Mets Top Prospect Watch: Ronny Mauricio on fire, Anthony Kay remains dominant

Plus updates on Gimenez, Vientos, Newton, Peterson, Woods Richardson, and Szapucki

6/10/2019, 4:00 PM
Ronny Mauricio / Tom Priddy, Four Seam Images
Ronny Mauricio / Tom Priddy, Four Seam Images

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Mets' top prospects (their MLB.com Mets Top 10 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Andres Gimenez, SS, Double-A Binghamton (No. 1) -- ETA 2020

The 20-year-old Gimenez -- who is the Mets' No. 1 prospect now that Pete Alonso's prospect status has expired -- was placed on the IL last Sunday after getting hit in the hand by a pitch.

After opening the season by hitting .283/.345/.453 over his first 12 games, Gimenez has slumped for the most part. He had just five hits in his last 28 at-bats before landing on the IL, and is hitting just .232/.305/.333 in 45 games this season. 

Ronny Mauricio, SS, Low-A Columbia (No. 2) -- ETA 2022

The 18-year-old Mauricio has been on fire lately, with 13 hits in his last 30 at-bats and is now hitting .293/.335/.386 with two homers, two triples, and 10 doubles in 53 games this season. 

Mauricio, who is roughly three years younger than the average player in his league, is the No. 68 prospect in baseball, according to FanGraphs. If he performs well this summer, look for his name to be on most Top 100 lists.

Mauricio, a switch-hitter who the Mets gave $2.1 million in 2017 as an international free agent, was recently named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team.

Mark Vientos, 3B, Low-A Columbia (No. 3) -- ETA 2021

After a torrid stretch in May, Vientos -- who has the potential to be the Mets' long-term third baseman -- has cooled a bit, with just five hits in his last 29 at-bats. Overall this season, the 19-year-old is hitting .244/.291/.378 with five homers and 11 doubles in 53 games.

"With bat speed and strength, Vientos produces exit velocities that are among the best in the system, up there with the likes of slugger Peter Alonso," MLB.com notes in their scouting report. 

Shervyen Newton, SS, Low-A Columbia (No. 4) -- ETA 2022

After an almost impossibly bad start to his season (he was hitting .078 on May 12), Newton has gotten on track but is still only hitting .199/.273/.301 with two homers, one triple, and six doubles in 39 games. 

The 19-year-old Newton shows "a very advanced approach at the plate for a prospect his age," according to MLB.com's scouting report. He hit .280/.408/.449 with with five homers, 16 doubles, and two triples in 56 games last season for Rookie level Kingsport.

David Peterson, LHP, Double-A Binghamton (No. 5) -- ETA 2020

After four consecutive starts where he allowed one or zero runs, Peterson has gotten touched up a bit lately, allowing four runs (three earned) in 4.2 innings on May 29 and giving up five runs in 4.2 innings on June 4. 

Overall, the 23-year-old has a 4.70 ERA and 1.63 WHIP with 54 strikeouts in 46 innings (10 starts) this season. 

Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, Low-A Columbia (No. 6) -- ETA 2022

The 18-year-old started the season in utterly dominant fashion (allowing two runs over his first five starts) before hitting a rough patch (allowing five runs in four consecutive starts).

Since then, he has settled in, and was dominant in his start on June 3, tossing 5.0 hitless innings while walking one and striking out eight. 

The Mets' second-round pick (No. 48) in the 2018 draft, Woods Richardson has one of the most electric arms in the system, with a fastball that reaches as high as 97 MPH and had Mickey Callaway raving during Spring Training.

Similar to Ronny Mauricio, look for Woods Richardson to get some love on Top 100 Prospect lists later this season if he excels. 

MetsBlog contributor Joe DeMayo recently profiled Woods Richardson here.

Anthony Kay, LHP, Double-A Binghamton (No. 7) -- ETA Late-2019

Kay, who has been toying with hitters in Binghamton and recently vaulted into the Baseball America Top 100 list, had another stellar outing during his most recent start. He tossed 5.1 scoreless innings while allowing three hits, walking two, and striking out nine in 5.1 innings on June 8. Overall this season, Kay has a 1.49 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with 70 strikeouts in 66.1 innings (12 starts).

Unless the Mets are planning to promote Kay directly from Double-A to the majors, a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse seems overdue at this point. 

Kay could potentially help the Mets later this season, and was recently profiled here.

Thomas Szapucki, LHP, Low-A Columbia (No. 8) -- ETA 2021 

Now recovered from Tommy John surgery, the 22-year-old Szapucki -- whose innings are being increased very slowly -- fired 2.0 scoreless innings while allowing one hit, walking two and striking out three on June 6. He has allowed two runs in 10.1 innings (five starts, two relief appearances) this season. 

Aside from perhaps Simeon Woods Richardson, it can be argued that Szapucki has the highest upside of any starting pitcher in the Mets' farm system. 

"His explosive fastball is electric with plus life, and he throws it in the 92-97 mph range," according to MLB.com's scouting report. "His power breaking ball can be a second plus pitch which freezes hitters and misses bats."

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