Minors: MiLB.com’s Mayo on Mets Prospects
Jonathan Mayo, prospect guru over at MiLB.com, has posted his organization-by-organization report on the Mets farm system.
Overall, Mayo isn’t bullish on the team’s system, noting the dearth of high minor-league talent that has so far left them frustrated in their efforts to acquire a top-line starting pitcher.
Mayo places the team’s prospects in a number of categories based on their 2007 performances, including “climbed the ladder”, “kept their footing”, and “dropped a rung”.
Interestingly, he lists OF Fernando Martinez, the team’s top prospect, in “dropped a rung” category, despite his decent performance as an 18-year old at Double-A Binghamton.
Mayo names RHP Kevin Mulvey, the Mets’ top pick in 2006 who spent nearly the entire year at Binghamton, their organizational pitcher of the year; the team bestowed the same honor upon the Parlin, NJ native in October.
He awarded the organizational position player of the year award to 1B Brett Harper, who at 26 was finally healthy and had a bounce back season with Binghamton.
…mayo paints a bit of a grim picture, and is especially hard on youngsters martinez and Deolis Guerra, who put up a 4.01 ERA as an 18-year old in the FSL… we’ve heard all off-season how weak the Mets system is, though that talk has seemed to have subsided a bit recently…
…as matt cerrone posted yesterday, the mets realize they need to change their draft approach, using their considerable financial muscle to buck mlb’s slot guidelines and sign talent that has fallen due to bonus demands… given their two first rounders, and a first round supplemental this upcoming draft, nows the time to make the change…
…in addition, there has been a large influx of latin talent signed over the last two years… some will make their united states debuts, while some will make it to full season leagues…that could also prove a major boon to the farm system this time next year…
