Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 180

Acquired: 3^rd rd 2011 (Baylor)

Born: 6/19/90

2011 Rank: N/A

Why Ranked Here: Ranking guys who have not begun their professional career is difficult.  Verrett made it more difficult by an inconsistent last 18 months, with a slow start to his junior year dropping him out of the first round.  According to Baseball America, he throws 88-92 and can touch 94, but it “lacks life.”  The Mets were very pleased with his arm strength at instructs in the fall.  That’s a very controlled environment, and I’m eager to see how he handles a full professional season. (Note: I’ve moved Verrett around the rankings a bunch: 30 felt too high, and the guys between here and there have some professional track record.  Again, it’s not too precise at this point.)

2011: He signed for the fourth-largest bonus ($425k) in the 2011 Mets draft class.

Dr. Pangloss Says: #4 starter. Or fastball plays up in short outings out of the bullpen.

Debbie Downer Says:  Let us count the ways a young pitcher might not make it.

Projected 2012 Start: Savannah

MLB Arrival:  September 2014/2015

Bats/Throws: Switch/Right

Height/Weight: 5’11”, 175 lbs

Acquired: 8^th round 2011 (Fresno State)

Born: 2/9/89 (Long Beach, CA)

2011 Rank: N/A

Why Ranked Here: Muno had a really strong professional debut, smacking around New York-Penn League pitching at a .355/.466/.514 clip at age 22. He’ll head to 2012 as a 23-year old on Opening Day with the clock ticking loudly.

Muno played shortstop and third base in college, but the Mets had him play all but two games at shortstop in the New York Penn League. His arm is strong enough for either position, but he’ll need to prove that he has the range to play shortstop everyday as a professional.

If he can’t play shortstop everyday, he could carve out a career as a versatile backup infielder or perhaps a third baseman. He does not have the power to profile as a classic third baseman.  However, third base is in transition, and 2011 was a down year for the position as MLBers hit just .252/.317/.390 at third, essentially equal to second basemen.

2011:  Muno, the Mets’ 8^th round pick signed quickly for $10,000 and started beating up on the New York-Penn League.  He led the League in batting average, on-base percentage and was third in walks, and slugging.

It’s a little hard for me not to see a lot of Darrell Ceciliani’s 2010 batting line in Muno’s 2011.  Compare.

Versus Ceciliani

Muno walked considerably more, and struck out slightly less. Ceciliani used his speed more, he had 12 triples compared to Muno’s three, and stole 21 bases compared to Muno’s 9.

Dr. Pangloss Says: An OBP-heavy third baseman.

Debbie Downer Says: Organizational depth

Projected 2012 Start: Savannah

MLB Arrival: 2014

Basic

Advanced

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 190 lbs

Acquired: 39^th rd 2009 (Darton College)

Born: 2/20/88

2011 Rank: NR

Why Ranked Here: Whitenton has an average MLB fastball and improved his control dramatically from 2010 to 2011.  A lean 6’3”, he usually sat around 90-91, and in shorter outings in the Arizona Fall Leagues was sitting 91-93 mph, touching 94.  There were scouts who saw the Gnats in the first half of 2011 who thought Whitenton was the most promising member of the team’s rotation.

He complements the fastball with a slider that has more depth than horizontal movement and a changeup.  He became much more confidant throwing his secondary pitches in games in 2011 and the change-up passed the slider as his second offering.

His over the top delivery gives batters an unusual angle and the ball seems to hop a little out of his hand.  However, many of his strikeouts came on elevated fastballs, a strategy that might lead to trouble at the higher levels.  The high angle also makes it hard for him to generate much horizontal movement on his slider.

Whitenton cut his walk rate from 13.8% in 2010 to 10.5% in 2011, or if you prefer to think in terms of innings, from 5.7 BB/9 to 3.9 BB/9.  While throwing more strikes, his strikeout improved from 23% to 25.9%.

2011: One year after finishing second in the South Atlantic League in walks, Whitenton bounced back to win the (2.49) won the SAL ERA title in the final week of the regular season, edging Augusta’s Shawn Sanford.  Before reading too much into that accomplishment, remember that many of the best prospects in a league will be promoted before they pick up enough innings to qualify for a league ERA title. Still, he made huge strides over his 2010 season.

Dr. Pangloss Says: Even I don’t see enough command to start in the big leagues, but he could be a valuable bullpen part.

Debbie Downer Says:  Or more disciplined upper level hitters don’t chase, and he was just a 23-year old taking advantage of undisciplined a-ball hitters and he’ll get stuck in AA.

Projected 2012 Start: Advanced-A St. Lucie

MLB Arrival: September 2014

Basic

 
Advanced

Bats/Throws:  Right/Right

Height/Weight: 6’0”, 170 lbs

Acquired: NDFA

Born: 10/17/1990 (Higuerito, Banica, DR)

2011 Rank: N/R

Why Ranked Here: He had a great 2011, but more importantly, has one of the most explosive arms in the lower levels of the system regularly working in the low-90s, with the ability to throw mid-90s when he airs it out. He has the beginnings of a breaking ball and throws strikes, lots and lots of strikes. On talent and arm strength alone, I think Montero should be much higher. However, I’m scared a little of short-season pitchers with very little track record so far from the big leagues.

2011: The Dominican Summer League was not challenge.  Really, the GCL wasn’t either.  Four starts in the Appalachian league were less dominant, but he showed off with five good innings in the New York Penn League in Brooklyn.   Seriously, for the year, he struck out 23% of the batters he faced, walked under 5% for a K/BB of 5.1.

Dr. Pangloss Says: A darn good starter.

Debbie Downer Says: Obviously, something less.  Perhaps a reliever, perhaps he never makes it.

Projected 2012 Start: Savannah

MLB Arrival: 2015

Basic

Advanced

Bats/Throws:  L/R

Height/Weight: 6’1”,175 lbs

Acquired: 34^th rd, 2009 (Hicksville HS)

Born: 1/20/91 (Huntington, NY)

2011 Rank: NR

Why Ranked Here: Maron is like Josh Thole Jr.  Like Thole in the minors, Maron’s been darn consistent about it. Maron has a short contact-oriented swing to go along with his strong plate eye.  He’ll never hit for much power, and even during batting practice does not look to drive the ball much.

Still, he’s a catcher and a chance for plus OBP from the position is really nice.

Maron moves well behind the plate, and believes that his blocking is the strongest part of his defensive game, while he still needs to continue to improve his throwing.

Also, he gets bonus points for growing up a Mets fan.

2011: At 20 this past year in the Appalachian League, Maron walked more than he struck out. After hitting .318/.434/.413 in 58 games in the Appalachian League, Maron played one regular season game for the Sand Gnats.

Dr. Pangloss Says: Starting MLB catcher with high OBP and little power.

Debbie Downer Says: Maron could fall into tweener-ville where his defense isn’t strong enough to warrant a backup catcher position where defense is prized.

Projected 2011 Start: Savannah

MLB Arrival: 2015

Basic

Advanced

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 200lbs

Acquired: 18^th round 2011 (Cal Poly Pomona)

Born: 1/20/89

2011 Rank: N/A

Why Ranked Here: Taijeron showed power in his professional debut.  He led the New York Penn League in slugging (.557), and finished third in OPS, at .943 (behind only teammate Daniel Muno, and the Yankees’ Tyler Austin) and third in home runs.  His extra-base hit rate of 12% in his debut season was superb.  He walked in almost 10% of his plate appearances. He looks like a baseball player at 6’2″, with 200 lbs of muscle.

Those gaudy numbers argue for a higher placement.  However Taijeron is held back by three factors.  1. At 22, he was on the old side for the New York Penn League and will be 23 to begin his first season of a-ball in 2012. 2. Despite playing 35 games in center field and 21 in left, I think his eventual home will be on the corner as his speed isn’t special enough to play centerfield every day at the upper levels. 3. The strikeouts.  Taijeron whiffed in over 28% of his at-bats in the New York-Penn League. I’m less worried about his .398 BABIP.  Yes, of course it will come down.  However, if he can strikeout less, puttin more balls in play, he can survive a BABIP dip.

2011: Taijeron earned DII All-America honors while helping his Cal Poly Pomona Broncos to the DII West Regional Championship game as part of a .369/.534/.744 season.  He went to Brooklyn and just kept on hitting, with strong secondary skills, showing both power and patience.

Dr. Pangloss Says:  An everyday leftfielder who can play centerfield for a few days.

Debbie Downer Says:  The strikeouts eat his batting average, and he never hits for enough average to hold an MLB job.

Projected 2011 Start: Savannah

MLB Arrival: 2014 

Basic Stats

Advanced Stats