Three prospects whom the Mets acquired at the trade deadline were among the five from their farm system that Baseball America included in their latest Top 100 MLB prospects rankings.
Luisangel Acuña, who the Mets acquired from the Rangers in exchange for Max Scherzer, was ranked No. 57. Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford, who were the return from the Houston Astros in the Justin Verlander trade, were ranked 78th and 89th, respectively.
In addition to the trio acquired at the deadline, 2022 first round pick Jett Williams, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the Mets system, was ranked 90th, and Ronny Mauricio, the middle infielder, who recently hit his first career major league home run, snuck in at 99th.
Acuña, the brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., is a shortstop who has also played second base and center field. Baseball America described him as “an exciting, tooled-up player in his own right. He’s a plus runner, with strong bat-to-ball skills, average power and on-base ability.”
Gilbert was the 28th overall pick in the 2022 draft after a standout career at the University of Tennessee. Gilbert is considered a well-rounded prospect with a solid hit tool, with plus defense and arm in the outfield, but his ability to hit for power remains a question.
Both Acuña and Gilbert are with the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Acuña has a .784 OPS overall this year in Double-A, though it’s just .664 with the Rumble Ponies. The speedster has 56 stolen bases this season and 157 in 371 career minor league games. Gilbert has been fantastic with the Rumble Ponies to the tune of a .976 OPS in 31 games. The 22-year-old has 24 doubles, 18 home runs, and 12 stolen bases overall this season.
Clifford, 20, finished the season with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones. Clifford has a 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame and a naturally high potential power bat. He had 24 home runs and 81 RBIs this season between three teams. Baseball America described him “as the higher-risk, higher-upside pickup to go with Gilbert’s well-rounded skill set. Clifford has big power potential, but is further from reaching that ceiling.”
Williams, only 19 still, was promoted to Binghamton this week to join Acuña and Gilbert. The shortstop/center fielder started the season in Low-A St. Lucie before his promotion to the Brooklyn Cyclones. Williams is among minor league leaders this season with 102 walks and a .431 on-base percentage. He also has 43 extra-base hits and 44 stolen bases.
Mauricio, 22, was promoted to the majors two weeks ago after a hot August for Triple-A Syracuse. The switch-hitter is hitting .306/.342/.444 with two doubles, a home run, and four stolen bases in his first 10 major league games.
