The Keepers: - #20 (53) - SP - Domingo Tapia

20.      SP     Domingo Tapia

9-10-10: Tapia was named the winner of the Sterling Award, as the top player in 2010 for the GCL Mets. He went 4-3, 3.45, 10-G, 25-R, 18-ER, 49-H, 37.0-IP, 10-BB, 29-K

7-5-11: - We follow prospects here and we love to report good news, but every ballplayer (even prospects) have bad days. It’s part of their maturing process. It’s also why there are so many levels in the minors. SP Domingo Tapia had a night he’d love to forget: 3.2 ip, 11 h, 9/8 r/er, 1/2 bb/k, 2 hr, 4:3:2… but shit happens, and Tapia will rebound from this four games from now.

8-9-11: - From Paul DePodesta – “We’ve actually got a lot of good arms in short season that were here before I got here that are young, young kids, but with power arms and have a chance to come quickly. Guys like (U.S. Virgin Islands native) Akeel Morris, Miller Diaz, Domingo Tapia, there are a handful of them. These are guys who are consistently throwing in the mid-90s, some of them touching high-90s. Tapia is throwing 100 mph this year. Every outing has been in the upper 90s.

54: - SP Domingo Tapia – I probably have Tapia too low. He’s making quite a name for himself this season, throwing at 100 for K-Port. 2012 will be the 5th year in the Mets system for Dom, who will play 2012 as a 21-year old. I have him starting for Savannah next season, but this is a closer in waiting. You give him one more season throwing 100+ heat, plus control on some pitch with sink, and you watch how fast this kid moves. ETA: Projected Mets closer 2014.

9-3-11: - Stock Up – SP Domingo Tapia – Brooklyn got it’s first taste of Domingo last night and they liked what they saw: 6.0-IP. 5-H, 0-R, 6-K, 0-BB, 0.00. Tapia will take his 100MPH show back to Coney Island next spring and is quickly becoming a real viable rotation option in the future.

9-25-11: - Domingo Tapia – Everybody that has seen this kid pitch gets excited real quick. He’s 20-years old, 6-4 and was throwing 100 in Brooklyn earlier this month. Stats for the season: 6-5, 3.38, 56.0-IP, 36-K, 16-BB. Needs lots of work and projects out as a future closer, but will probably start for the Cyclones in 2012.

Mets Analysis – 2012 Rookie Team Starters

I’m not going to try and predict at this point of the 2011 season, who will pitch in the rotations of the 2012 sub-A and rookie teams. I fail so consistently predicting the four full season teams so there is no reason to embarrass myself even further.

That being said, there are a few names to throw out there that will be written about much more by this time next year. We talked all season about the “Big 4” (Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Famila). Well, there’s another level being quietly developed (I did not include Akeel Morris here, who I have in Savannah and may be the best of the lot).

Michael Fulmer – Fulmer was a pleasant surprise as the 2^nd round pick this past June. Great high school stats (10-2, 0.72, 127-K, 68-IP), but we always questing the quality of high school competition. He was comfortably hitting 97 this past season, which is just fine with me. His sitting velo climb was 2009: 90, 2010: 95, 2011: 97. He’s pushing 6-4, and that should be about it height wise. His future will be dependent upon mastering his “slider/curve”, which has big, downward break. The Mets will move slow here, but will probably showcase him in Brooklyn next season.

photo by Allan Greene

Juan Urbina – The once 16-year old super-sign had a rough season in 2011 (Kingsport: 4-6, 5.95, 12-starts, 49-K, 56.0-IP), but the 6-2 lefty showed signs of brilliance throughout the season. He’ll play 2012 as a 19-year old, so there is plenty of time here. My concern is his projected velo is still just that, projected.

Domingo Tapia – Everybody that has seen this kid pitch gets excited real quick. He’s 20-years old, 6-4 and was throwing 100 in Brooklyn earlier this month. Stats for the season: 6-5, 3.38, 56.0-IP, 36-K, 16-BB. Needs lots of work and projects out as a future closer, but will probably start for the Cyclones in 2012.

Luis Mateo – The 21-yr. old signed with the Mets in March after originally signing with the Giants and Padres. Lots of drama (undisclosed injury, wrong age), but the bottom line is the fact he can damn well pitch. He’s sitting at 95 and his DSL stats this year were: 13-G, 6-1, 63-IP, 80-K, 5-BB. He will definitely be stateside come the spring.

The Gamers vs. The Gifted: Fuller vs. Tapia

We're starting to get some interesting names on the list. Tapia is listed towards the tail of the Generation 2K discussion with Akeel Morris. He's one of only a handful of guys who can make a radar gun flash three numbers at once and he's pretty young. Ironically he's up against a guy who can't get his fastball above 90.

Full Name: James Fuller

Born: 06/01/1987

Birthplace: Marlborough, MA

College: Southern Connecticut State

Height: 5' 10"

Weight: 180

Bats: L

Throws: L

Before the injury sidelined him for a full season Fuller was part of a trio of successful guys in Savannah. There was James Fuller, Mark Cohoon and Brandon Moore. There names were listed in THAT order for a reason. None of the guys had rocket arms but they were all flying through Savannah and onto bigger things. Cohoon skipped right by St. Lucie but Fuller took a more patient route and had okay success in his part of a season.

I love lefties who can throw strikes and think around a hitter. That is what Fuller is at his best and I think he will be again when he comes back. If I didn't think that I wouldn't have put him on the list. He's not assured a return to the Port St. Lucie rotation when he's healthy but my fingers are crossed that he can pick things up where he left off.

Fuller's Scouting Report:

Not a big kid, Jimmy Fuller might settle into a bullpen role shortly. He works comfortably in the high-80s from the left side with a meh curveball in the low-to-mid 70s and a decent slider and change-up.

Full Name: Domingo Tapia

Born: 12/16/1991

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Height: 6' 4"

Weight: 186

Bats: R

Throws: R

Pure potential is the word on Tapia... AND Morris for that matter. Any time you can throw a pitch 100 MPH it tends to indicate that you can do big things. Tapia is a LITTLE more refined than Morris but scouts love Morris' stuff a little more.

Tapia was okay in Kingsport but his 1 and only start in Brooklyn was the thing that excited me more. Six scoreless innings, five hits, six strikeouts... AND NO WALKS. I have Tapia playing in Brooklyn in 2012 but he could go even higher if he continues to look so polished. My one confusion is the limited number of K's in the Appalachian league. Only 30 K's in 50 innings... it's more odd than anything.

Tapia's Scouting Report:

The powerful righty is a man-child, listed at 6'4", 186 lbs and reports had him hitting 100 mph during instructs. He is Mejia-esque, working in the mid-90's with a two-seamer and what's more, he throws a ton of strikes. Big time sleeper candidate.

This one shouldn't surprise anyone. An injured gamer who has to regain everything or a young kid with a fireball who has impressed in his brief time with the Mets. Tapia takes this round for the Gifted.

Stock: Josh Stinson, Domingo Tapia, Johan Santana, Kyle Allen, Brian Harrison

9-2-11: - Stock Up – RP Josh Stinson – Stinny made a simply explanation about the difference of being a starter and a reliever’. “You relaly only need two effective pitchers when you’re pitching relief, bnot like the three you would need as a starter.” Well said and his major league professional debut Friday night was all aces. Kudos Stinny.




photo by Allan Greene

 9-3-11: - Stock Up – SP Domingo Tapia – Brooklyn got it’s first taste of Domingo last night and they liked what they saw: 6.0-IP. 5-H, 0-R, 6-K, 0-BB, 0.00. Tapia will take his 100MPH show back to Coney Island next spring and is quickly becoming a real viable rotation option in the future.

9-3-11: - Stock Up – SP – Johan Santana - Look, you have to give the dude a little credit. He just as easily could have sit home all season and counted his money. Pitching two innings for St. Lucie just sends all the right signs that maybe, just maybe, he can earn his keep come 2012.

9-3-11: - Stock Down – SP – Kyle Allen – I hate to hit a horse while down, but we’ve been saying for quite awhile that Kyle Allen looks to be done. Tonight was probably the last: 0.2-IP, 7-ER. Kyle's a good guy who has given his

9-4-11: - Stock Up – 3B Brian Harrison – Harrison had a great game last night for Brooklyn: 3-4, 2B, BB, HR, 4-RBI. Brian played Savannah last year, but started this year on the DL and got pushed back to Brooklyn. I see him back in Savannah come the spring of 2012.