Q and A: Mack with… Stephen Guilbert: Mejia, Mets 2012 Draft

Stephen Guilbert asked:

Hey Mack, I'm wondering first off why there seems to be a sense that Mejia is destined for the bullpen when he comes back. I've heard this report and I just don't understand it. Is it something to do with his injury? Because his make-up seems like that of a front-line starter (or at least it did pre-injury and that is what the Mets were grooming him to be, no?)

Secondly, I have been reading the draft reports you've posted and I am wondering which player you think the Mets are (or should be) targeting at this point? Given the near certainty that players like Appel and McCullers will be gone, have you heard any murmurs within the organization about who they're looking at? Or can you deduce anything based on who you think will be available?

The more I read about OF Trey Williams, the more I like. If he is still on the board, that's who I'd love to see the Mets take. It not, /1BVictor Roache seems like a good masher who would only be a couple years from the bigs. But might they go with a local product like Rutgers' 3B/1BSteve Nyisztor or a college arm like RHSPs Kevin Gausman or Michael Wacha? Maybe lock up a solid catching prospect like C Stryker Trahan (or CSteve Zunino, if he's available. I like Stryker better anyway. Maybe it's the name.)

Thanks Mack, love the blog. Hope your health is improving!

Mack: Thanks for your kind thoughts.

Regarding Jenrry Mejia, I’m one of the writers guilty of speculating that Jenrry will go to the pen. Mine is based on the fact that four prospect starters (Mejia, Matt Harvey, Jeurys Famila, Zack Wheeler) may graduate in the next 18 months while Johan Santana is still under contract and Jon Niese, Dillon Gee, and Chris Schwinden would still be in the rotation.

We’re seeing right now in the WS the value of the 8^th and 9^th inning guy and the Mets seem to have neither locked down. Most scouts had Mejia projected as a mid-range starter until Jerry Manuel turned him into an infant reliever. He held his own, making all of us envision the possibility of him remaining there.

Most considered him the top Mets rotation prospect a year and a half ago and were comparing him to Dwight Gooden. He was blowing away AAA when he went down and his 95-98 FB has serious sink. I don’t know.

Regarding the draft, it’s far too early to speculate on the Mets pick; however, one must remember that anyone drafted  here won’t help Queens until 2015 earliest. This is why most teams, including the Mets, draft “the best player available” using the tie-breaker of “which one won’t be around with our next pick”.

I agree with you that one of the Mets top needs is catching. Mike Zunino is on mock fire right now and unless his junior season falls apart, he will be gone when the 12^th pick comes around. I have always been a “draft pitching first” guy, but, if you do that, the few catchers that top the list are long gone.

I would not follow the best player available plan this draft and would pick C Stryker Trahan.

One more thing… there are, at least, 15 A+ prospects in this draft. The Mets should get one of them.