You’ve heard about the generation 2K pitchers: Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia. You’ve heard about some of the role playing pitchers who project into the latter half of the rotation: Darin Gorski, Collin McHugh, Mark Cohoon and Chris Schwinden, but you may not have heard of some of the kids in Port St. Lucie and Savannah.
Cory Mazzoni: Most of what you’ll read about Cory Mazzoni will tell you he’s built to be a closer. He packs a big-time fastball that has been rated at or above 97 MPH but at the same time they’ll say it is flat and hittable. He also packs a curve that is inconsistent and yadda yadda yadda. Those are the OLD scouting reports. Expect new ones soon because Mazzoni is one of the buzziest arms in the Met minor-league spring training group. He’s Acing the Port St. Lucie staff and should get plenty of attention from scouts pretty quickly.
Logan Verrett: Verrett’s fastball isn’t bad (just ask Gorski who would kill for a 95 MPH fastball) but it’s the secondary offerings that make Logan a prospect. He comes with a usable changeup and slider which should put him ahead of the curve in Low A Savannah. If I had to peg him into elite or secondary prospect I would put him into the latter group but he should still manage some nice things and go up from their with more velocity or a new breaking pitch.
Rafael Montero: He throws in the low to mid 90s and is in development for secondary offerings. He can throw his fastball for strikes with ease and with development could really be in the “Elite” group of prospect pitchers (like Mejia or Familia).
Domingo Tapia: Tapia can reach 100 MPH on the gun and that alone makes him a prospect to watch. He is in possession of a solid changeup and a third breaking ball still “in development” but he’s got the goods and the peripherals to be special. He’s got some bite on the fastball and induces lots of grounders but isn’t to the point of missing bats. His strikeout numbers just don’t line up with his MPH… yet.
Tyler Pill: He’s not going to blow people away with his heat but he is still a qualified and capable pitcher. He has a ready and usable changeup and slider that project better than Logan Verrett’s. He’ll probably be restricted from using his 4th breaking pitch for a while. Like Verrett his control is going to keep him alive through Savannah.
Michael Fulmer: Throws in the lower 90s for now but is young enough to develop that. He boasts a curveball but needs to develop a changeup to stick as a starter. His body is solid so he shouldn’t have issues with his body breaking down. Expect him on a slightly slower track than some of the other names here. Put him into that “Elite” group until further notice.
Akeel Morris: Throws in the upper 90s with room to grow. The worry… and it’s pretty big is his control. Akeel was effective in 2011 but his pitches were WILD. He has also shown a curveball with some good movement but 2012 is about him reining himself in and homing in on the strike zone. He could be in Savannah or Port St. Lucie to finish the year.
Juan Urbina: Ugeth Urbina’s kid Is a pretty impressive specimen. He is a power lefty (93 MPH is borderline power, but still) and is still a totally raw and undeveloped talent. He’s probably the highest ceiling lefty pitcher in the organization and that is worth something.