Mets Top Prospect Watch: Ronny Mauricio stays hot, Anthony Kay makes Triple-A debut

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

6/17/2019, 3:15 PM
undefinedTom Priddy, Four Seam Images
undefinedTom 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 -- missed just over 10 days after getting hit in the hand by a pitch, and returned over the weekend.

In his first game back, Gimenez went 1-4 and is now hitting .232/.303/.343 with two homers, three triples, and eight doubles in 46 games this season. 

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

The 18-year-old Mauricio has been hitting at a strong clip since the end of May, as he's raised his triple slash from .270.322/.346 to .290/.333/.394. In 59 games this season (241 at-bats), Mauricio has two homers, three triples, and 13 doubles. 

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.

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

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

After a brief cold snap, Vientos -- who has a chance to be the Mets' long-term answer at third base -- got back on track on Sunday, going 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Overall, he is hitting .240/.286/.364 with 5 homers and 12 doubles in 59 games this season. 

"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

Newton was hitting just .078 roughly three weeks into the season, and is now hitting .195/.275/.299 with two homers, one triple, and eight doubles in 45 games this season. 

The 20-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

Peterson has struggled over his last three starts, allowing 13 runs (12 earned) in 15.2 innings as his ERA has risen from 3.93 to 4.82.

The 23-year-old has a 1.57 WHIP and has struck out 59 in 52.1 innings (11 starts) this season. 

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

After two consecutive dominant starts (where he tossed 10 shutout innings while allowing just three hits, walking two, and striking out 16), Woods Richardson allowed two runs in 4.1 innings while walking three and striking out five on Sunday. Both runs scored after he was lifted for a reliever.

Overall this season, the 18-year-old -- who allowed just two runs over his first four starts before hitting a rough patch and then rounding back into form -- has a 5.26 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 65 strikeouts in 49.2 innings (14 starts). 

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 was toying with hitters in Binghamton and recently vaulted into the Baseball America Top 100 list, made his debut with Triple-A Syracuse on June 14, allowing five runs on six hits while walking one and striking out six in 4.0 innings.

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 23-year-old Szapucki -- whose innings and pitch counts are being increased very slowly -- allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits while walking none and striking out two in 2.0 innings on Sunday while throwing a season-high 45 pitches. 

Overall this season, Szapucki has a 2.45 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 18 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. 

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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