Tier One - 5 star – A
1. SP Phil Humber - I still place Humber a little ahead of Pelfrey. I think he has equal potential and ceiling; however, he has mastered more than one pitch, which every successful starter must have.
2. SP - Mike Pelfrey - There is no question whether or not Pelfrey will make it in the majors. He will. But he needs to continue to work on his slider and change-up in 2007, preferably at New Orleans. Otherwise, he would be our top relief specialist prospect. .
3. OF - Fernando Martinez - .There’s been enough written about Martinez. He’s part of the Mets’ future… that’s for sure.
4. OF - Lastings Milledge - Now, here’s someone no one is sure about anymore. Have you ever seen a prospect’s value drop so fast without an injury? I sure hope he gets a full year at New Orleans to turn everybody’s head straight, especially his own.
5. OF - Carlos Gomez - Just chillin’ in the wings, waiting for his turn.
Tier Two - 4 stars - A
6. SP/RP Alay Soler - Though he did return to starting mid-way through winter ball, I still think Soler is high on the list of potential future Mets relief pitchers. Remember, he has a three speed slider (I know…. the all walked someone that last game he threw for the Mets).
7. SP - Deolis Guerra - I’ve noticed many so-called experts have downgraded Guerra on their lists lately, probably due to the fact this kid never seemed to get past the 5th inning last year. The Mets had him on a very strict pitch count, which should loosen up in 2007 and we’ll see what he really has.
8. 1B Michel Abreu - this is simply one of the best hitters the Mets have in the minor league system… down side… age and he can’t field a lick. Abreu should be backing up Delgado, not Franco. The best potential PHer on the Mets. I can’t wait to see him in ST.
9. SP/RP/CL Jason Vargas - I’m not exactly sure what position Vargas is coming to ST with. He pitched exclusively in relief in winter ball, was very effective, and wound up a very successful… closer. With all the losses the Mets have in the pen, Vargas’ best shot at making the team is in relief.
10. 1B - Mike Carp – Abreu may be an excellent hitter, but Carp is the top 1B prospect in the system. I still thing he has a good chance to play AA ball, especially if Abreu makes the Mets as a utility player.
Tier Three – 3 stars - B
11. OF Dustin Martin - This is another one of those kids that I’ve loved ever since he signed and he is finally making a couple of the prospect lists that are going around. Had a super winter ball season and would have led the league in hitting if he had around 10 more at bats.
12. CL Carlos Muniz The Mets have almost completely traded away their minor league closers, and Muniz is now ranked as the number one guy in the system. Muniz had 31 saves for St. Lucie last year with a 3.08 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Muniz will play AA ball, but look for him to quickly get to the Big Easy if he keeps up these kinds of numbers.
13. SP Kevin Mulvey - I can’t wait to see this kid pitch in 2007. The Mets might have stolen themselves a real prospect here.
14.. SP Jon Neise - Nothing saying against Neise, but he needs to rebound for the poor ending of the 2006 season to keep the other kids from passing him on the ladder…
15. C Yasmil Bucce - Bucce hasn’t played much for the Mets… a couple of yers in Latin American ball, 2005 for the GCL Mets, and a small amount of games in 2006 for St. Lucie…. But his numbers have been incredible. He was named the top catcher in thr entire GCL system in 2005 and was hitting up a storm until he suffered a torn lathum that killed his 2006 a season. There’s no guarantee he’ll be ready at the beginning of the 2007 season, but expect him to play sometime next year in Savannah and expect big things from Bucce, our number one catcher prospect.
Tier Four – 2 stars - C
16. 2B Manny Garcia. All indications are that Garcia will start the 2007 season at Savannah (A) as the starting 2Bman.
17. SS - Juan Lagarus - hopefully, Lagarus will hed stateside this spring and we’ll all see what everyone is talking abut here…
18. RP Brandon Nall - .I finally learned how to spell this guy’s last name.
19. OF Caleb Stewart - .Just a killer winter ball season which vaulted him to this position on my list. It’s enough to keep an eye on him in the spring, even though he’s 5th or 6th in the prospect pecking order to play outfield someday at Shea.
20.. RP Joe Smith - Sorry folks… I still have Smith lower than everyone else. Even John Sickles gave him rave reviews in his recent list. I want to see another full season before I start quoting the same kind of things I used to say about Henry Owens.
21. C Yunir Garcia - I know that baseball played in Venezuela is nowhere near the quality of “stateside” ball; however, you do play against players that are suppose to be in the same stages of development. Garcia finisjed up the 2006 season playing 9 games at Norfolk, but returned to the VWL for winter ball… and hit .292/.485/.646 and had 9 HRs in 96 at bats. He’s turning 25 and makes my list for the first time.
22 RP Ambiorix Burgos - I predict this will be the John Maine of 2007, meaning, the Mets will wind up with a very good player no one thought was worth trading for. Another rushed prospect who the Mets will now slow down and determine exactly what they have here.
23. SP Michael Devaney - nobody knows how to rank Devaney… he just hasn’t had a bad season in the organization, but everyone says there’s nothing super special here. I keep asking “then why does he finish each year with a great W-L record and a low ERA? I expect Devaney to be changed to relief when he hits AAA.
24. 3B Shawn Bowman - Having a great winter and has spent most of these past two months leading his league in home runs. He’s always been known as the best defensive 3Bman in the sytem (including the Mets) and now his power is coming out. All he has to do in not get injured and have himself a full season. If Bowman didn’t break his back… twice… he would be a top 5 Mets prospect and David Wright would be practicing at 1B.
25. SP Jacob Ruckle - again, I love this kid, but he keeps dropping lower on my list since his Mom stopped posting on my blog J
26. SP Joshua Stinson - like Mulvey, I can’t wait to see this kid in person on the mound…
27. C Francisco Pena - well, we have no stats yet on this kid, but it looks like he will make it to Florida for the GCL season.
28 RP Robert Paulk - is it my imagination or do the Mets seem to be stacked with pitching prospects these days?
29 SP Eric Brown - no one finiahed a season stronger in the organization… no one…
30 RP Jose de la Torre - boy, I’m sure glad this guy signed again with the Mets…
31 1B Nick Evans - I’m not sure we’ll ever see this kid at Shea, but let’s hope he keeps up the good stats, if for no other reason tan future trade bait…
Tier Five – 1 star - D
32 SP Nelson Portillo - those of you that know he know how much I touted this guy last year. I still think he’s a future major league starting pitcher, but frankly, it is far too early to determine that…
33 OF Corey Coles - Coles is another of those outfielders that is going to have a hard time finding a position someday on the parent team. Another future trade bait in a package for a top pitcher…
34 SP Tim Stronach - more young, snappy, starting pitchers… I love it!
35 SP Toby Stoner You have to admit that there are thousands of Mets fans rooting for a kid named Stoner to make the Mets someday. The profits alone on shirts will be overwhelming.
36 OF Sean Henry Henry might be the smallest ballplayer in the system which has held back many prognosticators from putting him on their prospect list. John Sickles has him in his top 20 and 2007 will be the year Henry will have the opportunity to prove if he should be mentioned in the same sentence as people like Milledge and Martinez.
37 OF Brahaim Maldonado - had a great 2006 season… get in line…
38 SS Jonathan Schemmel - like most Mets infielder prospects, watch for him to be taking practice ground balls at 2B in the spring…
39. OF Gabriel Zavala - came out of the VSL gate last year on fire, but ended the season in a slump (.263/.318/.484). Zavala went on to winter ball, where he continued going in the wrong direction (.231/.320/.385). Zavala seemed to be projected to head stateside for 2007, but we’ll see.
40. OF Carlos J. Garcia - yes, the Mets have two prospects named Carlos Garcia. This one came to the Mets VSL system with all sorts of toolsy rhetoric.. but put up so-so stats (74 Abs .243/.349/.365) in winter ball, after slugging .433 in the VSL last year.
41. 3B Jose Jimenez - no, not the comedian and not the Colorado pitcher…just some kid that came out of nowhere last year in the Dominican Republic and hit .309/.437/.455 in 34 games, which is enough reason to put this 19 year old on my list.
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