Mets draft OF/1B Desmond Lindsay with 53rd overall pick

The Mets selected high school outfielder/first baseman Desmond Lindsay with the 53rd overall pick in Monday night’s MLB Draft.

Lindsay, 18, recently graduated from Out-of-Door-Academy in Florida and is committed to the University of North Carolina.

Due to the fact that the Mets forfeited their first round selection in order to sign Michael Cuddyer this offseason, Lindsay was the Mets’ first pick of the draft.

A brief scouting report on Lindsay:

"With a strong, athletic, frame, Lindsay is a prospect with a high ceiling. A 6.8 runner, Lindsay barrels up balls with gap-to-gap power while staying inside the ball. Defensively, Lindsay makes athletic plays and shows great defensive actions and displays tools to play multiple positions on the field."

Lindsay was ranked 71st on Keith Law’s pre-draft top 100 list, and checked in at number 102 on Baseball America’s pre-draft top 500.

Thoughts:

Without a pick in the first round, many expected the Mets to draft a safer college bat with the 53rd overall pick, but they instead went for someone who sounds like a higher upside bat.

Lindsay combines speed with the ability to hit for both average and power, which is a tremendous combination if it comes to pass.

If/when he signs, Lindsay will join the likes of Wuilmer Becerra and Amed Rosario as young, toolsy prospects in the Mets’ system.

More on Lindsay…

Rankings

Keith Law, ESPN: Ranked 71st in the Top 100
Scout: Ranked 75 for MLB Draft eligible HS prospects
MLB.com: Not ranked in the top 200
Baseball America: 2015 Preseason High School All American third team
MLB Draft Countdown: Running Speed: 45/55
Arm Strength: 40/65
Hitting for Average: 35/55
Hitting for Power: 35/60
Fielding: 40/65

Pros:

Strong
Athletic
Big frame
Gap-to-gap power
Versatile fielder
Long, smooth strides
Impressive bat speed
Ceiling is tremendous power hitter

Cons:

Lacks overwhelming height
Merely high school talent, not tested yet
Has dealt with hamstring issues