The Minor League season is winding down and I’ve started work on my Top 50 Met prospect list for the offseason but the Mets are keeping things interesting with some late season promotions. Typically you’ll see teams trying to give minor leaguers a taste of the playoffs by tossing them into a higher level for the last few games but the Mets seem inclined on getting previews of what some of their top prospects are capable of against a higher level of competition. This is making for a few very exciting late season storylines.
Matthew Allan: GCL – NYP
Only 8.1 innings in Rookie ball is enough for the Mets to push Allan into the deep end. The Met’s 3rd round pick was the highest ranked prospect selected by the team in the 2019 draft. It’s a coup by Brodie Van Wagenen that he was able to get him to sign at all. In his few innings he’s managed eleven strikeouts with four walks and only one earned run. It’s worth noting that three of his walks and the earned run all came in his second outing and that he’s spread out only five hits as well.
This two level promotion is extremely aggressive for a prospect who is only 18 years old. We’ll need to see how much exposure the Mets are willing to give him in Brooklyn but it would seem likely that Allan is destined to pitch in Columbia next season and be playing full season baseball as a 19 year old.
Thomas Szapucki: FSL – EAS
Having pitched 36.0 innings over nine starts in Advanced A the Mets have decided that the time to accelerate Szapucki’s timeline has come. At the age of 23 the left-handed starter has a pair of lost seasons to make up for but is now pitching in the league most appropriate to his age. Since coming back from injury his control seems to have taken a hit but his “Ace” potential remains very real. There isn’t enough time in AA left for him to make much of a bid to start 2020 in AAA but he’s got the potential to make his MLB debut next year with a strong showing in Spring Training and Binghamton.
Brett Baty: APP – NYP
Baty began the year in the GCL where a 1.130 OPS in five games was enough for the Mets to promote him to the more advanced Kingsport team. He managed 42 games in Kingsport splitting between DH and 3B duties. While his batting average suffered (dropping to .222) his OPS was a solid .775 buoyed by a .437 SLG. The power is very real and the Mets want to put it on display. The only problem for Baty is that Brooklyn and Columbia are not known for helping power hitters. We’ll see how he does when he gets some game time action. Expect Baty to suit up for Columbia in 2020.
Freddy Valdez: DSL – GCL
A big international signee from 2018, Valdez was held in the DSL while Francisco Alvarez was challenged in the GCL. Through 57 games in the Dominican Republic, the 17 year old outfielder sported a .268/.358/.432 batting line. He showed power, some solid plate discipline (for his age) and even some unexpected speed (six stolen bases). The big corner outfielder has already hit the GCL and is off to a strong start begging the question of where the Mets will start him in 2020 but good money still has him in the APP and Kingsport instead of the SAL and Columbia.
Jeremy Vasquez: FSL – EAS
Steady hitting through 125 games in 2019 has finally earned the first baseman the promotion to AA he’s been waiting for. Vasquez’s ceiling is low because he doesn’t have the power that most first baseman do but his advancement is overdue. It’s worth noting that he’s steadily and slowly cooled off from a very strong start to the season
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