LHP Michael Antonini – R/L – 6’0” 190 – 18^th Rd ’07 – b. 8/6/85

I wrote about Antonini’s excellent season in the St. Lucie wrap.

LHP Angel Calero – L/L – 6’1” 210 lbs – NDFA ’04 – b. 9/25/86

I was told in early July that Calero’s shoulder problems were not serious and that the team was just being cautious with his good arm… and yet he didn’t pitch again the rest of the season. Add him to the list of things I need some more information about.

Take a look at Calero’s nice 2.57 ERA at Savannah. Now add the unearned runs back in and his runs/game jumps up to 4.05. Still, his K/BB ratio was almost four (3.93) before he ran out of gas and into injury in St. Lucie.

Likely ’09 start: A+

RHP Nicholas Carr – R/R – 6’0 200 lbs – 41^st Rd ’05 – b. 4/19/87

I wrote about Carr in the St. Lucie wrap-up earlier this week.

RHP Maikel Cleto – R/R – 6’3” 220 lbs – NDFA ’06 – b. 5/1/89

Maikel Cleto throws hard, 93-96 the night I saw him. I wrote about one his starts here. That’s plus MLB velocity. His second pitch was a hard changeup that was about 87 mph that didn’t have much movement or deception thanks to a slower armspeed on the offering versus his heater. He has trouble locating the gas and the secondary stuff is very far away. Sounds like a reliever profile, no?

Likely ’09 start: A+

RHP Junior Guerra – R/R – 6’0” 200 lbs – NDFA ’07 – b. 4/17/89

In the SAL, Junior Guerra recorded 47 outs, a ridiculous 72% of which came via the strikeout. His K/BB was a goofy 17. How did he do it? Simple. Two potentially plus pitches: a 93-95 mph fastball and a slider that had some bite at 83 mph. He’s a reliever who could move quickly.

Likely ’09 start: A+. However, with a good showing in HWB and a nice spring, Guerra could find himself in Binghamton.

RHP John Holdzkom R/R – 6’7” 225 – 4^th rd ’06 – b. 10/19/87

Look closely at that walk column. Yes, Holdzkom really walked 45 batters in 47.1 innings in the SAL in 2008. Scouts were unsurprised and did not forecast improved control in the future from the erratic Holdzkom based on his trouble repeating his mechanics. He throws hard, so he’ll be given chance after chance to learn to throw strikes.

Likely ’09 start: A

LHP Elvin Ramirez – L/L – 6’3” 183 – NDFA ’04 – b. 10/10/87

The most important column above: 1 HR allowed in 81 IP. That’s impressive stuff. In his final start of the season, on July 9^th, Ramirez showed a fastball at 91-94, sitting 92-93 with a curve (77-80) and a changup. At the time I wrote that the curve “showed flashes of promise.”

Likely ’09 start: A+

Brant Rustich – R/R – 6’6” 230 lbs – 2^nd rd ’07 – b. 1/23/85

Few pitchers in the system can match a healthy Rustich’s stuff and few can match his injury history. The Mets converted Rustich, who was a reliever at UCLA and in his pro debut in ’07 into a starter for 2008. However, his season started late after over exerting himself in big league camp in the spring and coming up with a sore arm. He worked his arm back into shape out of the Savannah bullpen before making his first start in a rough outing on June 20^th in which he allowed seven runs in 2.1 innings. However, after that he didn’t allow more than two runs in any of his subsequent starts. The problem was that he only made seven more starts. He missed three weeks at the end of July with a blister problem and then sat down after August 16^th with a stress fracture.

When he was healthy, Rustich offered up a fastball that was regularly low 90s and touched 95 this summer with a slider that came a long, long way in the last year. His changeup is his third pitch.

Likely ’09 start: A+ rotation

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Nathan Vineyard – L/L – 6’2” 200 lbs – 1s rd ’07 – b. 10/3/88

Vineyard, the Mets second pick in the 2007 draft, in the supplemental round had shoulder surgery in April, ending a lost year.

Happy 20^th Birthday Nathan.

Likely ’09 start: A rotation