Uriarte on the left. (Milb.com)

Yesterday Baseball America released their top 20 prospects in the Dominican and Venezuelan Summer League. The list wasn’t ranked, but there was 20 prospects to follow as they go stateside. Catcher Juan Uriarte was the lone Met listed on their top 20.

Here’s their Report:

Last year, the Mets brought over Ali Sanchez, a Venezuelan catcher with advanced catch-and-throw skills and a contact-oriented bat who caught scouts’ attention in the GCL. They should have another quality catching prospect making his way to the United States this year in Uriarte, whom the Mets signed from the Mexico City Red Devils shortly after July 2 in 2014. Uriarte isn’t quite as refined with his receiving as Sanchez, but he has a plus arm and projects to stay behind the plate. While he’s not a pure hitter, he has a good combination of plate discipline and power for a catcher. He controls the strike zone and uses the middle of the field, though he can get too pull-minded. He’s strong and takes an aggressive swing, hitting the ball with good exit speed off the bat and a chance for 15-plus home runs in his prime.

This is a very intriguing profile for a young catcher, one that we should look out for in the Gulf Coast League or Kingsport Mets this coming June.

Uriarte made his Mets debut in the Dominican Summer League hitting .267/.374/.395 with three homeruns and 34 RBI in 52 games. The right-handed hitter played the season at 17 years old and struck out just 25 times compared to 19 walks.

Last February, I ranked him #78 in the Mets Minors top 80. 

Ted’s Prospect Extras

Other IFA Prospects that are slated for the DSL this year

• Andres Gimenez
• Gregory Guerrero
• Edinson Valdez
• Ranfy Adon