State of the Mets Minors in July
Francisco Álvarez (Getty Images)
Besides the season itself, Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is one of the most beloved aspects of the game. Fans generate proposals - some more logical than others - while analysts and beat writers attempt to configure what a team will do at the deadline.
To fans and analysts alike, what the New York Mets will do is obvious.
With a 63-37 record and holes in the lineup and bullpen, the Mets are buyers. Yet lost in this conversation is not who New York targets but who they might have to depart with.
Often, those players departing the organization are unknown to fans. These prospects are lodged in the farm system and tucked away from the eyes of the public. So for those fans, here is an overview of the status of the Mets’ minor leagues before the month ends and the deadline arrives.
Starting in Triple-A Syracuse, fans will find two of the Mets’ top four prospects, catcher Francisco Álvarez and third baseman Mark Vientos.
The two players represent an interesting dichotomy. Having played 70 games out of a possible 94 games with Syracuse, Vientos is the established star. With solid offensive numbers at 24-years-of-age, he represents the prototypical older prospect just on the cusp. Something Mets General Manager Billy Eppler confirmed when he described a callup for Vientos as “close.”
With a .313/.329/.582 slash line and a .911 on-base plus slugging (OPS) in July, it’s easy to see what gives Eppler such confidence. However, the confidence may also stem from Vientos’ selection to the 2022 Futures Game and his ability to do what the big league club has struggled to do: Hit left-handers. Against south-paws, Vientos has a .318 batting average and a 1.086 OPS, which is the best in the entire International League. Likewise, his 10 home runs and 29 runs-batted-in (RBI) against lefties also lead the International League.
While there are concerns about the third baseman’s 32.3 percent strikeout percentage, a promotion for Vientos makes sense if the Mets can’t find another bat. Especially considering the bat they’ve acquired, Daniel Vogelbach, has a career .137 batting average and a .489 OPS against left-handers. If the Mets cannot find another capable bat at the deadline, expect Vientos to get the callup from Syracuse.
Having played 11 games with the club since his June 3 promotion, Álvarez is the newcomer in Syracuse. Though fans hope to see a big league promotion for Álvarez sometime this season, his sluggish start in Triple-A could spell the opposite. In his 11 games with Syracuse, Álvarez has a .132 batting average, a .340 on-base percentage (OBP), and a .290 slugging percentage for a .629 OPS, which is a far cry from his success down in Double-A.
That said, there are signs of life. Álvarez hit his first home run - a grand slam - on June 23, has six RBIs in his last five games, and has shown excellent discipline. The catcher has 10 walks and a 20.8 percent walk percentage in his first 11 games. In other words, the pitching upgrade has overpowered Álvarez, but it’s yet to break him.
While Álvarez and Vientos have generated plenty of chatter in Syracuse, third baseman Brett Baty is having a season and a month to remember in Double-A.
In July, the 2019 first-rounder has a .359 average, a .432 OBP, and a 1.060 OPS with five home runs, six doubles, and 16 RBIs. His success this month has raised his batting average this season from .281 to .301 and his OPS from .834 to .892. Even more impressive is Baty’s 142 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) is tied for fourth in the Eastern League.
To say Baty has bloomed into his potential would be an understatement. He’s now the 19th-best prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com’s updated rankings, and will most likely climb that list even more this upcoming offseason.
Though Baty may take longer than Álvarez and Vientos to reach the majors, the three headline a top-heavy but adequate farm system full of future impact players.
One player headed in the wrong direction is Baty’s teammate, shortstop Ronny Mauricio. The 21-year-old has a .244/.281/.467 slash line with a .748 OPS on the season, but his recent play has caused his reputation to recede. With a .196/.226/.373 slash line and a .599 OPS, July has been the worst month of Mauricio’s 2022 season. Yet after returning from a hand injury earlier this month, those numbers are starting to point in the right direction. Mauricio has hits in eight of his last 10 games and has hit .286 during that span to help stem the tide.
Other players to keep an eye out for in the future or at the trade deadline are outfielder Alex Ramirez and pitcher José Butto.
At 19 years old and only recently beginning his career in Advanced A-ball, Ramirez is several years away from reaching the big-league club. That should not diminish his performance this season, however. Across two leagues, Ramirez has posted a .284/.356/.448 slash line with eight home runs and 50 RBIs.
And while Ramirez has succeeded with his bat in Brooklyn, Butto has done so with his arm. The right-hander has a 2.98 earned run average (ERA) with 0.93 walks and hits per inning pitched over four appearances. Given his low-ceiling yet strong play, Butto could be dealt at the trade deadline in return for a major league bat or arm.
