Mets Minors: Andres Gimenez, Relievers Impress in Arizona Fall League

The Mets sent eight players to the Arizona Fall League in 2019 with many of them entering an important part of their season and for some, their careers.

Shortstop prospect Andres Gimenez was coming off a regular season that saw him struggle offensively in the first half and miss some time with an injury. The up-and-down season in Double-A Binghamton was part of the reason the Mets No. 1 prospect to start the season, slipped all the way to No. 5 in Baseball America’s recent update.

Gimenez did all he could during the AFL season to show he was 100% healthy and still one of the Mets top prospects. He led the league with his .371 average and .999 OPS. His overall slash line was .371/.413/.586 with five doubles, two triples, two home runs, 15 RBIs, and two steals in 18 games for the Scottsdale Scorpions.

The 21-year-old also showed off his fine defensive skills at shortstop including numerous top plays. He’s Rule 5 Draft eligible and a lock to be added to the Mets 40-man roster before the deadline next week.

Right-handed reliever Ryley Gilliam started the 2019 season off strong allowing only three runs and striking out 16 batters in 10 2/3 innings for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets. That earned him an April promotion to Double-A. The 2018 fifth round pick had a 4.34 ERA in 18 2/3 innings for Binghamton, but he struck out 28 in that span and allowed only 15 hits.

One year and a week after being drafted out of Clemson he was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse. Triple-A was not friendly to Gilliam, he surrendered a whopping 14 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings on 19 hits, nine walks, and 12 strikeouts. Gilliam was placed on the injured list on July 12 and didn’t pitch again during the regular season.

Gilliam – seemingly 100% healthy – was sent to the AFL to make him for lost time. It was a strong showing for the former Clemson closer, allowing one earned run in 9 1/3 innings with 11 strikeouts and two walks. His fastball hit as high as 96.3 mph and his average fastball velocity in the AFL was 94.3 mph. Gilliam’s key to success is commanding his curveball, which can be a key swing and miss pitch for him.

Given the Mets need for bullpen help, Gilliam should start the 2020 season back in Triple-A while likely being one of the first call-up options.

 

The Mets have a decision to make on catcher Ali Sanchez in less than a week as he’s Rule 5 draft eligible and must be added to the 40-man roster by November 20. For more info on Rule 5 draft make sure to read this piece by Jacob Resnick.

Sanchez, 22, hit .278/.337/.337 in 71 games for Binghamton before a second half promotion to Syracuse. He struggled there with the bat, mustering just a .527 OPS in 21 games.

The right-handed hitter is known for his defense behind the plate and that continued by all accounts in the AFL. He has a strong arm and quick release, works well with pitchers, blocks well, and receives pitches impressively. It’s an all-around plus defensive package for Sanchez behind the plate, strong enough that he’s likely to have a big league backup career even if his bat doesn’t develop.

His power was non-existent in 2019, though he does put the bat on the ball, and saw a marked increase in his walk rate this year. The Venezuelan hit .262/.347/.310 with five RBI, six walks, and eight strikeouts in 14 AFL games. Sanchez also played some first base, his first pro action there.

Jordan Humphreys was making a name for himself in 2017 by showing impeccable command (1.3 BB/9) and limiting runs (1.79 ERA) at an impressive level between Columbia and St. Lucie. Unfortunately, the right-handed starter would find out he needed Tommy John surgery before the season was over.

The 23-year-old would miss all of the 2018 and didn’t pitch until June of 2019. He threw one inning for the rookie level GCL Mets in June and one more inning for them in August. Humphreys looked healthy in the AFL, where he gave up one run in 11 2/3 innings. He allowed eight hits, walked four, and struck out eight.

Humphreys averaged 92.3 mph on his four-seamer and topped out at 94.1 mph during the AFL. His velocity was essentially right in line where he was pre-TJS, though these outings were most two innings. Humphreys is Rule 5 eligible this offseason and the Mets minor league rotation depth is weak after trading Simeon Wood Richardson, Anthony Kay, and Justin Dunn over the last year. Despite that – given Humphreys limited track record (169 career innings) and highest affiliated level reached being Single-A – I doubt that he is drafted.

Left-handed pitcher Blake Taylor entered the 2019 season having pitched only 11 innings above A-Ball and slated to become a free agent. Yes, this is the same Blake Taylor that the Mets received in return for trading Ike Davis to the Pirates all the way back in 2014.

Taylor had been almost exclusively a reliever in the minors until 2019 when the Mets had him start the season in the bullpen. The former second round pick excelled right away, he posted a 2.63 ERA, saved seven games, and struck out 29 in 27 1/3 innings for Single-A St. Lucie before his promotion to Double-A. He was even better for Binghamton with a 1.85 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 39 innings.

The strong regular season for Taylor made the Mets want to get a longer look at him as a reliever before hitting free agency. Taylor continued impress allowing only two earned runs on five hits, two walks, and 11 strikeouts in nine AFL innings. He also had his fastball up to 96 mph, while sitting 93/94 (averaged 94.2 mph in AFL). The average exit velocity against Taylor was 75.5 mph and the average launch angle was a ridiculously low -2 degrees.

It was enough to impress the Mets, as they added Taylor to their 40-man roster earlier this week to prevent him from hitting free agency.

Mets 2017 first rounder David Peterson rounds out the pitchers representing them in the AFL. After three good starts (11 1/3 innings, one earned run), Peterson was roughed up for five earned runs in his final start of the year.

Overall, he had a 3.46 ERA and an unsightly 2.00 WHIP. He allowed 18 hits and walked eight in 13 innings, though he did strike out 13. The left-hander had a 4.19 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 0.70 HR/9, and 9.47 K/9 in 116 innings for Binghamton during the regular season.

Peterson will start the 2020 in Triple-A and could be one of the first pitchers the Mets go to when they need a starter.

Mets prospects 1B/C Patrick Mazeika (.447 OPS) and INF Luis Carpio (.528) both struggled offensively in the AFL. Both are Rule 5 eligible.

Thoughts

For the most part it, was a strong AFL showing by the group of Mets prospects. Gimenez showed flashes of why he’s a top 100 prospect, Taylor moved closer to potentially pitching out a big league pen, Gilliam got back on track, and Humphreys was able to finally get innings in his return from TJS. Taylor is the only one of the AFL contingent not currently on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Mets’ prospects.

This entire group could be teammates again to start the 2019 season in Triple-A with Syracuse.