New York Mets top 10 prospects heading into 2021

10. Thomas Szapucki, LHP

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB draft Thomas Szapucki has had a very beleaguered path through the Mets minor leagues. He has dealt with a variety of injuries but when he is healthy, he is one of the best pitchers the Mets have in their system.

Szapucki boasts a plus fastball that sits at about 95mph to go along with a plus curveball with a high spin rate from the left side.

Szapucki made it back to the mound in 2019 pitching for three Mets minor league affiliates to an ERA of 2.63 over 61.2 innings.

Ironically, this was the most innings he had ever pitched in a season since being drafted and it was also his best statistical season in the Mets system.

Due to there being no 2020 minor league season Szapucki may see his debut delayed but when he gets to the big leagues, he probably best fits as a middle to back end of the rotation type pitcher.

ETA: 2021

9. Isiah Greene, OF

Isiah Greene was one of the last draft picks Brodie Van Wagenen made as General Manager of the Mets and was the compensation for losing Zack Wheeler.

From a tools perspective, Greene is quite impressive and should have the necessary speed to stick in center field long term.

In addition, Isiah Greene is a contact-oriented hitter that has a very level swing that profiles as a potential leadoff hitter. Couple that with his excellent speed and he could be very successful.

Greene has more work to do to improve his game but the nineteen-year-old plays up to his competition and should improve move through the system quickly.

ETA: 2024

8. Josh Wolf, RHP

Josh Wolf was drafted in the second round of the 2019 MLB draft and boasts an above-average fastball and curveball. Part of the Mets draft strategy the last few years was to draft high upside players in the first few rounds that will sign above slot and Wolf is a perfect example. Wolf signed for $2.15 million and if he reaches his potential he could be worth every penny.

His brief minor league stint in 2019 was very encouraging. Wolf pitched only eight innings but struck out twelve batters and recorded a whiff rate of 42%.

He needs to improve on his changeup if he wants to be a starter long term but he has a lot of time to grow and could one day develop into an above-average starting pitcher.

ETA: 2023

7. Mark Vientos, 3B

Drafted out of high school in 2017, Mark Vientos has been in the Mets system for some time and is one of the longer-tenured prospects on this list.

Vientos has incredible power and a cannon for an arm but there are some questions surrounding his ability to consistently hit. Vientos struck out over 100 times in just over 400 at-bats in 2019 which is not ideal.

There are also questions surrounding Vitenos’s ability at sticking at third base long term. He has below-average speed which makes him not have a vast range at the hot corner.

He is only 20 years old and has time to improve and having the power and arm he has is what will keep him afloat.

If Vientos can improve on his plate discipline he could be a really good offensive player but regardless his power will carry him through the minors.

ETA: 2023

6. J.T. Ginn, RHP

J.T. Ginn is a right-handed pitcher that was drafted in the second round of the 2020 MLB draft. He was previously a first-round selection by the Dodgers out of high school in 2018 but chose to go to Mississippi State.

Ginn was a first-round talent in 2018 and he was a first-round talent in 2020. Why didn’t he go in the first round of the 2020 draft then? Because he had Tommy John surgery in March of 2020, otherwise he would have been a first-rounder.

A high upside pitcher that the Mets potentially got good value on throws in the mid to upper 90s with his fastball which has very good movement.

Ginn’s out pitch is his slider. A plus pitch for him that sits in the mid-80s and is overpowering at times. In addition, Ginn has a changeup that could develop into a plus pitch.

If J.T. Ginn can recover from Tommy John and become once again that first-round talent the Mets could have a top half of the rotation pitcher on their hands.

ETA: 2023

5. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF

Similar to J.T. Ginn, Pete Crow-Armstrong was drafted in the 2020 MLB draft but Crow-Armstrong was the Mets first-round selection.

After losing Jared Kelenic in the Robinson Cano trade the Mets desperately needed to replenish their top-shelf outfield depth and Crow-Armstrong just happen to be there at number 19 overall for the taking.

Crow-Armstrong has above-average speed and elite defense in centerfield and should have no problem sticking their long term.

He needs to develop at the plate especially in the power department, but the defense is what will carry the 18-year-old until he is able to develop that part of his game.

The Mets could have a gold glove centerfielder on their hands in a few years and if he develops he could be the next great leadoff hitter for this franchise.

ETA: 2023

4. Brett Baty, 3B

One of the oldest high school draft picks in 2018, Brett Baty was drafted 12th overall in the 2019 MLB draft. He is currently a third baseman with a cannon for an arm but there is some concern if he can stick at the hot corner long term.

Baty’s raw power is undeniable but he is still raw and needs some development. The absence of the minor league season definitely hurt him even though he was added to the alternate site late in the 2020 season.

Hopefully, he is pushed aggressively through the Mets system and he can hit the ground running in 2021.

ETA: 2023

3. Matthew Allan, RHP

Matthew Allan could define the legacy of Brodie Van Wagenen as the Mets GM. BVW took a chance on drafting Allan in the third round of the 2019 MLB draft when it was no secret that he wanted to go to college.

Knowing this fact so many teams repeatedly passed on him due to sign-ability concerns, but Allan fell to a point where the Mets could not pass up the value and they may have hit gold.

A first-round talent and arguably the best high school arm in the draft, Allan has an above-average fastball and curve that sit in the upper 90s and low 80s, respectively. His changeup is also a weapon in his arsenal and for a 19-year-old he is very advanced in his development.

Late in the 2020 season, Allan joined a few other top prospects at the Mets alternate site and really impressed the coaches there.

The hope is that Allan is aggressively pushed in the Mets system and could get to Queens sooner than expected. Ultimately if Allan continues to develop, he has the potential to be a true ace in the Mets starting rotation one day.

ETA: 2023

2. Ronny Mauricio, SS

One of the prizes of the Mets farm system since 2017 when he was signed for a then franchise-record $2.1 million out of the Dominican Republic.

Mauricio has been pushed through the Mets system very aggressively so the results are not fully up to par yet but he has an immense amount of potential offensively. The positive is he is still only 19 years old so he has time to grow into his body and develop into what scouts think he can be.

From the defensive side, Mauricio has a rocket for an arm and has very good hands. However, at 6’3” and 166 pounds he is a big body for shortstop and probably profiles better as a third baseman.

Regardless, Mauricio has a ton of potential and at some point help, the Mets at the big league level like so many of their international signings already have.

ETA: 2022

1. Francisco Alvarez, C

Francisco Alvarez is by far the prospect I am most excited about. Alvarez is the best catching prospect the Mets have had in a while and the 18-year-old is on the fast track to Queens.

Alvarez has a plus hit tool already at 18 years old and he also has good power. The Mets have been aggressive with him as they have been with their other top prospects sending him straight to the Gulf Coast League and he could not have responded better hitting to the tune of a 1.395 OPS in his first seven games.

Defensively, Alvarez has good defensive skills and his arm allows him to control the running game well. Additionally, he has been improving his pop times and defensive game in general most recently as late this Summer when he was at the Alternate site in Brooklyn.

So much can be said about Francisco Alvarez and he is so fun to watch.

The Mets may have finally found their catcher of the future and possibly a cornerstone of the Mets franchise at some point down the road.

ETA: 2023

Want your voice heard? Join the Rising Apple team!

Write for us!

Which Mets prospect are you most excited to see in Flushing?