Mets prospect Drew Gilbert: Unveiling his story

The Mets received two top prospects from the Astros in exchange for Justin Verlander, including exciting center fielder Drew Gilbert. Despite some doubts, Gilbert has been holding his own in Double-A and has shown potential for improvement. He will join Luisangel Acuña at Double-A Binghamton, and both are expected to rank high in prospect lists.

The Houston Astros have traded Justin Verlander back to the Houston Astros, and in return, the New York Mets have acquired two of the Astros' top three prospects. One of these prospects is Drew Gilbert, a talented center fielder with immense offensive potential who has already reached Double-A.

Despite his impressive performance at the University of Tennessee, where he had a batting average of .362, an on-base percentage of .455, and a slugging percentage of .673 during his junior year, Gilbert was not widely considered an elite prospect. MLB Pipeline ranked him 32nd, while Baseball Prospectus had him slightly higher at 17th. It seems that Gilbert's relatively short stature, standing at 5'7", may have caused some MLB teams to overlook him, and he remained available until the 28th pick. The Astros took a chance on him, making him their first first-round pick since the infamous trash can scandal.

Since joining the Astros, Gilbert has consistently shown his ability to hit the ball. He made an impressive impact in a short 4-game stint after being drafted and continued to excel after being promoted to Single-A, until a dislocated elbow cut his season short. Despite narrowly missing out on top-100 prospect lists in the offseason, Gilbert started the 2023 season in High-A and continued to dominate, boasting a 192 wRC+ in 21 games before finally being promoted to Double-A. His performance in Double-A has been less outstanding, with a batting line of .241/.342/.371 and a 92 wRC+, but he has still managed to hit 6 home runs in 264 plate appearances. Additionally, he has faced setbacks due to lingering elbow issues, which have forced him to serve as a designated hitter at times.

Despite some mixed opinions about Gilbert's potential, there is no denying his progress. Baseball Prospectus ranked him 36th overall, highlighting his impressive power considering his size and his strong defensive skills. Prospects Live also holds Gilbert in high regard, placing him 62nd on their prospect board. On the other hand, Baseball America did not include Gilbert in their most recent in-season top 100 rankings.

However, it is difficult to understand why there is still doubt surrounding Gilbert's abilities. The fact that he is holding his own in Double-A in his first professional season is a significant achievement, and he has even been an above-average hitter in the month of July. Despite occasionally swinging too aggressively, Gilbert has shown good plate discipline, walking nearly as often as he strikes out in Double-A. His batted ball data, which was exceptional in college, has remained strong in his professional career. It is likely that he will find a home in center field, with the potential to excel defensively in a corner outfield position if needed. Given his profile, it is reasonable to expect Gilbert to make adjustments in the second half of the season in Double-A and experience a substantial increase in his stock.

For now, Gilbert will join Luisangel Acuña, another recently acquired prospect, at Double-A Binghamton. It is highly likely that both Gilbert and Acuña will be featured on top-50 prospect lists in the near future, and they may even claim the top two spots in the Mets' farm system rankings during the offseason.

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