We are getting closer to the “Super Two” cut-off and that means we’re also getting closer to promotion time in minor league land. Once teams don’t need to sacrifice a year of cheap service they promote their star prospects to the majors and that vacuum will have an effect on players at every level of the system. Yet I wanted to talk about the player who I think is MOST ready for a promotion to his next level and for a change… I won’t be talking about Plawecki… much.
Noah Syndergaard had over 112 innings in the MID League and now he’s thrown 38 in the FSL and the results are pretty nice on both accounts. Aside from a single lousy start on April 18th, there has been generally nothing to complain about and it seems to me that Syndergaard is just biding his time. The reason I am so eager to promote Syndergaard is because the Mets need to be planning for 2014 now and they need to know if Syndergaard has a SHOT at making the MLB squad during the 2014 season.
AA is the biggest proving ground for minor leaguers and it seems to me that Mr. Syndergaard is ready to take that step. Yet… when he makes that step, he will not be stepping alone.
- Zack Wheeler to Majors: This has been more or less written in stone for most of the season. As soon as we pass the “Super Two” cut-off Wheeler is moving to the majors and will try his best to be as big of a sensation as Matt Harvey.
- Rafael Montero to AAA: With Wheeler out of Las Vegas, the Mets can move Rafael Montero up behind him. AAA is where you hold players on the cusp of the major leagues and I believe that Montero will be joining Mr. Wheeler in Queens during the 2013 season.
- Noah Syndergaard to AA: Syndergaard is the clear choice to move to AA though Hansel Robles is likely also ready for the move.
- Rainy Lara + Kevin Plawecki to A+: To replace Syndergaard in Port St. Lucie I’ll promote Rainy Lara, who strikes me as the next Rafael Montero. Once you start moving players you might as well promote Plawecki… it’ll hurt Cam Maron’s playing time, but it has to be done.
- Tomas Nido to Full Season A: With a vacancy at catcher in Savannah it allows Nido to start his season a couple weeks earlier. (You don’t need to activate another pitcher… Savannah has spares)
AAA:
Wilmer Flores hitting for more power – He needs to get his average up with some multi-hit games but 5 extra base hits in 10 games is good too.
Collin McHugh settles down – The backup plan starter looked shaky in three starts 4/21, 4/27 and 5/2 but in his two starts since he’s been very good.
Zack Wheeler ready for June – Unless he tosses out a pair of stinkers between now and then he’ll be making his first start in Queens next month.
AA:
Cory Vaughn is back – Vaughn was out for a while, just as he got hot. In 4 games back he doesn’t look like he cooled off too badly.
Cesar Puello shows he can hit homers – I don’t think of Puello as a HR hitter but 4 HR’s in 10 games is a good indicator I might have to.
Logan Verrett will be 2014’s Collin McHugh – He doesn’t have a high ceiling but he’s almost ready to pitch in AAA.
Rafael Montero is human – Since April 26th, Montero hasn’t looked quite as unstoppable as he once did.
A+:
Here comes Aderlin Rodriguez – Over his last 10 games: .333/.370/.667 with 5 doubles and 3 homers. He’s also somehow only struck out 3 times.
I Remember Travis Taijeron – He fooled me into over-excitement last season in Savannah but he’s hitting again and now at a higher level. I’m not biting on it just yet.
Dustin Lawley says hello – Lawley can play a few positions, steal a few bases and has more than a little power… might need to keep an eye on him as a future Utility Guy.
Noah Syndergaard doesn’t give up runs – He’s given up only 2 ER in his last 4 starts. 26.0 IP and 2 ER… that’s not a bad 4-game ERA.
Why isn’t Domingo Tapia missing bats? – I don’t have the answer here but he’s only got 28 K’s in 32.1 IP and I’d expect a pitcher with that kind of stuff to have a 9.00 + K/9.
Full Season A:
Maikis De La Cruz debuts on a streak – He’s on a 5 game hitting streak in his first 5 games at this level.
Has Kevin Plawecki finally slowed down? – In the past 10 games he only hit .314/.390/.514… yeah… that’s HIS version of slowing down.
Rainy Lara will not walk you – 38 IP, 38 K’s and only 4 BB’s. He’s also 4-1 with a 1.42 ERA and is averaging 6.1 IP per start.
What happened to the “Building from the bottom up” series? Vicente Lupo seems to have been the last post. I really enjoyed those.
Free time went away.
I will try to knock some of those out.
As you’d expect the pre-season rankings are all wrong at this point so… yeah
Do you think Plawecki has a shot of skipping A+ and jumping straight to AA? For his age and the numbers he’s putting up, perhaps it’s possible he could survive that jump and hold his own? I would love to see Plawecki starting in AAA next year.
Catchers tend to be moved up more slowly and while his bat is looking great… he’s not throwing anyone out. Let him settle for a promotion to Port St. Lucie for now.
Would they really consider moving Syndergaard into the rotation next year? That seems awfully fast for a young guy…
If he moves up to AA this year then next year he could be a late season call-up, sure.
I saw Lara earlier this month and he should be promoted with Plawecki.Rainy Lara has impeccable control. He was ahead in the count all night and nothing was really hit hard against him. The first 3 innings he breezed through all 9 batters. He gave up only 1 unearned run in the 6th inning when the CF (Pina) dropped a ball. He struck out 6 and his fastball sat at 90mph but dropped to 89 in the 6th and 7th. He can throw his breaking ball consistently for strikes on any count. He has at least three pitches and seems able to use them all. In two of his innings he was able to induce double play ground balls. He can only get better and looks similar to a Gee type, a mid rotation starter.
I also think Jayce Boyd should get moved up as he is a better player than Brian Harrison. Jayce Boyd went 1-4 and looks like a hitter. In his first AB he also went with the pitch and drilled a single to right. In his second AB he hit a long fly ball to center -left that the CF climbed the wall and picked it off the top on a nice play. The AB was impressive because he showed power against their best pitcher. Defensively he showed poor range on a ground ball and also muffed one for an E. I saw all four games of the series and he is a hitter.
Unfortunately Nimmo was injured and I only got to yell Hi to him, which he waved back and smiled.
Who in the heck is Rainy Lara? I just looked at his last four starts …
29 IP
16 H
2 BB (!)
32 K (!!!!)
1 ER (!!!!!!!)
I mean, that’s sick. You simply can’t keep that at his level. I don’t know what he is throwing, but a 16:1 ratio is otherworldly.
Fastball isn’t awe inspiring but he’s very much in the Rafael Montero mold. He’s a #3 pitcher if he pans out.
I assume you’ve seen him David, and I obviously have no idea. His record all the way through indicates he just throws a ton of strikes, and he’s actually showing more control as he moves up.
How long do you think it takes him to get to AA/AAA, David?
I’m a stat man. I saw him pitch an inning or two this Spring but the scouting shows him topping out at 93 MPH with great control and multiple offerings. He just doesn’t have “ACE” pitches. He’ll be in Port St. Lucie soon but AA is probably more likely for 2014.