How are the top prospects in the Mets farm system doing to start their first minor league season in more than a year?
When former Mets General Manager Brodie van Wagenen was fired from his role last offseason, he left the farm system in shambles, rated one of the worst farm systems in Major League Baseball during his tenure.
However, van Wagenen and his group of scouts drafted well, and most of their draft picks have been performing well thus far. With all of Minor League Baseball now playing games for the first time in over a year, here are some of the top performers in the Mets farm system so far.
Francisco Álvarez, C, Port Saint Lucie (Low-A):
The Mets top position player prospect has been everything they have hoped for through just a handful of games. Defensively, Álvarez has shown maturity behind the dish, which should bring the Mets front office some sort of comfort, since he is only 19. The Venezuelan prospect has been raking through his first seven games, slashing.571/.667/.857 with a homer and five RBI’s. If he stays on this path, he could see a promotion soon.
Ronny Mauricio, IF, Brooklyn (High-A):
A guy who’s defensive versatility will be in his favor over the next few years, the former shortstop prospect will be getting his fair share of work around the diamond, especially with Francisco Lindor locked up for the next decade. The lanky infielder is hitting .310 with three homers. His uptick in power numbers is exciting, since he hit just seven homers in his first two professional seasons.
Matt Allen, SP, Brooklyn (High-A):
The season never really got started for the Mets top pitching prospect, as it was announced last week he will miss the entire season due to a tear of his UCL in his elbow, resulting in Tommy John surgery. He was expected to be the ace of the staff in Brooklyn with a potential promotion to Double-A Binghamton based on performance.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Port Saint Lucie (Low-A):
The 2020 first round pick, Crow-Armstrong has adjusted to the professional baseball nicely. Although the power numbers are not necessarily there yet, he is hitting .417 while leading off for the PSL Mets, and has only struck out six times so far in the young season. His defense was never in question, and he has yet to commit an error while roaming centerfield.
Brett Baty, 3B, Brooklyn (High-A):
The 21 year-old corner infielder has taken strides so far in his second professional season. He is making consistent contact, which was something he missed in his first professional season in 2019. He has also shown a great improvement in his pitch recognition, tallying eight walks over 20 at-bats so far.
Junior Santos, RP, Port Saint Lucie (Low-A):
The Mets second best pitching prospect has started just one game so far, going three innings and striking out four, while giving up only two hits. The 19-year-old is a flame thrower features a nice fastball with a changeup to go with it. His breaking stuff is developing, but at such a young age it will come with time.
Shervyen Newton, SS, Port Saint Lucie (Low-A):
The words “log jam” describe the Mets shortstop/middle infield depth in the minor leagues, and Newton is not helping his case. The Netherlands-native is stuck behind the likes of Mauricio and Lindor, and his not hitting well to start the season off. The 22 year-old infielder is hitting .147 with 13 strikeouts over his first seven games.
Khalil Lee, OF, Syracuse (Triple-A):
The first prospect to play over high-A this season, the former Kansas City Royal came over in a three team deal between the Red Sox and Royals. The speedy outfielder was called up on Wednesday with Albert Almora, Jr. heading to the IL. But with Brandon Nimmo’s return pending, his stay in Queens could be short.
Jaylen Palmer, IF, Port Saint Lucie (Low-A):
The 2018 22nd round pick has been turning heads during his short time in the minor leagues. Although he is hitting just .240 in this young season, he is making hard contact and making productive outs, with four RBI’s in 25 at-bats this season. With a plethora of infielders in the pipeline, Palmer could end up being a nice trade piece down the line.
Tylor Megill, SP, Binghamton (Double-A):
The former Arizona Wildcat is looking to build off of a great instructional camp season last fall. His velocity has been fluctuating during his time as a Met, but seems to have found his groove, sitting 94-96 while touching as high as 98. His first two starts in Binghamton have been stellar. He boasts a 0.90 ERA with 17 strikeouts over ten innings of work. Pitching in the upper levels has been something lacking for the Mets, Megill is a breath of fresh air.
With Steve Cohen and Sandy Alderson’s “win now and in the future” mentality, building the farm system back up to when the five aces were working their way up is important.
