In addition to the the Mets having to sign free agents to complete their Major League roster, the team is also going to have to sign free agents to build their minor league system. Part of the process is determining which minor league free agents the team wants to re-sign. To that end, here is the list of the Mets minor league free agents:
IF/OF Josh Rodriguez
Age: 12/18/1984 (32)
Level: Las Vegas
Stats: 106 G, 381 PA, 352 AB, 40 R, 85 H, 12 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 2 SB, .241/.299/.395
RHP Cory Burns
Age: 10/9/1987 (30)
Level: Las Vegas & Binghamton
Stats: 2-2, 4.70, 46 G, 19 SV, 53.2 IP, 63 K, 1.491 WHIP, 4.0 BB/9, 10.6 K/9
RHP Craig Missigman
Age: 8/5/1993 (24)
Level: St. Lucie
Stats: 3-3, 5.13, 34 G, 1 GS, 0 SV, 52.2 IP, 62 K, 1.614 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9, 10.6 K/9
Age: 6/19/1993 (24)
Level: Columbia & GCL
Stats: 15 G, 58 PA, 55 AB, 4 R, 11 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .200/.241/.236
RHP Luis Mateo
Age: 4/7/1993 (24)
Level: Kingsport and GCL
Stats: 1-3, 6.10 IP ERA, SV, 20.2 IP, 1.55 WHIP, 23 K, 13 BB
Age: 4/12/1989 (28)
Level: Las Vegas
Stats: 70 G, 272 PA, 252 AB, 24 R, 68 H, 12 2B, 9 HR, 44 RBI, .270/.320/.425
Age: 2/1/1993 (24)
Level: Binghamton & Las Vegas
Stats: 0-4, 4.80 ERA, 50 G, 8 SV, 60.0 IP, 64 K, 1.383 WHIP, 4.2 BB/9, 9.6 K/9
Age: 1/16/1994 (23)
Level: St. Lucie
Stats: 3-4, 2.97 ERA, 32 G, 10 GS, SV, 78.2 IP, 78 K, 1.258 WHIP, 1.8 BB/9, 8.9 K/9
Age: 6/30/1992 (25)
Level: Las Vegas
Stats: 94 G, 340 PA, 301 AB, 34 R, 79 H, 12 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 23 RBI, 3 SB, 4 CS, .262/.347/.38
Age: 12/13/1988 (28)
Level: Las Vegas
Stats: 4-5, 8.18 ERA, 41 G, 2 GS, 58.1 IP, 51 K, 1.971 WHIP, 5.4 BB/9, 7.4 K/9
Age: 9/3/1992 (25)
Level: St. Lucie & Binghamton
Stats: 130 G, 509 PA, 460 AB, 51 R, 99 H, 26 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 40 RBI, 16 SB, 9 CS, .215/.267/.324
Age: 8/31/1994 (23)
Level: Kingsport
Stats: 3-1, 12.94 ERA, 12 G, 16.0 IP, 17 K, 2.875 WHIP, 10.7 BB/9, 9.6 K/9
Age: 1/17/1987 (30)
Level: Binghamton & Las Vegas
Stats: 83 G, 273 PA, 240 AB, 38 R, 60 H, 13 2B, 15 HR, 45 RBI, .250/.326/.492
Age: 10/26/1989 (28)
Level: Las Vegas
Stats: 4-13, 5.44 ERA, 26 G, 26 GS, 125.2 IP, 72 K, 1.687 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9, 5.2 K/9
Age: 4/20/1986 (31)
Level: Binghamton & Las Vegas
Stats: 7-8, 5.99 ERA, 25 G, 25 GS, CG, SHO, 139.2 IP, 92 K, 1.561 WHIP, 2.6 BB/9, 5.6 K/9
Age: 7/12/1982 (35)
Level: Gulf Coast, St. Lucie, Las Vegas
Stats: 0-0, 7.04 ERA, 9 G, 2 GS, SV, 7.2 IP, 9 K, 1.435 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9, 10.6 K/9
Age: 11/15/1988 (28)
Level: Las Vegas
Stats: 3-3, 4.41 ERA, 54 G, 63.1 IP, 52 K, 1.468 WHIP, 1.8 BB/9, 7.4 K/9
Age: 2/2/1988 (29)
Level: AAA
Stats: 117 G, 485 PA, 426 AB, 59 R, 126 H, 26 2B, 3B, 10 HR, 52 RBI, 2 SB, 3 CS, .296/.375/.432
Age: 1/1/1984 (33)
Level: AAA
Stats: 2-1, 2.48 ERA, 40 G, GS, 3 SV, 54.1 IP, 52 K, 1.086 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9, 8.6 K/9
Age: 8/26/1990 (27)
Level: Binghamton & Las Vegas
Stats: 79 G, 257 PA, 238 AB, 21 R, 55 H, 16 2B,m 4 HR, 33 RBI, 2 SB, 2 CS, .231/.272/.349
Age: 5/10/1994 (23)
Level: Kingsport & St. Lucie
Stats: 20 G, 77 PA, 74 AB, 6 R, 15 H, 5 2B, 3B, 13 RBI, .203/.234/.297
Age: 10/30/1982 (35)
Level: Las Vegas
Stats: 2-4, 4.50 ERA, 9 G, 8 GS, CG, 52.0 IP, 36 K, 1.385 WHIP, 1.8 BB/9, 8.5 K/9
Age: 10/1/1985 (32)
Level: Las Vegas
Stats: 4-8, 5.65 ERA, 14 G, 14 GS, 78.0 IP, 57 K, 1.500 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, 6.6 K/9
RHP Blake Beavan and INF Gustavo Nunez also became free agents.
In addition to the aforementioned players, Erik Goeddel, Travis Taijeron and Tyler Pill became free agents when the Mets outrighted both player off the 40 man roster. Overall, it will be interesting to see how many of the aforementioned players will be re-signed by the Mets, or how many minor league free agents in general are signed, because a talented group from Binghamton appears to be ready to take the next step to play in Triple-A Las Vegas this year to try to bring that team to the postseason like they just did with Binghamton this year.
Josh Rodriguez, Gustavo Nunez, Cory Burns – did they all sign two-year deals last year? Or are they. too, eligible for free agency?
Craig Missigman, Natanael Ramos. and the Luis A. Mateo should all also be eligible.
Yes, they are all free agents as well, as seen on Jacob’s list
I think we should bring back Missigman, Moscote, Cameron, and Rowen
They’re going to need to bring at least a few free agents back, or sign new ones to replace them. There is no legitimate AAA center fielder in the organization right now and CF in Vegas is cavernous. There’s also no one to play SS at AA and scrubs to round out 2B and the reserve roles.
Do you have an actual source you can cite, or are you just making an assumption that the previous article was correct? Sometimes these veteran indy free agents do, in fact sign two year deals, but that info is hard to come by. I was asking Mets Daddy because he does sometimes have sources or more inside info.
Canelon* Not Cameron
Bring them back for what [reason or purpose]? Canelon has been a solid performer and a good trooper. But the team is stocked with pitching at the ‘A’ and moving from A to AA. So he’s better off leaving and getting into another org where he might still have a chance to move up without being blocked (or surpassed) by other talent.
I don’t see any merit or value in any of the others you mentioned. (To the point where I thought the post was made in sarcasm).
I hope the Mets give Dale Burdick a shot at shortstop at AA. He has never been given consistent playing time, but demonstrated a click up in power last year. I don’t see any other answers unless they sign a free agent.
May see Jeff McNeil pushed back down. He needs playing time and has hit everywhere despite missing a lot of time with injuries. By July Gimenez should be there so really looking at the first half of the season.
Have a feeling they will push Champ Stuart or Matt Biondi to Vegas to fill Centerfield
Yeah, they might. i could see them pushing one as a bench player. But its just so hard to see either of them playing every day at that level with the way they’ve hit so far. My guess is that they’ll sign a veteran free agent as they often do.
2B in Binghamton is also wide open – I think Burdick might be better used there. He’s only played a few games at SS his entire career. It seems almost inevitable that they will need a free agent to man SS at AA again.
McNeil might very well get pushed down to AA, but I’d hate to see that.
He actually hit .296 after a slow start in his first four games.
I think its a jump to say Gimenez ‘should’ be in AA by July. Yes, I know he’s a stud prospect, but let’s keep in in perspective. He made a huge jump last year, already. His age, size, performance, and numbers last year don’t indicate or justify him moving two MORE levels in one season unless he has a monster break-out first-half – and we can’t just assume that he will.
St. Lucie is his next step, and he should stay there until he actually out-performs that level. If that happens to be in July, then so be it and great for him. But its not something to plan on or expect at this juncture.
Bringing back Cruzado makes sense
They need to bring back Travis Snider for RF/LF for Vegas. He has some speed, is decent on defense, has some power so I’d take a flier out on him along with Jayce Boyd playing LF and RF too. I would not bring up Biondi or Stuart as the are not ready for AAA baseball but I would bring up Kevin Taylor from AA and install him in CF. The guy hit in Bingo but needs more time in CF. You are right they should re-sign Cruzado because who doesn’t like a switch hitter who can play all 3 outfield positions although he is really a corner OF kinda guy. I’d re-sign Rodriguez because he has some pop and can play IF/OF. They need to keep McNeil as he plays IF/OF but has a long injury history. If he can stay healthy he has the tools to be a spare part on the MLB team.
Burdick did not hit a lick in the minors so they are not gonna re-sign him.
I agree wth your assessment of all the players you’ve mentioned. Not so sure about the plan, though.
Let’s start with the actual realities and build out from there: Boyd is not a free agent so there’s no flier to take and nothing to discuss – he will be back. And its fairly safe to assume that Taylor and Kaczmarski were probably going to be promoted anyway. But none of them plays CF.
With that said, the corners are well covered, so there’s not a lot of need for Snider (unless the Mets think he can be a depth piece to call up if there’s an injury to a major leaguer). Likewise there’s not much need for a JRod since the IF is crowded already and a few of the IFs (Reynolds, Evans, McNeil) will likely be getting playing time in the OF as well.
Thats why a Cruzado return makes such good sense.
Burdick is still three years away from free agency so there’s no need to re-sign him. He is club property. Its just a matter of where to put him and how to use him. And Buddy is correct in pointing out that Burdick did start to show some pretty good HR power last year in Lucie before being forced up the ladder. Those promotions at were due to injuries and he was force-fed into levels and situations for which he was not ready. He was only 21 this past season which makes him three, four, and six years younger than the league averages in the FSL, Eastern League, and PCL respectively.
Yes, he still has something to prove before he can be viewed as a real prospect. But he’s also got time to do that and he may have already started showing some of his potential.