Devin asks…

Isn’t anyone the least bit concerned that as Sandy Alderson enters his fifth season as GM not one of his draft selections has made it to the majors yet and none are expected to be on the 2015 Opening Day roster? In the MLB Preview they pick Noah Syndergaard, Dilson Herrera and Steven Matz as three Mets prospects to watch in 2015, and neither of them are Sandy’s draft picks either. We’re all hoping to see Wilmer Flores, Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud have breakthrough seasons in 2015, but again, none are Sandy’s draft picks. Take a look at the AL and NL and there are dozens of players from the 2011, 2012 and even the 2013 draft. 38 major leaguers have already come out of the 2011 draft from 28 different teams, none of course from the Mets. This obsession with drafting high risk, high school players in the top rounds hasn’t really worked out for us, has it?

Andre replies…

The upside with high school prospects usually is that they can still be taught and trained in a way that the organization feels confident about. And in general, the majority of drafted impact players in the majors have come from high school and not the college ranks in the past 15+ years or so.

While, the risk may be higher, the upside often is also higher than with college picks. Of course, the aspect of player DEVELOPMENT is far more important with HS or young IFA talent than it is with advanced college players.

Now, the downside is that it generally takes longer to develop HS talent than college players for obvious reasons. So, if you have to be willing and able to give HS picks 4-5 years to develop in general before they reach the majors and probably another year before they have an impact.

A team that´s not able to sport a “large market” high payroll may be more inclined to go after college talent early in a draft during a window of contention than a team with a large market payroll OR during a rebuilding. That of course, is besides taking the best player available early in a draft.

The Mets have – rightfully – focused on HS talent and getting IFA signed that they´re now trying to develop – hopefully with better success than in the two previous decades. The problems of finding a legit young middle infielder ever since Jose Reyes was signed as an IFA in 2000 can directly be traced to both having a sub par development system in place AND not really drafting many – if any – players with a middle infield upside defensively in over a decade (from 2001 through 2011). We have since brought in some high upside talent led by top shortstop prospect Amed Rosario.

And while it remains to be seen if and how successful the “Alderson” drafts have been – and pretty sure Alderson hasn’t really been actively involved in these but at best listened with interest – the fact that none of “his” picks has appeared in the majors isn’t a problem at all. Besides the focus on HS talent, several college players such as Kevin Plawecki, Matt Reynolds, Cory Mazzoni or Daniel Muno could easily have appeared in the majors already. But mainly due to 40-man roster management and perhaps financial issues, they have been held back so far.

The post MMO Mailbag: Where Are All Of Sandy’s Draft Picks? appeared first on Metsmerized.

Gregg asks…

I read that the Mets have drafted a greater percentage of high school players during the last three drafts, and have also passed over many supreme college talents in doing so.With many players who were drafted in the years 2011-2013 playing big roles this postseason, aren’t you the least bit worried that Sandy Alderson is one of a few teams that have yet to see one of their draft picks make it to the majors?

Andre replies…

The upside with high school prospects usually is that they can still be taught and trained in a way that the organization feels confident about. And in general, the majority of drafted impact players in the majors have come from high school and not the college ranks in the past 15+ years or so.

While, the risk may be higher, the upside often is also higher than with college picks. Of course, the aspect of player DEVELOPMENT is far more important with HS or young IFA talent than it is with advanced college players.

Now, the downside is that it generally takes longer to develop HS talent than college players for obvious reasons. So, if you have to be willing and able to give HS picks 4-5 years to develop in general before they reach the majors and probably another year before they have an impact.

A team that´s not able to sport a “large market” high payroll may be more inclined to go after college talent early in a draft during a window of contention than a team with a large market payroll OR during a rebuilding. That of course, is besides taking the best player available early in a draft.

The Mets have – rightfully – focused on HS talent and getting IFA signed that they´re now trying to develop – hopefully with better success than in the two previous decades. The problems of finding a legit young middle infielder ever since Jose Reyes was signed as an IFA in 2000 can directly be traced to both having a sub par development system in place AND not really drafting many – if any – players with a middle infield upside defensively in over a decade (from 2001 through 2011).

And while it remains to be seen if and how successful the “Alderson” drafts have been – and pretty sure Alderson hasn’t really been actively involved in these but at best listened with interest – the fact that none of “his” picks has appeared in the majors isn’t a problem at all. Besides the focus on HS talent, several college players such as Kevin Plawecki, Matt Reynolds, Cory Mazzoni or Daniel Muno could easily have appeared in the majors already. But mainly due to 40-man roster management and perhaps financial issues, they have been held back so far.

The post MMO Mailbag: Where Are Alderson’s Draft Picks? appeared first on Metsmerized.

I thought I’d give everyone an updated status on the players that we have drafted. I have found who has signed on, and who I feel might not sign, or is a possibility. If you want to know about these draft picks, you can click here to go to my previous post, which has information on almost all 40 draft picks.

Round 1: OF Michael Conforto, College, Jr

Close to signing

Round 3: SS Milton Ramos, HS

Signed, Per Adam Rubin

Round 4: 3B Eudor Garcia-Pacheco, Community College

Close, Per Adam Rubin

Round 5: RHP Josh Prevost

Signed

Round 6: C Tyler Moore, College JR

Signed, on Brooklyn Roster

Round 7: LHP Brad Wieck College JR

Signed, on Brooklyn Roster.

Round 8: 1B Dash Winningham, HS

Signed, Headed to Gulf Coast League

Round 9: OF/1B Michael Katz, College JR

Signed

Round 10: LHP Kelly Secrest, College Senior

Signed

Rd 11: RHP Connor Buchmann, College Jr

Signed

Rd 12: RHP Alex Durham, HS

Signed

Rd 13 RHP Eric Manoah, HS

Signed, Headed to Gulf Coast League

Rd 14: C Daryl Knight, College Jr

Signed

Rd 15: RHP Gabriel Llanes, HS

Signed

Rd 16: LHP Joel Huertas, HS

Possible, no college commitment works in our favor

Rd 17: LHP David Roseboom College Senior

Signed

Rd 18: OF Raphael Ramirez HS

Unsure

Rd 19: RHP Bryce Beeler, College JR

Signed

Round 20: RHP James Duff, College JR

Signed

Round 21: Luke Bonfield, OF, HS

Indicated indecision

Round 22: William Fulmer, 2B, College Senior

Signed

Round 23: RHP Richard Moesker, HS

Possible, Committed to Miami-Dade CC

Round 24: RHP Tyler Badamo, College Senior

Signed

Round 25: RHP Nicco Blank, JR College

Signed

Round 26: C Tommy Pincin, HS

Unlikely

Round 27: RHP Alex Palsha, College Senior

Signed

Round 28: RHP Keaton McKinney, HS

Asking for 7 figures

Round 29: RHP Matt Blackham, College JR

Signed

Round 30: Tucker Tharp, OF, College Senior

Signed, headed to Brooklyn.

Round 31: LHP Kurtis Horne, HS

No

Round 32: RHP Chris Glover, HS

Possible

Round 33: RHP Brady Puckett, HS

Tweeted no

Round 34: C Jordan Hand, HS

Would need a large bonus to pry him away from Cal State Fullerton

Round 35: RHP Jonathan Teaney, HS

Doubt it

Round 36: RHP Garett King, HS

No idea.

Round 37: SS Tristan Gray, HS

Unlikely


Round 38: RHP Kyle Dunster, HS

Probably not, Committed to Boston College.

Round 39: CF Arnaldo Berrios, HS

Yet to be seen, hope so


Round 40: SS Dale Burdick, HS

Committed to Mississippi State, it’ll take a lot of money.

The post Official MMO Draft Tracker appeared first on Metsmerized.

Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reminds us that the player to be named later in the Ike Davis trade with the Pirates will not be announced immediately after the draft.

The PTBNL cannot be announced until a year after he signed his first pro contract, not a year after he was drafted.

If it does turn out to be Connecticut prep right-hander Neil Kozikowski, which has been widely speculated, he signed June 21. So the Mets would have to wait until the one-year anniversary to receive him. Kozikowski was selected in the eighth round and signed for an over slot $425,000 in 2013. 

John Harper of the Daily News also believes that the PTBN is 19-year-old Kozikowski, whom the Pirates drafted in the eighth round of the 2013 draft.

I spoke to John Dreker of Pirates Prospects and he too picks Kozikowski as the player the Pirates will most likely trade.

Kozikowski throws his fastball in the high 80’s and also has a slider, changeup and cutter in his arsenal.

“The right-hander wasn’t on the radar in any top draft prospects rankings, but seems like the type of projectable arm the Pirates love. He’s 6′ 4″, 180 pounds, and throws 86-88 MPH but has touched 92. He throws from a 3/4 arm slot, and has a projectable frame, which could give him added velocity in the future. He also has a good changeup, a solid slider, and a cutter.”

He’s in extended spring training and was expected to be assigned to short-season Jamestown in the New York-Penn League.

Last season in his first taste of pro ball, Kozikowski posted a 2.63 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 24 innings pitched.

(Photo credit: piratesprospects.com)

The post RHP Kozikowski Is Likely The PTBNL In Davis Trade appeared first on Metsmerized.

Adam Rubin of ESPN NY writes that Mets VP Paul DePodesta and amateur scouting director Tommy Tanous addressed their Day 2 draft picks on Friday. Here’s what they had to say …

Milton Ramos, SS, American Heritage (Fla.) HS., third round:

“Certainly he’s known for defense. He’s a lot stronger than people think. This is now a below-average bat by any means. I think sometimes when you talk about shortstops with superior gloves, people automatically think it’s a non-offensive player. That’s certainly not the case with Milton. Tremendous speed. Tremendous hands. He’s going to be plenty strong enough to hit. So we’re really excited about this type of player.”

Eudor Garcia, 3B, El Paso (Texas) CC. , fourth round:

“We went and worked him out. He has massive power. A left-handed hitter. Has absolutely destroyed the junior-college division that he’s played in. Most valuable player. Player of the year. He’s definitely an offensive player. We feel like he’ll be fine at third base. But when you draft this type of guy, you take him for his bat.”

Josh Prevost, RHP, Seton Hall, fifth round:

“He’s a really interesting player — a 6-8 pitcher from Seton Hall,” Tanous said. “The biggest surprise when you see him pitch is his actual command and control of his pitches. He’s a fastball-slider-changeup pitcher. We’ve had him up to 94 mph. He probably pitches anywhere between 90-93 mph. Supreme strike-thrower. Tremendous competitor. He has a lot of the things that we look for and still, as a college player, has some upside.”

Tyler Moore, C, LSU , sixth round:

“A left-handed hitting catcher. He does a lot of things that we like offensively. He has an advanced approach. He has power. Grinds out at-bats. So we’re really excited we were able to get him at the spot we ended up getting him. He didn’t play every game, and then down the stretch he played quite a bit. Tommy Jackson and Max Semler, our scouts in that region, really did a terrific job staying on him and staying with him. If it wasn’t for that, we probably wouldn’t have been land a prospect like that. He’s a catcher (as opposed to other positions he’s played). He’s really an advanced guy behind the plate. They kind of have a rotation there at LSU. There’s nothing we can do about that. But this is a catcher. We drafted him for the purpose of being a catcher.”

Brad Wieck, LHP, Oklahoma City Univ., seventh round and Kelly Secrest, LHP, UNC Wilmington, 10th round:

Paul DePodesta said it had been a “running joke” in the draft room that the Mets had avoided left-handed pitchers the three previous years.

“It really wasn’t intentional,” DePodesta added. “We always look for them throughout various drafts and just haven’t had very many opportunities to take them, especially in the first 10 rounds. This year the opportunity presented itself twice in the top-10 rounds.

“The first one we took, Brad Wieck, from Oklahoma City, … he’s a powerful left-hander. He’s 6-foot-9. We had him at 94 mph with a good breaking ball. We do think he’s got a chance to be a good one.

“And Kelly Secrest, our scout John Hendricks, really liked him and was one of his target guys coming into the draft. We were happy to be able to get two left-handers we really like, and we felt we got them at good, value spots.”

The post DePodesta and Tanous High On Mets Day Two Draft Picks appeared first on Metsmerized.

Here are some Mets related questions from Keith Law’s ESPN Chat this week.

Is it too soon to call Brandon Nimmo a bust?

Klaw – Why in God’s name would you label Nimmo a bust? I think he’s at least an average regular with a chance for more. Bear in mind that Savannah is a terrible place to hit – he had a huge h/r split this year – and he came into pro ball with less baseball experience than the typical US HS kid.

What is Kevin Plawecki‘s true value? He seems to be outplaying the backup catcher projection.

Klaw – He’s not a backup. He can flat-out catch.

Can Dilson Herrera play shortstop or would that be a stretch?

Klaw – No, second base only for me, but good there.

Do you see Zack Wheeler taking a Matt Harvey-esque step forward this year?

Klaw – The step forward Harvey took was exceptional. Few guys suddenly show up with a 70 slider. But Wheeler could take a solid step forward this year – he has the stuff and looseness. He needs consistency with the delivery and better feel for the change.

While I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the Nimmo pick in 2011, I get a laugh out of some people who label him a bust at the ripe old age of 20….

Plawecki is finally getting his due and long awaited respect. We’ve been high on him since we drafted him and he’s our favorite drafty pick from that class.

Comparing Wheeler to Harvey is just plain wrong and unfair to Wheeler. Let him be whatever he’s going to be without any comparisons to someone who had a historic season and debut. I hope we’re not going to compare every pitching prospect that comes up to Harvey. Some of you need to understand that what Harvey was doing before the elbow injury had never been done in the 52 year history of the Mets.

The post Keith Law: Plawecki Can Flat Out Catch, Nimmo Is Not A Bust appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jim Bowden of ESPN (Insider Subscription) polled a few general managers about the offseason so far, and when he asked them who they thought would be busts, one American League GM picked Curtis Granderson, while Olney himself picked Chris Young.

Which available free agent likely bombs with his new team and why? 

AL GM: “I think Ubaldo Jimenez will bomb. I don’t think he’ll ever be able to repeat his delivery well enough to be a consistent winner, and someone will give him a multiyear deal, while sacrificing a draft pick, that they’ll soon regret.”

NL GM: “I’m still a little skeptical of [Ervin] Santana and Jimenez. I’m not sure they will ‘bomb,’ but there is a reason [other than draft picks] they are still available.”

AL GM: “I think Curtis Granderson will bomb with the Mets. I think his power will be reduced to 20 home runs in that park and the strikeouts will be a problem with their thin lineup. I also think the player will begin his decline over the next year and a half.”

Bowden’s bottom line: For me, it’s the Mets’ other outfield signing — Chris Young — who will bomb. Young has been in rapid decline over the past four years, as his OBP dropped to a career-low .280 in 2013. He still has 20-home run, 20-stolen base ability, but his low average and high strikeout rate mean he cannot be an effective everyday player. He’s a solid clubhouse contributor but I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up as an $7.25 million fourth outfielder by the All-Star break.

MMO’s Bottom Line: Seriously, who cares what Jim Bowden thinks… It’s easy for them to pick Young and Grandy as busts considering the season each player is coming off, the strikeouts, and the age and length of the deal in Grandy’s case. However, I wouldn’t read too much into this. I’m shocked nobody picked Jhonny Peralta, Jacoby Ellsbury and Robinson Cano. All three of them have the biggest risk of being a bust for their new teams in my opinion.

The post Bowden: Curtis Granderson and Chris Young Will Be Busts? appeared first on Metsmerized.

Is it me or is time flying this offseason? I can’t believe that the deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft is already upon us. Tomorrow night at 11:59 PM EST is the deadline for adding players to the 40 Man Roster.

I think the Mets are in great shape heading into decision day. With four spots currently open, that’s just enough to protect Steven Matz, Jeff Walters and Jacob deGrom with room to spare. They could also cut Omar Quintanilla and Scott Atchison to open up two more spots.

I’d like to see the Mets open up those additional spots and protect Allan Dykstra, Darin Gorski and Adam Kolarek.

The likelihood of any of the other unprotected players lasting on an MLB roster for an entire year are slim to none, so they should all survive the purging. Those players include:

Triple-A Las Vegas 51s

Hamilton Bennett
Eric Campbell
John Church
Reese Havens
Rylan Sandoval
Chris Schwinden

Double-A Binghamton Mets

Joe Bonfe
Darrell Ceciliani
Mark Cohoon
Blake Forsythe
Ryan Fraser
Jim Fuller
Erik Goeddel
Chase Huchingson
Greg Peavey
Cory Vaughn

Like I said, the Mets are in good shape…

In case you were wondering, any player is eligible for the Rule V who:

1. Signed his first pro contract being age 19 or older after FOUR SEASONS (counting the season in which he signed)

2.Signed his first pro contract being younger than 19 after FIVE SEASONS (counting the season in which he signed)

These rules apply regardless of how much they have played since or whether they missed any time due to injury.

The post Rule 5 Deadline Approaches: Look For Mets To Add Matz, Walters, DeGrom To 40 Man Roster appeared first on Metsmerized.

The New York Mets today announced the selection of first baseman Dominic Smith from Serra High School (CA) with the 11th pick of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft.

Smith, 17, who bats and throws lefthanded, hit .493 (33-67) with seven home runs and 38 RBI in 27 games to help Serra to the CIF D3 title this season. The 6-1, 200-pound native of Los Angeles, CA also appeared in six games on the mound for the Cavaliers, going 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA (nine earned runs/30.1 innings) and 44 strikeouts.

Here’s what our draft analyst Teddy Klein had to say about Smith…

Smith has been on the radar a ton, cracking Keith Law’s list as well as others as a likely Mets pick. He’s a good, pure hitting first baseman, but I feel he is a reach at #11, especially with the consensus being he is a first baseman out of high school.

This Californian could possibly be one of the best hitters in the 2013 draft class. Smith projects more as a first baseman than an outfielder, due to his speed, but could play in a corner outfield position. He has above average contact hitting and above average power. He has above average arm strength, which leads to throwing up to 92 miles per hour on the mound. He is committed to University of Southern California.

Personally, I think the comparisons to Todd Helton are perhaps the most valid ones I have heard to this point. He is very athletic and could play an awesome first base if the Mets decide to keep him there. Of course, considering he’s yet another HS pick for this organization, it will be some time before we really get to gauge him.

This might not be, as they say, the sexy pick of the draft… But of course, we would like to welcome Dominic Smith into the New York Mets organization!

Paul DePodesta, Mets VP of Scouting and Development on selecting Smith:

We’re thrilled that we were able to get Dominic tonight. He was a guy that we had followed his last summer. But even before that, our area scout had known Dominic since he was about 12 yrs old, so he was a guy we were really focused on throughout the year. We were really hopeful that he was going to get to us. We think we have a very, very good player – an all around player.

I think he has a chance to be a plus hitter, with plus power, plus defense at first base. Just as important as all of that, this guy’s a really special person. As most of you know, who have been around for the last few years, that means a lot to us. And we think Dominic’s right up there with those guys, and just a really, really good person. He will be a great rep of the Mets.

Tommy Tanous, Mets Director of Amateur Scouting on selecting Smith:

We felt that, going back to last spring into summer, this is one of the most advanced high school hitters you could find. The fact that he bats left-handed is even nicer. You don’t find a swing like this every year. We feel like we put a very offensive player and defensive player into the system. I’ve been scouting 18 years. I don’t think I’ve seen a first baseman play as an amateur that plays this kind of defense. This a well-rounded player.

The post Mets Select 1B/OF Dominic Smith With 11th Overall Pick appeared first on Metsmerized.

Stanford’s Mark Appel is currently the favorite for next year’s draft after opting not to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates. this year

If the season ended today, this is what the first round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft would look like.

1. Houston Astros
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Colorado Rockies
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Minnesota Twins
6. Miami Marlins
7. New York Mets

The Mets and Marlins still have six remaining contests among their 14 final games to this season and only 1.5 games separate them from owning last place in the NL East. I’ve already moved on to football season.

Prospect Nation profiles some of the top names currently being bandied about for next years First Year Player Draft are the following:

Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford

Mark Appel is the most major league ready pitcher in the draft. Opting not to sign with the Pirates after being selected with the eighth-overall pick last year, Appel returns to Stanford for his senior season. While others may have a higher ceiling than the 6’-5” right-hander, Appel should be a quick riser to the show and has the stuff to be a front line starter thanks to a mid-90s fastball and great mound presence. He also features a swing-and-miss slider, a change-up with late fade and he will mix in a cutter. Went 10-2 as a junior with a 2.56 ERA and 130 K/30 BB over 123 innings, averaging 7.7 innings per start.

Austin Meadows, OF, Grayson HS (GA)

Meadows opened eyes and showed the entire world how special his talents are at the 2011 IBAF Youth Championships held in Mexico. As a member of the U16 team USA squad, he was the MVP of the tournament, hitting a ridiculous .537 (22-for-41) over eight games as Team USA won the gold. He added nine extra-base hits, six stolen bases and set a Team USA record by knocking in an absurd 28 runs. The 6’-4”, 200-pound left-hander has all five tools including power to all fields and great speed. His outstanding talent and high character has teams drooling already.

Ryne Stanek, RHP, Arkansas

With three pitches that project to plus, the 6’-4”, 180-pound right-hander will see plenty of scouts in the stands on Friday nights next season. His fastball touches 97 mph, his curveball sits in the low 80s and his change-up in the mid 80s with good deception. He went 7-4 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 80 K/33 BB over 86.2 innings as a sophomore. Stanek missed being a draft eligible sophomore in the 2012 draft by a week and the extra year at Arkansas should do nothing but improve his stock.

Jeremy Martinez, C, Mater Dei HS (CA)

Arguably the most polished high school player in the draft, the 5’-11”, 200-pound right-hander excels on both sides of the field. Defensively, he should contend for Gold Gloves at the next level as his arm and footwork are outstanding behind the plate. With his Albert Pujols-like stance, he can rake at the dish, too. He has an advanced approach at the plate and his bat speed allows him to drive the ball to all fields. Hit .388 as a junior with just eight strikeouts over 29 games for powerhouse Mater Dei. An intelligent player who has played on the highest level as he was part of the U18 USA Team that won the gold and is currently in Seoul, South Korea trying to win another with the 2012 U18 team.

Sean Manaea, LHP, Indiana State

Not highly touted coming out of high school, The 6’-5”, southpaw has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the country after absolutely dominating the Cape Cod League this season. He went 5-1 with a 1.20 ERA and 87 K/7 BB over 52.2 innings for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. He had four double-digit strikeout games including 15 over seven shutout innings on July 19, allowing just two hits to no walks. His fastball sat in the 93-96 mph range and his slider was filthy, sitting around 80-83 mph with hard downward action. His change-up is still developing, but with two plus pitches in his arsenal already, coupled with his size, there isn’t a lot not to like. As a sophomore for Indiana State, he went 5-3 with a 3.34 ERA and 115 K/37 BB over 105 innings.

Clinton Hollon, RHP, Woodford County HS (KY)

A 6’-1”, 185-pound right-hander with four quality pitches and good command of all of them, Hollon is one of the top prep pitchers in the country and still has a lot of room for improvement. His fastball has touched 97 mph but sits more comfortable in the 92-94 mph range, and both his curveball and change-up project to plus. His frame suggests he could add another 20+ pounds with ease and the early success of Orioles’ prospect, Dylan Bundy, will have a lot of scouts keeping a close eye on Hollon’s progress this season.

Austin Wilson, OF, Stanford

Like Joey Gallo last year, Wilson is a 6’-5”, left-hander with tremendous power. He is a better athlete than Gallo but he also has a lot of swing-and-miss to his game, like Gallo. Over 59 games as a sophomore last season, he hit .285 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, 56 RBI and stole nine bases. Huge upside because of his size, power from the left side and ability to play a corner outfield position.

The field is very mixed right right now among the experts as to whether the 2013 draft class will be as good as it was this year. So far it doesn’t seem to be as deep in talent, but that could change by next Spring. I would say it’s 60/40 among the sites I frequent that it wont measure up to this year’s crop which was very deep, especially in pitching, or even the two year’s prior which was top heavy in very elite talent.

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