First 5 rounds: Jarred Kelenic (1-6), Simeon Woods-Richardson (2-48), Carlos Cortes (3-83), Adam Hill (4-110), Ryley Gilliam (5-140)
Also notable: Nick Meyer (6-170), Bryce Montes de Oca (9-260), Chase Chambers (18-530), Zach Rheams (27-800), Jake Mangum (32-950)
It's been a rough year (decade) for Mets fans, and while a sixth overall pick is always energizing for a franchise, there isn't much else in this draft to get excited over. After taking high schoolers with their first two picks, the Mets switched over to the college ranks for rounds three through ten. Interestingly, they looked to be high on college performers, taking two of South Carolina's best players with back to back picks (Carlos Cortes and Adam Hill) while also grabbing well-known players from Clemson (Ryley Gilliam), Tennessee Tech (Chase Chambers), Cal State Fullerton (Tommy Wilson), Miami (Hayden Senger), Texas Tech (Zach Rheams), and Mississippi State (Jake Mangum).
1-6: OF Jarred Kelenic (my rank: 10)
I have Kelenic ranked a bit lower, but it is hard to fault the Mets for grabbing the top high school bat in the country here, especially considering how much money they saved. Kelenic doesn't have a standout tool, but he is extremely advanced for his age and should be able to move through the minor leagues quicker than most high schoolers. The 6'1" outfielder out of Waukesha, Wisconsin has excellent feel for the barrel with a smooth swing, and he hits for average power, giving him the potential for 20 home runs per season to go along with on-base percentages approaching .400. He's fast as well, helping him both on the base paths and in the outfield, and his overall feel for the game is universally praised. Some may be disappointed by the lack of excitement that typically comes with this kind of all-around player, but Kelenic has top of the order potential and a higher floor than most high schoolers. The one knock on him is his age, as he turns 19 in two weeks, but he also played in a cold weather area where he may not have been able to practice as consistently as his southern counterparts, so it evens out. He signed for $4.5 million, over $1 million below slot. He has rewarded them in his tiny sample so far, slashing .464/.500/.643 with a 6/2 strikeout to walk ratio and a pair of stolen bases (no home runs yet) in seven games in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.
2-48: RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (unranked)
This was a surprising pick by the Mets considering Woods-Richardson's general stock within the industry, but the Mets apparently like his upside and gambled on him with the 48th pick. The 6'3" righty out of high school in the Houston suburbs has been inconsistent, showing a fastball anywhere from 89 to 95 while also tossing an at-times plus curveball and a changeup that has its moments. When it's all going right, he looks like a mid-rotation starter, but there are also times where he looks like he'll have to be shifted to the bullpen. The Mets clearly think the former is more likely than the latter, and he doesn't turn 18 until September (making him more than a full year younger than Kelenic), so we'll see. He signed for $1.85 million, which was $364,900 above slot.
3-83: 2B Carlos Cortes (unranked)
Carlos Cortes was considered by some to be a top 100 prospect in the 2016 draft (97th on my list) and is back after a couple of good years at South Carolina. After slashing .286/.368/.565 with 12 home runs and a 27/22 strikeout to walk ratio as a freshman last year, he improved his plate discipline in his sophomore year this year and slashed .265/.385/.500 with 15 home runs and a 32/43 strikeout to walk ratio. The strikeout rate dropped from 13.9% to 11.5% while the walk rate jumped from 11.3% to 15.5%, and he kept the rest of his production steady. That offensive production is important, because he's a bat-first prospect who may end up being a liability in the field. The Mets took him as a second baseman, but he probably fits better at third base or in the outfield. At just 5'8" and not all that fast, he'll be a mediocre fielder at best. I think there were guys available who could hit just as well as Cortes who could also field, but the Mets liked this bat in particular and went all in. They signed him for just over $1 million, going $294,738 over slot. He went 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts in his first New York-Penn League game.
4-110: RHP Adam Hill (unranked)
In the next round, the Mets took Cortes' teammate at South Carolina, Adam Hill. The 6'6" right hander finished his junior season 7-5 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP, striking out 101 and walking 55 in 83 innings. Those aren't great numbers, but they're credible for the SEC, and he has a track record of success from throughout his three years in Columbia. He throws his fastball in the low 90's but it looks faster because of his long arms and release point, and he has a pretty good slider and changeup as well. That's all good stuff, though his command could use some work. If he can take a step forward with his command, he has a chance to stick as a #3 or #4 starter. He signed for $507,800, right at slot,.
5-140: RHP Ryley Gilliam (unranked)
Gilliam served as Clemson's closer this year, putting up a 1.41 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a 54/22 strikeout to walk ratio in 38 innings. He has a great fastball/curveball combo, throwing the fastball in the low to mid 90's and showing hard break on the curve. However, he struggles to command it, and at just 5'10", he'll need to improve that command to reach the majors. If he does, he profiles well as a set-up man at the major league level. He signed for $550,000, which is $170,600 above slot.
Others: 6th rounder Nick Meyer was the starting catcher at Cal Poly for three years, capping it off with a .344/.408/.428 line, no home runs, and a 19/18 strikeout to walk ratio. He's definitely a defense-first guy, one who will definitely stick behind the plate no matter how far his bat takes him. The question is the bat, as he generates no power from his flat swing and doesn't walk all that much at 7.3%. The saving grace for him at the plate is his ability to get the bat on the ball, as he struck out in just 7.7% of his plate appearances this year, but he'll have to hit with more authority as he moves through the minors. 9th rounder Bryce Montes de Oca was draft eligible last year but returned to Missouri for his senior year, going 6-4 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP while striking out 65 and walking 33 in 54.2 innings. After years of injuries, the huge 6'7" righty has been healthy the past two seasons, though is very much stuff over command. Out of the bullpen, he can run his fastball up to 100 with heavy sink as well as a slider that looks great at times, but he struggles to throw strikes. He's likely a reliever in pro ball, where if coaching and long stretches of health can improve his command, he'll be a Dellin Betances type arm. 18th rounder Chase Chambers was at the center of the most productive offense in college baseball, slashing .395/.500/.652 with 17 home runs and a 24/49 strikeout to walk ratio at Tennessee Tech. As a senior sign first baseman, the bat will have to carry him and carry him quickly, but I think there is a good chance it does. He's already slashing .345/.433/.448 with a home run in 15 New York-Penn League games. 27th rounder Zach Rheams was a big producer for Texas Tech, slashing .341/.461/.713 with 17 home runs and a 49/35 strikeout to walk ratio in 51 games. Also a first baseman, his bat will have to carry him, though he does walk a lot (17%) in addition to the power. Lastly, 32nd rounder Jake Mangum already announced that he won't sign and will head back to Mississippi State for his senior year, marking the second time in as many years that he has chosen to return to school rather than go pro. He's hit over power, slashing .351/.434/.479 with three home runs, 14 stolen bases, and a 29/30 strikeout to walk ratio in 68 games, providing leadership and energy to the team. He was really fun to watch during the NCAA Tournament and College World Series, and he's clearly a gamer than can play above his average tools. Had signability not been an issue, he could have gone in the top six or so rounds.
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