New York Mets: Local Players That the Mets May Target in the Draft

With the MLB First-Year Draft beginning on June 4th, it is time to begin dissecting some players the Mets could be targeting.

The Mets have showed that they are not afraid to select players from the northeast, even using their first selection in 2009 on Steve Matz, a resident of Setauket, NY.

Here are five local college prospects who have garnered national attention and can become targets of the Mets, either in the early going or all the way to the 50th round.

Exempt from this list is Long Island native Marcus Stroman, who attends Duke University in North Carolina.

Willie Carmona

College: Stony Brook

Willie Carmona is an absolute monster of a hitter. He is a bit short for a first basemen at 6'0", but he is built like a linebacker.

The 21-year-old native of Hempstead, NY has put up massive numbers in his three-year career playing for head coach Matt Senk. 

He was named All-American in 2012 by hitting .383 with 11 home runs, 65 RBI and a 1.145 OPS. 

Carmona has been terrific during the Stony Brook playoff run and has proven to be adept at hitting in clutch spots, which bodes well for his value.

He might not be a prototypical first basemen in terms of height, but his bat will translate to the next level for sure.

The Mets could definitely use a power bat in the minor leagues and Carmona is an option in Day 2 of the draft.

He appears in the video above beginning at 5:35.

Kyle Hansen

College: St. John's

At an imposing 6'8", Kyle Hansen is an intimidating presence on the mound.

He was originally drafted in 2009 out of St. Dominic's high school by the Milwaukee Brewers, but opted to attend college instead.

Hansen was a workhouse for St. John's in 2012 as he threw 93.2 innings over 15 starts. He recorded 108 strikeouts, which is a dominating 10.45 per nine innings.

Hansen has been viewed as a potential first-round draft pick considering his massive frame, projectable body, incredible statistics and his fastball which has been clocked regularly in the mid-90s.

His slider is another weapon, and he featured impressive command this season by walking only 2.2 batters per nine innings.

He is the type of pitcher that could immediately move into the big league bullpen or be groomed for the rotation the way the Mets have groomed Matt Harvey since 2010. 

Sean Hagan

College: St. John's

Hagan and Hansen combined to form a potent 1-2 punch in St. John's rotation, helping them to win the Big East in 2012.

The 6'6" lefty had a tremendous year as he compiled an 8-2 record, a 2.72 ERA, two complete games and a K/BB ratio of 3/1 in 102.2 innings pitched.

Hagan's fastball peaks in the low-90s and sits in the 88-89 range. He possesses decent command of his curveball and changeup, which he displayed during his regional start against No. 4 ranked North Carolina.

He is not an early-round pick, but he could become a steal for the Mets in the middle rounds due to his phenomenal pitchability.

Travis Jankowski

College: Stony Brook

Stony Brook is in the midst of a phenomenal season, as they shocked the University of Miami with an upset in the Coral Gaples Regional, and Travis Jankowski is a huge reason for their success.

The 6'3" native of Pennsylvania was named All-American one season after winning the America East Player of the Year.

Jankowski is a speedy outfielder who batted .412 with 94 hits, 45 RBI and 34 stolen bases while committing only one error in 155 chances.

The junior outfielder is an elite talent and has been on the national scene since his performance in the prestigious Cape Cod league in 2011.

In the Winter, Baseball America writer Aaron Fitt pronounced him as the best prospect in the North, and "maybe the best all-around outfielder in college baseball." That is high praise coming from such a media outlet.

The Mets would have to act quick if they want to select Jankowski, as he is widely regarded as a top 100 talent.

At this time, the organization has some depth at the major league level with Nieuwenhuis and Torres, but the farm system is extremely thin on outfield prospects and Jankowski would be a terrific fit.

Danny Poma

College: Hofstra

Danny Poma came a long distance to play his collegiate career. He resides in Monterey, California but has found a comfort zone in Hempstead, NY where Hofstra University plays.

The 6'1" outfielder had an incredible career and is a semi-finalist for the Golden Spikes Award which is given to the top collegiate baseball player in the country.

He was among the nation's leaders in virtually every offensive category. He led the nation in hits (102), runs scored (78), doubles (32) and was second in batting average (.430).

If you delve deeper into the statistics, one aspect that really stands out is his discipline. Poma walked more times in 2012 (22) than he struck out (16). That is the type of statistic that will translate into success at the next level.

He is also a tremendous center fielder that has sprinter speed, committing only four errors on the season.

Hofstra might not play the best talent, but Poma's numbers are so mind-boggling that it is hard to ignore. He has the type of discipline at the plate that has enabled players like Kevin Youkilis overcome his otherwise ordinary tools to become an All-Star player.

With a player of this caliber virtually in their backyard, there is no reason for the Mets to pass up on Poma in the top 10 rounds.

Dillon McNamara

College: Adelphi

This 6'5" resident of Staten Island put himself on the map with a terrific junior season at Adelphi as he became the ace of the Panthers.

McNamara gained velocity on his fastball from the previous season, enabling him to induce weak contact despite relatively low strikeout totals.

He peaked in the low-90s and was consistently in the upper-80s with his two-seam fastball —which features terrific run.

His slider is his primary out-pitch and led to a majority of his strikeouts, although his changeup is still a work in progress.

McNamara is a strong competitor who is efficient, as he only walked 19 batters on the season. His control was a big reason behind his solid 2.36 ERA.

The Mets could use a late-round selection on the right-handed pitcher, who could be a project for the organization as he fills out his frame.

Players that have had injuries in the past but possess high-ceilings are certainly worth a flier in the late-rounds.

McNamara could become a great value pick.

Adelphi has produced two quality minor league prospects in recent years with Keith Couch (Boston Red Sox) and Bobby Lanigan (Minnesota Twins).