Baseball America announced their 3rd mock for the upcoming draft in June. Lets take a look at the two picks they project for us in the first round this time around.
As we get closer to the draft, it seems more likely that the Mets are going to go with some college bats. At #19, they have been projected to chose third baseman Will Craig.
Craig had a rough showing in the Cape Cod League, so using a wood bat could be a problem if we were to chose him. However, Craig has been pretty successful in the past two seasons at Wake Forest. He has good power and gets on base, as he had a .496 OBP last year. This year, Craig is hitting .417 in 40 games and has matched his HR total already with 13. He also has a solid .551 OBP. His slugging numbers are also very good as he has slugged .702 in 2015 and .826 so far this year. Craig was actually drafted once before. He was drafted in the 37th-round by the Royals out of high school.
Craig’s success can’t only be described by his stats above, but also by the fact that he has contended for the Atlantic Coast Conference triple crown. In 2015, he won league player of the year as a sophomore. He’s chasing the ACC triple crown again this year. Scouts have complimented his his hitting ability, but some have drawn concerns about his lack of athleticism, as his frame already has hime at 235 pounds. Craig makes consistent hard contact with a pretty right-handed swing that generates some really impressive bat speed. He would be a nice pick for the Mets due to his feel for the strike zone and ability to get on base.
At #31, Baseball America projects the Mets to pick up another college bat. This time it’s Buddy Reed, an outfielder out of Florida. Reed is a switch-hitter with a tall, athletic build. He has the potential to do a lot of things well on the baseball field. He’s a freak of an athlete as he was the leading scorer on his school’s soccer team and a standout hockey player. Reed has plus speed that works on both sides of the ball. He should be a true base stealing threat and can definitely stay in center field long-term. However, it’s his bat that needs the most work and why he should be available at #31.
He does tend to make contact from both sides of the plate, but his setup and approach are inconsistent. Reed has strength, which he’ll most likely grow into, but he lacks extension from the left side, and that should keep him from showing any power that way. With proper coaching, and changing Reed’s approach, he could definitely reach his offensive ceiling.
Final Thoughts:
I’m not a huge fan of this mock, but I wouldn’t mind these picks. Craig has all of the potential in the world, but he was said to have had a rough showing in the Cape Cod League, so I am a bit nervous to see how he transitions with a wood bat. Reed could be a solid pick, that’s only if he can work on his approach to make consistent hard contact. If he hits, he could be a very good center fielder for the Mets.
what do you do with a guy the size of Craig, other than move him to 1st base. He seems a better fit for an AL team. I do see the Mets picking a 3rd baseman early in this draft, as well as restocking some arms, as we are getting thin in that area on the farm.
I honestly think he can stay at 3B, but 1st is probably the only option too. I think they’re better off picking a HS bat if they want a 3rd baseman
I dont know if they have enough time for a HS bat to develop before there is a need. The Wright situation, im not sure how long it will last
Nick Senzel would’ve been perfect…. That’s no longer happening.
They had him going to the mets but he seems to be a top five pick now. What about josh Lowe
There are a few college bats I like, but 3B is slim after Senzel for college
Lowe is okay
Agree that I don’t like either projection. Not the next Prince Fielder at third or another Champ Stuart. Dig deeper and find those kids in smaller schools. Don’t like either one of these boys…
You hit the nail right on the head. Reed’s swing is really strange. I like Craig, but like I keep saying, his transition from metal to wood is worrying me most.
These are the 2 positions I would really like to see us fill with these 2 picks we usually go after pitchers but following our minor leagues at this point we are in good shape from all I keep seeing we have to start to try an replace some of our position players and 3rd and another corner outfielder should be a priority
it seems to me that we have a future 1st baseman almost ready for the bigs in Smith if he continues to hit the way he is he could be here last this year and maybe next year full time and there will always be a team ready to take a guy like Lucas who can hit 30 homers and play pretty good D
I don’t expect to see smith until 2018, maybe a late 2017 call up. They will probably ride Duda’s arb again next season. I am eager to have Smith at the mlb level, but there is no need to push him to fast, as eh is young and Duda is at least servicable.