Mar 08 2019 09:00 AM
I'm a big shot shortstop prospect in an organization that seems to get a little log-jammed with big shot shortstop prospects.
Behind me will be Mark Vientos, and debuting shortly before me was Amed Rosario, who debuted after Luis Guillorme, who debuted after Gavin Cecchini, who debuted after Wilmer Flores, who probably shouldn't have debuted at shortstop.
That's part of the problem. Most prospects come from one of four positions: centerfield, shortstop, catcher, or first base. As they go through the pipeline, the bulk of the centerfielders become corner outfielders, the shortstops with the wanting arms become secondbasemen and the ones with the wanting feet become thirdbasemen. Excess catchers become firstbasemen if they can hit. Excess firstbasemen become bouncers and football coaches.
But the Mets, they push us all through at shortstop, and if any of us stick — and that's no guarantee when you consider the names I just listed — we have to learn new positions at the big league level.
There's also the problem of the aggressive filtering of top prospects through the pipeline, so not only have we not yet learned an alternative position, we haven't really refined our offensive game. You ever hear the guys in the booth talk about a shortstop prospect swinging at garbage sliders at eye level or curveballs a foot off the plate and below the knees, and say something stupid like, "Well, you don't want to take away his aggressiveness."
You do! You do want to take away their aggressiveness! I don't care if he's a rookie. You deserve a player up there in the big leagues who plays like a big leaguer.
I aims to be that guy. That's why I've established some plate discipline even at the budding and blushing age of 20. I've got a .290 career batting average and another 85 points of OBP on top of that. I've gotten very high marks for my defense, I've played a little second, and I've swiped my share of bags. I've got time, only having 37 games above St. Lucie. The Mets have stocked up on veteran infielders, so there's a good chance I'll be returning to Bingo, but I can come soon. I've got game, my game has refinements, and the Mets can be a little pushy with guys like me, even though they already have a shortstop.
So what's my 2019 going to look like, Smarty Pants?