Spring Training is entertaining for many reasons: the media is always hyping up a team that is struggling or playing well, the competition level between teams is low, but inside a team is high; and there are always exciting players that have no shot at making the roster. On Monday, the Mets sent two sets of players to the minors- 15 in total. Here are the 15 that were sent down, and a few thoughts on why it happened, if they deserved it, and where they will start the season.
Why: Bradford only has limited experience in Binghamton and, while he could be a solid relief option, most relief prospects actually need to dominate in AAA before they can be in the majors.
Did he deserve the demotion: It is not that he wasn’t pitching well, as he hadn’t pitched yet, he just simply isn’t ready for the big leagues. In addition, he isn’t the famous Chad Bradford.
2014 Season Start: AA: He will start here to fully develop his pitches and get a tad more refined. Putting a young pitcher in Las Vegas is pretty much murder, so it will be interesting to see how this pans out.
Why: He seems MLB ready on the surface with his excellent numbers in Binghamton and Las Vegas, but his walk rate needs to calm down just a bit before he can taste the majors.
Did he deserve the demotion: He wasn’t pitching well here anyway and it seemed a logical choice to not keep too many people on the roster.
2014 Season Start: AAA: He was actually pretty solid in Las Vegas, but he needs to lower the walk rate and pitch a little bit more before he can see Queens.
Why: In what seemed the most surprising choice of demotions, the same man who had a 0.89 ERA in a 20.1 inning stretch before injury, Edgin been sent down. It is almost ridiculous.
Did he deserve the demotion: While he could prove to be a top reliever in the NL East, he was pitching like a sellout. That being said, Terry Collins should give the guy another chance to prove himself and become a secret weapon out of the bullpen.
2014 Season Start: AAA: Unfortunately, he is going to be pitching at the biggest hitters park in America. If Mets fans have learned anything from the past few years, he might never touch the majors again.
Why: Goeddel simply wasn’t pitching very well in camp and he is just now converting to a reliever. It had to be done.
Did he deserve the demotion: Yes did, but really it is for his own good. He shouldn’t have to struggle with the task of relieving in the majors.
2014 Start: AA: Goeddel should fully figure out the reliever lifestyle in the environment he struggled in last year.
Why: Kolarek is actually a very solid lefty option in the near future with a great repertoire of pitches. Unfortunately, he has not proven himself in Las Vegas yet.
Did he deserve the demotion: Yes, he wasn’t pitching like a great reliever this obviously resulted in a call-down.
2014 Season Start: AAA: History would tell fans that he struggles in the level he peaked at in the year prior and then dominates the next. In this case, he will excel AAA and then struggle in the majors.
Why: Lawley has not proven himself above St. Lucie, and therefore he needs a little more seasoning before he can rise through the ranks.
Did he deserve the demotion: The Mets should have waited a little while before sending him down because he will be considered for a serious call-up later in the year. Be that as it may, he wasn’t hitting too well and hasn’t even been to Binghamton.
2014 Season Start: AAA: This could be debatable because he has never set foot on AA, but he is a 25-year old prospect that needs to be challenged.
Why: Come on, this was to be expected. He had an ERA that was around the same age of manager Ned Yost. While his strikeout rate is ridiculous, so is his walk rate – and he need refining.
Did he deserve the demotion: He really did. I am a huge Leathersich fan but he needs to refine his command.
2014 Start: AAA: He should be able refine his command in the matter of two months.
Why: The plain and simple reason is that he is still a very raw prospect who needs a little bit of development. There was actually zero chance of him making the roster.
Did he deserve the demotion: It is not that he deserves the demotion in a positive or negative way, he just is too young to be playing at Citi Field.
2014 Start: A+: He is prospect in need of a little bit of development, and refinement. He could follow Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Noah Syndergaard as a must-see debut mid-season by 2015.
Why: Even though Muno has superior on-base skills, he clearly wasn’t ready to be attempting to start anywhere.
Did he deserve the demotion: He still needs to prove himself at AAA Las Vegas before he can receive a call to make the majors.
2014 Start: AA: Unfortunately with the influx of below-average shortstops in the Mets system, Muno will suffer by not progressing in his career.
Why: Nimmo is still in A-ball. It should be as simple as that.
Did he deserve the demotion: He needs to refine strikeout total and figure out how to hit for more extra bases and then the Mets can talk about a call-up in 2015.
2014 Start: A+: I am actually a huge Nimmo believer, and truly believe he can be an elite leadoff hitter with a .280/.390/.420 slash line and 40 doubles some day. With that projection, needs improvement on his bad stretches, hit for some more power and steal some more bases.
Why: Plawecki is still developing as a young hitter and catcher. While it seems that Plawecki has figured out how to hit 40 doubles a year, he still needs to translate about 10-15 of those doubles into homers if he wants a September call-up.
Did he deserve the demotion: He really shouldn’t have made the roster under any circumstances and while he hit well, Plawecki is a little far away.
2014 Start: AA: After a late-season call-up to Binghamton, it is inevitable that he starts here.
Why: While I still believe in Puello, he is still under the suspicion of PES usage and he needs to prove himself once again.
Did he deserve the demotion: Just another example of a hitter not doing anything wrong, except just being too young to make the roster.
2014 Start: AAA: He should be put in a hitting environment to bolster his confidence and get him ready to start in a corner outfield spot after the inevitable trade of Chris Young.
Why: This was actually a surprise. I expected him to legitimately compete for the starting shortstop role. I can’t actually think of a reason to let him go this early.
Did he deserve the demotion: No, because his stellar defense could have been valuable off the bench.
2014 Start: AAA: Unless Ruben Tejada comes to Las Vegas, Tovar should start there to gain more experience.
Why: I am an enormous fan of Verrett and it seems very likely that he will make his debut this year-= making me wonder why he didn’t stay a little longer to get his feet wet.
Did he deserve the demotion: With only one inning of work, it didn’t seem that he did anything wrong. I don’t really understand this one either.
2014 Start: AA: After being very effective in Binghamton in 2013, he deserves to travel to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, there is already a large influx of pitchers in line.
Tovar came to camp completely out of shape and injured himself… he really pissed everybody off
Demoted what does that mean. This isn’t public school. Most of these players didn’t have a chance to make the team. There being put where should be at this time. Only shocker was Edgin,he looked awful every outing. He also lost speed on his pitch. I don’t agree with you he won’t see the majors again. Maybe not with the Mets. There just are not to many left relievers out there.
I wasn’t very clear with Edgin, I don’t believe he will be with the Mets again. In addition, I could have seen Tovar making the team as a back-up infielder.
Not sure what you mean that Plawecki is “a lttle far away”. Defensively he needs some work but offensively he can flat out hit. I expect some of those doubles to become home runs but even if they don’t he carries enough offense to get him to the majors. If he has the year I am anticipating then he will be promoted to Las Vegas mid year and be a September call up. He is a good player at a premium position.
Nice breakdown Julian. A Mets shortstop came to camp out of shape and got hurt? Surely you jest.