New York Mets

Track Record: Hamel spent two years at Yavapai (Ariz.) JC before transferring to Dallas Baptist in 2020—just in time for the pandemic to interfere with his draft year. He made just four starts and went unselected in the five-round 2020 draft. After ranking ninth in Division I with 136 strikeouts in 2021 he went inside the top 100 picks. Hamel looked sharp in brief pro debut.
Scouting Report: The Mets like Hamel’s pitch attributes and believe he has the potential to advance quickly, especially if he can round out his repertoire. His fastball had some of the best characteristics in the 2021 draft. Hamel ranges from 91-94 mph and bumps 95 with extreme spin and vertical break. The pitch bores to his arm side. Hamel’s slider shows above-average to plus potential and is thrown in the low 80s with high spin. He also throws a fringe curveball in the mid 70s and has a below-average changeup. Both could be improved to keep lefthanded hitters off his fastball. Hamel throws plenty of strikes and stays over the mound well with a repeatable delivery.
The Future: The next step for Hamel is either adding a few ticks to his fastball or bringing up the quality of his secondary pitches. Even without those improvements, he profiles as a future major league pitcher because his fastball and pitchability are assets.

Track Record: When the Cardinals drafted Plummer 23rd overall in 2015, he was the first Michigan high schooler to go in the first round since 1997 and the first position prep since Derek Jeter in 1992. Plummer’s time with St. Louis was marked with disappointment. A wrist injury wiped out what would have been his full-season debut in 2016, and he had not advanced past Class A before the pandemic wiped out 2020.
Scouting Report: Plummer began to realize his upside potential in 2021 by hitting .280/.415/.479 with 15 home runs at Double-A and Triple-A. His on-base percentage ranked inside the top 20 in the minor leagues, but it wasn’t enough for the Cardinals to retain him, so he headed for minor league free agency at age 25. The Mets signed him to a one-year major league deal. Plummer is a 5-foot-10, lefthanded hitter with enticing bat speed and athletic ability. Plummer spread out his batting stance in 2021 after previously using a leg kick, and the results were palpable. He hit the ball where it was pitched, took his walks and set personal bests for offensive production across the board. His best position is left field, but he is capable at all three spots and has a below-average arm. He runs well but isn’t a big basestealing threat.
The Future: While Plummer’s tools may be short to profile for everyday play, he has the components to succeed as an extra outfielder. He and Khalil Lee will vie for MLB outfield at-bats in 2022.

Track Record: Vasil lined up as one of the top perp pitchers in the 2018 draft before an arm injury shut him down early that spring. The Boston prep subsequently withdrew his name from the draft. Vasil never quite launched at Virginia and had a 4.52 ERA over 81.2 innings in his draft year of 2021. Still, the Mets had good reports and drafted him in the eighth round.
Scouting Report: The Mets were thrilled with what they saw from Vasil in his first pro summer and regard him as their best late-round pick from the 2021 draft. In seven innings in the Florida Complex League, he struck out 10, walked none and allowed three hits in seven innings. Vasil topped out at 97 mph in his pro debut but sits more in the low 90s with some occasional run on his four-seam fastball. His mid-80s slider is thrown with power in the high 80s and flashes plus at times. Vasil shows a well-rounded starter’s arsenal with an upper-70s curveball and mid-80s changeup with average potential. Those pitches help keep opposing hitters off-balance, especially lefthanded ones. He has good tempo and throws enough strikes to stay in the rotation.
The Future: Vasil has a chance to develop four average or better pitches to go with an average command and control profile. Ultimately, he could fit at the back of a rotation or in a bulk reliever-type role.

Track Record: Palmer went to high school in the shadow of Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y., and was a 22nd-round find by area scout John Kosciak. Palmer was moving in the right direction in Rookie ball in 2019 and kept his momentum at the alternate training site in 2020. He looked sharp at Low-A St. Lucie in the first half of 2021 but got exposed at High-A Brooklyn with a .189 average and strikeout rate bordering on 39%.
Scouting Report: Palmer is a favorite of Mets coaches for his energetic style of play, athleticism and positive demeanor. He is one of the fastest players in the organization and one of the top defensive center fielders, thanks to the vacuum created by the trade of Pete Crow-Armstrong. How Palmer’s bat develops will determine his MLB future. He knows the strike zone, isn’t afraid to work deep counts and take his walks; he just needs to refine his swing decisions to offer at a higher rate of balls he can damage. Palmer shows solid-average power in batting practice and hits the ball hard consistently. His average exit velocity of 90 mph in Low-A Southeast is squarely above-average. The Mets hope that as his decisions improve that his offensive outlook will improve to near average. Drafted as a shortstop, Palmer has embraced versatility in pro ball by playing third base, second base and the outfield. His best position may be center field with his above-average range solid arm.
The Future: Palmer does many things well and is driven. If he hits, there will be an MLB role for him, most likely as a multi-positional player.

Track Record: Cortes’ offensive production had been muted by the pitcher-friendly New York-Penn and Florida State leagues in past seasons. That wasn’t the case in 2021, when he popped a career-high 14 home runs at Double-A Binghamton and ranked third in the Mets system with a .230 isolated slugging, trailing only young boppers Francisco Alvarez and Mark Vientos. Cortes was out of action most of September after a Covid outbreak at Binghamton forced the cancelation of 11 games down the stretch. He got back into action in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Cortes has a good eye at the plate and a strong lefthanded swing geared to hit the ball in the air. Few minor league hitters had a higher flyball rate than Cortes, who hit two-thirds of his batted balls in the air in 2021. If he turns more doubles into homers as he matures, his power could get to big league average, to go along with a near-average feel to hit. He slugged .583 against Double-A righthanders in 2021 and could have strong-side platoon utility for an MLB club. Finding a defensive home for the ambidextrous Cortes is more challenging. Drafted as second baseman, he lacked the arm strength throwing righthanded to stick at the keystone. He throws better from his natural left side and is playable in left field. Cortes actually is most at home at first base, but his 5-foot-7 stature is a profile mismatch there.
The Future: The Mets declined to add Cortes to the 40-man roster, making him eligible for the Rule 5 draft. He has the bat to be a 26th man on an MLB roster, if not the defensive versatility.

Track Record: The Mets have two pitchers named Luis Rodriguez from the Dominican Republic in the low levels of their system. Luis Raul Rodriguez is a 6-foot-3 lefthander who has developed into the system’s top southpaw. He signed with little fanfare at age 16 in 2019 and had his debut season wiped out by the pandemic in 2020. Rodriguez came out of nowhere to pitch his way onto the Florida Complex League roster in 2021 and earned a seven-inning look at Low-A St. Lucie late in the season as an 18-year-old.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez has exciting stuff, athleticism and physicality from the left side, giving him one of the higher upsides among pitchers in the organization. As he has physically matured, he has found more velocity from his low three-quarters arm slot. In 2021, he topped out at 97 mph and pitched consistently in the mid 90s. Rodriguez’s low-80s slider sweeps hard to his glove side and has wipeout potential, especially when he gets it into the 85-86 mph range. Rodriguez is mostly a two-pitch pitcher who has toyed around with a changeup on the side. The Mets believe he has enough arm speed to make it work, but it is still on his developmental to-do list.
The Future: The Mets challenged Rodriguez at a young age in 2021, believing that struggling is an important part of players’ development. He should get a chance to find his footing in 2022 at a Class A affiliate. Those highest on Rodriguez’s upside see mid-rotation upside.

Track Record: Santos signed at age 16 in 2017, then spent 2018 and 2019 in short-season leagues. He broke his foot in 2020, which prohibited him from working off a mound even at the alternate training site when the season was canceled. Santos showed durability in 2021, when he tossed 96 innings at Low-A St. Lucie in his most extended pro look.
Scouting Report: Santos has a distinguishing 6-foot-7, near 250-pound frame, but he has not separated from the pack with his overall stuff or command. Santos pitches at 93 mph with good two-seam run and tops at 97 in some starts. He had little trouble throwing his fastball for strikes even with the automated balls and strikes in use in Low-A Southeast. Putting batters away was more of a challenge. Santos gets caught in between on his breaking pitch, a low-80s slider with downer action. He had tried a curveball in the past, but it didn’t fit with his lower three-quarters arm slot. Santos throws a firm changeup in the mid 80s that lacks action and hasn’t been successful at keeping lefthanded hitters at bay. Despite his size, Santos is quick to the plate and good at holding baserunners.
The Future: Some scouts think Santos could one day start at the back of a rotation. Others see more of a swingman role as a possibility. A lot depends on how well he sharpens his breaking pitch.

Track Record: Fanas initially looked like he was headed to the Angels in their 2020-21 class, but that never came to fruition, and the Mets instead stepped in to sign Fanas for $1.5 million when the 2021-22 signing period opened on Jan. 15, 2022.
Scouting Report: Fanas, who is a year older than most of the top international signings in his class, has a strong, physical frame with athleticism and tools that pop across the board. He has a chance to be a power center fielder, with plus-plus speed underway. That might slow down given his body type, so some scouts thought he might be headed for a corner, but scouts highest on him see an athletic center fielder with a strong arm. At the plate, Fanas has a good eye for the strike zone, seldom chasing and driving the ball with impact from both sides of the plate when he does swing with a chance for above-average power.
The Future: Fanas has a level of physicality, athleticism and tools that sticks out among Mets prospects at the lower levels, though he’s still yet to be tested. He first exposure to pro ball should come this year in the Dominican Summer League.

Track Record: The Mets signed Ventura as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, and he began to catch scouts’ attention in 2019 as he climbed from the Dominican Summer League to Rookie-advanced Kingsport, striking out 34 in 33 innings. Ventura looked good at the Mets’ alternate training site in 2020 and carried the momentum into spring training in 2021, but he had Tommy John surgery just before the season started.
Scouting Report: Ventura was a breath of fresh air in a Mets system that was short on upside arms prior to focusing on pitchers in the 2021 draft and experiencing breakthrough seasons from young Dominican pitchers such as righthander Joel Diaz and lefty Luis Rodriguez. Ventura is an athletic righthander with a three-pitch profile, a quick arm and the room to improve his entire repertoire. In 2020 he pitched at 91-92 mph and bumped 94, but the Mets think he can sit a few ticks higher based on his ease of operation and projected physical gains. Ventura was fastball-focused in his last game action but has flashed a curveball with late snap and a changeup that he sells convincingly.
The Future: Ventura lost game reps in 2020 and 2021 but should be ready to get into Class A games by the second half of 2022. His rehab from Tommy John was going extremely well, and the Mets are excited about his breakout potential.

Track Record: Strength comes natural to Peroza, who grew up on a farm in Venezuela before training at Carlos Guillen’s academy. He signed with the Mets for $280,000 in 2016. After three seasons spent in short-season leagues, plus a fourth lost to the pandemic, Peroza emerged as one of the organization’s better offensive performers in a 2021 season spent at two Class A levels.
Scouting Report: Peroza is a big-bodied infielder who plays capable defense at three positions, and the breakout the organization expected in 2020 manifested a year later. He does a lot of things at the plate that the Mets value: he hits the ball hard in the air with angle and takes his walks. Peroza ranked fourth in the organization with 54 walks and a .365 on-base percentage. He focused on improving his load to prevent his head from moving so much in 2021 and he saw the ball better and got the most out of his above-average raw power. Peroza saw most of his time at third base, where he compensates for below-average range with a borderline plus arm. He’s playable at second base and first base.
The Future: Peroza could hit his way to a big league role with a near-average hit tool and average power if he continues to develop. He probably fits best as a bat-first multi-position player.

Track Record: Teams passed over Dominguez when he was first eligible to sign at age 16 in 2018. He moved from Venezuela to the Dominican Republic to train in 2019, and after a series of mechanical adjustments his velocity spiked to 97 mph. The Mets signed him that November right before his 18th birthday. Dominguez made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League in 2021, and while he struck out 10 batters in 12 innings, poor control and command resulted in a 2.00 WHIP.
Scouting Report: Scouts who see Dominguez at his best are attracted to his fastball velocity, promise of a slider and athletic 6-foot-5 frame. From the Mets’ perspective, getting him on the mound and in the strike zone have been challenges. Dominguez dealt with shoulder trouble in 2020 and other off-field maladies in 2021 that put him behind schedule. As a result he made just 12 appearances—none facing more than eight batters—in Rookie ball rather than getting development time in the rotation. Dominguez topped out near 99 mph and averaged 95 with decent ride through the zone. He has some feel for spin and the potential for an average slider, but it’s a low-80s pitch now that he tends to telegraph by cutting off his delivery and not getting the same extension as his fastball delivery. He has not shown much aptitude for a changeup. As a result, lefthanded batters are comfortable in the box because they can sit fastball. Dominguez has put on weight since signing and needs to make conditioning more of a priority.
The Future: The Mets would like to develop Dominguez as a starter so that he benefits from a consistent routine and has the ability to sharpen his secondary pitches in side sessions. Ultimately his best big league role is probably power reliever—if his slider progresses and he develops just fringe command.

Track Record: Senger and Nick Meyer were college catchers drafted by the Mets in 2018. The two played for different Class A affiliates in 2019 but spent the 2021 season as teammates at Double-A Binghamton. Meyer has the best defensive reputation in the organization, while Senger offers more offensive production with a solid catching foundation.
Scouting Report: Senger has the attributes of a future backup catcher with a near-average bat for the position and an above-average arm. His swing is clean and geared toward taking the ball where it’s pitched. Senger’s exit velocities are above-average and he manipulates the barrel well, but his power output is minimal. The Mets want to see him become more direct to the ball and not fly open when he gets pull-happy. Senger blocks well behind the plate and throws well. He worked to improve his transfer on throws in the Arizona Fall League and is learning the finer points of game-calling that come with experience.
The Future: The Mets left Senger off the 40-man roster and thus exposed to selection in the Rule 5 draft. He is ready for Triple-A in 2022 and could be on call in the event of an MLB catching emergency.

Track Record: The Mets signed Atencio as a 16-year-old in 2018, and while he hasn’t yet advanced beyond the Dominican Summer League, he showed promise in 2021. The 19-year-old lefty ranked second in the DSL with 76 strikeouts and seventh with a 1.58 ERA. Had it not been so difficult to transfer players in the time of Covid, the Mets probably would have brought Atencio to the U.S.
Scouting Report: Atencio tops out at 96 mph and throws a power curveball, while his north-south approach proved to be too much for DSL hitters to handle. They hit just .171. Atencio pitches at 92 mph with plus ride characteristics up in the zone. He complements that with a breaking pitch that pairs slider velocity—nearly 80 mph—with more of a curveball shape. He commands the pitch well and generated one of the higher whiff rates in the minor leagues by burying it effectively. He doesn’t really throw a changeup at this stage, preferring to change speeds with his curve that ranges from the mid 70s to low 80s.
The Future: The emergence of Atencio and Luis Rodriguez in 2021 gave the Mets some much-needed lefthanded presence. Atencio will probably get a shot in full-season ball in 2022 and has rotation upside.

Track Record: The Mets signed Perozo out of Venezuela in 2019, and two years later he made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League as an 18-year-old. While his 2021 season appeared to be a dud on the surface, in reality he was playing through a shoulder injury and probably would have been one of the top prospects in the Dominican Summer League had he been held back. As a sign of his esteem in the industry, Perozo was a popular ask from other clubs in trade talks.
Scouting Report: Perozo is a lefthanded-hitting catcher with a pro body and swing geared to do damage. He was limited to mostly first base and DH in the FCL because of a left shoulder injury that shut him down in mid August. He attempted to rehab it but ultimately had surgery in mid September. Perozo has good timing and rhythm in his swing and the type of power upside to one day get to 20 homers. He has a good knowledge of the strike zone, as evidenced by his 10 walks and 21 strikeouts in 18 games. Behind the plate, Perozo receives well and has a strong understanding of calling games and helping his pitchers get strikes. His average arm is hindered by a slower transfer, though his overall footwork is good. He projects to be at least an average catch-and-throw receiver.
The Future: Scouts who have seen Perozo at his best see the potential for a future regular catcher who hits enough to stay in the lineup. He has a long trek ahead of him but could be worth the wait.

Track Record: Schwartz was a draft prospect as a SoCal high school shortstop before enrolling at UCLA as a top recruit in 2018. He shifted to first base in college and thrived when he was on the field. Schwartz redshirted as a freshman and missed his sophomore year to the pandemic before breaking out in 2021, when he led the Pacific-12 Conference with a .396 average while drawing 37 walks to 28 strikeouts. The Mets drafted him in the fourth round.
Scouting Report: Schwartz has demonstrated an ability to discern balls from strikes and get his bat on fastballs, but his power production has to improve. He hit .195 with little power in a 25-game debut at Low-A St. Lucie. The Mets are working with Schwartz to clean up his movement patterns and add muscle to his lanky 6-foot-4 frame. If he can sync up his upper and lower halves and add bat speed, then enhanced exit velocities could follow. But for now his EVs are well below-average for a first baseman. He shows occasional power in batting practice. Schwartz has below-average speed and fringe range at first base. He missed time with a shoulder injury in 2021 and previously had hip surgery and knee problems.
The Future: Adopting more of a power-over-hit mentality and embracing the idea of taking more chances will help Schwartz move away from his college approach. He will be a key player to watch in 2022.

Track Record: Kendall stood out at UCLA in 2021 for his athleticism, versatility and performance. He had underwhelmed in college to that point—and he missed 2020 with a wrist injury—but a big junior year got him drafted by the Mets in the seventh round. Kendall shined in his pro debut for Low-A St. Lucie, hitting for average while showing strong plate discipline and speed.
Scouting Report: The Mets’ scouting department views the lefthanded-hitting Kendall as a similar athlete to Adam Frazier, a player whose ability to hit and play multiple positions have created MLB value. That will be Kendall’s ticket to advancement in pro ball, too. His strongest offensive assets are his swing decisions, high contact rate on pitches in the zone and plus speed that borders on double-plus. The Mets worked with all their hitters invited to instructional league in 2021 to improve their strength and learn to impact the ball with greater frequency. Kendall is a plus defender at shortstop and second base with an average arm. He even proved to be above-average in center field, where he played at UCLA in deference to Reds first-rounder Matt McLain.
The Future: Kendall’s encouraging pro debut and strong showing at instructs sets him up for a productive 2022 season. His upside may fall short of MLB regular but should be enough for utility consideration.

Track Record: Like fellow Dominican outfielder Willy Fanas, Juan looked set to sign with the Angels, but after that organization shuffled front office personnel, Juan instead signed with the Mets on Jan. 15, 2022 for $1.9 million.
Scouting Report: Juan projects to be a physical center fielder who sticks out for his tools. He has impressive bat speed for his age, driving the ball with impact during batting practice and the potential for plus raw power once he’s physically mature. He also has plus speed, giving him a chance to be a power/speed threat in center field. The risk with Juan comes in his ability to translate those tools in games, as it’s not the cleanest swing and he tends to expand the zone, leading to swing-and-miss tendencies. Juan has at least a plus arm that could still tick up, with the athleticism to handle center field for now, though there’s some chance he outgrows the position and heads to right field.
The Future: If Juan can iron things out at the plate, his tools give him a chance to develop into an exciting player. There’s still a long ways to go to get there, though, with the Dominican Summer League his first stop.

Track Record: Mangum’s father and grandfather played in the NFL, and Jake has that competitive drive in common with them. He stayed an extra year at Mississippi State to set the Southeastern Conference’s all-time hits record and then signed with the Mets as a 2019 fourth-rounder. Mangum’s pro debut was uninspiring, but changes made at the alternate training site in 2020 helped set the stage for a productive 2021 spent mostly at Double-A Binghamton.
Scouting Report: Mangum altered his hand position to improve his attack angle to the ball. The results became obvious later in the season as he learned he could accomplish more by swinging less. Mangum hit .340/.395/.526 in his final 53 games, at one point reaching base in 29 straight games. He doesn’t take a ton of walks but doesn’t strike out often, either. Mangum is the best defensive outfielder in the system and an above-average runner with an above-average arm and range in center field.
The Future: Mangum is driven to reach the major leagues. If his gains from the second half of 2021 hold, then he will do just that, most likely as an extra outfielder.

Track Record: The Mets’ 2019 draft strategy centered around pooling surplus bonus dollars after the third round in order to go over slot to sign prep pitchers Josh Wolf and Matt Allan. That resulted in the Mets focusing on college seniors in rounds four through 10. Fourth-rounder Jake Mangum and Ritter have developed into notable prospects after signing for a combined $30,000.
Scouting Report: Ritter led Wichita State with a 1.003 OPS as a senior and earned high grades for his makeup and versatility. He jumped to High-A in 2021, and while at age 24 he was old for the level, he showed the same bat intrigue and leadership ability. Ritter puts the bat on the ball frequently and gets it in the air. He has average power potential that was masked by his pitcher-friendly home park in Brooklyn. He hit 12 of his 14 homers on the road. He broke the hamate bone in his left hand in July, missed four weeks and then hit just three homers the rest of the way. Ritter is playable at second base and first base with near-average fielding and throwing ability, and he’s athletic enough to learn to play corner outfield.
The Future: Ritter has the competitive drive to will himself into the big league conversation as a multi-positional option with power. Next up is the proving ground of Double-A.

Track Record: Suarez signed at age 18 and spent two seasons in Rookie ball, then he had his full-season debut pushed back a year by the pandemic. He made six starts for Low-A St. Lucie in 2021 before having Tommy John surgery in mid June.
Scouting Report: Suarez missed bats in Low-A Southeast but otherwise proved to be more wild and more hittable than he had shown previously. His 93 mph fastball gets good vertical ride and tops out at 95. His mid-70s curveball has true 12-to-6 life. Suarez also throws a firm, high-80s changeup with run to his arm side. His curve and change get swings and misses, but his fastball is the only pitch he can regularly land for strikes.
The Future: Suarez probably will miss the 2022 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. His most likely future role is lower-leverage reliever.