Here is our All Star Lineup featuring the top performers this season by position. These players are chosen strictly on their numbers and not on their prospect rankings. It’s the first of a four part series with the bench, starting rotation, and bullpen still to come.
Here is who we have chosen for the best player at each position in 2015:
Catcher – Patrick Mazeika (Kingsport Mets) The Mets 2015 8th round pick tore up the Appalachian League hitting .354/.451/.540 while leading the league with 27 doubles in his first taste of pro ball. The 22-year old lefty hitter also played 11 games at first base this year and hails from Stetson University like Mets ace Jacob deGrom. He was the co-winner of the Mets Sterling Award for the Kingsport Mets and was a postseason all-star in the Appy.
First Base – Dominic Smith (St. Lucie) The Florida State League Player of the Year led the league with 33 doubles and 79 RBI while slashing .305/.354/.417 in his breakout season. He was a FSL postseason All-Star and a the Mets Sterling Award winner for the St. Lucie Mets as well. According to a poll done by Baseball America he was also the best defensive first basemen in the league as voted by coaches and managers. He has continued his great year in the Arizona Fall League hitting .385/.519/.564 before his recent oblique injury.
Second Base – Dilson Herrera (Las Vegas) The Mets future cornerstone at second base crushed the ball at Triple-A this year batting .327/.382/.511 with 23 doubles, 11 homeruns and 50 RBI for Las Vegas. He did struggle a little slashing just .211/.311/.367 in only 90 at bats in the Majors this year for the Mets. However, his defense looked much better in his short stint in the big leagues.
Shortstop – Gavin Cecchini (Binghamton) It was a breakout offensive year for the former 2012 first round pick who hit .317/.377/.442 with 37 extra base hits while striking out only 55 times in 439 Double-A at-bats. He was named the Eastern League Rookie of the Year and played in the All-Star game too. Recently played in four games for the Rafters in the AFL going 5 for 13 with four walks before being scratched from the roster with a shoulder injury.
Third Base – Eudor Garcia (Savannah) The Mets drafted the 21-year old left-handed hitting Garcia in the 4th round in 2014. He slashed .296/.340/.442 with 23 doubles, four triples, nine homeruns, and 59 RBI in 398 at bats. He only walked 23 times all year but 13 of them came against lefties in 130 plate appearances.
Outfield – Wuilmer Becerra (Savannah) After the 2015 season everyone should know that Becerra was part of the tremendous haul that Sandy Alderson got from the Blue Jays in return for R.A. Dickey. Becerra had a great offensive season hitting .290/.342/.423 with 27 doubles, three triples, nine homeruns, 16 stolen bases, and knocked in 63 runs. The 21-year old right fielder had a .444 SLG at home in Grayson Stadium which is known fir being a tough place for power hitters.
Outfield – Kevin Kaczmarski (Kingsport) The Mets 2015 9th round pick led the Appalachian League with his .355 average, 91 hits, and was second with his 20 stolen bases. The 23-year old left-handed hitting outfielder hit .355/.415/.512 with 18 doubles, five triples, four homeruns, and 34 RBI. He played 50 games in left field, 11 in center field, and two in right field. He was a postseason all-star as well as sharing the Mets Sterling Award for Kingsport with Mazeika.
Outfield – Travis Taijeron (Las Vegas) The 26-year old outfielder hit a career high 25 homeruns, 71 RBI, and 65 walks. He hit .274/.393/.536 in 478 plate appearances while playing ten game in left field and 112 games in right field this year in Triple-A. He was a mid-season all-star in the Pacific Coast League for the third time in his career (NYPL in 2011, SAL in 2012).
For more Mets minor league coverage including Winter Ball stats head over to MetsMinors.net.
