Mets360 Top 50 Prospects: Numbers 47-45

Earlier this week, we debuted our top 50 prospect list. Here’s the latest installment.

47 – Chase Bradford

Bradford was drafted in the 35th round in 2011. Descriptions of Bradford at the time described him as an “organizational filler type” who had “marginal stuff”. Bradford was a four year college pitcher who was placed immediately in the bullpen and has since made a name for himself in the organization. With Jeff Walters falling off of prospect lists due to his poor performance in Las Vegas and subsequent Tommy John surgery, a spot opened up for Bradford, the next relief prospect who is, for all intents and purposes, major league ready and is more than likely a candidate that will be added to the 40 man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.

Since his debut with the team in 2011, Bradford has done nothing but be successful. He’s done so with a sinker/slider combination and impeccable control. Over 226 minor league relief innings since 2011, Bradford has only walked 48 batters while striking out 205. This control hit an apex when he was promoted to Las Vegas in 2014, where over 46 innings he walked four batters while striking out 41. That’s an incredible ten to one strikeout to walk ratio, the highest of his career, while maintaining his strike out per nine innings ratio of around eight per nine. He also posted a 3.52 ERA in Las Vegas, which is very good for the PCL, further proof that he is big league ready.

The Mets bullpen, the way it’s currently constructed, is full of flame throwers who don’t have the best control (talking to you Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia and Vic Black), so Bradford’s pin point control and sinker/slider combo could be a very nice complement to what could be turning into one of the best bullpens in Baseball. Don’t be surprised if Bradford makes an appearance in the big leagues sometime in 2015, or is in the running for a bullpen slot out of spring training.

46 – Dario Alvarez

Alvarez was signed by the Mets as a minor league free agent in January of 2013 after mysteriously not being involved with any form of Baseball since being released by the Phillies in 2009 after three years in the foreign rookie league. Surprisingly, Alvarez was added to the forty man roster after the 2013 season in which he posted decent numbers as a starting pitcher for Brooklyn, while being nearly three years older than the competition. In 2014, we saw why the Mets protected him.

Alvarez was dominant in the minor leagues in 2014. Over six starts he threw to a 0.34 ERA while striking out 46 batters in 26.1 innings. As a reliever he posted a 1.86 ERA and 69 strike outs in 48.1 innings. In both cases, he posted WHIP’s under one. With a fastball that sits in the low 90’s, he has plenty of velocity for a left handed pitcher, while also using a slider that some scouts have said is one of the best in the minor leagues and could be a plus, plus pitch in the major leagues. He also has deception in his wind up that also has assisted in his high strike out numbers.

The issue with Alvarez is his age. Alvarez did most of his damage in Savannah, where he was over three years older than his competition. He was brilliant in High-A ball and Double-A, but only pitched 12 total innings at those levels. He’ll also be 26 to start the 2015 season and didn’t show well in a brief September stint in the big leagues, where he posted a 13.50 ERA over four appearances. On top of that, he’s probably limited in his upside to being a relief pitcher as his two pitch combo and questionable control would not allow him to be effective over multiple innings as a starter.

Here’s the final thing with Alvarez. This year will be a trial by fire for him. His age dictates that he should be major league ready, or at least in Triple-A. He will most likely be in the bullpen in Las Vegas or Binghamton to start the year, but has an outside shot of being the second lefty in the major league bullpen. If Alvarez dominates like he did this year, he will fly up the prospect list fast. If he bombs, he’ll be just another pitcher who dominated younger competition in the low minors. In the end, he has the stuff to be successful at the major league level, especially since it looks like he can push his fastball to a little bit more velocity in a short inning stint. His dominant numbers and stuff warrant a spot on the list, but where he is next year, if he’s still even a part of the list, will all be about his production this season.

45 – Brad Wieck

Wieck, the Mets 7th round draft pick this season, is a giant. At 6’9” and 255 pounds, he’s big for even large pitchers. When you add in that he’s left handed, he becomes an extremely intriguing prospect. Wieck absolutely dominated Brooklyn competition as a 22 year old. Wieck did not close or get a start, but he posted one of the best strike out per nine innings numbers in the entire system at 13.7 and had a 6.5 strike out to walk ratio. With his 1.40 ERA and under one WHIP, Wieck put his name on the prospect map.

Although he seems a little old for his level, Wieck is really not as experience as he seems. Wieck had Tommy John surgery immediately after high school and lost a year of competition. In essence, Wieck was pitching with the experience of a 21 year old, which gives hope that he can still improve. Wieck was one of the best strikeout pitchers in college last year, with not always spot on control, so his strike out and control numbers were nice to see in his first foray into professional Baseball.

Wieck boasts a three pitch arsenal, of which his low to mid 90’s sinker is best complemented at this time by a quality mid 70’s curve ball. Wieck also has a changeup that has a nice difference in velocity from his fastball as he throws it in the high 70’s, but is described as flat, which would be problematic at the big league level. With his left handedness and his size, if he develops that changeup, he’ll be another in a long line of quality Mets starting pitching prospects. More than likely the Mets will give him a good look in that role next season in Savannah. If not, he still should have a place on the list as a high strike out left handed reliever in the mode of Jack Leathersich. Next year will dictate Wieck ascension or removal from the top 50 list.