It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Mets prospect Michael Conforto, who finds himself in the big leagues arguably a year before anyone expected him to arrive.
He’s here out of need – it certainly doesn’t sound like he’s here out of desire. At least that’s the sense from talking to people inside the organization.
But he’s here none the less, and he has already made a huge, positive impact on the Mets offense, albeit in two games.
The 22-year-old outfielder drove in the first run for the Mets in this series on Friday night, in their second game. That’s how bad the offense had been. A guy who was the regular left fielder at Double-A Binghamton drove in that run, not any of the other players on the roster.
But Saturday, Conforto showed the entire baseball world what his story could be in the coming years. Showing off his sweet, short and quick stroke, the phenom prospect slugged his first four hits, driving his first run in, drawing a walk, and spraying the ball all over the field in the process on Saturday night against the Dodgers.
“This was more what I was dreaming about,” Conforto said smiling at his locker on Saturday night. “I couldn’t have pictured it any better tonight. All the bats were going, and we were scoring a lot of runs.”
Looking up and down the Mets roster, there probably isn’t anyone with a better swing than Conforto’s.
It’s not going to be like this everyday. He’s going to have rough days – he can talk to Joc Pederson and Kris Bryant about that, who are arguably the leagues best rookies in 2015. He is going to have to adjust and remain patient through this process if he intends to stick this season. He knows how difficult it can be, too.
But he’s always been said to possess an advanced bat, tremendous knowledge of the strike zone, but he’s also a student of hitting and constantly working on his craft, and tremendously confident.
“That’s what helped me to play well today and get those four hits,” Conforto said about his confidence.
And that maybe the key for him never having to worry about seeing a minor league game again.
“He’s a good-looking hitter,” Terry Collins said of Conforto after his four-hit performance. “He hits the ball all over the field. He has plate discipline. He laid off a couple of really tough pitches. Obviously, he’s got a very good eye. We’ll keep taking a look at him.”
There’s no telling how long Conforto is going to be here. He knows that – Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins told him that when he arrived on Friday. But while reaching base five times isn’t going to happen everyday, he has shown his bosses he isn’t going to go away without a fight.
It’s hard not to root for homegrown talents, especially a story like Conforto’s who was drafted under the spotlight by the Mets, and has been accelerated through the Mets minor league system – arguably at a premature rate – and has phenomenally excelled at every stop.
Now, he’s doing that in the big leagues, and quickly at that. It’s extra fun to see that success, especially instantly.
Just Mets 