Photo by Ed Delany. MMN
Per brand new rankings via Keith Law of The Athletic, the Mets have four top-100 prospects heading into the 2021 season.
Francisco Alvarez was the highest at no. 19 (!), Ronny Mauricio slotted in at no. 32, Matthew Allan came in at no. 90, and Pete Crow-Armstrong came in at no. 94. The two surprises to me are how high Alvarez was and the fact Crow-Armstrong made the list.
Alvarez got the highest signing bonus in Mets history and for good reason it would appear. Law praises his great command of the strike zone. The fact that he is a catcher probably sets him apart from other teenagers with similar offensive profiles as him.
He also mentions that he is a solid receiver and has “enough of everything” that will keep him behind the plate. His final blurb on Alvarez will get fans excited: “With his contact skills and present power, he’ll be very good, but if the power develops, or he maintains his strong walk rates, the Venezuelan teenager will be a star.”
Ronny Mauricio, the second biggest bonus baby on the list, was praised for his raw tools. Law describes him as a “dynamic athlete” with quick hands and also praised his ability of “generating a ton of bat speed.”
He does note that Mauricio will need to hit fewer ground balls in order to take the next step. Of course, Mauricio is still just a teenager and he will be starting the season in St. Lucie assuming Minor League Baseball goes according to plan.
Everything on Mauricio would suggest that he can stay at shortstop despite his stature, but if he is the everyday shortstop in 2023 over Francisco Lindor, something has gone terribly wrong.
Matthew Allan, Photo by Ed Delany of MMN
The Mets shocked a lot of draft experts by stealing Matthew Allan in the third round of the 2019 draft. According Law his fastball is in the 92-95 MPH range but it’s his off-speed pitches that have garnered a lot of attention. Law grades his curveball as a “60 already, a power pitch with tight, downward break.”
He also mentions that Allan has a “much improved” changeup. Allan is different from previous Mets pitching prospects in the sense that he will not blow people away with his fastball. I have seen a few people compare him to Matt Harvey but I really don’t see the similarities.
Harvey’s fastball was on a different level. Of course, Allan can certainly add velocity like Jacob deGrom did but it’s certainly not the first comparison that comes to mind for me.
The final Mets representative on this list is their most recent first-round pick, Pete Crow-Armstrong. Law grades his defense in centerfield as a 70 and his speed as 60. As for his offense Law says that he has a good feel for hitting but cautions that “his front side can go soft” and this leads to more swings and misses than you would like.
From what it sounds like, Law has him as a Top 100 prospect because of his high floor as a defense-first center fielder. Usually guys with an elite tool like that will make the majors regardless. It just remains to be seen how much of an impact he will have.
It might pain you, but Jarred Kelenic came fourth in this ranking. I won’t go too in-depth on his profile but Law says he believes that Kelenic “is going to be a superstar.” If there is any consolation, the Cano contract will be off the books after 2023 and the guy who made this trade is no longer in charge.
