Welcome to the latest installment of the official RDM top prospect list. Today, we’ll tackle prospects 21-25, as things really start to get interesting. Let’s get to it:
25. Darin Gorski, LP – Gorski cracked my top-20 last year after being the Florida State League pitcher of the year in 2011, but he drops back to 25 after a rather average season in AA. Now that he’s on the 40-man roster, he’ll supposedly have a shot at making the roster as a LOOGY, but more likely he’ll be rotation depth in AAA, where he could use some more seasoning. Gorski’s biggest problem last year was the long ball, and if he continues to give up homeruns at such a high rate he’ll spend the next few years shuffling back and forth between the majors and AAA (basically a Pat Misch clone). If he can get back on track after being ordinary last year, he could lock down a spot at the back end of a big league rotation.
24. Robert Carson, LP – Carson made 17 big league appearances in 2012, as he made the transition into the bullpen as a full time LOOGY. He’ll have a chance to make the big league club out of spring training, but the Mets would probably prefer he gets more seasoning in AAA. His ceiling is nothing more than a LOOGY, and perhaps not even the top LOOGY on his team, but he slots in at 24 because there’s a real good chance he becomes a major league contributor.
23. Cory Vaughn, OF – I once dreamed that Vaughn would be big-league ready by the time the Mets were able to rid themselves of Jason Bay, but that’s obviously not the case. Vaughn has all the tools to be a big-league corner outfielder. He’s got good power, hitting 23 homeruns and 25 doubles last year, he’s got enough range and a strong enough arm to hold down a corner defensively, he can take a walk, and is a good base runner. However, scouts like to describe his swing as “complicated”, which has led to a low batting average and an alarming number of strikeouts during his year and a half in St. Lucie. He’s too talented to give up on completely at this point, but he’s aging fast and needs to find a way to remedy his swing and his strikeouts, or else he’ll get stuck at the upper levels and never make it to the big leagues.
22. Luis Mateo, RP – Mateo is the highest rated pitcher from last summer’s team in Brooklyn. A lot of rankings will have him in or near the top 10; however, all he has on his resume at this point is blowing away the New York-Penn league at age 22. Still, his fastball is a plus pitch, and it could take him a long way. Mateo will be fascinating to watch in 2013 because there’s a chance the Mets try to push him through the system quickly, and he could find himself close to the big leagues a lot sooner than you’d expect.
21. Alonzo Harris, OF – I like Harris a lot more than most people. Due to injuries in St. Lucie last season, he finally got a chance to get some regular playing time, and he certainly made the most of it. In 116 games, he his .287/.354/.424 with 8 homers, 7 triples, 23 doubles, and 40 stolen bases. His tools aren’t as impressive as some of the other a-ball outfielders the Mets had last year, so it’d be asking a lot to think Harris could be anything more than a 4th outfielder, but he has great speed, impressive athleticism, and he can play centerfield, so coming off the season he just had in 2012, he’ll be a guy to keep an eye on this year.
28 comments
Stick
2/11/2013-9:11am at 9:11 am (UTC -4)
Vaughn really has been frustrating Seemed to tantalize with the potential, and the Mets desperately need someone like this to come along, but he gives every indication of being a mirage at this point.
You would think that all the professional coaches could tweak the swing a bit to make it work better, but I guess some guys won’t, or can’t, change it up. or it would sap his power.
harris? Who knows, maybe he an keep his tools working as he moves up the ladder. Seems that he does not have any glaring weaknesses, and enough overall game to have a future. Maybe he could be a late bloomer in the Vicky or pagan mold, both guys that did a little bit of everything, played D with some speed, but on paper did not blow you away.
Put him and Vaughn in the category of needing to have a monster AA season to get on the fast track. I assume they will both be in Bingo tis year. And a strong year there easily puts a guy on the fast track.
Wonder if it frustrates these guys to look at the Mets with an absolute black hole in the OF, knowing that if they had done anything even 1 level higher last year, they could be given a shot at jobs on the Mets this st=pring?
TX
2/11/2013-10:00am at 10:00 am (UTC -4)
Was thinking the same thing about having the opportunity to grab a spot if they could only put it together. sigh…
I can’t remember (or don’t know where to look) on who needs to be added to the 40 man for next year.
Stick
2/11/2013-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
I wonder how good defensively Harris really is in CF (where he would have to be top drawer to have a hope of a ML career)? I had forgotten that he was drafted as a 2B, and played just 2B for his first couple of years, before getting shifted over to the OF.
If nothing else, it will be a big year for him, especially if they give him an everyday job. I assume he gets bumped up to Bingo, but I honestly have very little clue about who will be where in terms of position players.
lagares and Pulleo in Vegas?
Bryan
2/11/2013-10:35am at 10:35 am (UTC -4)
I assume Lagares goes to Vegas, but he played mostly CF last year, so they’ll have to work out something with him and den Dekker.
Puello will be lucky to go to Bingo, but after 2 years in St. Lucie and being in Arizona last fall, I think they’ll move him up. The outfield in Bingo should be Vaughn in LF, Harris in CF, and Puello in RF.
Stick
2/11/2013-10:42am at 10:42 am (UTC -4)
that sounds logical. I thought for some reason puello was in Bingo last year already. But he plays the corners, so not a big deal.
Maybe Dekker and Lagares platoon with Lagares also spending time in LF?
lagares and Vaughn are the 2 guys that could be beakout candidates this season, where if they do, it will be an immense help to the team!
Bryan
2/11/2013-11:15am at 11:15 am (UTC -4)
I looked and some notable rule 5 eligible guys next year are: Matz, Ceciliani, Maron, Vaughn, den Dekker, DeGrom, Forsythe, Kolarek, Goeddel.
It’s a little early to think about, but den Dekker should be on the roster sometime this year anyway, Kolarek should be close, and we’ll see with Vaughn, DeGrom, and Goeddel.
srt
2/11/2013-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
Mateo….is he projected to be a SP or BP arm?
Cory Vaughn: This is the young man who plays with a health problem requiring some type of pump attached to his body, correct? I have to give him credit and hope they can ‘uncomplicate’ his swing.
Stick
2/11/2013-10:12am at 10:12 am (UTC -4)
I think he is diabetic, and yes ahs to play with some medical support
srt
2/11/2013-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
I believe you’re right, now that I’m thinking of it. Think it’s an insulin pump.
Bryan
2/11/2013-10:32am at 10:32 am (UTC -4)
Mateo probably ends up in the bullpen, but he could rise through the system fast in that role.
Vaughn does have diabetes, but I think he’s found a way to manage it well. I know he does yoga and keeps in great shape, so I don’t think it’s much of a factor for him.
srt
2/11/2013-10:41am at 10:41 am (UTC -4)
Thanks for the update, Bryan.
TX
2/11/2013-10:07am at 10:07 am (UTC -4)
Hey Salty,
Are you doing that keeper league again this year for Fantasy Beisbol?
srt
2/11/2013-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/second_chance_QLc2FuKRm6r4NXuF5kISyJ?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=Mets
I had Reese Havens penciled in as starting 2nd baseman for the 2011 season. Obviously for various injury problems that never happened.
Sounds like the skills are still there. Will this be the year he finally puts all those injuries behind him?
TX
2/11/2013-10:14am at 10:14 am (UTC -4)
I hope to the Good Lord above he does. Murph can then be traded for an OF and Havens is cheaper than Murph. All not happening, but whatever…
Stick
2/11/2013-10:22am at 10:22 am (UTC -4)
Here’s a crazy idea. maybe they can package murphy with Spin and Familia in a trade for an OF?
TX
2/11/2013-10:44am at 10:44 am (UTC -4)
You know what? That sounds like a fantastic idea. All part of the package to bring in CarGo.
Stick
2/11/2013-10:58am at 10:58 am (UTC -4)
throw in one of the younger SP guys (Mateo/montero/tapia, that level of guy) and call it a deal.
Stick
2/11/2013-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
throw in a lower level SP arm (mateo/montero/tapia, that level of guy) and call it a deal.
now that we have Flores lined up for 2B, the handedness issue won’t be a problem either!
Duda/Brown in LF, Kirk/cowpie in CF, and Cargo in RF suddenly does not look like quite such a helpless OF…
wanny
2/11/2013-11:11am at 11:11 am (UTC -4)
For Valdespin, Murphy and Familia you get a 4th outfielder or a guy good enough to start on a lousy team.
Stick
2/11/2013-10:21am at 10:21 am (UTC -4)
at least for the Mets, I think this year has to be. He is just out of time. Highly unlikely he will still be around on the 40 man if he does not have a big (as in, ready for the ML) year. so a trade/waive is highly likely.
Now, I would love to see the skills finally come back out (all the rust off?) and have him take over at 2B the way I thought he was going to. Let them trade murphy for an OF maybe. (save money, improve D, keep O about the same).
but, would not surprise me at all if he ended up surfacing as one of these late bloomers at 27-28, with some other team, and putting up a few solid years as a regular.
srt
2/11/2013-10:31am at 10:31 am (UTC -4)
Yup, just our luck he’d finally put it together – for another team.
But on the chance he does progress far this season and stays healthy….Murph (in a package deal) would probably bring a nice return. He’s got a good bat and could conceivably play 3rd, 2nd and 1st. There’s not a lot of viable ML 3rd basemen available these days.
Stick
2/11/2013-10:39am at 10:39 am (UTC -4)
nope, there are not. So i would be fine if things played out where at mid season Havens is locked in and looking legit, murphy is having a respectable year, and at the deadline the mets somehow packaged a SP + Murphy (Johan or Marcum) and maybe a lower level prospect for a “real” OF, and called up Wheeler and havens to replace them. Something along those lines.
Don’t ask me to what team or for what player, since this is just spitballing at this point. But if you want to jump start the foundation building not a bad way to go!
srt
2/11/2013-10:43am at 10:43 am (UTC -4)
On that note, just saw this:
michaelgbaronmichaelgbaron: Just chatted with Paul DePodesta about Flores. Very impressed with him at 2B, calls his range deceptive, length is advantage
TX
2/11/2013-10:49am at 10:49 am (UTC -4)
srt, if that was a possibility, I’ll be RAmen-ing and high fiving all around me.
Stick
2/11/2013-10:56am at 10:56 am (UTC -4)
I have been holding out hope on this too. The guy was playing SS up until last season, and I remember reading reports that the only reason he woldn’t stay was lack of range, which should not be as big of an issue at 2B. Hell, if they can live with Murphy, the bar is freaking low.
His arm, glove, instincts (Flores, not Murphy!) were always well regarded. he can just play 2B and cheat a little up the middle, counting on Ike to help out on his left!
If the bat is for real, and it seems to be, you have to try really hard to make it work.
Stick
2/11/2013-10:57am at 10:57 am (UTC -4)
and is that like mary hartman, mary hartman?
Not sure we really need duplicate Barons. Chesty might have a stroke.
srt
2/11/2013-11:28am at 11:28 am (UTC -4)
LOL…I’d like to say Mary Hartman was before my time but sadly it’s not.
I don’t know why but every time I cut and past a tweet it plugs in the name twice. Sometimes I catch it and delete the second one before I post it.
darknova306
2/11/2013-11:39am at 11:39 am (UTC -4)
Being able to finally develop a real 2B, while trading the mediocrity that is Daniel Murphy, would be absolutely phenomenal. Good luck, Wilmer!