Jon Heyman of SI.com is reporting that the Mets and 1st round pick Ike Davis have agreed on a deal that will pay the power hitting 1st basemen 1.5m. Davis will most likely join fellow 1st rounders Reese Havens and Brad Holt in Brooklyn.

It’s good to get him signed early so he can some ABs down in the minors..

According to Jon Heyman from Sports Illustrated, the Mets have come to terms with first round pick SS Reese Havens on a $1.4 million dollar bonus.  Heyman adds that $1.4 million is roughly slot money for where Havens was taken, 22nd overall.   

Also, according to Heyman the Mets are close to signing 33rd overall pick Brad Holt.  They are also into negotiations with their fourth pick Javier Rodriguez, while they have not begun negotiations with Ike Davis.  Davis was their first pick in the draft, 18th pick overall.  Davis and Arizona State Sun Devils have been playing in the College World Series

For Fox Sports, Frank Piliere of Scouts.com conducted a draft mailbag, where he answers a number of questions about the recent MLB draft.  He was asked two questions about the Mets, the first one asking why the Mets avoided high end high school players in favor of college talent. 

Piliere responded:

I think the Mets did what they had to do, and that was get some guys that could immediately improve their system. Reese Havens and Ike Davis are really two of the best college bats out there and Mets’ fans should be thrilled by that haul. This wasn’t a year for the Mets to be risky and take a high school player who could blow up in their faces. They increase their odds that at least one of these two guys will make a big impact for them. You also have to consider when a team has two picks in the first round it is hard to just ignore the slotting rules. You’d find yourself spending an awful lot just in the first round.

Pilliere was also asked if the selection of Ike Davis means that the Mets are giving up on 1B Mike Carp, to which he replied that ideally the Mets move Davis to the OF and having a guy like Carp likely did not affect their decision making.

In a separate column for Scout.com, Piliere writes about the draft winners and gives them draft grades.  He gives the Mets a B, and notably talks about some of the Mets later round draft picks:

The Mets have to be thrilled that Josh Satin fell to them at the 194th overall pick, as he profiles as a big hitting middle infielder. It was quite a surprise to see him fall that far. Mitch Houck, the 524th overall pick, could surprise some Mets fans with his performance as the left-hander is the owner of a sharp cutter that could give hitters problems at any level.

Well, probably like most people I have never seen these guys play other than a few highlights I’ve caught online.  I’ve read good things about Davis and Havens, especially Havens.  If he could move to catcher like so many people have speculated that could be a nice steal. 

And I agree with Piliere that it would’ve been a mistake to shoot for the stars with high end high school talent, when we have a system that is so depleted like ours is you have to fill it with guys that are better now and have proven themselves more.

Plus, everybody talks about the top few picks and analyzes those so it’s nice to read about Satin and Houck.  This draft is so long, and who knows about these guys that could surprise you as stars from late round (see Mike Piazza: drafted in the 62nd round). 

The Mets select Ike Davis 1B/OF out of Arizona State with the 18th overall pick. The Mets received this pick in compensation for losing Tom Glavine to the Braves.

MLB.com on Davis…

On radars since high school, when he was a 19th-round pick of the Rays in 2005, the son of ex-big leaguer Ron Davis has a sweet left-handed swing that should generate more power in the future. He’s not speedy, but he is a solid base runner and would be fine as a corner outfielder or first baseman at the next level.

Jim Callis of Baseball America on Davis…

One of the few first-round-caliber first basemen who has a chance to play a more difficult position.

From his Arizona State player profile…

Turned in another stellar season, earning First Team All-Pac-10 honors for the second straight season…was also named a Jewish Sports Review First Team All-American for the second consecutive year…Collegiate Baseball Third Team All-American…named to the All-Tempe Regional squad…appeared in 62 games, starting each one…batted .349 with eight homers and 61 runs batted in…also pitched in seven games, making one start…finished 1-1 on the mound with a 1.35 ERA…tied for the Pac-10 lead with 23 doubles and finished tied for fifth in the league with 83 hits…made the change from first base to outfield, throwing out four runners from right field…played for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod League during the summer, going 1-0 with a save without allowing a run in 2.2 innings and batting .246 in 16 games before a wrist injury ended his summer.