The rosters for the Eastern League All-Star game are going to be revealed later today, and it would be highway robbery if B-Mets outfielder Cesar Puello isn’t included. He’s among the league leaders in multiple offensive categories, posting a .338/.407/.616 line with 14 homers, 51 RBIs, 14 doubles, and 17 stolen bases.
Puello has been sidelined on a couple of separate occasions this month with minor injuries, but that hasn’t slowed his production when he does take the field. In 52 June at-bats, he’s hitting .481/.509/1.000 with seven homers and 20 RBIs. He’s virtually matched his power numbers from May (seven homers, 23 RBIs) in less than half the at-bats (114 ABs).
Despite what he’s done on the field, a team official told Adam Rubin of ESPN New York that a promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas wasn’t imminent for Puello. Why is that? This is the first season the outfielder has seemingly put everything together and is finally performing the way scouts had projected him to. So, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, I would assume the Mets executives are thinking.
Also, it would be tough to give Puello regular playing time with a crowded outfield for the 51s that already includes Mike Baxter, Jamie Hoffmann, Brian Bixler, and Eric Campbell. That doesn’t include the rehabbing Matt den Dekker, who is currently with St. Lucie, and will eventually make his way to Triple-A, as well.
Is Puello deserving of a promotion? If his numbers don’t say so, then I don’t know what else would. Despite that, I agree with the organization’s logic behind keeping him in Double-A for the time being. They’ve been waiting for him to use all of his tools at one time since he began his professional career in 2008. It wouldn’t make sense to promote him if there is a chance he wouldn’t get regular playing time.
Now, if you ask me, his development should be more important than getting playing time for players like Hoffmann and Bixler, but that’s besides the point. If Puello continues raking after the All-Star game like he has recently, I think the Mets should consider promoting him straight to the big leagues. New York has been taking it slow with promoting their prospects recently, but if Sandy Alderson isn’t able to get an outfield bat before the trade deadline next month and the outfield still isn’t performing, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with giving Puello a taste of the majors before the 2013 season is finished.
(photos courtesy of Gordon Donovan)
Its amazing how slow the mets front office is with SA and his staff when it comes to promoting hot prospects to the next level or to the mets! Tell me why Flores is sill at
AAA?I know they don’t have a place to play him but he’s ready so find a position to
play him! Move Murphy back to first and play Flores at 2nd base until Davis gets bought
back but in the mean time you could see what you have in Flores? Promote Leathersich
to the mets and lets see what he can do? All though Byrd is having a good year it means
nothing for the future and is taking a spot from a young player the mets could be looking
at like Kirk, Brown, or Puello in a platoon of some kind? Hopefully SA will trade Byrd by the deadline and maybe Murphy to open up a spot a couple of spots!
I agree with you, they move extremely slow in some instances. I’d like to see Flores at the big league level right now, whether it’s at second and you move Murphy to first, or keep hm at second and put Flores at first. We’ll see what happens over the next month with Byrd and the rest of the outfield/bullpen once the trade deadline passes. That seems to be the next benchmark before we find out who will be where, if anyone really moves.
Check again where Puello is on July 12 (2 days after the AA All-Star game). My suspicion is that he´ll move up then or soon after, if he continues going as he is.
He doesn’t deserve to get promoted to AAA. He deserves to get promoted to the majors after the All-Star break.