51s roster almost complete, headlined by Mets’ 2 top prospects
The New York Mets have almost finalized their Opening Day roster — and that means the 51s almost have, too.
The 51s will arrive in town from Florida on Saturday, bringing with them a roster headlined by the organization’s top two prospects, shortstop Amed Rosario and first baseman Dominic Smith, manager Pedro Lopez confirmed Tuesday.
Rosario, a consensus top 10 prospect in MLB, hit .341 with 73 hits in 54 games last season at Double-A Binghamton, where Lopez managed him.
“What an electric player,” Lopez said in mid-March. “Everybody talks about (Jose) Reyes and him being kind of like the next (Jose) Reyes. He’s a little taller. He’s got some pop and he’s fast. I think he’s a five-tool player.”
Smith, the club’s second-ranked prospect, was the 11th pick in the 2013 draft.
“I think fans are going to enjoy watching Dom play,” Lopez said. “Everybody that asks me about Dom, I’ve always said that if he goes to the big leagues, he could be a really good defensive player in the big leagues right now. The offensive side of it, I think last year was a good year for him.”
Smith hit .302 with 14 home runs and 91 RBIs in Binghamton last year, finally starting to show off his power.
It’s power that should translate to hitter-friendly Cashman Field.
“I think the power is the last tool that some of these players develop and we see it. We have seen it in batting practice,” Lopez said. “I think that we started seeing that last year with Dom and hopefully this year won’t be any different.”
Gavin Cecchini, the club’s first-round pick in 2012, will be back at Triple A to begin the season, and Lopez said Cecchini would move from shortstop to second base — where he has been playing all spring — with Rosario at short.
Cecchini had a good season offensively in 2016 but led the 51s with 34 errors at short. A new position with a shorter throw could potentially help Cecchini cut down on that number and give him an alternate path to the big leagues.
Phillip Evans, who won the Eastern League batting title last season, will play third, and Lopez said Matt Reynolds would play left field and also at second, third and short.
Lopez also said that former Mets farmhand Josh Rodriguez, an infielder, has re-signed and will meet the team in Las Vegas.
Kevin Plawecki, a supplemental first-round pick in 2012, will be the team’s starting catcher, blocked at the major league level by Travis d’Arnaud and Rene Rivera.
In the outfield, Travis Taijeron will return, and Lopez said Taijeron will be joined by Victor Cruzado and Jayce Boyd.
The team’s rotation is still not final, as the Mets decide whether to keep Seth Lugo or Rafael Montero. The other will be sent down to stay stretched out at Las Vegas.
Lopez said Sean Gilmartin, Ricky Knapp, Donovan Hand and Adam Wilk will be in the rotation. Las Vegans Paul Sewald and Chasen Bradford will be among the bullpen arms, marking the second straight year the 51s have had two locals on the roster.
“I think it’s going to be a good season,” Lopez said in mid-March. “I think we got really good players, guys that not too long from now we’re going to see them in a big league uniform and (the fans) just don’t want to miss them, don’t want to say, ‘We had a chance to see that guy and Vegas and we never saw him.’ ”
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Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.