Portland 8, Binghamton 2

The Binghamton Mets committed five errors and dropped the series-opener to the Portland Sea Dogs, 8-2, Monday night at Hadlock Field. Binghamton’s five misplays matched a season-high and led to seven unearned runs.

The poor defense started early behind B-Mets starter Jacob DeGrom. With one out in the first, Alonzo Harris failed to catch a long fly ball in center, allowing Xander Bogaerts to reach third. The three-base error set the table for Travis Shaw, who grounded out to get Portland on the board.

Harris’ misplay also prolonged the inning. Following a hit batsman and a walk, Michael Almanzar blasted a two-run double over the head of Cory Vaughn in rightfield, giving Portland a 3-0 advantage.

The runs and defensive misplays continued in the second. With two aboard, Shannon Wilkerson shot a 1-2 pitch back up the middle. Christian Vazquez scored easily from third and Derrik Gibson came in from second when Harris bobbled the grounder in center.

Meanwhile, the B-Mets failed to crack the scoreboard against Major League rehabbing starter John Lackey. The righty tossed 3-2/3 shutout innings, striking out five along the way. He surrendered three hits and walked two, but stranded all four runners in his first start since suffering a strained right bicep with the Red Sox on April 6.

Portland added to their lead on another two more B-Mets errors in the fourth. Gibson reached to start the inning on a throwing error by shortstop Danny Muno. Wilkerson traded places with him on a fielder’s choice. With two outs, Wilkerson scampered to third on a single and scored when Vaughn’s throw to third bounced off of him and skipped into the stands.

Despite the unreliable defense, DeGrom navigated through five innings. The righty was tagged for seven hits and six runs, only one of which was earned. He walked four and wrapped up his night with three strikeouts.

Chase Huchingson entered in the sixth and was not immune to Binghamton’s defensive woes. With two runners on, JC Linares stroked a single to left. The bouncing ball skipped past Darrell Ceciliani and rolled to the Maine Monster, allowing two unearned runs to score.

Binghamton finally got on the scoresheet against reliever Keith Couch in the seventh. The righty had retired seven straight after replacing Lackey in the fourth, but surrendered a leadoff single in Binghamton’s only run-producing frame. With two on base and two outs, Danny Muno smashed a two-run single back up the middle, making it 8-2 in Portland’s favor.

Couch (1-0) shook off the bumpy inning and posted two more outs in the eighth, capping four innings of work. He was awarded the win. Chris Martin brought the game to the finish line, getting the final four outs. DeGrom (0-2) suffered his second loss.

The B-Mets (10-8) continue their three-game series against the Sea Dogs (10-7) Tuesday night at 6:00 PM. RHP Tyler Pill (1-1, 7.20) gets the ball for Binghamton against LHP Craig Breslow (0-0, —).

Key Stats

Daniel Muno: 1-for-3, 2 RBI

Francisco Pena: 2-for-4, 1 R

Jacob DeGrom: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 BB, 6 R, 1 ER, 3 K

Chase Huchingson: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 R, 0 ER

Shawn Teufel: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 3 K

John Church: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 0 K

(Team Report)

For the first two weeks of the minor league season, the Mets were represented with a prospect cracking the Baseball America Hot Sheet. Last week it was Rafael Montero. This week, it’s Wilmer Flores. Both players were listed “In The Team Photo,” which is basically considered an honorable mention.

As I stated in the Mets Minors Report earlier today, Flores is quietly having a nice season offensively. This fine hitting prospect seems like he has been overshadowed by Travis d’Arnaud and Zack Wheeler for these first couple of weeks. But Flores continues to put up solid numbers, and hit his first home run of the season last night, adding three RBI in the Las Vegas 51s victory.

For his efforts over the past week, he was selected to Baseball America’s Hot Sheet. Here’s what they had to say about him:

Wilmer Flores, 3b, Mets. Against the backdrop of Triple-A Las Vegas teammates Zack Wheeler (blister on middle finger) and Travis d’Arnaud (broken foot) dealing with injury woes, Flores just keeps hitting. The 21-year-old went 12-for-30 (.400) with a homer and four doubles this week, but more remarkably he has just three strikeouts in 15 games this season.

Baseball America has to update their files, Flores has been playing second base the majority of the year. But that is besides the point, and Flores is having an excellent season. With the news that d’Arnaud will not require surgery, he should be back in eight weeks or sooner. This could be a chance for Flores to pull himself out of the shadows again with a continued hot play.

I was kind of shocked to see no mention of Brandon Nimmo on the list. He has been virtually impossible to keep off the base paths this season, but it was most likely his power numbers that caused him to get snubbed. Out of all of his hits, he only has three for extra bases this year. Some players on the list had that many home runs alone this past week.

During the Hot Sheet Q&A session this afternoon, a couple of questions came up regarding some Mets prospects. I found one exchange very interesting, regarding Jacob deGrom, which is shared below:

• John (Chicago): Might not be hot sheet worthy, but Jacob deGrom had an 8 ip, 3 h, 8 k, 1 bb line in his first AA start. He’s already 24 (missed a year to injury), but he looks like a major league starter in the making, no?
• Matthew Eddy: Yes, deGrom has a great arm and *just missed* making the Mets Top 10. Some scouts who saw Savannah last year preferred him to Sand Gnats rotation-mates Michael Fulmer and Domingo Tapia. The area to watch for deGrom and all sinker-slider pitchers is the platoon split. Can he consistently retire lefthanded batters?

Players To Watch For Next Week’s Hot Sheet

• Watch out for Aderlin Rodriguez, who is on a tear, and has homered in his last three games.
• Jacob deGrom could crack the list with another solid start on his next visit to the mound.
• Rafael Montero is always a threat—the kid is the goods.
• Kevin Plawecki, who started the season hot and hasn’t started to cool off yet.

Fort Myers 11, St. Lucie 8

It was not a good day for the R.A. Dickey trade all around, as on the heels of the news to the injury of Travis d’Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard had a rough time pitching for St. Lucie on Thursday evening. Syndergaard was in consideration for a promotion to Binghamton when Luis Mateo was placed on the DL – but was passed over in favor of Jacob deGrom, who shined in his debut on Wednesday night.

Syndergaard was left to make his scheduled start down in St. Lucie, but unfortunately for the young prospect, he ran into a bit of a wall. He lasted only three innings and was on the hook for seven earned runs off eight hits and two walks, while striking out two. He allowed one home run – a two-run jack in the first inning and never really looked comfortable after that. He allowed a lead-off double to begin the game to Adam Pettersen, who scored on the aforementioned two-run home run with two outs in the first. He gave up two hits in the second, but induced a double play to get out of it.

The third inning brought trouble for him again, however, where he struggled to get the third out once again. After allowing a lead-off single to Adam Pettersen again, he got the next two men out, although Pettersen stole second base. Syndergaard then allowed a walk, triple, single, walk, and double…ouch. The whole fiasco resulted in a five-run third inning and closing the door on Syndergaard’s evening.

St. Lucie overcame the 7-2 deficit by scoring five runs in the third inning, with the big blow coming on a two-run homer by Matt Reynolds, his first of the season. St. Lucie then took an 8-7 the lead in the fourth when Aderlin Rodriguez launched his third homer of the season – a solo job. However, the bullpen failed to get it done. After three hitless innings of solid relief from Jim Fuller, the next four relievers Wanel Mesa, Hamilton Bennett and Randy Fontanez combined to surrender four runs over the final three innings.

Key Stats

Aderlin Rodriguez: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

Dustin Lawley: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 R

Matt Reynolds: 2-for-5, 1 3B, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI

Gilbert Gomez: 2-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 K

Charles Thurber: 1-for-2, 2 BB, 1 R, 1 RBI

Noah Syndergaard: 3.0 IP. 8 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 HR

Jim Fuller: 3.0 IP. 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Hamilton Bennett: 1.0 IP. 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Portland 1, Binghamton 0

I attended the game and charted Jacob DeGrom’s pitching stats on the hunch that tonight could be special. The kid was stellar; polished, poised, a smooth and effortless delivery, and he simply pounded the strike zone. I don’t think I’ve seen a B-Met pitcher pitch a game like this since Scott Kazmir many years back.

Here’s DeGrom’s pitching line:

8.0 IP – 1 ER – 3 H – 1  XBH – 1 BB – 8 K

The statistics are even more impressive when you break them down. Take a look at this.

• Total Pitches: 102, Strikes: 71 – 69% Balls 31
• Full Windup: Pitches: 90, Strikes: 62 – 70% Balls: 28
• Fastballs: Pitches: 66 Strikes: 46 – 70% Balls 20
• Off-Speed Pitches: 24 Strikes: 16 – 67% Balls 8
• Stretch: Pitches: 12 Strikes: 9 – 75% Balls 3
• Fastballs: Pitches: 7 Strikes: 4 -57% Balls 4
• Off-Speed Pitches 5 Strikes 5 – 100%

DeGrom’s fastball range stretched from 86 to 96. He threw only six of 66 fastballs in the 80′s. It was hard to classify his off-speed pitch that ranged from 78-83, but generally fell between 81-83. I asked a B-Met pitcher sitting behind home plate and charting what his pitch was and he said it was a changeup. It did appear to tail away from left-handed hitters and I thought I saw a small downward drop occasionally against righthanded batters, so I wasn’t sure. What I was sure about was it’s effectiveness.

DeGrom retired the first seven batters of the game. The seventh hitter sent a scorching grounder up the middle that hit DeGrom’s foot and was turned into a 1-4-3 putout. It seemed to rattle him just a bit. His next three pitches were out of the strike zone, before he threw three straight strikes (the last a foul ball) and then surrendered his first AA hit.

A high first pitch in the fourth inning,a pitch off the plate but Xander Bogaerta reached and got just enough of it to place a soft popup that hit the rightfield line not too far beyond the infield. It resulted in a leadoff double. Bogaerta moved to third on a weak infield groundout to short and scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

DeGrom retired his final 12 batters in a row with only three balls hit out of the infield. His 101st pitch registered at 91 mph. The kid was brilliant.

Portland’s Brandon Workman proved Met fans aren’t the only fans excited about pitching prospects. He threw seven innings, allowing four hits, striking out nine and walking none. Workman and DeGrom gave the sparse crowd an old-fashioned pitching duel.

The B-Mets had a pair of two-hit innings but couldn’t scratch out a run for DeGrom. Some efficient outfield play and the cannon arm of Sea Wolf left fielder Tony Thomas helped keep the B-Mets off the board. Thomas gunned down Wilfredo Thomas going first to third to kill a rally in the second inning.

When Allan Dykstra sent a screamer down the leftfield line to lead off the B-Met eighth it looked like a double. But, Thomas played the ball perfectly and unleashed a rocket to second that had Dykstra scrambling to get back to first. Corey Vaughn failed to advance Josh Rodriguez who pinch ran for Dykstra. That proved costly when Blake Forsythe singled to right sending Rodriguez to third. But Daniel Muno looked at a third strike and Wifredo Tovar swung and missed a third strike and that was that.

Darrell Ceciliani had two hits for the B-Mets, but the real story in Binghamton was quality starting pitching, for Met fans – the stellar AA debut of Jacob DeGrom.

Key Stats

Darrell Ceciliani: 2-for-4, 1 CS

Allan Dykstra: 1-for-3

Wilfredo Tovar: 1-for-3

Blake Forsythe: 1-for-3

Jacob DeGrom: 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 8 K

John Church: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K

Report contributed by MMO reader John Bernhardt (B-Met)

Updated by Joe D. at 10:00 PM

Lynn Worthy just broke the news on Twitter, that Jake DeGrom will remain with the Binghamton Mets even when Cory Mazzoni comes off the disabled list next week.

Worthy adds that the B-Mets will go with a six-man rotation which is something they did last season as well.

Great news, and DeGrom is exactly where he should have been to start the season.

Good stuff…

Original Post by Satish at 9:30 PM

Wow…  Talk about an impressive splash into AA! Jacob DeGrom was recently promoted to Binghamton to replace Luis Mateo‘s spot in the rotation, and there was some talk about the fact that he got the call before Noah Syndergaard. So what did Mr. DeGrom do about it?

He went out and dominated. His first start ever in AA may have been a loss, but you have to look past that to see how impressive he really was.

DeGrom lasted eight innings and allowed an earned run off a mere three hits and one walk. His opposition, the Portland Sea Dogs, looked lost all night as he dazzled Mets minor league fans with eight strikeouts.

DeGrom was ranked at #17 during our offseason MMO Top Prospects, and here is what I had to say about him back then…

Another solid right handed pitcher in the Mets system? You are correct, sir… I believe Jake deGrom was destined for something special. DeGrom was drafted in the 9th round of the 2010 Draft and immediately had TJ surgery in the Fall of 2010. That sounds pretty bad for a young pitcher, especially when you consider that he missed the entire 2011 season because of said surgery. But like I said, deGrom just might be destined for something special, because he came back topping the radar gun at 97 MPH in 2012.

Mets Scouting Director Paul DePodesta raved about him according to Joe D.. He started 2012 in Savannah and was promoted to St.Lucie later in the year, where he actually improved on his numbers. He finished the year with a 2.43 ERA in 111.1 innings and a WHIP of .997. He struck out a solid 96 while walking only 20, and allowed only four home runs all year.

DeGrom is quite a story and very easy to root for – especially considering he is one of our own. You might be hearing his name a lot more before long and seems to be on the fast track to success.

St. Lucie 6, Bradenton 5

Jacob DeGrom started the game strong for St. Lucie by retiring the first eight batters that he faced, but he ran into trouble in the fourth inning.  DeGrom gave up three runs off four hits in the frame. He then gave up a home run to Willy Garcia in the sixth that put St. Lucie behind 4-3.

However, the Mets were able to retake the lead due to some sloppy defense by the Bradenton Marauders. Travis Taijeron scored the tying run in the seventh on a fielding error. Then, in the ninth, Cam Maron reached base on an error, advanced to second base on a wild pitch, and then scored on a dropped fly ball by the second baseman to put St. Lucie ahead. The Marauders committed six errors in the game.

Unfortunately, St. Lucie quickly gave back the lead in the bottom of the ninth.  T.J Chism recorded the first two outs of the inning, but gave up a fly ball that was just out of the reach of second baseman T.J Rivera that tied the game.

In the 12^th, St. Lucie went ahead for good. Charles Thurber scored the winning run on a force out, and Hamilton Bennett picked up the save in the bottom of the inning.

Player Notes:

Jacob DeGrom pitched better than his line showed since many of the hits he gave up weren’t hit very hard.

T.J Rivera crushed a three run double off the CF wall for the first runs of the game, but he failed to come through twice with runners on third with less than 2 outs later in the game.

Aderlin Rodriguez had a rough night at the plate going 0-6 with 2 K’s.

Key Stats

Jacob DeGrom: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 K,  1HR
T.J Rivera: 2-for-7, 2B, 3 RBI
Travis Taijeron: 4-for-5, 3B, 2B,  1 R, 1 BB

Rome 5, Savannah 2

Savannah (4-4) jumped out to an early lead on a Kevin Plawecki‘s RBI double in the top of the first. Rome (5-3) got the run right back in the bottom half of the first through an RBI single by Carlos Franco. They took the lead in the second after an error by SS Phillips Evans with the bases loaded. Not to be outdone, the Sand Gnats evened the score in the top of the fourth on a double play with the bases loaded, which scored Kevin Plawecki. Plawecki had led off the inning with a double, one of two on the evening.

Rome took the lead for good with a three spot in the bottom of the fifth inning off Gnats starter Gabriel Ynoa, who failed to record an out in the fifth before being lifted. Ynoa would go four innings, allowing five runs, four of them earned, on eight hits and two walks. He did strike out four. The Gnats were kept in the game with stellar relief work by Bret Mitchell who pitched two perfect innings and they got a perfect inning each from Beck Wheeler and Tim Peterson.

Key Stats

Brandon Nimmo: 2-for-3, 1 BB, 1 R
Kevin Plawecki: 3-for-4, 2 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI
Gabriel Ynoa: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 4 K

(Recaps by Vinny B. and Fonzie13)

Noah Syndergaard will headline one of the best rotations in the minor leagues.

The roster of this year’s St. Lucie Mets team is packed with some fantastic talent. This year, St. Lucie will showcase some of the finest pitching pitching prospects in the Met system, and even some of the finest in the minor leagues. This year’s team will likely be the most potential-packed of any in the system. Let’s see who will make this season one to watch.

The Big Names

• Noah Syndergaard (RHP) – The hard-throwing right-hander was only the second biggest name in the R.A. Dickey trade this winter, but by no means should he be overlooked. While he may have been overshadowed by Travis d’Arnaud, Syndergaard also has scouts drooling over his potential. In the Midwest League last season (the equivalent of Savannah), Syndergaard tossed 103.2 innings, putting up a 2.60 ERA and a 10.6 K/9 rate. That went along with an above-average 2.7 BB/9 rate, which is also his career minor league average. Syndergaard was ranked the 29th best prospect in baseball by MLB.com this spring and 54th by Baseball America. After d’Arnaud and Zack Wheeler graduate to the big leagues, all eyes will turn to Syndergaard, who thus far has everyone excited about his future.
• Michael Fulmer (RHP, torn meniscus) – Fulmer is one of the many young and promising arms the Mets have in the lower minors. 20 years old, Fulmer had a terrific season last year with Savannah, posting a 2.74 ERA in 21 starts (108.1 innings) while striking out 101 and walking 38. Fulmer was drafted in 2011 from Deer Creek High School in Oklahoma  He was well-regarded before last season, but he put his name towards to top of every prospect guru’s list with a very impressive season. He will miss most of, if not all of the first half of the season with a torn meniscus, but will return some time this summer.
• Luis Mateo (RHP) – Luis Mateo will do something this year that not many pitching prospects in the Mets system do: skip Savannah. Mateo, 23, had a fantastic season for the Cyclones last year, and along with Hansel Robles, will skip A-Ball and go straight to Advanced A-Ball St. Lucie. Mateo put up a 2.45 ERA last season in 12 starts, striking out 10.4 batters per nine innings while walking only 1.1 He has incredible stuff and is someone you will hear a lot from in the near future.
• Domingo Tapia (RHP) – Domingo Tapia’s two-seam fastball may be one of the best pitches in all of the minors. It has heavy sinking action and sits in the mid to upper 90s. He doesn’t have a breaking pitch, and may end up in the bullpen by the time he reaches the majors, but he is nonetheless a very intriguing pitcher. Tapia threw 108.2 innings last season and posted a 3.98 ERA. He slaso struck out 8.4 batters per nine innings (an increase from 5.8 K/9 in 2011) with 2.7 walks.
• Aderlin Rodriguez (3B) – Rodriguez may already have, at age 21, the most power in the entire Mets farm system. Rodriguez hit a meager .221/.265/.372 in 131 games as a 19 year-old in Savannah in 2011, with the only positive being his 17 home runs. Last year, however, repeating the league, Rodriguez started hitting like he never had before. He hit .274/.336/.497 with 16 dingers in only 83 games before earning a promotion to St. Lucie. Looking deeper into his splits from Savannah, you see that although he hit just .233/.309/.473 in 40 games at home at Grayson Stadium, he hit eight home runs. That;s notable considering that Savannah is not only the toughest park in the South Atlantic League to get a hit in, but it is also the most difficult park in the entire minor leagues to hit home runs. If Rodriguez can hit for power there, he can do it anywhere.

The Sleepers

• Jacob deGrom (RHP) – Coming off six so-so outings in Kingsport in 2010 and Tommy John surgery, Jacob deGrom broke out in a big way last year in Savannah. Overall, he made 15 starts there and put up very impressive statistics: 2.51 ERA, 7.8 K/9, and 1.4 BB/9. He then made four starts in St. Lucie, allowing five earned runs in 21.2 innings. A lanky 6’4″, 185 pounds, deGrom has the physical profile that scouts look for in a young pitcher. Watch out for him this year.
• Hansel Robles (RHP) – In a bit of a surprise, the Mets sent Hansel Robles to St. Lucie for the start of the season instead of Savannah, where he was projected to go. Robles, 22, was the ace of the excellent Brooklyn Cyclone pitching staff last season, posting a 1.11 ERA in 72.2 innings to go along with excellent 8.2 K/9 and 1.2 BB/9 rates. 
• T.J. Rivera (2B) – Rivera doesn’t have any tools that stand out in particular, but he has put up very good numbers ar every level he’s played. Although he hasn’t hit for much power, he has hit at least .290 in every league he’s played in. Last season in 128 games between Savannah and St. Lucie, he hit .320/.372/.444.
• Alex Panteliodis (LHP) – A ninth-round draft pick in 2011 out of the University of Florida, Panteliodis put up a 3.64 ERA in 22 starts in Savannah last year in 108.2 innings.

Other Names to Watch

• Chasen Bradford (RHP) – A reliever out of UCF, Bradford posted an excellent 2.47 ERA in Savannah last year in 51 innings, all out of the bullpen. 
• Camden Maron (C) – Maron may be the second-best catcher in the Mets’ system after hitting .300/.403/.408 in Savannah last year. He didn’t hit for much power (five home runs), but his 13% walk rate was very impressive.

Noah Syndergaard will lead a talented Advanced-A rotation in St. Lucie.

The Port St. Lucie residents will be in for a treat this season, as the St. Lucie Mets arguably have the best rotation in the minor leagues. If they aren’t the best right now, they certainly are in the discussion.

The way the roster has shaken out, it looks as if the rotation will consist of Noah Syndergaard, Domingo Tapia, Luis Mateo, Hansel Robles, Alex Panteliodis and Jacob deGrom to start the season. The roster also consists of Michael Fulmer, who is currently recovering from a knee injury, and will definitely be in the mix once he is healed.

You will be hard pressed to find a pitching staff as deep, and as potentially dominant as the St. Lucie Mets. The majority of the Mets top pitching prospects will all begin their season in St. Lucie, and in a recent edition of Baseball America, they gave their 2013 rankings for pitching prospects where three St. Lucie pitchers were ranked. They separated their rankings into three categories: Right-Handed Pitchers, Left-Handed Pitchers and Relief Pitchers. The Mets had five pitchers ranked in the top 75 right-handed pitchers in the minors. They are Zack Wheeler (5), Noah Syndergaard (19), Luis Mateo (65), Rafael Montero(66) and Michael Fulmer (75) — Syndergaard, Mateo and Fulmer will be playing for St. Lucie this year.

All eyes will be on St. Lucie this year, as some of the top pitching prospects in the Mets’ organization will be on display. Any Mets fans that live in the Port St. Lucie area may want to look into a season ticket package at Tradition Field, because this may be the last time this many top pitching prospects are pitching in the same rotation for a long time. Don’t you feel bad for St. Lucie’s opponents? Yikes!

The pitching was strong again today for the Binghamton Mets (Group 2 Players), as Tyler Pill went 5 1/3 scoreless innings to secure the victory. Pill, a former fourth round pick in 2011, went 9-5 with a 2.31 ERA splitting time between Savannah and St. Lucie. He was also ranked No. 28 in the most recent MMO top prospect list.

The pitching has looked very strong so far this spring with Jacob deGrom and Domingo Tapia also combining for a shutout a few days ago.

Tapia started that game for the B-Mets and allowed one single over four scoreless innings of work before DeGrom followed with three shutout innings of relief.

On the offensive side of today’s contest, the team exploded with three home runs on its way to a to a 6-1 victory over the Jacksonville Suns (Marlins). The offense was powered by Aderlin Rodriguez, and Eudy Pina who both homered for the B-Mets. The team has been off to a hot start this spring, and through four games the have one win, one loss, and two draws.

The Binghamton Mets have seven more tune-ups before heading north to start their season on April 4 in Akron.

The Binghamton Mets and Springfield Cardinals played to a scoreless tie today in minor league action. While there may not have been much offense in the game, the pitching was very impressive, as Domingo Tapia and Jacob deGrom combined efforts in the shutout.

Tapia got the start, going four innings and allowed just one hit. MMO had both Tapia and deGrom pegged to start the season at High-A ball with the St. Lucie Mets. However, they were both named to the “Group 2″ starters, who traditionally start the season with the Binghamton Mets (AA).

DeGrom (17) and Tapia (8) were both listed in the most recent top 25 prospect list by MMO, and are two reasons why the Mets are boasting that they have the one of the strongest crop of young right-handed pitchers in baseball. Neither Tapia nor deGrom were listed on the recent list of top right-handed pitching prospects by Baseball America, but if they keep pitching the way they did today, it won’t be long before the men or women that make these lists start taking notice.

With names like Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard, Luis Mateo, Rafael Montero and Michael Fulmer already giving the Mets a reason to be excited about some young and promising right-handed pitchers, deGrom and Tapia are just two more reasons why the Mets are smiling. You will never hear anyone complain about having too much pitching, and the Mets are definitely stocked in that category right now. The biggest problem will be trying to figure out what to do with all these great arms if they all pan out.

The Binghamton Mets have six more games scheduled in spring training before they kick off their regular season action on April 4th, against the Akron Aeros.

In putting together this list, I tried to balance as best I could major league readiness with the so-called “ceiling” of each prospect. In compiling the list, I looked at and analyzed career statistics, video, scouting reports, and the opinions of some well-respected scouts and Mets minor league experts before coming to my conclusions. Enjoy!

20. Jack Leathersich, LHP

Height: 5’11″

Weight: 205

Throws/Bats: L/R

We may be seeing Josh Edgin 2.0 as Jack Leathersich shoots up the ladder. Another college lefty reliever. However, Leathersich is rather unconventional, and has been slightly more successful than Edgin was in his short time in the minors. Although he had a 4.12 ERA over the second half of the year when he was with St. Lucie, Leathersich had an astronomical strikeout rate of 14.2 batters per nine. That’s 35.5% of the hitters he faced.

There is still one question with Leathersich, a very important one. Is his success because of his talent or a deceptive delivery? Watch his delivery below and you’ll see what I’m talking about:

He struggled to get hitters out for the first time in his career with St. Lucie last year, and we’ll have to wait and see how his delivery translates to the higher levels.

2013 Outlook: Leathersich has been shooting up through the lower levels, and will likely continue to do so. He may even be an outside candidate to pitch for the Mets in the second half this year. Then, we’ll see what he’s got. He will start the year with Binghamton in all likelihood and go from there. If his success continues, he will move up fast.

19. Cory Vaughn, RF

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 225

Throws/Bats: R/R

A former fourth-round pick and son of former major leaguer Greg Vaughn, right fielder  Cory Vaughn is a physically-gifted, all-around athlete. Coming out of San Diego State in 2010, Vaughn was projected as a five-tool player, and did a little bit of everything once he turned pro. In his first professional season with the Cyclones, he hit .307/.396/.577 with 14 home runs in just 72 games. He also swiped 12 bases and hit five triples.

In 2011, Vaughn saw his numbers drop. He had a decent first half with Savannah, batting .286 (although he hit only four home runs) until he was called up to St. Lucie, where he struggled even more. In an injury-riddled second half, Vaughn hit only .219 in 63 games.

2012 was another year of mixed results for the 23 year-old outfielder. Everything was there – the power, speed, defensive skills – except for the hit tool. Vaughn struggled to but the barrel on the ball consistently, hitting just .243. The key to Vaughn’s success going forward will be his ability to hit for average. The other tools are there, but the one he didn’’t show this year is the most important to future success.

2013 Outlook: Vaughn has played 189 games for St. Lucie, so but he may end up there again. He may start the season there again because of his struggles at the plate last season. He will be turning 24 in May, so the clock is ticking. We’ve seen what happens to guys like Zack Lutz and Josh Satin getting “stuck” in the minors because of age. Vaughn still has some time, but he can’t afford to spend the majority of 2013 in St. Lucie.

18. Phillip Evans, SS

Height: 5’10″

Weight: 185

Throws/Bats: R/R

The Mets got a steal two years ago when, in the 15^th round they drafted a high school shortstop named Phillip Evans. Evans was a 2^nd-round talent, but scouts were scared off by his commitment to San Diego State. Luckily, the Mets were able to grab him late and sign him for $600,000.

Scouts say Evans has an advanced approached at the plate. He also generates a decent amount of power, despite being very small. (He is listed at 5’10”, but is much shorter). He hit .252 in his first full professional season with Brooklyn. He had an OPS of .665, but hit five home runs, third on the team.

The Mets will have to decide over the next few years where exactly Evans fits. He has a weak throwing arm and often has to take a few steps before making a throw to first. The general belief Is that he will eventually have to move to second base.

2013 Outlook: Phillips will probably split time with Savannah and St. Lucie this season.

17. Matt den Dekker, CF

Height: 6’1″

Weight: 205

Throws/Bats: L/L

It was like two separate seasons for Matt den Dekker in 2012. In the first half, we saw his bat come alive, as he hit double after double (along with a few home runs), batting .340 in 58 games for Double-A Binghamton. Den Dekker was arguably the best player in the league, socking 21 doubles, four triples, and eight home runs. He also stole ten bases and continued to play incredible defense.

The second half was a different story for den Dekker, after he was called up to Buffalo. He was striking out more, walking less, and most importantly, hitting the ball less. Here is how his first half in Binghamton compared to his time with Buffalo:

Den Dekker is facing the same strikeout problem that held Kirk Nieuwenhuis back last season. He has to lower his strikeout rate drastically or he is going to have a very difficult time hitting in the big leagues. You can’t get away with a 25% strikeout rate in the bigs. He’s too much of a free-swinger (as you can tell by his walk rate, which was already low in the first half) and big league pitching will test him.

2013 Outlook: Last year, den Dekker was a candidate to make the team out of Spring Training, but that’s not happening no matter how he performs in spring games. He will need to put together a few months with lower strikeout rates in order to get the promotion.

16. Gabriel Ynoa, RHP 

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 158

Throws/Bats: R/R

After dominating the Dominican Summer League two years ago and pitching well in the Gulf Coast league in 2011, Gabriel Ynoa once again had a fantastic season, this time as a part of Brooklyn’s incredible pitching rotation.

Ynoa showed ridiculous control, walking only 1.2 batters per nine innings. The skinny right-hander has always been known for his excellent command, and in over 200 pro innings, he has walked only 22 batters.

Ynoa made 13 starts in the New York-Penn League this season, and in 76.2 innings, he had just a 2.23 ERA. He also struck out 7.5 batters per nine, up from only 4.3 the year before. He has a good changeup and a low-90s fastball that he commands very well. Hopefully, he will fill in his 6’2” frame (he’s listed as only 158 pounds), which could help him put a little more heat on his fastball.

2013 Outlook: Ynoa is so young and still has to build up some innings. He will probably go to Savannah in the spring and stay there the entire season.

15. Wilfredo Tovar, SS

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 160

Throws/Bats: R/R

Tovar has always been known as a very skilled defensive shortstop. That’s his best skill, and he is probably the best defender in the entire Mets system. The questionable part of his game has always been his bat.

Signed out of Venezuela at 16 years old in 2008, Tovar had a tough time hitteing at even the lowest levels of the minor leagues, hitting just .203 in 49 games in the Venezuelan Summer League. He saw some improvement in the following years, as his batting average hovered around .250. Last season, he started to see some big changes.

After playing the better part of two years with Savannah, Tovar started the year with St. Lucie, and he started hitting the ball much better. In his 65 games with St. Lucie, he hit .284 with a career-high .377 on-base percentage and 11.3% walk rate, a significant improvement from the year before. He had a tough second half in Binghamton, with his numbers reverting back to what they were pre-St. Lucie, but that may have been due to the fact that he was 20 playing in Double-A.

Tovar certainly has the potential to be a Ruben Tejada-type player with an even better glove. We just have to wait and see how the bat develops. He started hitting some more extra-base hits this season, which was a very good sign. He will need that gap-to-gap power in order to become an MLB regular.

2013 Outlook: The Mets will be in no rush with Tovar. He will begin the season in Binghamton and play most of the season there.

14. Aderlin Rodriguez, 3B

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 210

Throws/Bats: R/R

Possibly the best power hitter in the system, Rodriguez had a breakout campaign in 2012. The 21 year-old corner infielder, repeating low-A Savannah, displayed incredible power throughout the first half. He clubbed 16 home runs and slugged .497 in just 318 at-bats. This is in Savannah, where home runs go to die. Rodriguez has power to spare.

After 83 games in Savannah, Rodriguez finally made the trip to St. Lucie, where he would spend the rest of the season. There, he saw his batting average and walk rates plummet, but his power numbers stay well above-average. He finished his time in St. Lucie with a .190 ISO and eight home runs in 42 games.

Rodriguez’s power could take him a long way. He still doesn’t really have a defensive position. However, if Rodriguez can keep his power numbers up and improve his walk rate, it won’t matter what position he plays because his bat will make up for whatever he lacks defensively.

2013 Outlook: Rodriguez only played 42 games in St. Lucie, so he will probably play another half season or so before going to Binghamton.

13. Kevin Plawecki, C

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 205

Throws/Bats: R/R

The Mets used their supplemental round pick last year on a young catcher from Purdue named Kevin Plawecki. Scouts praised him for his refined approach at the plate and his ability to hit home runs. One year later, Plawecki is the second-best catching prospect in the farm system, behind only Travis d’Arnaud.

Plawecki signed early and played 61 games for the Brooklyn Cyclones, and showed off his power. He led the team in home runs with seven despite hitting only .250. His patience was also very impressive as he had a walk rate of 9.9%. Combine that with a fantastic 9.5% strikeout rate and you can see why the Mets drafted him so high.

On the downside, Plawecki hit only eight doubles last season, and will need to work on his gap-to-gap power. Also, while he threw out almost 50% of base stealers, he still has work to do defensively.

2013 Outlook: Plawecki is still a few years away. However, because of his patience at the plate, he will likely play most of the year in St. Lucie as opposed to Savannah.

12. Gavin Cecchini, SS

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 180

Throws/Bats: R/R

Gavin Cecchini is what scouts call a “baseball rat.” He comes from a baseball family. His father is the baseball coach at his former high school and a former college player. His brother Garin Cecchini is a speedy third baseman and one of the top prospects in the Red Sox organization. Gavin is a smart baseball player with great instincts. He doesn’t have the raw talent that some of his fellow 2012 draft picks have, but scouts say he has outstanding baseball instincts.

Cecchini signed very quickly, allowing him to get some experience in Kingsport to start of his career. His bat proved to be a work in progress as he hit only .240 and hit only one home run. However, his swing is smooth and he has the potential to be a very good line drive hitter. He doesn’t have the power, but that was never expected of him.

Cecchini’s defense is really why he was drafted. He doesn’t have particularly great speed or arm strength, but otherwise has the tools to be a good defender. As I mentioned, he has great baseball instinct which will help him read hitters and make him an even better defensive player at a position where that’s very important.

2013 Outlook: Cecchini is still a very raw talent, and will likely stay in St. Lucie for extended spring training before heading to Brooklyn. The Mets will take it slow with him and we probably will not see him until at least September 2015.

11. Jacob DeGrom, RHP

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 185

Throws/Bats: R/L

DeGrom had a stellar season for Savannah, surprising a lot of followers of Mets minor league baseball. Before the season started, he wasn’t very highly-rated and was outside of Toby Hyde’s top 41 list. The 24 year-old had surgery in the fall of 2010, just months after he had been made a 9^th round pick by the Mets. He sat out the entire 2011 season rehabbing, and was able to start the season with Savannah.

Despite the serious injury, DeGrom came back with a vengeance, immediately dominating South Atlantic League hitters. He displayed excellent control, walking only 1.6 batters per nine innings, while striking out 7.8. He ended up making 15 starts with Savannah, tossing 89.2 innings with a 2.51 ERA along the way, before earning a late-season promotion to St. Lucie for the playoff run.

DeGrom made four starts to end the regular season in St. Lucie and an additional one in the playoffs, allowing just five runs in 27.2 High-A innings. DeGrom will need to develop his off-speed stuff in order to stay a starter, but is on track for a successful career. There is still a concern for his health after his Tommy John surgery, but after watching how he responded this season, that may not be a problem again.

2013 Outlook: DeGrom will likely pitch no more than a few months in St. Lucie, especially if he keeps pitching like he did last year. Expect him to debut sometime in late 2014 or 2015.

10. Luis Mateo, RHP

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 170

Throws/Bats: R/R

Mateo followed a long and unconventional path to get where he is today. He was originally signed by the Giants five years ago for $625,000, bone chips were found in his elbow, and the Giants voided his contract. Later that year, he signed with the Padres for $300,000, but after an MLB investigation, it was revealed that Mateo had lied about his age. He served a suspension, and finally signed with the Mets in 2011 for only $150,000.

Mateo dominated the Dominican Summer League in his first pro season in 2011, making 13 starts (63 innings) and posting a 2.00 ERA. He impressed the Mets front office enough to skip the Mets’ rookie affiliates and head straight to short-season Brooklyn, where he would become the face of a very formidable pitching staff.

Mateo used a combination of two dangerous fastballs and a sharp slider to dominate the league, posting a 2.45 ERA in 73.1 innings and even more impressively, a K/BB ratio of 9.44. In those 73.1 innings, he struck out 85, and walked nine. You can make an argument that this is the result of a 22 year-old in the low-A New York-Penn League, which is why he’s not ranked in the top five on this list. Had he been two or three years younger, I would put much more stock in the numbers he put up, but until I see him dominate in the Florida State League or Eastern League, that uncertainty remains.

2013 Outlook: As long as Mateo keeps pitching well, the Mets will keep promoting him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he only makes a few starts with Savannah, or skips Savannah entirely like he did Kingsport.

9. Rafael Montero, RHP

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 175

Throws/Bats: R/R

Rafael Montero transformed his reputation this year with a stellar season between Savannah and St. Lucie. Despite pitching 71 innings in 2011 with a 2.15 ERA between the Dominican Summer League, the Gulf Coast League, Kingsport, and Brooklyn, Montero wasn’t taken too seriously before the season started. In just a few short months, however, he became one of the highest-rated pitching prospects in the entire farm system.

Montero, 22,  signed a little late in the game as a 20 year-old out of the Dominican Republic in 2011, but has rocketed through the Mets’ system. Boasting a low-90s fastball, a solid slider, and a changeup, Montero has excellent command, walking only 1.4 batters per nine innings last season while striking out 8.1.

Montero has a special combination of control and pure stuff. It’s still early, but I expect we’ll see great things from him. He is one of many promising young pitchers working their way through the lower minors that could definitely be in the Met rotation in a few years.

2013 Outlook: My guess is Montero will split the season between St. Lucie and Binghamton (If he continues to pitch well) much like how he split the season between Savannah and St. Lucie this year.

8. Domingo Tapia, RHP

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 186

Throws/Bats: R/R

Domingo Tapia’s future role is still very much up in the air. Tapia, 21, had a breakout year last season with Savannah. Although his ERA (3.98) was slightly worse than his 2011 mark (3.38), he had a much better season. Tapia, whose repertoire consists of a high-90s two-seam sinking fastball, a high-90s four-seam fastball, a high-80s changeup, and a below-average breaking pitch, struck out 8.4 batters per nine, much better than his 5.8 mark in 2011. Despite having pitched just over 220 professional innings, Tapia already seems destined for the bullpen. He doesn’t have much of a breaking pitch, relying almost completely on his sinker and four-seam fastball. That combination has worked so far, but won’t work as he climbs the minor league ladder, especially as a starter. It may also be difficult for him to develop a breaking pitch considering how low his arm slot is. He is still very young, however, so there is still time for Tapia to develop a breaking pitch. Now the decision rests with the front office: to keep him a starter, they may have to raise his arm angle, possibly jeopardizing his sinker. The Mets will have to decide whether they will take that risk or move him to the bullpen.

2013 Outlook: The future is unclear in regards to Tapia. While scouts agree that he has a great sinker and a good four-seam, his role is still up in the air. As for this season, you’ll probably see him in St. Lucie.

7. Jeurys Familia, RHP

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 230

Throws/Bats: R/R

Last year was a bumpy one for Jeurys Familia. In 2011, it looked like he had finally started to put it together as a starter, pitching 23 games with a 2.90 ERA in 124 innings between St. Lucie and Binghamton. It looked like the mechanical issues were starting to get fixed and he was looking more and more like a starter. That changed this past season, as Familia regressed.

Familia was very inconsistent in his season with Buffalo. Every few starts, he would dominate and strike out seven or eight batters, but those starts were few and far between. For most of the season, Familia struggled with his control, worked up a high pitch count, and was unable to go deep into games. He has the stuff to be a good pitcher, but he doesn’t have the makeup of a starting pitcher.

Familia has what it takes to be a successful reliever, which is where I think he will eventually end up. The Mets will probably give him another year as a starter (unless they feel they really need him in the bullpen) to develop his breaking pitches. If he doesn’t stay a starter, the transition may take a few months but eventually, he could be the full-time closer and be a good one too.

2013 Outlook: A bullpen role seems most likely long-term unless Familia makes major improvements with his control and secondary pitches this year or in 2014. He will start the year in Triple-A and go from there.

6. Brandon Nimmo, OF

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 185

Throws/Bats: R/L

The Mets took a big risk in 2011 when they drafted 18 year-old outfielder Brandon Nimmo out of Wyoming. Why was it such a risk? There is no high school baseball in Wyoming, so the only experience Nimmo had was on top-tier club teams in his area. That, on top of an injury in high school that caused him to miss an entire season put him at a disadvantage when making the jump to professional baseball. This season, after playing only ten professional games in 2011, made the jump to Low-A Brooklyn in the tough New York-Penn League, where many of the top college picks are sent. After a full season there, the numbers don’t stand out as those of a future star, but considering his experience in high school, his season was impressive. He batted just .248, but had a very high walk rate of 14.3%. He also displayed some power, hitting six home runs in 266 at-bats. His ISO (Explanation) of .158 was ninth best in the New York-Penn League. Among players under 20 years of age (with a minimum of 200 Plate Appearances), he was first in that category. He finished tenth in the league in homers, and was the only player under 20 in the top ten. However, he didn’t show much speed or hit lefties very well. Nimmo is someone who is still very inexperienced, so fans have to be more patient than usual with him. The front office will surely take it slow with him, as he is still a very raw talent.

2013 Outlook: The Mets will take it slow with Nimmo this season. He will probably spend the entire year with Savannah. It’s still too early to get a real sense of what type of player Nimmo will be, but the signs so far point towards Nimmo eventually becoming an average to above average major league player at worst. But again, it’s too early to make any conclusions (as is the case with any of these prospects) because he is a rather unconventional prospect.

And my Top 5…

5. Wilmer Flores, 2B, 3B

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 190

Throws/Bats: R/R

One year ago, Wilmer Flores was on the brink of irrelevancy. He had played 200 games in High-a Port St. Lucie, and hadn’t put up stellar numbers. His 2011 season was one with many ups and downs, and the statistics didn’t look pretty in the end. While he managed to hit a respectable .269 in 559 plate appearances, his on-base percentage was .309 – the second lowest mark of his minor league career. He had signed out of Venezuela as a 16 year-old in 2008 with very high expectations. He was supposed to become a hitting machine, and someone who could eventually become an elite power hitter. In his first season, playing in Kingsport, Brooklyn, and Savannah, he had a .180 ISO, and it looked as if the power was developing early. However, after that, the home runs disappeared and in 2011, he hit a low point, hitting only nine home runs in over 130 games for St. Lucie. His prospect status was in jeopardy. He fell out of the top 15 on many Mets prospect rankings. People started to wonder – what happened? That all changed this season.

Flores broke camp with St. Lucie for the second year in a row, but immediately started hitting the ball much better. He started hitting for power again, slugging ten home runs in 64 games. He had an excellent first half with St. Lucie, batting .289 with a .799 OPS, all capped off by an FSL All-Star Game MVP Award.

He was then called up to Binghamton, where he had a hard time adjusting in his first few weeks. After his adjustment period, he took off again, and hit even better than he did in St. Lucie. Flores continued to hit home runs, slugging eight in 66 games in the Eastern League. He also hit well over .300 for the first time since 2008. His walk rate rose to 7.3%, still below average, but almost a career-high for Flores, and his strikeout rate to its lowest point (10.9%) since he was in Kingsport as a 16 year-old. Between the two leagues, Flores finished with an even .300 batting average, a .827 OPS, 18 home runs, and 30 doubles in 493 at-bats.

What else is there to love about Wilmer Flores? He’s still just 21 years old. He still has plenty of time to get better. The only question mark left with Flores is his defense. He played second base and third base in the minors last year, after posting a dreadful .959 fielding percentage in his career as a shortstop. Flores is big, which may make it difficult for him to be a middle infielder. However, if the Mets want to keep him around, that’s where he may stay because it doesn’t look like Ike Davis or David Wright are going anywhere. If the Mets staff can get him to a point at second base where he is average or slightly below average, he will make up for his sub-par defense with production at the plate.

2013 Outlook: The Mets will not want to rush him (that has hurt him in the past), but Flores got a lot of playing time in the Venezuelan Winter League (in which he played well), so you could see him begin the season with Las Vegas. He isn’t too far off, and could get a cup of coffee at the end of September this year before making his real debut sometime in 2014.

4. Michael Fulmer, RHP

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 200

Throws/Bats: R/R

19 year-old Michael Fulmer has quietly become one of the Mets’ top pitching prospects. While most of the attention has gone to Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Noah Syndergaard, Fulmer is looking like he could be a fixture in the Met rotation as well.

Fulmer was selected by the Mets 44^th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft out of Deer Creek High School in Oklahoma. Originally slated to go to the University of Arkansas, the Mets took a risk drafting him, but he eventually signed with them for just under $1 million. He was only able to pitch in four games with the GCL team in 2011 before the season ended.

Fulmer was thrust into the world of professional baseball this year, starting the season with the long-season Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League. The fifth-youngest pitcher in the league, Fulmer was at a bit of a disadvantage facing hitters older than him, but he still had major success. Armed with a mid-90s fastball to go along with a quality curveball and developing changeup, Fulmer made 21 starts, pitching a total of 108.1 innings. He posted a 2.74 ERA and struck out 8.4 batters per nine, while walking only 3.2, very good for a pitcher right out of high school.

Scouts have been very impressed with Fulmer’s stamina and ability to go deep into games. He has the physical ability to have success at the higher levels.

It’s still very, very early to project what Fulmer could be. He’s still developing, but all signs point towards him becoming a productive starting pitcher.

2013 Outlook: Fulmer will follow the traditional track, and will pitch for St. Lucie, probably for the whole season. He will make his debut sometime in 2015 if he stays healthy.

3. Noah Syndergaard, RHP

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 200

Throws/Bats: R/L

When the Mets traded R.A. Dickey to Toronto, most of the attention went to a certain catcher the Mets got in return. But the Mets acquired another notable player in the trade, a pitcher who has been nothing but dominant in his three-year minor league career: Noah Syndergaard.

Syndergaard, 20, looks much more refined than most pitchers his age. He has much better command than Zack Wheeler had at that age (and maybe even better control than Wheeler right now), walking just 2.7 batters per nine this past season in the Midwest League, which is on the same level as the South Atlantic League. Since coming to the Mets, many writers and scouts have compared him to Zack Wheeler. Syndergaard actually pitched much better this season in A-ball than Wheeler did, as you can see below:

Syndergaard is often compared to Wheeler from a dominance standpoint, but they are two much different pitchers. Syndergaard throws two fastballs. One is a high-90s four-seam and the other is a sinker. Syndergaard does not possess a good secondary pitch, while Wheeler has a very good one.

Overall, it’s tough to compare Syndergaard to Wheeler because they are at completely different stages. Wheeler is knocking at the door to the big league club while Syndergaard probably has two to three years in the minors left before he debuts. However, it’s great to see such success so soon, and I’m hopeful that the Mets will put Syndergaard in a situation where he can develop his secondary pitches because if he does, he could be a very dominant pitcher.

2013 Outlook: Syndergaard pitched the entire season for a long-season Low-A team, so the next logical step for him is St. Lucie. As of right now, I would project him to make his MLB debut in 2015.

2. Travis d’Arnaud, C

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 195

Throws/Bats: R/R

There is a reason why in the negotiations for R.A. Dickey, Sandy Alderson held out for Travis d’Arnaud. He is a game-changer, and one of the few players in the minor leagues that can make trading away the reigning Cy Young Award winner worthwhile. d’Arnaud is of a rare breed of catchers: he can hit for power, average, and is decent with the glove.

A former first-round pick, d’Arnaud didn’t put all those tools together until two years ago, when he had a breakthrough season in Double-A New Hampshire. He had already been a highly-regarded prospect, but he became arguably the most promising catching prospect in the game after his fantastic 2011 season, in which he hit 21 home runs with a slash line of .311/.371/.542.

In 2012, d’Arnaud continued to rake with the bat, this time in Triple-A Las Vegas, where he hit 16 home runs in 67 games. Hitting numbers are inflated by the hitter-friendly Cashman Field in Las Vegas, but d’Arnaud actually hit slightly in away games. The numbers are there. The power is there. d’Arnaud was on track to make his MLB debut in the second half of the season, but had his year abruptly cut short when, in July, he tore his PCL.

d’Arnaud has earned the praise of scouts around the country. Before last season’s excellent performance, Baseball America had him listed as 17^th in their overall prospect rankings, tops among catchers. Here’s what they had to say about him:

“He’s a rare catching prospect that projects to hit in the middle of a lineup. He is an above-average hitter who should hit for at least average power. He doesn’t walk much but makes consistent hard contact, getting hits even when his timing is off or he gets off balance. He has the bat speed and strength to hit plenty of homers and lets his power come naturally, employing a short stroke and all-fields approach.”

Power at the catching position is certainly a valuable commodity that very few catchers possess. d’Arnaud seems to have that rare skill and while he is not expected to be a Mike Piazza-type, his minor league power numbers match up well with Piazza’s, meaning d’Arnaud’s power is legit:

At minimum, d’Arnaud looks to be a serviceable MLB catcher, but he can be so much more than that. He has the tools to be a dynamic, all-around catcher who can hit fifth or sixth in the lineup. The only question that remains is health, but he doesn’t seem to have any long-term issues.

2013 Outlook: The Mets are in a situation that many front offices encounter every year. They really believe d’Arnaud is a future star. However, d’Arnaud breaking camp with the big league club in April would mean he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season. If he comes up later, however, he won’t become a free agent until after the 2019 season. It seems like a ridiculous thing to consider now, but down the road it will be something that really matters if d’Arnaud turns out to be the star people think he could be. For that reason, and to test out his injured knee, I would say he spends the first month or so with Las Vegas.

1. Zack Wheeler, RHP

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 185

Throws/Bats: R/L

When the Giants picked Zack Wheeler sixth overall in the 2009 MLB Draft, they were taking a player with enormous upside, but not very polished. In his first professional season a year later at age 20, playing in the South Atlantic League, Wheeler showed just that: a high “ceiling” but with work to be done. In his first season, he walked 38 batters over 58.2 innings, and struck out 70. He made 13 starts and appeared in eight out of the bullpen.

In 2011, Wheeler broke camp with San Francisco’s California League (A+) affiliate, San Jose. There, he was once again inconsistent. He pitched well, but couldn’t get over his control problem, and was walking 4.8 batters per nine innings. When the Giants needed a bat for the stretch run in 2011, they were reluctant to part ways with Wheeler because of his potential, but gave him up any way in a desperate move to bolster the offense at the trade deadline. And what looked

Once in the Mets organization, Wheeler’s command started to improve. He finished the year in the tough Florida State League, with Port St. Lucie. He pitched extremely well there, allowing just six runs in 27 innings and walking only five, setting him up for a Double-A debut in 2012.

After a productive ending to 2011, Wheeler picked it right up again, and steamrolled through the Eastern League. He made 19 starts, and had a 3.26 ERA in 116 innings. During his time in Binghamton, he kept his strikeout rate up (9.1 K/9) and his walk rate relatively low (3.3 BB/9), earning him a promotion to Triple-A Buffalo, where he finished the season. He struggled in his six starts at the next level with his command, but in a small sample size (33 innings) like that, it’s not much of a concern right now.

2013 Outlook: Wheeler has “ace” written all over him. With his electric fastball and very good secondary stuff, my guess is he will be very successful in the big leagues. Look for him to debut a few months into this season, unless the Mets are unable to acquire a fifth starter. He needs a bit more seasoning in Triple-A before he gets called up.

What do you think? What do YOUR rankings look like? Also make sure to check out MMO’s OFFICIAL top 25 prospects, but together by the brilliant Satish Ram (“Perseus”) and Sean Kenny.