Mets’ farm system ranked seventh
The New York Mets farm system jumped significantly in ESPN’s new rankings, released Friday. The Mets catapulted from 16th to seventh in Keith Law’s rankings.
“Several years of strong draft results have restocked the system, first with young position players with upside and now with polished starting pitchers, led by Justin Dunn and Thomas Szapucki,” Law wrote.
In Baseball America’s most recent rankings of the Mets’ top 10 prospects, more than half of them have a good chance of appearing in Triple-A this season with the 51s.
Top prospect Amed Rosario, a shortstop, and second-ranked prospect Dominic Smith, a first baseman, should both make their Triple-A debuts this season, while Brandon Nimmo, Gavin Cecchini, Robert Gsellman and Gabriel Ynoa all played for the 51s at one point last season.
A year before, the Mets made trades that depleted some of the pitching in their farm system, including the trade for Yoenis Cespedes, which saw them give up 2016 American League Rookie of the Year, Michael Fulmer.
But the farm system remained mostly untouched, with just one trade at the deadline this year, part of Law’s reasoning for the jump.
“A very strong, deep system remained intact, with two potential stars at the top of the system and a lot of pitching depth to potentially help, even as soon as this year with the sudden velocity spike Robert Gsellman saw in 2016,” Law wrote.
The division-rival Atlanta Braves topped Law’s list with the top farm system, while the crosstown New York Yankees were second after trading Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller at the Trade Deadline for top prospects.
Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.
