Photo Credit: Rick Nelson/MiLB.com
We have voted on our Top 5 prospects at each position in the Mets minor league system. The first position we’re going to cover is shortstop, one that is becoming a strength in the Mets system.
In recent years the Mets have drafted and signed players to strengthen their middle infield depth. Last year, the Mets signed two big international prospects in Andres Gimenez and Gregory Guerrero. The 2016 draft featured two college shortstops in the first five rounds, Colby Woodmansee in the fifth and Michael Paez in the fourth. Paez is seen as a second baseman, but he played short for the College World Series winners Coastal Carolina.
Other shortstops the Mets drafted in recent years are Gavin Cecchini (2012), Milton Ramos (2014)and Luis Guillorme (2013) and they shifted Matt Reynolds (2012) to short after he was a third baseman in college. The Mets also signed Luis Carpio, Yeffry De Aza and Kenny Hernandez as international free agents. We believe Carpio will end up at second base which is the reason he’s not on this list.
Their biggest international signing was Amed Rosario who is becoming a top prospect in all of baseball.
Ht: 5’9” Wt: 190 lb B/T: L/R Age: 9/27/94 (22)
2016 Level: St. Lucie Mets
Stats: 123 games, 441 AB, 47 runs, 116 hits, 16 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 46 RBI, 43 BB, 63 K, 4 SB (2 CS) .263/.332/.315
The defensive wizard played a full season with the St. Lucie Mets. He started the season as the St. Lucie second baseman and moved back to his best position of shortstop after Rosario was promoted to Double-A. After a great 2015 campaign where he hit .318 and was the South Atlantic League MVP, Guillorme struggled a bit in High-A as he hit just .263.
Guillorme, who is not known for his power at all, hit his first pro home run this season and collected his first career triples as he hit two in 2016. He also played for Spain in the WBC Qualifier and European Championship. I was able to watch him play a lot in the European Championship and was very impressed with his range and arm at short.
# 4 Gregory Guerrero
Ht: 6’1” Wt: 180 lb B/T: R/R Age: 1/20/99 (17)
2016 Level: DSL Mets1
Stats: 64 games, 247 AB, 32 runs, 61 hits, 10 doubles, 0 triples, 0 HR, 20 RBI, 28 BB, 51 K, 10 SB (2 CS) .247/.324/.287
The 17-year old shortstop made his pro debut in 2016. The nephew of former MLB star Vladimir Guerrero got a $1.5 mil signing bonus in 2015. Before the Mets signed him scouts raved about his baseball IQ and his arm. Although the scouts didn’t see Guerrero as a speedster he did steal ten bases.
We expect to see the raw talent of Guerrero stateside next season probably starting in the GCL. Guerrero also played 14 games at third base in his debut.
Ht: 6’0” Wt: 165 lb B/T: L/R Age: 9/4/98 (18)
2016 Level: DSL Mets1 & DSL Mets2
Stats: 62 games, 214 AB, 52 runs, 75 hits, 20 doubles, 4 triples, 3 HR, 38 RBI, 46 BB, 22 K, 13 SB (8 CS) .350/.469/.523
What a great debut season for the young shortstop. Gimenez was second in the DSL with his .350 batting average, third in slugging percantage, first in OBP and second in doubles in 2016.
In his first game, Gimenez welcomed himself with a grand slam.. The left handed hitting shortstop kept on going in the DSL as he reached base safely in his first 13 games. Overall in his 62 games, Gimenez collected 20 multi-hit games, one of them a four hit game.
The Mets received great early results on the $1.2 million bonus they gave Gimenez in 2015. My guess is the Kingsport Mets for Gimenez.
Ht: 6’2” Wt: 200 lb B/T: R/R Age: 12/22/93 (22)
2016 Level: Las Vegas 51s and New York Mets
Stats: 117 games, 446 AB, 71 runs, 145 hits, 27 doubles, 2 triples, 8 HR, 55 RBI, 48 BB, 55 K, 4 SB (1 CS) .325/.390/.448 with the 51s (2 for 6 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI in MLB)
Cecchini had a very solid season with the Las Vegas 51s as he was third in the PCL in batting behind teammates Brandon Nimmo and T.J. Rivera.
The bat was not the issue for Cecchini, as he made 33 errors at short in 2016. At the end of the year the Mets moved Cecchini to second for a couple of games and his future with the Mets might be at second instead of short. In five minor league seasons, Cecchini has sported a .944 fielding percentage which, makes a transition to second logical.
On the offensive side Cecchini shows a level swing and a ability to consistently make solid contact. Could we see a future short/second base combo of Rosario/Cecchini? Maybe that will be the case.
Cecchini could be in the race for the second base job next spring. I think he will start the season with the 51s to work on playing second base before giving him the every day job (if he is not traded).
#1 Amed Rosario
Ht: 6’2” Wt: 190 lb B/T: R/R Age: 11/20/95 (20)
2016 Level: St. Lucie Mets and Binghamton Mets
Stats: 120 games, 479 AB, 65 runs, 155 hits, 24 doubles, 13 triples, 5 HR, 71 RBI, 40 BB, 87 K, 19 SB (8 CS) .324/.374/.459
Rosario had a breakout offensive season in 2016. He started the season with the St. Lucie Mets playing 66 games in High-A before he got promoted to Double-A.
In Double-A, Rosario had the most success, hitting .341/.392/.481 with the Binghamton Mets and showed to be a great 3-4 combo in the line-up with Dominic Smith. Rosario posted career highs in all major categories in 2016.
Rosario was the youngest player in the Eastern league, but he did not let that bother him. On the defensive end Rosario, has the capability to be an above average defender with a good arm and solid range.
He’s not only the best shortstop prospect, but unquestionably the Mets best prospect. He is expected to be the Mets everyday shortstop somewhere in the near future.
Im curious to see what becomes of Guillorme in 2017. Will they even start him in Bingo or perhaps restart him at st Lucie and see if he improves his batting average.
I think he starts in St Lucie, only because I think Rosario starts in Binghamton
Three good shortstop prospects, four or five good reliever prospects.
I really want Rosario to start in Vegas, but I’m fine with him starting in Bingo so he can play in cold weather for once. I don’t want April of 2018 to come around and the Mets making to excuse for starting him in AAA is that he’s never played in cold weather.
SS is a really strong position in our system, which is good because they can be moved all over the place. I’d put Guillorme over Guerrero at this point, mostly because of scouting Guerrero’s stat line (in the limited videos out there of him, I do like the bat, but think he moves to 3rd eventually), mostly because I love Guillorme’s defense and really like the plate discipline.
With Carpio, I hope he can play SS in the future, but he may have to move to 2nd with his injury. Too bad he got hurt; I would’ve had him 3rd on this list had he repeated what he did in 2015. Hopefully he can bounce back and have a really good year next year.
I do think they get him close to a calendar year in Binghamton.
And selfishly I get to see him before he goes to Vegas
Shortstop has gone from a wasteland to possibly the Mets strongest position. I think Guillorme is definitely the safe prospect, as he most likely makes MLB to at least play defense. Guerrero certainly has a higher ceiling though.
As for Carpio, I had questions about him sticking at SS before the injury and the influx of talent at the position in the Mets minors.
I want him in Vegas too, and I think that’s where they’re going to put him.
If Rosario is the real deal for the next decade (Which I believe he is), maybe the other prospects can be chips to fill in the gaps. Only makes sense, but man I love the stats on Andres Gimenez! Crazy Dude!
Starting him in Triple-A to start the year for 3 weeks is a very good decision. You keep him for an extra year that way.
Hi Teddy hope all is well with you and yours. Do you think moving Cecchini could be moved to CF. Was this ever talked about with the team looking to upgrade the position.
Haha, no way. Cecchini doesn’t have the speed for Center Field, nor the arm.
It seems like Cecchini is the odd man out. Walker is resigned, Flores and Reyes can be backups, and Rivera will start in Vegas. Also, Checcini is a player that would most likely be a second baseman with no power and little speed. Those players leave little room for error.
Telling also was that he didn’t play a lick of second base coming up to the end of the minor league season and therefore wasn’t even tried there in September when Walker was already out for the year. Something was going on there.
Guerrero had a good season considering age and it being 1st year of pro ball. He was completly overshadowed by Giminez who put up amazing numbers. Ss when SA took over was barren now we may be the deepest team in the majors at that position. Also, if Carpio bounces back from injury he could be another stud. I love evans and think he will develop enough power to play 3rd. I think we will loose him in the Rule 5. It seems like every year through draft or international signings we add a couple of stud ss’s.