Amidst the Mets catching talent, prospect Xorge Carrillo has gotten lost in the fold. The 2011 14th round draftee recently enjoyed a career year at Double-A Binghamton, batting .283, posting a .355 on base percentage and catching 29% of would-be base stealers in 2014.
I just profiled Carrillo’s 2014 performance and speculated about his major league future for my site Grading on the Curve, so give that a read if you’re interested in learning more about this intriguing and talented ballplayer.
This week, I was lucky enough to be able to contact Xorge and ask him specific questions about his professional career and future. He’s an impressive young man, and I’m really hoping to see him in Queens in the near future.
Quinn B: You were drafted three times before the Mets selected you in the 14th round of the 2011 Amateur Draft, what was different about the Mets’ selection from the others that made you want to sign with New York?
Xorge Carrillo: I got bit by the injury bug my junior year, so a sign couldn’t happen. I went back to school and was lucky enough to get an opportunity with the New York Mets, but prior to that I didn’t want to sign the other two times because I promised my family and especially my mom that I would get the most school done I could.
Quinn B: Why did you play in only 11 games during the 2011 regular season?
Xorge Carrillo: Unfortunately in this game/business there’s a lot of things that one as a player can’t control. It’s a numbers game and I didn’t get the opportunity I was hoping for, but I stuck by my work ethic and motivation because I’ve always known that I can do it anywhere.
Quinn B: You really struggled in your first year of pro ball in Brooklyn, hitting only .217 with a .602 OPS. What caused your massive career turnaround that led you to surpass a .280 average and .700 OPS in both 2013 and 2014?
Xorge Carrillo: As you move up and fail you learn. I was fortunate enough to come across great coaching with the Mets organization, especially in Double-A Binghamton with Luis Natera, Pedro Lopez, and Luis Rivera. They helped me a lot in making that turnaround, but I still have a lot of work to do and will continue to do it.
Quinn B: Baseball America says your best attribute is your solid defense. Are they correct, or is your game predicated on something else? Ultimately, I would like to know how you would characterize yourself as a player.
Xorge Carrillo: Yes, I believe my defense is my stronger suit, especially in my relationships with pitchers and the way I manage the game. However, I never stop working on my offense, and on both offense and defense I can definitely get better and keep working for more progress and improvement. I like to put defense first because of my position and the responsibility that a catcher has in every game, so I’d say i characterize myself as a defensively-minded player with a good bat to help the team
Quinn B: Often in your pro career you were slated as the backup catcher to higher-ranking prospects; Have the Mets front office/minor league managers told you anything about where you stand as far as starting in 2015 and where you are likely to begin next season?
Xorge Carrillo: Like I mentioned before in this game/business there’s a lot of things me as a player cannot control and knowing where I’m going to be is one of them. They haven’t said anything to me, I just try to take advantage of opportunities I get and focus on getting better and better everyday.
Quinn B: How do you continue to improve even when you aren’t getting consistent at-bats?
Xorge Carrillo: I’m not going to lie to you it’s not easy, it’s a lot of extra reps everywhere: cage, weight room, batting practice, but this is my dream and I’m going to do everything in my power to do the best I can. God willing I’ll keep getting better everyday and one day get to the major leagues.
Quinn B: Last year, your strikeout percentage dropped 2.5% to 14.9% and your on-base percentage improved for the third straight year. Is plate discipline one the aspects of your game that you are currently focusing on developing?
Xorge Carrillo: Yes plate discipline is definitely something I am focusing on. It helps every aspect of my offensive game and I really like battling against the pitchers in my plate appearances.
Quinn B: What do you carry from your college success at Arizona into the pros?
Xorge Carrillo: The most important thing that helped me was how to handle competition, there were good players trying for the same position every year in my college career and in the pros there’s even more so it really taught me to handle that and work even harder than the guy next to me.
Quinn B: What was it like catching for a championship team in the B-Mets, and specifically what was your relationship with blue-chip starter Steven Matz on a baseball and personal level?
Xorge Carrillo: Being the catcher on that championship team was one of the best experiences of my life and career. It was such an amazing group to be around and win. That league is so tough in every aspect I think it’s an incredible accomplishment for all of us and the Mets organization as a whole. Steve is a special talent but a better person and I was happy to finally catch him and get to know him. We became really good friends and I don’t doubt he belongs in the big leagues now.
Quinn B: Reports (at least the ones I’ve read) detail how one of your most important tools is power, yet the most home runs you’ve hit in a minor league season is two. Do you expect more of that ‘raw power’ to translate into games in the near future, and what are you doing to work on that?
Xorge Carrillo: That’s just things that happen, but I can always work on them. This winter I did and more numbers came (He has nine homers and 16 doubles in winter ball) but I can only keep working to get better and be the player I know I can be to help my team win.
Quinn B: Your Caught-Stealing percentage has improved every year you’ve been in professional ball; what does that say about your dedication to improvement, your knowledge of the game, and your defensive prowess behind the plate?
Xorge Carrillo: Well I really want to be the best defensive catcher everywhere level I play at and I thrive for that. I always see room for improvement, thanks to the lord I’ve been able to get better, but I am not done yet I still have more to do and enjoy this position that I have such passion for.
Quinn B: What is something that you can’t interpret from the stat lines or scouting reports, but plays a huge a role in your game?
Xorge Carrillo: I think the best thing that no one knows is how I handle the pitching staff and the game. I take a lot of responsibility and work hard in that area, and I am proud of it.
Quinn B: Finally, I’d like to conclude this interview with a question about your personal life. What do you enjoy doing off the baseball diamond?
Xorge Carrillo: Honestly we are always so apart from our families, especially me because I play year around, that every opportunity I am off the field I like to just spend time with my family my siblings and my girlfriend as much as I can.
Quinn B: Thanks Xorge and good luck to you in 2015.
Read my profile on Xorge Carrillo here.
