New York Mets Draft Review

Continuing with the NL East, here is a look at the New York Mets draft.

New York Mets Draft Review
1) Matt Harvey, RHP, University of North Carolina: He's got a great arm, no question, but doubts about his mechanical consistency and his command make him (in my opinion) a bit of a stretch at seventh overall, especially since he's likely to want overslot money. That said, he does have a very high upside if he can keep his delivery in gear.

3) Blake Forsythe, C, University of Tennessee: Has a strong throwing arm and shows power, but his spring was disappointing and there are doubts about his ability to hit well with wood, which could make him a backup catcher in the long run.

4) Cory Vaughn, OF, San Diego State University: Son of Greg Vaughn, so he has good bloodlines. Very athletic, fast and skilled on the bases, has considerable power potential, but problems with contact may limit his batting average/OBP against professional pitching. Good upside, but also a lot of risk.

5) Matt dan Dekker, OF, University of Florida: Best attributes are defense and speed. Sometimes shows power, but hitting track record is inconsistent. Profiles as a fourth or fifth outfielder.

6) Greg Peavey, RHP, Oregon State University: Doesn't throw as hard as he did in high school, but he has a good slider and an average fastball. Could be a fifth starter or long relief type.

7) Jeff Walters, RHP, University of Georgia: Can hit 95 MPH and has a nasty slider, but problems with command and control prevented him from being successful in college. He might do better against wooden bats in the pros. His arm strength is unusually good for a college senior, but he's also unusually raw for that category.

8) Kenny McDowall, RHP, Junior College of Southern Nevada: Throws impressive 90 MPH sinker, but breaking pitches are below average. Should be signable away from the University of Hawaii if the Mets aren't cheapskates.

9) Jacob deGrom, RHP, Stetson: 90-93 MPH fastball, workable slider, athletic enough that he played shortstop at times. This one looks like an interesting sleeper pick that needs to be tracked closely. Walked just 16 in 82 innings.

10) Akeel Morris, RHP, Virgin Islands HS: Another interesting sleeper, Morris has reportedly hit 92-94 MPH but needs experience and refinement. Connors State Junior College in Oklahoma recruit.

FOUR OTHERS OF NOTE: 12-Bret Mitchell, RHP, Minnesota State University-Mankato; 13-Brian Harrison, 3B, Furman; 17-Chad Sheppard, RHP, Northwestern State University; 32-Patrick Farrell, C, Regis University

COMMENT: The Mets are usually conservative in the draft. I rated Harvey as a late first round talent, and since he won't be cheap to sign, it is a bit of an unusual selection for the Mets, granted his upside is high. Forsythe, dan Dekker, and Peavey are OK picks but not spectacular, all possible role players. Vaughn is a high-risk/high-reward player but I like him in the fourth round; he could be very good if he can cut back on the strikeouts a bit. Picks seven through ten are actually pretty interesting: four live arms that are fairly raw but could be very good if refined properly. Overall, this class is another so-so outing for a team with the financial resources to make a much bigger splash.    

There were better players than Forsythe still available in the third round, for example: Austin Wates, Zach Cates, Aaron Shipman, and Chris Hawkins were the next four choices in the round, and I can't see how Forsythe is a better prospect than those guys except for a lower price tag. If they really wanted a college catcher, Micah Gibbs was still available. I'm not trying to pick on Forsythe; he's not a bad prospect, but I just think the Mets need to be more aggressive. They have the money, there's no excuse not to.