The two “no names” displayed some encouraging traits.
The New York Mets sent closer David Robertson to the Miami Marlins, a division rival, in their first official trade deadline move. They acquired two lesser minor leaguers in return that none of us had any knowledge of. There was instant uncertainty regarding Billy Eppler’s level of awareness of his actions.
For the Marlins, Robertson proved to be a disaster. Shortly after donning the turquoise Miami uniform, he was relieved of his closer duties. Robertson was in the bullpen, but the Marlins still made the playoffs despite this, not because of it.
Regarding some of the other prospects the Mets added at the trade deadline, a lot has been said. How about this arrangement?
How Ronald Hernandez performed on the Mets farm
Ronald Hernandez, a 19-year-old catcher, was the lesser-rated prospect between the two. At the time of the trade, his Rookie Ball stats were slashing.298/.464/.452. When he signed with the Mets organization, he continued.
Hernandez made 53 plate appearances for the FCL Mets, batting.286/.509/.486. He was sent to St. Lucie, where he would have just 39 opportunities to establish his value. His hit total in the small sample size was just.172/.333/.241.
One of Hernandez’s stronger traits from the previous season was his ability to draw walks. In actuality, he had three more bases on balls at the end than strikeouts. One thing to watch is the combined.452 OBP for all three teams. This kind of plate discipline is difficult to teach.
What Marco Vargas did on the farm of the Mets
The infielder Marco Vargas was the “headliner” in this trade. He performed some of the same tasks that Hernandez was able to complete at the age of just 18. Upon examining his statistics, it is evident that he walked 53 times in contrast to just 38 strikeouts. His tenure with the Marlins organization is included in this.
Specific to the Mets, he struggled a bit with the FCL Mets with a .234/.368/.298 slash line. However, he was a .308/.419/.308 hitter with St. Lucie.
Vargas only appeared in 21 games for the Mets organization, but he shows encouraging signs. He and Hernandez are a dynamic duo to follow as they grow. So far, neither has struck for a lot of power. That and other benefits will undoubtedly manifest at such a young age.