Mets farm report: Flores untouchable

As the trade discussions intensify over the next six weeks, expect the name of Wilmer Flores to pop up frequently alongside Jenrry Mejia as the Mets' two most coveted young players.

Flores, an 18-year-old shortstop, was one of six players from Class A Savannah selected to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game last year and was the top vote-getter. But after a scorching April, when he batted .341 with three homers and 20 RBIs in 22 games, and a decent May (. 278, 2 HRs, 17 RBIs), Flores had cooled to a .115 average (3-for-26) in the first seven games this month.

His current position and his still growing 6-3, 175-pound frame notwithstanding, Flores projects as an outfielder - maybe even a centerfielder of the future with Carlos Beltran only signed through 2011. And despite plenty of teams asking, Flores is as close as it gets to untouchable in the Mets' organization.