Connor Jones

With the NFL Draft being done, the next draft we can focus on is the MLB Draft, which is getting closer day after day. Yesterday, Jonathan Mayo and the folks at MLB Pipeline announced the Top 100 prospects for this years draft. Lets take a look at some names that are on this list that we may not have mentioned just yet.

#15 Connor Jones, RHP, Virginia- Connor has been brilliant so far this season. He is 8-1 with 2.08 ERA in 10 GS. While his ERA has been decent over the past two seasons, he does really know how to pitch. He has stepped in for an injured Nathan Kirby, who was expected to be on the rise, and has not disappointed. He throws a heavy fastball up to 93-94 mph, sitting in the 90-92 range, but it seems to sink more. He has two solid breaking balls (slider and curve) and a change up that has good movement. He converted to a starter in 2014 and struck out 103 batters. So far this season, he has walked 25 and struck out 50. He wouldn’t be an exciting pick, but he has been solid throughout his college career and could only add to the Mets’ depth.

#20 Zack Collins, C, Miami- Collins was actually a Top 100 prospect coming out of high school. He was previously drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 27th round in 2013, but ultimately chose to go to college. That paid off, as Collins has gotten better each year offensively. In his first year at Miami, Collins had a solid slash line of .298/.427/.556 with 11 homers and 54 RBI. Last season, Collins raised his average up a few points by hitting .302 with 15 HR and 70 RBI. He gets on base a lot as he walked 42 times in 2014 and 57 times in 2015. However, his strikeout numbers were a bit alarming last season as he struck out 64 times compared to 47 in 2014. This season, he has hit .425 with 9 HR and 42 RBI in 38 games. His walks are way up and his strikeouts are down as he has walked 48 times and struck out 24 times. Collins could be a solid pick as the Mets look to build their catching depth, which has become a bit slim over the past couple of seasons.

He seems to be an offensive-minded backstop, one who could really hit. His position, however, is uncertain right now. He has improved defensively, but scouts say he may not stick behind the plate for long. He has improved his throwing, though he still has a fringe average arm and he doesn’t move that well behind the plate. Teams that think he can catch could see him in the first round, but his bat, to me, profiles better at first base.

(AP Photo/Wade Payne)

#23 Cal Quantrill, RHP, Stanford- Unfortunately, Cal underwent Tommy John surgery and has missed most of 2015 and 2016, so far. The Mets have had success with post- Tommy John pitchers like Steven Matz and Jacob deGrom, so this could be an interesting pick for the Mets. Before he went down, he was nothing short of successful. In 2014, Quantrill pitched in 18 G (17 GS) and had two CG, one shutout, and went 7-5 with a 2.68 ERA. He walked 34 batters, struck out 98 and had a WHIP of 1.12. Thus far, he has only given up two home runs in his college career, which is very impressive.

As for his stuff, Quantrill will throw his fastball in the low-to-mid 90s. He has very good control of his fastball. He has a curveball, slider and his changeup has very good fade and sink. He has an outstanding feel for pitching and a plus mound presence, which I absolutely love in a young pitcher. If the Mets aren’t looking to get a bat, and he falls to them at #31, this is the pick I make. Like Senzel, I am in love with the potential.

Finally, lets take a look at a projected 2nd rounder and that would be #98 on the list by MLB Pipeline in Puerto Rican shortstop Luis Curbelo. Curbelo currently attends Cocoa HS in Florida.

Curbelo performed well at the Perfect Game National and the East Coast Pro Showcase.  Over the summer, he displayed excellent bat speed and offensive upside. He’s been inconsistent this spring, and has started off particularly slow. Eventually, it does seem that Curbelo could tap into his power potential. That could be important because unlike another shortstop out of the Puerto Rican Academy in Carlos Correa, most believe Curbelo won’t be able to stay at shortstop.

A move to third base could be in order, where his defensive actions could make him an above-average defender at the hot corner. The Mets could see Curbelo at shortstop to see what happens, but will want the bat to profile there. I think this could be an interesting pick. It also helps that he’s wearing a Mets jersey in his Twitter profile picture.

(Top picture is from interview Jones did with TheSabre.com)