Terry Collins recently told reporters that he intends on exposing some of the younger players in the organization to the big league level in the second half of the season. Collins said he is unsure what Sandy Alderson has planned as far as trades and acquisitions go, but the team will certainly look at other players from the minor leagues.
"We want to show our fans that the future is close," Collins said.
Collins also added that the team will look to finish the second half strong while trying to evaluate the future as well.
Collins certainly did not do this in the first half of the season. He played veterans like Rick Ankiel, Marlon Byrd, Omar Quintanilla, and others. Of-course, playing Byrd has paid off and will most likely net the Mets a decent prospect at this year's trading deadline. However, playing Ankiel over someone like Juan Lagares was highly criticized when Ankiel was with the Mets.
This team has incredible young talent, and this year shouldn't be put to waste. Call up the kids and see what they can do at the major league level. It's the obvious thing to do while a team is rebuilding.
So, to make this article easier to read, I'll organize what I think the Mets should do during the second half of the season regarding their prospects down in the minor leagues.
Give Lagares the every-day centerfielder job
Lagares is fantastic defensively, but his offensive struggles have kept him out of the lineup. Right now he's hitting a mere .230 in 43 games with the Mets, but I'd really like to see if he can turn that around. His gold-glove defense is good enough to make him a bench player, but if he could get his bat going he could end up being a long-term solution out in centerfield.
Call up Wilmer Flores
I truly believe that Flores is being kept in Triple-A on purpose to preserve his trade value. He's currently hitting .309 with 10 homers in 78 games for Las Vegas, and should be promoted in the second half of the season. At 21 years old, he could be a real nice piece for the Mets moving forward if they hold onto him. Of-course, he is one of their biggest trading chips, so calling him up in the second half could be risky.
Call up d'Arnaud whenever he is healthy
Travis d'Arnaud has been sidelined for the majority of the season with a foot injury, and is currently rehabbing. However, whenever he is ready for baseball activities, I'd think about calling him up. John Buck, the team's current primary catcher, got off to a scotching hot start, but has severely cooled down ever since then. Buck is a trade candidate next month, and sooner or later the catchers position will open up for d'Arnaud. Why not call him up when he's fully healed, and see what he can provide to this team moving forward?
Call up Rafael Montero
I'm a big Rafael Montero supporter, and I firmly believe that he is major league ready. He's been one of the more underrated pitching prospects up until about a year ago, where he finally was made a name for himself. At age 22, he could possibly have a long-term spot on this team, assuming he doesn't get traded. I'd really like to see the Mets call him up in the second half of the season. Like Flores, this is sort of a risky move because if he struggles, it may tarnish his trade value.
Trade Marlon Byrd, call up Cesar Puello
Marlon Byrd is as good as gone next month due to his success this season. Puello has been a watched-over prospect of the Mets for years now, and is really making a name for himself with Double-A Binghamton in 2013. He's hitting .333 with 14 homers and 52 RBI in 61 games this season. He also has 18 stolen bases, which means he's a threat on the basepaths as well. Puello is easily the best big league-ready outfielder in the Mets organization, and should definitely be called up sometime before season's end. The guy is 22 years old, and could potentially be a five tool player.
Trade/release Scott Rice, call up Jack Leathersich
Scott Rice was unbelievable at the start of the season. However, as predicted he started to burn out when Terry Collins used him, from what it seemed, almost every game. Now that Rice's ERA has bloated up to 4.50 ERA, the Mets will need to turn to a new left handed specialist. Two words... Jack Leathersich. The 22 year old lefty has been unbelievable in the minors, and should get every opportunity to prove himself at the major league level. He recently was promoted to Triple-A, so the organization is keeping a close eye on him. Stay tuned...We may see more of Leathersich and his (current) sparking K/9 ratio of 16.4.
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