The Mets have traded lots of potential impact prospects over the last year, and the team has gone about re-stocking its farm system, which included having a very aggressive MLB Draft this past June.
Here's how the Mets' Top 20 prospects rank in advance of the 2020 season...
1. SS Ronny Mauricio (ETA 2022)
The Mets signed Mauricio for $2.1 million in 2017. I don't think anyone will have a different prospect ranked number one in the system. He is how you'd want to build them at 6-foot-3 with a very projectable build. As he adds size and strength he is expected to be able to tap into plus power. Mauricio had a solid year in 2019 as an 18-year-old in Low-A Columbia against much older competition. Scouts believe he will be able to stick at shortstop, but if he had to go to third base that would be no issue with his soft hands and strong arm. Mauricio has All Star upside and the potential to be one of the better prospects in all of baseball.
2. SS Andres Gimenez (ETA 2020)
The Mets signed Gimenez in 2015 for $1.2 million. Some have been down on Gimenez due to an underwhelming 2019 campaign with Double-A Binghamton. While I don't see an All Star type player here, I think you have an everyday type of player at either shortstop or second base who is a high contact hitter with some speed. There have been comparisons to Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez. Finding a way to fit Gimenez in might be complicated with Amed Rosario and Robinson Cano here, but Gimenez can play. He has dominated the Arizona Fall League so far.
3. RHP Matthew Allan (ETA 2023)
The Mets drafted Allan in the 3rd round of the 2019 MLB Draft. I am sticking to my draft board here. I had Allan higher on my board than I did Baty, thus I am going to rank him ahead of Baty despite being drafted later. Allan was only drafted later due to signability, and credit to the Mets for being able to sign him. He has the build, the delivery and the stuff to be a front of the rotation big-league starter.
4. 3B Brett Baty (ETA 2023)
The Mets drafted Baty in the 1st round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He has a plus bat with power to all fields but dominated the high school level at 19 years old, which dinged him some with scouts. But he also dominated the year before when he was age appropriate. Baty's first taste of pro ball was a mixed bag, but he has the potential to be an everyday third baseman who could hit in the middle of the order.
5. C Francisco Alvarez (ETA 2023)
The Mets signed Alvarez for a franchise record 2.7 million in 2018. He was always considered a high-upside player, but scouts were shocked at how ready he was both offensively and defensively for pro ball. He posted an .820 OPS at 17 years old with Kingsport in a league that is inhabited a lot by players older than him. Alvarez has All Star potential.
6. LHP David Peterson (ETA 2020)
The Mets drafted Peterson in the 1st round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Peterson's slider improved this summer and he still has quality command and an above average changeup to go with his fastball. Has performed well in the Arizona Fall League and should begin 2020 in Triple-A Syracuse. Peterson is the best young starting pitcher that could potentially pitch for the Mets in 2020.
7. 3B Mark Vientos (ETA 2022)
The Mets drafted Vientos in the 2nd round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He was named the Mets hitter of the year after hitting 12 home runs for Low-A Columbia. Vientos has real above average to almost plus raw power. He needs some mechanical work with his swing and to make more consistent contact. Vientos is a modern-day power-over-contact hitter with legit 30 home run upside.
8. LHP Thomas Szapucki (ETA 2021)
The Mets drafted Szapucki in the 5th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He was considered a prospect with maybe as much as a No. 2 type starter upside before getting Tommy John surgery and missing 2018. In 2019, he came back and pitched at three levels, reaching Double-A before being shut down due to innings. Some have dropped him further than this, but his stuff improved throughout the summer and I am excited to follow his 2020 where he likely is allowed more innings.
9. RHP Josh Wolf (ETA 2024)
The Mets drafted Wolf in the 2nd round of the 2019 MLB Draft. His stuff ticked up this year as a high school senior and is up to 97 mph on his fastball with an above average curve with plus upside.
10. LHP Kevin Smith (ETA 2020)
The Mets drafted Smith in the 7th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He made it to Double-A Binghamton this past season. Not a hard thrower but has a tough to pick up delivery and an above average slider. Smith is experienced as a starter and reliever and could be either a No. 4 or No. 5 type starter or a good bullpen piece.
11. RHP Franklyn Kilome (ETA 2021)
The Mets acquired Kilome from the Phillies for Asdrubal Cabrera in 2018. He missed the entire 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery. The expectation is Kilome will be good to go for spring training and look to re-establish himself as a prospect.
12. INF Shervyen Newton (ETA 2023)
Newton was signed out of the Netherlands in 2015. I was very excited to see Newton with Low-A Columbia this year and he had some hot streaks but generally it was a tough year for him. He's still a good athlete with some power, but 2020 is a big year for Newton as a prospect.
13. RHP Junior Santos (ETA 2023)
The Mets signed Santos in 2017 for $275,000 and it might end up a steal. He is 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds with two potential plus pitches and throws strikes. Santos may have as much potential as any arm in the system.
14. OF Freddy Valdez (ETA 2024)
The Mets signed Valdez for $1.45 million in 2018 out of the Dominican Republic. He already shows above average raw power with the belief he can grow into more. Some scouts have compared his upside to being a player like former White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye.
15. RHP Jordan Humphreys (ETA 2021)
The Mets drafted Humphreys in the 18th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He missed 2018 due to Tommy John surgery and missed almost all of 2019 due to fixing the ulnar nerve in his right elbow. He's looked good and healthy in the Arizona Fall League. I believe he still has No. 4 starter upside.
16. RHP Dedniel Nunez (ETA 2021)
The Mets signed Nunez out of the Dominican Republic in 2016 and he really burst onto the prospect scene in 2019. He has two above average pitches -- a fastball which he can reach back and get 95 mph and a curveball. Nunez throws strikes and the development of his changeup will determine if his future is as a starter or a reliever.
17. RHP Ryley Gilliam (ETA 2020)
The Mets drafted Gilliam in the 5th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He was considered likely the quickest riser in the entire draft class. In his first pro season he made it all the way to Triple-A but struggled some on the mound as well as due to injury. He has been healthy and has only allowed 1 run over 8.1 innings with two walks and 10 strikeouts in the Arizona Fall League. Has set-up man type upside written all over him. Could impact big league team in 2020.
18. RHP Tony Dibrell (ETA 2021)
The Mets drafted Dibrell in the 4th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He was compared to Edwin Jackson coming out of Kennesaw State. Dibrell ad a great half in High-A St Lucie in 2019 and struggled in his first taste of Double-A. I still believe he can be a back-end starter type.
19. 2B Carlos Cortes (ETA 2021)
The Mets drafted Cortes in the 3rd round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He has a smaller build but has real thump in his bat, producing high exit velocities this year for High-A St Lucie. Cortes should be able to play both second base and left field and is ambidextrous. When in the infield he throws right-handed and in the outfield he throws left-handed.
20. OF Jake Mangum (ETA 2022)
The Mets drafted Mangum in the 4th round in the 2019 MLB Draft. I believe he will be the first from the draft class to reach the big leagues. He is a true center fielder with a strong arm and is one of the best gamers/leaders I have seen drafted by the Mets in some time. I believe he has a floor of a fourth outfielder.