Kevin Smith/Photo by David Barnes
Round Seven
The Mets have selected southpaw Kevin Smith out of Georgia Tech in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
Ht/Wt: 6’5”/200
B/T: R/L
Age:21
Smith led the Bulldogs with 76 strikeouts this season in 59 2/3 innings. The 6-foot-5, 233-pound left-hander has been sitting 88-to-92 mph with his fastball, although he got it up to 94 in the Cape Cod League. Smith has a very good sweeping slider that he can work to both sides of the plate, and his changeup is coming along. That stuff helps him eat up lefties.
“Now, Smith said he’s settled into his role as a key reliever and is a big part of why Georgia sits at 22-7 on the year.
“Our bullpen got transformed in that Citadel game 17 games ago and Kevin Smith is a huge reason why,” (Georgia Head Coach Scott) Stricklin said. “He accepted that role and he’s been huge for us during this stretch.”
Collegiate and Cape Cod League Stats.
MMN:
The Georgian reliever is the 200th overall player selected during this year’s draft. He’ll join Ryley Gilliam as the second reliever selected by the Mets in this year’s draft. The southpaw usually throws a 88-to-92 mph fastball, but he has touched 94 mph with it in the Cape Cod League. His offspeed pitches show promise, as evident by his high-spin rate and sharp movement.
Despite his middling college numbers, he has excelled in the Cape Cod League over the past two seasons, posting a 2.70 ERA and a 9.64 K/9. Smith will factor as a LOOGY if he can make the bigs. The Mets are poised to sign him to an underslot deal in order to save money for later in the draft.
Round Eight
The Mets have picked RHP Tylor Megill out of the University of Arizona in the eighth round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
Ht/Wt: 6’7”/230
B/T: R/R
Age:22
Like his older brother, Trevor, who is currently pitching in the Padres’ farm system, Tylor started his college career at Loyola Marymount. He stayed there for only one year and then had a one-year stint at Cypress (Calif.) JC before heading to Arizona for two seasons. Listed at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, Megill has a power arm and is a huge presence on the mound—two attributes that will help him get drafted in 2018. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and he repeats his delivery well. His hard, 82-85 mph slider is an average pitch at its best, but it’s inconsistent and often flattens out. He could go in the back half of the top 10 rounds as an affordable senior sign.
Tylor Megill is a 2014 RHP with a 6-7 215 lb. frame from seal beach , CA who attends Los Alamitos. XL frame, very tall, long lean athletic build, great pitcher’s build. Pitches from a high three quarters arm slot with medium length arm action. Loose arm action, low effort delivery, arm works well with good extension out front. Good downhill leverage, leverage combines with extension to give fastball late life. Good command to glove side, throws strikes on arm side as well, heavy tailing action on fastball. Hard spin rate on curveball which flashes hard sudden break, 11-5 shape and inconsistent but flashes plus at times. Big upside as he refines his delivery, high quality arm and two pitch mix at present with very high ceiling. Good student.
Mets 8th rounder Tylor Megill has a huge frame, 91-93, avg slider
— Eric Longenhagen (@longenhagen) June 5, 2018
MMN:
The large right-hander has the capacity to both start and relieve, but it’s likely he’ll continue to pitch in relief in the minor leagues. Currently, his fastball averages in the mid-90’s and has decent movement while his curveball has potential to be a plus pitch. He also throws a slider, although it doesn’t project to be anything more than average. The Mets definitely rolled the dice on his upside which they hope he’ll fulfill due to his large frame and consistent delivery.
