The Minor Leagues as a whole is about player development than it is win-loss records. That remains its most true at the Dominican Summer League level where mostly teenage prospects are getting their first professional experience. This league is more about cultivating talent than it is about team success.
That said, there was team success. The DSL Mets1 team was four games over .500. The DSL Mets2 team was in the top 10 in average, hits, triples, innings pitched, and holds. While the team accomplishments are nice, again, this is about player development. When assessing from that perspective, attention should directly be placed upon Freddy Valdez.
The 17 year old outfielder was considered one of the top 30 players in the 2018 international free agent class, and the Mets were able to sign him with a large $1.45 million signing bonus. As noted by Baseball America, who rated him as the Mets 28th best prospect, Valdez’s calling card was his raw power. In fact, they said it could develop into “70-grade raw power.”
Fortunately, we saw a glimpse of that power. Over the final month of the season, Valdez would hit .279/.372/.544. He would hit half of his team high six homers in the month, and he would hit roughly one-third of his doubles. Overall, he would have 10 extra base hits in the month. That progress from a top prospect in and of itself is enough to call the season a success.
There were positive offensive developments beyond Valdez. Dyron Campos was in the top 10 in many offensive categories notably having the fifth most hits in the league. Like Valdez, Carlos Dominguez showed off power with a .901 OPS with the DSL Mets1. He wasn’t the only one doing the hitting as he was hit 24 times this year by opposing batters.
On the pitching front, Jose Valerio would be in the top five in both wins and saves. He would improve his strikeout rate as the season improves to the point where he would strike out 16.2 batters per nine over the final month of the season.That would also coincide with him reducing his walk rate as the season progressed.
While Valerio began to put up impressive strikeout numbers as the season progressed, he was surpassed by Alan Ramirez. Ramirez struck out 11.0 batters per nine. Ramirez would be one of the several older international players the Mets would sign this year. Like many, he would have success against younger competition poising him well to pitch stateside next year.
Overall, the Mets had a number of prospects who developed as the year progressed, and they have put themselves in position to take the next step. That next step is coming stateside and proving themselves in the Gulf Coast League or higher. When looking at things from that standpoint, especially seeing Valdez’s power progressing, this was exactly what defines the 2019 season as a successful one for the two Dominican Summer League affiliates.
MMN Top 30 Prospects
17 – Freddy Valdez
Coaching Staff
DSL Mets1
Manager – Manny Martinez
Hitting Coach – Leo Hernandez
DSL Mets2
Manager – Yucary De La Cruz
Infield/Bench Coach – Lilian Castro
Pitching Coach – Rafael Roque
Hitting Coach – Richard Benes
Coach – Samuel Taveras
Batting Leaders
Games – Dyron Campos 69 (3rd in league)
PA – Dyron Campos 299 (1st)
AB – Dyron Camps 266
R – Dyron Campos 44
H – Dyron Campos 78 (5th)
2B – Freddy Valdez 16
3B – Omar De Los Santos 6
HR – Carlos Dominguez, Freddy Valdez 6
TB – Dyron Campos 103
RBI – Freddy Valdez 39
BB – Kevin Torres, Cesar Berbesi, Samuel Marte, Luis Castillo 32
IBB – Freddy Valdez 3
HBP – Carlos Dominguez 24
SB – Franklin Linares 20
BA – Federico Polanco .299
OBP – Cesar Berbesi .388
SLG – Carlos Dominguez .464
OPS – Carlos Dominguez .847
Pitching Leaders
G – Jose Valerio 23 (Tied 10th)
GS – Alan Ramirez, Ronny Rincones, David Marcano 11
W – Jose Valerio 7 (Tied 3rd)
SV – Jose Valerio 8 (4th)
HLD – Melvin Arteaga, Alvaro Figueroa, Jhon Franco, Pablo Marinez, Jose Valdez, Antonio Villalba, Marco Villegas 2
IP – Alan Ramirez 56.1
K – Alan Ramirez 69 (6th)
ERA – Ronny Rincones 2.44
WHIP – Alan Ramirez 1.172
K/9 – Alan Ramirez 11.0
K/BB – Rolfy Vargas 3.24
