARE going to do. Let’s begin.

Dominic Smith

Earlier in the season, and most days since then, Alex Rosen and I complained about the 2017 mismanagement of the former Mets top prospect. Well, nothing has really changed. At just 23 years old, Smith has seen four separate stints in the majors and will presumably enter his fifth on Sept. 1. Despite never having handled his development properly before, the Mets have a chance to change the tides.

Whether or not it makes sense, Smith has 23 games in the outfield this year in the minors and already nine games in left for the major league club.  Obviously, this is to provide at-bats to the aforementioned stud, Alonso, who probably could hit 30+ home runs in a full major league season next year.

So, if they are doing it the minors, why not do it in the majors during a rebuilding year for the last month of the season? Sure, Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo need everyday at-bats, but give 31-year old Austin Jackson a few days off.  Jackson has been a bright spot for the Mets, but he’s putting up unsustainable numbers and hopefully is not a part of the future. As far as Jay Bruce goes, he is not healthy and has been awful all season, accumulating a -0.8 WAR in just 66 games. Yes, the Mets’ defense struggles mightily with him in the lineup, but auditioning him for 2019 in a regular role is the best course of action.

If it were me, I would have explored trading Smith for catching options in the 2017-18 offseason. Regardless, give Smith one more actual chance to prove his worth at the dish.

Luis Guillorme

The Gold Glove-caliber, opposite-field hitter is an intriguing player.

Guillorme was arguably just as misplayed as Smith, slotted in strictly at third base and playing behind Jose “Mendoza” Reyes. While he should have had starter opportunities given the Mets poor season, he should be relegated to a true utility infielder role — the one Reyes occupies for Mickey Callaway now. Frankly, the former Met great should be cut as soon as Guillorme gets a spot.

Any time a combination of Todd Frazier, stud Jeff McNeil and Amed Rosario need a rest (Frazier mostly), Guillorme should be manning the position.

While the infielder did slash a paltry .208/.284/.239 in his 67 at-bats in limited action, he has shown an ability to reach base at an impressive rate in the minors. His numbers have duplicated pretty much to a tee from Binghamton to Vegas and he holds a career .286/.361/.335 line in minor league play. No power, but that’s not what Guillorme is on a roster to do.

Defense, defense, defense… and some OBP.

Peter Alonso

John Ricco stated that Alonso will not play in the majors this season, despite the fact that the first baseman is perhaps a top-five prospect in terms hitting readiness in all of baseball.

Alonso is a bad fielder, plain and simple. Alonso, however, can rake.

In 125 games and 448 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A, the former University of Florida Gator is raking a .277/.393/.560 with 33 home runs and 111 RBI. He has made the necessary mechanical adjustments at the plate to improve his ability for more gap power and home runs and has improved his discipline, raising his OBP more than 30 percentage points from last year’s .359.

Alonso needs to be on the roster come a few days from now, even though he won’t. Wilmer Flores has done a commendable job this season at the dish and I would have no problem with Alonso not starting every day. But the UF product must to be on the New York Mets and pinch-hitting whenever Callaway needs a pinch hitter and starting at first base at least two or three times a week.

There is a very minute amount of development Alonso needs at the plate at this point and to keep him down because of defense or playing time is ridiculous; simply put, you make time for your brightest prospects.

The real reason here is service time, but this next month should have been an immensely important indicator to the development of what should be the Mets’ starting first baseman in 2019.

Photo credits: Bill Streicher/Brad Penner/Geoff Burke – USA Today Sports

Las Vegas 51s (Triple-A)

Hitter: Peter Alonso

When I last wrote about Peter Alonso, he was running a .475 OBP and crushing everything in Binghamton. He, along with Jeff McNeil, looked big league ready and primed to skip Triple-A and the Pacific Coast League.

Fast forward three months and Alonso has taken his talents to Las Vegas, posting similarly gaudy numbers in a league he’s too good for while he awaits an opportunity in the majors.

A similar situation occurred down the stretch in 2017 as well with Dom Smith only playing in 49 games in what was a completely lost season for the Mets. That wasn’t enough of a sample size for New York to hand him the starting job in 2018, so they went bargain shopping and questionably signed Adrian Gonzalez. The rest is history as they say, but more importantly, the Mets seem to be making this costly mistake again.

They selected Alonso as a 22-year-old 1B/DH in the second round of the 2016 draft, a curious choice if they weren’t intent on fast-tracking him to the majors. He’s hit his way through every level of the minors and looks like a future regular at worst, but the Mets have – through unnamed sources – stated they won’t call him up in September as to avoid a 40-man roster crunch.

There’s really no other way to put it: this is an incredibly bad baseball decision, likely influenced by service time.

By keeping Alonso down and off the 40-man roster, the Mets can gain an extra year of control by waiting until the Super Two deadline passes in 2019. No one other than the people signing the paychecks likes this sort of roster manipulation, but it doesn’t even make much sense in this case. If the Mets follow through with this, Alonso won’t hit free agency until his age-31 season. Who is paying any significant amount of money to a 1B/DH on the wrong side of 30 anyway? (Angels fans if you’re reading this – it’s too late).

Due to the current situation, the Mets are likely going to bring in a veteran first baseman and trade one of Smith or Alonso. It’s a ridiculous conclusion to a problem that can so easily be solved, but being bearish on Smith’s future – here’s hoping Peter Alonso is manning first base in Flushing next season.

Pitcher: Nabil Crismatt

Crismatt had a rough go of it in his first stop at Vegas, allowing 38 earned runs in 38.2 innings of work. He made it to the fifth inning only twice in nine starts and allowed two or more earned runs in eight of nine. This was always likely to happen and anything but an unexpected outcome considering his stuff, but he’s now one step further from a September call-up. He was still striking hitters out in Vegas, but his walk numbers ballooned and his WHIP went over 2.00.

I mentioned this wasn’t an unexpected outcome because this is what happens to guys that throw 88 in the hitter’s paradise that is the PCL. The results were, uh, not good, but they don’t change the future expectation here. Crismatt still projects as a backend starter, and even though he’s not going to be Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard, he’s not going to be Jason Vargas either.

Port St. Lucie Mets (Single-A)

Hitter: Blake Tiberi

The University of Louisville has a nice track record of developing hitters that succeed at the next level (and they have another one coming in 2019 in Logan Wyatt), but that hasn’t been the case for Tiberi thus far. A third-rounder two years ago, time is already running thin for Tiberi to prove he can develop into a major league contributor.

The 23-year-old battled injuries in 2017 that limited him to just five games, and his .735 OPS with Columbia wasn’t exactly inspiring this season. Regardless, the Mets moved him up a level to St. Lucie, where he figures to begin the 2019 season. He’s off to a .145/.193/.229 start in his first 22 games – and if the early returns are any indications, he’s going to struggle next year too.

Columbia Fireflies (Low-A)

Hitter: Hansel Moreno

Moreno is a long and lean 6’4,” 180-pound utility infielder who’s held his own in his first taste of full-season ball. His numbers won’t jump off the page, but the Sally is a historically pitcher-friendly league and Moreno hit in 2016 and 2017. He’s very athletic and already has a nice mix of defensive versatility, as he’s seen time at four different positions this year alone. He won’t be on any top prospect lists and shouldn’t be treated as one, but he’s a nice piece in an improving farm system.

Hitter: Zach Rheams

Rheams was a 27th round senior sign this year and the first 2018 draft pick to reach full-season ball. The 22-year-old is holding his own despite a .221 batting average as he’s avoiding strikeouts while still hitting for power. Rheams broke out in a big way for Texas Tech this past spring, hitting .341/.461/.713 with 17 long balls and as a Day Three senior sign, anything he gives the Mets is a bonus. So far, so good.

Brooklyn Cyclones (Short Season-A)

Hitter: Ross Adolph

Adolph, the Mets 12th round selection this year, won the MVP award in the NYPL All-Star Game after a 2-for-3 night that included a homer and triple. Despite being a Day Three pick, Adolph has major league tools and projects as a fourth outfielder. He’s shown well in Brooklyn and looks primed to begin 2019 with a full season affiliate (likely Columbia in the Sally). The Mets are always in need of outfield depth and Adolph will give them that as he climbs the minor league ladder. Like Hansel Moreno, Adolph isn’t a top prospect and you won’t hear his name often, but he does have major league potential.

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

On Thursday, two of the best hitters in the league, first baseman Peter Alonso and infielder Jeff McNeil, were called upon to fill the open spots in Triple-A. These call-ups come as obvious, yet pleasant news as both now-former Rumble Ponies have torched minor league pitching and will look to get a major league shot in late 2018 — especially if the Mets aren’t in the race.

Reports surfaced that Mets would not be calling up Alonso later in the season, which is quite frustrating considering he is older and seems more developed than Smith. But, as covered before, it seems as if Sandy Alderson feels like he may owe Smith a shot after the egregious handling of the once highly-touted prospect.

Alonso has done his part to rise the ranks of an ailing New York system and his newly reworked swing has generated plus power and an ability to stay inside the ball: in 65 games and 220 at-bats, he’s put up .314/.440/.573 season and 15 home runs. It will be interesting to see how the Mets manage Alonso if he continues his dominant play.

As for McNeil, he will more than likely get at-bats in late July/early August, if not sooner. Like Alonso, the 26-year old infielder has ripped apart Eastern League pitching, compiling a .327/.402/.629 triple-slash and launching 14 home runs in 214 at-bats. He has beefed up through the years and has been able to translate his weight to power.

Look for these two newly assigned 51s to make noise in a not-so-crowded system. Who knows? Maybe we’ll see both Alonso and McNeil dawning the orange and blue in 2018.

Photo credit: Gregory Fisher – USA Today Sports

The corresponding moves of bringing up first baseman Dominic Smith and the switch-hitting utility man Ty Kelly, however, are good, but not great. So without further ado, let me explain.

We here at BP Mets have certainly detailed the Mets’ handling of former top prospect and highly touted prospect Dominic Smith.  Personally, I think Smith did have a chance to be near what he was once projected – but the delayed call-up, the obvious disinterest by the organization and the absolutely head-scratching signing of Gonzalez eventually hindered him.

But now Sandy Alderson and co. find Smith as the everyday strong-side platoon first baseman yet again with his promotion on Sunday. Last year was a disaster for the 22-year old and this might be his last chance to prove his worth to the ballclub.

He has slashed a just-decent .262/.343/.370 while hitting two home runs in 219 at-bats, and while  I do expect him to outperform the now free agent Gonzalez, it likely won’t be enough to quiet down ‘the why isn’t Peter Alonso on the major league roster?’ camp – one which I am a part of. Even straight from Double-A, Alonso makes more sense. I mean, why not? He is raking .310/.441/.567 with 15 home runs in 210 at-bats and yes, it’s Double-A, but remember what Michael Conforto brought to the club in 2015 straight from Binghamton? Plus, I can’t see how much more improving a 23-year old college-playing first baseman needs with his offensive skills, even if his glove leaves some to be desired.

But for now, it’s only fair Smith gets another shot.

On the other side of the diamond returns the aforementioned INF/OF Ty Kelly. It may sound outlandish to suggest bringing two Double-A guys up in one article/transaction, but this could have been Jeff McNeil. Another destroyer of Eastern League pitching, the 26-year old has seen time in the PCL with Vegas and may actually provide more value than Kelly.

In all honesty though, I have no problem with Kelly being here. He provides a switch-hitting option (and owns a great first name) for an adjusting Mickey Callaway that should hopefully ease Mets brass into making the necessary move of releasing Jose Reyes.

There have been numerous reports of the Mets feeling bad releasing Reyes and trying to force him to retire to save his legacy, but at this point, the only thing that would make people stop talking about his absolutely abysmal year is to release him like they did to Gonzalez. No hard feelings, just an obvious baseball move.

Sunday was a rare bright day post-April for the 2018 New York Mets, but it could have been brighter.

Onwards and hopefully upwards.

Photo credit: Jason Getz – USA Today Sports

The Mets had 12 hits and scored six runs, which felt like an explosion considering the team’s recent offensive performance. The six runs were the most they’ve scored in a game since last Tuesday, when the Amazins’ put up a 12 spot against the Blue Jays. Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto both hit solo home runs and Wilmer Flores chipped in with three hits. Conforto finally looks “right” at the plate and I’ll have an in depth look at what he’s doing differently later this week. Devin Mesoraco had two hits to continue his unexpected but welcomed strong start to his Mets career. Jay Bruce looked competitive at the dish and reached three times on the afternoon. Amed Rosario drew a walk in his only plate appearance! Jerry Blevins was called upon for some mop up duty and didn’t allow a run. Also, Jose Reyes reached base twice?

THE BAD

Adrian Gonzalez was 1-5 with a team-high seven men left on base. The Mets have better internal options (see Alonso, Peter) and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for the organization to justify Gonzalez’s roster spot. Reyes reached twice and still has a .200 on-base percentage, which should tell you all you need to know. He also grounded into the Mets’ only double play and even made an error out at short while Luis Guillorme sat and wondered what exactly he needs to do to play. Asdrubal Cabrera, the team’s best player so far this season, was slow to get up after a play at second and was pinch hit for but should be good to go on Sunday. The Mets would be in big trouble should Cabrera require a DL stint of any kind.

THE (REALLY) UGLY

After allowing five earned runs in just three innings of work Saturday, Jason Vargas’ ERA is up to an unfathomable 10.62 in his 20.1 innings this season. The Mets have given Vargas five starts now and plan to give him another, but he’s been absolutely dreadful thus far. Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman both represent much more competitive options, but they’re also two of the Mets best relievers and a move would decimate an already thin relief corps. That’s because AJ Ramos, supposedly one of the Mets’ best high-leverage options, has been awful this season as well. After walking in the winning run Friday, Ramos was lit up for three runs on three hits and one walk in only two-thirds of an inning. It was a low-leverage situation and Ramos still wasn’t effective and at this point, your guess is as good as mine as to where Ramos and the Mets go from here. Chris Flexen was also shelled for eight hits and three walks in only two innings of work. Although he was only charged for three earned runs, Flexen was terrible Saturday and now isn’t available for Monday’s doubleheader; he’s likely to be sent down for P.J Conlon or possibly Tim Peterson, as the Mets will need another pitcher for the aforementioned doubleheader with Atlanta. Look for Conlon rather than Peterson, as he’s already on the 40-man and wouldn’t require a corresponding roster move.

Photo credit: Benny Sieu – USA Today Sports

UTIL Jeff McNeil

So I wrote up McNeil in week three of the Prospect Watch and concluded that he’s a better Phil Evans, which is exactly what I saw in Binghamton this past Wednesday. In 128 at-bats this season, McNeil’s slashing .328/.407/.719 with more home runs (12) than he combined for (9) in over 1,200 ABs over the past five years. McNeil isn’t your average 26-year-old in Double-A; injuries limited him to only 188 at-bats in the past two seasons, with his last full season coming back in 2015.

It took all of one measly inning to ask myself what McNeil was still doing in Binghamton. In his first at-bat of the game, he worked a 3-2 count against Top 101 prospect Beau Burrows and then promptly punished a curveball that missed middle-middle over the wall in right for a solo home run. It’s a beautiful left-handed swing with natural loft and I don’t think he’s selling out for this new power at the expense of his hit tool. McNeil made loud contact all night — even his outs made it to the warning track — and I thought his approach was way too advanced for Double-A. While McNeil does have pull power, he likes to go to the opposite field and his base hits seem to gravitate toward left center. It never looked like he was trying to do too much at the plate and, in his third at-bat against Burrows, he took a first-pitch fastball down and away for a line drive single to left. I will say that it remains to be seen if McNeil can carry this approach through Las Vegas and the majors, but the early returns are extremely promising.

McNeil didn’t just impress at the plate; he displayed good hands and feet out at second and didn’t look rushed. I think it’s average second base defense at peak, but McNeil has also seen time at third and shortstop, which would be a boon to his value. If the power surge is real, McNeil can be more than a future utility guy; he could be a fringe regular at second. There’s nothing left for him to prove in Binghamton and at 26, McNeil needs to be promoted so the Mets can see what they have here. Whatever it is, I’m confident that it’s better than whatever “value” Jose Reyes is bringing off the bench in Flushing.

LF Tim Tebow

With Juan Lagares out for the season and poor outfield depth in the upper levels of the organization, there’s a chance Tebow may be needed in the major leagues this season. Not to sell jerseys or improve attendance, I mean Tim Tebow may actually be needed for baseball reasons and honestly, credit Tebow and the Mets coaching staff for that. I was as big a skeptic as any when the signing was announced in 2016 but after seeing him four times this season, this really isn’t as crazy as was once thought.

This wasn’t a great look at Tebow — he was 0-4 with two strikeouts — but he didn’t look nearly as overmatched at the plate as he did earlier this season. In my first look back in April, Tebow was swinging through 88 mph fastballs from Dedgar Jimenez. Now, he’s catching up to 94 mph from top pitching prospects. To be fair, he’s still struggling to create meaningful contact against good velocity, but it’s an improvement nonetheless.

In the field, Tebow still needs a ton of reps. Deep fly balls are a struggle and he doesn’t take efficient routes to catchable balls. His footwork isn’t great and it’s like a 40 arm out in left. I’m still concerned about his ability to hit fastballs up in the zone and his two-strike approach needs work, but he’s by no means the laughing stock I expected to see when he was sent to Binghamton.

That being said, I’ve resigned to the fact that Tebow’s going to play in the major leagues and, well, you probably should too. As I previously mentioned, that’s primarily because of the depth, or lack thereof, in the upper levels of the minors. But look, they didn’t sign him to toil away in the minors and Sandy Alderson said this spring that Tebow’s going to play in the big leagues.

1B Peter Alonso

Alonso was in the lineup as the designated hitter, so I was unable to get another look at him in the field. His defense has been far from good in my previous looks, but the Mets have publicly said that they’re satisfied with his progress and believe he’s playable at first. I’ve seen the improvement on ground balls — he hasn’t had trouble on a grounder for me in three looks and he’s actually made a couple of nice plays — but it’s uncomfortable watching Alonso try to catch a pop-up.

I’m not the only one who’s noticed this either, as our own Jeffrey Paternostro saw Alonso two weeks ago and asked me if he’d looked wildly uncomfortable on pop-ups in my looks too. It’s a problem with few solutions and honestly, I’m not sure how much better it’s going to get at this point. The reason we’re even talking about Alonso in the first place is because he can hit and hit for power and if he does that at the major league level, no one’s going to bat an eye when he awkwardly drops a foul ball.

With the word out on Alsono and every pitcher in the Eastern League seemingly pitching around him, he’s cooled down a bit at the dish. Alonso was 0-2 with two walks Wednesday, but he didn’t try to force the issue and didn’t chase a single ball on the evening. He’s running a .475 OBP and I’ve seen enough at this point that I’m confident he should skip Triple-A. I don’t think there’s anything for him to learn in Vegas and the hitting environment isn’t going to tell us anything we don’t already know. Alonso’s ready to be challenged at the major league level. When that actually happens, and it quite honestly already should have (see Soto, Juan), still remains to be seen.

RF Jhoan Urena

Urena started in right for Binghamton Wednesday, but there’s no world, certainly not the one we’re currently living in, in which he’s a right fielder. He had quite possibly the worst misplay I’ve ever seen live, as he misjudged a line drive hit directly at him. Urena stepped forward three steps, then back and jumped to catch the ball, ultimately dropping it.

I saw him at third earlier this season and while he did look much better there, he’s not a third baseman either. He has slow feet and his reaction time isn’t great, which isn’t a good recipe for a big league third basemen. He can be an emergency starter at third, but he’s a first baseman or left fielder in the majors.

Despite having already spent six years with the organization, this season is Urena’s first in Double-A. He’s still only 23 years old and has more than held his own at the dish, slashing .286/.322/.459 thus far. It’s a max effort swing in any count and Urena can get pull happy, especially from the left side. He hits too many infield fly balls, which are basically as good as a strikeout, for my liking. With this defensive profile though, Urena is going to need to show more game power. Improved game power is the difference here between a shot in the majors and a career in the minors.

Photo credit: Gregory Fisher – USA Today Sports

T: Where do you stand on Dom Smith?

A: I think Dom Smith can be a major league contributor for someone, but he’s a first baseman who hits for average. He’s probably a guy who you have to platoon at first base.

T: What we’ve seen in the minors doesn’t really translate to major league pitching. He had nine home runs in 67 at-bats after having 42 home runs in about 2100 at-bats.  Being a left-handed first baseman, it seems like he may be the type of player who changes approach at the plate in majors, as seen by his short stint last year.

A: So at peak, how many home runs does he hit in a full season?

T: If he reaches his full potential, which I don’t know how good that is anymore, probably 20-25.  Hard to say.  Initially, he was projected to hit for a .300-plus average with 15-20 home runs.

A: Right, he’s always been hit tool above power.

T: His value has decreased significantly after the way the Mets handled him last year, and especially after the acquisition of Adrian Gonzalez.

A: At this point, I don’t think he’s going to get an opportunity to be an everyday guy at first for the Mets. I think his best season is going to come in a platoon role where he’s just hitting righties. At his peak, I think it looks something like .275/.340/.440 – right around 20 home runs. Obviously, it’s hard to project future power output right now. Look at Ozzie Albies, who went from hitting 22 home runs in over 1,500 minor league at-bats to hitting 12 in 167 at-bats this season. I think it’d be naïve to think he wouldn’t get some sort of spike. He’s up now and this may be harsh, because the Mets and Smith have participated in this equally, but he if he doesn’t perform here, Peter Alonso is getting the next chance.

T: This window that Smith now has, his next sample size may be his last chance to be a contributing Met due to the presence of Alonso.  I have zero problem with that – Alonso is the real deal in terms of hitting.

A: If Smith gets an extended look in the majors before Alonso, the only explanation would be it’s because he’s a former first-round pick

T: I don’t know if I totally agree with that, but he’s almost certainly not the prime Eric Hosmer-type three hitter they wanted him to be.

A: I wrote about this in my scouting notes when I mentioned him. He needs to have really good pitch recognition and approach to make this profile work, and I think he has that, but the swing isn’t great – there are a lot of moving parts, he’s got slow hands to the bat and its not like he’s going to be able to punish mistakes inside over the wall. There is really no margin for error with Smith.  Same with Alonso, he provides no value on defense, has no speed and plays first base.

T: But I think we agree that projecting Alonso as a number three-type first base bat is quite reasonable.

A: At this point, yes. Alonso’s made real improvements to the swing that allows him to make more contact and get to his 70 raw power more easily. There’s a significant step from Triple-A to major league pitching and we saw that in Smith’s performance last season.  Organizations give guys like Keon Broxton a bunch of chances because they offer skills beyond their hitting ability. As first base only guys, Alonso and Smith don’t have much else to offer.

T: I know this may sound premature, but from a help-the-team right now point of view, I would have no problem if they called up Alonso over Smith right now. Gonzalez and Wilmer Flores are providing close to nothing at a premium offensive position.

A: I think we both think Alonso over Smith at this point. I mentioned this on the podcast with Jeffrey and Jarrett, but Alonso should probably get a Michael Conforto call-up and skip Triple-A.  If the Mets are really high on the bat like we think they are and see the swing changes that we do – then let’s go, let’s stop letting him toil away and improve the major league club.

T: What do we think Dom Smith’s trade value is after all of this?

A: Let me begin by saying this, I think it’s pretty telling that the Mets are running Gonzalez (.751 OPS) out there every day even though Smith is already on the 40-man. The Mets believed in Smith enough to draft him in the first round and have soured on him to the point that they truly don’t think he’s good enough to be an upgrade for them. Other clubs obviously know this and I can’t see the Mets getting anything of substantial value in a potential Smith deal.

T: I still think you can get a serviceable MLB catcher. Someone better than Devin Mesoraco and worse than Wilson Ramos and maybe a mid-level prospect.

A: We both agree he couldn’t headline a JT Realmuto deal.  Jon Heyman keeps throwing out they want Realmuto and Smith’s name has been floated as part of a potential package, but the Mets just don’t have the prospects to get a deal done with the Marlins.

T: I think the Mets would have to give up Smith in that deal.

A: I disagree. I think if the Marlins wanted a first baseman, they’d insist on Alonso – Realmuto is a four WAR catcher.

T: Yeah, Realmuto is great – it’s tough to say just how high Jeter and Co. view him.

A:  It’s hard to find a team that would take a chance on Smith at this point. If the Mets, who own the prospect, don’t value him highly and can’t find a spot for him at what’s been a mediocre position for them, what other team will?

T: I think they destroyed his trade value.  I mean, he didn’t help himself last year either but by getting Adrian Gonzalez, they said they don’t think he’s ready to contribute yet again.

So, to wrap up my thoughts: I certainly have Alonso over Smith at this point, because the Mets did a bad job managing Dom and his approach last year.  I think he could bring back a decent catcher and a low-mid level prospect.

A:  Well look, what are they doing wasting their time with him in the majors right now? I don’t think his trade value is high enough, but if they could get someone like Ramos I would do it and just cut bait with him.  If Alonso comes up and hits, then Smith is going to be in Triple-A for the rest of his Mets career.  I think they’re probably too stubborn to trade him for nothing. If they could get a lottery ticket type or two, think Gerson Bautista, I’d be okay with that.

T: So could they get a catcher for him?

A: I think it’s possible.

T: Also, with Smith up, they still aren’t starting him.

A: They should have just brought up Phil Evans who has versatility.  So they’re going to sit Smith on the bench, while Gonzalez hits clean up. It’s a head-scratching move for a team that’s made quite a couple this past week.

T: If Smith went one-for-eight in the time he was up, what was that going to do? But since he was up just to pinch-hit once, I don’t understand it. I guess we’ll see what happens, but Peter Alonso is looking like the first baseman of the future with each day.

Photo credit: Andy Marlin/Reinhold Matay – USA Today Sports

AAA Las Vegas 51s

1B Dominic Smith

Smith is a great example of just how quickly the public perception of a prospect can change. At this time last year, Mets fans were clamoring for the highly regarded Smith to get a call-up to the big leagues. Now? They want to trade him after only 170 at-bats to clear the way for Peter Alonso. A first-round pick in 2013, Smith hit at every level in the minors but really struggled last year with the Mets, slashing .198/.262/.395. A rare hit-before-power first baseman prospect, Smith is going to really need to get on base in order to be anything more than league average.

One of the biggest criticisms of Smith has been his weight, but he looked a lot lighter this spring and I was floored when I saw him in person. He looked at least 20 pounds lighter and his athleticism is more evident now. Smith has always been considered a plus defender at first due to his soft hands and ability to scoop bad throws, and I saw much of the same in my look. Unfortunately, Smith didn’t see a single good pitch to hit on the evening; Fresno chose to pitch him cautiously, and it ultimately resulted in four walks for Smith. Smith has an old-school approach at the plate, which explains his high walk-to-strikeout ratio as well as his low home run output. I was impressed with his pitch recognition and approach, which need to be plus, and they are, if this profile is going to work in the big leagues. He’s the sort of player that really divides scout’s opinions: they either like him and think he’ll get on base enough, or they don’t think he profiles as a regular at first. I fall into the first camp and think Smith is going to be a major league contributor at first for some organization. With Peter Alonso doing his best Rhys Hoskins impression though, it’s become a real question whether Smith will get the chance to be that for the Mets. I don’t think it’s in the Mets best interests to sell him for pennies on the dollar based on his short major league stint last season, but I also think Alonso has passed him at this point and there may not be a spot on the major league team. It’s a good problem to have and if Adrian Gonzalez continues to struggle, one of them will get the call. Just who that is remains to be seen, although Alonso has to be the favorite at this point.

SS Luis Guillorme

Upon first glance, Guillorme looks extremely out of place on the diamond, much less at shortstop. Then you see him play defense and wonder why he’s in Triple-A and Jose Reyes is in the big leagues. I wrote about Guillorme in our first Prospect Watch of the season and think he’s going to be a valuable contributor for a long time. He has fantastic range at short despite his below average wheels and makes plays Reyes dreams of. I saw him make a diving stop on a ball up the middle and throw the runner out from his knees, just to give you an idea of the impact he could have at short. At the dish, Guillorme likes to go the opposite way and has an advanced two-strike approach; he walked 17 more times than he struck out last season at Double-A Binghamton. He’s never going to hit for much power and it’s likely his OBP is higher than his SLG, but couple that with his defense and we’re talking about an extremely valuable player. I think there’s utility man risk here, especially with the Mets, but Guillorme can get a starting role with a different organization at short. There’s no doubt in my mind he can be an asset for the Mets right now but the team’s in more immediate need of guys who can hit, which Guillorme can, but he still has some things to work on and can use the everyday at-bats he’s getting in Vegas.

3B David Thompson

Thompson, a 2013 fourth-round pick, hit .263/.325/.429 for Binghamton last season and showed enough promise to earn a promotion to Triple-A to begin the year. He’s a pretty “boring” prospect in the sense that he doesn’t do anything particularly well; instead, he does everything good enough. Thompson is intriguing as a hitter because he doesn’t strike out at an egregious rate and has some pop — he hit 16 home runs in Double-A last season — but it remains to be seen if that’s enough to outweigh his below-average on-base production. He’s never OBP’d higher than .344 in the minors and was at just .325 last season. Thompson went 1-3 in my look, with a single, a walk and a strikeout. I thought his defense was good enough to stick at third but I don’t think the bat profiles there. Thompson is currently a 35 with a chance for a 40, a below average regular, because he could be a guy who sees his home run rate spike in the big leagues.

UTIL Phillip Evans

Evans is the definition of a utility player and his defensive flexibility can be valuable for a National League team. Like other position player prospects at Vegas, he doesn’t strike out often and walks a healthy amount. Evans broke out in 2016 with a .321 average across two levels, but it’s an outlier among some subpar minor league seasons. Capable of playing “passible” defense at every infield position, Evans earned a spot on the Mets Opening Day roster but only made three appearances as a pinch hitter before being sent back down. Evans went 0-4 with two strikeouts in my look and was disappointing at the plate overall. The Mets have a lot of guys in the upper-level minors who can play multiple positions but project as utility players, which is a good thing or a bad thing depending on who you ask. Evans value will come from his defensive versatility, but I’m not sure he ever gets a long enough look with a major league club.

AA Binghamton Rumble Ponies

1B Peter Alonso

Alonso is all the rage these days and rightfully so: the dude is smashing the cover off the ball at Binghamton, hitting .393/.490/.762 with eight home runs to start the season. He’s struck out 18 times against 16 walks and has debuted a new approach at the plate to go along with the swing change he made at the end of last season. Safe to say it’s worked, as Alonso’s hit tool has caught up to his game power, resulting in the incredible output we’ve seen thus far. I’ve seen Alonso three times this season and he’s been impressive, to say the least: he homered in two of the three games and was 2-4 with a walk in the other. Alonso has always had 70 raw power, but he’s now got a 60 hit tool to go along with it. I do think he needs to work on his off-speed recognition, I saw him hit two soft lineouts on offspeed pitches to second in my most recent look, but it’s a minor qualm with an otherwise polished hitter. On the defensive side of things, he’s still a 40 for me at first, as I’ve seen him make great plays along with some really bad ones. Alonso takes bad routes to fly balls and completely whiffed on an easy popup in front of the dugout in my most recent look. He still pulls his head out on scoops and has dropped a couple balls because of it. That being said, I saw him snag a sharp line drive from Cavan Biggio to double up Vlad Jr. and it was a thing of beauty. The defense is better than last year but I don’t know if there’s much more room for improvement, he may just be what he is, which isn’t a problem when you can hit like Alonso. I think that some sort of transaction is going to be made before June 1, but I’m not entirely sure what it’s going to be. Dom Smith could get the call to the bigs while Alonso heads to Triple-A, or Alonso can follow the Michael Conforto route, jumping straight from Double-A to the majors. I think the latter is more likely and there’s no question the Mets are going to be aggressive in upgrading the position if Gonzalez proves he’s just not a good baseball player anymore.

RHP Nabil Crismatt

Crismatt’s gotten off to an incredible start to the season and he’s doing it with some pretty average stuff for a starting pitcher. He’s got a 2.28 ERA to go along with 32 strikeouts against only five walks in 27.2 innings for Binghamton. I saw Crismatt against the best team in the Eastern League, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) and I came away extremely impressed. Crismatt was efficient and finished with 92 pitches, allowing only one earned run while striking out six and only walking one. He was working with a fastball sitting 86-87 mph and touching 88 in the early innings, but it dropped to around 85-86 as we entered the fourth. The fastball has natural two-seam run and Crismatt keeps it low in the zone, which leads to a lot of groundball outs. Although it doesn’t have great velo, the fastball plays up due to Crismatt’s above average command, and he’s not afraid to attack hitters with it in two-strike counts. His best offering is a plus changeup that sits 78-80 mph and generates a ton of swings and misses. It has good drop and is his go-to two-strike pitch, and it wasn’t squared up once on the evening. He also throws a curveball which was 66-70 mph for me with 12-6 movement, but it can get loopy and advanced hitters are going to tee off on it. Crismatt hung a curveball to Vlad Jr. (note to MLB pitchers, this is a REALLY bad idea) and he smashed it to left center for an RBI single. Crismatt also has a slider but he only threw six for me; it was 76-77 mph with late break and flashes above average. I think it’s useful against right-handed hitters but it’s probably too slow to get outs against lefties consistently. Overall, I thought he had great pitch mix, limits hard contact, and wasn’t afraid to go after guys despite his average (besides the change) stuff. I think he’s a future No. 4/5 who should be ready to debut sometime next season.

RHP Andrew Church

Church was just placed on the 7-day disabled list, but I saw him in a start against New Hampshire and the results weren’t pretty. Church was in trouble all night and the Fisher Cats got to him early, as he allowed two runs in the first: a leadoff home run to Jonathan Davis and an RBI groundout to Vlad Jr. Church was sitting 88-90 mph with his fastball, which is consistent with what I had him at when I saw him earlier in the season, but it got him into trouble early and he went away from it after the first inning. Instead, he was working with his slider, which was 82-84 mph, and his curve, which was 70-74 mph and generated groundball outs. He was starting at-bats out with his slider, which has significant right to left movement, and it’s a real weapon against left-handed hitters. Church was reluctant to use his below-average curveball, but development of a useful third pitch is necessary for him to move up the minor league ladder. He works quickly and pitches to contact but based on my two looks, I think he’s a 30 who still has many things he needs to work on.

RHP Tyler Bashlor

Bashlor is one of many hard throwing right-handed relievers in Binghamton, but he wasn’t great in my most recent look. Bashlor was brought in with one out and a man on first, and he proceeded to walk the bases loaded on only eight pitches. He was able to escape trouble though, with a strikeout and a fly ball to end the inning. Bashlor was missing up and out of the zone with his fastball consistently, and pitching coach Frank Viola went out twice during the inning to try and calm him down. Overall, Bashlor has been terrific this season with a 0.96 ERA and 12 strikeouts against five walks in 9.1 innings. Fastball command is going to be a big key for Bashlor, who’s already on the 40-man and looks likely to take a ride on the Mets bullpen shuttle at some point this season.

Photo credit: Andy Marlin – USA Today Sports

Triple-A Las Vegas 51s

Pitcher: RHP Chris Flexen

Flexen is a borderline top 10 prospect in the system because of his proximity to the majors and his relatively safe floor, not because he possesses ace-like upside. Although he made his major league debut for the Mets last season and already has nine big league starts under his belt, he was able to retain his rookie eligibility by virtue of coming up two innings shy of 50, which technically makes him still a prospect. The 6’3,” 250-pound right-hander sits 90-95 mph with his fastball and mixes in a knuckle curve and a changeup that are both slightly above average, as well as a slider that’s comfortably behind the rest of his offerings. Flexen’s major league debut wasn’t pretty, as his 7.88 ERA and 6.56 BB/9 were, how do I say this nicely, absolutely terrible. His biggest weakness is his command, which seems to come and go in spurts, but it’s definitively more bad than good. The Mets sent Flexen to Triple-A Las Vegas to begin the season, and the early numbers are conflicting to say the least. On one hand, Flexen holds a 3.60 ERA and has struck out 11 in 15 innings of work. On the other, he’s walked seven batters already and holds an ugly 1.73 WHIP. Now, there are three guarantees in life: death, taxes, and Jose Reyes not getting a h… oh different article sorry, Hansel Robles pointing at every fly b…my apologies again, I meant to say runs being scored in the Pacific Coast League. The ERA is very promising, but the seven walks in just 15 innings is a big concern for a pitcher who’s projected as a back-end starter. I prefer my No. 5 guys to be innings eaters with good command, not hit or miss guys with strikeout stuff and command issues. Flexen probably is what he is at this point, a No. 4/5 starter who has good stuff but lacks command, and all things considered, that isn’t a bad thing at all. In all likelihood, Flexen will make some major league starts this season; let’s just hope they come in September with the Mets up comfortably in the division.

Hitter: SS Luis Guillorme

I had the chance to see Guillorme live last week and let me tell you, it’s an absolute joy to watch him play baseball. In possession in some of the best hands in all of professional baseball, Guillorme makes highlight reel plays left and right and is nothing short of a wizard out at shortstop. He’s only about 5’9” and is a below average runner, but his instincts and hand-eye coordination make him one of the best defensive prospects in the minor leagues right now. Tyler Oringer took a more in-depth look at Guillorme earlier this month and is of the belief that he could eventually win a Gold Glove at shortstop. It’s unlikely that happens with the Mets though, as the team seems to have found its shortstop of the future in Amed Rosario, which means Guillorme’s long-term fit with the Mets may be at second. With less ground to cover, it’s not much of a stretch to say that Guillorme could be one of, if not the, best defensive second baseman in the majors right now. In his first taste of Triple-A, Guillorme has struggled to begin the season, as he’s currently slashing .224/.333/.306 with a 20.7% K-rate. Don’t expect it to continue though, as Guillorme has shown a knack for getting on base at every level of his professional career thus far. While he won’t ever hit for power or steal more than 10 bases, Guillorme’s all-world defensive abilities coupled with his ability to get on base will allow him to have a long and successful career in the majors.

Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Pitcher: RHP Nabil Crismatt

This was the hardest selection to make on the entire list, as Binghamton’s whole pitching staff has been outstanding thus far. There were many worthy candidates, such as RHP Tyler Bashlor, RHP Eric Hanhold and RHP Gerson Bautista, but for this week’s Prospect Watch we’ll focus on Nabil Crismatt and his unbelievable start to the season. In three starts for Binghamton, Crismatt has thrown 16.1 IP, holding a pristine 1.10 ERA while striking out 21 and walking only three. The 23-year-old spent the entirety of 2017 with Single-A Port St. Lucie, striking out 142 batters over 145 innings with a respectable 3.95 ERA. Crismatt’s best offering is his changeup and it’s his only above-average pitch, leading to most of us to believe the high strikeout totals won’t continue in the majors. Still, the minor league strikeout numbers thus far are fantastic and give him a relatively high floor as a starter. Add to that command that’s comfortably plus and it’s easy to see him as a big league starter. Crismatt projects as a No. 4/5 starter just like the previously mentioned Flexen, but they are completely different and win in different ways. I prefer Crismatt due to the plus command and high strikeout totals though, and I’m looking forward to seeing if he can keep this pace up.

Hitter: 1B Peter Alonso

I wrote up Alonso in my Double-A scouting notes piece here so I won’t go too in-depth, but I’d be remiss to leave him off this list. Alonso’s undoubtedly been the best hitter in the system thus far, slashing .340/.414/.620 with three home runs already for Binghamton. The former Florida Gator has done nothing but rake since his 2016 New York Penn-League debut and is quickly challenging Dominic Smith’s place as the Mets first baseman of the future. I don’t think it’s crazy to prefer Alonso to Smith at this point, but don’t interpret that as a shot at Smith, who still deserves a chance. If Alonso keeps this pace up, it’s going to be hard for the Mets to justify keeping him down at Double-A, especially if Adrian Gonzalez starts slumping. Alonso profiles as a future regular at first, but it remains to be seen if he’s going to get the opportunity to prove it with the Mets.

Single-A: Port St. Lucie and Columbia

Pitcher: RHP Justin Dunn (Port St. Lucie)

The Mets’ first round pick in the 2016 draft struggled last year in his first taste of High-A Port St. Lucie, but he’s been nothing short of terrific in his second go around. Dunn’s started three games for Port St. Lucie thus far and owns a dominant 1.26 ERA with 19 strikeouts across his 14.1 innings. He struggled with command issues in 2017, walking 48 against only 75 strikeouts, but his 19 strikeouts more than make up for the six free passes he’s issued so far. Dunn is the owner of absolutely electric stuff, but it remains to be seen if he can hold it throughout a full season. Dunn was in the bullpen at Boston College, but a move to the rotation in his draft eligible season proved to be a good one, as he proved he could hold his stuff while starting. The 22-year-old is one of the best pitching prospects in the system, but he has a long way to go before he receives the call. The first step in that process is continuing to dominate at High-A, and Dunn looks to be back on the straight path toward the big leagues. Dunn projects as a No. 2/3 starter on stuff alone, but his inconsistent performance impact that, and he’s more likely a No. 3/4 starter with reliever risk.

Hitter: OF Desmond Lindsay

Lindsay was a second-round pick of the Mets in the 2015 draft due to his five-tool potential, but injuries and inconsistent performance have impacted his ascendance in the minors. Scouts see Lindsay and dream of an athletic center fielder with plus hit and plus power, but it’s fair to say he hasn’t come close to realizing his full potential. In an injury-riddled 2017 with Low-A Columbia, Lindsay hit a paltry .220/.327/.388 while only swiping four bases. The Mets chose to promote Lindsay to begin 2018, and the results have been more of the same, as he’s slashing .237/.356/.289 in 38 at-bats thus far. Lindsay’s unsurprisingly dealt with a minor injury already, and his complete lack of doubles and home runs are extremely concerning. At some point in the near future, Lindsay is going to need to turn the potential he possesses into results. That being said, he’s still a 21-year-old that flashes five-tool potential, and you simply don’t give up on prospects like that. Lindsay is going to get plenty of chances, and if he can stay healthy for a reasonable amount of time, he’s got a chance to put it all together and become a major leaguer.

Photo credit: Gregory Fisher – USA Today Sports