MPH Audit Part VIII - Starting Pitchers (11-20)

Starting Pitchers (11-20)

11. Steven Holmes

Holmes played college ball at the University of Rhode Island where he posted the 2nd lowest ERA (1.30 104 IP 15 ER 10-2 0.88 WHIP) in the entire 2006 NCAA. His combined record for the 3 years in college was 22-4. Baseball America had him listed prior to the draft as the 187th best prospect in the country. Holmes was drafted in the 5th round of the 2006 draft (the highest any URI player was ever drafted) by the Mets and was assigned to Brooklyn after he signed; however, he did not appear in a game in 2006. He returned his bonus to the Mets and went back to school (I believe to attend Med school) after a close friend of his committed suicide,. His fastball is solid, and in the 88-92 mph range, with a curveball as his out pitch. He has been compared in the past to Brian Bannister.

Frankly, it is still a little unclear whether Holmes remains the property of the Mets. I can’t seem to find out but I believe that, technically, the Mets do retain his rights and they have until a week before next year’s draft to re-sign him. All of this will clear up as soon as the season starts.

12. Blake Eager (R GCL Mets 1-1, 4.00 era, 3 G, 2 GS, 9 IP, 12 H, BB, 8 Ks, 1.44 WHIP, A+ St. Lucie 5-3, 3.78 era, 15 GS, 85.2 IP, 84 H, 20 BBs, 59 Ks, 1.21 WHIP, AA Binghamton 0-0, 2.70 era, 1 GS, 6.2 IP, 3 H, 5 Ks, 0.45 WHIP, HWL North Shore 0-1, 3.21 ERA, 12 G, 3 GS, 28 IP, 29 H, 6 BBs, 18 Ks, 1.25 WHIP)

Total 2006 Stats: 6-5, 3.61 era, 31 G, 21 GS, 129.1 IP, 128 H, 27 BBs, 90 Ks, 1.20 WHIP)

Eager was drafted by the Mets in the 30th round of the 2004 round out of the Metropolitan State College of Denver, where he was 8-4 as a senior. He was sent to the Gulf Coast League where he put up a 4-3, 3.93 line in 13 games, 7 of which were starts.

In 2006, Eager rose to AA Binghamton for 1 start, going 6.2 IP while allowing 3 hits, walking none and striking out 5. Eager should return to Binghamton for a full season in 2007, as a 25 year old.

13. Eric Brown (A Hagerstown 3-2, 5.29 era, 20 G, 6 GS, 63 IP, 74 H, 24 BBs, 51 Ks, 1.56 WHIP, A- Brooklyn 7-1, 1.16 era, 10 GS, 70 IP, 53 H, 4 BBs, 55 Ks, 0.81 WHIP)

Total 2006 Stats: 10-3, 3.11 era, 30 G, 16 GS, 133 IP, 127 H, 28 BBs, 106 Ks

Brown was drafted in the 18th round of the 2005 draft out of Wingate University in North Carolina, and upon signing him, the Mets sent him to Brooklyn where he went 3-2, 3.97 in 16 relief appearances, striking out 31 and walking 7 in 34 innings. According to a local newspaper in North Carolina the Mets didn't want anyone to know they were scouting Brown because they knew he was a sleeper and wanted to draft him in the later rounds. This apparently worked, as they were able to get a talent like his in the 18th round. The 22-year-old features four pitches - a fastball, slider, curve and changeup - with his fastball in the 88 to 91 mile per hour range and his devastating slider as his out pitch.

He started 2006 in Hagerstown, but struggled and was demoted to Brooklyn, where he absolutely dominated. He should open 2007 back in A ball, in Savannah, the Mets new class A affiliate.

14. Tobi Stoner (Davis & Elkins 8-6, 2.90 era, 18 G, 12 GS, 90 IP, 85 H, 16 BBs, 79 Ks, 1.12 WHIP, A- Brooklyn 6-2, 2.15 era, 14 GS, 83.2 IP, 66 H, 17 BBs, 62 Ks, 0.99 WHIP)

Total 2006 Stats: 14-8, 2.54 era, 32 G, 26 GS, 173.2 IP, 151 H, 33 BBs, 141 Ks, 1.06 WHIP

Stoner was drafted in the 16th round out of Davis and Elkins College, in 2006, where as a senior, he went 8-6 with a 2.90 era in 18 games, 12 of which were starts. In 90 innings, he allowed 85 hits while walking 16 and striking out 79.

He should start the 2007 season as a 23 year old with Savannah, although an outside shot of him opening in St. Lucie exists.

15. Nelson Portillo (A Hagerstown 0-0, 5.19 era, 2 GS, 8.2 IP, 10 H, 5 BBs, 7 Ks, 1.73 WHIP, A- Brooklyn 3-5, 3.68 era, 14 G, 13 GS, 71 IP, 77 H, 16 BBs, 35 Ks, 1.31 WHIP)

Total 2006 Stats: 3-5, 3.86 era, 16 G, 15 GS, 79.2 IP, 87 H, 21 BBs, 42 Ks, 1.36 WHIP

Portillo is a product of the Mets Venezuelan Summer League program. In 2005, Portillo went 6-0 with a 1.16 ERA. He allowed just 38 hits in 62.1 innings, while walking 17 and striking out 60. In 2006, Portillo spot started for the Hagerstown Suns and was demoted to Brooklyn when their season started, where he started 13 games, posting a 3-5 record and a 3.68 ERA in 71 innings.

He should be ready to open 2007 with Savannah.

16. Salvador Aguilar (A Hagerstown 0-0, 2.54 era, 5 GS, 28.1 IP, 28 H, 2 BBs, 19 Ks, 1.06 WHIP, A+ St. Lucie 7-5, 3.25 era, 20 G, 19 GS, 113.2 IP, 124 H, 32 BBs, 65 Ks, 1.37 WHIP)

Total 2006 Stats: 7-5, 3.11 era, 25 G, 24 GS, 142 IP, 152 H, 34 BBs, 84 Ks, 1.31 WHIP

Aguilar was drafted in the 29th round of the 2005 draft out of Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho, where as a 23 year old senior, he went 8-0 with a 2.76 era. Once he signed, he was assigned to Brooklyn, where he went 5-0 with a 2.24 era in 15 games, 2 of which were starts.

He split 2006 between Hagerstown and St. Lucie, combining to go 7-5 with a 3.11 era. He should open 2007 in Binghamton as a 25 year old.

17. Jose Sanchez (A+ St. Lucie 11-9, 3.87 era, 26 GS, 156 IP, 148 H, 43 BBs, 83 Ks, 1.22 WHIP)

Sanchez was signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco Giants in 2002. He came to the Mets through a Rule 5 acquisition in 2005, and was assigned to Hagerstown, where he went 11-5, with a 4.20 ERA.

As a 24 year old in the pitching friendly Florida State League, Sanchez had the best season of his career, putting up a sub 4 era and 11 victories. He will be headed to Binghamton, where he’ll join Michael Devaney and Salvador Aguilar.

18. Todd Privett (Southern Idaho College 6-3, 0.92 era, 14 GS, 78.2 IP, 46 H, 26 BBs, 84 Ks, 0.92 WHIP, R Kingsport 1-2, 4.03 era, 5 GS, 22.1 IP, 24 H, 4 BBs, 22 Ks, 1.25 WHIP, A- Brooklyn 1-2, 2.11 era, 8 GS, 47 IP, 44 H, 8 BBs, 38 Ks, 1.11 WHIP)

Total 2006 Stats: 8-7, 1.76 era, 27 GS, 148 IP, 114 H, 38 BBs, 144 Ks, 1.02 WHIP

The Mets drafted Todd (or Duane, he suffers an identity crisis) Privett in the 14th round of the 2006 draft out of Southern Idaho College, where he was 7-3 with a 0.92 ERA in 14 starts, spanning 78.2 innings. He allowed 46 hits while walking 26 and striking out 84.

Baseball America had this to say about Privett, with regards to Southern Idaho: Privett is the club's best prospect, a lefthander who runs his fastball up to 91-92 mph at times. He dominated this spring, allowing a .168 opponent average and striking out 75 in 68 innings

19. Nick Carr (R Kingsport 3-3, 4.88 era, 12 games, 11 GS, 48 IP, 49 H, 23 BBs, 44 Ks, 1.50 WHIP)

The Mets drafted Carr in the 41st round of the 2005 draft, out of Twin Falls High School, in Idaho. Instead of signing with the organization out of high school, Carr took his mid-90s fastball and deadly slider to the junior college ranks, more specifically - Southern Idaho College, where he was a teammate of Todd Privett. Carr went 5-4 with a 2.96 era in 13 games, 11 starts, spanning 54.2 innings. He allowed 38 hits, while walking 38 and striking out 66. Carr signed with the Mets as a draft and follow on May 17th.

Carr was sent to the rookie level Appalachian League, where he posted decent numbers, as a 19 year old. Carr should be in the mix for a starting job in the South Atlantic League with Savannah.
20. Greg Mullens (R Kingsport 7-2, 3.06 era, 12 GS, 61.2 IP, 73 H, 17 BBs, 38 Ks, 1.46 WHIP, A- Brooklyn 0-1, 2.61 era, 2 GS, 10.1 IP, 7 H, 4 BBs, 5 Ks, 1.06 WHIP)

Total 2006 Stats 7-3, 3.00 era, 14 GS, 72 IP, 80 H, 21 BBs, 43 Ks, 1.40 WHIP

Mullens was undrafted out of Columbia University where, as a sophomore, he had a record of 2-4 with a 7.60 era and a 1.82 WHIP. From those numbers, it’s hard to imagine why any team would even sign him as a free agent, but the Mets did, and Mullens put up a ridiculous season, considering those college numbers.

The 6’6 245 pound righthander combined to go 7-3 with a 3.00 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 72 innings combined between rookie league Kingsport and two starts at low A Brooklyn. Expect the 22 year old to begin 2007 at Low-A Brooklyn.