(Jacob Resnick/Mets Minors)
30. OF Jose Medina
Ht. 6’3” Wt. 180 Level: Columbia, St. Lucie, Brooklyn
B/T: R/R Age: 10/21/96 (20) Age Dif: -1.0 (Brooklyn)
Acquired: Signed as an IFA in 2013 from the Dominican Republic
2017 Stats: 59 G, 233 PA, 212 AB, 32 R, 55 H, 7 2B, 3 3B, HR, 14 RBI, 21 SB, 2 CS, .259/.315/.335
Previous Rank: 76
Profile: Medina showed an advanced approach for a 19 year old in the Appalachian League. That approach led the Mets giving the lanky 20 year old right fielder an assignment to Columbia to start the season. After a hot start there, he was assigned to St. Lucie where he struggled mightily. The Mets demoted Medina to Brooklyn when the New York Penn League season began.
The season started extremely well with Medina hitting .295/.354/.432 with a double, triple, homer, and four RBI while being a perfect 6/6 in stolen base attempts in his first 11 games. Since that time, he has bounced between Columbia, St. Lucie, and Brooklyn getting uneven results at each stop. Right now, he is in Brooklyn, which is probably where he needs to be. While in Brooklyn, we have seen Medina get on base at a good .349 clip and be able to ulitize his speed both in the field and on the base paths.
Ultimately, it has been an uneven season for the 20 year old, which is to be expected. What is important is Medina has shown flashes of being a good hitter and an even better fielder. What is more important is he continues to build upon what he has learned to become a better player in the second half of the season.
(Jacob Resnick/Mets Minors)
29. RHP Harol Gonzalez
Ht: 6’0″ Wt: 170 Level: Columbia
B/T: R/R Age: 3/2/95 (22) Age Dif: 0.1
Acquired: Signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2013
2017 Stats: 7-7, 3.90 ERA, 17 G, 17 GS, 3 CG, 108.1 IP, 1.320 WHIP, 6.6 K/9
Previous Rank: 25
Profile: The 2016 New York-Penn League ERA and strikeouts leader has found a tougher go of it in the Sally League this year. The main reason seems to be his fastball that tops out at 94 MPH is just not missing bats the way it did last year. Same goes for his secondary pitches, which last year seemed advanced for someone at this stage of his development.
Before overreacting to these struggles, there are still some positive signs for him. He is still a workhorse in the rotation that eats up a lot of innings. In all but three of his 16 starts, he has pitched at least six innings, and his two complete games are the second most in the Sally League. A big reason why Gonzalez has lasted long in these games is he attacks the strike zone aggressively. Of course, the downside of that this season has been more advanced players are making contact, and they have a .315 BABIP against him.
Another big reason for his struggles has been the home run rate. Whereas Gonzalez’s ground ball to fly ball rate was 1.58 last year, it is now at 1.17. That change is indicative of player’s ability to not only make better contact with his pitches, but their ability to drive it somewhere. So far this season, he has allowed 10 homers, which is eight more than he allowed all of last year.
Recently, Gonzalez seemingly has made the necessary adjustments to succeed at this level. Over his last three starts, he is 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA, 0.875 WHIP, and a 7.5 K/9. In this stretch, he has still been a bit susceptible to the long ball, but in sum, Gonzalez has shown the ability to go deep into games and put up quality starts again.
Photo By Ernest Dove
28. 3B Jhoan Urena
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 230 2016 Level: St. Lucie
B/T: S/R Age: 9/1/1994 (22) Age Dif: -1.7
Acquired: Signed as international free agent by Mets, Sept. 8, 2011
2016 Statistics: 100 G, 428 PA, 375 AB, 59 R, 109 H, 30 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 15 SB, 3 CS, .291/.374/.437
Previous Rank: 41
Profile: The 2016 season was an important one for Urena as he was able to play an entire season with St. Lucie after he suffered two broken hamate bones in 2015. Still, with him only hitting .225/.301/.350 in 383 at-bats, he did not show the Mets enough to give him a promotion to Double-A Binghamton. Another consideration for having him repeat St. Lucie was the presence of another third base prospect, Thompson, in Binghamton.
With last year being the year, Urena proved he could be healthy, this is the year he is proving he can hit. With him playing about half a season, he has already surpassed his career highs in doubles and extra-base hits. He is only two off of his career high in homers. He has stolen as many bases as he has in his prior three seasons combined. Overall, he is once again establishing himself as the hitter with an advanced approach at the plate with promising power.
The one downside of his season is he is still struggling as a third baseman. While fielding percentage may not be the best indicator of a player’s true talent level his .914 fielding percentage at third base is jarring. As a result, Urena has once again found himself getting more and more playing time away from third base. For the second straight year, he is getting exposure at first base, and for the first time in his professional career, the Mets are working him out in left field, which may ultimately prove to be his best position.
At this point, Urena has proved all he can prove in St. Lucie as a hitter. The best explanation at this point why he is not in Double-A is probably because the team is still looking for a position to stick his bat.
Photo by Al Rabon
27. 3B David Thompson
Ht: 6’0″ Wt: 220 B/T: R/R Level: Binghamton
Age: 8/28/1993 (23) Age Dif: -1.2
Acquired: Drafted in the 4th round of the 2015 Amateur Draft from University of Miami
2016 Statistics: 96 G, 383 PA, 342 AB, 44 R, 84 H, 21 2B, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 6 SB, 4 CS, .246/.313/.377
Previous Rank: 24
Profile: In his brief professional career, there have been issues raised about Thompson’s ability to stick at third base. The concerns were rooted in the belief that he had neither the arm strength nor the power to profile at the position. Surgery to repair a torn labrum and surgery to alleviate the effects of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in consecutive seasons have not done much to quite those critics.
After a slow start, Thompson showed the skills that could quiet some of those critics. During the Month of June, Thompson is hit .307/.386/.545 with nine doubles, four homers, and 14 RBI in 27 games. This is indicative of the better baseball he has been playing in Double-A after an adjustment period in April. In May and June, he hit .292/.374/.485 with 15 doubles, six homers, and 29 RBI. Additionally, in the field, Thompson has shown enough arm strength to allow him to stick at the position.
Even with that good stretch, there is once again some concern with Thompson. In the Month of July, he has regressed to his April form hitting just .210/.270/.296. Part of these struggles is a low .254 BABIP. Another part is his striking out at an extraordinarily high rate (20%). For a player who has shown once already he can adjust at this level and be a good hitter, he needs to do it again.
Ultimately, the Mets have a number of question marks at the third base position across the entire organization. Uneven play from Thompson does little to present a solution. However, he has flashed all the tools necessary to be a good third baseman. Once again, he needs to make the necessary adjustments. Once that happens, he should be back on track as the Mets best internal third baseman of the future.
26. SS Ronny Mauricio
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 165 lb.
B/T: S/R Age: 4/4/2001 (15)
Acquired: International Free Agent signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 ($2.1 million bonus)
Previous Rank: NR
Profile: The Mets were such believers in Mauricio that they gave him a team record signing bonus. His $2.1 million signing bonus eclipsed the previous record holder, Amed Rosario, who received $1.75 million from the Mets. If Rosario’s status as the best prospect in baseball is any indicator, Mauricio is going to have big things ahead of him.
The developing player has a smooth glove, a strong arm, and he is a promising hitter from both sides of the plate. Overall, he has the tools to be an outstanding player, and he is quite possible in the organization best suited to letting him reach his full potential.
