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The New York Mets will be our next stop on the farm to evaluate the best prospects on each MLB team. Once the 2020 MLB season begins, it may turn out that Minor League systems will be more important than usual. Franchises are losing money during the pandemic layoff, so many teams will be looking for sources of cheap production. It might also take older players longer to rebound from a long layoff meaning we could see more injuries and more roster moves. We will also see expanded rosters, at least in the early going.
One important question to ask is: How will a long layoff affect prospects? One has to assume the more advanced prospects prior to the work stoppage will be at an advantage, while the more “toolsy but raw” type could be hurt with the lack of repetition and in-game action; throwing or hitting in simulated environments just doesn’t match up to the real thing. Many prospects will have to work jobs during the pandemic just to make ends meet, while players who signed for large bonuses will have an advantage. Other prospects that lack strong discipline and commitment to their craft could struggle to stay in shape.
We won’t really know what the layoff impact will have on baseball in general until things start ramping up. But we do know that a strong prospect pool will continue to be an important element for a successful baseball franchise. We're looking at the Top 10 (or more) dynasty prospects in each organization with an eye to discovering which organizations are best positioned to succeed with their player development when games resume. Make sure to check out all of our prospect content, including Top 50 for 2020 and Top 250 for Dynasty Leagues.
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Quick Synopsis
The Mets system lacks overall depth but it has a solid Top 10 list with lots of raw potential.
1. Ronny Mauricio, SS
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 36
2020 LEVEL: A+
MLB ETA: 2022
Mauricio’s results have to be taken with a grain of salt given how young he was (18) while playing in a league with an average age of 21. He’s too aggressive for his own good but he has the makings of a good hitter and his frame hints at future 20+ power once he makes adjustments to hit more fly balls. He has the skill to be a long-term shortstop.
2. Matthew Allan, RHP
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 91
2020 LEVEL: A-
MLB ETA: 2023
I was a huge fan of Allan in the 2019 draft and considered him the best prep arm available. The Mets did a great job freeing up money to nab him for $2.5 million in the third round. He’s an advanced arm despite his age, with size, power, and a promising breaking ball. There is No. 2/3 starter potential here, possibly more.
3. Francisco Alvarez, C
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 124
2020 LEVEL: SS-A
MLB ETA: 2023
Alvarez is advanced with the bat for his age and was one of the better hitters in Rookie ball last year despite being just 17 years old. He shows an ability to hit for average while also flashing plus raw power. Defensively, he has the skill to be an above-average defender but — listed at 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds — Alvarez is already starting to thicken up and will need to watch his conditioning as he moves forward. Losing athleticism could hurt both his defense and his offense.
4. Brett Baty, 3B
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 126
2020 LEVEL: A-
MLB ETA: 2023
Baty has promise as a power-hitting third baseman. The Mets’ 2019 first-round pick, he was one of the oldest high school picks at 19, which comes with a little risk, but he had a respectable pro debut while being pushed aggressively through three levels. Baty showed off his power potential by going deep seven times in 51 games but he also struck out 65 times. He offset the strikeouts with a healthy dose of walks.
5. Thomas Szapucki, LHP
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 173
2020 LEVEL: AA
MLB ETA: 2021
Szapucki has the stuff to be a big league fourth starter but injuries have plagued him throughout his career. The 61.2 innings in 2019 were a career-high in a five-year pro career. He can fire his heater up into the mid-90s and he has a plus curveball but the lost development time has hurt his development of a third offering. If Szapucki cannot stay healthy and/or develop a third reliable offering, he could end up as a multi-inning reliever.
6. Andres Gimenez, SS
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 208
2020 LEVEL: AAA
MLB ETA: 2021
The Mets love to aggressively push their top prospects through the minors so their statistics can often be misleading. Gimenez, for example, spent all of 2019 in Double-A at the age of 20 — four years below the league average. He had a modest offensive season but improved as the year went on. He was then the batting leader in the Arizona Fall League. Gimenez likely won’t develop into a power hitter but he uses the whole field and showed increased pop in 2019 with nine home runs. He could eventually get up into the 15+ homer range with 20+ stolen bases. He’s a plus defender at shortstop.
7. Mark Vientos, 3B
2020 LEVEL: A+
MLB ETA: 2022
I was a big fan of Vientos in his draft season but his approach fell apart in his first taste of full-season ball after two seasons in Rookie ball. Vientos is a streaky hitter but he also just turned 20 in December and has a larger frame with long arms so he’ll need patience with his development. There will always be swing-and-miss to his game but he has some of the best raw power in the system with 30-homer potential if he can iron out the wrinkles to his game and learn to be more patient.
8. David Peterson, LHP
2020 LEVEL: AAA
MLB ETA: 2020
The 20th overall selection in the 2017 draft, Peterson was more of a high-floor, lower-ceiling college arm. He has above-average control but he’s too hittable at times because his command is inconsistent and he lacks a true wipeout offering although the slider shows flashes of potential. Peterson is more of a No. 4 starter with the ability to provide innings and force a lot of weak contact on the ground when he’s on.
9. Josh Wolf, RHP
2020 LEVEL: SS-A
MLB ETA: 2023
A prospect who didn’t really see his draft value spike until his senior year of high school, Wolf has a slight frame but he can now dial his heater up in the 95-97 mph range. He backs it up with a potentially-plus curveball and modest changeup. Wolf’s ranking is cautious for now given the lack of a third reliable offering, modest track record, and concerns about his durability.
10. Kevin Smith, LHP
2020 LEVEL: AA
MLB ETA: 2021
Smith won’t wow anyone with his stuff — including fringy velocity — but he has impressive size, above-average control, deception, and a chance for three average-ish offerings that could play up for the previously mentioned reasons. His ceiling is a No. 4/5 starter but he could provide some innings back there.
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