Toby Hyde of Mets Minor League Blog posts video of Mets 20–year-old SS prospect Ruben Tejada, in which he points out a significant 
adjustment in a swing from July for Binghamton compared to an at bat this week in the Arizona Fall League.
According to Hyde, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a positive development.”
Tejada hit .289 with 24 doubles and 19 stolen bases in 134 games with Double-A Binghamton last season.
…i don’t understand why tejada isn’t playing second base… he is still at shortstop, which is occupied at the major league level by Jose Reyes… he’s a small kid… i have heard people compare him to Anderson Hernandez, or, at best, a Cesar Izturis type, i.e., not a starter, but a good, middle-infield reserve, or, as Ted Berg said to me yesterday, like one of the hundreds of guys the Angels always seem to have for their infield… which is a good thing, since, i’d like to see the team fill these sorts of needs from within, freeing up money to be used on other spots…
Keep an eye on Hyde’s blog, as he is in Arizona this week, checking out Mets prospects in the Arizona Fall League.
Speaking of the farm system…
Last week, Adam Rubin did not rank Jeurys Familia in his recent list of Top 10 Mets Prospects for Baseball America, even though he was named by the organization as their top minor-league pitcher.
Rubin described Familia as ‘raw,’ while quoting a scout as saying:
“He’s got arm strength, that’s it. Great kid. Arm strength. Bad delivery. No breaking ball… Everything in delivery messed up.”
The 20–year-old Familia was 10–6 with a 2.69 ERA in 24 games with Low-A Savannah 
last season, during which he struck out 109 batters and walked 46 in 134 innings pitched.
To read a scouting report and see video of Familia, check out Mike Newman’s post at Scouting the Sally.
Lastly, Mike Silva of New York Baseball Digest explains why, based on Rubin’s top 10 prospects, “you shouldn’t expect any impact players outside of Ike Davis in 2010.”
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“i don’t understand why tejada isn’t playing second base… he is still at shortstop, ”
Because a( it’s more important for him to focus on developing as a hitter than learning a new position at this point, b) because Reyes is only signed through 2011, and c)with Reyes being hurt in 2009, having the depth is a good thing.
Good and valid points. Another point is that not all shortstops can make the transition to 2B. He may hurt his future trade value a bit if he exposes himself in the field at another position
isn’t there another prospect in the system that has switched over to 2B?
Reese Havens.
thanks, i couldn’t think of his name off-hand
Havens fields with an iron glove, so the move can only help his value.
Tejada is still at least a full year away so you may as well leave him where he’s most valuable.
I was surprised to not see Familia in the top ten, especially considering Urbina has yet to throw a pitch in the States. However, this is the strongest top ten that the Mets have had in years. Nieuwenhuis is another guy who could easily have made the list.
I’m expecting the Mets to have between 6 and 8 in the BA and BP top 100 lists which is pretty good although we still lack a top ten stud. F-Mart might have been that guy if he stayed in Buffalo and didn’t get hurt.
Yeah, exactly. He’s most valuable as a SS, and until he hits a lot or there is a direct plan for him to play 2B for the Mets, might as well leave him there as a chip to fill another hole. If he breaks out and looks amazing, you start thinking about long term plans for him and where to put him. He’s only 20, so even if he was to replace Castillo it probably wouldn’t be until 2011-2012. Plenty of time to learn 2B if he really is talented.
Although, the way the Mets management thinks, they could trade Castillo, and have Tejada suddenly be the starting 2B in March with no practice.
Rubin’s list was a little disappointing. In his chat his reasoning for including Urbina was because the amount the Mets paid for him means they expect him to be a Top 10 prospect so he should be ranked as such. yes they expect him to be but not at 16 without pitching in the minors yet. Also the quote he used for Familia came from a scout who saw the kid pitch once which very well could have been a bad day. It would be like basing your opinion on Pujols after watching one game where he struck out 3 times.
I would suspect that Tejada would play at least some 2B at AAA once he gets there. FMart played CF until AAA where they moved him to the corner OF spots knowing he is not supplanting Beltran. Better to let the kid play a comfort position for as long as he can.
Alex Rodriguez has a high leg kick.
Albert Puljos has almost no leg kick and just places it back down.
Go figure.
Is that video of Tejada’s swing real? Please someone, somewhere tell me that that is a hoax. If that’s really what he looks like at the dish, I might as well go around the corner to the local high school and sign their middle infielders to the Mets.
He has no pop. He generates zero power. He swings like a decent eighth-grade softball player.
This guy is a prospect? Where am I? This organization is driving me insane. Where are our real, young players? This can’t be one of them. If he hits the ball out of the infield in a major league game at any point in his “professional” career, I would have to consider that a success given his mechanics.
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