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Mets Sign Trio of 2013 MLB Draft Picks

By Former Writers

June 25, 2013 4 Comments

baseball-gloves-mets-springThe Mets have been busy coming to terms with three more of their selections from this month’s MLB Draft. According to Baseball America, the Mets announced that outfielder Champ Stuart has signed for $300,000 and will play for Kingsport, pitcher Ricky Knapp signed the dotted line for $130,000, while outfielder Patrick Biondi agreed to a $10,000 bonus and is headed to Brooklyn.

Stuart is ranked 199th in Baseball America’s Top-500, and the scouting report says speed is his best quality on the baseball field. He went to Brevard College in North Carolina. Despite their 16-32 record this season, the outfielder put together .300/.444/.479 line with 39 stolen bases in 42 tries. Here’s what the BA scouting report has to say about him:

Stuart has a short, strong frame at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds and offers surprising power. Speed is obviously his biggest calling card. He needs to work on his routes in center field, though he can get away with outrunning his mistakes. The biggest question is with the bat. He has a simple swing but a poor approach and gets beat by below-average stuff. He hits too many fly balls rather than putting the ball on the ground and getting down the line, and he doesn’t incorporate his lower half enough.

Knapp, a right-handed pitcher out of Florida Gulf Coast, was taken in the 8th round by New York in this year’s draft. Ranked 187th in BA’s top-500, and while his actual stuff may not be the most impressive, scouts like how he handles the mental aspect of pitching and controlling a game on the mound. He’s currently projected as a back-of-the-rotation starter if he’s able to put everything together. Here’s part of the scouting report on BA:

He’ll pitch anywhere from 85-91 mph, adding and subtracting and at times touching 93. Knapp throws cutters, truer sliders with depth, and curve balls for strikes while varying his arm slot and release point. His best pitch remains his change-up, which some scouts give plus grades.

Biondi was selected in the 9th round this year out of Michigan after going undrafted in 2012. He is 247th on BA’s top-500; his speed and defensive ability are the best parts of his game. Scouts have noticed him putting the ball on the ground more often to take advantage of his physical gifts. He won the batting title in the Cape Cod League last year with a .388 average, and has earned the reputation as a gamer. Prior to the draft, BA had this to say about Biondi:

A slightly slower version of Tony Campana, Biondi is a gamer who gets the most out of his tools. A club seeking a senior discount without compromising much in the way of tools could pluck him in the fifth round.

According to Kassidy Hill on twitter, John Magliozzi has agreed to terms with the Mets, pending a physical. the amount hasn’t been released.

 

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