Monday, I touched on the first round of AFL roster announcements with a look at RHP Collin McHugh, RHP Brandon Moore, OF Juan Lagares and 2B Reese Havens, but today we’ll examine four more additions mostly from the a-ball levels: advanced-A 3B Jefry Marte, A RHP Taylor Whitenton, advanced-A C Juan Centeno and double-A LHP Robert Carson.

Note that Marte and Whitenton are already on the official Peoria Javelinas roster. Centeno and Carson are not, but Adam Rubin reported that they will both head to the desert.

Carson
Michael covered Carson at some length earlier this week. He’s a hard-throwing lefty for whom the results do not yet match the good fastball. He’ll need to tighten up his slider, which in Mike’s opinion was his best breaking ball. Getting him more innings, and more at-bats against high-level competition is a good thing.
Carson’s platoon splits this year are interesting:
vs. LHH: .300/.400/.450 – 20 BB, 25 K, 142 TPA
vs. RHH: .299/.356/.447 – 33 BB, 63 K, 378 TBA

Why is he walking 14% of the lefties he’s faced, but only 9% of the righties? Is this significant or statistical noise?

Carson, who was drafted in the 14th round in 2007 out of high school, will be Rule 5 eligible for the first time this winter.  While I don’t think the Mets will add him to the 40-man roster and call him up this September, his time in the AFL will surely be an audition for a 40-man roster spot.  He’s the kind of guy, a hard-throwing reliever, that teams take chances on in the Rule 5, so the bet here, unless he completely flops in the AFL, is that the Mets will add him to the 40-man roster after the end of the World Series.

Whitenton
Whitenton is the only Mets player headed to the Arizona Fall League who has not spent any time in advance-A St. Lucie.
The last Mets player to play in the Arizona Fall League who had not played in advanced-A or higher?  Eddie Kunz in 2007.
Early in the 2011 season, more than one scout told me that Whitenton was his favorite of the Gnats’ starting pitchers. Long and lean, his fastball is generally around 91, although he can pop 94. His slider has made progress this year and he’s much more comfortable with his changeup this year.
Oh, and he’s four one-hundredths of an ERA point off the SAL lead and leads the SAL in batting average against at .192. Opponents just don’t seem to see the ball off him with his high release. One area of very important progress, his control: last year: 5.6 BB/9, this year 3.9 BB/9. Last year, he picked up many of his outs up in the strike zone on pop-ups, fly balls, and swinging strikes. He’s been working on pitching down more this year, but it’s still a work in progress. The Fall League will be a big test for him.

Marte
Surprise.
The 20-year old has hit .249/.314/.346 in 128 games. He’s at less impressive .209/.263/.282 in 60 games in the second half.
He’ll be rule five eligible this year, but I can’t imagine some other team picking him in the MLB phase.
I honestly wonder what he’ll get out of his time in the desert.
Centeno
Surprise #2.
In 51 games, the 21 year old catcher has hit .318/.369/.370 playing behind Francisco Pena. The little guy – he’s listed at 5’9″, doesn’t strike out – just 22 whiffs in 51 games – a rate of 12% which is clearly the best part of his offensive game. His ability to make contact will give him a chance.
Like Marte, he’s Rule Five eligible for the first time. As a catcher, he’s a higher risk of getting plucked. Remember, the Nationals took Jesus Flores after he’s played in the Florida State League. If the Mets thought highly enough of Centeno that they’re considering him for a 40-man roster spot this November, why not play him more during the regular season?