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MMN’s 2016 Top 80 Prospects #40-36 Catcher Mazeika Emerges

By Teddy Klein

February 10, 2016 5 Comments

TJ Rivera

 

Now we’re starting into the 30’s, led by Patrick Mazeika. Today I’ll be showing a few guys who have produced at a good level, as well as one to look forward to later in  Hernandez, a Venezuelan bonus baby.

We’re starting our descent into the top 30 soon, some guys you’ll agree with, some you won’t, either way, please stay along for the ride and watch out, we’ll be providing some great info for you, especially while you crave baseball the way we at Metsminors.net do. T-minus 3 weeks until we finally see some action.

 

(MLB.com)

40. SS/3B Kenny Hernandez

Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 175  Level: DSL Rookie  B/T: L/R  Age: 8/13/1998 (17)  Age Dif: -2.3

Acquired: Signed for $1,000,000 out of Venezuela in 2014

Statistics: 64 G, 276 PA, 245 AB, 48 H, 10 2B, 4 3B, 2 sB, 1 CS, 23 BB, 45 K, .196/.268/.269

Profile: Only one of 6 IFA (of the 16-23 age range) ever signed by the Mets for 7 figures, Kenny Hernandez has some potential. Touted as the “best swing in the class” in 2014, Hernandez was trained at the Carlos Guillen Academy before signing and figures to be an upwards of .280/15 hr player with a patient line drive approach. With some power, that may change at time, and he might be able to get to 20 home runs in a peak year, but might always be contact-first. In the Dominican Summer League he struggled early for a .121/.187/.169 in his first 33 games before moving from the DSL 2 team to the DSL 1 team. A switch flipped in the DSL 1 team, and his final 31 games he rebounded to hit .273/.350/.372. He will likely be a longer term project, but he is one bonus baby to keep your eyes on. He will likely be a full time 3rd baseman in the future, after splitting time there between Shortstop and 3rd base last season and will profile just fine there.

Level: One of the short season affiliates, Kingsport most likely.

Victor Cruzado39. RF Victor Cruzado

Ht: 5’11” Wt: 180 Level: A+ & AA B/T: S/R   Age: 6/30/1992 (23)  Age Dif: +.3 

Acquired:  Signed in 2010 out of the Dominican Republic

Statistics: 97 G, 392 PA, 339 AB, 91 H, 20 2B, 7 3B, 3 HR, 2 SB, 3 CS, 48 BB, 69 K, .268/.358/.395

Profile: An unheralded right fielder, Victor Cruzado has been under the radar for years, even as he hit .328/.421/.467 in Kingsport in 2013, earning him a spot in full-season the next year. He’s always performed, but he doesn’t really have too sexy of a profile. A right fielder, he has above average speed and an above average arm, and is great in the field. He has a patient approach as a switch hitter, with the ability to hit line drives all over the field, he can do well in many environments. Cruzado continued his steadiness in 2015 in St. Lucie and earned a promotion to Binghamton. He will likely turn out to be a 4th outfielder with middle-impact.

Level: He will get time at AA Binghamton

 

Dash Winningham38. 1B Dash Winningham

Ht: 6’2″  Wt: 230  Level: Kingsport Rookie  B/T: L/L  Age: 10/11/1995 (20)  Age Dif: -1.5

Acquired: 8th Round of the 2014 draft

Statistics: 66 G, 290 PA, 267 AB, 71 H, 19 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 15 BB, 63 K, .266/.310/.479

Profile: Drafted out of the 8th round in 2014, Dash Winningham has a ton of power, which is good, because he isn’t moving from 1st base. A slow runner, there is no chance he will go anywhere else, but he must work on his fielding there. While the power is there, there is some worry that his hitting mechanics and average bat speed might not have him produce a high batting average. That showed this year with a 22% K rate that might get worse as he moves up the levels. He doesn’t seem to be very patient so if he does not have the ability to produce higher batting averages, he might have to develop a better eye at the plate.

Level: Either Short-Season Brooklyn or Full-Season Columbia

 

T.J. Rivera337. INF T.J. Rivera

Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 190 Level: AA & AAA B/T: R/R  Age: 10/27/1988 (27)  Age Dif: +.6

Acquired: Undrafted Free Agent in 2011

Statistics: 110 G, 430 PA, 403 AB, 131 H, 27 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 19 BB, 47 K, .325/.364/.449

Profile: Infielders who hit like T.J. Rivera don’t come around very often. Since being signed by the Mets, Rivera has never batted under .289 in a single season, and has only inched through this system at a snail’s pace. At every level, he has played either middle infield or the hot corner and is capable of either 2nd base or 3rd base, or shortstop in a pinch. However, a knock on him has been that he has been much older than most players at each level, which skews his achievements, and he doesn’t have much power. A red flag was when he wasn’t taken in the 2015 Rule-5 Draft however, so there may be things we’re missing, unless there’s a reason or injury he was hiding. He has, however, been invited to Big league spring training, grab your tickets, we’ll be seeing what he is in action.

Level: Big League Spring training and then Triple-A Vegas.

 

(MILB.com)

36. C/1B Pat Mazeika

Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 220 Level: Rookie Kingsport B/T: L/R  Age: 10/14/1993 (22)  Age Dif: +.5

Acquired: Drafted in 8th round in 2015 out of Stetson University for 125k

Statistics: 62 G, 268 PA, 226 AB, 80 H, 27 2B, 5 HR, 24 BB, 26 K, .354/.451/.540

Profile: Drafted out of Jacob deGrom’s alma mater, catcher Patrick Mazeika knows how to get a bat on a ball. While he was old for the Appalachian league, Mazeika showed how well he hit by leading the league in doubles while being one point off the top in batting average. The player has a great left handed stroke that produces line drives to the gaps, and will not strike out. He also employs a patient approach that will walk and grind out at-bats. The main issue is that his frame is too big for catcher, and he doesn’t move very well behind there. His arm is strong enough to throw out quite a few, but he’s going to have to work hard to stay at catcher. If not, he’ll be a contact-first first baseman.

Level: Will definitely see a full season A-ball team, whether it’s Columbia or St. Lucie, we aren’t sure.

We’ll have another list for you faithful MMN Fans on Friday, starting with Reliever Jeff Walters. Stay tuned.

Click here to see Prospects 40-36

Click Here to see Prospects 50-46

Click here to see Prospects 60-51

Click here to see Prospects 70-61

Click here to see Prospects 80-71

Ted’s Prospect Extras

The 6 Teenage International Free Agent bonuses over 7 figures:

  1. 2012 SS Amed Rosario 1.75 m
  2. 2015 SS Gregory Guerrero 1.5m
  3. 2005 OF Fernando Martinez 1.4m
  4. 2015 SS Andres Gimenez 1.2m
  5. 2009 LHP Juan Urbina 1.2m
  6. 2014 3B Kenny Hernandez 1M

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