2016 Mets draft profile: INF Carlos Cortes

Name: Carlos Cortes
Born: Oviedo, Florida
Age: 19 (5/1998)
Height/Weight: 5'8"/195 lbs
Position: INF
Bats/Throws: L/S
School: Lake Howell High School (Winter Park, Florida)

While not necessarily the best player that the Mets drafted, or the player with the most overall potential, Carlos Cortes is certainly their most intriguing draftee from the class of 2016. Cortes has a long track record of hitting, both on the showcase circuit and for Lake Howell High School. In his senior year, he hit an impressive .380/.533/.632. He has a commitment to South Carolina University and will likely honor that commitment.

The left-hander stands open at the plate and has a short, compact swing that generates hard line drives right now. Balls jump off the bat thanks to his big load and coil, bat speed, and barrel accuracy, and should develop into additional power as he matures and refines the mechanics of his swing. Over the course of his young baseball career, he has alternated between an exaggerated inside approach and a pull approach, but should once again become more consistent as he matures and refines his approach against pitchers of all kinds.

While Cortes looks comfortable at the plate, his failure to find a permanent fielding position that he excels at has led him to become an unusual jack of all trades. He has played second base, shortstop, center field, catcher, and has even pitched. Naturally a left-hander, Cortes taught himself to throw with his right hand in order to maximize his ability to play infield positions. As such, when he plays the infield, he throws right-handed. When he plays the outfield, he throws left-handed. When he catches, he throws right-handed. When he pitches, he throws with both his left and right hands. His skill set works best in the infield, and as such, Cortes will likely be a second baseman for his professional career.