10 Prospects New York Mets May Protect From Rule 5 Draft

Muno may be a bit of a longshot to be protected based on the fact that the Mets have so many other options at second base, and he's not high on the list after putting together a solid season at Triple-A in 2014. However, Muno can be a useful big leaguer, the kind of player you always seem to find on winning teams. The Mets will give some consideration to keeping him if there's room.

Based on his numbers over the past two years in Advanced-A, there's no reason for the Mets to protect Tapia. However, there are scouts who think he could pitch out of a major league bullpen right now based on his velocity and ability to force ground balls with his sinker. Of course, his control has been an issue and his secondary stuff hasn't quite developed yet, but Tapia is still young and a team may take a chance on him.

Morris is far from ready for the big leagues, but he put up ridiculous numbers in Low-A ball this year, striking out 89 in 57 innings with a 0.63 ERA. The Mets aren't enamored with his control, but he was close to unhittable in 2014 and possesses an electric fastball that the Mets don't want to lose. It might be tough for a team to live with him on their major league roster all season, but the Mets may not want to risk losing him.

Ynoa was fantastic in 2013, but his performance leveled out in 2014 against better competition, with him putting up a 4.21 ERA the second half of the year iD double-A. Considering the depth the Mets already have in their rotation and the fact that Ynoa doesn't project as anything more than a back-of-the-rotation starter, there's not a lot of urgency to protect him. If they can find a spot for him, however, they would rather not risk losing him.

Pill is at a disadvantage because he missed most of 2013 due to injury, but after a slow start early in 2014, he bounced back nicely and had a strong season at double-A with a high strikeout rate and low WHIP. He doesn't have a terribly high ceiling, but as a two-way player in college, he has plenty of room to grow now that he's focusing on pitching and now that he's healthy.

Lawley will be a tough call for the Mets as he doesn't project as a big league regular. However, he can play the corners, and after hitting 26 home runs in 2013 and 20 in 2014, his power is hard to ignore. The Mets may leave him available in the Rule 5 draft because it's hard to see how he fits into their future other than as a bench piece; but if they have an extra roster spot, they may use it to protect Lawley.

With his incredibly high strikeout numbers, Leathersich is the type of guy who would get selected in the Rule 5 Draft if he's available. That being said, Leathersich has gotten hit hard every time he's been given a chance at Triple-A, and it's frustrating to watch him be unable to solve his control issues. The Mets are looking for lefties in the bullpen, however, so they may protect Leathersich to help keep their options open.

Verrett isn't one of the Mets' top pitching prospects, but he had a solid season at Triple-A in 2014 and could be a useful asset for the Mets in 2015. He can provide some rotation depth in the Triple-A if the Mets need it, and he can also be an asset out of the bullpen due to his quality slider and good control. Verrett is not a game-changer, but he can help eat up innings over the course of the year, and the Mets are likely to protect him.

The Mets are a little frustrated that Mazzoni hasn't made it to the big leagues yet as he's been held back by injuries. The team will surely be protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft because if he's healthy, he'll be able to help the Mets. Mazzoni didn't have standout numbers in nine starts at Triple-A in 2014, but his future will be as a reliever, giving him a chance to make the Mets' bullpen even deeper and more powerful.

This is obviously a no-brainer. Despite modest numbers and plenty of ups and downs in 2014, Syndergaard remains the Mets' top prospect and someone who will certainly make his big league debut at some point in 2015. When the Mets announce who they're adding to their roster to protect from the Rule 5 draft, Syndergaard will be at the top of the list.