Starts and finishes for the Mets’ top 14 prospects in 2014

With the Mets farm system trending upward every season there are many prospects with bright futures and some without a clear path to the majors. However, there is a path that every prospect must follow in 2014. Here is what seems to be the common suspects on the Mets top 10 prospect lists and where they will probably start and finish in 2014. (Note that Travis d’Arnaud, Jeurys Familia, and Vic Black are left off this list due to their clear start and finish in MLB)

14) Gabriel Ynoa
2014 Start: A+ St. Lucie

After dominating the past two seasons in Brooklyn and Savannah, respectively, Ynoa should be considered as a top prospect. Unfortunately, people don’t regard him as a game-changing pitcher and in the end he is going to be a more refined version of Dillon Gee.

2014 Projected Finish: AA Binghamton

If he continues to pitch well, then he should make a few starts at the end of the year in AA. However, if he doesn’t pitch very well then he won’t graduate from St. Lucie until next season

13) Jacob deGrom
2014 Start: AAA Las Vegas

While he wasn’t exactly very refined in AA or AAA, he is only projected to be a spot-starter or long reliever. I wouldn’t exactly expect deGrom to actually pitch very well, considering the atmosphere of Las Vegas. In regards to him starting the season on the major league roster, it seems unlikely due to the influx of relievers already in the mix.

2014 Projected Finish: New York Mets

Whether he makes it to the big leagues through a September call-up or he simply fills in for injury, he will make it to the Mets sometime this season.

12) Gavin Cecchini
2014 Start: A Savannah

The start of Cecchini’s professional career hasn’t exactly started the way that the Mets or Cecchini imagined. He has still shown signs of being an above-average shortstop, from his impressive 16 game hitting streak. Even though he has not hit well so far, the Mets still have faith in him. This will make them place him another level ahead.

2014 Projected Finish: A Savannah

Unless Cecchini completely rakes and has a wonderful season in Savannah, he will remain where he started.

11) Dilson Herrera
2014 Start: A Savannah

The Mets pretty much came out and said that Herrera would play in Savannah on multiple occasions. In addition, he will be playing a little shortstop so it is better to get him started early.

2014 Projected Finish: A+ St. Lucie

If Herrera continues to excel in Savannah and then proceeds to make strides defensively, then he will most definitely finish in St. Lucie. If he takes a step backwards, then he will stay in Savannah.

10) Michael Fulmer
2014 Start: A+ St. Lucie

Fulmer may be the most underrated pitching prospect in New York. He absolutely dominated in 2012 but suffered a torn meniscus, which resulted in limited play. However, he pitched pretty well in the meager 34 innings that he spent in St. Lucie.

2014 Projected Finish: AA Binghamton

If Fulmer regains the form that he took on in 2012 there will be no problem reaching AA by mid-season. He is a true power pitcher, know his name Mets fans.

9) Amed Rosario
2014 Start: A- Brooklyn

Rosario seems to be the shortstop of the future in the eyes of many Mets officials and fans. He played very poorly on the surface but showed that he is very advanced for his age, considering he would have played in the Dominican Summer League for almost every other team. The Mets have every intention of giving this kid a chance to succeed, with a challenge, so expect him to hit fairly well here.

2014 Projected Finish: A- Brooklyn

Unless Rosario completely rakes throughout the first few months of the season, expect him to stay here the entire season. However, even if he does there is almost no need to rush him to the big leagues.

8) Cesar Puello
2014 Start: AA Binghamton

Even though Puello was a part of the Biogenesis case, America was founded on being innocent before proven guilty. Puello has never failed a drug test and therefore the stats that he put up are legit, in my eyes. That being said, he should still have to prove that his stats were real for a few weeks in AA before getting shipped to Las Vegas.

2014 Projected Finish: New York Mets

If Puello continues to hit like a pure leadoff hitter then he should get some flavor in AAA, followed by getting a call-up after the trade deadline. This is the make-or-break season for the outfielder.

7) Steve Matz
2014 Start: A+ St. Lucie

It has been a very long road for the southpaw after getting drafted in what seems like ages ago. Through all this, Matz has still found a way to sneak his way into the top sleeper Mets prospects. He has completely dominated in his limited 135.1 innings as a professional and Mets officials have not taken him too seriously-yet. Officials have also said that Matz will start here.

2014 Projected Finished: AA Binghamton

If he continues to dominate in St. Lucie then it will be very easy to move Matz up to AA. Matz will be 23 this season and the Mets will need to start being more aggressive with his progression.

6) Brandon Nimmo
2014 Start: A+ St. Lucie

Many people have already given up on the Wyoming native but it seems a little early, especially considering that Nimmo showed numerous flashes of being an elite leadoff hitter. If the Mets continue to progress Nimmo as they have been, there is no question that Nimmo will start the season here.

2014 Projected Finish: AA Binghamton

This can be a tricky because his progression in the immediate future and long term future will all depend on his performance this year. If Nimmo continues to hit like he did in June and July, then he probably won’t leave St. Lucie. However, if he hits like the pre-wrist injury and in August, the Mets will certainty promote him to AA, no questions asked. In the end, there’s no way to determine what will happen- but I have high hopes for Nimmo, so I have him hitting well.

5) Kevin Plawecki
2014 Start: AA Binghamton

Plawecki was once considered to be the long-term solution behind the plate, but that quickly changed when the R.A. Dickey trade went down. Nevertheless, Plawecki still went out and raked in Savannah and St. Lucie, thus upping his overall value. Plawecki is not exactly a young prospect, and therefore he should be taken seriously, in addition to being pushed to play at the highest level possible.

2014 Projected Finish: New York Mets

This is probably the most debatable topic in the entire article. Here’s the way I see it, if d’Arnaud does truly live up to the hype, the Mets will give him a call-up to up his trade value to acquire a bat in the offseason. If d’Arnaud ultimately flops then he will still be called up to give Plawecki as much experience as possible.

4) Dominic Smith
2014 Start: A Savannah

With the 11th pick in the draft Sandy Alderson may have made the greatest non-move of his entire tenure, not signing Michael Bourn. With this pick the Mets have acquired a future all-star first baseman and franchise player. After struggling a little bit at the start of his season, Smith turned on a light switch on Independence Day to finish with a slash line of .324/.419/.476. The Mets see how advanced he is, thus putting him in Savannah. Granted, this is very hard to acknowledge because I would have loved to see him in Brooklyn.

2014 Projected Finish: A+ St. Lucie

Even as advanced as Smith is, the Mets certainly don’t want to rush him like Ike Davis was. In the end, Smith will continue to rake to ultimately make the Mets call him up to St. Lucie,

3) Wilmer Flores
2014 Start: AAA Las Vegas

The idea of having Flores start to the left of David Wright is an idea that I am a proud supporter of, just not on opening day. There’s no questioning the bat, but unfortunately he has not played shortstop since 2011. If the Mets really have their minds focused on 2015, then place him in AAA and let him figure out the position.

2014 Projected Finish: New York Mets
When Flores becomes a serviceable shortstop after some seasoning in Las Vegas, he will receive an extremely important call-up. In the end, it will be up to Flores to decide if he can become the shortstop for a few years.

2) Rafael Montero
2014 Start: AAA Las Vegas
Montero was very successful in AAA considering that it is the hardest pitching environment in the minor leagues. With a 2.78 overall ERA in 2013, on the surface, he should be considered to make the rotation, but with the extreme pitching depth in the majors, he should get a tad more seasoning.

2014 Projected Finish: New York Mets

Montero is the most MLB ready pitcher in the system and should be the first person considered to fill a spot in the rotation. Montero has the ceiling of a 2nd or 3rd starter, with a floor of an elite reliever. He should be on the roster by June.

1) Noah Syndergaard
2014 Start: AAA Las Vegas

Syndergaard could end up being the prized possession from the Dickey deal with a ceiling of an ace. Syndergaard shouldn’t start on the 25-man roster without any starts in Las Vegas. Most don’t expect him to dominate while in a serious hitters park. He should get the experience of not being completely dominate, to gain the ability to bounce back.

2014 Finish: New York Mets

In addition to being the top Mets prospect Syndergaard should also be on the Mets roster by mid-season. It is an unknown to when he will arrive, but it is inevitable that we will see him in Queens.