In our final look at the Mets farm system, we will look at the Mets Single-A affiliate, the Savannah Sand Gnats.
Like we stated at the outset of the Charleston entry, this entry also will be more brief than the earlier organization outlines because of the simple lack of stuff to write about, because most of these prospects have little or no pro experience. With that said, here we go:
We’ll begin this preview with catching prospect Francisco Pena, ranked No. 21 on Baseball America’s top 30 list for the Mets farm system. Pena, the son of Yankee first base coach Tony Pena, as well as the brother of Tony Pena, Jr., the Royals’ shortstop, Pena obviously has good bloodlines. But after a lot of struggles in his first full year of professional ball last year in Savannah (.210, 5 HR, 30 RBI) as a 17-year-old, with a year of experience under his belt, Pena is hoping for more success in 2008 with the Sand Gnats.
The other positional prospect on the roster is Greg Veloz, the Mets No. 16 prospect according to BA. Veloz also struggled last year in Savannah (.171, 2 HR, 14 RBI in 66 games), Veloz will take another crack at success at the Single-A level this year. At just 19 years old (he doesn’t turn 20 until June 3), he has the time to adjust.
There are four top prospects manning the mound for the Sand Gnats, or at least are on their opening day roster: Nathan Vineyard (No. 9), Scott Moviel (No. 12), Michael Antonini (No. 26) and Elvin Ramirez (No. 30). Vineyard, a 2007 1st round supplemental draft pick, is a 6-foot-3 lefty out of Cartersville, Ga. He has a good fastball, slider and changeup, and bears watching in 2008.
Moviel has two brothers, Greg (Mariners), and Paul (Rays), who are in pro ball. At 6-foot-11 and 235 pounds, Moviel is an incredibly imposing figure on the mound, and, amazingly enough, he’s still in his teens (he turns 20 May 7). He throws a fastball and changeup, and is working on a slider. Last year with the Gulf Coast Mets Moviel was 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 12 starts (though he did have a 37-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio).
Antonini, a lefty who allowed one run in 19 innings with the Brooklyn Cyclones last year, has a very good changeup to go with a 88-92 MPH fastball and a decent slider.
Ramirez, who struggled last year with Kingsport of the Appalachain League (1-4, 5.52 ERA), has a mid-90s fastball, along with a decent breaking ball. Another of the Mets many international signees, Ramirez turned 20 in October, and will hopefully, from the Mets’ standpoint, grow over the next couple of years.
Like the Charleston team, many of these players have little experience in the big leagues, which should make following their progress in 2008 fascinating to watch.
