The Minor League season is right around the corner, and Mets fans will have another season to watch the growth of some of the best prospects in the game, while the team adds several more names through the 2022 Draft in July. That being said, the talent in the system is spread out through all four teams, with some big names at each level.
A few of the top assignments have trickled out, like Francisco Alvarez in Binghamton with Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio, and Mark Vientos back in Syracuse. We will keep you updated on the official rosters. Triple-A Syracuse gets the minor league season kicked off on April 5, with the three other full season affiliates starting the season on April 7.
Lets take a look at how each team might line up:
Syracuse Mets (Triple-A)
1B- Daniel Palka
SS- Matt Reynolds
3B- Mark Vientos
OF – Khalil Lee, Nick Plummer, Johneshwy Fargas, Carlos Cortes, Travis Jankowski
UTIL – Tzu-Wei Lin
The main names of note here are Mark Vientos, Khalil Lee, and Nick Plummer. Vientos burst onto the scene last year in a major way, slugging 25 long-balls between Double-A Binghamton. Vientos was added to the Mets’ 40-Man roster this winter to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, and deservedly so. Vientos will likely be tasked with improving his defense, which is the major knock on his game. Lee and Plummer create great upper outfield depth for the Mets, something that they have not had in years.
Lee struggled in his short stint with the Mets last spring, but he was called on by pure need due to a slew of injuries to the Mets’ outfield. Lee is only 23 and ended his MiLB campaign last season with a .951 OPS with 14 bombs and an absurd .451 OBP. He struggles with the strikeout, though, as is noted by his 115 in just 388 plate appearances last season.
Plummer enters his first season with the Mets after signing as a minor league free agent before the lockout. Plummer, 25, had a breakout year last season for the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate, posting an.894 OPS. He has predominantly played center field and left field in his minor league career, and like Lee, is on the Mets’ 40-,an roster. Of note, Blankenhorn and Mazeika also hold 40-man spots. Also, King Fargas is back.
Photo by Ed Delany of MMO
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Double-A)
C- Francisco Álvarez (MLB’s no. 1o prospect)/Hayden Senger
1B- Jeremy Vasquez
2B- Luke Ritter/Manny Rodriguez
SS- Ronny Mauricio (MLB’s no.78)
3B- Brett Baty (MLB’s no. 27)
OF – Carlos Rincon, Jake Mangum, Quinn Brodey
UT – Cody Bohanek, Branden Fryman
Double-A Binghamton will be the team to watch this year in the Mets’ minor league system. The team will play home to the Mets’ top three prospects, and several other names to watch. Álvarez and Baty lead the group, but both have areas to work on this year. Álvarez is said to need improvement on his pitch framing abilities, while Baty’s ground ball rate is cause for some concern amongst talent evaluators. However, both had massive 2021 campaigns and are poised to do so again in 2022. After a strong showing in Major League camp for Álvarez, all eyes are on him as he is a consensus top-10 prospect in baseball.
Ronny Mauricio is the only name on this list to be on the Mets’ 40-man roster, despite an off year in 2o21. Mauricio posted a .745 OPS last season, but saw minimal improvement in his ability to get on base after posting just a 6.1% walk rate after a 5.7% in 2019. Another note with Mauricio is his absurd build, given that he is 6’3″ at only 20 years old, meaning he is still filling out his build. It is possible that this is the year the Mets try and find a new defensive home for Mauricio, which is an idea that has gained steam amongst prospect evaluators over recent years.
Hayden Senger, a glove first catcher, started to see his bat come around last season. He posted a .770 OPS last season, and saw his first professional game at first base after being promoted to Binghamton. With Álvarez as the catcher of the future, look to see more Senger at first base in an effort build versatility and find him a spot going forward.
Jake Mangum is definitely ready for Triple-A, and his glove is certainly ready for the big leagues, but the outfield in Syracuse is loaded for now getting him this assignment with the need for everyday playing time.
The power bat of Rincon has also seen time at first base this spring.
Kevin Kendall, Photo by Ed Delany of MMN
Brooklyn Cyclones (High-A East)
1B- JT Schwartz
2B- Kevin Kendall
SS- Wilmer Reyes
3B- Jose Peroza
OF – Rowdey Jordan, Joe Suozzi, Brandon McIlwain, Tanner Murphy
UTIL- Jaylen Palmer
Brooklyn will have no shortage of talent to start the year. Expect Jaylen Palmer to start all over the field in 2022. One of the best prospects projected to be in Brooklyn started games at shortstop, second base, left field, center field, and right field last season. Palmer used his speed to his advantage in 2021, stealing 30 bags on the season while posting a .722 OPS. Peroza had a strong campaign as well, slashing .253/.365/.421 between St. Lucie and Brooklyn.
JT Schwartz was the Mets 4th round selected last year out of UCLA. The 6’4″ first baseman is the most interesting prospect on the St. Lucie roster after posting a 1.142 OPS in the Pack-12 conference. Schwartz posted a .512 OBP in 214 plate appearances.
Stanley Consuegra, Photo by Ed Delany of MMN
St. Lucie Mets (Low-A)
1B- Warren Saunders
2B- Justin Guerrera
SS- Shervyen Newton
3B- William Lugo
OF – Stanley Consuegra, Carlos Dominguez, Raul Beracierta, Zach Ashford, Alex Ramirez
UTIL- Wyatt Young
Consuegra has been one of the best players in Mets spring camp and has serious raw power. Lugo and Dominguez are two guys with good power too with Dominguez leading the Mets rookie level hitters with 10 home runs last season.
Shervyen Newton figures to repeat this level next year after another lackluster season. Still only 22, Newton posted a .605 OPS last season in St. Lucie in an injury-riddled season and is now facing a third straight season (fourth year) at the A-Ball level. Warren Saunders likely has the talent to start the season in Brooklyn, but an already stacked infield might force him to start in St. Lucie. Saunders has logged innings at every infield spot so far for the Mets and some work in right field, and could see a quick promotion to Brooklyn.
