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How the Mets 2017 Draft Picks Fared

By Corne Hogeveen

September 16, 2017 11 Comments

(Jacob Resnick/Mets Minors)

With the season coming to a conclusion let’s take a look at how the 2017 Mets draft picks fared in their pro debuts.

The Mets signed 32 out of their 40 draft picks. The highest draft pick that didn’t sign was 14th rounder Matt Duce. The 32 draft picks signed was five more than the 2016 draft class.

LHP David Peterson, 1st Round (20th overall) – Peterson had just a couple of outings for the Brooklyn Cyclones after pitching a lot in the college season. A foot issue limited the big lefty to just 3.2 innings, in which he allowed one run on four hits (2.45 ERA) with one walk and six strikeouts.

SS Mark Vientos, 2nd Round (59th overall) – Vientos was committed to the University of Miami, but the Mets where able to sign the 17-year-old infielder. Vientos fared very well in his first pro action as he split his season between the GCL Mets and Kingsport Mets. Combined he hit .262/.319/.398 with four homers and 26 runs batted in. He ended his season in Kingsport where he played four games, batting .294/.333/.412.

OF Quinn Brodey 3rd Round (97th overall) – The lefty hitting outfielder played most of his 2017 pro season in Brooklyn, he was later promoted to the Columbia Fireflies, homering in his first at bat as a Firefly. Overall Brodey hit .253/.302/.355 with three homers and 37 runs batted in. Brodey’s performance was unlike most recent draftees, as he started off slow but came around with the bat as the season went on, leading to his promotion.

RHP Tony Dibrell 4th Round (127th overall) – Dibrell pitched out of the Cyclones bullpen after he signed. Dibrell struggled pitching to a 5.03 ERA in 19.2 innings. Dibrell allowed 19 hits and 8 walks in that span (1.37 WHIP) while striking out 28 (12.8 per nine).

1B Matt Winaker 5th Round (157th overall) – The first baseman showed he is capable of getting on base as he had a .402 on base percentage. Although, his OBP was high, Winaker didn’t show any power in 21 games with the Cyclones. His overall state line was .268/.402/.282 with one lone extra basehit (double). Winaker did walk (15) more than he struck out (11). He was limited to just 21 games after suffering a shoulder injury on July 19.

RHP Marcel Renteria 6th Round (187th overall) – The 22-year-old reliever had a hard time in Brooklyn after he signed. Renteria pitched to a 9.53 ERA with a 1.94 WHIP over his first 11.1 pro innings. Renteria did strikeout 17 (13.5 per nine) over that span. His fastball sat at 93-95 mph in his debut season, with a 84-85 changeup and 79-80 curve.

RHP Conner O’Neil 7th Round (217th overall) – Like Rentaria, O’Neil also pitched out of the Cyclones bullpen. O’Neil fared much better as he pitched to a 3.28 ERA in 24.2 innings pitched. O’Neil, just like Renteria and Dibrell, struck out more than one per inning (10.2). His fastball sat in the high 80s, occasionally touching 90-91.

RHP Trey Cobb 8th Round (247th overall) – Trey Cobb is the fourth Cyclones reliever in the first eight picks. Cobb fared better than the other three, pitching to a 2.63 ERA in 27.1 innings. He allowed just 21 hits while striking out 30. Cobb showed a strong fastball/slider combo, with the hard stuff topping out at 95 mph, and the breaking pitch sitting at 84-86.

RHP Cannon Chadwick 9th Round (277th overall) – Yet another bullpen arm who pitched for the Cyclones after he signed. Chadwick was one of the most succesfull bullpen arms in the Cyclones bullpen. Chadwick pitched to a minuscul 1.33 ERA in 27 innings. Although Chadwick didn’t allow many earned runs, he did allow 14 walks. On the other hand he did have 13.3 strikeouts per nine.

Photo Credit – Allen Greene Photography

RHP Stephen Villines 10th Round (307th overall) – Villines was the fifth straight draft pick that pitched out of the pen. The sidearm right-hander was outstanding in 27.1 innings between the Kingsport Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones. Villines pitched to a 1.65 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. What was most impressive is the control from the sidearmer as he walked just one in 27.1 innings while rapping up 41 strikeouts. It will be interesting to see what his ceiling ultimately is, given that his fastball comes in at 85-86 mph.

OF Jack Schneider 11th Round (337th overall) – Went 0-3 with a HBP and a run scored for the GCL Mets.

RHP Bryce Hutchinson 12th Round (367th overall) – Allowed seven runs (four earned) in 7.2 innings pitched. Walked and struck out six in those 7.2 innings pitched. Hutchinson pitched to a 1.69 WHIP as he struggled with his control.

RHP Nate Peden 13th Round (397th overall) – The 18-year-old struggled in the GCL as he allowed 19 hits in 11.1 innings pitched. With him getting hit hard he also walked five in limited innings, pitching to a 2.11 WHIP.

SS Dylan Snypes 15th Round (457th overall) – The 21-year-old shortstop struggled both at the plate and in the field for the Cyclones. Snypes hit just .180/.301/.221 while having a .920 fielding percentage at short. Snypes was overmatched at the plate striking out 49 times in 36 games. He was limited to the DH role for most of the season, as he was plagued by a sore shoulder all year.

OF Raphael Gladu 16th Round (487th overall) – The Canadian born outfielder had a decent season for the Kingsport Mets. Gladu hit .269/.342/.369. Gladu hit two home runs and drove in 14.

3B Carl Stajduhar 18th Round (547th overall) – Stajduhar struggled in Brooklyn hitting just .137/.225/.226 in 52 games for the Cyclones. Stajduhar did hit three homeruns and six doubles as nine of his 23 hits were for extra bases. Stajduhar struck out 76 times in 168 at bats.

RHP Yadiel Flores 20th Round (607th overall) – Flores struggled with the GCL Mets, pitching to a 5.19 ERA. Flores allowed 12 hits and seven walks (plus four hit batsmen) in just 8.2 innings. Flores pitched to a 2.19 WHIP and walked more than he struck out.

LHP Aaron Ford 21st Round (637th overall) – Just the second lefty pitcher the Mets drafted in the first 21 rounds. Ford was outstanding in the  Kingsport Mets bullpen, before struggling in four games with Columbia. Ford pitched to a 1.17 ERA in 15.1 innings for Kingsport. He allowed just eight hits and four walks while striking out 24. After a dominant start to his pro career, Ford was promoted to the Columbia Fireflies. He allowed eight earned in just 5.2 innings pitched. Main issue was that Ford allowed three home runs. Ford did keep striking out batters as he struck out nine against three walks.

RHP Joshua Payne 22th Round (667th overall) – Payne was solid out of the Kingsport bullpen. He pitched to a 3.31 ERA in 16.1 innings. Like Ford, Payne also struck out a lot of batters. Payne struck out 25 while walking just four and pitching to a 0.85 WHIP.

LHP Jose Sierra 23th Round (697th overall) – Sierra tested positive on Stanozolol and was suspended for 56 games. Before the suspension, Sierra didn’t allow a run 11.1 innings for the GCL Mets. Sierra was wild walking 12 while striking out 10. He also threw five wild pitches. He had a 0.00 ERA with a 1.79 WHIP which is hard to do.

RHP Joe Cavallaro 24th Round (727th overall) – Cavallaro went back and forth between starter and reliever for the Kingsport Mets, pitching a total of 34.2 successful innings. Cavallaro made five starts and six relief appearances, pitching to a 3-1 record with a 2.34 ERA. The righty had a 0.95 WHIP, walking 10 while striking out 35. Cavallaro had a lot more success as a starter than a reliever. As a starter he pitched to a 1.09 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. As a reliever he had a 5.40 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP. If Cavallaro had pitched enough innings he would lead the Appalachian League in ERA.

1B Gavin Garay 26th Round (787th overall) – Born in LaGrangeville in NY, Garay started his pro career with the Kingsport Mets. Garay was drafted as a shortstop, but played exclusively first base for Kingsport. Garay hit .249/.308/.354 with three homers and 13 runs batted in. His three home runs came in an eight game span in August.

RHP Billy Oxford 27th Round (817th overall) – Oxford pitched to a 3.75 ERA in 24 innings for the Kingsport Mets. He allowed 21 hits and eight walks, while striking out 29.

Photo Credit – Allen Greene Photography

1B Jeremy Vasquez 28th Round (847th overall) – Vasquez started out very strong with the Kingsport Mets hitting .296/.394/.511 in 36 games. Vasquez hit seven homers and drove in 30. After a strong showing in Kingsport, Vasquez was promoted to Brooklyn. In Brooklyn he hit .225/.333/.324 while showing a lot less power in 31 games for Brooklyn. Overall, Vasquez hit .266/.368/.430 in his first 67 pro games. He hit eight home runs and drove in 38 total.

RHP Liam McCall 29th Round (877th overall) – It was a bad pro start for the 18-year-old McCall. McCall had a 0-3 record with a 7.88 ERA in eight innings. In those eight innings, McCall allowed ten runs (seven earned), ten hits, eleven walks and two home runs.

RHP Ryan Selmer 31st Round (937th overall) – Another Kingsport reliever who did well in his first pro action. Although Selmer is 23 (2.3 years older than average in Appalachian League), he did very well. In 21 innings he pitched to a 2.14 ERA. Selmer did walk eleven batters and hit three batters showing control issues.

RHP Mac Lozer 33th Round (997th overall) – Lozer pitched 23 innings for the Kingsport Mets allowing 29 hits and nine walks, while striking out 20. Lozer pitched to a 2-1 record with a 4.30 ERA. Opponents hit .306 against the 22-year-old.

RHP Kyle Wilson 35th Round (1057th overall) – The 20-year-old Wilson was outstanding for the GCL Mets. In 18 innings, Wilson pitched to a 1.50 ERA allowing 13 hits and seven walks, while striking out 19.

C Robby Kidwell 36th Round (1087th overall) – Just the second catcher the Mets drafted and the only catcher the Mets signed after 14th rounder Matt Duce didn’t sign. Kidwell didn’t do well as he hit just .172/.232/.188 with one extra base hit (a double) in 21 games.

LHP Joshua Walker 37th Round (1117th overall) – The 22-year-old pitched to a 9.42 ERA and 1.88 WHIP in 14.1 innings pitched. Walker allowed 18 runs (15 earned) in an unsuccessful start to his pro career in the GCL.

RHP Noah Nunez 39th Round (1177th overall) – The 18-year-old Nunez pitched to a 7.15 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in the GCL. In 11.1 innings he allowed three homers and eleven runs (nine earned) total. He did walk just two batters which is promising for a young pitcher.

RHP Ronnie Taylor 40th Round (1207th overall) – With the last pick the Mets had in 2017, the Mets picked 18-year-old Ronnie Taylor. Taylor struggled in limited time pitching just five innings. Taylor allowed five hits, eight runs and seven walks in that span.

 

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