Photo by Ed Delany, MMN
Carlos Cortes, 2B/LF
Age: June 30, 1997 (24)
Ht: 5’7″ Wt: 197 lb. B/T: L/S
Acquired: Mets 3rd round pick of 2018 Draft (University of South Carolina)
Carlos Cortes remains the highest drafted player from the 2018 Met draft class still with the team, after Brodie Van Wagenen traded the top two picks from that draft (Jarred Kelenic and Simeon Woods Richardson) in his first year on the job. In college, Cortes played the outfield. However, during his first two seasons with the Mets, they had him play second base with Brooklyn and St. Lucie. During this past season with Binghamton, Cortes was converted back to an outfielder.
Carlos Cortes keeps hitting homers, this one is his 9th of the year — second-most in the #Mets system behind Mark Vientos' 11. pic.twitter.com/n2uD9N02fM
— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) June 27, 2021
Cortes had an impressive season with the Rumble Ponies boasting a slash line of .257/.332/.487 and a 120 wRC+. Despite his relatively diminutive stature, he displayed a fair amount of power with his bat belting 14 home runs and driving in 57 runs in over 79 games. On the strength of this season, he secured a spot in the Arizona Fall League, where against the most elite pitchers in MiLB he is batting .245/.367/.327.
https://twitter.com/MLBazFallLeague/status/1450574906576433152
Overall in his first three seasons in the Mets system he is batting .257/.335/.423 with an OPS of .759, and he has been ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Mets 10th best prospect at the end of the 2021 season. MLB Pipeline noted Cortes’ bat is his “carrying tool” noting not only his raw power but his ability to make contact. Notably, Cortes has “strikeout rates lower than 17 percent at every spot so far.”
The general consensus is with his bat and versatility could help him carve out a utility role at the Major League level. That said, if he keeps hitting, he could become more than that. As a result, the likelihood that the Mets protect Cortes in this weeks upcoming Rule 5 draft is high. Not only is he a top ten prospect, but aside from Khalil Lee, is probably the best outfielder the Mets have at the higher Minor League level.
