Jhoan Urena
| AB | 3116 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .266 |
| OBP | .336 |
| SLG | .402 |
| HR | 69 |
- Full name Jhoan Manuel Urena
- Born 09/01/1994 in Santiago, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: S / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Righthander Marcos Molina, shortstop Amed Rosario and Urena all ranked among the top 10 prospects in the New York-Penn League in 2014, so the Mets vaulted the trio from short-season Brooklyn directly to high Class A St. Lucie in 2015. Rosario met the challenge and ranked as one of the top prospects in the Florida State League, but Molina and Urena suffered injury-marred and largely unproductive seasons. Urena struggled to catch up with the speed of the FSL game and hit just .229/.265/.286 in 38 games through late May before he missed the majority of the next two months with a hamate injury in his right hand. He returned to St. Lucie in the second half but hit just .186 in 23 games before injuring the hamate in his other hand. Despite Urena's lost year, scouts still see reason to like the 21-year-old switchhitter. His all-fields hitting approach and at-least-average power could eventually make him a threat to hit for average with 15-20 home runs. Urena can turn around premium velocity with his quick bat, but despite not striking out excessively, he needs to improve his pitch recognition. A thick build and heavy feet do not preclude him from sticking at third base, for he has strong defensive instincts and a plus arm with online carry. Urena will gladly accept a mulligan for 2015 and try St. Lucie again in 2016. -
The Mets signed the 17-year-old Urena for $425,000 in September 2011 and have watched him make steady progress in short-season ball in three subsequent seasons. Initially drawn to Urena's physicality and power from both sides of the plate, the club has been impressed with his leaned-up physique and improved feel to hit. After not going deep in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2013, he launched five bombs at short-season Brooklyn in 2014 while hitting .300 and tying for the New York-Penn League lead with 20 doubles. Urena tends to fall into pull mode from the right side of the plate, but from the left side he shows more of an all-fields approach that could make him an above-average hitter. His power could play as plus one day with continued maturity and better pitch recognition versus breaking balls. He already has proven he can handle velocity. Urena owns the best infield arm in the system, though he's a below-average runner with heavy feet whose sure hands give him a ceiling as a fringe-average defender at third base or a solid-average fielder at first. Urena's bat will dictate his future value, but he's on track to become a run-producer at the hot corner, albeit one who is at least three years away from New York.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Urena, who played all season as a 19-year-old and turned 20 on Sept. 1, has performed well in each of his first three pro seasons since signing for $425,000. He ranked second in the NYPL in RBIs (48) and tied for the league lead in doubles (20), while also flashing home run power and promising defensive ability at third base. Urena hit .300 from both sides of the plate, posting an .805 OPS against lefties and a .783 OPS against righties. He has a dead-pull approach from the right side but uses the whole field as a lefthanded hitter, and he boasts plus raw power from both sides. He struggles against offspeed stuff, like many hitters his age, but punishes fastballs and can handle velocity. Urena has a rifle arm at third base but must improve his accuracy, for most of his 17 errors were on wild throws. He has the instincts, hands, agility and range to be a standout defender at the hot corner.
