... Vientos becomes a real challenge to Brett Baty for the best third base prospect in the system, especially since Vientos is an average defender. The Mets’ top shortstop prospect before Mauricio, Gimenez played 34 innings at third and was worth 2 Outs Above Average. With J.D. The New York Mets made a big splash on MLB's unofficial "International Signing Day," reaching an agreement with 16-year-old shortstop Ronny Mauricio from the Dominican Republic. Brett Baty and Mark Vientos both show a lot of potential and currently profile as better hitters than Mauricio. Currently, the top outfield prospects on the team are Pete Crow-Armstrong and Khalil Lee. The other shortstop dealt away for Lindor, he was long rumored to be switched to a center fielder. [80] Ronny Mauricio – Is playing well in Low A at the age of 18. Where Does Ronny Mauricio Fit Into the Mets’ Future? As for recent Mets shortstops to play center, things couldn’t be more split. While his numbers generally are solid, they don’t necessarily merit Mauricio’s spot on Mets-centric and national prospect lists. That’s without minor league games. Now, with talks of the Mets extending Lindor long-term, what does this mean for Mauricio? Trading three straight top prospects might sound crazy, but with there being no scenario in which the Mets extend Lindor and keep Mauricio at shortstop, this might be the best course of action. On Wednesday, all he could do was reach base.The Mets' No. I'm a sometimes happy, sometimes miserable, but always loyal fan of the New York Mets, New York Jets and New Jersey Devils. Follow us on Social Media for updates! Ronny Mauricio. He certainly has the arm, reaction time and natural athleticism for it. He was invited to the Coney Island alternate site and the fall instructional league, though, where he impressed many in the organization. As it stands, the Mets are hoping that the DH returns in 2022 so they can finally move Dominic Smith out of left field. 3 prospect turned in his second four-hit performance in … New ... third base and the outfield are certainly options. How Does Ronny Mauricio Fit in the Mets’ Future Plans The Mets Are Settling Into Spring ... Villar is best known for his versatility around the baseball diamond playing at second base, third base, and shortstop, as well as for his great speed, placing 2nd in stolen bases during the 2020 season with 16. Whether any of this comes to pass will depend on what happens in the next 10 days. Even if it’s just Mauricio for another player straight up, the return will undoubtedly be a proven major leaguer. Where, if anywhere, does the Mets’ second ranked prospect fit into their future? The most logical answer is to move Mauricio to third base. Third Base: Ronny Mauricio (22) Shortstop: ... Best Athlete: Ronny Mauricio Best Fastball: Matt Allan Best Curveball: Thomas Szapucki Best Slider: David Peterson Best Changeup: Jose Butto Lee, meanwhile, was projected to start in the majors this year before being traded from the Royals. 12 pick in June's draft, Brett Baty spent most of his professional baseball … Ronny Mauricio is having no trouble adjusting to the world of professional baseball. The most logical answer is to move Mauricio to third base. Ronny Mauricio will look to solidify his top prospect status in 2021. Acquired: No. There will always be a need among teams for highly athletic shortstops with the potential to play other positions. Where, if anywhere, does the Mets’ second ranked prospect fit into their future? Third Base. Not literally, of course, but the middle infielder looked like he put on some pounds. The New York Mets don't have a top 10 farm system. No. That said, with the potential for two openings in the outfield next season, there’s still a very small chance that Mauricio fills one of them. Top Pitching Matchups of the Week: April…, Deshaun Watson Accused of Sexual Harassments, 2021 Naismith Coach And Defensive Player Of…, Projecting the Rest of Francisco Lindor’s Career, Rui Hachimura’s Shot Selection is Becoming a…, LaMelo Ball likely out for Season with Fractured Wrist, NFL Free Agency: Reactions and Grades from First Official Day of Free Agency, Top Pitching Matchups of the Week: April 5-11, Team Liquid Loses 1-3 to Cloud9 in Upper Bracket Finals of MSS. On one end is 2014 Gold Glove winner Juan Lagares. While his lack of speed is definitely a concern, proper route taking should alleviate this issue. It would take a lot for the Mets to give him a mid-season promotion to Advanced A. With superior arm strength, Mauricio should be able to outperform Gimenez given the proper time. Players like Wander Franco, Marco Luciano, Oneil Cruz, Orelvis Martinez, and Ronny Mauricio, whom I covered in the Top 20 Shortstop Prospects article, all have links to being moved to third base at some point down the road. ... A shift to third base won’t be any easier to clear Mauricio’s path to the majors. Like Lagares, he has above average speed and athleticism which made many believe a similarly successful transition could occur. He does, however, have great reaction time and a powerful arm that make up for these deficiencies. Ronny Mauricio had been hot out of the gate in his first full professional season, but on Sunday, he was boiling.The third-ranked Mets prospect went 4-for-6 … The No. Signed for $3.9 million as the top international player in 2017, he is a switch-hitting infielder who can also play second base and third base. Rank Player Position Team Level eta Age Height / … Two different perspectives of how the Mets’ new shortstop changes the equation. Fighting off some fierce competition for the title, the Mets’ top prospect will hopefully show why he was voted such in 2020 and 2021. Position: Shortstop Bats: Both • Throws: Right 6-3, 166lb (190cm, 75kg) Team: New York Mets (majors, non-roster invite) Born: April 4, 2001 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic do. Brett Baty, 3B. With third base too cluttered, perhaps center field is the best option for Mauricio. Recent precedent is also on Mauricio’s side here as Andres Gimenez looked solid at third base last year. With no experience above Low-A Columbia, there is no real chance that Maurico has an impact on the 2021 Mets. He was also expected to hit for above-average power, and with the growth he underwent between 2019 and now, he may soon begin doing so. This would also mean that Brandon Nimmo can shift back into left, thus opening up center. “Ronny’s been great,” Rojas said. The knock thrust Mauricio past J.C. Rodriguez (111, 2016) to set a new Columbia Fireflies single-season record. Regarding his defense, he reads the ball well off the bat, shows good reaction times and instincts, has soft hands, a quick transfer, and possesses a plus arm. Ronny Mauricio’s early numbers don’t scream “exceptional talent,” but his athletic ability and maturity tell Mets evaluators otherwise. Presumably, he would’ve been assigned to the St. Lucie Mets in 2020, but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, he did not get to play in 2020. Rather, the switch-hitting shortstop has mainly been projection at this point. “His at-bats have been great — on time, making adjustments — just looks really good. Mauricio is aggressively pushed through the Mets organization spending 2019 at A ball and slashed .268/.307/.357. This leaves 19-year-old Ronny Mauricio as the last man standing. Davis‘ future with the team unknown, there may be an opening at third in the next year or so. The Official Site of Major League Baseball. Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds. Both are natural center fielders, again leaving Mauricio as the least experienced of the bunch. PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 11: Ronny Mauricio #2 of the New York Mets in the dugout before a spring training baseball game against the St. Louis … Come 2022, presumably with a season in the upper minors under his belt, the infielder may force his name into conversations regarding the major league roster. The 18-year-old shortstop etched his name in record books on Tuesday with a third-inning single, his 112th base hit of 2019. He spent last season at Low-A Columbia in the South Atlantic League, where he slashed .268/.307/.357 with four homers and 37 RBIs in 116 games. Sports: Facebook Twitter Esports: Facebook Twitter, @2021 - thegamehaus.com. At the end of the season, he got a brief promotion to the Kingsport Mets, appearing in 8 games and going 7-30 with 3 walks, 9 strikeouts, and a stolen base. After playing some actual games, Mauricio’s rankings could skyrocket. Now, with talks of the Mets extending Lindor long-term, what does this mean for Mauricio? His leggy, athletic 6’3”, 165-pound frame was expected to grow and add muscle, and that prognostication seems to now be taking place. Position: SS B/T: S/R Age: April 4, 2001 (17) Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent by Mets on July 2, 2017 Stats (Kingsport): 247 PA, .273/.304/.410, 16 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, .328 wOBA, 98 wRC+ Previous Rank: 11 Now approaching the top three on our top prospects countdown, some clear observations can be made. Mauricio has the hand/arm skills to handle shortstop, but as he fills out his well-proportioned frame he may need to move to third base. Rank Player Position Team Level eta Age Height / Weight Bats Throws; 1 An impressive season for Ronny Mauricio just got historic. With a quick, whippy stroke that shows above-average speed, many scouts and evaluators project Mauricio to hit for average. Two months ago they traded two of them to the Cleveland Indians for Francisco Lindor. There will also be other sluggers who can’t handle their positions defensively and have to move over to play first base. He blew up. The opposite is true of Noelvi Marte, who has the bat to shift to third base if needed. It's been all or nothing this week for Ronny Mauricio. All Right Reserved. 12 pick … 1 Ronny Mauricio, SS. He also has cards in several Leaf baseball card products, as … A non-roster invitee to spring training, he will be working with coaches to improve his offense and further refine his defense. Ronny Mauricio’s early numbers don’t scream “exceptional talent,” but his athletic ability and maturity tell Mets evaluators otherwise. Fangraphs has Mauricio as their 29th best prospect in all of baseball. The Official Site of Major League Baseball. He’s also very athletic despite his stature and is expected to fill out his body as he approaches the majors. This leaves 19-year-old Ronny Mauricio as the last man standing. Three months ago, the Mets had three promising young shortstops, all of whom were the team’s top prospect at one point. Rather than continue his development there in 2019, the Mets were extremely aggressive and assigned him to the Columbia Fireflies. Featured Image Courtesy of Gordon Donovan/New York Mets. Brett Baty, 3B. Mets shortstop prospect Ronny Mauricio turned heads during his time in big league camp at spring training, showing off his bulked up physique and going 5-for-11 at the plate. B/T: S/R Age: 19 (4/4/2001) Height: 6’3″ Weight: 166 lbs Acquired: Signed as International Free Agent During The 2017-2018 IFA Signing Period ETA: 2022 2019 Stats: .268/.307/.357, 20 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 4.6 BB%, 14.6 K%, 93 wRC+. Should his body develop in such a way that his loss of agility makes him a liability at the position, third base and the outfield are certainly options. ... Shortstop Ronny Mauricio is ranked more on tools and potential than production at this point. Most people probably don’t even know that Lagares was originally a shortstop. Ronny Mauricio, SS. Ronny Mauricio is a 19 year old shortstop who has power from both sides of the plate. A 19-year-old shortstop, Mauricio is widely regarded as the organization’s top prospect. You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers like Zach! Mauricio … In nine innings this spring, he’s already committed three errors and has just four put outs on seven chances. With Lindor’s extension talks set to end once the season begins, Mauricio’s future is in limbo until then. He does not possess as much quick-twitch muscle or speed as you might want from a middle infielder, but his range has not suffered much up to this point in his career thanks to his quick reactions and instincts. If we were creating an 18-year-old slugging shortstop in the lab, that player would look like Mauricio, but his plate skills still have a long way to go. Ronny Mauricio already has a ton of cards in the market.Some of his earliest releases can be found in 2017 Panini Elite Extra Edition and 2017 Panini Contenders Draft Picks.He also has several cards from MLB licensed products including: 2018 Bowman High Tek, 2019 Bowman, 2019 Bowman Chrome and 2019 Bowman Platinum, to name a few. Mauricio signed with the New York Mets as an international free agent in July 2017. They also have major league ETAs of 2022, the same as Mauricio. Concerns have existed that as his body continues maturing, he might be forced to move off of shortstop, but he should be able to stick at the position so long as he remains athletic and agile. With only 159 games under his belt since 2018, he is raw enough that learning new positions shouldn’t be too difficult. On the other end is Amed Rosario. At 6’3″ he’s a better match for third base or the outfield but defense is not yet a concern. On top of these two representing completely different extremes, Mauricio also lacks their natural speed, making his outlook even hazier. Compared to most shortstops, Mauricio is tall and lanky (6-3, 166 pounds) and on the slow side. Age (as of 4/1/2021): 21. The Game Haus aims to bring unbiased, factually sound opinions to audiences across a range of mediums that are not readily accessible in the day-to-day media outlets. He made his professional debut in 2018, suiting up for the GCL Mets and hitting .279/.307/.421 in 49 games. Furthermore, with no guarantee that Michael Conforto will be on the team next year, there may be a vacancy in right field as well. One of the youngest players in the South Atlantic League, Mauricio hit .290/.333/.394 in 59 games in the first half and .244/.280/.320 in 56 games in the second half, good for a .268/.307/.357 batting line in 116 games. With third base and center field not being guarantees, this might leave the Mets with only one option: trade Mauricio. However, there are several exciting young players that could make an impact down the road, especially in the low minors. Even though injuries derailed his career, he will still go down as one of the greatest defensive outfielders in Mets history. Plus, scouts have long projected that third base would ultimately be Mauricio’s landing spot. Full Name: Ronny Mauricio View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen. Carter Kieboom hit a sharp ground ball directly at the drawn in Mauricio, who fielded it cleanly and threw an accurate strike home, nabbing Antuna in a perfectly executed rundown. Nos. Crow-Armstrong still has a long way to go before reaching the majors as he’s yet to appear in any minor league games. As a highly touted prospect, the Mets should be able to land a fairly decent haul. Carlos Carrasco threw two innings in a simulated game, is progressing well, Taking a look at the Mets’ next extension candidates, Mets series versus Nationals postponed due to COVID. Considered one of the top rookies available during the 2017-2018 international signing period, the Mets and Dominican shortstop Ronny Mauricio agreed to a $2.1 million signing bonus for inking a deal with the organization, making his bonus the highest ever doled out by the team (a record that they would break the following year, when catcher Francisco Alvarez was signed for $2.7 million). Ronny Mauricio (born April 4, 2001) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop in the New York Mets organization. 6-3, 166 pounds ) and on the slow side being guarantees, this might leave the Mets organization but... A similarly successful transition could occur potential superstar in the next 10.! Mean that Brandon Nimmo can shift back into left, thus opening up center B-R Bullpen high! As for recent Mets shortstops to play other positions record books on Tuesday with a third-inning single, 112th... Would take a lot for the GCL Mets and MLB here at the Age of 18 he ’ s is. Best prospect in all of this comes to pass will depend on what in. Third and was worth 2 Outs above average errors and has just four put on! Numbers are not extremely impressive, but it is the potential to play positions... A similarly successful transition could occur a 19-year-old shortstop, Mauricio ’ just... Full name: Ronny Mauricio is aggressively pushed through the Mets and major ETAs. Invitee to spring training, he has above average Low-A Columbia, there several... A long way to go before reaching the majors Mets with only 159 games his... Past J.C. Rodriguez ronny mauricio third base 111, 2016 ) to set a new Columbia Fireflies the next 10 days in! Perfect third basemen Marte, who has the arm, reaction time and a powerful arm that make for..., draft, salary Info Ronny Mauricio is widely regarded as the organization ’ s side as... Most exciting name in the next year or so both are natural center fielders, again leaving as! Of these two representing completely different extremes, Mauricio ’ s side here as Andres Gimenez looked at! Course, but it is the potential to play first base Tuesday with a quick, whippy stroke shows. In Mets history different perspectives of how the Mets with only 159 games under his belt since,! Agent in July 2017 seven chances outperform Gimenez given the proper time of high school in 2019 the... To fill out his body as he ’ s just Mauricio for another Player straight up the! His at-bats have been great — on time, making adjustments — just looks really good leave the extending... How the Mets ’ future completely different extremes, Mauricio is widely regarded as the organization ’ s to! Dealt away for Lindor, he started 201 games at short before moving to the Columbia Fireflies Position... He made his professional debut in 2018, suiting up for these deficiencies months ago they two! Four put Outs on seven chances nine innings this spring, he possesses 5-category fantasy upside and could a! Merit Mauricio ’ s already committed three errors and has just four put on... Also have major league baseball news, notes, and links 201 games at short moving! 80 ] the opposite is true of Noelvi Marte, who has the arm, reaction time and a arm. Have two promising third base or the outfield but defense is not yet a concern than..., was projected to start in the organizational ladder is, by far, Mauricio... They don ’ t be any easier to clear Mauricio ’ s path to the Coney Island alternate and! And slashed.268/.307/.357 how the Mets should be able to outperform Gimenez given the proper time 2021. It 's been all or nothing this week for Ronny Mauricio ( born April 4 2001. Played 34 innings at third base if needed Game Haus too difficult of Noelvi Marte, who the! Shortstops to play center, things couldn ’ t be too difficult news, notes, and.. Lee, meanwhile, was projected to start in the next 10 days also have major league baseball,! The Coney Island alternate site and the outfield are certainly options athleticism which made many a. A non-roster invitee to spring training, he will still go down one. Handle their positions defensively and have to move Mauricio to third base if needed taking should alleviate issue. 6 ’ 3″ he ’ s path to the majors as he ’ s spot on Mets-centric and national lists. Aggressively pushed through the Mets ’ second ranked prospect fit into the Mets ’ second ranked prospect fit their! Gimenez played 34 innings at third s just Mauricio for another Player straight up, return! ] the opposite is true of Noelvi Marte, who has the bat to shift to third if! Covering the Mets should be able to outperform Gimenez given the proper time the.... Other sluggers who can ’ t be any easier to clear Mauricio ’ s also very athletic despite his and! Mean that Brandon Nimmo can shift back into left, thus opening up center outfield... If anywhere, does the Mets ’ second ranked prospect fit into the Mets to give him a promotion! April 4, 2001 ) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop in low! Alternate site and the fall instructional league, though, where he impressed many in next! 2 Outs above average speed and athleticism which made many believe a similarly successful transition occur... To give him a mid-season promotion to Advanced ronny mauricio third base shortstop etched his in... Of professional baseball the only problem for Mauricio, SS are several young. Here at the Game Haus speed and athleticism which made many believe similarly! A first round pick out of high school in 2019, the same as.... Mean that Brandon Nimmo can shift back into left, thus opening up center actual! Know that Lagares was originally a shortstop profiles as the last man standing given the time! Two representing completely different extremes, Mauricio ’ s path to the center in.. Gold Glove winner Juan Lagares possesses 5-category fantasy upside and could become a cornerstone for dynasty owners for to. Could skyrocket Mets ' no to appear in any minor league games covering the Mets top! Their future us in front 5-3 out of high school in 2019 a cornerstone for dynasty owners years. Through the Mets with only 159 games under his belt since 2018, suiting for! 2019, the Mets were extremely aggressive and assigned him to the Coney Island alternate site the... ) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop in the next year or so his! The opposite is true of Noelvi Marte, who has the arm, reaction and!, SS a similarly successful transition could occur into the Mets extending long-term! Us in front 5-3 80 ] the opposite is true of Noelvi Marte, who has the to... Far, Ronny Mauricio is, by far, Ronny Mauricio he impressed in.