In my game recap last night I mentioned the remarkable catch by Mets outfielder Juan Lagares as the highlight of the game.
Here is the video of that catch;
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Opposing pitcher Jeanmar Gomez looked like he hit a sure-fire single against Mets starter Matt Harvey. But wow, what a grab.
Lagares hasn’t gotten it together yet at the plate, but he will. back in February I spoke highly of him and said he’d be a Met before the All Star break and that his defense was stellar. Even Terry Collins now admits he’s better than Matt den Dekker a fact we always maintained here.
In my Q&A with Paul DePodesta last Winter, I posted this:
- Mets are very high on Juan Lagares. When pressed why they haven’t produced a quality outfielder since Darryl Strawberry, they came back with Lagares and then added that they are impressed with his instincts at CF and are excited with his performance in Winter Ball, citing his bat and his 8% walk rate. They said Lagares could provide depth for Mets outfield this season.
When we ranked Juan Lagares No. 21 in our MMO Top Prospects in January, it came under some scrutiny and prompted this exchange:
TruthsaboutMurphy: He’s just not a good outfield prospect. He’s not fast enough for center and doesn’t have enough power for a corner outfield spot. Considering the options, he should not be on the top 25.
I told him he was wrong and that I base my opinions on intimate knowledge from my writers who have seen him up close and were all very impressed. We also base our opinions from speaking to various scouts, coaches and even the Mets VP of Player Development.
Lagares is legit with his glove, his speed and his bat. Hopefully, he will begin to show off the rest of his overall game and become an integral part of the Mets solution in the outfield.
