Earlier this week one of the most reputable voices in terms of minor league scouting, Jonathan Mayo, compiled his list of the Mets top 10 prospects. The list goes as follow:
- RHP Zach Wheeler
- SS Wilmer Flores
- RHP Matt Harvey
- OF Cesar Puello
- OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis
- OF Cory Vaughn
- RHP Jeurys Famila
- 2B Reese Havens
- 2B Jordany Valdespin
- 3B Jefry Marte
My initial reaction to this list is first and foremost to laugh—and laugh very, very hard at that. I mean after all, we rented out Carlos Beltran for two months and came away with a stud pitching prospect who instantaneously became the number one reason Mets fans have a reason to look forward to the future.
Wheeler dominated after becoming a Met, putting up impressive numbers such as a 2.00 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 27 innings during his time in St. Lucie. Along with these numbers, scout say he was hitting 99 on the gun and his secondary pitches (curveball and slider) improved significantly. A solid year in Binghamton next season and we can count on this fire baller holding a prominent spot in the Mets rotation come 2013.
In the past, a Mets fan reason for enthusiasm would stop at this point, but take a glance at who sits third on the list and the enthusiasm only builds. Matthew Harvey—the last pick of the Minaya era flew onto the scene immediately after being drafted by dominating A ball and followed up that success this season by posting a low 3 ERA in Binghamton.
Maybe I am getting ahead of myself—but the thought of the Mets having their own rendition of Tim Linceum and Matt Cain in Wheeler and Harvey makes me straight giddy. Yes, legitimately giddy.
The only true disappointment I came away with from this list is the absence of Brandon Nimmo. I know he is only 18, but if he is everything the Mets scouting claims to be, could he really not crack the top 10 of what is still an overall weak system?
Until proven otherwise I still maintain the Mets should have drafted Matt Barnes out of the University of Connecticut. I am a STRONG believer that a team can never have enough young pitching. Along with that, keep in mind that Barnes is a player who has a ceiling very comparable to Harvey and Wheeler.
Everyone is well aware that the Mets tried to hit a home run in the draft this past year. Maybe they did. But let’s just hope they did not strike out looking.
