For the purpose of our series of posts, we define the word fringe as any prospects, which we considered, that were absent from MMN’s own Top 40 Prospect lists. The purpose of the series is to identify prospects that are showing promise above what fans might expect and what their futures will hold within the Mets organization.
**************************************************
Cam Maron – C
DOB: 1/20/1991
Bats/Throws: Left/Right
2013 Total Stats: .235/.327/.295, 13 Doubles, 2 Triples, 29 RBI
2013 Review:
The 22-year-old Long Island native was drafted by the Mets in the 34 round of the 2009 draft and quickly made a name for himself in the organization. 2013 was Maron’s first year with High-A St. Lucie, and although he struggled a bit offensively, he still showed flashes of that real talent that he is known for. In 285 at-bats, Maron hit .235/.327/.295 with 67 hits, 13 doubles and 28 walks. His numbers were slightly down from his 2012 season, however this came with a jump in leagues, and considering his young age it shouldn’t raise much concern.
Prospect Outlook:
Maron has some real talent, and as a lefty-hitting catcher in the Mets farm system, he has some serious potential to advance. His bat has never been known as his strong suit, as it lacks some of the power that is expected out of most catchers, but his eye at the plate is what intrigues most scouts. He is an extremely smart batter, and that intelligence shows in his 11.7 BB%, and while his power may not be there just yet, he is still too young to factor out the possibility that he can work some pop into his swing. Maron is also known as having a strong athletic base and good fundamentals; only helping to develop his defensive abilities. The essentials are all there for Maron, he just needs to prove that he can adjust to the increasing pitcher abilities as he moves up the ranks. If he continues to work on his bat, there’s no reason why Maron won’t continue to work his way up the minor-league ladder.
2014 Prediction:
2014 is the year for Maron to show that he has, once again, improved his skills and is able to adjust to improved pitching. He has moved quickly through the ranks up until this point showing flashes of greatness along the way, however, he had some trouble with his bat in 2013. I suspect that he will, at the least, start in St. Lucie again this year. However, his many other advanced abilities lead me to believe that if he can bring his average up a bit and add some more power to his swing, the Mets will have no problem promoting him once again before the years end.
Prospects On The Fringe:
