Mets Midseason Top 10 Prospects, #10: Matt Reynolds

Preseason AA ranking: 17

2015 stats: .270/.327/.410; 7.4% walk rate; 18.8% strikeout rate; .318 BABIP

Season to date

Matt Reynolds announced his presence during spring training with a .375/.404/.583 line that got Mets fans worked into a lather. He continued that performance into the regular season in Las Vegas, where he hit .317/.379/.524 in April. The problem is that he hit a combined .251/.307/.355 in May and June, good for a .299 wOBA in a league where .335 is average. On the season, Reynolds has been a slightly below average hitter for the league, which is a bit disappointing considering the early season expectations and the Mets' need for a viable shortstop. Reynolds is currently on the disabled list with a strained elbow.

Why he ranks here

Reynolds cracks the top ten in large part due to graduation—which has hit the system hard—but also because no one really disliked him. The consensus on Reynolds is that he will eventually be a solid utility player, one who can play shortstop in addition to second and third, and that has value. His defense at short this season has been solid if unspectacular, but there's no doubt he can hold his own there. Of course, Reynolds will only have value at the big league level if the bat can play there, and it seems likely he'll be able to hit a little despite his early season struggles in Vegas. He's a line drive hitter whose approach should eventually profile well at the major league level as a .260-.270 hitter with some on-base and occasional pop. Basically, Reynolds slots in at number 10 because of his proximity to the majors and our collective belief that he will not be a disaster once he gets there.

Let's check in with prospect team:

"Even before going on the DL with an elbow injury, Reynolds was not lighting the world on fire. His surface stats are decent but are actually below average for the offense happy Pacific Coast League. Regardless, he still likely has a future as a utility infielder even if he doesn't have the tools to be a full time starter. In other words; nothing's changed." - Lukas Vlahos