Photo Courtesy of Arizona Fall League
No. 20 Dedniel Nunez, RHP
Age: 25 (6/5/1996)
HT: 6’2, WT: 180
B/T: R/R
Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent in 2016
ETA: 2023 Previous MMO Ranking: N/A
2019 Stats (St. Lucie Mets): 16 G, 80 IP, 4.39 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 10.57 K/9, 0.56 HR/9
In hindsight, I’d probably about 10 spots too high here on Núñez, but I’ve always liked his repertoire and potential. That said, he hasn’t pitched a pro game since 2019 and has started the 2022 season on the injured list. Núñez rejoined the Mets organization this offseason when the San Francisco Giants decided to return the 2021 Rule 5 pick. He was able to stay in the Giants during the 2021 season because he was on the 60-day IL following Tommy John surgery in March.
Before his injury, Núñez pitched in a couple of games for the Giants during big league spring camp and part of the reason San Fran drafted him in the Rule 5 was improved velocity up to 97 during fall instructs.
During his last stint in the Mets minors, Núñez pitched very well between the Savannah Sand Gnats and the St. Lucie Mets. He posted a 2.91 FIP, struck out 94 batters and walked only 23 in 80 innings. Núñez also allowed only five home runs in that span as well.
Núñez was sitting 92-94 and topped out at the aforementioned 97 right before TJS. He’s also had elite levels of spin on his four-seamer. His best secondary is a power curve (some have called it a slider) in the low-80s that is a big swing and miss pitch for him. His third pitch is a changeup that showed improvement in instructs as well in terms of command and fade.
When he’s ready to pitch in games, it will be interesting to see how the Mets decided to use the 25-year-old, whether it’s back to the starting rotation or try to fast track him out of the pen. His fastball and hard curve combo would likely play well out of the bullpen in a multi-inning role.
Eric Orze, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO
No. 19 Eric Orze, RHP
Age: 24 (8/21/1997)
HT: 6’4, WT: 195
B/T: R/R
Acquired: 5th rounder in 2021 Draft
ETA: 2022 Previous MMO Ranking: 26
2021 Stats (Brooklyn/Binghamton/Syracuse): 3.08 ERA, 49 IP, 38 H, 14 BB, 67 K
Orze has seen the shine come off his star as a prospect a bit since I originally ranking after a rough spring and bad start to the 2022 season. The 24-year-old reliever gave up seven runs on four walks and six hits in 4 2/3 innings in big league camp and has given up four runs in three innings for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets to start the season.
That said, Orze is still one of the Mets best relief prospects and is likely only an injury or two away from pitching in the big leagues. In 2021, he posted an impressive 12.1 K/9 innings and allowed only 6.9 hits per nine innings. His strikeout percentage of 33.2% was fourth in the Mets system, and right behind Tylor Megill at 36%.
Control wasn’t an issue for Orze until he hit Triple-A last year when he walked seven batters in 12 innings and the continued struggles we’ve talked about earlier this year.
The two-time cancer survivor has one of the best splitters in the minor leagues, he posted a ridiculous 69% whiff rate with it in his short stint in Triple-A to end the 2021 season. The splitter comes in the low-80s and drops off the table, making it effective against left-handed and right-handed hitters. He uses a fastball in the mid-90s that gets 18-23 inches of induced vertical break. Making the fastball a great 1-2 combo with his diving splitter. He does use a slider in the mid-80s too, but it’s clearly his third pitch.
No. 18 Simon Juan, OF
Age: 16 (7/13/2005)
HT: 6’2, WT: 195
B/T: R/R
Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent in 2021
ETA: 2028 Previous MMO Ranking: NA
2021 Stats: NA
Simon Juan was the top player the Mets signed during the most recent international free agency period. The Mets gave the 16-year-old a $1.9 million bonus, their highest since giving Alex Ramirez $2.05 million in 2019 and the fourth highest in franchise history. Juan was the No. 16 prospect in the IFA class according to MLB Pipeline and No. 14 per Baseball America.
Here's the Mets top expected signing for the upcoming international free agency class, outfielder Simon Juan.
His power/speed combo has produced comps to Byron Buxton and George Springer.
Baseball America has him ranked #14 in the class. pic.twitter.com/ueXImsJPFY
— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) December 20, 2021
Scouts have been impressed the the power and speed combination of Juan, comping those two potential traits to the likes of big leaguers Byron Buxton and George Springer. MLB Pipeline has his power and speed at 55 on the scouting grade. The physical outfielder trained at former big leaguer Rafael Furcal‘s academy in the Dominican Republic.
Juan has shown off that good spring in center field, and the early expectation is that he will stay there long-term. If the 6’2”, 195 pound youngster does end up growing out of center, his strong arm would play in right field.
Good bat speed gives Juan the strong power potential, though he still raw offensively and tends to expand the strike zone. Juan is likely to begin the season in the Dominican Summer League.
Jaylen Palmer, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO
No. 17 Jaylen Palmer, 3B/OF
Age: 21 (7/31/2000)
HT: 6’4, WT: 208
B/T: R/R
Acquired: 22nd Rd pick in 2018 Draft – Holy Cross HS, Flushing
ETA: 2024 Previous MMO Ranking: 9
2021 Stats (Brooklyn/St. Lucie Mets): 105 G, 18 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 13.9 BB%, 102 wRC+, 30 SB
The Brooklyn native is one of the most athletic players in the Mets farm system which he shows both offensively and defensively as well. The 21-year-old led the Mets minor leagues with 30 stolen bases last year, he was caught stealing six times. His previous season in 2019, he had only one stolen base and was caught three times, but you could see the maturity in Palmer’s game last season in a multitude of ways.
Palmer had a .764 OPS in 66 games for Low-A St. Lucie before struggling in High-A Brooklyn with a .649 OPS in 39 games. His already high strikeout rate of 28% spiked all the way up to 38% in Brooklyn, so definitely an area worth monitoring going forward. On a good note, his walk rate also went up a bit from 13.4% in St. Lucie to 14.8% in Brooklyn. Palmer has above average raw power and hits the ball hard overall when he does make contact.
Defensively, Palmer has been a asset all over the field already in his career. Going into last season, Palmer had played just third base and shortstop for the Mets in the lower minors. Palmer actually started his most games at any position last season in center field with 44 games. He also got his first experience in left field, right field, and second base. Palmer’s plus speed, strong arm, and athleticism have the Mets thinking he can play a ton of different positions well. He did struggle in the outfield to start, but he improved throughout the season and looked much more confident out there this spring.
Palmer is playing in High-A Brooklyn to start the 2022 season.
No. 16 Carlos Cortes, OF
Age: 24 (6/30/1997)
HT: 5’7, WT: 197
B/T: L/S
Acquired: Drafted in 3rd Rd of 2018 Draft – University of South Carolina
ETA: 2022 Previous MMO Ranking: 10
2021 Stats (Binghamton): 79 G, 26 2B, 14 HR, 57 RBI, .257/.332/.487, 120 wRC+
Cortes had 41 extra-base hits in 79 games last year for the Double-A Rumble Ponies. He finished with a .257/.332/.487 slash line in 346 plate appearances, 221 of those plate appearances coming as the leadoff hitter. The left-handed-hitting Cortes crushed righties to a .946 OPS.
The ambidextrous thrower played exclusively the outfield in 2021 (47 games in left field and 17 games in right field) after playing almost exclusively just second base during his first two minor league seasons.
Following a rough showing in the Arizona Fall League, the Mets decided not to add Cortes to the 40-man roster to protect him from the later-canceled Rule 5 Draft. Despite that, Cortes was invited to major league camp and started the 2022 season on the Triple-A Syracuse Mets roster.
Questions remained about whether Cortes was an adequate outfielder heading into this spring. I saw a player that worked to improve defensively and he showed that off making a couple of nice plays in big league camp. I believe he’s an average outfielder with a strong arm.
Offensively, his carrying skill is certainly the power that produced 41 extra base hits last season and a .230 isolated slugging percentage in Double-A. He did walk at a 10% clip as well and struck out at a reasonable 24.6% rate for a player to rely on power.
