Mets Prospect Primer: Conforto ready to go

Some players are on the verge of stardom, others are entering a crucial phase of their development and still others are getting their first tastes of full-season ball. With the 2015 season approaching, MiLB.com takes a look at the most intriguing prospects from each MLB organization.

Full-season debutant: Michael Conforto, OF

The 10th overall pick in last year's Draft showed why he was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, batting .331 with 16 walks and 29 strikeouts in 42 games for Class A Short Season Brooklyn. The 22-year-old outfielder should show off that bat this year and has the ability to move quickly through the system. Paul DePodesta, the Mets' vice president of player development, said the organization's fifth-ranked prospect would open with Class A Savannah in the South Atlantic League or Class A Advanced St. Lucie in the Florida State League.

"My guess, and these things aren't finalized until they are finalized, I would guess somewhere in warm weather," DePodesta said. "No real reason to send him to [Double-A] Binghamton, which would be the cold weather spot. He's had a marvelous camp and we're open-minded as to where he may end up the year.

"We need to be a little careful what our expectations are. He's been so good in Spring Training and he's a really advanced hitter and we haven't had a opportunity the last four years to draft a college hitter this high in the draft who is as polished as he is. You have to be a little more patient with those guys. He's shown dramatic improvements defensively. Offensively, he shows command of the strike zone and power. We'd be surprised if he doesn't have a productive offensive year."

Major League-ready: Dilson Herrera, 2B

This one is a bit of a cheat, considering that Herrera got into 18 games -- and hit three homers -- with the Mets at the age of 21 last summer. While he'll likely spend most of the year at Triple-A, there's a distinct possibility that Herrera could return to Flushing, especially with incumbent second baseman Daniel Murphy heading into free agency.

"I think right now, the tentative plan is to have him start in Triple-A," DePodesta said. "He showed he was Triple-A-ready. I think that [Major League] experience is really valuable for him. I think when the opportunity presents itself at the big league level, he'll be ready for it. Even his first big league Spring Training has been valuable for him. We certainly see him as part of our larger Major League team."

Breakout prospect: Casey Meisner, RHP

A 2013 third-round pick, Meisner started poorly for Brooklyn last year but ended up with a 5-3 record and a 3.75 ERA in 13 starts. The 19-year-old recorded 67 strikeouts over 62 1/3 innings and got better down the stretch, yielding 31 hits over his final 35 2/3 frames and posting a 1.53 ERA over that six-start span.

"I think Casey Meisner is certainly a breakout candidate," Depodesta said of the Mets' 20th-ranked prospect. "He had a terrific extended spring training last year and we sent him to Brooklyn. He got off to a shaky start and he finished strong. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a big year."

At the crossroads: Gavin Cecchini, SS

Cecchini has not put up the numbers expected of the 12th overall pick in the 2012 Draft. While some of can be explained partly by the parks in which the 21-year-old has played, he's batted over .250 once in three seasons and owns a .672 career OPS. Likely headed for the Eastern League, Cecchini needs a solid season to convince some that his was not a wasted pick. DePodesta, for one, thinks it's coming, labeling him a potential breakout prospect.

"I certainly wouldn't be surprised if he puts it together this year," DePodesta said. "People were saying the same thing about Brandon Nimmo, and he put up big numbers last year. Last year, Cecchini hit something like eight homers and 30-something doubles and controlled the strike zone. I don't think anyone questions whether he can play shortstop. He'd be a junior in college and instead he'll be in Double-A at some point. We're actually really pleased where he's come, but I wouldn't be surprised if given a full year in a place he'll put up some numbers. If he goes out and hits 30 doubles, 10 homers and controls the strike zone, people are looking for that at short.

"I think the biggest problem is that he's never been able to play somewhere for very long. It's hard for him to amass counting numbers where it looks like he's had a big year. We're really pleased with his approach. At each level, he's started slow and taken off. I think we're encouraged by that. I'm really pleased with where he is. He's a little ahead of where Nimmo was a year ago. At his point, Nimmo hadn't even played at High-A."

Loudest tool: Champ Stuart, OF

Speed is often considered a game-changing tool. Stuart has that in spades. Rated 80 on MLB.com's scouting scale, the 22-year-old was 29-for-33 in stolen bases last season and 40-for-46 in two years since being selected in the sixth round of the 2013 Draft. The speed is intriguing because Stuart also has shown he can hit, posting a .256/.341/.340 slash line last season in 81 games with Savannah.

"He'd be an interesting breakout candidate also, he does a lot of things well," DePodesta said. "There's an 80 on the card that jumps out you. Functionally, he knows what he's doing. He's a good defensive center fielder. The other thing is that this guy has a really good idea of the strike zone and he has some strength -- he can put a charge in a baseball in addition to being able to run. He has the potential to hurt teams in different ways."

More to keep an eye on:

It's easy to look at Dominic Smith's 2014 stat line and point out that he hit just one home run. However the 19-year-old batted .271 with a .344 on-base percentage while hitting in Savannah's Grayson Stadium, one of the Minor Leagues' more difficult parks. ... Amed Rosario also will be making his full-season debut after a solid campaign in Brooklyn. DePodesta said of the shortstop: "The numbers might be a year away, but we'll see a lot of skills continue to improve." ... Steven Matz impressed manager Terry Collins and pitching coach Dan Warthen during Spring Training. A good start at Triple-A Las Vegas could push the left-hander to the big leagues sooner rather than later. ... After a breakout 2014 season, Brandon Nimmo also should see time in Las Vegas, joining Herrera and catcher Kevin Plawecki to form a potent offense.