Earlier this year, the staff at Mets Minors comprised a list of the Top 50 prospects in the Mets farm system. With a number of players improving and regressing, and with the team adding new prospects via the draft, it is once again time to provide our midseason update on who are the best prospects in the Mets farm system.

No. 50 Bryce Hutchinson, RHP

Ht:  6’6″     Wt:  245 lb.     Level: Gulf Coast

B/T: R/R   Age: 10/21/98 (19)   Age Dif: -1.4

Acquired: 12th Round of the 2017 Draft from DeLand HS (DeLand, FL)

2018 Stats: 0-1, 2.08 ERA, 4 G/2 GS, 4.1 IP, 5 K, 2.077 WHIP, 8.3 BB/9, 10.4 K/9

Previous Rank: 40

Hutchinson is the type of prospect who should really excite Mets fans as he is from the same town as Jacob deGrom and he has been physically compared to Noah Syndergaard. Hutchinson has the ability to throw his fastball in the mid-90s with the potential to increase that velocity. In order to do so, he is going to have to improve his mechanics and better repeat his delivery.

No. 49 Cameron Planck, RHP

Ht:  6’4″     Wt:  218 lb.     Level: Gulf Coast

B/T: R/R  Age: 3/5/1998 (20)  Age Diff: -0.4

Acquired: 11th Round of the 2016 Draft from Rowan Count HS (Morehead, KY)

2018 Stats: 0-0, 54.00 ERA, G, 0.1 IP, K, 6.000 WHIP, 27.0 BB/9, 27.0 K/9

Previous Rank: 39

In 2016, the Mets gave Planck a well overslot $1.0 million signing bonus to convince him to forego school, and to protect that investment, Planck was shut down due the heavy workload he sustained his senior year of high school.  Unfortunately, injuries and surgeries did follow delaying his professional debut until this season. When healthy, Planck is a guy who was able to reach the mid-90s with his fastball.

N0. 48 David Thompson, 3B

Ht:  6’2″     Wt:  210 lb.     Level: Las Vegas & Brooklyn

B/T: R/R  Age: 8/28/93 (24)  Age Diff: -2.5 (Las Vegas)

Acquired: Fourth Round of the 2015 Draft from the University of Miami

2018 Stats: 25 G, 86 PA, 78 AB, 11 R, 6 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB/2 CS, .244/.314/.359

Previous Rank: 20

At the tail end of the 2017 season, Thompson had a power surge which helped propel Binghamton to the Eastern League playoffs.  Thompson maintained that power surge into the Arizona Fall League creating increased expectations for the 2018 season in the hitter’s paradise that’s the Pacific Coast League.  Unfortunately, Thompson suffered a fracture in his left hand and needed elbow surgery making this year a lost season for the third baseman.

No. 47 Anthony Dirocie, CF

Ht: 5’11”     Wt:  175 lb.     Level: Kingsport & Brooklyn

B/T: R/R  Age: 8/24/97 (21)  Age Diff: 0.0 (Brooklyn)

Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent from the Dominican Republic (10/16/13)

2018 Stats: 22 G, 90 PA, 73 AB, 13 R, 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 20 RBI, SB/4 CS, .384/.439/.658

Previous Rank: NR

Dirocie is an athletic and toolsy outfielder who has shown both power and speed.  So far, he has been brought along slowly by the Mets organization, but if he continues to flash his tools and hit for increased power at each stop, he is eventually going to force the organization to be more aggressive in how they promote him.

No. 46 Jaison Vilera, RHP

Ht: 6’0″     Wt:  183 lb.     Level: Brooklyn

B/T: R/R  Age: 6/19/97 (21)  Age Diff: 0.6

Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent from Venezuela (11/10/15)

2018 Stats: 3-1, 1.08 ERA, 6 G/6 GS, 33.1 IP, 43 K, 0.780 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 11.6 K/9

Previous Rank: NR

Since joining the Mets organization Vilera has been completely and utterly dominant as a starting pitcher with a career 1.60 ERA, 0.945 WHIP, and a 3.04 K/BB ratio. Vilera’s fastball tops out around 90 MPH, but he is still able to dominate due to good control and a good changeup.

No. 45 Trey Cobb, RHP

Ht: 6’1″     Wt:  190 lb.     Level: Columbia & St. Lucie

B/T: R/R  Age: 6/24/94 (24)  Age Diff: 0.9 (St. Lucie)

Acquired: Eighth Round of the 2016 Draft from Oklahoma State University

2018 Stats: 3-1, 2.76 ERA, 27 G, 10 SV, 28.1 IP, 33 K, 1.341 WHIP, 1.3 BB/9, 10.5 K/9

Previous Rank: NR

The South Atlantic League All-Star was a perfect 10-for-10 in save opportunities and was second in the league in saves leading to his promotion to St. Lucie.  Cobb has proven to be dominant due to a mixture of good control and a funky delivery which hides the ball well throwing from a 3/4 arm slot.  This makes his low to mid-90s fastball and average slider look all the better.

No. 44 Raul Beracierta, OF

Ht: 6’0″     Wt:  211 lb.     Level: Kingsport

B/T: R/R  Age: 3/24/99 (19)  Age Diff: -1.3

Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent from Venezuela (12/16/15)

2018 Stats: 19 G, 81 PA, 64 AB, 25 R, 5 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 6 SB, CS, .375/.506/.625

Previous Rank: NR

When signed by the Mets, he was viewed as raw but extremely athletic. While his tools may still be raw, albeit progressing quickly, Beracierta has shown to have an advanced approach to all aspects of his game.  This includes his not just having a 17.3 percent walk rate this season, but his walking five more times than he stuck out this year.

No. 43 Steve Villines, RHP

Ht: 6’2″     Wt:  175 lb.     Level: Columbia & St. Lucie

B/T: R/R  Age: 7/15/95 (23)  Age Diff: -1.1 (St. Lucie)

Acquired: 10th Round of the 2017 Draft from the University of Kansas

2018 Stats: 4-4, 3.83 ERA, 31 G, 7 SV, 44.2 IP, 67 K, 1.052 WHIP, 1.6 BB/9, 13.5 K/9

Previous Rank: NR

Since joining the Mets organization, Villines has utilized a high 80s fastball and sharp slider to become a strikeout machine, a strikeout machine who does not walk batters.  What is interesting about the side-armer is he continues to have better success against left-handed batters than he does right-handed batters.

No. 42 Edgardo Fermin, SS

Ht: 6’0″     Wt:  171 lb.     Level: Columbia

B/T: R/R  Age: 5/28/98 (20)  Age Diff: -1.3

Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent from Venezuela (7/2/14)

2018 Stats: 79 G, 345 PA, 314 AB, 39 R, 12 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 5 SB/6 CS, .217/.271/.350

Previous Rank: NR

Fermin is seen as a good defender who can handle both middle infield positions as well as the outfield. At the plate, he has shown an ability to make contact and at this age, he is someone who has gap-to-gap power. While these skills were prevalent at earlier stops, a still young for this level Fermin has by and large struggled in Columbia, which has been his first experience in full season minor league ball.

No. 41 Wagner Lagrange, OF

Ht: 5’11”     Wt:  187 lb.     Level: Brooklyn

B/T: R/R  Age: 9/6/95 (22)  Age Diff: 1.0

Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent from the Dominican Republic (3/5/15)

2018 Stats: 28 G, 118 PA, 103 AB, 14 R, 6 2B, 3B, 12 RBI, 2 SB, .291/.364/.369

Previous Rank: 36

Lagrange had a breakout year in Kingsport last season with him making notable improvements in all areas of his game, especially his power. This led to him finishing the 2017 season in Brooklyn where he continued to impress. So far this year, he has yet to replicate the power and some of the improvements he made in terms of his approach at the plate which led to some of his success. If he can rediscover that, the Mets have a future corner outfielder who has a cannon of an arm out there.