New York Mets 2023 Thread (LFGM)

[RutgersJetFan]

8 hours ago, section314 said:

This will turn out to be the worst contract in sports history.

Ohtani brought in something like $20 million for Anaheim in marketing and sponsorships per year alone. Asian population is monstrous in LA. Maybe it's an east coast thing but I don't think people on this side of the country truly grasp how huge of a superstar he is.

[faba]

Torn ACL for mauricio=this is the life a Mets fan

[section314]

2 hours ago, faba said:

Torn ACL for mauricio=this is the life a Mets fan

Unbelievable. Looks like we may be seeing Acuna’s brother sooner than we thought.

[Rangers9]

Getting rid of Justin Turner and Travis D'Arnaud were big mistakes by the Mets I think under Sandy. They should have been re-signed. Both players excelled and have had good careers.  Travis eventually went to Braves Mets main competitor in division and played well when Mets needed more catching. Turner went to his home town team the Dodgers and last year had a good season with the Red Sox but this off season got out of his deal with them even though the money on that contract for 2024 pretty good in the teens. After Turner exited from the Mets at least one story I read was he never wanted to leave. So maybe not only money but he wants to be here. 

[TuscanyTile2]

No idea if the Mets get this guy but I like this stop motion video.

[32EBoozer]

On 12/18/2023 at 10:55 AM, TuscanyTile2 said:

No idea if the Mets get this guy but I like this stop motion video.

No wasted motion, smooth delivery which minimizes arm wear.

[RutgersJetFan]

Some interesting low risk chances on pitchers this offseason. Coleman Crow for Adrian Houser? I liked Crow but he just had Tommy John and who knows long term with that kinda stuff.

[RutgersJetFan]

On 12/12/2023 at 4:48 PM, section314 said:

Unbelievable. Looks like we may be seeing Acuna’s brother sooner than we thought.

Acuna has always been a given for 2024, it's Gilbert and Jett Williams that are the ones to watch in the Spring. Williams is going to be hard to deny if he keeps at his current pace.

[32EBoozer]

1 hour ago, RutgersJetFan said:

Acuna has always been a given for 2024, it's Gilbert and Jett Williams that are the ones to watch in the Spring. Williams is going to be hard to deny if he keeps at his current pace.

We need speed at the top of the order. Jett is a SB phenom with excellent bat-on-ball &BB stats 

[RutgersJetFan]

12 minutes ago, 32EBoozer said:

We need speed at the top of the order. Jett is a SB phenom with excellent bat-on-ball &BB stats 

Pretty astonishing for a kid that young to skyrocket like he has. Plus he's friends with Steph Curry.

[TuscanyTile2]

On 12/20/2023 at 6:46 PM, RutgersJetFan said:

Acuna has always been a given for 2024, it's Gilbert and Jett Williams that are the ones to watch in the Spring. Williams is going to be hard to deny if he keeps at his current pace.

On 12/20/2023 at 7:56 PM, 32EBoozer said:

We need speed at the top of the order. Jett is a SB phenom with excellent bat-on-ball &BB stats 

I just looked him up.  Jett Williams is 5'6" 175lbs.  I see he was drafted by us in the 1st round (14th) of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft.   Seems strange to take such a small guy (for an athlete, at least).

 

 

[32EBoozer]

On 12/28/2023 at 3:13 PM, TuscanyTile2 said:

I just looked him up.  Jett Williams is 5'6" 175lbs.  I see he was drafted by us in the 1st round (14th) of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft.   Seems strange to take such a small guy (for an athlete, at least).

Dont know if he can have this much impact, but Jett does have similarities in his approach to the game

[TuscanyTile2]

 

[32EBoozer]

Mets #4 Prospect per https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/1/30/24055295/mets-top-25-prospects-for-2024-rhp-christian-scott-5

 

Name: Christian Scott

Position: RHP

Born: 6/15/1999

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 215 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Acquired: 2021 MLB Draft, 5th Round (University of Florida)

2023 Stats: 6 G (6 GS), 23.2 IP, 15 H, 6 R, 6 ER (2.28 ERA), 4 BB, 27 K, .259 BABIP (High-A)/12 G (12 GS), 44 H, 17 R, 17 ER (2.47 ERA), 8 BB, 77 K, .279 BABIP (Double-A)

Born in Parkland, Florida, Christian Scott attended Calvary Christian High School, where he won numerous awards, was named to numerous honorary teams, and helped lead the Calvary Christian Eagles to the 2018 4A State Title. Over the course of his four years there, he posted a cumulative 1.64 ERA in 183.0 total innings, allowing 153 hits, walking 55, and striking out 223. After graduating in 2018, he went undrafted in the 2018 MLB Draft and went on to attend the University of Florida.

In his freshman year there, the right-hander made a team high 22 appearances, starting 4 games and pitching out of the bullpen in the other 18. All in all, he posted a 5.19 ERA in 52.0 innings, allowing 54 hits, walking 18, and striking out 44, but was much more effective as a reliever, posting a 2.75 ERA in 36.0 innings out of the pen. He exclusively pitched out of the Gators bullpen in 2020 and had much better results, posting a 1.20 ERA in 15.0 innings before the NCAA ended the collegiate season early due to COVID-19 ended his breakout campaign early. Eligible to be drafted in the 2020 MLB Draft because of his age, he was not selected in the extremely abbreviated draft and returned to Florida for his junior season. The right-hander pitched in 26 games in total in 2021, once again leading the Gators in appearances. Making 1 start and 25 games relief appearances, he posted a 3.00 ERA in 54.0 innings, allowing 46 hits, walking 9, and striking out 51. The Mets selected the right-hander in the fifth-round, the 142nd player selected overall, and the two sides ended up agreeing to a $350,000 signing bonus, slightly below the MLB-recommended slot value of $386,600.

Scott appeared in three token games for the FCL Mets at the end of their season in 2021, but his professional career began in earnest in 2022. He began the year assigned to the St. Lucie Mets and appeared in 12 games for them, making 4 starts. Throwing 37.1 innings in total, having missed roughly the entire month of July due to an injury, he posted a 4.82 ERA, allowing 40 hits, walking 12, and striking out 52. He was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones in mid-August and finished the season in Coney Island, appearing in 6 games and starting 5 of them. Throwing 21.1 innings, the right-hander posted a 3.80 ERA, allowing 21 hits, walking 10, and striking out 25. All in all, Scott threw 58.2 innings in his first full season as a professional, posting a 4.45 ERA with 61 hits allowed, 22 walks, and 77 strikeouts. His struggles continued into the fall, as the Mets assigned the right-hander to the Arizona Fall League. Appearing in 4 games for the Peoria Javelinas, Scott allowed 15 earned runs in 13.0 innings, a 10.38 ERA, while allowing a whopping 27 hits, walking 3, and striking out 10.

The 24-year-old right-hander began the 2023 season with the Cyclones but his debut was delayed for roughly a month as he dealt with an injury. When he returned to the mound in early May, he made up for lost time. Transitioned completely out of the bullpen and made a starting pitcher full-time, Scott posting a 2.28 ERA in 23.2 innings over 6 starts, with 15 hits allowed, 4 walks, and 27 strikeouts. He was promoted to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in mid-June and remained there for the rest of the season. He made 12 starts for Binghamton and posted a 2.47 ERA in 62.0 innings, allowing 44 hits, walking 8, and striking out 77. At both levels combined, he posted a 2.42 ERA in 85.2 innings, trailing only Tyler Stuart among Mets starters for lowest ERA.

At 6’4”, 215-pounds, Scott has an ideal frame for pitching. He surpassed his previous career high innings load this season but did not show any fatigue at either a per game basis or on the totality of the season. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot, with a long arm action through the back. There is a bit of effort in his arm, and in the past he has had command issues, but Scott has drastically improved his command and control considerably in 2023, a byproduct of his transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation and throwing in the zone and sequencing better to conserve pitches.

Scott worked on his four-seam fastball during the Arizona Fall League and over the winter of 2022, and its emergence may be one of the reasons the right-hander was so good in 2023. Sitting in the mid-90s and topping out in the high-90s, the pitch is difficult for batters to square up on thanks to its speed and rising action. Additionally, Scott’s two-seam fastball was a solid pitch in its own right. Sitting in the mid-90s, the pitch has a lot of arm-side and sinking movement, making it difficult for batters to square up on. In and of itself, it is not so much a a swing-and-miss, bat-missing strikeout pitch as it is a weak contact pitch, eliciting weak fly balls as batters swing under it and ground balls as batters swing over it.

He pairs it with a slider and a changeup, the latter of which also improved over the winter of 2022. Whereas Scott threw his fastball and slider combination roughly 85% of the time in 2022, the right-hander has been utilizing his changeup a bit more often this season as it is a better pitch that he has more confidence in. He also occasionally mixes in a curveball, but it is generally reserved as a get-me-over offering.

His slider is his main strikeout pitch. It sits in the low-to-mid-80s, with an average spin rate. When the pitch is at its best, it has gyroscopic break with very little horizontal movement, but it sometimes gets sweepier. It tunnels well with his fastball and has late two-plane bite that hitters struggle to pick up on. He mainly throws it to his glove side, getting right-handers to chase down and away although he does also use it against left-handed hitters as well, backfooting it against them.

His changeup sits in the low-to-mid-80s and also tunnels well with his fastball. The pitch has late tumble and fade and has been a fairly effective weapon against right-handers and left-handers alike, as opposed to before his winter improvements, when the pitch was used almost exclusively against left-handers. He maintains his arm speed when throwing the pitch and it gets both strikeouts and weak contact.

 

 

[32EBoozer]

Mets #4 Prospect per https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/1/31/24056323/mets-top-25-prospects-for-2024-inf-of-ryan-clifford-4

Name: Ryan Clifford

Position: 1B/OF

Born: 7/20/2003

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 200 lbs.

Bats/Throws: L/L

Acquired: Trade (August 1, 2023: Traded by the Houston Astros with Drew Gilbert to the New York Mets for Justin Verlander)

2023 Stats: 25 G, 92 AB, .337/.488/.457, 31 H, 5 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 25 BB, 27 K, 3/4 SB, .453 BABIP (Single-A)/90 G, 331 AB, .242/.339/.486, 80 H, 15 2B, 0 3B, 22 HR, 39 BB, 113 K, 2/3 SB, .286 BABIP (High-A)

A North Carolina native, Ryan Clifford attended Leesville Road High School, a public school in Raleigh. As a freshman, he had a .526 on-base percentage and hit 4 hit four home runs in 21 games. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the 2020 baseball season to end early, Gatorade continued their tradition of awarding an award to the best high school player from each state, and the 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year (North Carolina) Award went to Clifford, who hit .692 with 3 home runs in 4 games.

After his sophomore season, he transferred to the Pro5 Baseball Academy in Apex, North Carolina, a program that has sent nearly 90% of its students either to college to play baseball or straight to the pros out of the MLB Draft. There, Clifford and his family reasoned, he would be able to get year-round training and exposure in preparation for a professional baseball career. Over the next two years, his profile would rise and his name would commonly be bandied about by scouts and evaluators for his work at workouts and in exhibition games across the showcase circuit- not that his name was an unknown one, as he was on the gold medal winning 12-U and 15-U U.S. National Teams in 2015 and 2018, respectively.

 

Clifford was considered one of the better high school bats in the draft class, but his slightly older age relative to his peers coupled less-impressive-than-expected numbers in his junior and senior seasons and his commitment to Vanderbilt University caused him to fall through the cracks and drop down the board. Indeed, the Mets were high on him and were considering drafting him in a high round thanks to their two first-round picks and additional QO free agent compensation round pick but were unable to make the money work with the higher-priority players they were already deciding to draft. Finally, in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the Houston Astros selected him, the 343rd overall selection made. Astros scouting director Kriss Gross was initially unsure if the team would be able to find the financial flexibility to sign Clifford, but knew they had to try when he dropped all the way to the 11th round. Ultimately, they were able buy him out of his commitment to Vanderbilt, signing him for $1,256,530, roughly equivalent to the MLB-assigned slot values of second-round picks in the 2022 MLB Draft. Much like the Mets strategy in a handful of recent drafts, the Astros were able to find the additional funds to sign Clifford by shaving small amounts from the bonuses offered to their top 10 picks.

Clifford made his professional debut later that summer with the FCL Astros Orange, the Astros’ Florida Complex League team. Appearing in 13 games, he went 8-36 with 3 doubles, 1 home run, 2 stolen bases, and 12 walks to 16 strikeouts, a .222/.440/.389 batting line. He was promoted to the Single-A Fayette Woodpeckers in the Carolina League and finished out the season going 11-41 with them with 2 doubles, 1 home run, and 10 walks to 15 strikeouts, a .268/.412/.390 batting line. All in all, his professional debut went well, as he hit .247/.426/.390 with 5 doubles, 2 home runs, 2 stolen bases, and 22 walks to 31 strikeouts in 25 combined games.

He began the 2023 season with the Woodpeckers and spent 25 games with them before being promoted to the High-A Ashville Tourists in May. Clifford was phenomenal, hitting .337/.488/.457 in 25 games with 5 doubles, 2 home runs, 3 stolen bases, and 25 walks to 27 strikeouts. For as good as the 19-year-old was, he was just scratching the surface. In the two-and-a-half months he played with the Tourists from mid-May until the end of July, Clifford hit .271/.356/.547 in 58 games with 11 doubles, 16 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 21 walks to 61 strikeouts. On August 1, the Mets traded Justin Verlander to the Astros and received Clifford and former Tourists teammate Drew Gilbert in return. Clifford was assigned to the Brooklyn Cyclones and finished out the rest of the season there, hitting .188/.307/.376 in 32 games with 4 doubles, 6 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 18 walks to 51 strikeouts. All in all, with all three teams, he hit .262/.374/.480 with 20 doubles, 24 home runs, 5 stolen bases in 7 attempts, and 64 walks to 140 strikeouts. Clifford was one of 5 teenagers in all of minor league baseball with 20 or more home runs in 2023, and he hit the ball as hard as virtually anyone in his age group, with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 107.1 MPH.

At the plate, the 6’3”, 200-pound Clifford stands square at the plate, holding his hands at his head and angling his bat head at 10:00. He swings with a slight kick/toe tap without much of a load or weight transfer. His left-handed stroke is smooth, efficient, and quick, producing light tower power, but it is also long and his contact rates and strikeout rates trended in the wrong directions in 2023 as the season went on. While Brooklyn is certainly tough on hitters, Clifford’s groundball rate jumped from a 35.7% in Ashville to a 47.8% with the Cyclones, while his line drive rate dropped about 5% and his flyball rate increased about 5%. Perhaps intimidated by Maimonides Park, a stadium well known for suppressing left-handed power, or perhaps just in a home-run happy mode thanks to his success with the Tourists, but he also stopped using as much of the field, pulling the ball at a 41.2% rate as opposed to 34.4%, going up the middle at a 27.9% rate as opposed to 21.7%, and going to the opposite field at a 30.9% rate as opposed to 43.9%.

He does have an advanced approach at the plate as compared to most other players his age, making smart swing decisions, working counts and focusing on pitches he can drive, but in his own words, many of the walks he drew in 2022 and early 2023 were from facing pitchers with poor command. He can sometimes be too passive at the plate when pitchers do not show pinpoint control, working himself into unfavorable counts by coming up to the plate with the intention of not swinging at anything questionable or borderline.

Defensively, Clifford provides little value at any of the positions that he played in 2023. In the outfield, he is a net neutral fielder, buoyed by his strong arm. His speed is fringy at best and based on his body type, as he ages he will likely lose additional athleticism and range. His read of the ball off the bat and the routes that he takes in the field are both suboptimal, and more work needs to be put in to improve both. His work at first base is also not great and needs to improve his receiving abilities and his reactions to quick plays

[section314]

22 minutes ago, 32EBoozer said:

Mets #4 Prospect per https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/1/30/24055295/mets-top-25-prospects-for-2024-rhp-christian-scott-5

 

Name: Christian Scott

Position: RHP

Born: 6/15/1999

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 215 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Acquired: 2021 MLB Draft, 5th Round (University of Florida)

2023 Stats: 6 G (6 GS), 23.2 IP, 15 H, 6 R, 6 ER (2.28 ERA), 4 BB, 27 K, .259 BABIP (High-A)/12 G (12 GS), 44 H, 17 R, 17 ER (2.47 ERA), 8 BB, 77 K, .279 BABIP (Double-A)

Born in Parkland, Florida, Christian Scott attended Calvary Christian High School, where he won numerous awards, was named to numerous honorary teams, and helped lead the Calvary Christian Eagles to the 2018 4A State Title. Over the course of his four years there, he posted a cumulative 1.64 ERA in 183.0 total innings, allowing 153 hits, walking 55, and striking out 223. After graduating in 2018, he went undrafted in the 2018 MLB Draft and went on to attend the University of Florida.

In his freshman year there, the right-hander made a team high 22 appearances, starting 4 games and pitching out of the bullpen in the other 18. All in all, he posted a 5.19 ERA in 52.0 innings, allowing 54 hits, walking 18, and striking out 44, but was much more effective as a reliever, posting a 2.75 ERA in 36.0 innings out of the pen. He exclusively pitched out of the Gators bullpen in 2020 and had much better results, posting a 1.20 ERA in 15.0 innings before the NCAA ended the collegiate season early due to COVID-19 ended his breakout campaign early. Eligible to be drafted in the 2020 MLB Draft because of his age, he was not selected in the extremely abbreviated draft and returned to Florida for his junior season. The right-hander pitched in 26 games in total in 2021, once again leading the Gators in appearances. Making 1 start and 25 games relief appearances, he posted a 3.00 ERA in 54.0 innings, allowing 46 hits, walking 9, and striking out 51. The Mets selected the right-hander in the fifth-round, the 142nd player selected overall, and the two sides ended up agreeing to a $350,000 signing bonus, slightly below the MLB-recommended slot value of $386,600.

Scott appeared in three token games for the FCL Mets at the end of their season in 2021, but his professional career began in earnest in 2022. He began the year assigned to the St. Lucie Mets and appeared in 12 games for them, making 4 starts. Throwing 37.1 innings in total, having missed roughly the entire month of July due to an injury, he posted a 4.82 ERA, allowing 40 hits, walking 12, and striking out 52. He was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones in mid-August and finished the season in Coney Island, appearing in 6 games and starting 5 of them. Throwing 21.1 innings, the right-hander posted a 3.80 ERA, allowing 21 hits, walking 10, and striking out 25. All in all, Scott threw 58.2 innings in his first full season as a professional, posting a 4.45 ERA with 61 hits allowed, 22 walks, and 77 strikeouts. His struggles continued into the fall, as the Mets assigned the right-hander to the Arizona Fall League. Appearing in 4 games for the Peoria Javelinas, Scott allowed 15 earned runs in 13.0 innings, a 10.38 ERA, while allowing a whopping 27 hits, walking 3, and striking out 10.

The 24-year-old right-hander began the 2023 season with the Cyclones but his debut was delayed for roughly a month as he dealt with an injury. When he returned to the mound in early May, he made up for lost time. Transitioned completely out of the bullpen and made a starting pitcher full-time, Scott posting a 2.28 ERA in 23.2 innings over 6 starts, with 15 hits allowed, 4 walks, and 27 strikeouts. He was promoted to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in mid-June and remained there for the rest of the season. He made 12 starts for Binghamton and posted a 2.47 ERA in 62.0 innings, allowing 44 hits, walking 8, and striking out 77. At both levels combined, he posted a 2.42 ERA in 85.2 innings, trailing only Tyler Stuart among Mets starters for lowest ERA.

At 6’4”, 215-pounds, Scott has an ideal frame for pitching. He surpassed his previous career high innings load this season but did not show any fatigue at either a per game basis or on the totality of the season. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot, with a long arm action through the back. There is a bit of effort in his arm, and in the past he has had command issues, but Scott has drastically improved his command and control considerably in 2023, a byproduct of his transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation and throwing in the zone and sequencing better to conserve pitches.

Scott worked on his four-seam fastball during the Arizona Fall League and over the winter of 2022, and its emergence may be one of the reasons the right-hander was so good in 2023. Sitting in the mid-90s and topping out in the high-90s, the pitch is difficult for batters to square up on thanks to its speed and rising action. Additionally, Scott’s two-seam fastball was a solid pitch in its own right. Sitting in the mid-90s, the pitch has a lot of arm-side and sinking movement, making it difficult for batters to square up on. In and of itself, it is not so much a a swing-and-miss, bat-missing strikeout pitch as it is a weak contact pitch, eliciting weak fly balls as batters swing under it and ground balls as batters swing over it.

He pairs it with a slider and a changeup, the latter of which also improved over the winter of 2022. Whereas Scott threw his fastball and slider combination roughly 85% of the time in 2022, the right-hander has been utilizing his changeup a bit more often this season as it is a better pitch that he has more confidence in. He also occasionally mixes in a curveball, but it is generally reserved as a get-me-over offering.

His slider is his main strikeout pitch. It sits in the low-to-mid-80s, with an average spin rate. When the pitch is at its best, it has gyroscopic break with very little horizontal movement, but it sometimes gets sweepier. It tunnels well with his fastball and has late two-plane bite that hitters struggle to pick up on. He mainly throws it to his glove side, getting right-handers to chase down and away although he does also use it against left-handed hitters as well, backfooting it against them.

His changeup sits in the low-to-mid-80s and also tunnels well with his fastball. The pitch has late tumble and fade and has been a fairly effective weapon against right-handers and left-handers alike, as opposed to before his winter improvements, when the pitch was used almost exclusively against left-handers. He maintains his arm speed when throwing the pitch and it gets both strikeouts and weak contact.

 

 

Seems to be progressing nicely. Love his hits and SO’s to IP. Late 24/25 projection?

[section314]

25 minutes ago, 32EBoozer said:

Mets #4 Prospect per https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/1/31/24056323/mets-top-25-prospects-for-2024-inf-of-ryan-clifford-4

Name: Ryan Clifford

Position: 1B/OF

Born: 7/20/2003

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 200 lbs.

Bats/Throws: L/L

Acquired: Trade (August 1, 2023: Traded by the Houston Astros with Drew Gilbert to the New York Mets for Justin Verlander)

2023 Stats: 25 G, 92 AB, .337/.488/.457, 31 H, 5 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 25 BB, 27 K, 3/4 SB, .453 BABIP (Single-A)/90 G, 331 AB, .242/.339/.486, 80 H, 15 2B, 0 3B, 22 HR, 39 BB, 113 K, 2/3 SB, .286 BABIP (High-A)

A North Carolina native, Ryan Clifford attended Leesville Road High School, a public school in Raleigh. As a freshman, he had a .526 on-base percentage and hit 4 hit four home runs in 21 games. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the 2020 baseball season to end early, Gatorade continued their tradition of awarding an award to the best high school player from each state, and the 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year (North Carolina) Award went to Clifford, who hit .692 with 3 home runs in 4 games.

After his sophomore season, he transferred to the Pro5 Baseball Academy in Apex, North Carolina, a program that has sent nearly 90% of its students either to college to play baseball or straight to the pros out of the MLB Draft. There, Clifford and his family reasoned, he would be able to get year-round training and exposure in preparation for a professional baseball career. Over the next two years, his profile would rise and his name would commonly be bandied about by scouts and evaluators for his work at workouts and in exhibition games across the showcase circuit- not that his name was an unknown one, as he was on the gold medal winning 12-U and 15-U U.S. National Teams in 2015 and 2018, respectively.

 

Clifford was considered one of the better high school bats in the draft class, but his slightly older age relative to his peers coupled less-impressive-than-expected numbers in his junior and senior seasons and his commitment to Vanderbilt University caused him to fall through the cracks and drop down the board. Indeed, the Mets were high on him and were considering drafting him in a high round thanks to their two first-round picks and additional QO free agent compensation round pick but were unable to make the money work with the higher-priority players they were already deciding to draft. Finally, in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the Houston Astros selected him, the 343rd overall selection made. Astros scouting director Kriss Gross was initially unsure if the team would be able to find the financial flexibility to sign Clifford, but knew they had to try when he dropped all the way to the 11th round. Ultimately, they were able buy him out of his commitment to Vanderbilt, signing him for $1,256,530, roughly equivalent to the MLB-assigned slot values of second-round picks in the 2022 MLB Draft. Much like the Mets strategy in a handful of recent drafts, the Astros were able to find the additional funds to sign Clifford by shaving small amounts from the bonuses offered to their top 10 picks.

Clifford made his professional debut later that summer with the FCL Astros Orange, the Astros’ Florida Complex League team. Appearing in 13 games, he went 8-36 with 3 doubles, 1 home run, 2 stolen bases, and 12 walks to 16 strikeouts, a .222/.440/.389 batting line. He was promoted to the Single-A Fayette Woodpeckers in the Carolina League and finished out the season going 11-41 with them with 2 doubles, 1 home run, and 10 walks to 15 strikeouts, a .268/.412/.390 batting line. All in all, his professional debut went well, as he hit .247/.426/.390 with 5 doubles, 2 home runs, 2 stolen bases, and 22 walks to 31 strikeouts in 25 combined games.

He began the 2023 season with the Woodpeckers and spent 25 games with them before being promoted to the High-A Ashville Tourists in May. Clifford was phenomenal, hitting .337/.488/.457 in 25 games with 5 doubles, 2 home runs, 3 stolen bases, and 25 walks to 27 strikeouts. For as good as the 19-year-old was, he was just scratching the surface. In the two-and-a-half months he played with the Tourists from mid-May until the end of July, Clifford hit .271/.356/.547 in 58 games with 11 doubles, 16 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 21 walks to 61 strikeouts. On August 1, the Mets traded Justin Verlander to the Astros and received Clifford and former Tourists teammate Drew Gilbert in return. Clifford was assigned to the Brooklyn Cyclones and finished out the rest of the season there, hitting .188/.307/.376 in 32 games with 4 doubles, 6 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 18 walks to 51 strikeouts. All in all, with all three teams, he hit .262/.374/.480 with 20 doubles, 24 home runs, 5 stolen bases in 7 attempts, and 64 walks to 140 strikeouts. Clifford was one of 5 teenagers in all of minor league baseball with 20 or more home runs in 2023, and he hit the ball as hard as virtually anyone in his age group, with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 107.1 MPH.

At the plate, the 6’3”, 200-pound Clifford stands square at the plate, holding his hands at his head and angling his bat head at 10:00. He swings with a slight kick/toe tap without much of a load or weight transfer. His left-handed stroke is smooth, efficient, and quick, producing light tower power, but it is also long and his contact rates and strikeout rates trended in the wrong directions in 2023 as the season went on. While Brooklyn is certainly tough on hitters, Clifford’s groundball rate jumped from a 35.7% in Ashville to a 47.8% with the Cyclones, while his line drive rate dropped about 5% and his flyball rate increased about 5%. Perhaps intimidated by Maimonides Park, a stadium well known for suppressing left-handed power, or perhaps just in a home-run happy mode thanks to his success with the Tourists, but he also stopped using as much of the field, pulling the ball at a 41.2% rate as opposed to 34.4%, going up the middle at a 27.9% rate as opposed to 21.7%, and going to the opposite field at a 30.9% rate as opposed to 43.9%.

He does have an advanced approach at the plate as compared to most other players his age, making smart swing decisions, working counts and focusing on pitches he can drive, but in his own words, many of the walks he drew in 2022 and early 2023 were from facing pitchers with poor command. He can sometimes be too passive at the plate when pitchers do not show pinpoint control, working himself into unfavorable counts by coming up to the plate with the intention of not swinging at anything questionable or borderline.

Defensively, Clifford provides little value at any of the positions that he played in 2023. In the outfield, he is a net neutral fielder, buoyed by his strong arm. His speed is fringy at best and based on his body type, as he ages he will likely lose additional athleticism and range. His read of the ball off the bat and the routes that he takes in the field are both suboptimal, and more work needs to be put in to improve both. His work at first base is also not great and needs to improve his receiving abilities and his reactions to quick plays

Sounds like our lefty DH of future.😎

[32EBoozer]

36 minutes ago, section314 said:

Seems to be progressing nicely. Love his hits and SO’s to IP. Late 24/25 projection?

The Verlander trade was the right thing to do. Same goes for Sherzer..... 2 stupid signings at $45m per

The talent we got back in those deals strengthened and sped up our farm system by 2 years.

[section314]

4 minutes ago, 32EBoozer said:

The Verlander trade was the right thing to do. Same goes for Sherzer..... 2 stupid signings at $45m per

The talent we got back in those deals strengthened and sped up our farm system by 2 years.

Every guy we got immediately were on our top 15. Acuna is# 2 I think. You think they will sign Soler/ Martinez? I’m guessing no. I think they will roll with the kids. Let Vientos and Baty each get 450+ AB’s. Stearns is right….have to see if these guys can play 

[32EBoozer]

35 minutes ago, section314 said:

Sounds like our lefty DH of future.😎

My big question is what are we to do with Parada? Double dipping at Catcher when Alvarez was locked in as our future makes no sense. Hope he develops and can use in a trade for high end Pitcher

https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/farm-systems-that-improved-the-most-in-2023?t=mets-pipeline-coverage

New York Mets
With Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty likely to graduate early and the team in win-now mode, New York's farm system stood to take a hit in 2023. You likely know what came next. The Mets became surprise sellers at Deadline time and used their financial might to pay off part of the large contracts of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander to acquire top prospects Luisangel Acuña, Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford. Getting potential plus hitter Marco Vargas from the Marlins might also prove to be a savvy move. The upper levels also saw Mike Vasil, Blade Tidwell, Christian Scott, Dominic Hamel and Tyler Stuart prove that they could be MLB rotation options early in '24, and Jett Williams showed he might be the best prospect of them all with a .425 OBP and 45 steals across three levels in his first full season. Even if this isn't a Top 5 system in baseball needed to rebuild an organization, it can help the Mets retool over the next two years, and that's a much better place to be than where it was in early July

 

https://risingapple.com/posts/ny-mets-farm-system-ranking-bleacher-report-top-10

The New York Mets decided at last season's trade deadline to implement a radical plan, selling their top pitchers to get talent into their farm system, which seems to have been the right decision. According to the latest farm system ranking published by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, the Mets would be the fourth-best organization in terms of top prospect talent in the entire MLB.

[section314]

1 hour ago, 32EBoozer said:

My big question is what are we to do with Parada? Double dipping at Catcher when Alvarez was locked in as our future makes no sense. Hope he develops and can use in a trade for high end Pitcher

https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/farm-systems-that-improved-the-most-in-2023?t=mets-pipeline-coverage

New York Mets
With Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty likely to graduate early and the team in win-now mode, New York's farm system stood to take a hit in 2023. You likely know what came next. The Mets became surprise sellers at Deadline time and used their financial might to pay off part of the large contracts of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander to acquire top prospects Luisangel Acuña, Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford. Getting potential plus hitter Marco Vargas from the Marlins might also prove to be a savvy move. The upper levels also saw Mike Vasil, Blade Tidwell, Christian Scott, Dominic Hamel and Tyler Stuart prove that they could be MLB rotation options early in '24, and Jett Williams showed he might be the best prospect of them all with a .425 OBP and 45 steals across three levels in his first full season. Even if this isn't a Top 5 system in baseball needed to rebuild an organization, it can help the Mets retool over the next two years, and that's a much better place to be than where it was in early July

 

https://risingapple.com/posts/ny-mets-farm-system-ranking-bleacher-report-top-10

The New York Mets decided at last season's trade deadline to implement a radical plan, selling their top pitchers to get talent into their farm system, which seems to have been the right decision. According to the latest farm system ranking published by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, the Mets would be the fourth-best organization in terms of top prospect talent in the entire MLB.

I think Parada is the replace for Alonso.

[32EBoozer]

3 hours ago, section314 said:

I think Parada is the replace for Alonso.

That’s a lot of home runs and RBIs to replace from a rookie. So you don’t think Cohen will sign Alonzo to a new deal? Homegrown talent, very popular with the fans and a solid, productive bat.

[section314]

3 minutes ago, 32EBoozer said:

That’s a lot of home runs and RBIs to replace from a rookie. So you don’t think Cohen will sign Alonzo to a new deal? Homegrown talent, very popular with the fans and a solid, productive bat.

I’m 50-50 at best. Just think the Boras angle may make it impossible. Still think Alonzo can get them the big time pitcher that they need. They may look at Alvarez  as a guy who can be 65-70% of Alonzo and get the rest from a combination of the other kids. Wouldn’t they have taken care of Pete before they were willing to give Yamamoto $325mm? 

[Lith]

6 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

The Verlander trade was the right thing to do. Same goes for Sherzer..... 2 stupid signings at $45m per

The talent we got back in those deals strengthened and sped up our farm system by 2 years.

Agreed.  Lets just stay the course, commit to youth and I am willing to put up with a lean season or two, knowing Stevie is ready and willing to spend once we have developed a strong young core.  I have low expectations for this season, but I am looking forward to it, especially with two weekend series this summer here in Chicago -- one each on the North Side and the South Side.

[32EBoozer]

48 minutes ago, Lith said:

Agreed.  Lets just stay the course, commit to youth and I am willing to put up with a lean season or two, knowing Stevie is ready and willing to spend once we have developed a strong young core.  I have low expectations for this season, but I am looking forward to it, especially with two weekend series this summer here in Chicago -- one each on the North Side and the South Side.

The Mets reportedly are set to add another arm to their relief corps for 2024 by signing veteran left-handed relief pitcher Jake Diekman, though Andy Martino of SNY clarified that the deal is not done yet. Diekman, a veteran of 12 years and eight ball clubs, pitched for the White Sox and Rays in 2023.

 

Diekman, who is entering his age 37 season, has averaged 68 games a season over his career, and has a career ERA of 3.83, ERA+ of 111, and 10.5 strikeout to walk ratio. He is adept at limiting hard contact, and continued that trend in 2023, but also continued his trend of walking a lot of hitters. 

Like many relievers, it is a little hard to get a grasp of Diekman’s performance season to season because of the volatility of the role. However, after coming to the Rays mid-way through 2023, Diekman put up a 2.18 ERA and, over the full season, really limited the long ball, allowing only 3 home runs all season. Compared to nine in 2023 and ten in 2022, that’s a considerable change. 

If completed, Diekman will join Brooks Raley as left-handed former Rays in the Mets’ bullpen. 

The terms of the deal are not yet known. 

 

 

[TuscanyTile2]

2 hours ago, Lith said:

Agreed.  Lets just stay the course, commit to youth and I am willing to put up with a lean season or two, knowing Stevie is ready and willing to spend once we have developed a strong young core.  I have low expectations for this season, but I am looking forward to it, especially with two weekend series this summer here in Chicago -- one each on the North Side and the South Side.

One thing I like is that they're FINALLY having more early Saturday games this year.  1PM and 4PM starts on Saturdays so people can at least enjoy a couple of beers in the sunshine.

[section314]

2 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

The Mets reportedly are set to add another arm to their relief corps for 2024 by signing veteran left-handed relief pitcher Jake Diekman, though Andy Martino of SNY clarified that the deal is not done yet. Diekman, a veteran of 12 years and eight ball clubs, pitched for the White Sox and Rays in 2023.

 

Diekman, who is entering his age 37 season, has averaged 68 games a season over his career, and has a career ERA of 3.83, ERA+ of 111, and 10.5 strikeout to walk ratio. He is adept at limiting hard contact, and continued that trend in 2023, but also continued his trend of walking a lot of hitters. 

Like many relievers, it is a little hard to get a grasp of Diekman’s performance season to season because of the volatility of the role. However, after coming to the Rays mid-way through 2023, Diekman put up a 2.18 ERA and, over the full season, really limited the long ball, allowing only 3 home runs all season. Compared to nine in 2023 and ten in 2022, that’s a considerable change. 

If completed, Diekman will join Brooks Raley as left-handed former Rays in the Mets’ bullpen. 

The terms of the deal are not yet known. 

 

 

Had to have been in on Peralta, but. Padres got him.