While the likes of outfielders Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto took Flushing by storm in 2015, a number of young prospects at the same position made noise in the minor leagues. Here are the top five outfielders in the Mets system, as ranked by Mets Minors.

 

#5 Victor Cruzado

Ht: 5’11” Wt: 180 B/T: S/R Age: 6/30/1992 (23)

2015 Level: Hi-A St Lucie/Double-A Binghamton

Stats: 97 G, 392 PA, 324 AB, 20 2B, 7 3B, 3 HR, 36 RBI, 2 SB, 48/69 BB/K, .268/.358/.395

2016 will be Victor Cruzado’s sixth in the organization, and he’s made it up the ladder by hitting pretty well at every level. As a switch hitter, he has historically hit right handed pitching better, but hit .317 against southpaws at St. Lucie last season. Cruzado was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2010 and bounced around the diamond for a few seasons before settling in the outfield for good in 2013. He played exclusively in right field in 2015, and his arm suggests that is where he’ll stay. He doesn’t project as a guy with game changing speed, but he finished tied for second among Mets minor leaguers with seven triples last season. Cruzado will head to Binghamton in 2016, where he’ll form an outfield to keep tabs on with Champ Stuart.

 

#4 John Mora

Ht: 5’10”  Wt: 165 B/T: L/L Age: 5/31/1993 (22)

2015 Level: Low-A Savannah Sand Gnats

Stats: 115 G, 481 PA, 407 AB, 22 2B, 12 3B, 5 HR, 57 RBI, 14 SB, 57/70 BB/K, .278/.368/.428

John Mora may get a little funky when he steps into the batters box, but he means business. The 2011 international signee put his name on the map in 2013, when he was named the Sterling Award recipient for the Dominican Summer League Mets after hitting .310 with 46 RBI and 16 stolen bases, and was invited to take part in the ceremonies at Citi Field. Mora made his United States debut in 2014 with the GCL Mets, and hit well enough to earn at bats in front of much larger crowds in Brooklyn at the end of the season. His average dipped in 2015, but his power numbers jumped, setting career highs in doubles, triples, and home runs. The latter is the most impressive, considering he didn’t hit his first professional dinger until April of last season. He has plus speed to expand his game, and stolen bases are not uncommon. Expect to see Mora at the top of St. Lucie’s lineup in 2016.

#3 Desmond Lindsay

Ht: 6’0″  Wt: 200 B/T: R/R Age: 1/15/1997  (19)

2015 Level: Rookie GCL Mets/SS-A Brooklyn Cyclones

Stats: 35 G, 134 PA, 114 AB, 7 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 3 SB, 18/40 BB/K, .263/.364/.386

The Mets used their top draft pick on Lindsay a year ago, making him the fourth high school bat selected by Sandy Alderson with his highest selection. Coming out of school, Lindsay was a third baseman with a quick bat and speed to match. He moved to center field upon entering the organization, where his quickness allowed him to navigate the outfield. Although he hit over .300 in the Gulf Coast League, Lindsay struck out 35% of the time across two levels, didn’t show much power, but that should come as he progresses. Most scouts believe he has five-tool potential, and should at the very least develop into a well rounded threat at the top of the order.

#2 Wuilmer Becerra

Ht: 6’4″  Wt: 190 B/T: R/R Age: 10/1/1994 (21)

2015 Level: Low-A Savannah Sand Gnats

Stats: 118 G, 487 PA, 449 AB, 27 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 63 RBI, 16 SB, 33/96 BB/K, .290/.342/.423

Becerra has come a long way since being the throw-in in the R.A. Dickey trade (or now the Syndergaard trade?). There’s a lot to like in his game, including power potential, a strong right field arm, and speed that helped him more than double his career high in stolen bases in 2015. He mashed at Savannah a year ago, finishing seventh in runs batted in and fifth in doubles among Mets minor leaguers. For his efforts, the 21-year-old took home postseason all-star honors in the South Atlantic League. Becerra is tall and thin, but sometimes struggles to generate power from his legs, leading to long swings and a lot of strikeouts, the sixth most in the system last year. It will be interesting to see if they go conservative and let him begin 2016 in St. Lucie, or put him in a lineup full of prospects in Binghamton.

#1 Brandon Nimmo

Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 205 B/T: L/R Age: 3/27/1993 (22)

2015 Level: Triple-A Las Vegas 51s/Double-A Binghamton Mets

Stats: 104 G, 434 PA, 376 AB, 16 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 5 SB, 48/78 BB/K, .269/.362/.372

Even after a disappointing 2015 season statistically, Nimmo remains atop the list. He fought the injury bug for the first time in his professional career, missing time in May and June with a knee sprain. The Wyomingite got off to a solid start, with his batting average hovering around .300 until the injury. Nimmo was hitting .289/.351/.382 when he left Binghamton to participate in the MLB All-Star Futures Game in Cincinnati for the second time in his career (2013, New York).  He would spend two more weeks in Double-A, before being promoted to Las Vegas. Nimmo slumped in late August, which, combined with the major league club’s success, prevented him from appearing in the big leagues during the year that most thought would provide the 22-year-old with his first taste of major league action.

The fact that the Mets are bound to Curtis Granderson for two more seasons, Juan Lagares for four, Conforto for six, and Cespedes for potentially three, certainly doesn’t help Nimmo’s case for a starting job anytime soon, as had been expected. Coupled with his recent statistics, it seems more than likely that Nimmo will ultimately settle into a bench role, providing a solid left handed bat. A recent feature on the mother site compared Nimmo’s future role to that of Kirk Nieuwenhuis. To me, that seems likely. He’ll head to major league spring training this year with an eye on proving to the coaching staff that he deserves a look in the outfield once the big contract obligations come off the books.