Three Mets prospects the team absolutely cannot trade this winter
The New York Mets currently have three highly regarded prospects in their farm system that should under no circumstances be included in any trade this offseason.
Over the previous two seasons, the New York Mets under the leadership of former General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen have exhausted the farm system in multiple trades. Regrettably, the Mets not only lost one of the top prospects in all of baseball with Jarred Kelenic being shipped to the Seattle Mariners, but they have lost multiple valuable arms in the upper echelon of their minor league system.
Under new leadership, both Owner Steve Cohen and Team President Sandy Alderson have both acknowledged the importance of rebuilding the Mets farm system moving forward. If the organization is looking to make a big splash this winter via trade there are certainly moving pieces at the Major League level that the Mets can be flexible with to make a deal happen.
While it’s tough to justify a player being “untouchable” aside from a select few, especially at the Minor League level, this offseason it is vital that whoever steps in as the new Mets General Manager recognizes that there are three players in the farm system who should not be in consideration for any transaction this winter.
Two of the players who should not be included in any trade this winter include two stud pitchers making their way through the organization’s pipeline. When looking at the Mets top-30 prospect list by MLB.com, there is really only one pitcher in the top ten who could possibly make a Major League impact within the next year.
While it certainly bears repeating that the Mets have lost a few quality arms in a time where they could certainly use them the most, it is imperative that the Mets do not trade the following three prospects in order to begin laying the foundation down of constructing a stronger farm system as well as a brighter future moving forward.
1) Matthew Allan
As much as the organization’s pitching depth in the minors has been depleted by trades, the Mets have a potential front of the line rotation starter in right-handed pitcher Matthew Allan currently down on their farm system. The 19-year old pitcher is currently the number four ranked prospect by MLB.com and is highly regarded as the best pitcher in the Mets system currently.
While former General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen catches a ton of slack for some of his misfires in the front office, drafting Matthew Allan in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft and signing him to a $2.5 million bonus when many thought he was undraftable due to his financial demands was a bonafide steal. Had it not been for Allan’s financial demands, Allan may have been a very high first-round pick in the 2019 draft.
At 6’3 and 225 pounds, Allan already has the build of a future ace on the mound. According to MLB.com, Allan’s fastball regularly sits in the 93-96 MPH range but had gotten his fastball up to 97 MPH since debuting with the Mets, which only displays the amount of potential that is oozing out of Allan’s right arm.
Allan’s presence in the Mets system reminds us of the days when we had highly regarded arms waiting in the wings down on the farm such as Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard. If all breaks right in Matthew Allan’s favor, we can anticipate him making his Major League debut in about two years as well as establishing himself as the future ace of the Mets rotation. Well-run organizations just don’t trade arms with ace potential and Allan should be as close to the word “untouchable” in regards to any other player in the Mets system.
2) J.T. Ginn
During the 2020 MLB Draft, the Mets hit the jackpot with another potential ace pitcher falling in their laps with right-hander J.T. Ginn. The 21-year old pitcher had been a highly regarded pitcher since high school as he was a previous first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 2018, but chose to attend Mississippi State and became the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2019. Unfortunately, Ginn would undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery at the beginning of the 2020 campaign, which is why he slid to the Mets in the second round.
Brodie Van Wagenen and company had used a similar strategy to sign Ginn, that they had used to get Matthew Allan under contract the previous year. Many around the league had projected Ginn returning to school or even possibly having a potential high asking price. With the latter being true, the organization was able to get him under contract with a $2.9 million bonus, which is a historically large number for a player selected at his draft slot.
Currently, MLB.com has Ginn ranked as the Mets number six prospect in their farm system as he rehabs his way back to full strength. We have seen a previous video of Ginn rehabbing and playing catch with Noah Syndergaard which is an encouraging sign as we move into 2021. According to MLB.com, Ginn has a “wipeout slider” and his fastball reaches as high as 97 MPH.
If Ginn’s health cooperates we may be looking at Ginn and Matthew Allan as the Mets future one-two punch at the top of the starting rotation. The Mets have positioned themselves well in the last two drafts to have two potential frontline starting pitchers and there is no reason why either should be dangled in trade talks this winter or the future.
3) Francisco Alvarez
When you take a glance at the Mets farm system they have many potential quality position players that the front office is excited about. One of those players who has drawn rave reviews among many in the organization is catcher Francisco Alvarez. The 19-year old catcher was signed out of Venezuela during the 2018-2019 international signing period for $2.7 million and since making his pro debut, Alvarez has done nothing but rake.
Alvarez is currently ranked as the Mets number two prospect by MLB.com and may have the highest ceiling of any prospect in their system currently. In his first full season in the Mets minor league system in 2019, Alvarez had hit .312 with seven home runs and 26 RBI’s in 42 games played. The Venezuelan catcher also was part of the Mets player pool this season and spent time at Brooklyn working on his craft.
Alvarez’s hitting prowess is currently is more advanced than his glove at this point which should be expected at his young age. That is an area Alvarez will look to improve upon over his next two to three seasons in the Minor League system.
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High-ceiling catchers don’t just grow on trees, as evidence by the Mets’ inability to find a permanent fixture at the position over the past several seasons. Regardless of what the Mets do this offseason at the catching position, Alvarez is a player the organization can ill afford to part with and should be regarded as a member of the Mets future core as his development progresses over the next several seasons.