Over the past few seasons, Jefry Marte slowly has slid down prospect lists. The third baseman was the sixth-best prospect in the Mets’ farm system in 2009, according to Baseball America, before slipping to 12th in 2010, 26th in 2011 and completely outside the publication’s top 30 Mets prospect list this season.
But, after struggling through the past three seasons with Low-A Savannah and High-A St. Lucie, Marte has rediscovered his hitting stroke with Double-A Binghamton. Still just 20 years old (he will turn 21 next month), Marte entered last night’s action hitting .311 with two home runs and 18 RBIs in 33 games for Binghamton after hitting .248 last season with St. Lucie.
“It feels really good,” Marte said through a translator in a phone interview. “I believe in myself a lot more, and … to be able to do it up here against better competition makes me believe that I can keep on doing it.”
Binghamton’s manager, Pedro Lopez, has been with Marte each of the last three seasons, as he was Savannah’s manager in 2010 and was in charge in St. Lucie last year. Lopez said the biggest difference he sees in the third baseman is his approach at the plate.
“That’s one of the things that we’ve been harping on, not only with him, but with every position player we have,” Lopez said. “We have a philosophy that we’re trying to execute, and having a kid like Jefry, at 20 years old, being able to buy into our hitting philosophy, I think it’s paid big dividends for him.”
Lopez also said the biggest part of that philosophy that has helped Marte has been improving his plate discipline. Lopez said improvement began with Marte’s stint in the Arizona Fall League in October, where he hit .333 with four homers and 18 RBIs in 22 games with Peoria.
“When we got there, I saw a big difference even from his season in St. Lucie,” Lopez said. “He wasn’t swinging at that many pitches out of the strike zone, and I think his plate discipline has been a lot better. That’s allowed him to get into better hitting counts and do more damage.”
Now that Marte has gotten off to a good start, he is determined to keep it going through the rest of the season.
“I want to stick with my routine, and just go out there and be able to do it day in and day out,” he said. “I just need to stay mentally and physically ready so I can help out my team.”