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2012 Mets Draft Scouting Reports: Rounds 31-35

Moving on to rounds 31 through 35:

The Mets selected prep shortstop Vance Vizcaino out of Wakefield High in North Carolina. I fear he might be too big to stick in the middle infield, and he doesn't have a lot of footspeed as it is. Once he fills out, he'll probably be too slow for the position, likely moving over to third. His infield actions are smooth, and the arm appears to be strong enough. At the plate, he displays raw power from the left side and a quick bat, but he really doesn't involve his lower body enough yet and the swing can get a little long at times. He's certain to attend Tennessee next season.

The Mets took Northeastern catcher-designated hitter Jon Leroux with their next pick. Leroux spent most of his career catching for Northeastern, but the Mets have been playing him at first at Kingsport, which is also how they announced him. His defense was considered pretty rough, so it's not terribly surprising that the team doesn't consider him a backstop. At the plate, he demonstrated home run pop for the first time in 2012, but I still question his pitch recognition and plate discipline. Throughout his college career, he had some terrible strikeout and walk numbers. Since he's no longer a catcher, it's unlikely he's anything more than an organizational player.

Pennsylvania high school pitcher Jared Price can flash significant talent and was considered somewhat signable, but there are enough concerns that he fell anyway. While Price has a 6-3, 205-pound body with athleticism, there isn't much room for projection, so there's a feeling that what you see is what you get. And scouts aren't really sure what they've seen. Some scouts have seen him throw 91-94 this spring but more have seen him at 86-88. He'll also throw a hard curve that will flash plus. He has an ultra-compact delivery that worries some observers (I don't find it too concerning) but he does have a tendency to separate his hands too late, forcing him to either rush his delivery too much or to provide too much effort on release. He's an enigma, and I don't think the Mets have enough money in the coffers to sign him away from a Maryland commitment.

Mikey White is a hard-nosed sort with a 6-1, 185-pound frame, some surprising strength and a great approach at the plate. Hailing from an Alabama high school, White really doesn't have much in the way of tools. His speed and arm strength are just average, and he doesn't have a ton of raw strength to him. However, every tool he has plays up due to his polish. Despite a ton of natural batspeed, White banged out 16 homers over the past two seasons, thanks to a deep hand load, great balance, and good hip rotation. I think his power could be at least average as a pro. The real question is where do you put him. He's played short, second, and outfield in high school, and his infield actions are fine, but his lack of range and speed could force him into a corner spot in the long run, where his bat is obviously a lot less interesting. He's indicated he'll head to Alabama.

Brad Markey is a short (5-11, 185 pounds) righty from Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Florida. Markey had attended Georgia Tech, but transferred to find more playing time, and he dazzled in the JuCo ranks, going 10-4 with a 1.33 ERA. Markey throws in the low 90s with a hard curve, but what concerns me more is why a pitcher with stuff like that only struck out 70 hitters in 95 innings against JuCo hitters. Scouts are also concerned about his lack of size. If he doesn't sign, he expects to attend Virginia Tech.