The Keepers: - #4 - RHSP - Jenrry Mejia

4.        RHSP Jenrry Mejia:

Mejia pitched for the 2007 DSL Mets, going 2-3, 2.47 in 14 games (7 starts). He also struck out 47 batters in 43.2 IP.

Mejia's arsenal includes a 91-95 MPH fastball that when low in the zone has tons of movement, sometimes tail and sometimes sink.  This sets up his 77-80 mph hook that drops off the table.

In 2008, Mejia pitched for both the GCL Mets, and Brooklyn, going a combined 5-2, 2.89, in 14 starts. He struck out 67 batters in 71.2 IP.

September 2008:  Brooklyn pitching coach Hector Berrios on:  Jenrry Mejia: “To be here at 18 and playing so well at this level is really impressive. He sits on 94 miles per hour and can get up to 97. He doesn’t quite have the extension of a guy like Holt has, but considering how young he is, I think he has a lot of potential.”

The Cyclones web site said:   The 18-year-old Mejia (6’0”, 182) was signed by the Mets as a non-drafted free agent in 2007, out of the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo).  Mejia began his professional career last season, for the Venezuelan Summer League Mets, going 2-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 14 games (seven starts).  In 43.2 innings, he allowed 24 hits, 17 runs, 12 earned, and 27 walks, with 47 strikeouts.

In September, Patrick Hickey wrote on:  Jenrry Mejia- Jekyll and Hyde. When this youngster is off, he leaves the ball up in the zone and lacks the poise needed to get professional hitters out on a consistent basis. However, when he’s on his game, he mixes in a more than solid 12-6 curve with a 95-97 MPH fastball and gets outs via the strikeout at a solid pace. Considering his age, Mejia is definitely worth keeping an eye on and with plenty of confidence and charisma on the mound already, should develop into a major league caliber pitcher if he learns to develop some sort of consistency.  Final Grade- B

February 2009:      From Toby Hyde:  -  #5 - RHP Jenry Mejia - Why Ranked Here: A very late comer to baseball, Mejia brings a special fastball. Virtually unknown entering 2008, the broad chested and big shouldered Mejia introduced himself with a 93-95 mph heater that easily allowed him to conquer the GCL and then New York Penn League. His second pitch is a hard changeup with a little sink at 87-88 mph, an offering with the same velocity as some of his teammates’ fastballs. It’s just enough off his fastball to catch hitters out in front and induce lots of groundballs. His curve is his third pitch. In the NYP, he struggled to find his release spot at times, but when found his release, he snapped off a short tight bender that showed plus potential. There’s some effort in his delivery, raising concerns about command down the road and a risk of injury. However, given his age (20 in October 2009) and experience (slight) his command is ahead of where one might expect it. The Mets’ staff raved about Mejia’s work ethic and intelligence. - 2008: Mejia made clear with three dominating starts in the GCL that the rookie league simply did not provide enough challenge for him. Promoted to Brooklyn in the first week of July, Mejia walked a season-high five batters in his first NYP League start and 11 batters in his first 18 innings (5.5 BB/9). In his final 38.2 IP in the league he walked just 12 batters (2.8 BB/9). That’s an impressive adjustment for a very young pitcher. When he reached the NYP, he tried to pitch with his curveball instead of his changeup as his second pitch. Once he returned to his change as his second offering, he threw more strikes and worked himself into better counts. Also, his curve improved over the course of the summer. Projected 2009 Start: Savannah rotation. St. Lucie is a possibility, but given Mejia’s age, and the number of older, other slightly more experienced arms fighting for time in the FSL, I see no reason to push Mejia to advanced-A yet.

February 2009:  MYOB on: - Jenrry Mejia RHP - signed out of the Dominican Republic for only $16,500, showing you that there are good bargains out there if you have the scouts to find them.  He has a mid-90s fastball now that projects to the upper 90s as he fills out.  He needs to improve his command and work his secondary pitches more, becoming less reliant on the fastball.  He limited opponents to a .199 average and finished with a combined 2.89 ERA at two levels.  If he improves his secondary pitches he could develop into a top of the rotation starter, otherwise he will be closer material.

1-10-10 Forecast: - Everybody loves Jenrry Mejia. He was the talk of the winter leagues, both for his speed and the speed the ball went off opponent’s bats. He still has a long way to go and will start again at AA, but anyone who has spent any time observing him says he’s a can’t miss.  Me?  He’s a closet closer.

5-22-10: - SP Jenrry Mejia: It’s impossible to project Mejia’s future right now because he’s supposed to return to the minors and be stretched out back to a starter. The problem is he’s still sitting in the Queens pen. So far this season: 20 outings, 19.0-IP, 3.79 ERA, 14-K, 11-BB… okay, but not what a 19-year old is supposed to be doing. The good news… he’s an extremely talented young man that should be a Met for a very long time.

6-21-10: - Maybe it took two loses to the Yanks, or maybe somebody finally just hit Jerry in the head, but Jenrry Mejia has been returned to the AA-Binghamton market are put back into the starting rotation. I also understand he will start on Wednesday. All this makes my prediction of Mark Cohoon being promoted from Savannah here a distant long shot, but we’ll see. I still think there’s a good chance that Mike Antonini will move on to Buffalo this month. Right now, the B-Mets rotation (Mejia, Antonini, Eric Niesen, Josh Stinson, and Chris Schwinden) is a pretty good one. And, no AAAA waste here. All pitchers that actually have a chance of getting to the Bigs. Is the Mejia move something that will enhance his value in a trade. I think so, but we’ll see.

6-27-10: - Suffering from a stiff right shoulder, Jenrry Mejia was forced to leave his start for Double-A Binghamton today after just an inning-plus. Mejia faced two batters in the second inning and seven for the game against Akron before departing. He allowed no runs, surrendering two hits and two walks while striking out two. He threw 43 pitches, 23 strikes. The Mets said Mejia was removed for "precautionary" reasons, though certainly this is an alarming development.

6-28-10: - Jenrry Mejia was examined in New York on Monday and diagnosed with a posterior cuff strain in his right shoulder. The Mets say he will return to throwing "as tolerated," but we're not exactly sure what that might mean. Mejia was lifted from a start at Double-A Binghamton on Sunday after complaining of discomfort in his throwing shoulder. He's been working on building up his stamina down in the minors with the hope of returning to the big leagues as a starter around late July

8-2-10:  Mejia’s rehabbing stint made its way to St. Lucie last night and it was quite impressive:  4.0-IP, 1-H, 0-R, 7-K. Mejia’s conversion back to a starter seems to be right on target and I expect him back in the Binghamton rotation by mid-August and on to Queens in September.

8-8-10: - It would be impossible not to write about Mejia’s performance last night. First, the stats: 4.1-IP, 3-H, 0-R, 4-K, 2-BB, 10-GB.  He sat most of the night at 96 and hit 99 once. His seasonal minor league ERA, where he’s been a starter all the time, is now 1.17 (his WHIP is 1.69 due to 6-BB in 7.2-IP). I’m sure we’ll see him in Queens again this year, this time as a starter.

8-14: - Look… if last night’s outing by Jenrry Mejia is the worst he ever pitches, we’ll have ourselves a future HOFer. Mejia went: 5.2-IP, 8-H, 3-ER, 3-BB, 5-K, and his AA-ERA “soared” to 2.70. Reports from the stadium were that he didn’t have the pinpoint accuracy he had his last outing, but the velocity was still there. Mejia is sitting at 96 now, and hit 98 again last night. Remember… the Mets really only need one more SP (Santana, Niese. Pelfrey, Dickey). This sure looks like a strong candidate for 2011 (btw… Mejia threw this game against Michael Cisco, son of ex-Met Galen Cisco).

8-20-10: - We’re running out of superlatives involving Jenrry Mejia’s current return to an SP role in Binghamton. He easily had his best minor league outing on Wednesday night, going 7.0-IP, 1-H, 0-R, 8-K, 2-BB, with a 1.77 ERA. Even more important, Dylan Owen, who seemed lost this year as a starter, seems to be reinventing himself as a successful reliever, going 2.0 hitless innings and lowering his seasonal ERA to 3.57.Okay, Owen’ reliever ERA (4.55) is still higher that the six outings he started (2.70 ERA)… so why the relief role? I’m getting confused. Nack to the main issue… Mejia is game ready which is very good news for the Mets.

2-23-11: - Stock Up: -  SP Jenrry Mejia – I talked with one of the beat guys down in Port St. Lucie and he told me that there are a lot of pitchers that look good right now, but everyone is talking about Mejia. Other Met ballplayers were literally stopping what they were doing and walking over to watch Mejia throw on the back field mounds. My contact said he was easily sitting at 94-95.

3-3-11:  Up:  SP Jenrry Mejia – Through March 3rd, Mejia has had two successful outings and is holding down a 0.00 ERA. Like Ruben Tejada, no one expects Mejia to make the Queens squad on April 1st, but it’s nice to see the kids putting pressure on the rest of the team.

4-8-11: - Up – SP Jenry Mejia –just an  outstanding first outing in 2011. We all knew that he could throw the heat, but it’s his breaking ball and cutter that have become his out pitches. Far less of a 12-6 version. You simply can’t beat velo and sickness, all in the same pitch.

5-2-11: - SP Jenrry Meija was diagnosed today to have a complete MCL tear of the right elbow. Surgery has been recommended though Mejia will first seek a second opinion. This is as bad as it gets for a person like me. Mejia is the top prospect in the system and was scheduled to be the next one up to Queens. Obviously, he is lost for the season and recovery for a TJ surgery like this is usually at least 15 months. It seemed like he was a little lost three outings ago when I watched him pitch on MLB-TV. The sharpness and speed just wasn’t there. There is no announcement yet on who will replace him in the Bisons rotation.

5-3-11: - There’s already discussion in the Mets to take the pressure off of Jenrry Mejia’s eventual return and return him to the bullpen. On paper, this is a good idea. Another thing the Mets need to do is write him off for the entire 2012 season. He will not be able to soft toss until this time next year and that means you have a good 3-4 months rehab after that. The Mets are going to have to create their 2012 rotation without him. Look, let’s turn a real negative into a positive. He may wind up being the next Mets closer.

7-13-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/765098-new-york-mets-dillon-gee-and-the-mets-top-10-young-pitching-prospects#/articles/765098-new-york-mets-dillon-gee-and-the-mets-top-10-young-pitching-prospects/page/2 - His fastball has impressive movement, he has a good curveball and a decent changeup. Baseball Prospectus calls his talents rare, rates him as the Mets' only five-star talent and calls his 93-95 mph fastball that can touch 98 mph big league-ready. At 19 years old, he was already dominating the Double-A hitters that came his way, and this is an interesting analysis of his pitch f/x. Mejia ranked 23rd on ESPN Keith Law’s Top 100 prospects, ahead of Zach Britton, and said that if the Mets take it slow with Mejia, he prospects as an ace talent. Following successful recovery from surgery for an injury, Mejia will likely miss the rest of this season due to Tommy John surgery. Frankly, it’s good that he’s taking the time to recover. He is the most highly regarded talent for the Mets, and every dream is for him to turn out to be the next Dwight Gooden. Things may not work out that way, but for Mets fans, they can only hope that this sensation is everything that he is cracked up to be.

8-11-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/08/baseball-americas-mets-top-10-list-prior-to-2011-where-are-they-now.html  - SP – Jenrry Mejia: Coming in Mejia was the best prospect in the Mets farm system. He pitched out of the bullpen in 2010, which in my opinion was a huge mistake. It happened because Manuel and Minaya were desperate to keep their jobs, and with little no bullpen help he pitched his way onto the roster for opening day. He struggled, and was sent down and eventually  lost due to the questionable back and forth decision making from the Minaya regime. Started 2011: #1 Starter in AAA Currently: lost for the season after Tommy John Surgery

The Gamers vs. The Gifted: Gorski vs. Mejia

Unlike the last round, I happen to really like both of the next two pitchers. Gorski isn't your typical success story. He's sorta come out of the ether to suddenly shine. Mejia meanwhile was the buzz of the Mets in 2010 and if not for an injury in 2011, would likely be a regular member of the rotation at this point.

Full Name: Darin Walter Gorski

Born: 10/06/1987

Birthplace: Mount Joy, PA

College: Kutztown U

Height: 6' 4"

Weight: 210

Bats: L

Throws: L

With a fastball that just barely nips 90 MPH and two other pitches that don't send scouts a-twitter. What exactly excites us so much about Gorski? Look at the numbers for 2011. They are wicked good and prove once again that you don't NEED to be gifted to blow opponents away.

Now... the 9.0+ K/9 isn't legit and it's hard to imagine a world where he doesn't regress some, but you have to see that he deserves SOME attention right now. If he can repeat this performance in AA we'll all be frenzied for his promotion. If his performance shows he can maintain some of his superlatives in higher levels he could become a good back of the rotation guy.

Gorski's Scouting Report:

There is very little I could find on Darin Gorski as far as scouting reports go. As a matter of fact I found none. It seems like he’s flown under the radar after putting together a breakout season in 2011. He came onto the pro scene in 2009 with the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League and even though he didn’t shine with incredible numbers, after 62.1 innings posting a 4.91 ERA, he did manage to keep hitters to a .220 batting average. The following year in 2010, the Mets served him up the hitters of the South Atlantic League, and once again, didn’t exactly light up the billboards. You have to give it to him at that point nonetheless. He was a kid coming out of a Division 2 school in Pennsylvania taking in his first full season as a pro. Well, all of it came to loud and abrupt bang when in 2011 Gorski was strategically placed in the Florida State League and he not only wan the Player of the Year honors, he also posted an 11-3 record with some magical numbers to stand behind it. The Mid Season All-Star will probably see his prospect stock rise next year as he tries to show legitimacy in Double-A Birmingham. In searching around the internet, it seems like he’s one of those unknown pitchers that is going to catch a strong buzz soon.

Full Name: Jenrry Manuel Mejia

Born: 10/11/1989

Birthplace: Tabara Arriba, Dominican Republic

Height: 6' 0"

Weight: 205

Bats: R

Throws: R

Want to see me make a face? Tell me that Mejia has NO future as a starter. Warthen mentioned that Mejia might be shifted to a bullpen role permanently when he returns. I say, let him return and see how he handles starting. If that doesn't work... use him in relief.

If he was healthy, Mejia would have been starting with the Mets for some time already this year. Because he's hurt, Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia are likely closer to the majors. Now... I still have faith but some are quick to lose theirs.

I think Mejia returns in mid-late May and depending on Harvey & Co. goes up to AAA. I think the Mets will hold him out of the majors for 2012 to protect him.

Mejia's Scouting Report:

Good: Plus-plus fastball that sits 94-97 and has a ton of sinking movement. He loves it though, and threw it 76% of the time last year. He also throws a plus change 86-88 mph with plenty of late fade, and a plus curve 79-81 mph (but he's inconsistent with his release point). Due to his heavy fastball, he is able to produce plenty of ground-balls.

Bad: His career high in innings is 94, and last year he only threw 81 due to the mismanagement/injuries. There are some concerns about his future ability to throw 200 innings/be a front-end starter, or if his body type would be better suited in the bullpen. His K/9 rate with the Mets last year was 5K/9 and his W/9 was 4.6. NOT GOOD. Due to the high number of walks, his WHIP was 1.69. And even though he has great "stuff", he had below league average swing and misses (7.4% versus league average of 8.5%). How much of this needs to be written off because he was 20 years old?

This is a tough call. I think Mejia has miles more talent and a much better chance of major league success, but injuries are tricky. Gorski is also just as likely to never repeat his 2011 in any higher levels so... This round goes to The Gifted.

The case for signing C.J. Wilson and the future of Mets pitching

It’s been said that Sandy Alderson is expecting next year’s payroll to be low enough ($100m-$110m) to prohibit any playoff expectations and that we as fans should look to 2013 as the next competitive year.

Even if this team is rebuilding this year with hopes of competing for the playoffs in 2013, they’re still going to need to add pieces in anticipation of that run. It’s rarely the case that a team can bring together all of the assets needed to win in one offseason. The backbone of any winning team is its pitching rotation. At the center of the best teams in Mets' history ('69 Seaver, Koosman, etc. & '86 Gooden, Ojeda, Darling, etc.) are those teams' pitching staffs.

It’s assumed that the current regime is going to build a pitching staff with some of the players it already has in-house. I expect that 3 out of Jonathon Niese, Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jenrry Mejia, and Jeurys Familia will be part of the rotation in 2013. Given his status as the only LHP in that group as well as the fact that he as already enjoyed some MLB success (and flashes of brilliance as well), I’m assuming Niese is a lock for that future rotation. That would leave spots for 2 of the 4 RHP prospects in the system. I’m only assuming 2 because it’s unlikely that all 4 become quality MLB pitchers and even less likely that a NY baseball team entrusts its entire rotation to so many unproven rookies, no matter how high their talent ceilings. Given Mejia’s injury history and the fact that many scouts see Familia as an eventual reliever, I’m penciling in Harvey in Wheeler for those 2 spots.

With Harvey, Niese, and Wheeler occupying 3 rotation spots, the Mets are going to need 2 pitchers from outside the organization. Both of these acquisitions had better be of the SP1 or SP2 variety if the Mets have dreams of playing in October 2013. Harvey and Wheeler have the promise and potential of becoming F.O.R. pitchers as they mature, however neither should be expected to contribute regularly at that level so early in their careers.

At least one of these acquisitions will need to be a LHP. Why? Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Logan Morrison are just a few reasons… maybe even Bryce Harper at that point as well. If the Mets want to be competitive in their own division (let alone in the NL), their pitching will have to be able to neutralize the elite LH bats of their competitors. This is where C.J. Wilson comes in.

Over the next two offseasons, the best LHP free agents scheduled to be available are Wilson, C.C. Sabathia,, Mark Buerhle, Paul Maholm, John Danks, Cole Hamels, and Jonathan Sanchez. Sabathia will remain with the Yankees. If Buerhle leaves the White Sox, he’s said numerous times that he wants to go home to pitch for the Cardinals, a team that suddenly could use some pitching. Maholm seemed to finally break through this year, but he had a terrible August and will be coming off an injury next year. Danks is talented and has shown flashes of SP1 potential, however he is far from a sure thing. His 2012 effort will provide a clearer picture of his value. Hamels will likely re-sign in Philadelphia; if he leaves town, it won’t be for the Mets. Hamels has an obvious disdain for the Mets and would need to be vastly overpaid to move 2 hours north. I don’t see Sandy & Co. making that level of commitment to lure him to NYC. More likely, any departure would take him home to the west coast. That leaves Sanchez who, although he had an outstanding career year in 2011, looks to be a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher at best.

Seeing how limited the free agent pool is going forward, if Wilson isn’t signed, that leaves the trade market to fill the void. Looking at the top 20 LHP over the last 2 years, only Dallas Braden (a shoulder injury ended his 2011) looks like he might be made available. Kershaw, Price, Lester, and Gonzalez all figure to stay with the current teams for some time. Obviously, that picture could change over the next year, however it’s just as likely that teams will seek to sign their young talents long-term as it is that additional potential trade targets will emerge. There are some top LHP pitching prospects that could be available, but acquiring one puts the Mets in the same position they are in with Harvey and Wheeler – waiting for them to emerge. Given that uncertainty, signing Wilson makes that much more sense.

Wilson’s enjoyed success pitching for a team that plays its home games in a notorious hitters’ park. That success should continue and maybe even increase with a move to the NL and Citifield. Also, although Wilson will be 31 next season, he’s only been starting for 2 seasons. He likely has a lot more innings on his arm than any other similarly-aged pitcher. Giving him a 4-5 year contract appears to be a lot safer than it might seem.

By coming to the Mets, he immediately provides them with a SP1-level pitcher to front their rotation and take the pressure off the rest of the staff. It also lessens the pressure on Johan Santana to return to form. I don’t expect Johan to return from injury as anything more than a SP2 and even that might be hoping for too much. It’s a shame that his tenure with the Mets did not work out as hoped, however it appears it will be time to turn the page from him after 2012 when his contract should be easier to move. Having C.J. Wilson already on the roster will make that an easier transition.

With regard to the budget, we don't know what the team is truly willing to spend. If Reyes is re-signed it will likely only add $7-$8 million to the payroll over his $11 million salary this year. Carlos Beltran and Fracnsico Rodriguez have been removed from the books, Castillo and Perez's money will come off, and I wouldn't expect Pelfrey to be back next year. Although the Mets won't add all of their savings back into the team, I believe there is enough room to add one additional key contributor with Reyes. Assuming Wilson is signed, that lines up a potential 2013 rotation of Wilson-Harvey-Niese-Wheeler. In total, that staff will likely cost somewhere between $20 and $25 million, leaving plenty of room in the budget to add another SP1 in the 2012-13 offseason. Let’s not completely write off 2012 either – a rotation of Wilson-Santana-Dickey(sporting a 2.85 ERA since 5/20)-Niese-Gee should be an improvement over this year’s pitching. If Santana can come back as an SP2, it would be like adding 2 free agents to the staff. Coupled with an offense that has scored the 6^th most runs in the NL, the Mets could easily be in the Wild Card hunt as early as next year.

State of the System: New York Mets

Quick Look

The 2009 season was an utter disaster for the Mets, as a hobbling roster forced them to christen Citi Field with a profusion of journeymen and end the year with a better record than only 5 teams in the game. If MLB stars like Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, etc. are healthy next year, the Mets will have a much better chance of competing. Their farm system won't be of much assistance, however. After a few respectable prospects, New York's system is devoid of talent.

Top Prospects

Fernando Martinez, of

Age: 21 Level: MLB

Martinez' budding power and potential to hit for a solid average have long made him a touted prospect. Though he just turned 21, Martinez would have already established himself in the majors had it not been for continued injury problems (knee, hand, hamstring, etc.). The 6-1 native of the Dominican Republic signed for $1.3 million in 2005 and played a season in Double-A at age 18. His BB-K track record is mediocre, but he has the quick stroke and power potential to still be an above-average offensive producer. Martinez has slowed down and moved off center field. His throwing needs work, but he could be a pretty good defender on a corner, although he needs to produce big-time to be of use there. After logging 100 plate appearances in the majors this season, Martinez will compete for a job in Spring Training. He is advanced for his age, but has yet to show the durability necessary for a grueling full season.

Ike Davis, 1B

Age: 22 Level: Double-A-Triple-A

Davis, the 18th overall pick in 2008, had an inauspicious debut, going homerless and posting a .652 OPS in the New York-Penn League. The former Arizona State star put to rest doubts about his power in 2009, though, blasting 20 homers while reaching Double-A. Davis, a 6-5 lefty, has at least plus power in the tank. He has the bat speed and lift in his swing to potentially hit 30 homers, and he draws a healthy amount of walks. Davis, who played right field and pitched at ASU, is also a plus defender and has some athleticism. Many question how his approach will fare at the highest level, though, as Davis strikes out in bunches and can get pull-happy. Samesiders give him fits. There have been some rumblings that the Mets might give Davis the big league first base job in 2010, but he'll more likely return to the minors to work on his hittability. If he can cure his K and LHP woes, he'll be an above-average regular.

Jenrry Mejia, rhp

Age: 20 Level: Double-A-Triple-A

Mejia signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2007 with little fanfare. Reaching Double-A as a 19-year-old and flashing dominating stuff has helped him go from a virtual unknown to one of the better pitching prospects in the game. Baseball America ranked Mejia as New York's #1 prospect. His fastball has incredible movement in the low- to mid-90s, and Mejia can dial it up to 98 mph on occasion. His next-best offering is a mid-80s changeup, more notable for its splitter-like drop than a large separation in velocity. Mejia also has a hard curveball, but it's wildly inconsistent. The compact 6-footer does not have a prototypical pitcher's frame, but he is muscular and makes it work. He induces bushels of groundballs. Mejia's biggest pitfalls are a lack of consistency with his offspeed pitches and poor command. His walk rate this year was 9.5%, and his command within the zone is even more erratic. Some suggest he's destined for the bullpen, but Mejia has the raw ingredients to pitch at the front of the rotation. He will split the upcoming campaign between the top two rungs of the minors, with an eye on improving his pitchability. He has ample time for refinement, and will reach the majors in 2011, if not earlier.

Jon Niese, lhp

Age: 23 Level: MLB

Niese was establishing himself in New York's rotation when he severely injured his hamstring in August. He'll be ready in 2010, and should spend his first full year in the majors. Niese's fastball creeps into the low-90s and his big-breaking curveball is his trademark pitch. He also has a solid changeup. Niese's command still needs fine-tuning, and his delivery isn't ideal. He projects as a quality back-of-the-rotation southpaw long-term.

Reese Havens, 2B

Age: 23 Level: High A-Double-A

Havens, a shortstop at South Carolina, shifted to second this year. The 6-1, 195-pounder lacked the range to play short, and he projects as more of a slugging, offensive-oriented keystone sacker than a typical pesky, scrappy type. The lefty-swinger has plus pop, especially for a middle infielder, and should be good for doubles and home runs. He has advanced pitch recognition and exhibits control of the strike zone. His pro BB rate is 12.5%, although he also strikes out a fair amount (and has batted just .247 in his two pro seasons). Havens may not have the quick footwork to play second, but his hands and arm are assets. He has shown injury-prone tendencies in his brief pro career, and needs to shake the injury bug. He also has underachieved at times. Havens is flawed, but his offensive potential and feel for the game give him a solid shot to be an everyday regular.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis, of

Age: 22 Level: High A-Double-A

Nieuwenhuis, an Azusa Pacific (NAIA) product, was a recherché 3rd-round pick in 2008. He has gotten off to a nice professional start, and ranked as the #13 prospect in the Florida State League. The 6-3, 210-pounder has some pop from the left side. He socked 61 extra-base hits this season to go with his .282/.364/.479 line, and he also runs well. Nieuwenhuis currently plays center, but his strong arm makes him a better fit for right in the long run. He plays with an all-out mentality. For all his solid tools, though, Nieuwenhuis swings and misses too often (21.8 pro K%), and needs to cut down his swing to hit at higher levels. His tools aren't overwhelming enough to simply glide to the MLB without making progress with his contact skills. Nieuwenhuis shined in a Double-A cameo at the end of 2009, and it will be fascinating to watch him log a full season at that level this season. He is a sleeper who just popped onto the radar, but I'm cautiously optimistic he can develop into an starting outfielder in the big leagues.

Wilmer Flores, inf

Age: 18 Level: Low A-High A

Flores backers point to his age. The native of Venezuela, who signed for $750,000, held his own (kind of) as a 17-year-old in full-season ball. The 6-3, 175-pounder consistently puts the barrel to the ball and projects for power. He has a strong arm and his hands are fine. On the other hand, however, Flores is a well below-average runner and will not stay at shortstop. He is exceptionally impatient (4.2 BB%) and is unlikely to wind up with high OBPs. He hit just 3 homers this year, though he is young and should get stronger. Flores is 3 or more years from the majors, if he makes it. His contact ability and youth are positives, but I find it hard to get excited about a teenager who is bound to switch positions and rarely gets on via the free pass.

Ruben Tejada, ss/2B

Age: 20 Level: Double-A-Triple-A

Tejada is a classic example of New York's hyper-aggressive promotion philosophy for young prospects: The Panamanian middle infielder played in Double-A as a 19-year-old this year after struggling to a .229/.293/.296 clip in High A in 2008. Tejada finally caught his breath, though, showing excellent maturity and a potential MLB future. The 5-11, 165-pounder has strong contact skills (.289 AVG and 10.7 K% this season), though he needs to show more patience (although a 7.0% full-season walk rate isn't atrocious). Tejada's power is to the gaps at best, and he won't be a true offensive threat at any rate. He does have arm strength and plus potential in the field. He runs well and is a solid basestealer. Tejada, well ahead of the curve but still looking to add polish, will move to Triple-A in 2010.

Josh Thole, c

Age: 23 Level: MLB

Thole's contact ability is brilliant: The 2005 draftee hit over .320 this year and has accumulated less strikeouts than walks at each of his stops in full-season ball. The drawback is that Thole employs a choke-up, pretend-like-there-are-two-strikes, protect-the-plate, dump-a-single-in approach to achieve his results. He seldom drives the ball (multiple homers in only 1 of 5 pro seasons) and his ultimate value is all tied up in his batting average. The 6-1, 205-pounder is a fringy defensive catcher, though he's made steady improvement. He performed well in a late-season call-up this year and should get more MLB playing time in 2010, but it's hard to see him being more than a backup. There's nothing wrong with a lefty bat with great contact skills off the bench, though, and Thole should be that at the very least.

Brad Holt, rhp

Age: 23 Level: Double-A-Triple-A

Holt is primarily a one-pitch pitcher. The 6-4 righty works off a low-90s fastball, and has touched 96 mph. He commands the pitch and it has outstanding life. Holt's secondary stuff is a different matter. The UNC Wilmington product has an inconsistent breaking ball which he struggles to control. His changeup is underdeveloped and ineffective, and his release point varies on all his pitches. Holt breezed through the lower levels of the minors before hitting a wall in Double-A (6.21 ERA and diminished K rate). His projectable, durable frame and dynamite fastball should guarantee him a big league role in some capacity, but I'm very skeptical that Holt will ever improve his secondary pitches to the point where he is a difference-maker.

Others: LHPs Juan Urbina and Steve Matz; RHPs Kyle Allen, Tobi Stoner, and Josh Stinson; OF Cesar Puello

Impact Talent: C

Farm System Depth: D+

2010 Breakout Prospect

Zach Dotson, lhp

Age: 19 Level: none-Low A

The Mets notoriously skimped on the draft this year, but Dotson was one draftee for whom they went over slot to secure. The Georgia prep product signed out of the 13th round for $500,000. Dotson has a nice 3-pitch mix, beginning with a fastball that sits 87-88 and tops out at 91 mph. His curveball and changeup also flash solid potential. I'm not a big fan of Dotson's delivery, but he's still a good pick to start his career off well and perhaps jump into the Mets' Top 10 next year. He will likely pitch in the South Atlantic League in 2010.