Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF Let’s go back to the June MLB Amateur Draft from 2008. With their 3rd round pick, the Mets selected a virtually unknown outfielder from Azusa Pacific University named Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Since then, Nieuwenhuis has been the model of consistency as he has steadily worked his way up to the highest level of the minor leagues. Had he not had his 2011 season end prematurely in June, as the result of a labrum [...]

I caught up to Brooklyn Cyclones left-hander T.J. Chism the other day, and he was kind enough to answer some questions for our readers at MetsMerizedOnline.com. T.J. had some really fascinating stuff to say, and there is no doubt that he will be a pitcher to keep an eye on as he progresses through the Mets minor league system on his way to the big leagues. Here’s what he had to say: Petey:   First [...]

The Mets first signed Juan Lagares out of the Dominican Republic as an IFA in 2006, just two months after his 17th birthday. At the time Lagares was a highly regarded hitter who also happened to be a shortstop. He spent that first professional summer learning the basics in the Dominican Summer League. The smart move for 2007 would have been to start Lagares out in rookie ball, since he was only 18. But the [...]

When the Mets drafted RHP Brant Rustich in the second round of the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft, many thought with his size, strength, stuff, and advanced skills, that he would move quickly through the minor leagues and be ready to help out in the big league bullpen sooner rather than later. Many Mets fans began to dream of this 6’6″ hard throwing, relief ace coming out of the Mets bullpen to strike fear into the hearts [...]

Welcome to the 13th installment of the MMO 2012 Mets Top 20 Prospects list, featuring Wilmer Flores at #8. The Mets signed Flores as a 16-year-old IFA out of Venezuela in August of 2007. Since then he has appeared on Mets Top Ten Prospect lists everywhere from number ten, all the way up to number one. But Flores, now aged 20, is a player who is an enigma, and no one knows quite what to [...]

In July of 2007, exactly three months after his 16th birthday the Mets signed Cesar Puello, a toolsy, RH hitting outfielder from the Dominican Republic, to his first professional contract. Now 20-years-old, 6’2″ and about 220 lbs., with 1192 lifetime minor league AB’s under his belt, Puello seems poised and ready to bust out in 2012. That’s why he is our choice for the 2012 MMO Mets Top 20 Prospect list, at #9. His first [...]

REESE HAVENS, 2B Welcome back for the 11th installment of the 2012 MMO Mets Top 20 Prospect list. Today we bring you #10, featuring second baseman Reese Havens. The only reason Havens isn’t considerably higher on this list is his significant injury history. If he can stay on the field next year, there is every reason to believe he will soon force the Mets to hand over the second base job at Citi to him. [...]

Here’s an extremely disturbing link about the death of Seatle Mariners outfielder, Greg Halman. Rotterdam Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said police were called to a home in the port city in the early hours of the morning and found the 24-year-old Dutch player bleeding from a stab wound. The officers and ambulance paramedics were unable to resuscitate Halman. Wessels said the officers arrested Halman’s 22-year-old brother. She declined to give his name, in line with Dutch privacy rules. [...]

  Here we go with the tenth installment of the MMO 2012 Mets Top 20 Prospects list. This pick represents the last one of the bottom half of the Top 20, #11. The player who gets the honor of topping the 11 thru 20 picks, is none other than RHP Cory Mazzoni. The Mets nabbed Mazzoni in the 2nd round of the 2011 draft out of North Carolina State. He was a starter for much of [...]