Prospect Report: Mets’ Esterlin Continues Strong Stretch In Port St. Lucie

Wilson Esterlin, RHP, Mets: Quietly, Esterlin has been one of the best arms in the Florida Complex League. The righthander was signed as part of New York’s 2022 international class and struck out 48 hitters in 36.2 innings in the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut. Esterlin moved stateside this season and has continued to mow down the competition. On Thursday he punched out seven hitters in 3.1 innings of two-hit, one-run ball. In his last three turns, Esterlin has gone 11.2 innings and struck out 25 against just six walks.

Carlos LaGrange, RHP, Yankees: The Yankees’ club in the Florida Complex is home to a glut of the system’s most interesting young prospects, and LaGrange is squarely in that mix. The physical righthander starts his mix with a fastball that sits in the mid 90s and regularly bumps triple-digits. He backs the fastball with a nasty slider and promising changeup. On Thursday he struck out four over four, two-hit shutout innings.

Cristhian Vaquero, OF, Nationals: Washington’s highest-profile signing from the 2022 international class has been on fire of late. After going 3-for-4 with a triple on Thursday, Vaquero is now in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak that includes four doubles and the aforementioned three-bagger. For the season, he has nearly as many walks (13) as strikeouts (15).

Thomas Sosa, OF, Orioles: Sosa signed with Baltimore out of the Dominican Republic in 2022. As an amateur, he was coveted for his mix of physicality and athleticism and the potential for enough power as he matured to help him profile in a corner if he needed to move off of center field. On Thursday, the 18-year-old went 2-for-3 with a triple, a stolen base and two runs scored.

Raylin Heredia, OF, Phillies: After his first professional action was limited to just four at-bats in the DSL in 2021, Heredia returned to the Dominican in 2022 and posted modest numbers. He moved stateside this season and has had an intriguing turn in the FCL. On Thursday, Heredia—whose amateur skill set involved a tool set with an array of 50s and 55s—went 3-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base. He leads the FCL in average (.400), hits (34), triples (4) and is second in total bases (56).