On Friday, the Mets continued the trend they started on the first day of the draft by selecting eight more college players giving them 11 total through the first ten rounds of the 2016 MLB draft.

Day three of the draft is here with the coverage starting at 12:00 PM ET on MLB.com and I would expect to see the Mets take some high upside high school arms.

Here is the recap of yesterday’s action when the Mets took a third baseman, two shortstops, one outfielder, three right-handed pitchers and one lefty.

Day three of the MLB draft is often filled with high school projects that may be enticed with over slot bonuses to persuade them to forgo college for a shot at their dreams of playing in the major leagues.

 

The Mets have generally been aggressive in pursuing these players in recent years. Rafael Ramirez, Joel Huertas, Jake Simon, Sixto Torres were all high school players grabbed on day three in the last two drafts. We will see if the trend continues today.

The Mets first pick today will be in the 11th round and #340 overall.

Pick: Round 11, Pick 340 Overall  Name:  Cameron Planck     

School:  Rowan County High School (KY)      

Position: RHP   Bat/Throws: R/R

Height:  6’4  Weight: 218

Scouting Report: 

Baseball America #228

Planck is yet another big-bodied (6-foot-3, 225 pound) high school righthander with present physicality. The Louisville signee has shown plenty of velocity?he’s touched 95 mph and sat in the low-90s this spring?and his arm stroke is nice and clean. But his inconsistent delivery leads to control troubles, and his secondary stuff has been poor for much of the spring, although he will spin an average slider and then follow it up with three or four poor ones.

Pick: Round 12, Pick 370 Overall

Name:  Matthew Cleveland         

School: Windsor High School (CT)        

Position:  RHP    Bat/Throws: R/R     

Height: 6’5″  Weight: 200

Scouting Report: 

BA #256

Cleveland opened eyes pitching for the Northeast Yankees Area Code team as a rising senior. Prior to the Area Code Games, Cleveland pitched in an exhibition game against a team from the Futures Collegiate League, and his fastball reached 94 mph and sat comfortably in the low 90s. He stands at 6-foot-5 and has an easy delivery, though he has a long arm swing and can struggle to repeat his mechanics. Cleveland’s velocity backed up at times this spring, and he sat more in the upper 80s. His offspeed stuff needs lots of work; his curveball is far from average at present. Cleveland has limited exposure to high-level coaching and is a solid athlete. He is considered to be very signable, though he is committed to play at Florida Southwestern JC.

Mets roll the dice on Matt Cleveland. Good body and flashes of FB velo, but a long way to go with the breaking ball. Upside pick. #mlbdraft

— Hudson Belinsky (@hudsonbelinsky) June 11, 2016

#Mets get Matt Cleveland (CT) in 12th. Really good at @MetBallClassic. Athletic righty w/ upside. Raw, secondary needs work. #mlbdraft

— Nathan Rode (@NathanRode) June 11, 2016

Pick: Round 13, Pick 400 Overall

Name: Daniel Rizzie          

School: Xavier University, Senior      

Position: Catcher    Bat/Throws:      

Height:     Weight:

Scouting Report: 

Baseball Draft Report:

Xavier JR C Dan Rizzie is a pro-level defensive player with enough bat speed, patience, and pop to work himself into a really good backup catcher/workable starting catcher profile.

Baseball America Ohio State Draft Report

Dan Rizzie, c, Xavier – Rizzie shuts down running games thanks to a quick release and an accurate average arm. He’s an adequate receiver who is prone to lapses and he has average power with a below-average hit tool.

Statistics

Pick: Round 14, Pick 430 Overall

Name: Christian James          

School:  East Lake High School (FL)       

Position: RHP    Bat/Throws: R/R      

Height:  6’4″  Weight: 195

Scouting Report: 

East Lake seniors Christian James and Travis MacGregor were two of the best right-handed pitchers in the area this season. Both are likely mid-round picks in this week’s MLB amateur draft.

James was 9-2 with a save in 71 innings pitched. He had a 1.29 ERA and struck out 98. MacGregor was just as good. He pitched 54 innings, struck out 82 and had a 0.92 ERA.

Both pitchers drew plenty of attention from college and major league scouts this season. James is committed to St. Petersburg College. MacGregor is committed to Clemson.

After the high school season, both have had workouts with major league teams. James worked out for the Rangers, Rays and Mets. His workout with the Mets was in Puerto Rico.

“That was really fun,” James said. “It was a complete change of environment. I thought I did pretty well, but I don’t know. They said they would keep in touch.”

MacGregor has worked out for the Rangers, Blue Jays, Marlins, Yankees, Pirates, Astros and Mets.

“It’s been crazy,” he said. “This is a very new experience for me. But it’s been exciting.”

Armed with low-90s fastballs, James and MacGregor have plenty of potential.

“I really don’t care what round it is — if I don’t get the money I want then I’ll go to junior college and try again the next year,” James said.

Pick: Round 15, Pick 460 Overall

Name:  Jacob Zanon          

School:  Lewis Clark State College       

Position:  CF   Bat/Throws:  R/R

Height: 6’1″  Weight: 185

Scouting Report: 

 

Lewis-Clark CF. Plus runner, some athleticism. Swung the bat well this spring. Bat will dictate his ceiling. https://t.co/lpftb8fZx2

— Hudson Belinsky (@hudsonbelinsky) June 11, 2016

Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) topped Faulkner (Ala.) 12-11 in the NAIA championship game last night. Jacob Zanon Tourney MVP.

— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) June 4, 2016

Pick: Round 16, Pick 490 Overall

Name:   Trent Johnson        

School:  Santa Fe Community College         

Position: RHP   Bat/Throws:   R/R   

Height: 6’5″  Weight: 185

Scouting Report: 

 

Newest #Mets draft pick Trent Johnson started 15 games this season, going 8-2 throwing 98.1 IP with a 2.20 ERA and 89 Ks. #MLBDraft

— Andrew Harts (@AndrewHarts) June 11, 2016

Pick: Round 17, Pick 520 Overall

Name:  Jay Jabs          

School: Franklin Pierce University, JR        

Position:  3B   Bat/Throws:  L/R    

Height: 6’0″  Weight: 190 LBS

Scouting Report: 

BA:

8. Jay Jabs, 3b/of, Franklin Pierce (N.H.): A lefthander hitter with a plus arm, some power and speed (6.6 60-yard dash).

#Mets take Jay Jabs from Franklin Pierce in 17th round. Some contact skills and he can run. #mlbdraft

— Hudson Belinsky (@hudsonbelinsky) June 11, 2016

Pick: Round 18, Pick 550 Overall

Name:  Adam Atkins         

School: Louisiana Tech, Senior        

Position:  RHP   Bat/Throws: R/R     

Height:  6’3″    Weight: 210

Scouting Report: 

The News Star.com

Ostrander, who just joined Tech’s staff in December, called Atkins’ ability a “rare” blend of velocity and deception. Atkins has a fastball that can reach the upper 80s or low 90s and a slider to keep hitters off balance.

“He hides the ball well and it really gets on the hitters quicker. In my opinion, they don’t see it early and next thing you know it’s there,” Ostrander said. “All year he’s been able to pitch off his fastball and beat a lot of good hitters even when they know it’s coming. That’s what is so impressive.

“He barely pulls the ball out of the glove and he opens up his hips and rotation and the ball is out in front. I don’t think they get to pick it up early. He hides it well and that’s caused a lot of deception and make it even harder on the hitter.”

Pick: Round 19, Pick 580 Overall

Name: Gary Cornish          

School:  University Of San Diego       

Position: RHP    Bat/Throws:      

Height:   Weight:

Scouting Report: 

Baseball Draft Report.com

 Gary Cornish’s reputation for being a ground ball machine puts him on that very same list. His sinker, breaking ball, plus command, and track record of missing bats all up to a fine senior-sign candidate.

San Diego Tribune

Cornish, a 6-foot-3 right-hander from Scottsdale, Ariz., by way of Palomar College has a fastball that touches 92 mph. It helped him strike out 26 batters in 25 innings last season for the Toreros. But Cornish has a tendency to get pitches up, where they get battered, and he walks more than his share of hitters.

Pick: Round 20, Pick 610 Overall

Name: Carlos Cortes          

School: Lake Howell HS       

Position: 2B    Bat/Throws: L/R     

Height:  5’8″  Weight:

Scouting Report: 

MLB.com

Few, if any, scouts, question Cortes’ ability to hit. Figuring out where he can play in the field? Now that’s a different story. Cortes might be the best high school hitter in the state of Florida. He consistently barrels the ball up, doing so against top notch competition over the summer as well as during his senior season. He has surprising pop considering his 5-foot-8 frame. That frame is fairly thick, however, and Cortes doesn’t run particularly well. He may not have the range or the hands to stick at second base, the position he plays more often than not. He has seen time in the outfield and he’s also been giving catching a try to try and find a defensive home. It won’t help him as a professional, but the South Carolina commit can actually throw with both hands. Guys who can hit tend to do fairly well. Teams will have to get past Cortes’s size and lack of defensive profile to pull the trigger on a bat most feel will play at the next level.

BA

A broken finger limited Cortes early on the showcase circuit last summer, but he has still established a long track record of hitting. He has a knack for finding the barrel with his short, compact lefthanded swing. He has some power in his 5-foot-8, 195-pound frame, but he mostly produces hard line drives, which he sprays to all fields. While Cortes looks at home in the batter’s box, he has yet to find one in the field. He has played second base, the outfield and even tried catching during his high school career. He throws with both arms, playing in the dirt as a righthander, the outfield as a lefthander and occasionally switch-pitching. But with fringy arm in the infield, below-average speed and his short stature, it is hard to find a position where he truly profiles. If Cortes hits enough, a team will find a spot to play him. But he may have to go to South Carolina, where he is committed, to further prove himself.

Carlos Cortes (FL) can really hit. Just doesn't have a position. #Mets #mlbdraft

— Nathan Rode (@NathanRode) June 11, 2016