By Abbey Mastracco | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- When it comes to drafting and developing young players, the Mets never pass up good, up-the-middle talent. But right now, there's a traffic jam up the middle of I95 in the form of the Mets infielders. Gavin Cecchini is having a strong spring campaign, Amed Rosario is the Mets' future star and Luis Guillorme has a ton of tools. Now, he's added another one: Launch angle.

Here's what one of the Mets' top prospects needs to show in order to make it to the show in 2018, and why he thinks he'll get there.

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Jeff Roberson | AP Photo

Launch angle

If you follow Mets' prospects, you might already know that Guillorme has a stellar glove. He's arguably the best defender in their minor league system, with soft, quick hands and good footwork.

Bit Guillorme has also been known as a slap hitter. And he was early in his career. The 23-year-old Venezuelan native who was raised in Coral Springs, Florida, has 505 career hits but only 68 have gone for extra bases and two have cleared the fences.

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But with the help of Mets' strength consultant Mike Barwis, he's learned that he can get underneath the ball a little more and drive it, using launch angle to get it in the air more often.

"I can drive the ball," Guillorme said. "Most people think of me as just a little slap hitter. Which is just the way people think of me. When you’re a little guy you’re just thinking about the other way -- don’t lift the ball. Now that I’ve gotten a little stronger and a little older I know I can do it. It’s just a matter of implementing what I do in practice in the games."

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Howard Simmons | New York Daily News | TNS

More aggressive approach

Guillorme hasn't changed his swing, he's just learned how to put a little more muscle behind it and stay consistent with it. He's a prototypical leadoff hitter who can work counts and take pitches. He wears down opposing pitchers and gets himself into good counts. He owns a career .361 on-base percentage and was the hardest player to strike out in the Eastern League (Double-A) last season.

But some have labeled him passive at the plate for that approach. What he's trying to do this year is combine a more aggressive approach with that discerning pitching eye.

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"I’m trying to do a little more damage than just putting the ball in play," Guillorme said. "I’m still trying to get in good counts, which is where I’ve been the past few years when I’ve gotten those hits, I’ve been on the 3-1s, those 2-0s, but besides that, the whole swing is the same, it’s just being a little more consistent right now."

Guillorme knows that when the pitcher falls behind, they'll be forced to throw him something he can hit.

"When you go to the plate, you’re always looking for that one pitch you like. The one you know you can drive," he said. "It depends on the situation, you could go earlier in the count or later in the count, but my job is to get on base and get to second base for people to drive me in. That’s really my job. But if I can do a little damage, even in those good counts, I have to."

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Howard Simmons | New York Daily News | TNS

Stolen bases

Watching Guillorme in drills, it's obvious he has some serious speed. He's always used it on defense, showing off an impressive range as a middle infielder. But he's never really used it on the basepaths.

In 2015 with Low Class A Savannah, Guillorme swiped 18 bags in 26 attempts. But since then, he's never run more than seven times in a season.

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Even with a stronger, revamped swing that is meant to get him extra bases, he knows it's time for him to use all of his tools. Guillorme plans to add that tool back into the box this season and make pitchers' jobs even harder.

"That’s always got to be part of my game. I’ve got to get to second base one way or the other," Guillorme said. "If I’ve got to steal a bag on a ball in the dirt, that’s really what I’m looking for this year. Just being a little more aggressive on the basepaths."

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Reinhold Matay | USA TODAY Sports

Glove work

Guillorme's glovework has always been rated high, and if you saw the viral clip of him catching a bat in the dugout last year, you'd quickly understand why. Monday against the Detroit Tigers, he turned a dazzling double play while filling in at shortstop for Amed Rosario.

Guillorme knows that his defense will get him to the major leagues, but he wants to do more than just defend. He knows he has to contribute on both sides of the ball.

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He believes the key to this season is staying consistent with the progression of his swing.

"Being consistent with it and being tight with it," he said. "I worked on it a lot this offseason, especially to the pull side. And then earlier in January this year, when I was with Barwis, we talked a little about the approach and worked on it when he was gone."

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Reinhold Matay | USA TODAY Sports

ETA: 2018

So, when can we expect to see Guillorme working his defensive magic in Queens? Probably as soon as this summer and a September call-up is definitely expected. Some have even wondered if they bring him up to push Rosario if the shortstop doesn't get his plate discipline issues under control.

Guillorme will start the season in Triple-A with a group of guys he has come to know well. Having talked to a few players from the 2017 Eastern League playoff squad, they say their success has come from good clubhouse chemistry and a familiarity with one another.

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They also know that their success means success at the next level for the big league team. Keeping that in mind, the 2017 Binghamton Rumble Ponies are hoping to replicate their success in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League this year.

Guillorme and a few others who have come up with him are right at the door to the big leagues. It's up to them to keep knocking.

"I was in (Double-A) Binghamton, I was almost there," Guillorme said. "And that's the same way I look at it right now. I'm almost there, just a matter of when it happens."

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Abbey Mastracco | NJ Advance Media

Abbey Mastracco may be reached at amastracco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @abbeymastracco. Find NJ.com on Facebook.