MMN‘s Top 30 prospect rankings was a collaborative effort from the writers on the site. While Francisco Álvarez was the consensus top pick, there was debate on who should and should not be included in these rankings. There are also prospects outside the top 30 our staff wishes to highlight. As such, our staff has endeavored to name five additional prospects they believe merit recognition.

Omar De Los Santos, OF

2022 Stats (St. Lucie): .272/.339/.459, 23 2B, 5 3B, 16 HR, 62 RBI, 70 SB, 15 CS

The 23-year-old outfielder is considered one of the fastest players in the minor leagues. He returned to Low-A St. Lucie for the second consecutive season after playing 38 games in 2021. He struggled for the first time, finishing with a .221/.292/.331, with no home runs and 17 RBIs.

His 2022 season for the St. Lucie Mets was an entirely different story. De Los Santos enjoyed a breakout year and was named the Florida State League MVP. He led the FSL with 70 stolen bases and sported other impressive stats that earned him the MVP, with 117 hits, 44 extra-base hits, and a 127 wRC+ in 111 games.

De Los Santos’ quick bat speed naturally generates a good deal of power, with 16 home runs, but he needs to improve his plate discipline. With a long swing and chasing out of the zone being concerning, which led to a high strikeout rate of 31.6%.

Defensively, his elite speed allows him to cover a ton of ground. He successfully played all three outfield positions. Along with a strong arm, he registered 17 outfield assists this past season.

The Mets hope De Los Santos can take the next step after his remarkable success in 2022. The Mets need more outfield depth in their farm system; the only prospects with potential are highly ranked Alex Ramirez and Stanley Consuegra.

Luis Rodriguez, LHP

2021 Stats (FCL, St. Lucie): 0-2, 5.11 ERA, 1.378 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9, 11.7 K/9

Since signing as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic in July 2019, Mets fans may need to familiarize themselves with the talented 6-foot-3, 20-year-old left-handed pitcher. He is currently ranked 28th among Mets prospects by MLB Pipeline. Due to the pandemic, which resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 minor-league season, followed by Tommy John surgery this past March, which cost him all of 2022, his professional career has been limited.

Mets LHP prospect Luis Rodríguez had Tommy John surgery in March and will miss the entire season, per Baseball America. https://t.co/7CmjdWklUz

— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) May 12, 2022

Making his official debut in 2021, he appeared in seven games at St. Lucie and the Florida Complex League, with an impressive 11.7 K/9 and inducing a 62.5% ground ball rate. He was dominant against left-handed hitters facing 19 batters striking out eight while limiting them to a .167 average and .433 OPS.  However, right-handed hitters had a .310 AVG and a .922 OPS. Rodriguez also exhibited control issues against right-handed hitters walking four and hitting five.

Rodriguez’s outlook can be a back-end starter with a fastball that peaked at 97 mph, a low to mid-80s sweeping slider that generated many swings and misses, and a mixed in a changeup. Rodriguez can climb the Mets system if he can refine the change and show that he has fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, which is lacking in top left-handed pitching. The Mets may take their time with the promising young southpaw and carefully restrict his innings this season.

Junior Tilien, SS/2B

2022 Stats (St. Lucie): .248/.312/.406, 13 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 3 SB

A young infielder from the Dominican Republic, the 20-year-old is another international free agent signed by the Mets in July 2019 to watch going into next season. He began his professional career stateside at the Florida Complex League in 2021 when he was only 18 years old. In 32 games, he struggled hitting just .165/.223/.233.

Tilien had an impressive start to the season with the St Lucie Mets in 2022. He slashed .263/.314/.484 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs in his first 149 at-bats from May to June. With a three-homer game in May, he immediately displayed his power.

His overall performance for the 2022 season was encouraging despite the decline in his offensive numbers in the second half. He slashed .248/.312/.406, with 12 home runs, 30 walks, and 81 strikeouts in 84 games.

A steady defender, Tilien played 51 games at shortstop and received ample time at second and third base for St. Lucie. Still a raw player, he has a low strikeout rate (22.9%) and can create consistent contact. Tilien will receive plenty of recognition in the future if he continues to display improved power and plate discipline as he moves through the system.

JT Schwartz, 1B

2022 Stats (Brooklyn): .273/.356/.400, 25 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 49 RBI, 3 SB, 3 CS

The Mets selected the 23-year-old in the fourth round of the 2021 draft after he had an incredible sophomore year at UCLA. The 6-foot-4, left-handed hitting first baseman finished with a slash line of .396/.514/.628, a 1.142 OPS, eight home runs, and 44 RBIs.

The Mets assigned him to St. Lucie that season, where he played 25 games. He struggled offensively in Low-A ball, facing fierce competition and elite talent, posting a .195/.320/.256, with a .576 OPS.

Schwartz typically has a solid batting approach. He keeps things simple, makes excellent contact, and has reasonably good walk rates of 11.6%. He has yet to adequately develop the power numbers to profile as a major league first baseman. Over482 professional at-bats, he has hit just six home runs.

The Mets toned down his swing to increase bat speed the previous season. The improvement was evident once he was confident with the new adjustment. From June to September, he posted a .804 OPS, .442 SLG, and five home runs in 69 games. Schwartz has the potential to sustain a decent big-league career if he continues to develop his power numbers.

Kevin Kendall 2B/SS

2022 Stats (St. Lucie): .111/.111/.111
2022 Stats (AFL): .208/.344/.286, 3 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 4 SB

A teammate of JT Schwartz at UCLA, the Mets selected the 23-year-old left-handed hitter in the seventh round of the 2021 draft.

After finishing his collegiate year at UCLA, he was assigned to the St. Lucie Mets, appearing in 31 games. He got off to a scorching start, slashing .327/.421/.451 with a .872 OPS, seven doubles, two triples, and eight stolen bases.

Heading into a prime season in 2022, Kendall suffered a wrist injury and only appeared in three games for St. Lucie. The Mets sent him to the Arizona Fall League to compensate for missed time and get additional at-bats. In 20 AFL games, he failed to hit much, with a .208/.344/.286.

Kendall is an athletic, versatile player, standing 5-foot-10. He played all over the field, 78 games at shortstop, 45 in the outfield, and 15 between second and third base at UCLA. He possesses exceptional bat-to-ball skills, swift hands, and a steady swing through the strike zone, as well as utilizing his terrific speed on the base paths.

Kendall has fully recovered from his wrist injury heading into the upcoming season. Although it is unclear how the Mets will view him in the foreseeable future, his speed and versatility; could potentially make him a valuable utility player.