Keith Law of The Athletic released his list of the top 100 prospects in baseball, and the Mets have four prospects on the list. Shortstop Jett Williams landed highest on the list at 30. Law has shortstop Luisangel Acuña at 45, Ronny Mauricio at 94 and outfielder Drew Gilbert at 100.
Jett Williams, Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies
“It’s a compact swing – how could it be otherwise? – that puts the ball in the air a ton, and he uses the whole field well,” Law wrote of the 5’6″ Williams, who he could envision being moved to second base in the majors. Williams hit .263/.425/.451 at three minor league levels last season. A year ago Law had him as a sleeper.
Acuña is 22, the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Jr., and was part of the deal that sent Max Scherzer to the Rangers. He is new to Law’s annual rankings.
“As is, he’s probably a high-average, high-doubles shortstop who steals 40-50 bags a year, although I could see him trading some contact for more power and getting to 20 jacks,” Law wrote.
The switch-hitting Mauricio, another shortstop, will miss most and perhaps all of this season after tearing his ACL in winter ball. Of the 6’3, 23-year-old who hit .248/.296/.347 with two homers in 101 at-bats with the Mets last year Law said: “if he had any sort of plate discipline, he’d be a top-10 prospect, but he chases stuff out of the zone, especially offspeed, way too often, and can’t make up for it even with a decent rate of contact on those pitches.”
Law had Mauricio at 86 last year. “He always had some volatility because of the lack of polish in his game, and now he’s losing up to a year of playing time, but I still hold out hope he can be an above-average regular at his peak – maybe just later than we’d otherwise thought,” Law wrote.
Drew Gilbert, Photo by Steve Wojtowicz
Drew Gilbert is a 23-year-old left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder who came to the Mets in the Justin Verlander trade.
“At worst, he’s a fourth/platoon outfielder who can play all three spots, but after the strong finish, I feel much better about him hitting lefties enough to play every day and hit .280-.300 with a walk rate over 10 percent and 15ish homers a year, whether that’s as an above-average defender in center or an easy plus one in right,” Law wrote.
Law has been writing rankings for 17 years after working in the Blue Jays front office. The top prospect on his list is shortstop Jackson Holliday of the Orioles.
