The experts at Fangraphs have compiled their list of the 2014 Top Ten Mets Prospects. Their comprehensive assessment of the players included a recap of the past performances, scouting reports and future predictions, giving a pretty well-rounded overview of, in their opinion, the best prospects in the Mets farm system.
Sitting atop this list is 21-year-old Noah Syndergaard, who was 9-4 with a 3.06 ERA between two teams (St. Lucie and Binghamton).
Fangraphs assessment read:
The Year in Review: The key to the late 2012 trade that sent former Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey to Toronto, Syndergaard’s timetable was accelerated in 2013 and his split the season between High-A and Double-A. In total, he struck out 133 batters in 117.2 innings and walked just 28. His increased fly-ball rate in 2013 caught up to him at the Double-A level when his home run rate jumped significantly from 0.42 to 1.33 HR/9.
The Scouting Report: Syndergaard’s most talked about attribute is his mid-to-upper-90s fastball but he also has above-average control for a 21-year-old with less than four years of professional experience. The right-hander pairs his heater with an above-average changeup that flashes plus potential and his breaking ball has improved enough to place a future average grade on it. Standing 6’6”, the Texas native needs to do a better job of leveraging his height to his advantage and pounding the lower half of the strike zone.
The Year Ahead: Because he’s so young, and didn’t turn 21 until the end of August, Syndergaard could head back to the Double-A level where he made 11 starts last season. He should reach Triple-A before the end of June and could be pitching in the Majors by the end of August.
The Career Outlook: The lack of a consistent breaking ball is holding back Syndergaard from being projected as a future No. 1 starter. Nonetheless, in his prime he could be a dominating No. 2 starter capable of providing a plethora of innings.
Over at MetsMinors, we have compiled our own prospect ranking, where we ranked Syndergaard third. You can find our list of the top 25 prospects here.