Dominic Smith

New York Mets First Round Picks in the Last Ten Drafts

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New Yor k Mets, Dominic Smith

The slightly modified MLB Draft takes place today as teams search for their future stars. The New York Mets’ success on their first-round picks in the past was solid. Some contributed with the Mets, and others found success across the league.

2019: Brett Baty, Third Base (12th Overall, Lake Travis High School) 

The 20-year old first-round pick had his ups and downs during his first season in professional baseball. Through 56 games, mostly at rookie ball, he slashed .234/.368/.452 with seven home runs and 33 runs batted in. Baty’s struggles at the plate were primarily due to fatigue, but his power/walk potential is very high. He already ranks as the fourth-best prospect in the Mets system, according to MLB.com.

2018: Jarred Kelenic, Outfield (6th Overall, Waukesha West High School)

Kelenic was a rising prospect in the Mets system before they dealt him in the infamous Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz trade. During his first season with the Mets, he slashed.286/.371/.468 at only 18-years old. In 2019, he set the bar even higher, hitting .291/.364/.540 with 23 homers and 31 doubles between A, A+, and AA. Kelenic is the 11th overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com, and each day the trade stings the Mets more.

2017: David Peterson, Pitcher (20th Overall, University of Oregon)

Peterson is currently the 10th ranked prospect in the Mets system. He was on track to pitch in Triple-A during the 2020 season. There were also talks of bringing him up to supplement the lack of rotation depth. With Binghamton last season, he had a 4.19 ERA in 24 starts with 122 strikeouts. At his highest potential, Peterson projects to pitch in the middle of the rotation.

2016: Justin Dunn, Pitcher (19th Overall, Boston College)

Dunn was also part of the Kelenic trade to the Seattle Mariners. After two good seasons in Double-A during 2018 and 2019, he earned an opportunity to pitch for the M’s. They used him as an opener during his four 2019 outings. After allowing two runs in his debut, his next three opens were all scoreless.

2016: Anthony Kay, Pitcher (31st Overall, University of Connecticut)

Kay underwent Tommy John Surgery before he ever threw a pitch for the Mets. He understandably did not pitch to his full potential during his first season in professional ball. Kay had a 4.26 ERA over 122.2 innings but averaged about one strikeout per inning. During a stellar 2019 season in Double-A, the Mets moved him to Triple-A, where he struggled. They traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays for Marcus Stroman, and he made his MLB debut in 2019. Kay had a 5.79 ERA over three outings but should be an excellent addition to a young Blue Jays roster.

2015: No First Round Pick

2014: Michael Conforto, Outfielder (10th Overall, Oregon State University)

The Mets struck gold with Conforto. It only took 133 games for him to make it during the big leagues. He helped the Mets make it to the World Series in 2015 and became the fifth rookie to homer twice in a World Series game. After a rough 2016, which involved his demotion, he has produced in the last three seasons, including an All-Star selection. Conforto is hitting .257/.363/.492, averaging 29 homers, 81 RBIs and plays all three outfield positions.

2013: Dominic Smith, First Base (11th Overall, Serra High School)

Smith has overcome plenty to become a contributing member of the Mets. He was on track for stardom after hitting over .300 throughout the minors. Dealing with sleep apnea, injuries, and weight issues caused a stunt to his journey of becoming a solid big leaguer. In 2019, all three points were no longer problems, and it allowed him to have his best season so far. His playing time tougher to find due to Pete Alonso at first base, but Smith showed the versatility to play the outfield as well.

2012: Gavin Cecchini, Shortstop (12th Overall, Barbe High School)

2012 was the only year where the Mets missed on a quality big league prospect. They had two first-round picks, and Cecchini was the first one. Known for his bat more than glove, it took a couple of years for him to figure things out at the plate. Two straight seasons above .300 in the minors earned him a 2016 promotion. Cecchini went 2-for-6 with a double and waited some time to return in 2017. He struggled with the bat, only hitting .208 but off Clayton Kershaw for the only one of his career. Cecchini remained stranded in the minors for the last two seasons and signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks before spring training. Unfortunately, he was released in May as teams across baseball were cutting players to save money.

2012: Kevin Plawecki, Catcher (35th Overall, Purdue University)

The combination of Plawecki and Travis d’Arnaud was supposed to carry the Mets catching corps through the next decade. Neither of them hit successfully at the big league level. Plawecki only hit .218 with a .330 slugging percentage with the Mets. He was also known for his abundance of groundouts to the left side of the infield. The Mets traded him before 2019 for Sam Haggerty and Walker Lockett.

2011: Brandon Nimmo, Outfielder (13th Overall, Cheyenne East High School)

The Mets took a risk on the Wyoming native, but it has paid off so far. The Plawecki/d’Arnaud combination is what Nimmo/Conforto became. Nimmo’s grit and grind make him a fan favorite with the Mets. He broke out during 2018 when he received everyday action for the first time. Nimmo’s propensity for getting on base led to his career .254/.387/.440 and is a very underrated player.

2011: Michael Fulmer, Pitcher (44th Overall, Deer Creek High School)

Fulmer was another pitcher who never saw time with the Mets. They dealt him in the Yoenis Cespedes trade during the 2015 playoff run. Fulmer ended up winning the rookie of the year award and becoming an All-Star during his first two seasons with the Detroit Tigers. His disappointing 2020 ended early when he learned that he needed season-ending Tommy John Surgery.

2010: Matt Harvey, Pitcher (7th Overall, University of North Carolina) 

The Matt Harvey story is one that draws the same intrigue as the one of Dwight Gooden. A fantastic young arm, destined to be the next Tom Seaver but ran into an obstacle they could not overcome. Harvey had the excellent rookie campaign, then the 2013 All-Star Game start with a 2.27 ERA, which succame to the dreaded Tommy John Surgery. An excellent 2015 season led to a rough 2016, which led to Thoracic-Outlet Surgery. Harvey never returned anywhere near his Cy Young quality form and has a 5.89 ERA over the last three seasons.

New York Mets: Dom Smith praises Marcus Stroman and says he is looking “nasty”

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New York Yankees, Marcus Stroman

The New York Mets‘ players are working out at their respective homes, with the renewed hope that MLB and the union can soon iron things out and agree on the necessary condition for the season to start in early July.

Most of them are isolated with their families, but that isn’t the case of Marcus Stroman and Dominic Smith. They have been working out throughout this MLB suspension, and the first baseman and outfielder is impressed from what he has seen of the starting pitcher.

It is not surprising, since Stroman is actually one of the most talented and competitive pitchers in the major leagues.

When he is on, his stuff can be very difficult to square. The Mets’ 2019 acquisition has a wide array of tricks, deceptive delivery techniques, and a deep arsenal to mess with hitters.

On the latest episodes of The Cookie Club, quoted by SNY, Smith raved about Stroman’s current form.

“I’ve seen him throw all his bullpens and I’ll step in,” he said. “He doesn’t let me swing yet. He doesn’t want it right now. No, I’m just playing.”

The Mets’ starting pitcher has unmatched energy

Smith said he wants to stay around Stroman because of the energy he brings to his workouts day in and day out.

“Stroman, he’s nasty, man, and he’s locked in,” Smith said. “I’ll step in and his stuff looked really good. He was running cutters in off my hands and throwing sinkers down and away. His ball, it really dances up at the plate and I can see why hitters cannot barrel him up.”

Smith, a first round pick by the New York Mets back in 2013, is getting more outfield work in preparation for the season. His path to playing time at first base, his natural position, is blocked by Pete Alonso, and he will have to share a hypothetical designated hitter with plenty of batters. So, he needs to hone his skills out there.

Let’s hope we get to see the New York Mets this year. With the way negotiations between the MLB and the players’ association are going, it is difficult to know for sure if it will be a possibility.

New York Mets: Luis Rojas tells amazing story about how he motivated Dom Smith

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New York Mets, Luis Rojas

Luis Rojas was appointed as the New York Mets’ manager after years of being a coach and skipper in several minor league stops. He knows the system like probably no other person in the organization, and his peculiar way of motivating his players likely played a role in his hiring.

SNY detailed a story that goes way back to the 2015 season, when Rojas was managing one of the New York Mets’ young core players of today’s roster: Dominic Smith. Smith was selected in the first round of the 2013 Draft.

Rojas managed Smith in several minor leagues affiliates, as the former made his way through the ranks as a skipper and the latter as a player. Rojas told how Smith had reported to the 2015 season a bit out of shape and wasn’t hustling the way the organization wanted.

“I think you hit one homer in Savannah, right? (in the 2014 season in Class-A, Smith had one homer in 518 plate appearances.) So I think it was in his head a little bit,” Rojas said. “I’m a left-handed hitter, first baseman, a strong kid. He wants to hit more homers. So the next year, he came a little bit bigger let’s call it, right?

“For the first month, Dom was a little out of shape and he struggled.”

The Mets wanted more out of Smith, and they got more

At that moment, Rojas asked more energy out of Smith, but he still needed some motivation. And then he came up with a plan.

“I didn’t know this, but they had an intern film me the whole time,” said Smith. “Just me, like me walking around the dugout, me walking on the field, me running out ground balls. And I kid you not, it was pretty embarrassing to see.

“I think that really opened my eyes because I never saw that from that perspective. I only played a certain type of way up until that point, so I never knew how bad it really looked, and then when I saw how bad it really looked, it just changed for me and I learned a lot. Luis helped me develop into the player I am today. I can’t thank him enough for that.”

“This guy was 19 years old and things were so easy for him,” Rojas explained. “We knew that we needed to challenge him and we needed to see things from a different perspective with how the game was going to get at some point. He responded absolutely great. He ended up being the MVP of that league that year.”

Smith hit 11 homers in 197 plate appearances in 2019, with an excellent 133 wRC+. His path to playing time is currently blocked, but he has the talent to break through any time now. The Mets couldn’t be happier.

New York Mets: Why Wilson Ramos Should Be a DH Candidate

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As the negotiations toward continuing the MLB season continues, one of the key topics is the universal designated hitter. The New York Mets have an abundance of options, but an overlooked choice is Wilson Ramos.

Ramos has one of the most reliable bats at catcher, but his defense prevents him from ranking as a top-10 catcher. His caught stealing has been below league average over the last three seasons and is in the same area with about everything else defensively. The caught sealing numbers were due in part to the inability to hold runners on, but moving Ramos to DH strengthens the defense.

Who Becomes the Catcher

This plan only works if the rosters expand to 30 for the entire season. Rene Rivera handles the bulk of the catching duty, and Tomas Nido becomes the third catcher on the roster. Rivera is better with the running game than Nido, but Nido is stronger in his framing. Rivera has a career 36 percent caught stealing for his career while Nido lags at 13 percent.

The biggest difference for the Mets is adding the extra catcher to the lineup stops them from using Yoenis Cespedes or Dominic Smith as the DH. With the depth of the Mets lineup, using Rivera/Nido should not hurt their offensive production. If they needed a pinch hitter, they could use Cespedes/Smith with the ability to put the third catcher in the game.

In extreme circumstances, the Mets lose the DH to make Ramos the catcher and play classic NL baseball. In an 82-game season with a DH, Ramos should play in all 82. Last season, he hit .307 with runners in scoring position and .367 in high leverage situations.

Keeping Ramos fresh was a key emphasis for the Mets down the stretch run of 2019. His hot hitting in the second half made it hard to take him out of the lineup. Putting him as the DH every 2-3 games allows them to keep him fresh and continue to give Cespedes/Smith the opportunity to DH when Ramos is behind the dish. It serves as an alternative plan if the Mets would rather have more offense than defense with the universal DH.

These New York Mets’ players would receive more at-bats if there is a universal DH

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New York Mets, Robinson Cano

The coronavirus crisis postponed the start of the MLB season, which was scheduled for March 26. The league and the players’ union are currently negotiating several things to return to play, and all of them concern the New York Mets.

One of them is particularly promising for the Mets’ lineup. According to Jon Heyman, cited by SNY, MLB is currently offering the union the option to implement a universal designated hitter spot for the 2020 season.

As you know, the American League plays with a DH and the National League doesn’t. The pitcher gets to hit in the old circuit, but if the changes go through, some New York Mets’ players stand to receive more at-bats in the upcoming season.

Heyman reports that the league’s proposal for the universal DH is expected to be easily approved, so if there is a season in 2020, it would seem like both leagues would have a designated hitter.

Great news for the Mets

For the New York Mets, that is fantastic news. While the current starting rotation’s depth suffered a huge blow with Noah Syndergaard’s Tommy John surgery, the lineup is, instead, crowded with usable options.

The Mets have a good offensive catcher in Wilson Ramos and a defensive wiz in Tomas Nido. They have Dominic Smith capable of playing first base, but blocked by Pete Alonso. There are lots of outfielders to spread around three spots, notably Brandon Nimmo, Jake Marisnick, Michael Conforto, Smith, Yoenis Cespedes and JD Davis. If the DH opens up, life could be easier for manager Luis Rojas.

There is also quite a logjam in the infield. If Jed Lowrie ever gets healthy, he is a very useful piece who can play second and third base, the same positions that Jeff McNeil can cover. Let’s remember that Lowrie was a 5.0 fWAR player the year before the New York Mets signed him. Robinson Cano’s contract and potent bat (if healthy) are also necessary in the lineup and a weekly start or two in the DH spot would help his legs.

Cespedes, Cano, and Smith are the most likely beneficiaries of the potential universal DH rule. The first two have suffered numerous lower-body injuries in recent months and Smith can find some extra at-bats given his path to playing time in first base is blocked.

New York Mets: Short Season Helps Robinson Cano and Yoenis Cespedes

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New York Mets, Robinson Cano

As Major League Baseball continues to move towards the season resuming, the more likely the divisions will be realigned. The designated hitter will likely become universal and implemented past the 2020 season. The New York Mets have with “pitchers who rake,” but their everyday DH is a major weapon.

The aging Robinson Cano is in prime position to assume the DH duty when baseball returns. Cano is in his age-37 season and coming off of his worst season in the big leagues. Even when Cano started to pick things up down the stretch run, it quickly ended when he injured his hamstring.

Squeeze the Last Good Years Out

There is no longer an expectation for Cano to put up MVP caliber numbers as a position player. If the Mets use Cano more as a DH than in his usual position of second base, the production should increase. Much like Nelson Cruz and Jim Thome, the increased focus on offense will bring back his Hall of Fame-caliber production.

Does it make the Mets defense better? Realistically, it does not make a difference. Cano is not the same defender he was during his prime. Even if the defense gets better at second base with Jeff McNeil moving there, the third base defense then takes a hit.

The other DH option would be Yoenis Cespedes, which would allow the Mets to keep Cano in the field. At this point in their careers, a healthy Cespedes is better than Cano. The keyword for him is always “health.” Cespedes was ready to hit in Spring Training games, but his rehab did not allow him to field yet. Moving him to a permanent DH role also allows the Mets to organize their outfield easily.

The Odd Man Out

Dominic Smith would ideally be the best for the role since he is going to lose the most playing time. Pete Alonso started 152 games in 2019 and will likely do the same. Smith is not an upgrade in the outfield either, which suits him perfectly to DH. This is why the Mets have not traded him since 2021 is a likely possibility for the universal DH.

Smith also provides more power as the left-handed DH over Cano. Smith only hit two fewer homers in over 200 less ABs last season. Smith’s on-base percentage was almost 50 points higher than Cano’s as well.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but Luis Rojas and the Mets should be discussing all the possibilities for baseball’s return. Their assortment of riches should be a blessing, not a curse.

New York Mets: You won’t guess what Marcus Stroman and Dom Smith are up to

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yankees, New York Mets, Marcus Stroman

The New York Mets aren’t playing any baseball games right now. As it turns out, the COVID-19 pushed back the start of the new season and there are other priorities right now. Stopping the quick spread of the virus is one of them, and professional sports are now on hold.

It is presumed that if the season starts this year, it won’t be until June at the earliest, so players have plenty of free time to kill. Some of them are working out to stay in shape, others are spending quiet days with the family. But Mets’ players Marcus Stroman and Dominic Smith have found an entertaining way to pass the time and help society in the process.

According to the New York Post, Stroman signed up for a virtual beer pong tournament and chose outfielder/first baseman Dominic Smith to be his partner. Ah, sports in the time of COVID-19!

The Mets’ stars will respect social distancing

Social distancing is highly recommended as a way to prevent the spread of the virus, but that’s not an issue for the Mets’ players: per the Post, the virtual tournament “should allow for social distancing:” Mike Seander, one of the organizers of the event, said live streams will be merged from the participants’ respective houses, and the money raised will go toward COVID-19 “recovery efforts.”

Seander is the rapper formerly known as Mike Stud. He goes by Mike nowadays. He recently tweeted that he was organizing a tournament that would stream on Instagram Live. Stroman, always competitive and involved, confirmed his participation and is taking his Mets’ teammate with him.

“I’m committed already,” the New York Mets’ third starter tweeted on Saturday. “Just FaceTimed with @justmike. @TheRealSmith2_ is the homie I’ll be playing with. We ready whenever!”

The Mets were in the middle of spring training when MLB decided to cancel the remaining games in Port St. Lucie, where the team has its complex. There is no official timetable for baseball to return, but MLB is holding out hope that the new season can start around the summer.

New York Mets: Porcello, Fargas the Story in 7-7 Tie

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New York Mets, Rick Porcello

The New York Mets offense is starting to come together as the starting pitching continues to dominate. Despite some bullpen struggles, the Mets finished in a 7-7 tie with the St. Louis Cardinals in a back and forth game. Their offensive output over the last two games finally moved them out of the bottom spot in the runs scored category.

Rick Porcello continued his solid start to Spring Training. Over three innings, he allowed two hits, a walk and struck out four. Porcello lowered his ERA to 1.50 and is showing why he deserves to hold a spot in the Mets rotation.

Tyler Bashlor‘s outing was a nightmare at best. He only recorded two outs and allowed seven hits, six runs, and three home runs after Porcello left the game. The home runs were the pitfall for Bashlor in 2019, and he served them up in bunches on Thursday.

Spring Training Cycle

The little known prospect Johneshwy Fargas pulled off quite a feat by hitting for the cycle. He received a non-roster invite to Spring Training after stealing 50 bases in double-A. For a team with very little speed, Fargas gives the Mets a speed threat to throw in their outfield late in the season. Jarrett Parker and Patrick Mazeika also blasted home runs on a day where most of the regulars were on the bench.

Amed Rosario finally recorded his first hit of Spring Training after going 0-for-15 to start camp. Pete Alonso recorded two hits and now has a hit in five of his last six games as his bat is starting to come around. Robinson Cano and Dominic Smith both went hitless to drop their averages to .125 and .130, respectively.

The Mets head to West Palm Beach to face the Houston Astros for a rare night game. Michael Wacha makes his third start of the Spring against Lance McCullers, fresh off Tommy John Surgery.

New York Mets: Young Stars Showcase Personalities Against Cardinals

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New York Yankees, New York Mets, Marcus Stroman

Wednesday’s game between the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals featured more of the usual from Spring Training. A strong starting pitching performance and Jeff McNeil‘s continued dominance with the bat. The game was televised on ESPN and the Mets certainly had fun being mic’d up with each other.

Marcus Stroman took the mound and had a terrific outing. Over three innings, he only allowed three baserunners and struck out four Cardinals. Things started off rocky when he hit and walked the first two batters. After Rene Rivera threw out a base stealer for the first out, Stroman induced a double play to end the inning. Through the rest of his start, he showed how clever of a pitcher he is. Stroman used his incredible body control to vary his motion which threw off the hitter’s timing drastically.

Bats Waking Up

Jeff McNeil continued his red hot pace with two more hits to move to 10-for-18 (.556), the best mark in Spring Training. Brandon Nimmo chipped in another hit as the 1-2 combination of McNeil and Nimmo have proved to be deadly so far. Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, and Wilson Ramos all supplied hits as they are picking up the pace after short skids at the plate.

One of the best parts of the ESPN broadcast was their live microphones. They picked the right guys in Pete Alonso, J.D. Davis, Dom Smith, and Jeff McNeil. Alonso dropped an accidental f-bomb, Smith poked fun at Davis and could not hear anyone at one point, and all of them hyped up an Eduardo Nunez triple. It showed how close this group is and there is truly something special going on at Port St. Lucie.

Zamora Rises

Daniel Zamora has always been seen as a lefty specialist for the Mets, but his stock is rising. Through four outings so far he has only allowed one hit, walk and hit by pitch. Zamora even has five strikeouts and the most impressive part is his ability to put away hitters from both sides of the plate. Dellin Betances still is not a lock for Opening Day and Zamora is asserting himself as the top guy to replace him.

Rick Porcello takes the mound on Thursday when the Mets take on the Cardinals in Jupiter. Porcello has allowed one run over three innings so far in the Spring.

New York Mets: Dominic Smith has learned to cope with unpredictability

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For a baseball player, not knowing when (and in which particular spot) he’s going to play can be difficult from a focus standpoint. That’s why pinch-hitting is easier said than done, for example. You have to be ready at all times, as you don’t know when your number is going to be called. For the New York Mets‘ Dominic Smith, this isn’t new.

He knows about unexpected things, and life has taught him how to handle them. Last season, he was briefly demoted to Triple-A, and he still remembers the shock.

“I just feel like that’s always going to be in the back of a young player’s mind because this is a business and it’s tough,” Smith said to Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News, recalling the situation.

The demotion was short, as it lasted just six days. It came as a surprise since he was raking to the tune of a .333 average, two doubles and four RBI in his first 29 games.

Speaking about unexpected things, he had achieved most of that success in an unpredictable pinch-hitting role from the bench. After all, Smith, a first baseman, shared the same position as breakout star Pete Alonso.

The Mets’ pinch-hit star

Last season as a pinch-hitter, Smith had a 21.6 BB% and a 16.2 K% mark, with a .286/.459/.571 line and a 1.031 OPS. His 175 wRC+ was fantastic, and he hit two doubles and two home runs in 37 plate appearances.

For Smith, is about letting go of things he cannot control. “All I know is the thing I can control — and that’s how hard I play, my preparation and the energy I put out there and being a good teammate,” he said to Thosar. “You can’t (think about being optioned or traded), because if I think about it too much it’s going to take me away from how I perform on the field and my everyday duty as a professional baseball player.

“So all I can do is keep a smile on my face, have fun and try to make the most out of everything.”

His role in 2020 will be similar to last year’s. He will occasionally play the outfield and he’ll pinch-hit a bunch while also playing some first base when Alonso gets some rest.

“Personally, I just want to help the team win,” he said. “I mean that’s all I care about, I feel like that’s all this team cares about. We were three games away from making the playoffs last year so, as a young team, that makes you more hungry and more team-oriented.”