Read: Baseball America’s League Top 20′s
Baseball America recently completed its yearly Top 20 Prospect List for every league and level of Minor League Baseball.
The Mets placed seven players in the top 20 lists of five leagues, though they failed to boast a top 20 prospect in the short season Appalachian League or the Low-A South Atlantic League. Their top ranked player in any league was Fernando Martinez, who came in third in Double A Eastern League Rankings.
Here is a list of how the Mets’ prospects placed (You must be a subscriber to read the individual scouting reports, so accompanying the rankings are my brief player capsules.)
Gulf Coast League (Rookie):
14. Scott Moviel, RHP – Drafted in the second round out of high school this past June, Moviel went 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA for the GCL Mets, tossing 40 innings and allowing 45 hits, but walking only 11 and striking out 37. He’s a power pitcher with a strong feel for his breaking stuff.
New York Penn League (Short Season A):
16. Nick Carr, RHP – A draft and follow from the ’05 draft, Carr was 5-2 with a 3.80 ERA for Brooklyn. He tossed 66 innings, only allowing 55 hits, and while he tended to lose command at times, walking 27, he struck out an impressive 74 NYP league hitters.
20. Brant Rustich, RHP – A second rounder out of UCLA this past June, Rustich is a big (6’6, 225) reliever with big stuff. He began his short debut season with Kingsport of the Appy League, appearing in five games while posting a 0.87 ERA. In 10.1 innings he allowed six hits and a walk, striking out ten. After moving up to Brooklyn, he tossed 12.1 frames in ten games, allowing ten hits and two walks, while striking out 11.
Florida State League (Single A)
8. Deolis Guerra, RHP – Another big right hander, Guerra pitched the entire season as an 18-year old in the High A FSL. While pitching limited innings and suffering some ups and downs, his stuff improved, especially his fastball, and ended with a 2-6 record and a 4.01 ERA, allowing just 80 hits in 90 innings, walking 25 and striking out 66.
Eastern League (Double A)
3. Fernando Martinez, OF – Making the giant leap to Double A Binghamton as an 18-year old, Martinez missed time with a hand injury but held his own when healthy, hitting .271 in 236 at bats. Martinez compiled 11 doubles, 4 homeruns and 21 RBI in a weak Binghamton lineup that was often missing its few big bats. He walked 20 times, while striking out 51.
Pacific Coast League (Triple A)
7. Carlos Gomez, OF – Splitting time between AAA, the Majors and the DL, Gomez impressed when healthy, especially in New Orleans. He hit .286 with 8 doubles, two triples and two homers in 140 PCL at bats, walking 15 times and fanning 23. He showed his plus plus speed by stealing 17 bases while being caught four times. He showed flashes in his stint with the Mets, hitting .250 with two homers and nine bags swiped in 108 ABs, before struggling after returning from a hand injury.
12. Mike Pelfrey, RHP – Another up and down campaign for Pelfrey, both in location and performance. He started the season in New York, struggled and was sent down, continuing his troubles in New Orleans. But he began to regain fastball control in Triple A, and his next two stints in New York were stronger, especially his final go round at Shea. He made 14 PCL starts, going 3-6 while surrendering 74 hits in 74 innings. He had a 4.01 ERA, walking 26 and striking out 56. In the Majors, he was 3-8 (having started 0-7) with a 5.57 ERA in 15 games, 13 of which were starts. He allowed 85 hits in 72.2 innings, walking 39 and K’ing 45.
