MPH System Audit III - Part VIII (International Section)

And here's a special section for you International fans out there. As some of you know, I post on NYFS a great deal, and one of the posters, "Superpitcher" had the great opportunity this season to spend 2 weeks with the DSL Mets, and I cyber-picked his brain, asking for a top 5 prospect list of those who are likely to make it stateside in 2009. Here is his answer:

1. RHP Samuel Taveras 4/14/89 (19.79) R/R (4-2, 0.90 era, 23 G, 12 SVs, 30 IP, 20 H, 6/3 R/ER, HR, 7/37 BB/K, 1.68 GO/FO, .189 BAA, .90 WHIP

Fringe stuff though, his Fastball touches 89, which is not good for a 19 year old 6'4" guy, gotta hand it to him though, the Slider and Changeup make big fools out of people apparently, i never got to watch him pitch, which i very much regret. Great reliever, one of my very best friends in that place, i miss him like crazy.

2. SS Franklin Santos 3/28/88 (20.83) R/R (.248/.383/.313/.696, 57 for 230, 48 runs, 11 2b, 2 3b, 34 RBI, 42/31 BB/K, 27/37 SBs)

(Not a great hitter, nor does he look like from the stats like a good fielder, but he's been playing with some bad eyesight, his eyes were red for a while, but, when you watch him play shortstop, you can't help but stare and drool. I've seen him in practice slip, grab the ball barehanded, and fire it to first. He makes Omar Vizquel look like Hanley Ramirez, no joke. As well, you can't teach this guy's speed, not by a longshot)

3. RHSP Gonzalez Germen (i've stated before how this guy pitchers. The changeup will probably at this stage kill a D1 college lineup. He will get better though, a lot better.

4. CF Jose Francisco 8/29/87 (21.42) R/R (.202/.340/.216/.555, 44 for 218, 50 runs, 3 2b, 14 RBI, 40/50 BB/K, 39/47 SBs)

(He's the fastest guy in the DSL league. He plays a mean Center field, i've seen him dive over balls. His speed is so amazing that he doesn't need a bat, he can just tap the ball, and before you know it, he's at first. He came in 8 games late, and after 30 games, he was leading the league in steals by 5. He's stolen 5 bags in one game before. As my friend, and soon to be either GCL or Kingsport 2B David Montas said, His Speed can't be taught, not by a longshot. He's not good with the bat, but the speed makes the bat less important.)

5. C Amauris Valdez 8/24/88 (20.42) R/R (.234/.326/.348/.674, 47 for 201, 31 runs, 10 2b, 2 3b, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 20/40 BB/K)

(He's a great hitter. If you ever come in to see the field, and how it looks, It's the exact dimensions of Citi Field. It is a hitter's nightmare, and Valdez has hit 2 jacks out of there I believe. He has also hit 2 triples, coming from a big bulky catcher. He hit around .250 in all, and I wouldn't at all be surprised to find him in the U.S. next season for his great hitting.)

Honorable Mention, who I doubt will go to the US...

LHSP Leonel Rojas 8/19/86 (22.46) L/L (2-3, 3.94 era, 12 G, 5 GS, 29.2 IP, 26 H, 18/13 R/ER, 27/23 BB/K, 1.40 GO/FO, .232 BAA, 1.79 WHIP, 8.19 BB/9)

(This guy, tall, hits around 89-91 , He is the goofiest guy I came across. One thing I know for sure is that he needs some refinement, for the exact fact that he doesn't know where his fastball will end up. I once said, "this guy can't find the strike zone" and Mark Brewer, who was working with the DSL and VSL, said "This guy can't even find his own room." That exact quote stuck with me. He's as erratic and as alike as our own Oliver Perez was. Only thing i see he needs to work on is his realization, his fastball moves in to lefties, he just doesn't realize it... Laughing,
He's projectable, I could see him doing better, but he has to find better control, but he's a great pitcher nonetheless. His curveball makes people look like fools.)

I hope you realized that I knew these people on a great personal level, living with them for 2 weeks. They were the greatest, and If I can, I will definitely get onto the back fields of spring training and greet my friends.

Aderlin Rodriguez was also with the Training facility, since he couldn't exactly play yet. He's tall, slow though, but has a good bat that the head scout told me, he'd be a 20+ homer .300 hitter.

My friend, David Montas was also with the team, a non-drafted free agent, from the Bronx, great player, he couldn't play with the team though since he was born in the U.S, I figure he will be with Kingsport or the GCL sooner or later.

thanks,
Superpitcher