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Mets Top Prospects For 2022: No. 8 Khalil Lee, OF

By John Sheridan

March 14, 2022 No comments

Khalil Lee, Photo by James Farrance

No. 8 Khalil Lee, OF

B/T: L/L     Age: June 26, 1998 (23)
Ht: 5’10”     Wt: 170 lb
Acquired: Via trade as part of three team deal with Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals (2/10/21)
ETA: 2021     Previous Rank: c
2021 Stats (MLB) .056/.056/.111, 2B, RBI
2021 Stats (Syracuse) .274/.451/.500, 20 2B, 2 3B, 14 HR, 37 RBI, 8 SB, 10 CS

In 2021, we saw with Lee the reason why he was a well regarded prospect, and we also got a glimpse as to why the Kansas City Royals were willing to part with him in the three team trade which netted them Andrew Benintendi. Overall, with Lee, this is a player who has all the tools, and yet, he still needs to pull them all together.

One of the biggest takeaways from Lee in his brief stint in the majors last year was just how much he swings and misses. In fact, he struck out an astounding 13 times in 18 plate appearances. It has been a problem which has plagued him throughout his career, and it was an issue in Syracuse where he struck out 29.6% of the time.

His other big issue is Lee is a bit of a ground ball machine. He has had a well over 50% groundball rate for most of his professional career. That said, Lee made definite strides last season in terms of driving the ball. He went from a 59.3% rate in his last season in the Royals organization to a 51.5% rate with Syracuse. It is of no coincidence that we saw Lee post an astounding 162 wRC+ in Triple-A.

Lee has true power potential. If he were to continue to improve his launch angle while simultaneously making more consistent contact, he could be a real threat at the plate at the very next level. He certainly showed flashes of what he could be in a very impressive Triple-A season.

Defensively, you get the sense Lee could be more than he is. Lee has the speed, athleticism, and the arm to play center. However, his reads and route running doesn’t allow him to maximize just how good he could be defensively. That said, he still does have the tools, and we have seen his ability to make great plays on the strength of his superior tools.

When you look at a prospect, Lee has all the tools you want. He has raw power. He has athleticism, speed, and a great arm. He can make a difference in the game both at the plate, on the basepaths, and in the field. Right now, when you look at him as a prospect, you are buying in more on the pure talent than you might be the overall production.

That said, Lee turned a corner in 2021. We saw him cutting down on his strikeouts and driving the ball more frequently. He has certainly put himself in the conversation to make the Mets Opening Day roster as a fourth outfielder. Certainly, he has done enough to be on the Mets radar for a significant contribution in 2022 and beyond.

With Lee, it all just comes down to his continuing to make improvements and adjustments. He has shown the ability to do that, and the Mets have continued to invest in player development. In the end, no one should be surprised if Lee has a true breakout season in 2022, which is saying something considering the year he had last year in Syracuse.

Mets Top Prospects 29-30
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Mets Top Prospects 25-26
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Mets Top Prospects 20 Eric Orze
Mets Top Prospects 19 Hayden Senger
Mets Top Prospects 18 Jaylen Palmer
Mets Top Prospects 17 Adam Oller
Mets Top Prospects 16 Jake Mangum
Mets Top Prospects 15 Carlos Cortes
Mets Top Prospects 14 Joel Diaz
Mets Top Prospects 13 Calvin Ziegler
Mets Top Prospects 12 Simon Juan
Mets Top Prospects 11 Jose Butto
Mets Top Prospects 10 Nick Plummer
Mets Top Prospects 9 Dominic Hamel

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Written by John Sheridan

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