We’ve been writing about Nabil Crismatt on Mets360 for a few years now. The relatively unknown pitcher from Barranquilla, Columbia wasn’t a big money guy from the international leagues or a top draft pick from the amateur draft. Instead, Crismatt simply came up through the Met system on the merits of his results alone.

We began to mention him when he made his stateside debut in 2014 but it wasn’t until 2015 that the Mets actually gave him a shot at starting. On the back of a solid K/9, low WHIP and consistently stable ERA the Mets eventually came to the conclusion that maybe there was something there they hadn’t seen before. By the end of 2016 Crismatt had reached, if only briefly, AA and had conquered the NYP and SAL leagues.

He spent all of 2017 in Advanced A where the Mets typically separate the wheat from the chaff. Where so many successful single A pitchers have failed, Crismatt succeeded with another year of solid pitching, although cracks were beginning to show.

Entering 2018 people were no longer as confident that Crismatt could succeed with his pedestrian “Stuff”. However, after the 16 games he started for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies the Mets again have decided to give him a chance for more. In those games he went 8 and 5 with a 3.58 ERA. He notched 93 innings and quite nearly averaged 6.0 innings per outing while also striking out 94 and only walking 34. After that, the Mets gave him a shot at AAA.

His first two starts are completed and Crismatt has endured a rocky debut to follow it with a very promising second showing. The walks are up as the hitters at the AAA level seem less inclined to chase his pitches out of the zone but Crismatt’s uncanny ability to succeed in each level he reaches seems to still be working for him.

AAA:

Jeff McNeil is determined to prove me right – While some think that McNeil’s 2018 numbers are not to be believed I’m willing to drink the Kool Aid.

Luis Guillorme benefiting from his demotion – Jose Reyes needs to go but getting Guillorme some additional time in AAA seems to be helping him.

Peter Alonso is scuffling – He’s striking out too much and not hitting consistently enough. Nothing to get concerned over just yet.

AA:

I have no choice but to mention Tim Tebow – I’m not drinking his Kool Aid just yet but I have to mention his much improved hitting output.

A+:

Ali Sanchez’s magical season continues – For a player who looked bereft of hitting potential he’s certainly finally seemed to figure things out.

Andres Gimenez still chugging along – Would not be out of the question to test him in the final weeks of the season in AA.

Jeremy Vasquez staying strong – He’s one of the brighter spots in the Mets offensive depth charts.

Anthony Kay has been quite good – His last two starts for Port St. Lucie have been very promising.

Joe Cavallaro in Advanced A after a spot start role – Mets gave him an outing in AA that was likely just to cover for other player movement.

A:

Tony Dibrell has a nice outing – He’s a pitcher the scouts seem to like and it would be another feather in the Met cap for him to pan out.

A-:

Jaison Vilera is the Ace of Brooklyn – Looking back at the younger ranks of Met prospects and you’ll find him to be one of the brightest stars.

Mac Lozer locking things down – He’s been a dynamite closer for Brooklyn but it will be interesting to see if he can make things work in Port St. Lucie or beyond.

R2:

Luis Santana looking mighty fine – Especially for a player who is only 18.

Jarred Kelenic has finally slowed down – He’s no longer hitting like the second coming of Mike Trout but give him some time to find his feet.

R1:

Ronny Mauricio has some power in his bat – He’s got a ridiculous number of extra base hits (11) in his first 23 games.

21 comments on “Mets Minors: Nabil Crismatt and other reasons for hope

  • David Klein

    Alonso showed off his feast or famine game with a monstrous homer but he butchered a double play ball too. It is too bad there nid no dh in the nl. Tebow not playing baseball for ten years and still being an above average hitter is very impressive.

    • David Groveman

      Tebow still strikes out too much to really be an above average hitter but his progress is impressive.

      • David Klein

        He has a wRC+ of around 110

        • Charlie Hangley

          Giminez will take over Tebow’s roster spot in Bingo, once TT gets promoted to the bigs.

          (ducks flying debris…)

          • Mike Walczak

            That’s all we need is Mr. K, Tebow taking up a roster spot.

            • Charlie Hangley

              You & I both know it’s gonna happen. September 15 (or thereabouts), after 3 straight games of sub-10,000 attendance at Citi Field, Tebow will arrive to headlines and a commensurate spike in the numbers.

              Bravo, Jeff!

              • David Groveman

                I can’t tell Charlie he’s wrong.

                Tebow has gotten his contact better but his eye is still awful.

                • TexasGusCC

                  Tebow’s BABIP is .423. Remember Matt Reynolds, he was .422, but he was in The Show.

                  • David Groveman

                    Texas Gus,

                    Something is wrong. How have we become aligned on the futures of two players?

    • TexasGusCC

      I was stunned to see Tebow pinch run for in the ninth inning of the 12 inning game the other day. I thought he had wheels?

  • Brian Joura

    In his last 290 PA Levi Michael has a .320/.410/.480 line in Double-A. He’s 27 so he’s not a real prospect but he’s a former first-round pick who’s put up an extended stretch of good play. Drafted as a SS, he’s more of a 2B/3B type at this point. But he has 40 starts at short this year.

    I’m a little surprised he hasn’t gotten a bump to Triple-A but maybe that comes when Jeff McNeil gets the call to the majors.

  • Eric

    The Slow hand approach with very young prospects has it’s place—but 26/27 year old guys with Hundreds of Great ab’s at AA and AAA should be on a very fast Prove it or Move it Track…..Bautista and Reyes need to be gone—Let The Suspects Advance and show whether they have something

  • Dan

    I feel like a 9th grader wrote this article… No substance at all. You tell us someone is doing well but no stats at all!!! Santana looking mighty fine and he’s only 18? Yeah… it’s R2 as you said. You only get excited if they are 18 or younger.. great to throw around a bunch of names saying how greT they are doing without stats.. again, if this is a highs school kid writing this I say good job but recommend backing up your comments with some proof/stats. If this is an adult… shame on you!

    • David Groveman

      Hi Dan,

      Sorry to disappoint. The briefs listed below the main article all include links to stat pages for the players in question. Part of the issue with a “brief” is that I keep them to one sentence or so. Unfortunately, I see that Luis Santana’s link was no good because his name is too common.

      http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=670919#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL

      Luis Santana is looking mighty fine. He’s currently sporting a .903 OPS for the year with more walks than strikeouts. In his last 10 games he’s hit .372 with strong numbers in both runs scored and runs batted in.

      I apologize that my article was not what you were looking for and wish you the best.

      • Chris F

        Nice job David. High road. Let us prisoners do the dirty work.

    • TexasGusCC

      I know that I responded to Dan’s comment. Brian, did you delete it? Maybe it’s better.

    • Chris F

      Really. My suggestion is that you scroll back through the piles of these excellent reviews David writes, see how amazing they are, and then apologize for really being the vacant troll you are.

      • David Groveman

        Thanks for the kind words. Taking this as constructive criticism, I will try to include some numerical analysis in all briefs when I can.

  • Eraff

    Dan…that’s a Harsh critique of David’s Writing. One of the things David learned in 9th grade was to provide Links within his written on-line pieces—if you click on the Player names (Those are the words in Orange), you’ll be linked to their stats.

    David—Interesting “Slow News Day” recap.

  • Eraff

    ok—here’s one Grim Theory— Reyes is still here so that He and Wright can play a final game together.

    From The Folks who brought you Ebbets Daughter…this is their next epic “Fan Friendly” move

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