2014 Monday Morning Mets Minors Players of the Week

June 23 – June 29, 2014

            Keeping track of the hottest minor leaguers in the Mets farm system.

Hitter of the Week: This is no contest, as Matt ∂en Dekker slugging percentage bested most of his competition’s OPS. Langer has described Matt as a streaky hitter on numerous occasions, and he was as hot as I’ve seen him. With good CF defense (another highlight reel play last week), a willingness to take walks and average or better pop, M∂D is a useful piece that can be a part of the Mets future. What part he plays is yet to be determined, as his could still end up as just minor league depth, a useful 4^th OF/bench piece, or a starting CF. Some might disagree that he still has a starter’s ceiling, and I guess I prefer to be optimistic, but the player I just described has a starter’s ceiling and applies to Matt. His 19.3 K% with Las Vegas this year (44 SO in 228 PA) would be a career best, and better than league average. His 32.1 K% over 122 PA in the majors is obviously too high, and that has always been the biggest knock on Matt, but it’s based on two separate SSS sets, and he saw a 10% improvement in his K% from 2013 to 2014. Given his adjustment to AAA – K% went from 28.4 in 317 PA in 2012 to 22.8 in 202 PA in 2013 to 19.3 in 228 PA so far in 2014 – it’s not unreasonable to think he could show improvements in that area at the major league level. Matt still has starting major league potential, and whether he reaches that still depends on him keeping the K’s to a reasonable pace.

Starting Pitcher of the Week: I considered going with Dario Alvarez, as he recorded 77% of his outs with the strikeout, but Matt Bowman had two strong starts for the B-Mets, going 7 IP each time. This has been a very strong AA debut season for Matthew Bowman, in what will hopefully be his only season at AA. His K% is better league average (22.8% vs. 17.4% average), his BB% is better than league average (7.4 % vs. 8.6% average), his GB% is way better than league average, elite even (58.2% vs. 44.9% average), and despite the fact he has a lower than average percentage of strikeouts ending in swings (swinging strikeouts/total strikeouts), his swinging strike percentage is higher than average (11.2% vs. 8.6% average). Swinging strikeouts are a good sign of future strikeout success, as they don’t rely on an umpire’s judgment, but that K-Swinging/K-Total is misleading, as Bowman still his a higher total K/Sw% than what league average should be (15.5% vs. 12.8% average).

Relief Pitcher of the Week: Chase Bradford had another strong week for Las Vegas and is my bet to be the first Alderson draft pick to debut.

Team of the Week: Binghamton gets the nod with the best overall record.

Las Vegas 51s

3-2 record

Pitchers

Chase Bradford (1-0) – 3 G, 5.1 IP, 3 H, BB, SO, .399 OPS

John Church – 3 G, 4.2 IP, 2 H, R, 3 SO, .258 OPS

Erik Goeddel – 2 G, 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 SO

Zack Thornton (0-1) – 2 G, 4.2 IP, 2 H, R, BB, 6 SO, .426 OPS

Batters

Brandon Allen – 19 PA, (.286/.474/.500), 4-14, 3 R, HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB

Matt ∂en Dekker – 25, (.478/.520/1.000), 11-23, 7 R, 4 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 4 SO

Wilmer Flores (with Vegas only) – 18 PA, (.353/.389/.471), 6-17, 2 2B, 4 RBI, BB, 2 SO, GIDP

Matt Reynolds – 21 PA, (), 7-18, 5 R, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, SF, 6 SO, CS, GIDP

Binghamton Mets

5-1 record

Pitchers

Matthew Bowman (1-1) – 2 GS, 14 IP, 14 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 12 SO, HR, 196 Pitches (130 Strikes), 17 GO: 8 FO

Tyler Pill (1-0) – 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 6 SO, HBP, 87 Pitches (59 Strikes), 11 GO: 2 FO (Astromets Mind recap)

Greg Peavey (1-0) – 6 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 SO, HBP, 99 Pitches (66 Strikes), 6 GO: 4 FO

Steven Matz (1-0) – 6 IP, 5 H, BB, 9 SO, 105 Pitches (73 Strikes), 6 GO: 3 FO (Astromets Mind recap)

Jack Leathersich – 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 9 SO

Jon Velasquez (1-0) – 2 G, 3.1 IP, 2 H, 4 SO, .455 OPS

Batters

Xorge Carrillo – 14 PA, (.462/.500/.462), 6-13, 3 R, BB, 2 SO

Dilson Herrera – 27 PA, (.308/.333/.500), 8-26, 4 R, 2 2B, HR, 8 RBI, BB, 7 SO

Kyle Johnson – 14 PA, (.385/.429/.615), 5-13, 4 R, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, BB, SO

Travis Taijeron – 13 PA, (.333/.385/.750), 4-12, 3 R, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI, BB, SO, GIDP

St. Lucie Mets

3-2 record

Pitchers

Michael Fulmer (1-0) – 7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 SO, 10 GO: 2 FO

Gabriel Ynoa – 7 IP, 7 H, R, 5 SO, HR, 8 GO: 7 FO

Jacob Lugo (0-1) – 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, BB, 7 SO, HR, 5 GO: 1 FO

Tim Peterson – 2 G, 3 IP, 2 H, R (0 ER), BB, 6 SO

Paul Sewald (1-0, 2 Saves) – 3 G, 2 IP, 2 SO

Batters

Cam Maron – 14 PA, (.333/.429/.500), 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SO

L.J. Mazzilli – 24 PA, (.364/.417/.545), 8-22, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI, BB, HBP, 3 SO

Eudy Pina – 21 PA, (.300/.333/.700), 6-20, 4 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, HBP, SB, 3 SO

Aderlin Rodriguez – 22 PA, (.381/.409/.381), 8-21, 3 R, 4 RBI, BB, 4 SO

Savannah Sand Gnats

5-2 record

Pitchers

Dario Alvarez – 4.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 10 SO, 63 Pitches (43 Strikes), 1 GO: 2 FO (Astromets Mind recap)

Robert Gsellman (1-0) – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), BB, 5 SO, HR, HBP, 95 Pitches (59 Strikes), 6 GO: 4 FO (Astromets Mind recap)

Darwin Frias (1 Save) – 3 G, 3.2 IP, BB, 3 SO

Akeel Morris (2 Saves) – 2 G, 2 IP, H, BB, 5 SO

Batters

Matthew Oberste – 19 PA, (.471/.421/.706), 6 R, 8-17, 2B, HR, 6 RBI, SH, SF, 2 SO, GIDP

Yeixon Ruiz – 27 PA, (.375/.407/.500), 9-24, 4 R, 2B, 3B, 5 RBI, 2 BB, SH, 2-3 SB, 5 SO

Dominic Smith – 23 PA, (.364/.391/.545), 8-22, 2 R, 4 2B, 3 RBI, BB, 4 SO, CS

Champ Stuart – 29 PA, (.364/.517/.455), 8-22, 7 R, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 7 BB, 1-2 SB, 8 SO

With their seasons just under way, I thought I’d present the hottest Mets players in rookie ball so far.

Brooklyn Cyclones

11-5 record

Pitchers

Octavio Acosta (2-0) – 3 GS, 16.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 6 BB, 18 SO, HBP, HR, 1.08 ERA, 2.88 FIP

Casey Meisner – 3 GS, 15.1 IP, 12 H, 7 R (5 ER), 6 BB, 15 SO, HBP, 3 HR, 4.96 FIP

Marcos Molina (1-0) – 3 GS, 19 IP, 7 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 20 SO, 2 HBP, 1.53 FIP

Corey Oswalt (1-0) – 2 GS, 13 IP, 6 H, BB, 14 SO, 1.08 FIP

Shane Bay (4 Saves) – 6 G, 6 GF, 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 SO, 2.57 ERA, 3.43 FIP

Mike Hepple (2-0) – 4 G, 8 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 SO, HBP, 0.00 ERA, 4.00 FIP

Scarlyn Reyes (0-1, 1 Save) – 2 G, 2 GF, 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER_), 2 BB, 9 SO, 1.50 ERA, 1.00 FIP

Juan Urbina (1-0, 1 Save) – 3 G, 1 GF, 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 SO, HBP, 0.00 ERA, 3.90 FIP

Brandon Welch (2-0) – 3 G, 9 IP, 7 H, 2 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 4 SO, HBP, 0.00 ERA, 3.44 FIP

Brad Wieck – 4 G, 2 GF, 4 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 8 SO, 2.25 ERA, -0.25 FIP

Batters

Michael Bernal – 62 PA, (.241/.339/.481), 13-54, 8 R, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 5 BB, 3 HBP, 5-7 SB, 20 SO, 145 wRC+

Michael Katz – 62 PA, (.278/.355/.352), 15-54, 9 R, 2 2B, 3B, 9 RBI, 7 BB, 3-4 SB, SH, 15 SO, 2 GIDP, 115 wRC+

Tyler Moore – 50 PA, (.233/.320/.326), 10-43, 6 R, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 6 BB, SF, 16 SO, 97 wRC+

Amed Rosario – 68 PA, (.295/.343/.393), 18-61, 6 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 5 BB, SH, SF, 1-3 SB, 11 SO, 121 wRC+

Joe Tuschak – 58 PA, (.260/.345/.360), 13-50, 9 R, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 2 HBP, SF, 16 SO, 116 wRC+

Jhoan Urena – 66 PA, (.293/.379/.448), 17-58, 8 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 8 BB, 2-4 SB, 17 SO, 150 wRC+

Kingsport Mets

5-5 record

Pitchers

Nothing really standout and age appropriate

Batters

Wuilmer Becerra – 29 PA, (.286/.310/.464), 8-28, 5 R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, HBP, 9 SO, 124 wRC+

Brandon Brosher – 33 PA, (.387/.424/.774), 12-31, 6 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, SB, 11 SO, GIDP, 238 wRC+

Oswald Caraballo – 34 PA, (.303/.294/.394), 10-33, 2 R, 3 2B, 4 RBI, SF, SB, 3 SO, 96 wRC+

Eudor Garcia-Pacheco – 32 PA, (.259/.375/.370), 7-27, 4 R, HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, HBP, 4 SO, 126 wRC+

Luis Guillorme – 36 PA, (.281/.361/.344), 9-32, 5 R, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, HBP, 1-2 SB, 5 SO, GIDP

Ivan Wilson – 32 PA, (.233/.281/.600), 7-30, 4 R, 3 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 15 SO, GIDP, 146 wRC+

GCL Mets

4-4 record

Pitchers

Adrian Almeida (1-0) – 2 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 5 BB, 10 SO, HBP, 0.00 ERA, 3.25 FIP

Blake Taylor (1-0) – 1 GS, 4 IP, H, 3 BB, 7 SO, HBP

Batters

Arnaldo Berrios – 12 PA, (.300/.417/.300), 3-10, 2 BB, 2 SO, 123 wRC+

Alfredo Reyes – 31 PA, (.367/.367/.433), 11-30, 7 R, 2 2B, 7 RBI, SH, 2 SB, 6 SO, GIDP, 131 wRC+

Dash Winningham – 25 PA, (.263/.320/.421), 5-19, 4 R, HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 3 SF, 5 SO, GIDP, 102 wRC+

Enmanuel Zabala – 30 PA, (.393/.400/.500), 11-28, 6 R, 2B, 3B, 6 RBI, HBP, SF, 2-3 SB, SO, 155 wRC+

Upcoming MiLB.tv coverage of note:

Las Vegas 51s – All games are on MiLB.tv, this week they play four at home against Salt Lake City (Monday-Thursday at 10:05 PM ET) before travelling to Albuquerque for four games in three days (Friday and Sunday at 8:05 PM ET, Saturday double-header starts at 2:05 PM ET)

Binghamton Mets – Finish up their road trip with four that should be televised in New Britain

How to block a World Cup free kick, according to physics http://t.co/lIUwhypU0n
— WIRED (@WIRED) June 30, 2014