MiLB.com has amassed their list of the Mets minor league players who had the best 2017 campaigns. As noted in their piece, this list is not comprised on the weight of a prospect’s status within an organization, but rather based on how well they performed on the field.
Level: Las Vegas & MLB
MiLB Stats: .328/.375/.514, 17 2B, 3B, 9 HR, 45 RBI
MLB Stats: .260/.364/.400, 5 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, SB
Level: Las Vegas & MLB
MMN Rank: 2
MiLB Stats: .330/.386/.519, 34 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR, 76 RBI, SB, CS
MLB Stats: .198/.262/.395, 6 2B, 9 HR, 26 RBI
Level: Binghamton
MMN Rank: 13
Stats: .283/.376/.331, 20 2B, HR, 43 RBI, 4 SB, 3 CS
3B Jhoan Urena
Level: St. Lucie & Las Vegas
MMN Rank: 30
Stats: .277/.358/.440, 34 2B, 3 3B, 14 HR, 70 RBI, 18 SB, 3 CS
SS Amed Rosario
Level: Las Vegas & MLB
MMN Rank: 1
MiLB Stats: .328/.367/.466, 19 2B, 7 3B, 7 HR, 58 RBI, 19 SB, 6 CS
MLB Stats: .248/.271/.394, 4 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 7 SB, 3 CS
Level: Las Vegas & MLB
MiLB Stats: .272/.383/.525, 32 2B, 3 3B, 25 HR, 78 RBI, 2 SB, CS
MLB Stats: .173/.271/.269, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI
Level: Brooklyn & Kingsport
MMN Rank: 37
Stats: .330/.379/.460, 11 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 44 RBI, 3 SB, 3 CS
Level: Binghamton
Stats: .274/.370/.369, 18 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 52 RBI, 15 SB, 8 CS
DH Peter Alonso
Level: St. Lucie & Binghamton
MMN Rank: 9
Stats: .289/.359/.524, 27 2B, 3B, 18 HR, 63 RBI, 3 SB, 4 CS
RHP Corey Oswalt
Level: Binghamton
MMN Rank: 14
Stats: 12-5, 2.28 ERA, 1.176 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 8.0 K/9
LHP P.J. Conlon
Level: Binghamton
MMN Rank: 22
Stats: 8-9, 3.38 ERA, SV, 1.235 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9, 7.1 K/9
RP Adonis Uceta
Level: Columbia, St. Lucie, Binghamton
MMN Rank: 40
Stats: 6-0, 1.51 ERA, 14 SV, 0.905 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9, 10.1 K/9
Looking over the Mets minor league season, it is difficult to argue with this list. With that said, it is interesting to see how MiLB factored in defense when it came to different player’s spots on this list.
First, Alonso was not used primarily as a DH this season. However, MiLB likely considered him one as he posted a poor fielding percentage at first whereas Smith was noted as being a fine first baseman in Las Vegas. Putting Alonso at DH also allowed MiLB to honor two of the best seasons had by a Mets minor leaguer.
The other thing that was of interest was how defense was weighted. Arguably, Michael Paez had a better offensive season than Guillorme posting a 152 wRC+ in Columbia as opposed to Guillorme’s 103 for the season. However, with Paez falling off with St. Lucie (82 wRC+), and the outstanding defense of Guillorme, that was the correct decision.
Finally, there was the selection of Urena over other more defensively capable third baseman like David Thompson or Rigoberto Terrazas. While fielding percantage is not the end-all, be-all, Urena posted a poor .908 fielding percentage. This is a likely factor in the Mets listing him as an oufielder for the Instructional Leagues. Considering the .348/.413/.486 slash line Terrazas posted this past season with a better albeit not great 935 fielding percentage, you could say he should have received the nod over Urena at third base.
Is Thompson seen as the answer at 3B in 2019. Defense and arm are average and hitting seems legitimate.
I doubt it. Watching him while in Columbia the ongoing joke was his ability to get on base. This came from fans and players both. They use to say Thompson belonged in Softball because of his slapping approach which if you watch closely is true. Some playets and their family members could not believe the hits he got. Jealousy maybe, but they would even use the word Lucky. Hey Pete Rose would say it is TALENT. A HIT IS A HIT, OO BASE PERCENTAGE DOESN’T LIE.
My guess is that its probably too early to call him “the” answer, but he can certainly be in the mix. Thats why we have minor leagues.
But let’s also try and recognize that Columbia is an early stage of their development (especially for the college players), and they do grow and develop after they leave there. So what you observed in Columbia does not represent the final analysis of who they are or what they will become. The fact is that this HR output has increased without increasing his strike out rate. Defensively, his fielding pct has improved a lot, even while moving up to a faster paced game at the higher levels. Maybe he still has a way to go. But he is moving in the right direction, and he did not stumble in AA, the level that trips up a large percentage of prospects.
Sad, but true. Columbia is where they find out if they have It in them to play, play and play. But some players don’t get a chance to play as much as they want to. They get in a groove on the field and at the plate, then boom. Your not playing in the next game or they want you to try this position. Never getting the chance to sharpen your skills at the position you played for years and what you do best. Then you show your displeasure and pout. You get labeled as not being a coaches player. Then your SHIPPED OFF TO BALTIMORE for almost NOTHING. You have to remember these guys are so young, ofcourse they are not going to act mature. Besides perfecting their skills, teach them to be YOUNG MEN and DON’T BURN OUT THEIR ARMS SO SOON. These BABIES getting surgery when most of then DON’T EVEN SHAVE. WHAT IS THE HURRY. !
OK. I see you have a lot of axes to grind with the club. But Milton Ramos should not be one of them. He was given all year to start at his preferred position in 2016, but his .546 OPS with no power and no on-base acumen do not warrant a hold on a starter’s role. To make matters worse, he showed zero, I mean absolutely ZERO improvement in 2017. He played his way out of relevance. International bonus slot money is not nothing, its a relevant asset. I’m surprised the Mets got anything at all for him, and Ramos is very, very fortunate that anybody wanted him.
Yeah, they’re still young and still developing. But this is minor league, PROFESSIONAL baseball, not junior high school. I’m not sure what you do or did for a living. But if a 22 year old who worked with or under you did a poor job, I doubt you’d have the same sympathy for him as you do for these “kids”.
I guess I got too emotionally involved with some of the players And yes I am not to happy with The Fireflies, Themselves. I felt being a season ticket holder we would be treated better. Believe you me I was even thinking about not renewing my seats for this upcoming season. To tell you the truth, I am not the only one. Seems Augusta has more perks and with a nrw ballpark I mighr EVEN JUMP SHIP.