(Jacob Resnick/MetsMinors.Net)
Jonathan Mayo over at MLB.com did a great piece covering the Mets prospects in big league camp and talked to Mets Director of Minor League Operations Ian Levin.
Pieces I found interesting were Levin talking about outfielder Ivan Wilson and infielder Phillip Evans as standouts so far on the minor league side of camp. Here is what Levin had to say about Wilson:
“He’s made a lot of improvements,” Levin said. “He’s always had great tools and he’s been working on his ability to put them into games consistently, turning those tools into skills. He’s had a really good spring doing that and working on that. The results have started to show on the field.”
The Mets selected Ivan with their 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft but he has yet to show off all the tools that got him taken so high. Last year he struck out 73 times in only 58 games and has whiffed a whopping 237 times in 529 career at bats. The two big bright spots for him is his raw power and his defense in the center which is very good. Slugged only .347 last season but hit 11 homeruns in 58 games in 2014 and is still looking to tap into that power potential.
Here is what Ian said about Evans this spring:
“Every time I look over, it seems like he’s making another play, or hitting something hard,” Levin said. “He’s stood out in that way.”
This quote was right on cue as Evans got into the game yesterday for the Mets and crushed a two-run double to left center field. In the minors over the last three seasons he has struggled mightily at the plate not posting an OPS over .700 since his first season in 2011. However, he is still only 23 and can played second base, shortstop, and third base.
Mayo went on to mention catching prospect Tomas Nido as a breakout candidate for 2015 and here is the quote from Levin on his spring performance:
“He has had a really good camp and could step it up during the season to become the next ‘guy,'” Levin said. “He’s hit the ball exceptionally hard this spring. His defense has been really good. His catch and throw skills — he’s made some great throws this spring, throwing out some good baserunners. He’s shown a lot of things on the field.”
Nido got a career high 317 at bats with the Savannah Sand Gnats in 2015 hitting .259/.284/.372 with 6 homeruns and 40 RBI in a ballpark that is notoriously tough for hitters. The Mets former 8th round pick (2012) was named a mid-season all-star in the South Atlantic League. Runners tried to steal on him a whopping 104 times last season, he threw out 39% of them.
Evans should still be a top prospect as he once was.The only reason for the low numbers is because of bad luck injuries and lack of playing time after.
He will tear it up in AA this year!
The best news for me was Ivan Wilson. All the talent in the world, if he can put it together…
Him finally starting to put it together would he a huge boost for the Mets system that is lacking in the outfield right now. He certainly has some of the tools that could make himself a breakout candidate but the big thing that would have to change is his approach at the plate.
Was Evans ever a “top prospect”?
Yes Top 10 in 2012
By which rankings?
I don’t remember him being ranked in the top 10 either but I could be wrong.
Quick research doesn’t have him in any major publications, (bref & bp) but that doesn’t mean someone didn’t rank him (Mayo, Law, or Sickles)
I remember him getting some hype from someone, could have been a favorite of one of the guys you listed. Think his value was immediately hurt because there was little chance he stuck at SS.
I know Wilson is the attention getter here, and rightly so if he has figured out how to translate the tools to the field; but I am a Nido fan, and it’s nice to hear confirmation of what I seen last August and it is continuing
Teddy has been preaching to me about the skills of Nido, thinks his pop will start showing soon.
Shows pop in BP. What I noticed was him doing all the catcher work. Even after the starting pitcher was warmed up pre game he was going over things with the BP guys.
Have heard a ton of praise for the work he puts in with the pitchers and behind the scenes. Sounds like he is dedicated to helping work with a pitching staff which is always appreciated by them.
It would be nice to see some coaching that could help a kid like this really start to put it together
It’s not just coaching though, he has to learn how to lay off the breaking pitches which has been a big issue for him.