Here are the Mets' 2022 Top 30 Prospects

One Big Three is still representing the five boroughs anyway.

Last year, Francisco ?lvarez, Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio drew comparisons to Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden during their respective times playing in Brooklyn. The Nets trio has since broken up, but the Mets one certainly hasn’t.

New York’s top three prospects are the organization’s Top 100 representation to begin 2022, led by ?lvarez at No. 10, Baty at No. 27 and Mauricio at No. 78. With those first two, the Mets join the D-backs, Mariners, Orioles, Pirates, Red Sox and Tigers as the seven systems with two or more prospects in the MLB Pipeline’s top 27 overall prospects.

All three of the farm’s Top 100 contingent represent powerful bat-first profiles with each earning 60 grades for their slugging tools. That theme extends out to No. 4 prospect Mark Vientos, who will compete with Baty for the future of the third-base spot in Queens.

However, this is a fairly top-heavy organization. No. 5 prospect Matt Allan remains the most promising pitching prospect, but he’s still coming off 2021 Tommy John surgery and underwent another procedure to transpose his ulnar collateral nerve this offseason. So while right-handed pitching is still the most heavily represented position group for the Mets, it’s the top-of-the-rotation type that the group is still missing, and it’s there that the club’s decision not to sign Kumar Rocker as its 2021 first-rounder is felt most deeply.

It should be interesting to see how New York uses its high-ceiling prospects in 2022. The club already dipped into the farm system to acquire starter Chris Bassitt from the A’s for pitchers J.T. Ginn and Adam Oller, and it’s clear the Major League club is in win-now mode. Baty and Vientos, in particular, may not be far from seeing Flushing themselves, but if the Mets remain in heavy contention as expected come late July, don’t be surprised if they move more long-term prospects to make a stronger run at a title in 2022.

Here's a look at the Mets' top prospects:
1. Francisco ?lvarez, C (MLB No. 10)
2. Brett Baty, 3B/OF (MLB No. 27)
3. Ronny Mauricio, SS (MLB No. 78)
4. Mark Vientos, 3B/OF/1B
5. Matt Allan, RHP
Complete Top 30 list ?

Biggest jump/fall

Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2021 preseason list to the 2022 preseason list.

Jump: Joel Diaz, RHP (2021: NR | 2022: 10)
The Mets didn’t aim for the big names of the 2021 international class, but Jan. 15 signee Diaz did provide some intrigue as a 6-foot-2 right-hander with a three-pitch mix. He backed up that interest with a 0.54 ERA (best among Minor League qualifiers) and 63 strikeouts over 50 1/3 innings in the Dominican Summer League. Diaz touches 96 with his heater, and his curveball and changeup both show at least average potential. His stateside debut will easily be the most highly anticipated of the system in 2022.

Fall: Thomas Szapucki, LHP (2021: 10 | 2022: NR)
Injuries continue to derail the 25-year-old’s prospect stock. His history of maladies already included Tommy John surgery, a shoulder injury and back concerns entering last year, and then he was limited to only 41 2/3 innings at Triple-A Syracuse due to another elbow problem that required ulnar transposition surgery in July. Szapucki did make his Major League debut last summer and remains on New York’s 40-man, but he needs to prove he can stay healthy to move away from the fringes of that roster.

Top 30s
NLE: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH
ALE: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
NLC: CIN | CHC | MIL | PIT | STL
ALC: CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIN
NLW: ARI | COL | LAD | SD | SF
ALW: HOU | LAA | OAK | SEA | TEX

Best tools

Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.

Hit: 60 -- Brett Baty (Francisco ?lvarez)
Power: 65 -- Francisco ?lvarez
Run: 60 -- Jaylen Palmer
Arm: 60 -- Ronny Mauricio (Francisco ?lvarez, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Khalil Lee, Nick Meyer)
Defense: 55 -- Jake Mangum (Alex Ramirez, Khalil Lee, Jaylen Palmer, Hayden Senger, Nick Meyer)
Fastball: 65 -- Robert Dominguez
Curveball: 70 -- Brian Metoyer
Slider: 55 -- Dominic Hamel
Changeup: 60 -- Jose Butto
Control: 55 -- Josh Walker (Jose Butto, Mike Vasil, Christian Scott)

How they were built
Draft: 15 | International: 11 | Trade: 3 | Free agent: 1

Breakdown by ETA
2022: 12 | 2023: 4 | 2024: 10 | 2025: 2 | 2026: 1 | 2028: 1

Breakdown by position
C: 3 | 1B: 1 | 2B: 0 | 3B: 3 | SS: 1 | OF: 8 | RHP: 13 | LHP: 1