New York Mets Arizona Fall League roster and why

The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is the second most desired off-season assignment. The Hawaii version is the first, but they disbanded it a few years ago

Teams send players to the AFL for three reasons:

1. They have a future with the team

2. They need work

3. They need to be showcased to other managers

This year’s seven players are an interesting group that all have one thing in common. None are top prospects in the chain. Instead, it seems that the Mets are looking to either strike lighting in a bottle here or sell the bottle to someone that sees a little spark if lighting isn’t the final product.

Let’s take a look at each one:

RHP Ryan Fraser – Fraser came out of Memphis University as a flat out starter (92.0-IP) and was chosen in the 16th round pick in the 2010 draft. He immediately signed, was sent to Brooklyn, and had his innings restricted (31.1) through 26 relief appearances. In 2011, he returned to the rotation, this time being Savannah (he was just about dancing at the media welcome party when I sat with him and Greg Peavey there), and he had an ‘okay’ season: 28-G, 21-ST, 7-9, 3.58, 1.47, 138.1-IP, 90-K, but 63-BB. This represented the same control issues that go back as far as his 2010 season with Memphis that produced 46 walks. Any dreams of being a rotational pitcher ended there and this season Ryan split time between St. Lucie and Binghamton. The 23-year old impressed: 45-G, 64.0-IP, 5-4, 2.81, 43-K, 20-BB. Fraser’s here for two reasons. One, the Mets pen is from hunger and given the right circumstances, the 6-3 righty could break camp with the parent club. Or two, what better place to show off what you’re offering in a package deal than to let some other team’s manager get a close look.

LHP Chase Huchingson – ‘Huch’ was just rolling along having a decent innings eating season when he had a two game arm-fart (July 12th, 18th) that resulted in not getting out of the first inning both games, and giving up a collective 8-R in 1.1-IP. If that doesn’t warrant you a fall assignment, nothing will. The Mets don’t need another starter in the chain right now, but Chase is a 6-5 lefty who, if successful, could definitely help them in the bullpen someday. Huchingson offered no excuses for his bad outings, saying be basically just sucked. A Mets team official I talked to right after the second one said that there were concerns about his head being in the game. Like I said, it went away as fast as it dropped on the team and I expect him to start coming out of the pen here in October.

LHP Adam Kolarek – I actually was pissed off that I left Adam off my prospect list. Believe me, he was pitching like one in St. Lucie (43-appearances, 56.0-IP, 2.41, 69-K, 20-BB); however, like most that have comes before him, he opened up at the talent-laden AA level struggling. Adam had a lot of appearances for a reliever this season so I’m not sure how long he will play in Arizona. What I do know is he’s going to have to go back to Binghamton next spring and get that down before he moves on.

RHP Greg Peavey – I found this pick a strange one. The one thing Greg doesn’t need is more innings this year. He’s logged 144.0 innings in 25-starts for Binghamton, which normally awards you a month long soak in an ice bath. I have to assume this is a conversion to the bullpen in the making and a limited assignment as well. Peavey’s 2012 results (5.06) don’t jump off the page for an AAA assignment (which already seem to be filled with the likes of Wheeler, Gorski, Rodriguez, Germen, and Cohoon. No, this is a lifetime 1.97 BB/9 pitcher that could really help out in selective pen situations in the future.

2B Danny Muno – Muno was a 4-year college player out of Fresco State that also tacked on a 50-game suspension since becoming a ‘professional’ baseball player. The bad news is he will play Binghamton next year already as a 24-year old. The good news is his combined professional stat line is: .316/.422/.462/.884. Danny will continue his conversion to second base and will eventually battle with Wilmer Flores over who wins this slot in Flushing on opening day 2014. We should have these problems at other positions.

CF Darrell Ceciliani – the hammy that refuse to heal. Actually, it’s the hamstring injury that the player refuses to give it enough time to heal. This goes back to the day before opening day in Savannah in 2011. It seems that he tweaked him hamstring the day before and, if you ever have had one of these, you know your mind thinks this is healed much earlier than your body does. It only takes one planting of your feet in the batter’s box, followed by the shifting of your weight by your first swing, to know things aren’t kosher yet. DC is a hyper-NYC a-personality kid that just wants to play baseball and, for some reason, hitting Coach Benny DeStefano keeps letting this kid talk him into letting him on the field too early. Ceciliani does seem to be past it now, but it’s pure work that’s needed for the lifetime .287 hitting.

OF Cesar Puello – You ask a scout three years ago who was the top Mets outfield prospect and every one of them told you it was Puello. Ask them now what they think of Cesar and they just shake their heads. On paper, this is by far the highest outfield ceiling brought to a Mets camp in five years. Everything seemed on track at the end of the 2010 season in Savannah… a .292 batting average, a league-leading 45 steals, a defensive vacuum in right field, lightning speed on the base path, and one of the best arms in baseball. No, Puello was going places and going there quickly. Since then, there’s been a meh year in 2011 (St. Lucie – .259), and a couple of injuries in 2012 (St. Lucie – 217-AB). This is a strictly work-related assignment to hopefully create a situation in which he could move on to Binghamton on opening day 2012.

The league opens on October 9th.