HIGH PRAISE: Dominic Smith, the Mets’ first-round pick, was compared to former Mets great Darryl Strawberry (inset) by MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds. (AP)
First there was Darryl. Thirty three years later, there is Dominic.
The Mets dipped into the Los Angeles area with the top pick in the 1980 draft and selected Darryl Strawberry, a power-hitting outfielder who helped change the floundering organization’s fortunes, and they went back there last night. They hope their first-round pick in this year’s Major League First-Year Player Draft, 17-year-old left-handed hitter Dominic Smith, has a similar impact.
“I’m trying to come to the Mets and bring everything to the table,” said Smith, whose mother Yvette was born in Queens and grew up in The Bronx. “I want to bring my hitting ability, I want to bring my fielding ability. I want to become a leader one day.”
The Mets chose the 6-foot, 185-pound star out of Serra High School (Calif.), ranked 14th by Baseball America entering the draft, with their first selection (11th overall).
Smiling broadly, Smith said he has modeled his swing after Robinson Cano and Carlos Gonzalez — left-handed hitters with long, sweet strokes. Mets director of amateur scouting Tommy Tanous compared Smith’s swing with Rafael Palmeiro’s and Will Clark’s.
“This may be the best left-handed bat from Los Angeles since Darryl Strawberry,” analyst and former major leaguer Harold Reynolds said on the MLB Network.
Strawberry, in fact, was on hand as one of the Mets’ representatives and took photos with Smith,shortly after the selection was made. He preached patience with the youngster, who hit .493 with a .635 on-base percentage in 27 games for Serra this spring. and turns 18 on June 15.
“From all the reports I hear about him, he’s a pretty good player,” Strawberry said. “If he’s taught the right fundamentals, hopefully he can develop and be a great big-league ball player.”
Though Smith, who has committed to USC, has played first base and outfield, Tanous said the Mets envision his future at first base.
“We think we have a very good all-around player, a plus hitter with plus power,” said Paul DePodesta, the Mets vice president of player development & amateur scouting.
The move came as somewhat of a surprise, because the Mets were linked to several college players. Nevada right-hander Braden Shipley and New Mexico corner infielder DJ Peterson were on the board, but instead, the Mets went for a high school player in the opening round for the third straight year.
The pick also marked the third straight season the Mets used their first-round selection on a position player, as they took outfielder Brandon Nimmo two years ago and shortstop Gavin Cecchini last June. Though it will take Smith time to be ready to contribute, the move was made with an eye on the future, when pitching prospects Zack Wheeler, Rafael Montero and Noah Syndergaard are at the major league level.
“I’m going to do what I can do and hopefully one day I get the chance to lead this Mets team to a World Series,” he said.
* In the second round (48th overall), the Mets took Nevada prep pitcher Andrew Church of Basic High School, a righty with a low 90’s fastball. DePodesta said he has the potential to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter.