Where the Mets' Top 30 prospects are starting season

With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Mets’ Top 30 prospects are projected to start:

1. Francisco Álvarez (MLB No. 2), C -- Syracuse (Triple-A)
2. Brett Baty (MLB No. 20), 3B/OF -- Syracuse (Triple-A)
3. Kevin Parada (MLB No. 35), C -- Brooklyn (High-A)
4. Alex Ramírez (MLB No. 95), OF -- Brooklyn (High-A)
5. Jett Williams, SS -- St. Lucie (Single-A)
6. Ronny Mauricio, SS -- Syracuse (Triple-A)
7. Blade Tidwell, RHP -- Brooklyn (High-A)
8. Mark Vientos, 3B/1B -- Syracuse (Triple-A)
9. Dominic Hamel, RHP -- Binghamton (Double-A)
10. Calvin Ziegler, RHP -- Injured (elbow surgery)
11. Mike Vasil, RHP -- Binghamton (Double-A)
12. Joel Díaz, RHP -- Injured (Tommy John surgery)
13. Jesus Baez, SS -- Extended spring training
14. Nick Morabito, OF -- Extended spring training
15. Jose Butto, RHP -- Syracuse (Triple-A)
16. Layonel Ovalles, RHP -- St. Lucie (Single-A)
17. Jacob Reimer, 3B -- St. Lucie (Single-A)
18. Dangelo Sarmiento, SS -- Extended spring training
19. Junior Santos, RHP -- Binghamton (Double-A)
20. Jordany Ventura, RHP -- St. Lucie (Single-A)
21. Stanley Consuegra, OF -- Brooklyn (High-A)
22. Bryce Montes De Oca, RHP -- Injured (Tommy John surgery)
23. Matt Allan, RHP -- Injured (UCL revision surgery)
24. Luis Rodriguez, LHP -- Injured (Tommy John rehab)
25. Javier Atencio, LHP -- St. Lucie (Single-A)
26. William Lugo, 3B/SS -- Brooklyn (High-A)
27. Willy Fañas, OF -- Extended spring training
28. Simon Juan, OF -- Extended spring training
29. Grant Hartwig, RHP -- Syracuse (Triple-A)
30. Christian Scott, RHP -- Extended spring training

Team to watch
Few, if any, Triple-A lineups rival the heart of Syracuse’s order with Francisco Álvarez, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Mark Vientos bopping together. Each player in that group, which makes up half of the Mets’ Top 8 prospects, boasts at least 60-grade power. Álvarez’s pop climbs to 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale, and he’s the youngest of the group at just 21 years old. Starter Jose Butto and reliever Grant Hartwig give the International League club at least some arms worth following too, but it’s those bats that should get Mets fans most excited about their club’s top Minor League affiliate.

Teams on MLB.TV and MiLB.TV
Triple-A Syracuse
Double-A Binghamton
High-A Brooklyn
Single-A St. Lucie

Players we could see in MLB in 2023
Baty was a late cut from Major League camp this Spring Training, and after escaping a scare with his right hand this week, every at-bat he takes is an audition to usurp Eduardo Escobar at the hot corner in Queens. Álvarez is already on his way to Queens following news of a potential Omar Narváez IL stint. Even if he doesn't stick this time around, he absolutely has the offensive potential to gatecrash the bigs for a more prominent role later in the season. Vientos looks like a potential right-handed DH complement to Daniel Voglebach, especially with Darin Ruf out of the picture, and Butto stands ready as starting depth after making one MLB start in 2022.

New faces
First-rounders Kevin Parada and Jett Williams are still relatively fresh faces in the system as they enter their first full seasons. Parada heads to High-A Brooklyn for the first time, bringing the plus hit tool and plus power he showed at Georgia Tech with him. Williams is considered a gifted hitter and runner and will make his Florida State League debut with Single-A St. Lucie. Blade Tidwell, the organization’s 2022 second-rounder, will join Parada in Brooklyn.

On the shelf
It isn’t a great time to be a prominent pitching prospect in the Mets system. Joel Díaz and Bryce Montes de Oca both underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery, while Calvin Ziegler is recovering from surgery that removed bone spurs from his right elbow. Former top prospect Matt Allan’s bad string of health concerns continued this offseason when he underwent UCL revision surgery that will keep him out until 2024 at the earliest.