The 2016 Appalachian League season is now here, as the Kingsport Mets will play their first game this tonight. The team comes off a 2015 season where manager Luis Rivera led them to a 40-28 record, good for first place in the West Division and a playoff appearance. Rivera returns this year, and he’ll be joined by hitting coach Ender Chavez and pitching coach Royce Ring on the staff, which you can read more about here. The roster is pretty much set here and these are a few names for you to keep an eye on.

Pitchers

Adrian Almeida – Almeida will play his second season in Kingsport this year, but as a result of a solid Extended Spring Training, the organization rewarded him with a week in Brooklyn. Although his appearances came when the team ran out of pitchers in extra innings, Almeida struck out batters for five of his seven outs recorded. His strikeout numbers have always been good, as he has 138 career punchouts in 138.1 innings.

Jake Simon – The Mets made Simon their 11th-round pick in 2015, and he did not disappoint in his pro debut. In nine relief appearances in the Gulf Coast League, the southpaw struck out 12 batters while allowing only five runs. He’s still a teenager at 19, but Simon’s fastball has been clocked at 92 mph, so the potential is staring him right in the face.

Thomas Szapucki – Szapucki was drafted six rounds higher than Simon, but his first half season in pro ball wasn’t quite as sound. In 2.1 innings, the 20-year-old lefty allowed four runs, but did strike out three. Although his initial showing was shaky, he still can hit 95 mph with his fastball and features a hard slider that he throws from a low arm slot. He will get the opening day start.

Placido Torres – While it’s important to remember that he pitched for Divison II’s Tusculum College, Torres was beyond dominant in 2016, going 11-0 with a 0.70 ERA. At 23, he’s obviously going to be old for the league, so if he performs well it wouldn’t be surprising to see him move quickly.

Adonis Uceta – Uceta is returning to team that he made one start for in 2015, after going 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA in nine starts for the GCL Mets. There’s not much in terms of scouting reports out there, but he was one of the best pitchers during Extended Spring Training this year and was named the Sterling Award winner for the GCL Mets last year.

Chris Viall – Viall is one big boy at 6’9″, 230. He uses his size to generate a lot of power, as he was clocked at 97 mph for Stanford this year. The knock on Viall is his lack of control and consistent delivery, which is why he’s headed to Kingsport to refine his mechanics.

Max Wotell – Wotell was the Mets’ second pick (third round) in the 2015 draft, and like Simon and Szapucki, he headed to Port St. Lucie to begin his career in the GCL. Wotell was dominant, striking out 16 batters and holding them to a .057 average in 10.2 innings.

Catchers

Anthony Dimino – The diminutive Dimino, listed at 5’11”, 180, is another player entering his second professional season with the Mets. The 28th round pick from Belmont Abbey hit .295 in the GCL last year, while drawing 15 walks. His inexperience at the position showed, though, as Dimino committed four passed balls and allowed 25 of 31 base stealers to swipe a bag.

Infielders

Yeffry De Aza – De Aza is another who received a cup of coffee in Brooklyn following Extended, and Cyclones manager Tom Gamboa maintains that the experience was invaluable although De Aza didn’t have a chance to produce a solid at-bat. The organization is still very high on him, and it’s easy to see why, after he hit .313 as an 18-year-old in the GCL. Going forward, De Aza will need to cut down on strikeouts and improve his walk rate.

Walter Rasquin – The 20-year old third baseman hit .307/.405/.400 in 103 at bats last season for the GCL Mets. He also has experience at second base, first, catcher, left field and has even pitched in two games.

Outfielders

Raphael Ramirez – Many thought the toolsy center fielder was headed for Brooklyn to begin the 2016 season, but he was held back in Kingsport after a poor showing in Extended. Cyclones manager Tom Gamboa stated that Ramirez simply wasn’t ready for pitchers in the New York-Penn League, and he needed to get stronger as well. He’ll try to put up numbers like the 16 RBI and 18 stolen bases he recorded in 2014.

Jeremy Wolf – Not much is known on the Mets’ 31st-round pick from this year, but a quick look at his stats will tell you that Wolf has a knack for getting on base by any means necessary. A career .367 hitter at Trinity, Wolf hit .408/.508/.741 in 2016, with 11 home runs and 70 RBI. He’s another senior, so promotions could come soon for the former Tiger.

Ricardo Cespedes – Looking at the stats from his 2015 season with the GCL Mets won’t tell you the full story of this talented 18-year old. The Dominican center fielder was given $725,000 by the Mets on his 16th birthday. He has good speed that should keep him in center and a nice lefty stroke with pop that he should grow into.