Round 1: With the 11th pick overall the Mets will likely be drafting a college outfielder. The good news is that this draft is deep in college outfielders. Once upon a time I might have hoped for Kris Bryant, but that is pretty well impossible. So who are we looking at?
#11, Hope For – Austin Meadows: Meadows has “5-Tool Potential” a saying that makes me cringe and think of names like Alex Escobar and Lastings Milledge. If Meadows falls to 11th there is no way that Alderson should be able to pass but it’s not as perfect a fit as you might think. Sure… you’d be getting an outfielder (potentially the best in the draft) but you’d also be taking a high-school player who would be starting all the way down in Brooklyn.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 4/6 | Power: 3/5 | Run: 6/6 | Arm: 4/5 | Field: 5/6 | Overall: 4/6
#11, Bet On – Hunter Renfroe: Projects as a plus right fielder with a good arm, good defense and good power. Renfroe would probably be advanced enough to catch up with Brandon Nimmo by the middle of 2014 and could be the best fit with the Met first pick.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 3/5 | Power: 4/5 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 4/5 | Overall: 4/5
#11, Could Be – Austin Wilson: Some people project Wilson to be in the top 10 of the draft. I don’t, but none of that matters come draft day. He has a similar potential to Renfroe with a much larger and potentially more powerful body.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 5/6 | Power: 4/5 | Run: 3/3 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 4/5 | Overall: 4/6
Round 2: The Mets will likely revert to the old “Best Available Talent Approach” but the idea that they should be trying to boost some offensive positions is pretty clear.
#48, Hope For – Aaron Judge: I mentioned Judge before as a giant with tons of power who could be targeted by the Mets. I still like him as a fit but no longer think the 11th pick is worth it. At 48th you likely won’t see Aaron Judge hanging around but if the Mets did, he’s a great fit.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 3/5 | Power: 4/7 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 5/6 | Overall: 4/5
#48, Bet On – Michael Lorenzen: A safer bet would be Lorenzen who is more of an all-around player than Judge (pure power) and has more flexibility. Lorenzen isn’t exactly small but he hasn’t shown a ton of power yet. It would hardly be a bad thing to get him in the 2nd round.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 3/5 | Power: 3/5 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 5/5 | Overall: 3/5
#48, Could Be – Bobby Wahl: Wahl’s biggest asset is that he’s close to being major-league ready. If not as a starter, then as a reliever. The Mets have pitching in the minors but with Harvey, Niese and Wheeler ready now, Wahl makes sense as an insurance policy.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Fastball: 5/6 | Slider: 5/6 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 4/5 | Overall: 4/6
Round 3: The Mets have two picks: 76th & 84th. The Mets will no longer worry about positions as much but should be trying for talent.
#76, Hope For – Justin Williams: Williams at 76th is potentially a steal but it’s also a risky pick. He’s got potential but he’s clearly not there yet. He’s a long-term project but one I’d like the Mets to try.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 3/4 | Power: 4/7 | Run: 3/3 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 3/4 | Overall: 3/5
#76, Bet On – Andrew Knapp: Knapp can catch but might be moved into a more needed role on the Mets. He’s got potential to hit for both average and power and wouldn’t project to be a “Long-Term” project, like Justin Williams.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 4/5 | Power: 4/5 | Run: 3/3 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 3/4 | Overall: 4/5
#76, Could Be – Teddy Stankiewicz: We drafted him before… why not again? Like Bobby Wahl, what I like most about Stankiewicz is his proximity to being a big-leaguer. He has a plethora of weapons and he can throw them all for strikes.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Fastball: 5/6 | Curve: 3/4 | Slider: 4/5 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 6/6 | Overall: 4/5
#84, Hope For – Stephen Wrenn: Something the Met farm is lacking right now is a pure burner. I don’t suggest the Mets draft purely for speed but Wrenn would fill a void in the system. He isn’t Clint Frazier or Austin Meadows, but Wrenn certainly could have a bright MLB future.
- MLB.com Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 3/5 | Power: 3/4 | Run: 7/7 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 4/5 | Overall: 3/5
#84, Bet On – Andrew Church: Not in the Top 100 of MLB.com, Church is right around 84 on most Top 100’s today. He’s a high school pitcher who is already hitting the low 90s and the hope would be for him to add a few MPH.
#84, Could Be – Dan Slania: Also not in the Top 100 of MLB.com, Slania breaks a few molds. First, he’s 6’5” and a closer. He’s got great velocity but he’s also got breaking pitches so his role as a closer seems a bit odd. Second, I hate drafting closers. Having the ceiling of the bullpen is usually something I avoid but with our second pick in the 3rd round I think Slania would actually make a lot of sense. He could probably join Leathersich and Parnell in Flushing by the end of 2014.
David… FYI.
The Mets left a very bitter taste in the mouths of Teddy Stank and his family. It is best that they don’t draft him again. He has no desire to play for them after the way he was treated.
Thanks for the insider info. Insert another college pitcher in his place.
Do you think the Mets will draft under budget and use the surplus to better their overall selections?
I don’t know what the Mets will do with the new drafting rules. I know that I want them to take advantage of the wealth of OF talent in this draft.
Brooklyn could have an outfield with the likes of Renfroe, Lorenzen and Wrenn all from the same draft