Last season Bobby Parnell set a franchise rookie record for appearances with 68.  No one would have expected Parnell to be in (AAA) Buffalo as the calendar turns to June.  In Adam Rubin’s Farm Report, on ESPNNY, Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen talks about how close Parnell is to being back up in New York:

“He’s (Parnell) making great progress.  I talked to Ricky Bones (Buffalo pitching coach) and Ken Oberkfell (Buffalo manager) yesterday. They’re recommending either Acosta or him right now if we need somebody at any time in the near future. So Bobby has really stepped it up over the last couple of weeks and found a formula where he’s able to find the same release point on all of his pitches.”

Parnell talks about what he has been working on in Buffalo:

“They said they wanted me to work on my slider, my secondary stuff. I’ve been working on it. I’m comfortable with it. Even in spring training I was comfortable with it. I think I spent too much time working on my cutter that never really developed and got away from my slider. I feel like I’m in a position now where I can compete wherever they sent me. I’m here biding my time, I guess, trying to get better each outing.”

Here is a look at how Parnell has progressed this season, especially with the increased K/rate and the decreased BB/rate:
 

Its good to see Parnell turning the corner. What is also encouraging is the organization is willing to take their time and not rush guys up to New York (except Mejia, but thats for another day to discuss). The worse thing that could have happened to Parnell was to be like a yo-yo back and forth from Buffalo to New York. Parnell has a promising future, and development of secondary offerings is vital to his development. Guys that throw in the upper 90s, are a rare and valuable commodity.

NOTE: Rubin also reports that, St. Lucie starter, Robert Carson’s fastball has been sitting at 94mph. That’s a very good thing folks!!!

This is part six of my continuing review of my pre-season ranking of the Mets Top 41 prospects.  Part 1 (36-41) is here, part 2 (31-35) is here, part 3 (26-30) is here and part 4 (21-25) is here, and part 5 (16-20) is here.

ALL STATS IN TABLES ARE AS OF JULY 1, 2009.

#11 RHP Bobby Parnell

Stock: Same, but no longer prospect eligible…

In my Top 41 before the season, I wrote:

Dr. Pangloss Says: Parnell’s power arm gives him a chance to make the Mets out of spring training as an impact reliever late in games.

On the Flipside: Parnell’s command issues limit his ceiling and lessen his chances of becoming an MLB starting pitcher.

Indeed, on the strength of his power arm, he did break camp with the Mets and his command issues have limited his effectiveness.  Parnell is a useful piece of an MLB bullpen.  That’s important, but it hardly makes him untouchable if the Mets are looking to deal this summer.   His strikeout rate (7.42/9) is a little above average, but his walk rate of 4.64 is awfully high, but not so out of line with his minor league numbers.

#12 RHP Eddie Kunz

Stock: Down

The Mets have passed over Kunz again and again for big league bullpen openings.  The issues for Kunz have remained the same since the Mets drafted him in the supplemental first round in 2007: left handed hitters and commanding his pitches.  He still struggles with both.  Check that nearly 1:1 k:BB rate.  Scouts see him as no more than another middle reliever these days.

#13 RHP Brant Rustich

Stock: Similar

Numerically, there’s a lot to like about Rustich.  He’s striking out a batter an inning, walking under three per nine which leads to a K/BB above three and he never gives up homers.  He throws hard and has a good slider.  The only problem is that he can’t stay healthy.  In late June, he missed time with a blister problem, only his most recent in a long string of maladies.  What exactly the Mets have in the big Bruin will remains a little hazy because he’s missed so much time, but his last two outings have come out of the bullpen.  Perhaps he has a future like Bobby Parnell’s as a hard-throwing middle reliever.

#14 1B Ike Davis

Stock: UP

Advanced to the Florida State League after a punchless debut in the New York Penn League with Brookly, Davis walked more and belted a few more extra base hits with St. Lucie.  In particular, Davis got hot in June (.319/.418/.638 in 47 AB) proving to the Mets that he was done with A-ball.  His early AA performance leaves room for optimism as he’s hitting home runs and terrorizing righties while against lefties in AA (.200/.310/.240 in 25 AB) after not hitting much against them in the FSL either.  A good defender and athelete around the bag, Davis now looks like a big leaguer.  To make a difference, he’ll need to keep improving offensively and learn to hit something else besides a fastball from a righthander.

#15 CF Javier Rodriguez

Stock: Down a little.

Rodriguez has not appeared in a minor league game all year.  Baseball America recently reported that the Mets placed him on their suspended list.  That fact alone pushes him down below guys who are playing.