Minor League Mondays: Andres Gimenez Starts In St. Lucie

The New York Mets’ most intriguing prospects are in the lower levels of their farm system, and shortstop Andres Gimenez is no exception. Gimenez, who is only 19 years old, has advanced through the Mets’ farm system quickly due to his advanced plate discipline at such a young age. The Mets have started Gimenez at High-A St. Lucie to start the season, making their top prospect the focus of this week’s edition of Minor League Mondays.

In his first 16 games for St. Lucie, Gimenez is batting .267 with four doubles, a homer, and eight RBI’s. Gimenez has drawn three walks so far and is getting on base at a .318 clip, a bit below his .346 mark for Low-A Columbia last season. That on base percentage seems a bit low now, but Gimenez is one of the youngest players in the Florida State League, meaning he is facing pitchers several years older than him. If Gimenez can adjust to the competition level and put up an OBP similar to what he had with Columbia in 2017, it will be a sign that the Mets have a potentially special player on their hands.

Scouts have already given rave reviews to Gimenez for his defense, but his offensive potential is just as exciting. Gimenez may not develop into a pure power hitter, but he does have a solid stroke that should help him develop into a guy who racks up plenty of doubles and triples. Speed is also a key factor to Gimenez’s game, so the Mets have a prospect with the look of a future leadoff hitter.

Since Gimenez is only 19 years old, the Mets have plenty of time to figure out what to do with him. Shortstop is presumably accounted for in the long term by Amed Rosario, so if Gimenez makes the majors he may need to change positions eventually. The Mets don’t have a viable long term option at second base right now, so that may be a route to the majors for Gimenez. Gimenez could also be a valuable trade chip for the Mets if they pursue an upgrade to their roster to boost their chances of winning this season. If the Mets choose to hang on to Gimenez, he will likely spend the whole season with St. Lucie and be in line to start 2019 with AA Binghamton.