Photo by Ed Delany of MMN
No.20: Alex Ramirez, OF
B/T: R/R Age: 1/13/2003 (21)
Ht: 6’3” Wt: 196 lb.
Acquired: Signed by the Mets as an International Free Agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2019.
ETA: 2025 Previous Rank: 11
Stats (Brooklyn A+): 120 games, .221/.310/.317, 7HR (29XBHs), 53 RBIs, 21 SB, .627 OPS
Last season, prospect pundits were very high on Alex Ramírez. It was easy to see why; the then-19-year-old had just posted a .782 OPS over 121 games in his first through taste for full-season ball. Ramírez represented the Mets’ highest-profile signing in the IFA market in 2019, signing for 2.05 million dollars.
After the 2022 campaign, Fangraphs‘ Eric Logenhagen was particularly high on the righty, slotting him as the Mets’ fourth-best prospect. At the time, Logenhagen stated:
“Aided by Brooklyn’s slick road gray threads and adorned with pink and sky blue pads and accessories, the sleek 6-foot-3 Ramírez is perhaps the coolest looking prospect in the minors. He has that five-tool look because of his electric bat speed and a slender, athletic frame that might mature in the Goldilocks Zone, where Ramírez grows into even more power while remaining in center field. “
Given the online hype surrounding Elly De La Cruz, the sky was the limit for lanky, highly-touted, tooled-up prospects, traits that Ramirez and de La Cruz both shared. De La Cruz managed to put it together in 2023, debuting at 21 and showcasing his five-tool ability en route to a 0.8 bWAR.
On the other hand, Ramírez struggled through a laborious 2023 campaign that raised additional questions about his profile rather than answering them.
A year later, Ramírez’s shine has worn off some. His .221/.310/.317 slash-line represented his struggles in all of the facets of his offensive game. Most concerning was his drop in power. In 2022, his slugging percentage was .427; in 2023, it dropped 90 points to .317.
In his February 2024 “Prospect Report: New York Mets 2024 Imminent Big Leaguers”, Logenhagen followed up his previous reporting by adding: “…even though his swing rate dropped five percentage points and his chase rate dropped seven, Ramírez had a mediocre year marred by poor quality of contact and struggles against fastballs.”
Adding to the concern for Ramírez were some maturity issues that popped up during his stint at Coney Island. The Athletic’s Keith Law said, “Multiple scouts also questioned his maturity and on-field effort, which has to improve as he gets older.”
With his concerns laid out, there’s still reason to be optimistic. Ramírez’s tools are still evident in his play, just to a lesser extent in 2023. At moments, his defense shone throughout the 2023 campaign.
Mets outfield prospect Alex Ramírez with a great catch in center for the Brooklyn Cyclones.
He has an .865 OPS in his last 16 games.
— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) May 27, 2023
His offensive profile now contains more questions than before his first full season of pro ball. His swing remains on the longer side, which only adds to his plate discipline issues.
Last offseason, New York was forced to either add Ramírez to their 40-man roster or risk him being selected in the Rule 5 draft. The Mets opted to add Ramírez, indicating their belief that he would have been selected in the annual December draft. This could mean that teams were interested in the right-hander in trade talks, or that New York still remains invested in Ramírez’s future potential.
2024 Role
2024 is shaping to be a pivotal year for the now 22-year-old. He is likely going to start the season in Double-A Binghamton.
Ramírez was extended an invite to 2024 MLB spring training and went 4-for-13 (.308) in nine Grapefruit League games. Can Ramirez capitalize upon the potential he showed in 2022 or will his profile continue to revert? Only time will tell.
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