A Minor Review of 2015: New York Mets

Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor (League) Review of 2015.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the ’15 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2016 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

The Graduate: Noah Syndergaard, RHP: The Mets knew they were getting a talented arm when they traded R.A. Dickey to Toronto in late 2012 but he’s perhaps been even better than advertised. Just 23, he pitched 150 innings in the big leagues in 2015 and kept base runners to a minimum with just 126 hits allowed. The man nicknamed Thor also displayed outstanding control and held hitters to just 31 walks. On the down side, he was touched up for 19 home runs because he was always around the strike zone and struggled with his command at times. If his secondary stuff continues to improve there is no reason why he can’t develop into a No. 1 stud for the Mets.

The Riser: Gavin Cecchini, SS: A gifted defender at shortstop, Cecchini improved at the plate by leaps and bounds in 2015 with his OPS rising more than .100 points despite jumping from Single-A ball to Double-A ball. He handles the bat well and has learned to make strong contact; Cecchini struck out just 55 times in 439 at-bats (almost 30 times fewer than in ’14). A first round pick in 2012 based mostly on his defensive abilities, the improved bat makes him all the more valuable and could make Wilmer Flores expendable (again?) before too long.

The Tumbler: Marcos Molina, RHP: A decision to jump Molina onto the fast track fell off the rails for the club in 2015. After posting a 1.77 ERA in 12 short-season starts in 2014, the club skipped the young right-hander over Low-A ball and assigned him to High-A in ’15. He actually pitched OK but then got hurt in mid-May and didn’t return until August. The injury basically set him back for a year in his development and he’ll likely open the 2016 back in High-A ball. At the earliest, Molina should arrive in The Show in the second half of 2017 but with all the good young pitching on the Mets staff there probably won’t be a need to rush him any further.

The ’15 Draft Pick: Desmond Lindsay, OF: The Mets didn’t pick until the second round of the 2015 draft but the club found Lindsay available and snapped him up. A Florida prep star, he had a solid pro debut and showed a little bit of everything. With that said, he struggled to make consistent contact at times and whiffed 40 times in 35 games. A strong spring could push him to full-season ball but he might need some time in extended spring training to work on his contact and pitch-recognition issues.

The Lottery Ticket: Wuilmer Becerra, OF: A lesser-known piece of the R.A. Dickey trade, Becerra may not be operating in the shadows for much longer. A former large-bonus signee out of Latin America, a broken jaw (suffered from an errant pitch) cost him valuable development time before his change in employer. His breakout began in 2015 in his first full pro season. He showed the ability to hit for average, run a little bit and displayed gap power that should develop into over-the-fence pop as he further matures. He’ll move up to High-A ball in 2016 and could be an average or better right-fielder in the Majors.