Scouting Notes: Wilfredo Tovar, SS, New York Mets
New York Mets shortstop prospect Wilfredo Tovar makes a strong case for being the best defensive player in the organization.
Scouting Notes: Alonzo Harris, 2B, New York Mets
New York Mets second base prospect Alonzo Harris has the raw tools to warrant being considered a legitimate prospect within the organization. However in the couple of years scouting players in the “Sally”, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a prospect who plays baseball in a manner so completely opposite of his natural abilities. Why [...]
Scouting Report: Jefry Marte, 3B, New York Mets
In reviewing previous pieces about New York Mets third base prospect Jefry Marte, I realized he has been woefully under-covered on Scouting the Sally. While former teammate Wilmer Flores has received multiple full write ups and a plethora of videos, Marte has received much less attention. With only a game report from early 2009 and a few swings worth of video, I felt it was time to compile a full scouting report with video from the 2010 season.
What I Learned Eavesdropping on New Mets Manager Terry Collins
New Mets manager Terry Collins made a handful of trips to Savannah during the 2010 season. And while I never summoned the courage to officially introduce myself, I spent a handful of games sitting directly in front of, or behind Terry Collins as I scouted prospects and took radar gun readings.
Scouting Report v2.0: Cesar Puello, OF, New York Mets
In early May, I penned an initial scouting report on Cesar Puello in the midst of a .249/.336/.302 first half in which the six-foot-two, 220ish pound outfielder did little to warrant the “Hail Caesar” cheers coming from the stands. With a few tweaks in his hitting mechanics, Puello became the talk of the South Atlantic League with a .346/.424/.430 second half prior to an injury which ended his regular season in mid-August. Just how much did his offensive outburst raise his prospect stock? Quite a bit as Puello is now considered one of the top shelf prospects in the organization and was a frequent topic of conversation amongst scouts I speak to.
Scouting Report: Armando Rodriguez, P, New York Mets
Entering the 2010 season, former New York Mets General Manager Omar Minaya compared Armando Rodriguez to Jenrry Mejia, the top pitching prospect in the entire organization. At the time, I considered the comparison pretty silly considering Rodriguez had just received his first taste of full season baseball at nearly two years Mejia’s senior. However, his impressive showing in Savannah late in 2009 earned him a little helium within the organization. While a little old for the South Atlantic League, Rodriguez followed up his 2009 debut by posting a 152/46 K/BB ratio with only 116 hits allowed in nearly 150 inning pitched. Having proven to be a durable minor league pitcher, does Rodriguez have the stuff to project as a big league contributor?
Pulling a “Thole” and More Minor League Memories
I keep this box in my attic of most of the programs and scorecards from my years of being a baseball fan. Every October, I bring the box down, go through the contents, add stuff that I accumulated throughout the season and then put the box back into the attic.
Swing Mechanics Sound Off!
Maybe I’m crazy, but when I first saw the size and swing of New York Mets prospect Aderlin Rodriguez, Mike Stanton popped into my head. This isn’t to say they are equal prospects by any means as Stanton is stronger, more coordinated, and has better bat speed. But if Stanton projects to be a superstar in his early twenties, isn’t any prospect who strikes even the vaguest of similarities worth mentioning? I would think so.
New York Mets Wilmer Flores Heads the List for Top “Sally” Third Base Prospects
2010 was a good year for the South Atlantic League in terms of third base prospects as a plethora of young Latin American talents worked their way into and through the league. Additionally, the league played host to first round pick Kolbrin Vitek for the last couple week of the season, as well as 2009 second round Nolan Arenado, who has the best power/contact combination of any bat in the league.
Scouting Report: Aderlin Rodriguez, 3B, New York Mets
Entering 2010, I told a number of contacts to keep an eye on Aderlin Rodriguez as a yardstick of whether or not the New York Mets would continue to aggressively push young, Latin American prospects. Selfish me wanted to see what Rodriguez could do in full season baseball at the tender age of 18, but after seeing both Jefry Marte and Wilmer Flores struggle mightily in 2009, the smart move was to start him in short season. In making the correct decision, the Mets watched Rodriguez explode in Kingsport by posting a .312/.352/.556 line earning a promotion to Savannah in a preview of 2011.