MMN Top 100 Prospects: #76-80 Led By Jose Medina

Photo Credit: Allen Greene Photography

Ht. 6’3” Wt. 180 Level: Kingsport Mets (Rookie League)

B/T: R/R Age: 10/21/96 (20) Age Dif: -1.5

Last Year: Unranked

Acquired: Signed as an IFA in 2013 from the Dominican Republic

2016 Statistics: 63 G, 260 PA, 34 R, 33 RBI, 9 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 8 SB, 3 CS, 27/46 BB/K, .286/.358/.394

Profile: Jose Medina was signed by the Mets as a 16-year old from the Dominican Republic in 2013. Medina had very successful year in Kingsport in 2016, showing an advanced approach for a 19-year old. He played only right field during his time in Kingsport and that has been the primary position so far during his minor league career.

Medina has a lanky frame that if he grows into he could start showing more power. He has above average speed and a good arm that makes him a fit in right field.

2017 Outlook: Medina will likely start 2017 in the Brooklyn Cyclones’ outfield.

#77 OF Victor Cruzado

Ht. 6’0” Wt. 210 Level: Binghamton Mets (Double-A)

B/T: S/R Age: 6/30/92 (24) Age Dif: -0.3

Last Year: #39

Acquired: Signed as an IFA in 2010 from the Dominican Republic

2016 Statistics: 111 G, 420 PA, 41 R, 53 RBI, 13 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 51/83 BB/K, .261/.353/.374

Profile: Victor Cruzado has been slowly but steadily progressing through the Mets system since signing as an 18-year old in 2010. Cruzado has been remarkably consistent throughout his minor league career, never posting an OPS lower than .709, while also never having a huge, breakout season.

Also, he has always been right around the average age of each level at which he’s played, never being younger than average by more than .3 years. Cruzado spent all of 2016 in Binghamton, where he continued to have a good approach at the plate, while spending time at all three outfield positions.

At the plate, Cruzado has excellent plate discipline, posting a BB rate of at least 12% in every season he’s played. He makes plenty of contact as well, never striking out in more than 20% of his plate appearances. His power is below average, though, and he projects as a 10 HR hitter, at most. Cruzado is an average runner.

Defensively, Cruzado can play CF in a pinch, but at this point of his career, he’s better off in a corner, probably right field considering he does have a strong arm. Unfortunately, he doesn’t hit for enough power to be a viable starter in a corner, so his upside is limited to 4th/5th outfielder.

2017 Outlook: Depending on how the rosters work out, Cruzado will either repeat Binghamton or move up to Triple-A Las Vegas. This season will be his 7th in the organization, so, unless he does enough to be added to the 40-man roster by the end of the season, he will become a minor league free agent.

Photo Credit: Pat Sanchez/BrooklynBaseballBanter

#78 LHP Joel Huertas

Ht. 6’3” Wt. 215 Level: Kingsport Mets/Brooklyn Cyclones (Rookie League/Short Season-A)

B/T: S/L Age: 2/14/96 (21) Age Dif: -1.4

Last Year: #51

Acquired: Drafted in 16th round of 2014 Draft from Colegio Carmen Sol (Puerto Rico)

2016 Statistics: 12 G, 8 GS, 48.1 IP, 2-3 W-L, 6.70 ERA, 1.634 WHIP, 49/20 K/BB

Profile: Joel Huertas was drafted as a projectable lefty from Puerto Rico in the 2014 draft. He was very raw, but showed potential with his secondary pitches and had a chance to add velocity. So far in his professional career, the results have not been promising. Huertas has had an ERA north of 4.50 at each level he’s pitched and, while his strikeouts have been good, he’s walked too many batters.

Huertas primarily sits in the 88-90 range and tops out around 91-92. His secondary pitches are still developing and curve shows more potential than the change-up at this time.

Huertas’ big issue is his control. He’s walked 4.4 batters per 9 innings so far in his career, which is way to high for a starter. It is normal for a young lefty to have control issues and difficulty with mechanics, so I’m not going to rule him out as a starter, but I think it’s more likely that he settles into a bullpen role in the future.

2017 Outlook: It will be interesting to see what the Mets do with Huertas this season. They could have him repeat Brooklyn as a starter, which I think is the most likely outcome. However, there’s also a chance that they move him up to Columbia and attempt to convert him to a reliever.

#79 IF David Lozano

Ht. 5’11” Wt. 170 Level: DSL Mets

B/T: R/R Age: 5/11/98 (18) Age Dif: -0.2

Last Year: Unranked

Acquired: Signed as an IFA in 2015 from Columbia

2016 Statistics: 40 G, 125 PA, 19 R, 7 RBI, 3 2B, 3B, 9 SB, 4 CS, 15/9 BB/K, .283/.411/.333

Profile: David Lozano was signed during the 2015 international free agent signing period, along with Andres Gimenez and Gregory Guerrero. Although he didn’t get nearly as much attention as those two promising shortstops, Lozano put up a very solid season in the DSL. He didn’t show any power, but did have a good approach at the plate, walking more than he struck out. In the field, he split his time between second base and third base.

Lozano is a good athlete with quick hands and an arm that allows him to play an average third base. He has a contact approach at the plate and his speed gives him the potential to be a 10-15 steal guy.

2017 Outlook: Lozano will likely start next year with the GCL Mets.

#80 OF Anthony Dirocie

Ht. 6’0” Wt. 170 Level: GCL Mets (Rookie League)

B/T: R/R Age: 4/24/97 (19) Age Dif: -0.5

Last Year: Unranked

Acquired: Signed as an IFA in 2013 from the Dominican Republic

2016 Statistics: 44 G, 194 PA, 32 R, 18 RBI, 10 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 7 SB, 2 CS, 25/52 BB/K, .253/.363/.414

Profile: Anthony Dirocie is a toolsy player from the Dominican Republic. Dirocie had a very solid year in the GCL in 2016, showing good plate discipline and also intriguing extra base power, with 17 XBH in only 44 games.

Dirocie’s combination of plus speed, strong arm, and power potential make give him a high upside. As he fills out and gains muscle, many of the doubles and triples he hit could turn into home runs.

He’s capable of playing a good center field at the moment, using his speed to get to most balls hit his way. If he does add muscle and lose speed over the years, he may have to move to a corner.

His plate discipline is impressive for someone his age, walking about 13% of the time for his career. The one major concern with Dirocie is that he strikes out way too often. He’ll need to cut down on the swings and misses in order to reach his full potential.

2017 Outlook: Anthony Dirocie will be headed for either the Kingsport or Brooklyn outfield in 2017, where he will look to build upon the successful start to his career and cut down on his strikeouts. He’s a long way from Queens, but he’s definitely a guy to keep an eye on as he progresses through the system.