Now that the 2018 season is over, Minor League Mondays will take a look at each of the New York Mets’ minor league affiliates over the next several weeks. This series will take a look at each affiliate’s season highlights, top prospects, interesting promotions, and more. We begin our climb up the minor league ladder today with a look at the rookie level Gulf Coast League Mets.
Minor League Mondays Affiliate Review: GCL Mets
2018 Record: 24-31, Fourth Place in GCL East Division
Story: The 2018 season saw an improvement for the GCL Mets, who were five games better than their disastrous 2017 season. That improvement was not enough for the GCL Mets to factor into the playoff race as they trailed the first place GCL Cardinals by 15.5 games. The focus on the lower levels of the minor leagues, however, is on player development and that was the primary focus of first year manager David Davalillo. If a few names on the GCL Mets roster eventually make it to the major leagues, this season will be considered a success.
GCL games are played at the spring training complexes of big league clubs. Admission isn’t charged and concessions aren’t sold, so this is a chance to see pro baseball at its purest forms. GCL games are often used for rehab purposes as well, as evidenced by Yoenis Cespedes’ pair of games with the club when he was trying to come back from various leg injuries in late June.
Top Promotions: N/A
Top Prospects:
SS Ronny Mauricio: Mauricio, who the Mets signed as an international free agent in 2017, had a breakout season in the Gulf Coast League. The young shortstop hit .307 with three home runs, 31 RBI’s, and a .421 on base percentage in 49 games for the GCL Mets. Those numbers not only earned Mauricio a late season promotion to Kingsport, but they also earned him the Sterling Award for the GCL Mets, which is the organizational equivalent of a team MVP. Mauricio is currently rated as the Mets’ eighth best prospect according to MLB.com.
RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson: Woods-Richardson, the Mets’ second round pick this summer, made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League. The young right hander made five appearances in the GCL, including two starts, and didn’t allow an earned run in 11.1 innings pitched. Woods-Richardson racked up an outstanding 15:4 strikeout to walk ratio along the way, earning himself a late season promotion to Kingsport. MLB.com has Woods-Richardson rated as the Mets’ 22nd best prospect.
OF Stanley Consuegra: Conseugra, who signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2017, is currently rated as the organization’s 29th best prospect according to MLB.com. The Mets assigned Consuegra to the Dominican Summer League to start the year before bumping him up to the Gulf Coast League after 13 games. Consuegra didn’t do a ton down there, hitting just .217 with two home runs and 26 RBI’s in 51 games, but scouts rave about his plus potential for power and speed to go along with solid defense. The Mets will likely have Consuegra repeat the level in 2019 to see if he can master it, but he is a name to watch in the future.
Check back next week as our Affiliate Review Series continues with a look at the Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League!
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