Which Wuilmer Becerra will show up in 2017?

In 2015, Wuilmer Becerra had his first taste of full-season ball and had an extremely good showing, posting above-average numbers in an extreme pitcher’s park against older competition for the Savannah Sand Gnats. The right fielder seemed poised to be in for a big breakout in 2016, prompting us here at Amazin’ Avenue to rank him the Mets’ 7th-best prospect, but for some reason, something did not click.

A partially torn labrum sustained during spring training may have had something to do with it, but Becerra stopped hitting for power. Such occurrences are not unheard of for shoulder injuries, but the fact that his relative lack of power goes back more than the shoulder injury raises some concerns. He slugged .480 with eight home runs in 65 games during the first half of 2015, and then slugged .355 with one home run in 53 games during the second half of the season, with the power drought roughly coinciding with a widening of his batting stance and mechanical changes to his swing.

Still, despite the lack of power, the Becerra’s offensive output was above average for the league, as he hit .312/.341/.393 in 65 games before being shut down to undergo shoulder surgery on the same torn labrum that had been bothering him the entire year. His swing is mechanically sound, and his hit tool has grown better, which means he is perhaps capable of sustaining a high batting average thanks to the aforementioned mechanical changes to his swing that made it flatter and more geared for contact.

Outside of the questions regarding his power, the Venezuelan outfielder remains an intriguing prospect with high upside. He is a highly-athletic 6’ 3” with above-average speed, an above-average arm, and the ability to be a solid defensive outfielder—making him a prototypical right fielder. Once the “non-elite” prospect included in a trade package, Wuilmer Becerra is now knocking on the door of a Major League Baseball career, having been added to the Mets’ 40-man roster this past November. But it is imperative that his power begins manifesting itself and he show something more than promise in 2017.