A 12 months after choosing pitchers with eight of their first 10 picks, the Mets are coming away with a extra balanced haul on this First-12 months Participant Draft.
After making four Day 1 picks and eight Day 2 picks, the Mets have added six pitchers and 6 place gamers, who’re damaged down right into a catcher, two shortstops, two third basemen and an outfielder.
The membership’s decision-makers signaled, as at all times, that their draft board dictated the picks and never a want for variety, however they did see this assortment coming.
“It’s actually a blended draft,” Tommy Tanous, the Mets vp of novice and worldwide scouting, stated of the expertise obtainable as a complete. “And it seems that’s precisely how we drafted.”
Their first choose Monday, which lined rounds 3-10, was College of Florida righty Brandon Sproat, who has touched 100 mph.
“Excessive-octane stuff,” Tanous stated of the 21-year-old, who pitched to a 3.41 ERA in 89 ²/₃ innings this season. “Not solely is the speed spectacular, what’s extra spectacular is the motion on the fastball — in all probability the very best general motion I’ve seen in the previous few years.”
Different pitchers the Mets chosen embody sixth-rounder Tyler Stuart, a 6-foot-9 righty from the College of Southern Mississippi whose fastball lives round 95 mph and is usually a “versatile starter-bullpen man,” Tanous stated over Zoom.
Their lone highschool pitching choice was Jonah Tong, a righty from Ontario who pitched this 12 months within the MLB Draft League.
“He was pitching towards numerous school guys,” Tanous stated of the seventh-round choose. “He was rated as one of many prime guys by way of knowledge and metrics in that league, which is spectacular for a youthful child. He’s a uniquely athletic child.”
Their first place participant added Monday was fourth-rounder Jacob Reimer, a 6-2, 205-pound third baseman from Yucaipa Excessive Faculty in California.
“It is a energy hitter, and it’s a kind of highschool energy hitters that it’s energy to all fields,” Tanous stated of the 18-year-old righty slugger. “This man’s bat is within the path an terrible very long time. He’s a really younger participant and really robust for his age. He’s nonetheless filling out — very thrilling.”
Fifth-round choose D’Andre Smith is a shortstop from USC, although the Mets pressured he’s defensively versatile.
“Huge-time vitality participant,” stated Marc Tramuta, director of novice scouting. “We love that about him.”
After notably not signing pitcher Kumar Rocker final 12 months, Tanous — including the caveat that there at all times could possibly be an unknown — stated the Mets “plan on signing all of the gamers.”
On Sunday, the Mets chosen Georgia Tech catcher Kevin Parada, highschool shortstop Jett Williams, Tennessee pitcher Blade Tidwell and highschool outfielder Nick Morabito.
Others imported Monday included Creighton pitcher Dylan Tebrake, Kentucky third baseman Chase Estep and Arkansas pitcher Zebulon Vermillion.
