As of Sept. 1, all 30 Major League teams can expand their rosters from 25 to 40. If a team wishes to use a player on its postseason roster, they must be in the majors as of the first.
For the other teams who won’t be making the playoffs, such as the Mets, it is still beneficial in an audition format and to take some stress off the guys that have been gutting it out all season.
Here are several Mets prospects that could be called up by the end of the week.
TOMAS NIDO
After a breakout campaign in 2016 where Tomas Nido really came into his own, hitting .320/.357/.459 in 90 games for Single-A St. Lucie, the catcher put himself on the map of Mets prospects.
While he hasn’t been able to follow suit at the Double-A level offensively this season, hitting just .237/.292/.363 in 95 games, his soft hands behind the dish and ability to manage a pitching staff make him an appealing option.
The 23-year-old appeared in the MLB Futures Game last month representing the World team and could benefit from getting some time at the major league level to prep him for the future.
Kevin Plawecki has been good in a small sample size since being called up after Rene Rivera was traded, but the catching position is still very much up in the air.
Travis d’Arnaud has struggled, so calling up Nido could be a good way for the Mets to weigh their options and gain more clarity going forward.
JAMIE CALLAHAN
One of the three pitchers the Mets received in exchange for Addison Reed, Jamie Callahan is the closest to being big league ready.
The 23-year-old is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in nine games for Triple-A Las Vegas since being traded and owns a 2.94 cumulative ERA across two minor league levels this season between the Mets and the Boston Red Sox.
MLB Pipeline has Callahan as the Mets No. 30 prospect. Here’s what they have to say about the righty:
“After working with a low-90s fastball out of the rotation, Callahan now operates with a 94-96 mph fastball in shorter stints. He also has transformed a slider that often was slurvy into an upper-80s cutter that keeps hitters from sitting on his heater. He had an ineffective changeup as a starter but doesn’t need it in his relief role.”
LUIS GUILLORME
Luis Guillorme was drafted by the Mets in the 10th round of the 2013 draft and has worked his way up the ladder since.
He has great defensive skills and is a career .285/.361/.328 hitter across five minor league seasons. He has a career-high 20 doubles this season and is second in the Eastern League with 70 walks.
The middle infielder has had a solid campaign at Double-A Binghamton and with the amount of injuries the Mets have sustained, could be a valuable reinforcement to their current corps.
Guillorme is the Mets No. 13 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. They rave about his defense.
“Guillorme has the fastest hands in the system, the kind of defensive master who is fun to watch take ground balls. Amed Rosario might have smoother actions, but Guillorme has more quickness in terms of his hands, feet and release, with an above-average arm to boot. Guillorme does have some hitting skills, showing good knowledge of the strike zone and an ability to make consistent contact. He’s worked hard to add strength, but with just one home run in close to 1,300 Minor League at-bats, there is no power to speak of.”
Photo by Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman
JACOB RHAME
The right-handed prospect the Mets received for Curtis Granderson earlier this month has worked four scoreless innings for Triple-A Las Vegas since coming over.
Rhame, 24, has an 0-3 record with a 4.00 ERA in 44 games at the Triple-A level altogether this season. He projects as a reliever due to his ability to successfully throw one pitch, but if he can refine his sinker, could be a very effective pitcher. He has allowed only one run in six innings for the 51s and has 11 strikeouts while walking none in that span.
His fastball rests between 94-98 mph and can flirt with triple digits, making him a good option for short stints.
MLB Pipeline ranks him as the No. 23 prospect in the Mets system.
TRAVIS SNIDER
The Mets acquired the former big leaguer that is Travis Snider from the Texas Rangers earlier this month for cash considerations.
Snider, 29, has spent the entirety of the 2017 season at the Triple-A level, hitting .297/.378/.432 with 10 long balls and 50 RBI across 114 games.
The outfielder is perhaps best known among Mets fans for the tremendous catch he made in right field, scaling the wall to rob Mike Baxter of a home run several years ago.
The Mets have suffered a plethora of injuries to their outfield and traded away Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce, so they will surely need help the final month of the season to eat some innings out there.
Two other names to watch if the Mets decided they need a starter are Binghamton Rumble Ponies’ right-handers Corey Oswalt and Marcos Molina. Oswalt currently leads the Eastern League with 11 wins and an 2.37 ERA while Molina has gone seven innings in three straight starts and is on the 40-man roster.
