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Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America
2013 (16) | 2012 (24) | 2011 (20) | 2010 (25) | 2009 (17)

2013 Affiliate Records
MLB:  [74-88] NL East
AAA:  [81-63] Pacific Coast League — Las Vegas
AA:  [86-55] Eastern League — Binghamton
A+:  [71-60] Florida State League — St. Lucie
A:  [77-61] South Atlantic League — Savannah
A(ss):  [38-37] New York-Penn League — Brooklyn

Graduated Prospects
Juan Lagares (OF); Josh Satin (INF); Anthony Recker (C); Zack Wheeler (RHP); Scott Rice (LHP)

The Run Down
Hoo boy, Mets fans, that R.A. Dickey trade is looking mighty nice these days.  I liked the swap for the Mets from the moment it went down, but in the year that’s passed since the transaction, we’ve seen Dickey regress considerably and Noah Syndergaard emerge as a front-of-the-rotation prospect.  Provided Travis d’Arnaud can stay healthy, that trade should be perceived as one of the more lopsided moves in recent history.  Syndergaard and d’Arnaud are the headliners in this org, but there’s impact depth behind them, and plenty of it is set to surface in the bigs this season.  For 2014 fantasy purposes, this Mets system should be one of the more influential groups in the game, as the top-5 names on this list prepare to step up to the highest level.

Top Ten Fantasy Prospects
1.  Noah Syndergaard, RHP:  Syndergaard split his 2013 season between High-A and Double-A, posting a 3.06 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a K/9 at 10.2 across both levels.  It’s worth noting that the 6-foot-6, 240-pound righty was more so dominant at the Double-A level than he was in A-ball — the 21-year-old whiffed 69 batters while walking only 12 in 59 IP at Birmingham.  Syndergaard commands his arsenal well, spotting upper-90s fastballs and changing speeds with changeups and curves.  All things considered, what we have here is a front-end starter in the making, and a future high-impact fantasy asset.  I imagine he’ll be a hot waiver add when he surfaces this summer.  ETA:  2014

2.  Travis d’Arnaud, C:  Grey already wen’t over his Travis d’Arnaud fantasy.  He wrote it while his wife read her vows at their wedding ceremony a few months ago.  Kinda concerning, I know, but he keeps telling me that’s the sort of commitment it takes to be a great fantasy baseball writer.  Anyway, Grey advises a cautious approach with d’Arnaud in 2014, and I agree.  I have little doubt that this 24-year-old is the best hitting catcher to surface in the bigs over the past few seasons, but as is the case with most catchers, the dual responsibilities of learning to receive major league pitching behind the plate, while learning hit major league pitching at the plate can lead to a slower developmental process.  There’s definitely upside here, but I won’t be reaching for d’Arnaud in drafts this spring.  ETA:  2014

3.  Rafael Montero, RHP:  Mets fans were clamoring for a Montero call-up last summer, as the 23-year-old posted a steadily dominant line between Double-A and Triple-A:  2.78/1.10/150 in 155 IP.  No one would have argued against it if New York had brought him up to the big club, but instead, they opted to keep his service time at zero coming into the 2014 season.  His quality stuff (FB, SL, CH) plays up thanks to outstanding command, and his approach on the mound is poised and comfortable and well beyond his years.  There’s little doubt that Montero is ready for an extended look in the big league rotation.  He should get that opportunity at some point this season.  ETA:  2014

4.  Wilmer Flores, 3B:  After posting an OPS at .887 in the hitter-friendly environment of Triple-A Las Vegas, Flores was summoned to New York after the David Wright injury, and he struggled in 27 games with the Mets.  The 22-year-old doesn’t possess the extreme high-impact skill set that we look for in fantasy prospects, but he does have enough pop to hit 20 HR, and he’s good enough with the stick to bat north of .275.  Given that Wright is entrenched at third until 2020, Flores figures to surface as a 2B — a shift that will only boost his fantasy appeal.  ETA:  2014

5.  Cesar Puello, OF:  Puello is a curioius case, given that he was right in the middle of the Biogenisis scandal, and it’s reasonable to speculate whether his gaudy line at Double-A (.326/.403/.507, 16 HR, and 24 SB in 377 PA) was the product of some kick-ass PED’s.  At this point, it’s impossible to know how much the doping may have helped him, so a wait-and-see approach seems to be the best course.  The 22-year-old has always been touted for his high-impact tools, and with his 50-game suspension behind him, I’m anxious to see how Puello responds in 2014.  ETA:  2014

6.  Dominic Smith, 1B:  The 11th overall pick last June, Smith can hit and he can get on base, but there are still questions about just how much power he’ll be able to produce, and from a 1B, that’s a legitimate concern from a fantasy perspective.  Now, he won’t turn 19 until June, so there’s plenty of time for the pop to develop, and if it does, he’s a candidate to headline this list next year.  In any case, we’ll have a much better gauge on Smith after seeing him gain experience at the full-season level — a jump he’s ready to make this spring.  ETA:  2017

7.  Michael Fulmer, RHP:  After an impressive full-season debut in 2012 at Savannah, Fulmer experienced a frustrating, injury-plagued in 2013, appearing in only 9 games across two levels.  I’m still a fan of his fastball/slider combo, which helped him to a K/9 at 9.8 in 2012, and I’m hopeful the 20-year-old will bounce back this season.  If all goes well, Fullmer should reach the upper levels this summer, on track for MLB arrival next year.  ETA:  2015

8.  Amed Rosario, SS:  Rosario struggled at the plate in rookie ball last season, posting a .241/.279/.358 line, but as we know, it’s unwise to read too much into short-season numbers, especially when the prospect responsible for those numbers is just 17-years-old.  With Rosario, it’s all about the tools and the potential.  Good speed, projectable power, and enough glove to stick at short have me intrigued.  I’ll be watching him closely as he steps up to full-season ball in 2014.  ETA:  2017

9.  Brandon Nimmo, OF:  The 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft, Nimmo has always been viewed as a long-term project.  In his first year of full-season baseball, the 20-year-old hit .273/.397/.359 with 2 HR and 10 SB through 110 games at Low-A Savannah.  Profiling as a corner outfielder, Nimmo needs to post significantly better power numbers if he’d like to remain on the prospect radar.  He’ll step up to High-A St. Lucie in 2014, where the Mets hope he begins display some in-game pop.  ETA:  2016

10.  Kevin Plawecki, C:  Plawecki is the type of prospect who could bring great value to the fantasy game if he can retain catcher eligibility, but the Mets have been using the 22-year-old increasingly as a 1B, where his bat likely won’t carry much fantasy impact.  With d’Arnaud at catcher for the foreseeable future, Plawecki, who can hit for average and get on base at an impressive clip, figures to transition to 1B entirely, or take on a C/1B utility role, in which case his plate appearances might not suffice to make him a relevant fantasy option.  ETA:  2015