Mets Top 20 prospects for the 2022 season

The Mets' two picks heading into the 2022 MLB Draft will be No. 11, which is the compensatory pick for not signing 2021 first-rounder Kumar Rocker, as well as their own selection at No. 14. 

The Mets, who did not sign any free agents who were attached to draft pick compensation, were able to make significant additions who could have a big impact on the team's success in 2022, while also maintaining their big draft pool for next year.

Right now, I would rank the team’s farm system in the 19-to-21 range in baseball. The top talent, who you will read about below, is on par with almost any organization in baseball. The system simply is lacking in depth at this time.

A big factor for the lack of depth is the amount of prospects who have been traded over the last two-to-three years. You can talk about the Jarred Kelenic types, but the Mets also traded prospect depth for bench bats like Keon Broxton and Jake Marisnick at one time.

They are going to have the opportunity to juice up this farm system in a big way, with the likelihood of having six of the top 100 picks in what is considered a stronger and deeper 2022 draft. If the scouting department led by Tommy Tanous and Marc Tramuta is able to have a successful draft, this farm system can go from the bottom 10 to much closer to the top 10 really quickly.

Without further ado, here are SNY’s top 20 Mets prospects heading into 2022:

1. C Francisco Alvarez

Alvarez is unanimously considered to be among the top 10 prospects in all of baseball after a season where he had a .941 OPS with 24 home runs across 99 games between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn. His power gets 70 grades from some scouts, where he was hitting home runs to the Cyclone roller coaster on Coney Island. He hit a bit of a wall in July, which is common for young catchers in their first full professional season. We often forget 2021 was his first full season.

He bounced back and ended the season strong, which has the Mets excited. He still needs work on his receiving and blocking skills, but the expectation is he will stick behind the plate long term with a strong throwing arm. He has legit All-Star potential.

MLB ETA: 2023

2. 3B/LF Brett Baty

Baty is a pure hitter with plus raw power that has not been applied in-game at the level that is expected as of yet. He barrels the ball consistently gap to gap with high exit velocities. He has plus pitch recognition skills and the ability to sit back on off-speed pitches and hit them with authority. He has made some swing adjustments that should allow some more loft in his swing, and some of those 22 doubles he hit will turn into home runs.

Defensively he has made strides and some scouts have told me they believe he will be able to stick at third base. The Mets have also given him some reps in left field to increase his versatility. He made the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars team after hitting .292 with a .373 on-base percentage in 25 games. I project him to be an above average regular with a chance for much more.

MLB ETA: 2022

3. SS Ronny Mauricio

Mauricio tapped into power in a big way in 2021, slugging 20 home runs in 108 games between High-A and Double-A. He needs work on his pitch recognition skills as evidenced by his .296 on-base percentage. His future defensive home is often a discussion, with third base and recently center field being talked about as potential spots.

MLB ETA: 2023

4. 3B/LF/1B Mark Vientos

Vientos may have had the most growth of any prospect in the system in 2021. He improved in every facet of the offensive side of the ball. He made more contact, improved his pitch recognition skills, and had a massive power season, slugging 25 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A. He consistently hits the ball harder than anyone in the system. His long-term defensive home remains a question. The Mets had him play third, first and left field this year. I think Vientos is closer to the Baty/Mauricio group than is talked about.

MLB ETA: 2022

5. RHP J.T Ginn

The Mets drafted Ginn just a couple months after his getting Tommy John surgery in his final year at Mississippi State. He had a successful first full professional season with a 3.03 ERA in 92 innings across 18 starts. When he is fully right, he has turbo sink going up to 97 mph with a wipeout slider and a work-in-progress change-up that he gets some natural fade on. He spent the year building up arm strength, and at the end of the season, he was back touching 95-96 mph. This is a great sign heading into 2022, when I expect him to start in Double-A.

MLB ETA: 2023

6. RHP Matt Allan

Allan has the potential to be as high as No. 2 on this list. The issue is he has only thrown 10.1 professional innings since being picked in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2021 and is expected to miss most, if not all of, the 2022 season. When he is right, he has No. 2 starter-type potential. It just will be a very long gap between the last time he pitched and the next time he does.

MLB ETA: 2025

7. OF Alex Ramirez

Ramirez has been described to me as a “tool shed” with the best chance to represent all five tools in the Mets system. He had an up-and-down season in Low-A, which is what you would expect from a raw 18-year-old. But this is a true center fielder with exciting offensive potential who has the chance to make a good jump in next year’s prospect list.

MLB ETA: 2024

8. OF Khalil Lee

A lot of Mets fans think of Lee as the guy who struggled mightily in his cup of coffee in the big leagues. However, he went back to Triple-A and had a fantastic season. He ended up leading the Triple-A East League in both on-base percentage and wRC+. He can play all three outfield spots and has a plus arm. On the bases he did not steal much in 2021, but in 2019 he stole 53 bases for the Royals organization. He has a chance to compete for a major league bench spot on Opening Day, but he does have everyday outfielder potential.

MLB ETA: Already made his debut

9. RHP Calvin Ziegler

The Mets believe they got good value when they landed Ziegler in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. The Canadian born Ziegler sports a three-pitch-mix with a fastball that will touch 97 mph with 100 percent spin efficiency. He has a good feel for his curve and needs work on his changeup and overall command. The organization likes his athleticism on the mound, similar to former Mets second rounder Simeon Woods Richardson. They believe he has a future as a big-league starter.

MLB ETA: 2025

10. RHP Robert Dominguez

Dominguez is a huge arm with a very wide range of potential outcomes. He has a fastball that will touch 99 mph and a feel for a breaking ball. He struggled in a 12-inning stint in the Florida Complex League in Port St. Lucie this summer. There is a lot of potential here for the 20-year-old, but the 2022 season will be a telling sign if he moves up this list or down.

MLB ETA: 2024

11. RHP Dominic Hamel

The Mets selected Hamel in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Dallas Baptist, where he was described to me as a spin-rate monster. He shows plus spin rates on his fastball that will touch 96 and a low-80s slider. Hamel gets natural movement on his change-up, but needs more consistency with that pitch. If he puts it all together, he could be a No. 4 type of starter. If he only ends up with a reliable two-pitch-mix, he could potentially be a multi-inning reliever.

MLB ETA: 2024

12. RHP José Butto

The Mets added Butto to the 40-man-roster this winter to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. He may not have the upside that some others on this list have, but he made real progress upon his promotion to Double-A Binghamton. He throws a mostly low 90s fastball that has touched 96 with the best change-up in the organization. He looks the part of a back-end starter who could potentially provide starting pitching depth sooner than later.

MLB ETA: 2022

13. OF Carlos Cortes

Cortes is a natural hitter packed into a 5-foot-7, 195-pound frame. He has a big effort swing that leans power over contact that led to 26 doubles and 14 home runs in 79 games with Double-A Binghamton. He is ambidextrous, throwing left-handed from the outfield and right-handed from the infield. However, the Mets played Cortes exclusively in the outfield in 2021. It will be interesting to see if they end up giving him reps in the infield again come spring training.

Cortes could end up a power bat off the bench who can play a couple of different defensive positions. He was not protected this winter on the 40-man-roster and will be eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft, if there is one, when the lockout ends.

MLB ETA: 2023

14. INF Jaylen Palmer

Palmer attended Holy Cross High School in Flushing and was a 22^nd round pick by the Mets in 2018. He is a very good athlete who stole 30 bases in 105 games between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn. He has versatility having played second base, third base and all three outfield spots this season.

He has a lot of development to go as a hitter, having struck out 146 times in those 105 games. If he is able to make more consistent contact, he has the potential to be a utility player who can play all over the diamond and run off the bench.

MLB ETA: 2024

15. RHP Junior Santos

Santos is listed at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, and still needs work on repeating his delivery. But he has a fastball that hits 95, and this year transitioned from a slider to a curveball, where he shows an ability to spin the ball. His third pitch is a change-up that needs a ton of work. I project Santos as a potential future reliever who should be able to use his height to his advantage.

MLB ETA: 2024

16. OF Nick Plummer

Plummer was the Mets’ first major league contract signing of the 2021 offseason. He was a former first round pick of the Cardinals back in 2015. He shows strong on-base skills, and after spending time in the Cardinals’ hitting lab, tapped into some more power hitting 15 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A. I think he likely profiles best as a potential fourth outfielder, and he should get the chance to compete for that role in spring training this coming season.

MLB ETA: 2022

17. OF Jake Mangum

Mangum, like Plummer, likely projects best as a fourth outfielder. He added more pop to his game this year, but the all-time SEC hits leader’s offensive game is based upon contact and speed. He is a fantastic glove in center field and is capable to play the other outfield spots. He brings the grinder mentality that really fits on a major league bench.

MLB ETA: 2022

18. LHP Thomas Szapucki

Szapucki was often ranked inside of the top 10 prospects, but I think those days are behind us. He underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery that ended his 2021 season. It is the opinion of some in the game that the Mets should scrap Szapucki as a starter and just convert him to a two-pitch reliever with his fastball that will touch 95 and plus spin rate breaking ball.

MLB ETA: Already made his debut

19. RHP Dedniel Nunez

The Mets lost Nunez to the Giants in the Rule 5 Draft last year. He was impressing in Giants spring training, touching 100 mph, but underwent Tommy John surgery. He was returned to the Mets this offseason when the Giants had a 40-man-roster crunch. He may miss most of 2022, but the potential to be a back-end starter or a power reliever is enticing.

MLB ETA: 2023

20. RHP Joel Diaz

The Mets signed Diaz in the 2020-2021 international signing class. He posted a 0.54 ERA in 50.1 innings in the Dominican Summer League. He is a strike thrower who will touch 96 mph to go with an above average change-up and has feel for a curveball. He is a bit of a pop-up prospect who has a wide range of outcomes, but we can look a year from now and he could be a good amount higher than this.

MLB ETA: 2025