Mike Carp
| AB | 887 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .254 |
| OBP | .33 |
| SLG | .414 |
| HR | 27 |
- Full name Christopher Michael Carp
- Born 06/30/1986 in Long Beach, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Lakewood
- Debut 06/17/2009
- Drafted in the 9th round (254th overall) by the New York Mets in 2004 (signed for $60,000).
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Carp made his big league debut with the Mariners last June, after joining the organization the previous offseason in the three-team, 12-player blockbuster trade involving the Mets and Indians. Playing every other day for the Mariners in September, Carp batted .315 with moderate power and a good batting eye. The plate discipline is real, but his offensive ceiling more closely mirrors his performance in Triple-A, where he hit .271 with 15 home runs. That equates to fringe-average production for an everyday first baseman. Carp bats from an open stance and can really go down and get the ball. His swing plane is flat and his bat speed is no better than average, though, so he's most effective hitting the ball gap to gap. An adequate defender at first base, Carp hasn't shown much aptitude for left field because he's a below-average runner and athlete. He has big league potential as a hitter, but his overall offensive package may not be enough to secure his future as a regular. He has two minor league options remaining, giving the Mariners flexibility as they sift through their options for 2010. -
Another of the prospects picked up by the Mariners in the three-team, 12-player trade headlined by J.J. Putz going to the Mets, Carp boosted his stock in 2008 by losing weight and turning in a strong performance in Double-A. New York hadn't been thrilled with his conditioning or attitude in 2007, so they snubbed him when they handed out invitations to big league camp last spring. Scouts liken him to Mike Jacobs, another player originally signed by the Mets, in terms of his build and set-up at the plate. Carp hit 17 homers last year, though some scouts wonder whether he'd duplicate that power in the majors when pitchers locate fastballs on the inner half. He does a good job of controlling the strike zone and replaces Luis Valbuena, another piece in the 12-player deal, as the most disciplined hitter in the system. Carp has to avoid stretches of getting pull-happy, because his success comes when he uses the left-center gap. New York experimented with him in left field last season, but his below-average speed, range and arm made him a liability there. He's an average defender at first base, where he should get most of his playing time in Triple-A this season. -
What began as a promising 2007 for Carp instead became the worst year of his pro career. Injuries to Carlos Delgado and Julio Franco and visa issues for Michel Abreu prompted the Mets to keep Carp around big league camp for most of spring training, and he went 10-for-43 with a homer before he broke his right ring finger sliding into second base. After missing the first seven weeks of the regular season, he reported to Binghamton and got off to a fast start. Then he struggled making adjustments in his first try at Double- A. Carp has some of the best hitting ability in the organization thanks to his willingness to use the entire field, good hand-eye coordination and usually disciplined approach. However, he struggled mightily with lefthanders for the third straight season, posting a lousy .418 OPS in 110 at-bats with just two walks and two extra-base hits. New York thought he had turned the corner in that regard in the spring, but he looks like a platoon player. Carp's defense also remains below average, as he ranked third in the Eastern league in errors with 10 in just 97 games. Carp tried to make up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League, but didn't swing the bat with much confidence or conviction there. He's just 21, so the Mets will give him a mulligan for 2007 and probably promote him to Triple-A this year. -
Carp hit 11 homers in his first 26 games at low Class A Hagertown in 2005 then fell into a deep slump before injuring his right wrist. He made adjustments, however, and rebounded to be named Mets minor league player of the year in 2006. After using more of the field and tightening his strike zone, he led both the system and the Florida State League in RBIs. Carp is an all-around hitter with good hand-eye coordination, pitch recognition and power. He makes consistent hard contact and can drive the ball from gap to gap. Though young for his leagues the last two years, he has shown an advanced approach at the plate. There are mixed reviews about Carp's defense. He's by no means a butcher, but he doesn't have quick feet and he has trouble receiving throws. He reaches for balls instead of letting them come to him, creating unnecessary errors. He's a below-average runner. Carp will need his bat to carry him, and it may do just that. The Mets will get a better read on his future after he spends 2007 in Double-A. -
Carp burst out of the gate in his full-season debut in 2005, hitting .315 with 11 homers in his first 26 games in low Class A. But he fell into a deep slump afterward, and then had his season end in early August when he hurt his right wrist. Carp's best tool is his plus power. The South Atlantic League adjusted to him after his early power burst and it took him a while to alter his approach. The Mets are working with him to use the whole field and get a better grasp of the strike zone. He heeded their advice in July by hitting .284, but managed just two home runs. Defensively, Carp is average at first base and his main goal is improving his agility and footwork. He's a below-average runner. He'll play in high Class A this year.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Nobody on this top 10 boosted his stock in 2006 as much as Carp did. Unheralded after batting .256 in his first two pro seasons, he emerged as the most dangerous hitter on the league champion St. Lucie squad. Carp showed an advanced approach for a young hitter, with excellent pitch recognition and the ability to work counts. Once he got ahead in the count, he showed the ability to drive the ball. Unlike most young power hitters, Carp looked first to use the opposite field rather than try to pull everything. Carp was average defensively at first base, though he had a flair for making highlight plays. A former third baseman, Carp has more than enough arm for first base but sometimes has problems with accuracy. He's a below-average runner but not a baseclogger.
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Defensive 1B in the Florida State League in 2006
