NEW YORK METS PREF LIST
By Dave DeFreitas
AFFILIATES
Las Vegas 51s (Triple A, Pacific Coast)
Stats/Roster
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Double-A, Eastern)
Stats/Roster
St. Lucie Mets (High A, Florida State)
Stats/Roster
PLAYER SUMMARIES
1.Amed Rosario, SS, Double-A Binghampton
Ht/Wt: 6’2″ / 190 lbs. B/T: R/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 21y, 0m
A rangy, athletic player, Rosario has a chance to be a plus defender at a premium position with an above-average hit tool. There is some effort to the swing, and not much power to speak of on the offensive side, but the glove has a chance to be impactful up the middle.
2.Dominic Smith, 1B, Double-A Binghampton
Ht/Wt: 6’0″ / 250 lbs. B/T: L/L Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 21y, 5m
Smith is a much better athlete than the body lets on, with smooth, quick actions. He has a plus hit tool and should do enough extra-base damage to the gaps to bring some run production that will pair well with his above-average glove at first base.
3.Justin Dunn, RHP, Short-Season A Brooklyn
Ht/Wt: 6’2″ / 185 lbs. B/T: R/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 21y, 2m
A rangy right-hander, Dunn has arm strength to burn with a mid-90’s heater. There is some athletic effort to the delivery, but the arm speed is excellent, and the actions should calm down and become more repeatable as the body matures. There is still some proximity risk here, but it isn’t a stretch to think he’ll turn into a solid number four starter.
4.Desmond Lindsay, OF, Short-Season A Brooklyn
Ht/Wt: 6’0″ / 200 lbs. B/T: R/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 19y, 10m
With a short stroke and double-plus bat speed, Lindsay has a chance to hit for average and do significant extra-base-hit damage. He is behind developmentally due to some leg ailments, but if he stays healthy, he should be a fit as an offensive-minded center fielder.
5.Marcos Molina, RHP, (DNP/2016)
Ht/Wt: 6’3″ / 188 lbs. B/T: R/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 21y, 8m
After Tommy John surgery in 2015, Molina looked good in the 2016 Arizona Fall League and should settle in with a plus fastball and above-average slider and changeup. The actions are very smooth and easy, so the command should eventually get to average.
6.Robert Gsellman, RHP, Mets
Ht/Wt: 6’4″ / 205 lbs. B/T: R/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 23y, 4m
Gsellman looks the part of a solid back-end arm thanks to impressive groundball rates, a plus fastball with heavy sink, and two solid secondaries in his mid-to-upper-80s slider and changeup. The lack of velo differential between the fastball and secondaries allows hitters to time him up, resulting in more soft contact than strikeouts and a thin margin for error.
7.Brandon Nimmo, OF, Mets
Ht/Wt: 6’3″ / 205 lbs. B/T: L/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 23y, 9m
Hitting more for average than power, Nimmo has some feel for the strike zone, but isn’t likely to hit for the power necessary to be a true everyday corner outfielder. The hit tool and on-base ability will have to carry the profile for him to reach that ceiling.
8.Gavin Cecchini, SS, Mets
Ht/Wt: 6’2″ / 200 lbs. B/T: R/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 22y, 11m
Despite deliberate actions on both sides of the ball, Cecchini’s swing stays very short to the ball, and he does have some feel for the barrel. He doesn’t have any single plus tool, but is efficient with his actions at shortstop and has a good game clock. He may not be an impact guy, but he’ll make the routine plays on defense and spray the ball around on offense.
9.Thomas Szapucki, LHP, Short-Season A Brooklyn
Ht/Wt: 6’2″ / 205 lbs. B/T: R/L Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 20y, 5m
A lefty with plus arm strength and the makings of a plus breaking ball, how well Szapucki’s control numbers develop will likely determine how long he can stay in the rotation. If not, he’ll get a shot in the bullpen, as a lefty specialist.
10.Ricardo Cespedes, OF, Rookie Kingsport
Ht/Wt: 6’1″ / 200 lbs. B/T: L/L Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 19y, 3m
Cespedes is a toolsy outfielder who should begin to add strength to his smooth actions and start to see some extra-base power. His plus athleticism will help him immensely, and it could make him an average defender on the corner, with the bat carrying the profile.
11.Andres Gimenez, SS, Rookie DSL Mets 1
Ht/Wt: 6’0″ / 165 lbs. B/T: L/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 19y, 3m
While he may not have big power potential, Gimenez is slick with the glove and has above-average arm strength to go with an advanced approach for a player of his age and experience. He profiles well at shortstop long term and if things break right he could blossom into an everyday producer with everything but the power grading out as above-average.
12.Peter Alonso, 1B, Short-Season A Brooklyn
Ht/Wt: 6’3″ / 225 lbs. B/T: R/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 19y, 3m
An advanced college bat, Alonso doesn’t have a ton of projection left in the profile, but could be an average power producer with some on-base value. If he is able to do extra-base hit damage, he likely slots in as a second-division regular on the corner.
13.Gregory Guerrero, SS, Rookie DSL Mets 1
Guerrero already has some present strength and could grow into consistent extra-base hit power as the body matures. He may not be long for shortstop, but the arm strength and power potential could fit well at the hot corner as a potential second-division regular.
14. Merandy Gonzalez, RHP, Short-Season A Brooklyn
Ht/Wt: 6’1″ / 195 lbs. B/T: R/R Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 19y, 3m
Gonzalez’s mid-90’s fastball and average breaking ball are a nice combination, however there is some effort in the delivery and the lack of a third offering may make it hard for him to stick in the rotation. He doesn’t walk many, but the fly balls and lack of a true weapon versus lefties could further nudge him towards the pen.
15.P.J. Conlon, LHP, High A St. Lucie
Ht/Wt: 5’11” / 190 lbs. B/T: L/L Age (As of December 1st, 2016): 23y, 0m
Conlon has above-average command to go with fringe-average stuff, leaning heavily on his impressive feel to work surgically within the zone. He doesn’t have much margin for error and profiles best as a back-end bullpen arm or swingman starter, depending on how the stuff plays at the upper levels.
