The Mets minor league system entered 2016 in the middle of the pack in terms of farm rankings, however, several prospects had standout years for their respected affiliates, adding even more hype around several of their top talents.

Ranking the top five offensive performers in the Mets’ system was a challenging one, as there were several candidates that wavered around the number four and five spots of this ranking. However, after careful analysis, here are the Mets’ top five offensive performances for 2016:

Number 1 – Shortstop Amed Rosario

Amed Rosario had a breakout season in 2016, beginning the year in St. Lucie before being promoted to Double A Binghamton on June 23. Rosario, 20, was the youngest player in the Eastern League this year, one in which the average age for a position player was 24.4.

Rosario opened the season in the Florida State League, compiling a line of .309/.359/.442 with three homers, 40 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and 27 runs scored in 66 games. An impressive stat line for sure, until you see how he improved in all levels upon his promotion to Binghamton. In 54 games played with the B-Mets, Rosario hit .341/.392/.481 with 31 RBI, six stolen bases, and 38 runs scored.

All told, Rosario played in 120 games in 2016, with a .324/.374/.459 line. He hit five homers, knocked in 71, scored 65 runs and went 19-for-27 in stolen base opportunities.

In terms of advanced stats, Rosario registered his best and second best wRC+ of his career, posting a 132 wRC+ with St. Lucie, followed by an even better 142 with Binghamton. His weighted on-base average was also the highest of his career, putting up a .368 wOBA with St. Luice and a .389 wOBA with Binghamton. Rosario also posted the highest BB% of his career, with a 7.2% in St. Lucie, followed by 8% with Binghamton.

While this article is about top offensive talent, I would be remiss not to mention Rosario’s defense at short this year, being named the best defensive shortstop in the Eastern League.

Among the other accolades Rosario garnered this year: being named Baseball America’s Top Florida State League Prospect, being named to the World Team for the 2016 Futures Game, and being recognized as the Mets’ offensive prospect of the year by MLB Pipeline.

Rosario is the consensus top talent in the Mets’ system, and should be on every fan’s radar. His ETA could be mid-season of 2017, with eyes towards earning the starting job in 2018, once Asdrubal Cabrera is off the books. If the Mets feel Rosario needs a bit more seasoning, they can retain Cabrera for 2018 by picking up his $8.5 million option.

Number 2 – First Baseman Dominic Smith

Dominic Smith took huge strides in 2016, where he was the second youngest player in the Eastern League behind teammate Rosario. Smith, 21, batted cleanup all season for the B-Mets, slashing .302/.367/.457 with 14 homers (career high), 91 RBI (career high), 64 runs scored (career high), and 50 walks.

Smith quelled some doubters in 2016, by more than doubling his previous career high in homers (6) into 14 in Double-A. The six-foot lefty swinging slugger has been known for his fielding prowess since he was taken 11th overall in the 2013 MLB draft.

Smith made several big improvements this season, cutting down his strikeout percentage from 15.1 in 2015 to 13.7%, improving his walk percentage from 7 to 9.2%, and seeing his ISO go from .067 in 2014, to .149 in ’15 and to .155 in ’16.

Smith also excelled when it counted most, with runners in scoring position. On the year, Smith slashed .327/.396/.487 with four homers and 74 RBI coming with men in scoring position.

The months of July and August is when Smith really turned it on this season, posting a .935 OPS in July in 25 games, followed by an even better .997 OPS in 28 games in August. July was also Smith’s highest homer and RBI output of any month, belting five home runs with 21 RBI.

Smith should begin 2017 with Triple A Las Vegas, and could see time in the majors next season if injuries arise. The Mets will have to tender a contract to Lucas Duda this winter, as he approaches his final arbitration year before hitting free agency after the 2017 season. Smith should be given every opportunity to secure the first base job permanently come 2018.

Number 3 – Outfielder Brandon Nimmo

Brandon Nimmo had 73 at-bats with the big club this season, making his major league debut on June 26 against the Atlanta Braves. Nimmo was optioned and recalled several times throughout the summer months, and yet, he compiled a tremendous season with Triple A Las Vegas, securing the number three spot on out list.

Nimmo, 23, slashed .352/.423/.541 in 392 at-bats in Vegas, slugging 11 homers and driving in 61 in 97 games played. Nimmo had the second highest OPS in the Pacific Coast League (.964), second highest average (.352), and the highest OBP (.423). Not bad for a guy that had no organized high school baseball program growing up in Wyoming.

Like Smith, Nimmo saw improvements in the power department; however, the Pacific Coast League is known for having favorable hitting conditions, resulting in some higher statistical categories.

Nonetheless, he showed great improvement in several areas, one being his splits against righties and lefties. This season, Nimmo had a higher stat line against southpaws (.358/.425/.567) then he did against righties (.349/.422/.529), but statistically his splits were extremely close, boding well that he might not be strictly a platoon player. In 2015 for example, Nimmo had an OPS of .637 against lefties, compared to .746 against right-handers in Double A.

Nimmo has always had a high OBP throughout the minors that is currently sitting at .389 in 517 games. If he can continue getting on base while providing reliable offense, he can have a productive major league career. Nimmo should be one of the first reinforcements called upon if injuries surface in the major league outfield next season.

Number 4 – Catcher Tomas Nido

The eighth round draft pick in 2012 earns the number four spot for top offensive performances in 2016.

Nido, 22, played the entire season in the Florida State League with St. Lucie, catching 88 of 90 games played. Nido posted a .320/.357/.459 slash line, with seven home runs and 46 RBI. Nido’s .320 average was the best in the FSL, winning the batting title over runner up Richard Urena (.305).

The Florida State League is notoriously known for being a pitcher’s league, with only two qualifying players registering a batting average above .300 (Urena and Nido). Baseball America named Nido the 20th best prospect in the FSL.

Known for his defense behind the plate, Nido had never posted an OPS higher than .660 (2014 in Brooklyn). This season, Nido saw career highs in games played, at-bats, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, walks, average, OBP, SLG, and OPS.

A major improvement for Nido was cutting down on strikeouts. Since making his professional debut in 2012 in Kingsport, his strikeout percentage had increased on a yearly basis. In 2012 his K% was 16.4, followed by 16.8%, then 20.2%, and 25.7% last season with Savannah. In 2016, Nido cut that 25.7% career worst K% by more than half, to a respectable 11.4%.

This offseason, the Mets front office needs to add Nido to the 40-man roster in order to protect him fro the Rule 5 Draft. After such a breakout season for the six-foot Florida native, I suspect the Mets will add Nido to the 40-man, especially since the Mets will be on the lookout for upgrades behind the plate. He should begin the 2017 season with Double-A Binghamton.

Number 5 – Infielder T.J. Rivera

T.J. Rivera feels like he’s been with the Mets’ organization for a decade now, as he’s been on many fans radar with his consistent offensive performances since he was signed as an amateur free agent out of Troy University in 2011.

Rivera, 27, put together his best minor league season yet, winning the PCL Batting Title with a .353 average, edging out his teammate Brandon Nimmo (.352). Rivera’s full stat line is impressive: .353/.393/.516, with career highs in home runs (11), RBI (85), doubles (31), and 67 runs scored in 105 games played at Vegas.

A bugaboo for Rivera has always been his walk percentage. Not known for drawing many free passes, Rivera recorded his highest BB% since 2013 at 5.2% with Vegas, drawing 23 walks, his highest total since 2013.

Out of six minor league seasons, Rivera posted his fifth season with at least a .300 batting average, and has compiled an OPS of at least .814 in four of his last five years.

Adding to his fantastic minor league season is the fact the Rivera made his major league debut with the Mets this past year, playing in meaningful games down the stretch and posting a line of .333/.345/.476 with 16 RBI, three homers, and 10 runs scored in 33 games. He also had the only extra-base hit in the Wild Card game, hitting a leadoff double against Madison Bumgarner in the fifth.

Rivera should get every chance to claim the second base job for next year, with Neil Walker hitting free agency this winter, and the qualifying offer now $17.2 million for 2017. Relying on a cheaper alternative in Rivera could allow the Mets to allocate the funds saved on Walker to help in the re-signing of Yoenis Cespedes, and or adding to the bullpen. At the very least, Rivera serves as a utility infielder, capable of playing around the infield and being a valuable bat off the bench for the Mets.