Photo Credit: Kentucky Athletics
In Baseball America‘s mock last mock draft, the outlet projected the New York Mets would select Kentucky left-handed pitcher Zack Thompson with the 12th overall pick of the draft. There appears to be momentum towards the Mets selecting Thompson as 2080 Sports also had the Mets selecting him in their mock draft. If they do draft him 2080 Sports projects the Mets will be adding a starter with four plus pitches:
Thompson has bumped his game this spring, punching out 102 in just 71.2 innings while holding opponents to a .179 average – all while navigating a brutal SEC schedule. The lefty boasts a plus fastball backed up by a slider, curve and change that can all show as at least above-average offerings.
Video Scout Baseball also has the Mets selecting Thompson in the upcoming draft. With Thompson, Video Scout Baseball sees a pitcher who may rise quickly through the Mets system. Overall, they believe, “Thompson’s got a very high ceiling if he can stay healthy, and if he can move up alongside the power righties in the current Mets rotation, he could be a very nice piece relatively quick.”
While Baseball America, 2080 Sports, and Video Scout Baseball have the Mets drafting Thompson in their drafts, 247 Sports believes the Mets will pass on him, and Thompson will fall down to 25 where the Dodgers could select him. Instead of Thompson, 247 Sports believes the Mets may draft NC State shortstop Will Wilson or possibly Baylor catcher Shea Langeliers:
It is nearly impossible to know what the Mets might do. We do know the GM was extremely focused on finding a long term catcher during the offseason and, when it did not develop, he added Wilson Ramos for two years. This is enough to make me strongly consider Langeliers here, but this feels a bit early for him. Instead, Wilson is a shortstop with average or above average tools across the board and high-level production in college. College shortstop always go early, especially ones that seem safe to stick there and have his level of production.
Another interesting tidbit from 247 Sports is they have the Blue Jays possibly selecting West Virginia RHP Alex Manoah or Delbarton High School (Morristown, NJ) RHP Jack Leiter. Both pitchers have Mets ties as Manoah is the younger brother of former Mets prospect Erik Manoah. Leiter is the son of former Mets pitcher, and for that matter Blue Jays pitcher, Al Leiter.
With the Major League draft beginning a month from today, we will see if the projections are right and the Mets select Thompson, or if the new Mets regime under Brodie Van Wagenen goes in a different and unexpected direction.
