Alex Palsha (Courtesy of Brooklyn Cyclones)
With minor league baseball only a week away, those of us who follow the minor leagues are always looking for minor leaguers who we expect to break out and excel. Below are three pitchers and three hitters who I expect to breakout in 2016:
Signed as international free agent by Mets on Sept. 21, 2009, Baldonado excelled as a full-time relief pitcher for Savannah in 2015. He pitched to a 1.91 ERA with 9 saves over 56.2 innings pitched. What stood out most for Baldonado was the 11.75 SO/9 ratio with 74 Ks in those innings. Baldonado has previously been a starter predominantly over his career with the Mets and really excelled in his time as a relief pitcher. Baldonado is believed to begin 2016 in High A for the St. Lucie Mets.
RHP Nabil Crismatt
A former international free signing out of Colombia in 2011, Crismatt pitched well for Kingsport as a 20-year old in 2015. Crismatt was 6-1 with a 2.90 ERA over 12 games, 8 starts with 63 K in 62 innings. Crismatt was selected to be on the qualifying team for Colombia for the World Baseball Classic during the 2016 Spring Training. He has enjoyed three straight great seasons with a career 0.99 WHIP in 156 innings. Crismatt is expected to begin 2016 in the rotation for the 2016 Columbia Fireflies.
RHP Alex Palsha
Palsha was drafted by the Mets in 2014 from Sacramento State in the 27th round. He was named the Sterling Award (MVP) winner for Brooklyn last year, with 13 saves and 0.36 ERA, and briefly promoted to Savannah to end the season. In his first professional year in 2014, Palsha acted as the closer for the GCL Mets as well with a 0.69 ERA in 14 games with 10 saves. He is expected to begin the season with the Columbia FireFlies.
Mazeika was an 8th round draft pick of the Mets in 2015, signing for a overage bonus of $125,000 out of Stetson College, where the Mets found RHP Jacob deGrom. Mazeika excelled similarly to Kevin Kaczmarski below, hitting .354 in his first season of his pro career. In 62 games for Kingsport, he hit 5 home runs and 48 RBI with a .451 OBP. Per Baseball America, he is a lefthanded hitter, good bat-to-ball skills with a patient approach at the plate that allowed him to walk more than twice as often as he struck out this year (33 walks to 16 strikeouts). Defensively, he’s big for a catcher and his average arm strength may fit better at first base. Mazeika is believed to begin 2016 with Columbia, possibly as starting catcher.
OF Kevin Kaczmarski
Kaczmarski was a 9th round pick of the Mets in 2015, signing for $5,000 out of Evansville. Per Baseball America, he led Division I in batting and triples (9) heading into regionals, while ranking second in on-base percentage and slugging in a .465/.543/.746 season. He’s an average runner with a line-drive, gap-to-gap approach. Lefty hitter that led the Appalachian League in pro debut with .355 average, Kaczmarski had the game tying hit the other day in a MLB spring training game and is believed to start in Columbia in 2016.
A former international free agent signing by the Mets in 2015, Lagrange won the Sterling Award for the DSL Mets in 2015. Lagrange hit .347 in 59 games with 10 doubles, 2 triples, a home run and 26 RBI while stealing 5 bases and a .404 OBP. He is expected to begin 2016 with a short season affiliate, coming to the US with either GCL Mets or pushing him to Kingsport.
I like the Lagrange and Palsha selections, not that I disagree with any of your picks. I just prefer the obscure for a series such as this.
Definitely, although how many are obscure after you do a top 80 countdown? lol. I like Palsha too, stuff sounds promising especially for a late pick.
Very valid point
Should we do 100 next year or is that not enough?
If you are asking me as a consumer; more is always better.
As a consumer who digests a lot of info on prospects; the number next to a prospect beyond 40 is inconsequential to me. At that point I am looking at what tools are present, what is the possible 90 percentile outcome, what do they need to work on, age to level comps, and most likely outcome.
Though lists make it easier to digest for most fans. Unfortunately some fans take them as emphatic proclamations of a player’s projected impact.
Good to know, I definitely think next year will be more players but with a little different approach to the “non-elite/potential guys” with some of the things you touched on.
Already looking forward to it
Please no. Nonono.
You saying 80 was enough?
It’s a LOT, and a ton of thought.