Mets stick to college talent on Day 2 of Draft

New York picks South Carolina pair in Rounds 3 and 4

June 6th, 2018

Day 2 of the MLB Draft is complete and the Mets have added eight more potential prospects to the organization. After the Mets selected 18-year-old multifaceted outfielder Jarred Kelenic and 17-year-old right-handed pitcher Simeon Woods-Richardson in the first and second round on Monday night, the talent pool just kept growing on Tuesday.
With a couple of position players, a few big bats and a number of pitchers, the Mets have added a variety of robust players to the franchise.
Draft Tracker: Follow every Mets Draft pick
The Draft concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at noon ET.
Round 3: 2B Carlos Cortes, 20, South Carolina
While the Mets drafted him as a second basemen, Cortes is really a jack-of-all-trades, playing positions all over the diamond. His most prominent attribute may be the fact that he can throw with both his left and right arm, but this talent did not come naturally.
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Cortes thrilled to join Mets, play alongside Hill
When Cortes was 8 years old, his father wanted him to become more versatile in the field. Being that he was a lefty, it would be hard for him to develop as an infielder, especially as a shortstop. The two began to work at his ability to throw with both arms.
Cortes played mostly left field at South Carolina, but will most likely end up playing second base in his professional career. The 5-foot-8, 210-pound stout-framed player has played catcher, pitcher, third, second and all three outfield positions in his career. He throws with his left hand while playing in the outfield, and his right while playing in the infield. 
Round 4: RHP Adam Hill, 21, South Carolina
Hill was the second member of the Gamecocks drafted by the Mets on Tuesday. His teammate, Cortes, was drafted just one round ahead of him in the third round. The two have just recently earned a trip to the NCAA Super Regional after defeating UNC Wilmington, 8-4, in the Greenville Regional Championship on Monday.
While celebrating the fact that Hill had just been drafted, the two teammates did not even realize they had been selected to the same team. It was seconds later that Cortes was told that Hill had been drafted by the Mets and the pair were both thrilled.
"We had no idea it was going to happen that way," Cortes said.
At 6-foot-6, 225 pounds, Hill uses his big frame to create good extension and has a fastball that sits around 91-93 mph and peaks at 95 mph. He also has a late-breaking slider that sits in the low-80s. Although he leads the rotation at South Carolina, it is unclear whether Hill will end up as a starter or reliever in his professional career.
Round 5: RHP Ryley Gilliam, 21, Clemson
Although he threw a mid-90s fastball out of high school, Gilliam's commitment to Clemson and his somewhat small stature left him undrafted in 2015, while his high school teammate, Tyler Stephenson, was drafted by the Reds in the first round of that year's Draft.
Gilliam only let up three earned runs this season while sporting a 1.41 ERA with Clemson.

Gilliam has three strong pitches. He throws a fastball in the mid-90s, a curveball in the upper-70s and a changeup that he hasn't used much out of the bullpen. Gilliam is projected to be a strong reliever who could advance quickly through the Minor League system.
Round 6: C Nick Meyer, 21, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (Calif.)
Meyer is a defensively minded catcher who is well known for his play behind the plate. He made the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team solely for his excellent hands and movement, which allows him to block and receive well.
Although Meyer's bat is not a strong suit in his game, he's having the best offensive season of his career this season. He is a consistent hitter that rarely strikes out and his defensive upside makes him a strong pick for the Mets' organization.

Round 7: LHP Kevin Smith, 21, Georgia
Kevin Smith is a 6-foot-5, 233-pound left-hander that works both sides of the plate with his slider. His fastball sits at 88-92 mph, but he has gotten it up to 94 mph.
Smith played in the Cape Cod Summer League in 2016 where he worked on his mechanics and really developed his pitches in order to become a solid reliever. The pitch that he spent the most time and gained the most confidence in was his changeup.
Smith currently owns a 3.69 ERA for the Bulldogs this season.
Round 8: RHP Tylor Megill, 22, University of Arizona
Megill is not unfamiliar with the MLB Draft as his brother, Trevor Megill, was drafted by the Padres in the seventh round of the 2015 Draft.
Megill was only at Arizona for two seasons. Prior to that, he spent one year at Loyola Marymount and then transferred to Cypress (Calif.) for another year before he transferred to Arizona for his final two seasons.
After reshaping his body and losing 15 pounds, Megill is now in the shape he needs to be in to be a closer. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and he finished the season with a 4.68 ERA for Arizona.
Round 9: RHP Bryce Montes de Oca, 22, Missouri
Montes de Oca is the comeback kid.
In 2013, Montes de Oca's junior year of high school, he had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He was then drafted by the White Sox as a 14th-round pick in the '14 Draft, but declined to sign. Three years after the surgery, in '16, he had a right ulnar nerve transposition in his elbow. In '17, he was drafted in the 15th round by the Nationals, but also declined to sign with the team. 
Montes de Oca's fastball ranges from 93-98 mph and can hit 100 mph. He could move up rapidly as a reliever in the Minor League system if he stays healthy.
Round 10: SS Manny Rodriguez, 21, University of Cincinnati
Brooklyn born and raised, Rodriguez will return to New York to play for the Mets organization.
A standout shortstop for the Bearcats, Rodriguez dominated this year at the plate. He finished the season with a .598 slugging percentage.