Las Vegas 51s
Pregame 07/01/14: 49-35
Pregame 07/18/14: 56-43
Record: 7-8
Games Played: 15
The story here is Wilmer Flores going nuclear in the month of July, blasting seven homers in fifty-six ABs, along with four doubles and a triple, good for a triple slash of .357/.387/.839/1.226. It is my firm belief that the Mets can easily afford to trade Daniel Murphy and replace him with Wilmer Flores at second base. I have no doubts that Wilmer will hit major league pitching.
The second white hot bat in the Vegas lineup belongs to Matt den Dekker, who is hitting a cool .444/.528/.622/1.151 in forty-four July ABs. He has four doubles, a pair of triples and seven walks in that span. den Dekker probably isn’t a starting outfielder in the majors, but as a backup, he’s got what you’d like, some pop, some ability to talk a walk (46 walks in 124 games in AAA 2013/2014).
Binghamton Mets
Pregame 07/01/14: 49-33
Pregame 07/18/14: 59-38
Record: 10-5
Games Played: 15
The big story here is the massive breakout by second base prospect Dilson Herrera. Herrera, who’d gotten off hot since his promotion in June, simply has not stopped hitting in July. Thus far this month, he’s gone off for a .315/.391/.519/.910 line in fifty-four ABs, with five doubles and a pair of homers, along with eight walks. (And thus far today, he’s 2 for 2 with a double and 2 RBI…)
The other story here is the pair of former St. Lucie Mets pitchers, Steven Matz (2-1, 2.08, 3 GS, 17.1 IP, 4/16 BB/K) and Gabriel Ynoa (2-0, 3.50 era, 3 GS, 18 IP, 2/14 BB/K) who have both pitched well since being promoted to Binghamton. Matz has five AA starts, and Ynoa three. Matz has the higher ceiling, of course, with mid 90s velocity and the possibility of two offspeed pitches (changeup, curveball), but Ynoa is a legit prospect in his own right, with outstanding command and control, and is no slouch himself, stuff wise, he features average to a tick above average velocity from the right side. If all goes well, both should open 2015 in AAA (hopefully NOT Las Vegas).
St. Lucie Mets
Pregame 07/01/14: 7-3
Pregame 07/18/14: 16-8
Record: 9-5
Games Played: 14
Eudy Pina, who apparently I am all alone on a limb with liking, is raking in the second half of the season, he’s hitting .420/.448/.679/1.127 over twenty-five game. In this fourteen game stretch, he’s hitting .410/.455/.590/1.045 in thirty-nine ABs, with a pair of doubles, a triple and homer mixed in. By no means am I declaring him a top prospect or anything, but there may be a 4th outfielder in here.
Savannah Sand Gnats
Pregame 07/01/14: 8-4
Pregame 07/18/14: 16-11
Record: 8-7
Games Played: 15
The two frst baseman on the roster have gone bonkers lately, with Matt Oberste (.407/.429/.712/1.140) and Dom Smith (.362/.391/.431/.822) hitting great and being elevated to the three-four spots in the lineup. Oberste is slightly above league average age, and definitely above age for a prospect, being 23 in 3 weeks, but Dom is extremely underage, being just 19 years old, and a lefty, playing in a home park that is tough on left handed batters.
I’ll highlight next someone you may not be aware of, potential five-tool center fielder Champ Stuart. Stuart was the Mets 6th round pick in 2013, and has hit very well this year in Savannah. Stuart is extremely raw, and has come a long way in a short time, and has done well in July, hitting .326/.400/.442/.842 in 43 ABs, with a triple, homer and 6 steals. Stuart is definitely one to keep an eye on moving forward.
Thirty-three games in, lets take a first look at some short season standouts, shall we?
Brooklyn Cyclones
Pregame 07/01/14: 11-6
Pregame 07/18/14: 15-18
Record: 4-12
Games Played: 16
Third base prospect Jhoan Urena, 19 years old, has gotten off to a rip roaring start, he’s hitting .308/.381/.458/.839 through 120 ABs.
18 year old starting pitching prospect, Marcos Molina, has put up a 0.94 era through five starts this season, with a terrific seven to thirty-one walk to strikeout ratio in 28.2 innings. Molina is highly projectable, with a low 90s fastball now, with more velocity to come, he also features a slider and changeup.
Kingsport Mets
Pregame 07/01/14: 6-6
Pregame 07/18/14: 11-15
Record: 5-9
Games Played: 14
19 year old Speed Racer, Wuilmer Becerra, is hitting .310/.359/.535/.894 in twenty-one games, seventy-one ABs, with four doubles and four homers. On the downside, just four walks for the teenager.
And that’s all for this edition of the Minor League Recap. Thanks for reading, and may the Mets continue their trolltastic ways.
