DOB: 6/11/83, Age: 18, Height: 6’0’’, Weight:
160, Bats: B, Throws: R. Acquired: Mets - Signed out of the Dominican
Republic in 2000. 2000 Stats: (Rookie - Kingsport) .250 AVG, 132 AB, 3 2B,
3 3B, 0 HR, 10 SB, 20 BB, 37 K, .359 OBP, .318 SLG. 2001 Stats: (Low-A -
Capital City) .307 AVG, 407 AB, 22 2B, 15 3B, 5 HR, 30 SB, 18 BB, 71 K,
.337 OBP, .472 SLG.
Jose Reyes is already better
than Rey Ordonez, if you ask me. Granted, that doesn’t mean awfully much,
but it should help him continue to progress rapidly through the Mets’
system. Reyes was a mid-season signee last year from the Dominican. He was
(and is) a small, skinny, flashy shortstop that is stronger on defense
than on offense. After exhibiting adequate “little man” numbers in Rookie
ball as a 17-year old (.359 OBP, 10 steals), the Mets decided that their
young rotation in Columbia needed better defense behind them for 2001.
They had already pushed the other two potential shortstops for the team to
second and third in 2000, so they handed the job to the still 17-year old
Reyes. In the field, Reyes proved that his defense is already close to
major-league caliber, as he committed only 18 errors in a full season with
Capital City. Even some of the best fielding big-league shortstops have
committed upwards of 30 errors in the low minors, so that was no small
feat. Reyes shows a strong arm, tremendous range, and, surprisingly for a
youngster, the ability to make the routine play as well. At the plate,
Reyes became a much more aggressive hitter, with his walk rate declining
by nearly two-thirds. His strikeout rate decreased also, however, so his
impatience is not incredibly worrisome just yet. The most impressive thing
about his hitting this season was the appearance of some “gap power.”
Reyes increased his SLG 154 points (22 doubles, 15 triples, and 5 homers)
while skipping over a level as a 17/18 year old, which is a major
accomplishment. He also increased his SB success percentage from 71% to
75%, which is also impressive. All in all, it was a year without many weak
points for young Jose.
Jose Reyes is, at this point,
the Mets’ shortstop of the future. They will continue to move everyone out
of his way as he moves up the system. The jump from Rookie to low-A was
quite impressive, but I’m not sure that he’s ready for more than St. Lucie
this season. The most glaring area for improvement is his plate
discipline, which is an entirely common deficiency for young players. I
look at Reyes as a potential leadoff hitter for the Mets in a few years,
so that would make that skill doubly important. The Mets have a hole at
shortstop at the big-league level, whether they admit it or not, so Reyes
will probably be rushed a bit more. He should find his way to Binghamton
sometime next year, and might make it to the Big Apple by the beginning of
2004. A young Edgar Renteria would make a good comparison, I think, and I
do expect him to be the Mets leadoff man and starting shortstop within the
next four years.