We're a month into the 2011 season and as such it's about time to see how things are going down on the farm. I've decided to commandeer Eric's extremely useful performance meters for my own devices, those beings prospects. Throughout the season we'll check the temperature of the Mets top 25 minor leaguers -- based on my pre-season rankings -- on a monthly basis.
| Player | Level | This Month | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1) RHP Jenrry Mejia | Triple-A |  |
UPDATED: Mejia will miss at least the remainder of the 2011 season with a tear in his right elbow. TJ seems likely which is not a death sentence but certainly isn't good news. |
| 2) SS Wilmer Flores |
Hi-A |
 |
Contact-driven AVG is nice but with just five XBH's and six walks -- vs. 14 strikeouts -- we need to see some more secondary skills. |
| 3) RHP Matt Harvey |
Hi-A |
 |
Harvey has lived up to all expectations and then some. Didn't allow an earned run in his first 26 pro innings. You could easily make the case that he's overtaken Flores on this list. |
| 4) OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis |
Triple-A |
|
Began the season on a 16-game hit streak, batting .382 with 12 XBH's in that span. Even more impressive is his rapidly improving eye at the plate (16 BB's vs. 23 K's). |
| 5) 2B Reese Havens |
- |
|
Sidelined to start the season. Not knocking him yet because this is an existing condition and hypothetically the surgery should clear things up. |
| 6) 3B Aderlin Rodriguez | Lo-A |
|
Started in a bad slump. Recent rash of power keeps him above water but the 2:21 BB-to-K rate has GOT to improve. |
| 7) OF Fernando Martinez | Triple-A |
|
He should probably take a hit but to me he's living up to expectations. When he plays, he hits but he doesn't always play. If you expect much more at this point you're probably being too optimistic. |
| 8) OF Cesar Puello |
Hi-A |
|
Challenging Aderlin's awful K-to-BB (3:19) but without the power. Also, after stealing 45 bases at an 82% success rate in 2010, he's already been caught four times in seven attempts. |
| 9) 3B Zach Lutz | Triple-A |
|
Like FMart, Lutz was crushing while he played but succumbed to injury as he is wont to do. I knocked him as he unfortunately has no positional value with Wright around so frankly he MUST stay healthy/hit. |
| 10) OF Lucas Duda | Triple-A | |
After a brief 17 ab, .118 cameo in Queens, Duda is off to a slow start back in Triple-A. In his first 20 games with Buffalo in 2011 he managed just 4 XBH's; in his first 20 in 2010 he had 14. |
| 11) LHP Juan Urbina |
- |
|
Yet to play; slated for short-season ball. |
| 12) OF Darrell Ceciliani |
Lo-A |
|
Suffered a minor hamstring strain after just five games with Savannah. Will be back soon. |
| 13) RHP Jeurys Familia | Hi-A | |
Probably the biggest riser on this list. Allowed a single ER in his first 25.2 IP. Making my statements from the AAA look smart: "Bet for a breakout season -- just a year later than we were all expecting." |
| 14) OF Cory Vaughn | Lo-A | |
Quietly solid for the Gnats, maintaining a .300+ AVG and an .800+ OPS while capably manning CF in Ceciliani's absence. Strikeouts remain a concern. |
| 15) Sean Ratliff | - |
|
Out for season after getting hit in eye with foul ball. He stated that doctors are unsure if eye damage suffered will have any permanent effects. Goddamn shame. |
| 16) RHP Erik Goeddel | Lo-A | |
Results haven't looked great, including 21 hits and four homers in 18 IP. But 9.5 K/9 with good velocity/command and excellent secondary stuff has. |
| 17) RHP Dillon Gee | Majors |
|
Continued his Jekyll and Hyde routine, looking decent in two starts with Buffalo but saving his best for the majors and forcing his name into the Mets rotation discussion. |
| 18) SS Ruben Tejada |
Triple-A |
|
On the one hand his bat has looked good, showing surprising pop (.400 SLG). On the other, the typically sure-handed gloveman has already made seven errors. |
| 19) RHP Brad Holt | Double-A |
|
With just one earned over his first 18 IP, including improved command and reports of a new cutter/improved secondary stuff, Holt is reminding us why we shouldn't write him off. |
| 20) LHP Mark Cohoon |
Double-A |
|
Add Cohoon to the list of impressive pitching starts after just one earned over his first 19 IP. Mediocre stuff or not, 25 K's vs. just eight walks in 25 IP this season is impressive. |
| 21) LHP Stephen Matz | - | |
Yet to play; still rehabbing from TJ but tentatively slated for short-season ball later in the summer. |
| 22) LHP Zach Dotson | - |
|
Yet to play; slated for short-season ball after completing his banned substance suspension. |
| 23) C Albert Cordero | Lo-A |
|
Mediocre thus far at the dish -- 0 walks doesn't help -- but reports on his defense continue to get better and better. |
| 24) LHP Robert Carson |
Double-A |
|
After posting a 5.6 K/9 in Bingo last year, Carson's current 9.0 K/9 is a good sign, though with 3 hrs allowed in 19 IP his customary GB tendencies haven't arrived yet. |
| 25) 3B Jefry Marte | Hi-A | |
After posting six hrs each of the last two seasons, Marte is already up to five and a 13% BB-rate -- vs 9% in '10 and 5% in '09 -- is a very good sign. |