MPH Midseason (or so) top 15 Prospects

MetsProspectHub's Updated Top 15 Prospects (stats as of: May 24th, 2008)

1. CF Fernando Martinez L/R 10/10/88

AA Binghamton: 44 for 157, 19 runs, 9 2b, 3b, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 7/39 BB/K, 3/4 SBs, .280/.314/.408/.721

Yes, it's a very ugly IsoD (34), and not a good IsoP (128), but remember, he's still 19 years old, and much of what makes him such a good prospect is STILL projection. At the age of 19, much like he did at the age of 18, he is holding his own in AA, and actually improving rapidly. After a very slow April (.254/.293/.351), he's responded with a very good May (.349/.370/.558/.928) - only slowed by a recent hammy injury. Injuries have plagued Martinez throughout his 3 year pro career so far, and it is disconcerting to see him go down with yet another injury. Still, his ceiling is extremely high, though he will have to move to a corner OF spot in the majors.

2. LHSP Jonathan Niese L/L 10/27/86

AA Binghamton: 3-4, 3.88 era, 10 GS, 48.2 IP, 45 H, 28 R, 21 ER, 3 HR, 21/40 BB/K, 1.55 GO/FO, .245 BAA, 1.35 WHIP

3 of his last 5 starts have been extremely UGLY - viciously so. Consider prior to the last 4 starts, he had a 0.71 era through 5 starts. Over his last 4, however, he's put up bad, worse, outstanding, abysmal and decent as adjectives. Prior to his last start, he was 0-3 with a 9.17 era, having given up 22 hits and 10 walks in just 17.2 innings, for an equally ugly 1.81 WHIP. Niese gets his fastball into the low 90s routinely, and has a devastating 66-72 mph curveball as his out pitch. He also features a harder splitter, and a low 80s changeup as his secondary pitches.

3. 1b Mike Carp L/R 6/30/86

AA Binghamton: 51 for 150, 23 runs, 10 2b, 6 HR, 28 RBI, 14/23 BB/K, .340/.401/.527/.928

We've harped on it ever since we opened the blog - Carp's numbers vs LHP. They would dictate how far he would go, because he can MASH righties. In 2007, he batted an absolutely pitiful 19 for 110 (.173) vs LHP in AA. You can consider it a lost season due to the injuries (hand, then leg), and the awful performance (.251/.337/.387 - he still hit 71 for 249 (.285) vs RHP). He's come out firing in 2008, however, batting a scorching hot 19 for 55 (.345) vs LHP, with an .914 OPS. Hilarity, really, he's got as many hits vs LHP this year as last, in exactly half the number of ABs. Really, I'd think you would sign up for an OPS about 140 points lower, because (as mentioned) he can mash righties. He missed 10 days with a strained rib cage, but has come back and gone 8 for 19 in his last 6 games (0 for 1 as a PH). Still, due to his subpart 2007...he's now got to worry about...

4. 1b Nick Evans R/R 1/30/86

AA Binghamton 50 for 171, 30 runs, 8 2b, 5 3b, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 17/32 BB/K, .292/.356/.538/.894, MLB New York: 3 for 4, run, 3 2b, 2 RBI, .750/.750/1.500/2.250

This guy. Nicholas R Evans. St. Nick to those of us In The Know (wink). The middle part of the Trinity of Terror in the Binghamton batting order. He's about a half year older then Carp, and until 2008, he'd been a level behind Carp, but that seperation ended this season. Evans can destroy LHP, and struggles somewhat vs RHP, so there would seem to be a platoon made in heaven in the making with Mike Carp, but we shall see what happens down the road there. For now, all Evans is doing is destroying the entirity of the Eastern League, in his first taste. .333/.394/.683 vs LHP, but .265/.333/.480 vs RHP. Evans, who had a 45/99 (.455) BB/K ratio in Hagerstown in 2006, improved that to 53/64 (.828) last year, and has not lost much from it this year against much tougher pitchers, 16/29 (.552).

Evans was called up to the majors on May 24th and proceeded to hit 3 doubles, score a run and drive in 2. Wow. Some debut.

5. RHRP Brant Rustich R/R 1/23/85

A Savannah 0-1, 9.64 era, 4 G, 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2/2 BB/K, 1.00 GO/FO, .389 BAA, 2.00 WHIP

Not much to say here, Rustich's season started late due to arm soreness, and since joining Savannah, he's pitched in various relief outings, none more then 2 innings in length. I've been on record as saying he is a better prospect as a reliever then starter, and I still believe it to be true. It's way too soon to make any determinations on how he's doing, just 4 outings in. He's still a very good prospect, but I've never been a fan of ranking relief prospects high, even 5 is pushing it for me.

6. RHSP Bobby Parnell R/R 9/8/84

AA Binghamton 4-3, 5.37 era, 10 GS, 52 IP, 47 H, 35 R, 31 ER, 8 HR, 31/30 BB/K, 2.38 GO/FO, .242 BAA, 1.50 WHIP

Parnell's had an up and down career in Binghamton, he started off in 2007 like a house of fire, blowing through St. Lucie before running into some more trouble at the higher level, so the Mets slowed down and let him open in Binghamton for 2008, which has proven to be the right decision, as he's struggled mightily over the first 2 months. His number one issue in AA this year has been his absurdly high walk rate, he's walking 5.37 per 9 innings, and striking out about the same number of people. Luckily, he hasn't been giving up many hits, or his ERA might've been approaching 10 at this point. Parnell features a mid 90s sinker and a good slider, but it is his development of a changeup which ultimately will determine where he ends up, starting or relieving. A big positive for Parnell is his ability to maintain his velocity deep into games.

7. C Francisco Pena R/R 10/12/89

A Savannah 41 for 150, 16 runs, 8 2b, 3b, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 6/35 BB/K, .273/.299/.380/.679

Yeah, those are ugly numbers, especially the IsoD and OPS, but they're a far sight better then these numbers: Last season: 77 for 367, 26 runs, 12 2b, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 24/76 BB/K, .210/.263/.283/.547. Pena's also struggled defensively, allowing 14 PBs, so he's a bit behind there, as well. Still, he's picked it up with the bat after a slow start, hitting .300/.306/.371 in May. He needs to obviously work on a number of skills on both sides of the ball, but he is still 18 years old, and doesn't turn 19 until the end of the season, so time is very much on his side.

8. 3b/1b Dan Murphy L/R 4/1/85

AA Binghamton 61 for 184, 29 runs, 10 2b, 3b, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 14/23 BB/K, 6/7 SBs, .332/.377/.478/.856

Vs LHP: 23 of 69, 11 runs, 5 2b, 3b, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 3/7 BB/K, .333/.368/.522/.890

Murphy ranked 4th during the System Audit in corner infielders, but for now, due to their respective performances, he's leapfrogged Lucas Duda on our midseason prospect list. Still, like the top 2 of Carp and Evans, it's very very close between Murphy and Duda. The chasm exists between 1-2 and 3-4. Murphy's ability, much like Carp's, to handle AA lefties also solidifies his position on this list. His defense has come into question in numerous publications, so a move across the diamond or to a corner OF spot may be in the offing, but like his Trinity counterparts, he can rake.

9. 1b Lucas Duda L/R 2/3/86

A+ St. Lucie 55 for 192, 23 runs, 12 2b, 5 HR, 35 RBI, 22/47 BB/K, .286/.366/.427/.793

April: .330/.415/.447/.862, 34 for 103, 14 runs, 6 2b, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 14/25 BB/K

May: .236/.306/.404/.711, 21 for 89, 9 runs, 6 2b, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 8/22 BB/K

Duda is still a very good prospect in his own right, but he has struggled mightily vs LHP, hitting just .160 (8 for 50) vs southpaws, with just 1 XBH, a double. Duda early in the season was playing some OF, but he's settled in at 1b, which should be the position he moves up the ladder at.

10. LHSP Nathan Vineyard L/L 10/3/88

A Savannah 0-2, 14.63 era, 2 GS, 8 IP, 13 H, 13 ER, HR, 6/3 BB/K, 1.22 GO/FO, .382 BAA, 2.38 WHIP

Vineyard got hurt 2 starts into his first full season in pro ball, with a left shoulder strain, which then required surgery, sidelining him for the season. As such, there really cannot be much of a read gained from his 2 starts. I was going to cap it at 10 writeups, but because of the Vineyard situation, I'll do an 11th.

11. RHRP Eddie Kunz R/R 4/8/86

AA Binghamton 1-1, 3.43 era, 18 G, 10 SVs, 21 IP, 21 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 12/16 BB/K, 3.55 GO/FO, .263 BAA, 1.57 WHIP

After a rocky start, Kunz has delivered in May, with 9 APPs and a 1.74 era in 10.1 innings. He's allowed 10 hits and 6 walks, and a ridiculously absurd 4 GO/FO ratio, and 6 saves.

12. LHSP Angel Calero L/L 9/25/86

A Savannah 0-5, 2.76 era, 9 GS, 49 IP, 38 H, 26 R, 15 ER, 2 HR, 11/45 BB/K, 0.86 GO/FO, .212 BAA, 1.00 WHIP (4.78 RA)

13. RHSP Scott Moviel R/R 5/7/88

A Savannah 3-6, 6.15 era, 10 GS, 45.1 IP, 59 H, 39 R, 31 ER, 5 HR, 15/33 BB/K, 1.53 GO/FO, .307 BAA, 1.63 WHIP

14. SS Ruben Tejada R/R 9/1/89

A St. Lucie 40 for 189, 19 runs, 6 2b, 3b, HR, 15 RBI, 15/35 BB/K, 1/5 SBs, .212/.272/.270/.542

15. LHSP Michael Antonini R/L 8/6/85

3-2, 2.83 era, 10 GS, 54 IP, 46 H, 20 R, 17 ER, 2 HR, 14/44 BB/K, 1.05 GO/FO, .222 BAA, 1.11 WHIP
--------------------

I'll be putting up the May hotlist tomorrow preceding the Gameday Links, so you'll have to scroll down a bit for that after ~4pm EST.

I've been yelling at David for a few days now to do some draft stuff, he was thinking about it tonight, it should be up in the next few days.

Draft is this Thursday.

The Minor League Report for June 2nd is directly below this post.