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.
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DOB: 2/2/1992
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
2013 Total Stats: 417 plate appearances, .203/.298/.345, 8 HR, 13 SB, 11.3 BB%, 27.8 K%
2013 Review
Sabol was drafted in the 17th round of the 2012 draft. He played every one of his games, all 105 starts, for the Savanna Sand Gnats this season batting .203/.298/.345 in 365 at bats. Although known for having some skills as a catcher, Sabol spent the entirety of his time playing outfield in Savannah. His power seemed to be there, as he hit 18 doubles, 5 triples, 8 home runs and 42 RBI’s. However, he struggled significantly against left-handed pitching, batting .143 (as opposed to .219 against RHP), and struck out way too much.
Prospect Outlook
Sabol has fought through his fair share of challenges to make it to where he is. He battled a few injuries throughout his college career and has had to make major adjustments to his swing. He’s shown stark signs of improvement and managed to put together two good years in the organization. His swing still has flaws that need to be worked on, but he is smart behind the plate and has significant raw power. Scouts predict that he just isn’t quick enough to be effective as a catcher. However, he does have a strong arm, which could make him useful in the field.
2014 Prediction
Although Sabol had a decent season this year, he really stopped performing towards the end of the season, hitting under .200 in the months of July, August and September. His progression really hinges on the extent of work he does, and the progress he makes with his swing. His power is truly enticing, but he needs to clean up his mechanics and utilize his intelligent eye and quick bat speed to produce much more consistently. He also needs to seriously work on his strikeout numbers, but that is something that should come with a more productive batting approach.