No. 19 Alexander Ramirez, OF
B/T: R/R Age: 17 (1/13/2003)
Height: 6’3” Weight: 175 lbs
Acquired: International Free Agent in 2019 (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
ETA: 2025 Previous Rank: N/A
2019 Stats: N/A
Alexander Ramirez received a $2.05 million bonus, the biggest bonus during the Mets 2019 IFA signing period, and the third highest bonus given in Met team history (Ronny Mauricio; Francisco Alvarez). Ramirez trained out of Villa Mella in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, at El Niche Baseball Academy (not to be confused with El Grupo Niche, the Colombian Salsa band).
Ranked number 19 on this list, it takes a special talent to receive such high marks without much public information about him, and without much video to analyze. Ramirez is just that.
Ramirez is already seen as a power/speed threat, as well as one of the more athletic players who were available this signing period. While Ramirez does have a projectable frame, the potential of adding more weight to his broad 6′ 3″ frame could lead to him losing some of that speed. That very speed will also be reliant on if Ramirez can continue to man center field in the long-term, though some believe that he has ability and instinct to maintain a respectable degree of fielding in center as he fills out.
Baseball America, for example, believes Ramirez can stick in center, while Fangraphs believes that he will eventually move to a corner position. Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com also writes that Ramirez “is a true center fielder and has the skill set to stay at the position as he grows and develops.” Possessing a solid arm currently, it’s projectable that his arm strength continues to improve as he continues to grow.
Check out Mets outfielder Alexander Ramirez going yard in a game.
He signed for $2.05 million and is one of the standouts of their 2019-20 class: https://t.co/UzCFU6dr23 pic.twitter.com/IObuGIq7dZ
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) December 6, 2019
Ramirez has excellent fluidity in his swing. All moving parts are well balanced, and he produces power equally throughout his lower and upper halves. Having a smaller leg kick in his swing does not deter from Ramirez’ ability to produce enough forward motion in his swing to be able to strike the ball with authority. His ability to control the bat allows him to hit the ball to all fields with power.
JDB Baseball has an excellent video that puts that very swing on display. However, despite having a solid launch position at the start of his swing, his bat path is a bit long, and there is some concern regarding what kind of hitter he will be. That is where his bat control and plate discipline is going to matter.
The Mets certainly believe they have a potential center fielder of the future in Ramirez, and feel he had something in his make that separated him from the rest of the pack. Ranked among the best IFA’s this period, he was ranked number 26 on MLB.com‘s top international prospect list pre-draft. The Mets clearly saw more in the profile, and saw to make him their major acquisition last July 2nd.
As Ramirez awaits his assignment either to the Dominican Summer League, or to the Gulf Coast League, as the Mets did with 2018 top IFA Francisco Alvarez, we will see the level of confidence the organization has in his game. Furthermore, it will give us a clearly image on how what his true ETA will be. Ramirez is one guy to stick around here at Mets Minors for updates throughout the year.
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