PORT ST. LUCIE – New batting coach Dave Engle didn’t want to look. He knows Al Leiter turns wood into sawdust with his cutter. So Engle told himself not to go to the back fields when Leiter threw batting practice.
But, one day earlier this spring, Engle walked over to see Brian Cole against Leiter. Cole, the second best prospect in the Mets system behind Alex Escobar, is known for being able to make more adjustments than a tailor.
“It took Brian two pitches and, all of a sudden, he’s spraying line drives,” said Engle, who managed Cole the past two years.
The young depth in the outfield with Jay Payton, Benny Agbayani, Escobar and Cole is one of the reasons the Mets are considering giving up Payton or Escobar in a trade for Gary Sheffield.
The 22-year-old Cole stands only 5-foot-6. He weighs just 168 pounds. He looks small for high school ball, except when you check his numbers. He hit .312 with 15 homers, 61 RBIs and 54 stolen bases in 91 Single-A games last year.
“He is going to be a superstar,” Engle said of Cole.
Bobby Valentine adds, “He seems electric. His body explodes in all of his movements.”
Even though the right-handed Cole only played 46 games at Double-A Binghamton last season, the Mets considered bringing him up to Shea in September to utilize his speed. They didn’t do it, but at end of this season – barring a trade (remember Steve Phillips is the GM) – he will likely be called up. Maybe, just maybe, sooner than September.
Scouts like what they see from Cole. One NL evaluator said he could be another Shannon Stewart. The names Craig Biggio and Ron Gant have also been brought up in relation to Cole’s build and offense.
“He has little more juice than his body shows,” one scout said.
The Mets don’t know if Cole will just be a leadoff hitter or if he can bat in the third slot. Cole, who is from Mississippi, is a thoughtful youngster as evidenced by his answer to the question: Are you a leadoff guy or No. 3-hitter?
“I have a leadoff type body, but I have a No. 3 mentality at the plate,” said Cole, who after starting slow when promoted to Double-A Binghamton, finished at .278 with 15 stolen bases in 46 games.
In high school, Cole said he ran a 4.3 40-yard dash, while he dreamed about being the next Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson. There’s no doubt Cole could play some football.
Out of high school in ’96, the Tigers drafted him in the 36th round, but told him they had no money to sign him, so Cole went to Navarro Junior College and was an all-conference receiver. This inspired Bobby Bowden to call with a football scholarship to Florida State.
But Cole, who was also Baseball America’s Junior College Player of the Year, signed with the Mets after being selected in the 18th round. Today, he is in big-league camp and, like Escobar, he seems more interested in listening and learning how to improve than just hearing how great everyone thinks he is or could be.
“These guys are a lot smarter so I have to get a lot smarter,” Cole said.
Adjustments, that is what everyone points to with Cole. He showed it against Leiter. He also exemplifies this trait in the outfield.
The replay can be spit out by Engle when you ask for specifics about why Cole is so special. It was two years ago and Cole was shaded toward left center.
The batter rocketed a shot into right center heading for the warning track. But it wouldn’t touch the ground as Cole climaxed his full sprint by diving with his body parallel to the ground to make the catch.
“He’s just electric,” Engle said.
Engle saw the Braves’ Rafael Furcal go from the Florida State League to the majors and win the Rookie of the Year Award last year.
“[Cole] has more tools than Furcal,” said Engle.
Engle’s watched Cole professionally more than anyone. He talks about the excitement every time Cole picks up a bat. Is he a leadoff guy or a No. 3 hitter? Engle said this is a good dilemma.
“When you see this kid play 140 games, you’ll never get him out of the lineup,” Engle said.
