Ronny Mauricio’s early numbers don’t scream “distinctive expertise,” however his athletic capability and maturity inform Mets evaluators in any other case.
A 19-year-old shortstop, Mauricio is extensively thought to be the group’s prime prospect. He spent final season at Low-A Columbia within the South Atlantic League, the place he slashed .268/.307/.357 with 4 homers and 37 RBIs in 116 video games. It was Mauricio’s first yr taking part in in a full-season league.
“He’s a powerful man,” stated an evaluator who has watched Mauricio. “You take into account his age and he’s going to maneuver quick as a result of he understands the sport. He has the power to sluggish the sport down. There might be groundballs and he’ll get to them and he doesn’t rush. He will get his toes beneath him and makes the throw and it’s superb how he’s bought a really feel for it, ‘I don’t should hurry, I don’t should rush this,’ so I used to be actually impressed with that.”
Mauricio, who was signed from the Dominican Republic as a 16-year-old, joins Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez amongst younger, high-upside shortstops within the group. One other well-regarded shortstop, Shervyen Newton, started taking part in second and third base at Columbia final season to create a gap for Mauricio.
Their abundance of shortstops may lead the Mets to transform Mauricio to an outfielder sooner or later if the 24-year-old Rosario is obstructing him. The Mets final summer time mentioned the concept of Rosario shifting to middle subject, however the experiment by no means commenced.
“Ronny is so spectacular as a result of he has the potential to defend, throw, run, hit and hit for energy — all whereas taking part in a difficult defensive place,” Mets govt director of participant improvement Jared Banner stated in an electronic mail. “He has proven exceptional poise taking part in towards older competitors up to now.”
A swap hitter who’s listed at 6-foot-Three and 166 kilos, Mauricio isn’t the prototypical shortstop.
“You hear he’s going to outgrow shortstop, he’s going to be too large, however let’s simply let him play shortstop, for my part,” the evaluator stated. “When he’s 20 years previous and taking part in in Triple-A, then we are able to make some selections, however he’s a reasonably spectacular wanting child.”
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In 470 at-bats final season Mauricio struck out 99 occasions, a giant quantity for someone who displayed little energy, however the Mets noticed enchancment along with his pitch recognition because the season progressed.
“We challenged Ronny by sending him to full-season ball at 18 years previous — he impressed us probably the most with how properly he responded to adversity,” Banner stated. “He developed a routine that labored for him and caught to his course of. Offensively, he confirmed enchancment attacking extra pitches within the strike zone whereas providing much less at pitches outdoors the zone. Defensively, his throwing consistency and accuracy improved because the yr progressed.”
Mauricio spent most of 2018 with the Gulf Coast League Mets and slashed .279/.307/.421 with three homers and 31 RBIs. The expectation, earlier than the COVID-19 shutdown, was Mauricio would have performed this season at Excessive-A St. Lucie.
“There’s issues he’s started working at,” the evaluator stated. “He can run, however he’s bought to learn to be a greater base runner and that’s all going to return with expertise. I don’t essentially suppose he’s a flier, however he’s runner, however like numerous guys who’re good runners, they’ve to learn to get began and all the opposite stuff.”
Mauricio tried 16 stolen bases final season and was profitable simply six occasions.
“He’s nonetheless studying find out how to be a real base stealer,” Banner stated. “However we love his effort on the bases and we count on that to translate into an impression instrument for him over time.”
Ronny Mauricio
Place: Shortstop
Age: 19
How acquired: Signed as a world free agent in 2017.
2019 statistics: At Low-A Columbia he slashed .268/.307/.357 with 4 homers and 37 RBIs.
