Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Las Vegas defeated Iowa 9-4.
• Binghamton beat New Britain, 8-3.
• St. Lucie dropped Dunedin, 5-3.
• Savannah lost to Charleston, 4-2.
  

Prospect Pipeline

• Zack Wheeler was back in action after missing a start due to inflammation of the AC Joint in his throwing shoulder. Wheeler looked a tad rusty from the get-go. He didn’t have great command over his pitches, and in fact, he missed the strike zone wildly a couple of times. He got hit hard throughout his five innings of work, and ended up giving up two home runs and a triple that narrowly missed being a third home run. You can see a full recap of his start at MetsMinors.net.
• Rafael Montero got sent back to Double-A Binghamton after his fantastic start on Monday with Las Vegas. Montero impressed against Iowa yesterday, going 6.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. While it was labeled as a “spot start”, I had a feeling that if he proved himself worthy, he would be staying with Las Vegas. Sandy Alderson squashed those thoughts on SNY, saying that Montero would be heading back to Double-A. he GM did mention he would likely return to the 51s mid-season, and went as far as saying he wouldn’t be surprised if he was in the big leagues by the end of the year.
• In his first start since earning his second SAL Player of the Week honors, Rainy Lara only lasted 4.2 innings against Charleston last night. He allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits, one walk, and four strikeouts.
• Josh Rodriguez led the B-Mets offense with a 3-for-4 day, including a walk, double, and two RBIs to help Binghamton defeat New Britain.
• Noah Syndergaard faced his former organization for the first time since the Blue Jays traded him last winter. He took the loss against Dunedin, throwing 5.2 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.
• Francisco Pena hit a two-run homer against Iowa yesterday, and Adam Rubin tweeted that we shouldn’t be surprised if he makes his way to Flushing sometime this season.
• Cory Vaughn continues his strong start to 2013, raising his season average to .302 with another two-hit game last night in New Britain. With the mess that is the current New York Mets outfield, Vaughn could also be making his big league debut sometime this year.
• XtreemIcon covered the B-Mets in Great Britain on Monday and Tuesday and was able to spend some time with pitching prospect Logan Verrett. He wrote a must-read article about him that includes quotes from Blake Forsythe, Jack Leathersich, pitching coach Glenn Abbott and manager Pedro Lopez.
• Curious as to how the Mets’ top prospects are performing? Catch up with this week’s Top-10 Tracker.

Stat Line of the Day

Francisco Pena: 2-for-4, two-run HR, 3 RBI, 1 R

Transactions

Rafael Montero was transferred from Triple-A Las Vegas back to Double-A Binghamton.

RHP Dylan Owen transferred from Las Vegas (AAA) to Binghamton (AA)

Quote of the Day 

Cory Vaughn on his improved hitting approach:

“I think I’m just not panicking as much. I’m just going out there and having fun. Up here, if it’s 3-1, 2-0, they’re not just going to be throwing a ‘cookie’ every time. If they throw me a slider 3-1 and I’m not looking for it, or looking wherever they throw it, I’m going to take it as opposed to just swinging and getting a rollover groundout.”

(Photo credit: Michael G. Baron)

You hear it all the time: it isn’t about velocity, it’s about location. And no one exemplifies that old adage more than Logan Verrett. The 22-year-old Texas native was taken in the third round of the 2011 draft and has been impressive at all three minor league stops.

Verrett dominated A ball in 2012 in both Savannah and St. Lucie, combining to make 17 starts and finishing with an ERA of 2.70, a WHIP of 0.968, and a strikeout-to-walk rate of 7.15 over 103.1 innings pitched. Beginning the 2013 at AA Binghamton, Verrett has seen a slight regression in his numbers, but a slight regression from dominating is still excellent. After nine starts in the Eastern League, Verrett’s logged 60.1 innings pitched, his ERA sits at a 3.28 ERA and his WHIP is 1.044, good for fifth in the league, and his K/BB is 3.21.

And he’s doing it all with a 91 mph fastball.

“I know I’m not going to blow guys away,” Verrett acknowledges, “so I put a lot of effort into locating all my pitches and being able to throw all of them in any count. I like to keep them off balance and hitting spots helps me do that, especially with all four pitches.

Verrett’s repertoire consists of his fastball, both two-seam and four-seam, a slider, curve ball and change up  His fastball has heavy sink on it and the slider is the out pitch.  He has great command of all four pitches and can throw each for a strike at any time.

“You don’t have to throw 100 mph to get hitters out,” explains manager Pedro Lopez. “Guys who throw harder than he does get hit harder, because of his location. His fastball command to this point has been good. He’s also been able to throw his secondary pitches at any time in the count down in the strike zone.”

“He’s very aggressive and makes pitches when he needs to,” adds pitching coach Glenn Abbott. “He’s very competitive and likes the challenge.”

Lopez agrees. “He’s aggressive with all his pitches. He’s not afraid of contact and as a starting pitcher, when you do that, you find yourself pitching deep into ballgames. He’s been able to pitch deep into games just because he goes after hitters. That’s what he does best. He goes after hitters and he puts it in play early.”

Verrett’s 60.1 innings leads the Eastern League, as does his 6.7 IP per start (minimum six starts).

“Efficient” is how Coach Abbot describes Verrett. “You know what you’re going to get with him. When he pitched against the Yankees [AA affiliate Trenton Thunder], he got through 8.2 innings in his 100 pitches.”

Teammate Jack Leathersich sees the same thing, and from a pitcher’s perspective, adds that Verrett’s deceptiveness also plays a part in his success. “He’s not a 95 [mph] guy, but his fastball jumps out of his hand. I feel like as a hitter, it would look harder than what it actually comes in at. His slider is very, very sharp and looks exactly like his fastball coming out of his hand. That’s kind of his bread and butter.

“He’s really polished,” continues Leathersich, “and that’s how he was in college in the Cape league when I saw him there. He’s pitching really well and giving us a chance to win every time he goes out there.”

Catcher Blake Forsythe really enjoys catching Verrett. “He makes my job a lot easier than it is. He stays in the zone and is able to throw four different pitches for strikes. He’s got a lot of late movement, which forces contact, but not a lot of good contact. His slider is such a late breaking pitch, you have to try and go the other way with it. Hitters have to adjust to so many different things.”

When asked whether or not he expected to start this strong, Verrett offered a humble, if not sheepish, half-smile and shrug. “You always expect things to go well, until they don’t. But I prepared very intensely this off season  I got to spring training a few weeks early. I was really able to get good one-on-one time with some pitching coaches. I was able to get an early jump on throwing. I think I took a really good approach during the off season and brought it with me to Spring Training and carried that into the season. That really helped with my confidence on the mound.

Verrett credits a high school pitching coach for helping plant the seeds that would eventually become a blossoming professional career. “He was only 10-15 years older than me and just recently got out of the game, so he was really young. It’s my senior year in high school and I have this new age approach to pitching that I’m being taught. He was always giving me tips and tidbits in my sides and bullpens, and that’s in high school. Just to be able to have a pitching coach in high school was amazing, especially one that had just left the game maybe three years before. He knew what it takes and what’s expected at the professional level and that’s the kind of approach he brought to our high school team. That carried over to my Baylor career and I felt like I was real mature for a freshman.

He finished his Baylor career seventh in strikeouts, and third among those who only pitched three years. He ranks second and third in conference-play K/BB and ERA, respectively.

Verrett knows there’s more work to be done. “What makes me successful is my ability to put the ball where I want it with all four pitches. I need to get better at doing that every single time. Not having the three or four mistake pitches that I leave up in a start. Like last night, for instance, I had four or five pitches that I could look back and say, “Yeah, I left that ball up.” If I’m going to be successful in the big leagues, it’s eliminating those mistake pitches and I think I’m on the right path.”

(Photo Credit: Gordon Donovan)

Thoughts from Joe D.

First off, great job on this Xtreem… This is how you present an interview and do a focus piece on a prospect with supporting quotes from his teammates and coaches as well to add context and additional insight… Outstanding work…

Verrett has has been overshadowed by some of the bigger names in the system since being drafted and signed by the Mets in 2011. The truth is that if you put his numbers alongside any of our other top pitching prospects, you see someone who certainly belongs in the same conversation.

What I love most about him is that he knows who he is and what he needs to do to get to the majors. He’s focused on refining his already plus-command and understands that being able to spot any of his pitches will compensate for not having that 99 mph fastball. After only six starts in Advanced-A, he seamlessly made the jump to Double-A where he continues to succeed. Verrett is somebody you want to keep your eye on.

For more minor league interviews liked this and the best Mets Minors coverage you’ll find anywhere else, check out MetsMinors.net. Nobody is doing it better… Nobody…

Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Las Vegas defeated Omaha, 7-3.
• Binghamton took down Portland, 6-3.
• St. Lucie was edged by Bradenton, 5-4.
• Savannah was one-hit by Augusta, 11-0.
  

Prospect Pipeline

• Jenrry Mejia made his first “real” rehab start in St. Lucie last night where he lasted three innings. He threw only 61 pitches, and threw 41 of them for strikes, which was a good sign. He allowed five hits and three walks, which led to two earned runs, and struck out six batters. Striking out six batters over three innings is encouraging, although the three walks over the same span is not. I’m very much on the fence with how I think the organization should proceed with Mejia. I get the feeling he will end up being a bullpen arm – and a good one at that, but since we have the time, we might as well work him back as a starter. I’d like to see him rehab and work his way into the starting rotation at Binghamton.
• It might be old news by today, but Zack Wheeler hit the 7-Day DL and should only miss one start – which would have been today. Matt Fox, recently claimed on waivers, was added to the team to bolster the rotation in his absence, and did his job last night. He allowed two home runs over five innings, but held the opposition down to only three earned runs. Josh Edgin looked very impressive in his inning of work, lighting up the radar gun and striking out three batters in his inning of work.
• Cesar Puello has tried to turn it up an extra gear recently and is batting .306 over his last ten games, with three multi-hit games in his last four starts – including one last night. Puello is in the midst of a solid campaign, batting .294 over 109 ABs with five home runs, seven steals, and 24 runs driven in.
• Fellow B-Mets outfielder, Alonzo Harris, managed to put together a nice game as well with two steals. He now has 13 on the year. He has been batting eighth in the lineup recently as opposed to leadoff because of a heavy slump, but it looks like the move down has sparked the Sterling Award winner once again.
• I highlighted Dustin Lawley for his streaky work earlier in the year – and right now, he’s on a torrid hot streak. His last ten games have seen him bat .349 and go deep four times. Lawley is actually second in the FSL with nine home runs, behind only Miguel Sano‘s 11. Aderlin Rodriguez is fifth in the league with seven home runs after he hit another home run last night.
• Jeff Walters struck out the side for his 11th save last night in Binghamton and lowered his ERA to 0.57. We may actually have some potential future depth in this young man.
• On an unhappier note, Phillip Evans is really struggling in the field, as he made his 12th error of the year last night.

Stat Line of the Day

Dustin Lawley: 2-for-4, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R

Transactions/Updates

• Zack Wheeler and Kai Gronauer were both placed on the 7-Day DL in Las Vegas.
• Brandon Hicks and Matt Fox were added to the 51s team roster in corresponding moves.

Photo of the Day

Yes, Matt Harvey is truly becoming the new King of Queens… (Photo credit goes to Gordon Donovan)

Binghamton 7, Akron 3

Many times you can gauge a pitcher’s demeanor, their grit and persistence, when they don’t have their best stuff.  That was the case at Binghamton’s NYSEG Stadium for B-Met starter Logan Verrett in the early going of last nights 7-3 victory over Akron.

Verrett has been a mainstay of the Binghamton staff so far this spring starting 8 games with a 5-1 record and a 3:15 ERA.  A pinpoint command of the strike zone has helped Verrett log an impressive 0.99 WHIP in the young season.

Verrett struggled commanding his fastball in the first two innings of Tuesday’s contest.  The usually accurate right hander walked three batters and delivered 40 pitches during the first two innings.  In fact, only double play balls to end each frame prevented Verrett from disaster.

You can learn a lot about a pitcher when they labor on the hill.  Such moments are gut checks that speak to the character of a pitcher.  Will they remain poised and centered?  Will they alter their mechanics?  Will they begin to work too fast or too slow?  Will they continue to challenge batters with their signature pitch even if when they can’t locate that pitch as they would like?   Will they show grit and resolve in working through their troubles.

The character side of Verrett’s pitching report card was glowing last night.

Trouble presented itself almost immediately.  Akron’s speedy centerfielder Tyler Holt, the second batter in the game, laced a line drive toward the gap in right-center field.  B-Met right fielder Cesar Puello elected to attempt a diving catch but couldn’t complete the play with the ball going all the way to the wall, and Holt racing to third with a one out triple.  Verrett walked Carlos Moncrief who stole second to set the table for Chun-Hsiu Chen.  Chen, batting a sparkling .331, ripped a single up the middle scoring both runners and giving Akron a 2-0 lead.  Quincy Lattimore sent a wicked line drive to the mound that Verrett played in the air, then doubled up Chen to end the inning.

Verrett’s troubles continued in the Akron second.  The B-Met ace opened the frame by walking Roberto Perez and yielding a single to Giovanny Urshela.  After striking out Kyle Bellas, Verrett walked the number nine batter Justin Toole to load the bases.  Verrett was clearly struggling.

A hard grounder ripped to short was played perfectly, Wilfredo Tovar to Josh Rodriguez to Allan Dykstra for a 6-4-3 double play to get Verrett out of the jam.

The second B-Met DP was a turning point for their young pitcher.  Verrett settled in finding his customary command of the strike zone and dominated for the remainder of his outting.  The DP started a string of 8 consecutive outs for Verrett.

The string was broken in the sixth when Bellas led off by slamming a Verrett curveball over the left field wall for a home run extending Akron’s advantage to 3-0.  Verrett was unfazed putting the next 8 batters down in order before allowing an Ursela single with two down in the seventh.  A look at Verrett’s pitching statistics show just how effectively he pitched after the first two innings. . All 3 Verrett walks and 3 of the 5 hits he allowed were surrendered during the first two innings.

Here was Verrett’s line on the evening: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 3 ER, 5 K

Total Batters Faced: 27

First Pitch Strikes: 19 – 70%

Ahead After Three Pitches:  8 – 30%

Total Pitches: 97  Strikes:  61 – 63%  Balls:  36 – 37%

Strike Breakdown: Called: 26 – 43%   Fouled:  7 – 11%   Missed:  9 – 15%  In Play:  19 – 31%

Full Windup:  Total Pitches: 66  Strikes:  44 – 67%     Balls:  22 – 33%

Stretch: Total Pitches:  31  Strikes: 17 – 55%  Balls:  14 – 45%

Verrett’s fastball ranged from 86 to 94 mph.  Only two pitches touched 94 both thrown in the first inning.  It appeared as if Verrett was attempting more curve balls than the previous time I had watched him pitch.  The triple and home run both came on curveballs.

The B-Met hitters struggled with Akron starting pitcher Paolo Espino‘s slow breaking curve ball in the early innings.  Espino carried a shutout into the fifth inning when Binghamton scored three times to knot the score at 3-3.  Cory Vaughn saw his first fastball on the fourth pitch and grounded a single to left to lead off the inning.  Vaughn drew several pick off attempts with Espino finally throwing the ball past the first baseman and allowing the B-Met leftfielder to advance to second.  After two infield pop-ups, Alonzo Harris worked a walk.  Wilfredo Tovar laced a single to left field plating Vaughn and moved into scoring position when the leftfielders throw to third base attempting to get Harris sailed off line.

That brought the B-Met second baseman Danny Muno to the plate.  Muno has been a clutch hitter for Binghamton this year, and he came through once again, lining a shot over off the centerfield wall to plate Harris and Tovar.  Muno is batting just .228 but has knocked in a team high 21 RBI’s.

Binghamton caught some huge breaks in busting the game open in the home eighth.  Tovar greeted relief pitcher Trey Haley with a ground single over the third base bag but was thrown out trying to leg it into a double.  Haley, a fire throwing righthander, lost the plate throwing 11 consecutive balls, walking Muno and Josh Rodriguez and going 3-0 on Cesar Puello.  Puello took two strikes before ball four loaded the bases.

With the infield in, Allan Dykstra tapped a soft ground ball to first baseman Chun-Hsiu Chen.  Chen played the ball but double clutched without looking to throw home, changing his mind and attempting to get Dykstra at first.  His throw was late  with the B-Mets scoring the game winner.  Vaughn followed with a broken bat flare that got past Haley for another infield hit and a second run.  Two wild pitches completed the 4 run rally.

I finally got to see Jack Leathersich work the mound in relief and the lefty didn’t disappoint.  Leathersich worked a scoreless eighth and ninth allowing a single hit while striking out 4 and walking only 1.  He has a nasty breaking ball that freezes lefthanded hitters, a deceptive delivery, and fires some 90+ heat.  Leathersich has struck out 33 batters in 17.2 innings.

Key Stats

Daniel Muno: 1-for-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 RBI, 1 R

Josh Rodriguez: 1-for-3, 1 BB, 1 R

Allan Dykstra: 1-for-4, 1 RBI

Cory Vaughn: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 R

Wilfredo Tovar: 2-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R

Logan Verrett: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 3 ER, 5 K

Jack Leathersich: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K

Binghamton 8, Harrisburg 4

One night after being no-hit, the Binghamton Mets scored eight runs in the first two innings en route to an 8-4, rain-shortened victory over the Harrisburg Senators Friday night at NYSEG Stadium.

After Harrisburg scored a run on an Anthony Rendon double in the top half of the first, Binghamton came out swinging against Harrisburg starter Caleb Clay. Darrell Ceciliani led off with a single, and Danny Muno followed with a two-run home run over the left field wall. Josh Rodriguez was then hit by a pitch, moved to third base on an Allan Dykstra single, and scored on a double play ball to put Binghamton on top, 3-1.

The bats remained hot in the second inning, as Binghamton batted around, scoring five times. Ceciliani continued his strong night with a two-run triple. After Rodriguez singled him home, Clay was relieved by Matt Swynenberg. He was welcomed into the game right away, as Dykstra smashed a two-run home run over the centerfield wall to push the lead to 8-1.

On the mound, Erik Goeddel ran into trouble in the fourth. He gave up back-to-back doubles by Ricky Hague and Swynenberg, Harrisburg cut the deficit to 8-4. Goeddel’s night was finished after five innings. He allowed four runs on six hits, and picked up his third victory of the season.

Adam Kolarek threw a perfect sixth inning, and Jack Leathersich had recorded two outs in the top of the seventh inning before the rain came and ended the game.

The B-Mets (18-17) and Senators (16-19) continue their four-game series Saturday afternoon at 1:05 PM. Cory Mazzoni (0-1, 2.25) will start for Binghamton against Taylor Jordan (0-0, –).

Key Stats

Darrell Ceciliani: 3-for-3, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB

Daniel Muno: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB

Allan Dykstra: 2-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

Erik Goeddel: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 ER, 6 K

Adam Kolarek: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K

Jack Leathersich: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K

(Team Report)

Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Las Vegas knocked off Sacramento, 6-2. 
• Binghamton topped Harrisburg, 6-1. 
• St. Lucie nipped Daytona, 1-0. 
• Savannah had their game postponed due to rain. 

Prospect Pipeline

• Zack Wheeler had his second solid start in a row yesterday against Sacremento. In six innings pitched, he sacrificed three hits while only waling one. He held Sacremento to no runs. It was a nother step in the right direction for Wheeler, who the Mets could desperately use in their rotation. He showed improved command of his fastball in yesterday’s game, but he still has to work on throwing the breaking ball consistently for strikes in order to get major league hitters out.
• MMO’s No. 8 prospect, Domingo Tapia, continues to pitch well. Very well actually. Through 32 innings of work this season, Tapia has compiled 28 strike outs to just 13 walks, only allowed 20 hits, and has only given up eight earned runs this season. The key to Tapia’s success seems to be his ability to handle adversity — the sinking action on his fastball and change up also helps. More regarding Tapia in the Quote of The Day.
• The Binghamton bats awoke from a slumber in yesterday’s game. The team pounded out ten hits, three of which were home runs and the offensive attack was led by Alonzo Harris who had three hits, and a home run of his own. The other two players who added home runs were Richard Lucas and Josh Rodriguez.
• Sticking with Binghamtom, Jack Leathersich is for real — dude mows down hitters. He struck out the side in the ninth inning of Binghamton’s victory last night. He has 27 strike outs in 15 innings pitched this season…wow.
• Collin Cowgill smacked a three-run home run for Las Vegas yesterday. With Matt den Dekker getting closer to coming back and Kirk Nieuwenhuis on the roster, Las Vegas is going to have a log jam of centerfielders.
• If anyone wants to catch Rafael Montero pitch, he should be on the hill tomorrow night in Trenton. Starting in tonight’s game should be Cory Mazzoni (fresh off the DL), and on Wednesday night should be Logan Verrett on the hill.

Stat Lines of the Day

Zack Wheeler: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 4 K

Alonzo Harris: 3-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB

Jack Leathersich: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K

Transactions/Injuries

• Princeton product Matthew Bowman has been promoted from Savannah to St. Lucie.
• Robert Gsellman to Savannah and Hansel Robles is back with St. Lucie and starting today’s game.
• Cory Mazzoni is coming off the disabled list and will start for the B-Mets in Trenton tonight.

Quote of the Day

Here is what St. Lucie manager Ryan Ellis had to say about Tapia, after his start yesterday:

Regarding his breaking ball: “It’s more of a curveball and it’s come along nicely,” Ellis said. “He’s starting to trust it a lot more. Even when he’s behind in the count, he’s comfortable enough to mix it in. He’s found control enough with it where he feels comfortable throwing it.”

“If he can control that fastball with heavy sink and mix in his curve to the other side of the plate, it doesn’t matter how hard he’s throwing,” Ellis said. “He’s going to keep guys off balanced. He’s absolutely confident with [the curve] right now. Hats off to him for that. That’s a big part of his development.”

Regarding dealing with adversity: “I’ve noticed him progressing in a way,” Ellis said. “He’ll slow himself down, step behind the rubber and toss around the rosin bag and calm himself down. He’s not pressing. He’s slowing the game down and making adjustments to get himself back in the zone.

Photo of the Day

Logan Verrett dealing in Binghamton (Photo by MMO Contributor Gordon Donovan)

 

Binghamton 6, Harrisburg 1

The Binghamton Mets launched a season-high three home runs and struck out a season-high fifteen Harrisburg Senators in a 6-1 victory at Metro Bank Park on Sunday afternoon. Binghamton used a ten-hit attack to secure their third series win of the season.

B-Met third baseman Josh Rodriguez set the tone early. After Danny Muno worked out his team-leading 21st walk of the season in the first against Harrisburg starter Caleb Clay, Rodriguez blasted an 0-2 pitch into the left field seats, giving Binghamton a 2-0 lead.

Binghamton starter Mark Cohoon flirted with danger in his second start, but came out unscathed. He allowed seven baserunners through his first four innings, but used six strikeouts to escape. Harrisburg stranded five runners with Cohoon on the mound and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. He capped his day with two more strikeouts in a perfect fifth.

Binghamton added to their lead in the sixth against Clay. Alonzo Harris started with a bunt single, stole second and came home on a single by Muno. Richard Lucas capped the inning by blistering a solo homer to left center, his first round-tripper of the season.

Chase Huchingson took over in the sixth and struck out two in a shutout inning. The southpaw returned for the seventh, but exited after allowing two singles. Sean Nicol greeted reliever John Church with an RBI groundout, cutting Binghamton’s lead to three.

Anthony Rendon singled to right to bring the tying run to the plate in Jerad Head. Church easily dispatched of Head and ended the threat, striking out the centerfielder on three pitches.

Binghamton put the game out of reach with two more runs in the eighth against reliever Pat McCoy. Harris launched his fourth home run of the season to left and Cesar Puello extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI single.

With a comfortable five-run advantage, Church posted a scoreless eighth inning and Jack Leathersich fanned three in the ninth.

Cohoon (3-0) collected his third win and first as a starter in 2013. The southpaw struck out a season-high eight over five shutout innings. Clay (3-1) was tagged for four runs on six hits in seven innings of work in his first loss of the year.

The B-Mets (16-14) continue their roadtrip and start a three-game series against the Trenton Thunder Monday night at 7:05 PM.

Key Stats

Alonzo Harris: 3-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB

Daniel Muno: 2-for-3, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB

Josh Rodriguez: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

Richard Lucas: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

Mark Cohoon: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 0 ER, 8 K

Chase Huchingson: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 K

John Church: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Jack Leathersich: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K

(Team Report)

Harrisburg 3, Binghamton 1

The Binghamton Mets stranded the tying run on base in the ninth inning in a 3-1 loss to the Harrisburg Senators on Friday night at Metro Bank Park. Binghamton left eight aboard in the game and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position in the final two innings.

One out shy of suffering their third shutout loss of the season, the B-Mets cracked the scoreboard when Cesar Puello blasted a 1-1 offering from Ian Krol over the left field wall for his first homer of the year. Krol failed to bounce back, walking Francisco Pena and hitting Wilfredo Tovar with an 0-2 pitch to put the tying run on.

Aaron Barrett entered from the bullpen and put out the flames. He struck out pinch hitter Joe Bonfe to end the game and earn his fifth save.

The B-Mets offense had a difficult time breaking through against Harrisburg starter Blake Treinen (3-3). The righty caged Binghamton for seven shutout innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh. He allowed five hits and only one B-Met reached third base en route to his third win.

Harrisburg rode a three-run first inning to their fifth win in seven games. They greeted B-Mets starter Jacob deGrom rudely with four consecutive hits to start the first inning. Brian Goodwin started by pulling his league-leading fifth triple to right. Josh Johnson quickly brought him home with an infield single. Jerad Head followed with another single and Justin Bloxom gave Harrisburg a 3-0 lead with a two-run double to right.

deGrom (0-3) settled in after his bumpy first inning and capped his fourth start as a B-Met five shutout frames. He exited after allowing three runs on seven hits over six innings of work. The righty walked two and struck out one in the losing effort.

After Treinen’s departure, the B-Mets nearly got on the board in the eighth against reliever Neil Holland. Danny Muno led off the inning by shooting a pinch-hit double down the right field line. He was left hanging at second when Holland retired the next three B-Mets hitters.

The Binghamton bullpen supplied two strong innings of relief. Chase Huchingson fanned two in a perfect eighth and Jack Leathersich struck out the side in order in the eighth.

The B-Mets (14-14) continue their three-game series against the Harrisburg Senators (14-14) Saturday night at 7:00 PM. RHP Erik Goeddel (1-2, 5.70) gets the ball against RHP Paul Demny (1-3, 6.12).

Key Stats

Cesar Puello: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

Wilfredo Tovar: 2-for-3

Francisco Pena: 1-for-2, 2 BB

Daniel Muno: 1-for-1, 1 2B

Jacob deGrom: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 1 K

Chase Huchingson: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Jack Leathersich: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K

(Team Report)

Akron 4, Binghamton 0

So Rafael Montero is human after all…

The Binghamton Mets struck out a season-high 16 times, and were shut out for the second time in 2013, in a 4-0 loss to the Akron Aeros Friday night at NYSEG Stadium.

Danny Salazar carved through the B-Met batting order, matching a career-high with nine strikeouts in his five shutout innings. The righty allowed just three base hits, and erased two of them with double-play balls in the win. The Akron offense did just enough against Rafael Montero to support Salazar’s effort. With runners on the corners in the top of the third, Tyler Holt beat out a potential double-play ball which scored Ronny Rodriguez. Two batters later, Holt came around to score as Jesus Aguilar tallied his league-leading 23^rd RBI with a single into centerfield.

Montero’s night ended after five innings; he gave up the two runs and struck out eight. Adrian Rosario walked two of his first three hitters in the sixth, and allowed them both to score on a two-run double by Roberto Perez to give Akron a 4-0 lead.

The combination of Austin Adams and Bryce Stowell picked up where Salazar left off for Akron. Adams struck out four in his two innings on the mound, and Stowell punched out three more in the last two frames.

The B-Mets (11-10) continue their three-game series with the Aeros (9-12) Saturday afternoon at 1:05 PM. RHP Logan Verrett (3-0, 2.55) will start for Binghamton against LHP Matt Packer (0-2, 3.15) for Akron.

Key Stats

Alonzo Harris: 1-for-4, 1 SB (10)

Allan Dykstra: 1-for-3, 1 BB

Richard Lucas: 1-for-2, 1 BB

Rafael Montero: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 8 K

Adrian Rosario: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 1 K

Chase Huchingson: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 1 K

Jack Leathersich: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 3 K (0.00 ERA)

(Team Report)

Portland 9, Binghamton 8

The Portland Sea Dogs scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the tenth inning to defeat the Binghamton Mets, 9-8, in walk-off fashion on a cold, wet Tuesday night at Hadlock Field.

With two outs, Heiker Meneses raced home with the game-winner when John Church‘s first pitch to Derrik Gibson skipped to the backstop. The errant offering capped a four-hour, three-minute contest that was played in a prevailing mist with temperatures hovering in the low 40′s.

Facing a Major League rehabber for the second straight night, the B-Mets jumped out of the gate against southpaw Craig Breslow. Alonzo Harris and Darrell Ceciliani started the contest with singles. With Josh Rodriguez at the plate, Ceciliani broke for second. Harris, leading from third, sprinted home with the game’s first run when the catcher’s throw to second skipped away.

Following a walk to Rodriguez, Allan Dykstra stroked a two-run double to right, giving the B-Mets a 3-0 lead and ending Breslow’s rehab appearance. Brandon Workman entered and racked up three outs to end the frame.

Binghamton added two more runs in the second against Workman. After a leadoff walk, Danny Muno zipped an RBI double down the left field line. The B-Mets second baseman scored later when third baseman Kolbrin Vitek let a hard groundball squeak through his legs.

The five-run lead nearly vanished in the third. B-Mets starter Tyler Pill allowed the first five batters to reach safely on two walks and three singles. JC Linares and Michael Almanzar chipped away with RBI singles and Christian Vazquez capped the inning with a two-run single to left.

With their lead trimmed to one, Binghamton responded in the fifth with a single score. Ceciliani stared the stanza with a double to left center, stole third and came home on a sac fly from Rodriguez.

The two-run advantage did not stand for long. Adam Kolarek took over for Pill in the fifth and could not avoid damage after Wilfredo Tovar unleashed an errant through on a groundball from Tony Thomas. Vazquez drove him in later in the inning with a single to left and scored the game-tying run on a triple by Heiker Meneses.

Meneses struck again in the seventh against Kolarek. Following a pair of two-out walks, the Portland nine-hitter smacked a two-run triple into the right field corner, giving the Sea Dogs an 8-6 lead.

The B-Mets took advantage of shake Portland defense to tie the game in the eighth. Reliever Will Latimer allowed the first two he faced to reach, but bounced back with two strikeouts. With two on and two outs, Wilfredo Tovar sent a chopper to third. Vitek fielded cleanly, but his throw to first skipped past Almanzar, allowing both runs to score.

Jack Leathersich preserved the tie game with 2-1/3 innings of scoreless relief. The lefty struck out three during the hitless appearance.

In the tenth, Binghamton’s threat to retake the lead fell a few inches short. The B-Mets started the inning with a walk and a single against reliever Brock Huntzinger. Followed a sac bunt and a strikeout, Wilfredo Tovar launched a fly ball to center. Playing shallow to start, Shannon Wilkerson raced back and make a leaping catch to end the frame, setting the stage for Portland’s walk-off win in the bottom half of the inning.

Church (0-3) took his third loss and watched his stretch of scoreless appearances come to a close at five. Huntzinger (1-0) earned his first win of the year. Pill took a no-decision while allowing four runs on seven hits in four innings of work. Workman surrendered three runs (two earned) on three hits over five frames.

The B-Mets (10-9) conclude their week-long roadtrip and end a three-game series with the Sea Dogs Wednesday night at 6:00 PM. RHP Erik Goeddel (1-2, 5.52) gets the ball for Binghamton against RHP Kyle Kaminska (0-2, 7.53).

Key Stats

Alonzo Harris: 1-for-5, 1 R, 2 SB (Stole Home)

Darrell Ceciliani: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 2 R, 2 SB

Allan Dykstra: 1-for-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Blake Forsythe: 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 BB

Tyler Pill: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 4 BB, 4 ER, 3 K

Adam Kolarek: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 R, 2 ER

Jack Leathersich: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K

John Church: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K

(Team Report)

Binghamton 3, New Hampshire 0

Rafael Montero fired six scoreless innings to the lead the Binghamton Mets to a 3-0 victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Saturday afternoon at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. The bullpen provided three blank innings of relief for Binghamton’s first shutout victory of the season.

Double plays kept the Binghamton Mets from getting on the board early in the game against Fisher Cats starter Marcus Walden. Josh Rodriguez rolled into an inning-ending twin-killing in the first and ended a bases-loaded threat with another in the third. The trend continued in the fourth when Francisco Pena grounded into a frame-ending double play with two men aboard.

Facing the Fisher Cats for his second straight game, Rafael Montero breezed through his fourth Double-A appearance. The righty surrendered just four hits and struck out six. Montero allowed just one runner to reach second and prevented any Fisher Cat from reaching third, never facing more than four batters in any inning.

Wilfredo Tovar helped Binghamton avoid another double play in the fifth by shooting a one-out double down the third base line. Darrell Ceciliani brought him home two batters later with an RBI single to left, giving the B-Mets a one-run lead.

Given the advantage, Montero added two more shutout innings, working around a single in the fifth and a fielding error in the sixth to end his day.

Jack Leathersich took over in the seventh and pitched himself into trouble by issuing two walks. The southpaw pitched his way out of the jam with three strikeouts, fanning Amadeo Zazueta to end the threat. He returned for the eighth and posted a perfect frame.

Cory Vaughn added some much-needed insurance for Binghamton in the eighth against reliever Matt Wright. With a runner on the third, the outfielder blasted a 3-2 offering over the left field wall for his second home run in as many games.

Jeffrey Walters entered in the ninth and allowed the tying run to reach the plate after surrendering a single and a walk, but induced Jack Murphy to fly out to left to end the game.

Montero (3-0) collected his third straight win, allowing just four hits over six innings of work. Walden (0-3) was tagged for nine hits and struck out one in the losing effort. Walters racked up his league-leading fifth save.

The B-Mets (9-7) complete their four-game series in Manchester on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 PM. RHP Logan Verrett (2-0, 2.75) gets the nod for the B-Mets against RHP Deck McGuire (1-1, 3.06).

Key Stats

Alonzo Harris: 1-for-4, 1 SB

Darrell Ceciliani: 2-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 SB

Cory Vaughn: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

Wilfredo Tovar: 2-for-4, 2 2B

Rafael Montero: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 6 K

Jack Leathersich: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Jeffrey Walters: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 0 K

(Team Report)

I was told that nobody cares about anybody else after I asked SNY why all they only ever talk and write about the same 4-5 prospects as if the other 200 players in the Mets system meant nothing. Are Wilmer Flores, Rafael Montero, Jack Leathersich and Logan Verrett pariahs I asked? “Average Mets fans don’t care about them”, I was told. Really? Four of the best prospects in the Mets entire system? I’ll have much more on that later. Much, much more…

As one who was the first site back in 2005 to post daily minor league reports and have been for the eight years since, I found some of the things said to be very insulting to me and to Mets fans as a whole.

Meanwhile, for the less than 1% of Mets fans out there that do care about the Mets minor league system, or so I was told, and those of you who ARE excited about the future of this organization, this one’s for you.

Meet Josh Satin, professional slugger extraordinaire…

In previous Mets Minors Reports this week, the best Mets Minors Report you’ll ever see anywhere, I’ve been calling for the Mets to promote corner infielder Josh Satin. I wrote about my disappointment during the end of spring training when I learned he wouldn’t be making the team. I look at what he’s doing now and shake my head wondering, “what more does this kid have to prove by being in the minor leagues?”

Selected by the New York Mets in the sixth round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of California-Berkeley, Satin wasted no time at all proving to all that his bat was legit, his intensity strong, and his determination was off the charts. However there was one slight problem, Satin was a third baseman, and a great one at that, but how was he going supplant the fixture at that position – face of the franchise and team captain David Wright?

“The guy’s the best third baseman in the game, and I happen to be a New York Met,” said Satin. “Even though that’s probably my best position, it’s not going to happen.”

Give Satin props for seeing and understanding the obvious. If he was going to crack the Majors, he was going to have to do it as a first baseman or even a second baseman perhaps.

The math was simple, if he pulled it off he could at least become a useful corner utility player for the Mets and perhaps even start a game or two when a left-hander was on the mound in light of Ike Davis being the everyday first baseman.

“I’ve kind of realized that if I’m going to be a player on this team, that’s the kind of role that I have to take.”

However, here we are in 2013, Satin now 28, and yet he still toils away at Triple-A… What’s wrong with this picture?

Lets check in on him and see how Las Vegas is treating him so far this season:

Satin currently leads his Mets Triple-A squad in Batting Average (.383), Slugging Percentage (.723) and On-Base (.473), as well as Runs Scored, Home Runs, RBI, Hits and Total Bases.

A fluke?

Not a chance… Satin has been hitting the ground running from the moment he signed his first professional contract and has posted an.865 OPS during his minor league career with the Mets, and has made the Minor League All Star Team as the starting third baseman, first baseman or second baseman every season since 2009. Wow…

The fact we have Ike Davis batting .136 this far into the season is fast becoming a concern. Some might say it’s too early, but what about his performance against left-handed pitching in his last 200 starts and 380 plate appearances?

Would that be a big enough sample size for you?

It would seem so to me and so I ask you non-believers to please explain his dismal .214/.277/.362/.619 output against southpaws throughout his career? And it’s only gotten even worse this season.

I think it’s time to call this and tell it like it is…

Ike Davis is nothing more than the long end of a platoon player at best.

Enter Josh Satin, who despite the gaudy stats I already posted, is even better against left-handed pitching. He torches southpaws unmercifully like a demon from Hell.

My conclusion?

Let’s get this done and right a wrong that has gone on for far too long and give Josh Satin his well-deserved shot. The fact that it’s taking this long is a cardinal sin.

To the 99% of Mets fans who don’t care about the Mets minors, my deepest apologies…

The B-Mets scored seven unanswered runs and battled through a 37-minute rain delay en route to a 7-3 victory over the Portland Sea Dogs Tuesday night at NYSEG Stadium.

Portland took an early lead against B-Met starter Logan Verrett. An RBI double from Tony Thomas in the first, and an inside-the-park home run by Heiker Meneses in the second put the Sea Dogs up 2-0. Verrett settled down after the first two frames however, and allowed just one hit over his final four innings. He began the seventh inning, but was relieved by Jack Leathersich after surrendering a two-out walk to Peter Hissey.

Binghamton’s offense began in the fourth inning against Portland starter Drake Britton. After the first two batters had been retired, Cory Vaughn got the rally started with a line drive single up the middle. Cesar Puello then tripled down the right field line to put Binghamton on the board. After Danny Muno walked, Britton threw a wild pitch, allowing Puello to score and tie the game. Francisco Pena then gave the B-Mets the lead with an RBI double to left field.

The game moved along quickly until the bottom of the seventh, where it was halted for 37 minutes due to a rain delay. After the break, the B-Mets tacked on four more runs in the eighth to boost the lead up to 7-2. Jeff Walters gave up one run in the top of the ninth, but finished the game to earn his third save of the season.

The B-Mets (7-5) will play their first rubber match of the season Wednesday night against Portland at NYSEG Stadium. First pitch is slated for 6:35 PM. RHP Jacob DeGrom (0-0, 0.00) will make his Double-A debut for the B-Mets against RHP Brandon Workman (2-0, 4.91).

Key Stats

Francisco Pena: 2-for-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Cesar Puello: 1-for-3, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SB

Cory Vaughn: 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 R

Josh Rodriguez: 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 R

Logan Verrett: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 2 ER, 6 K

Jack Leathersich: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 K

Jeffrey Walters: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 K

(Team Report)

Noah Syndergaard strikes out eight for St. Lucie on Saturday. (Photo: Michael Baron, SNY)

Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Savannah (5-4) topped Rome, 8-6
• St. Lucie (6-3) dropped to Palm Beach, 4-3
• Binghamton (5-4) lost to New Hampshire, 6-1
• Las Vegas (5-5) dropped slugfest to Fresno, 11-6

Prospect Pipeline

• I just learned that we have some exciting phone interviews lined up with T.J. Rivera, Travis d’Arnaud, Cory Mazzoni, Brandon Nimmo and Cam Maron coming up. April will be fun around here as we continue to bring you as much information as we can on our incredibly improving system. Yesterday, Mets GM Sandy Alderson glowed when our Senior Writer Matt Balasis asked him about how far the Mets farm system and organizational depth has come in such a short time. (Joe D.)
• In FanGraph’s weekly prospect chat, Mike Newman said that he expects Zack Wheeler to replicate what we saw from Matt Harvey last season – about ten starts with similar production. Wheeler’s curveball is also improved from the inconsistent breaking pitch he scouted in 2010 and that so far this season he has “frequently popped 96 MPH on the radar gun with ease.”  (Joe D.)
• Mets power hitting prospects Wilmer Flores, Travis d’Arnaud, Aderlin Rodriguez and Brandon Nimmo have combined to hit zero homers, 11 games into the season. Meanwhile, underrated Josh Satin hit his fourth home run last night and is batting .474. Am I the only one who thinks he has nothing left to prove in the minors? If I’m Ike Davis, I’d be concerned. (Joe D.)
• First baseman Jayce Boyd hit his first home run of the season after some near misses. It was a three-run jack and it was a no-doubter. Boyd, 22, is one of our top ten sleepers, and is batting .412/.512/.618 with a great eye at the plate (7 walks, 6 strikeouts) in 42 plate appearances. (Joe D.)
• T.J. Rivera continues to hit. He already leads St. Lucie in hits, RBI, batting average, OBP, and slugging percentage, and added two more hits last night. On a team known for it’s pitching staff, Rivera has been the backbone of the offense. I’m very high on Rivera. He reminds me of another prospect in the Giants organization named Joe Panik. Their games are very similar, except Panik was a first rounder, and Rivera was signed as a free-agent out of college. That’s what you would consider “a steal.”
• Jack Leathersich is also very high on Rivera. In a recent interview with MMO, this is what he had to say about his former teammate: “Oh yeah, definitely T.J. Rivera - he’s the one. He’s the real deal. I’ve never been around a kid who prepares as well as he does. He just really loves the game and it seems like every time I see him he’s out on the field working on something. Rivera plays hard and is completely balls to the wall – he’ll do anything to make sure we win. He’s a great teammate and obviously a great player and everybody should be real excited about him. If he continues the great things he did last season, and I’m pretty sure that he will, he’ll be a lot of fun to watch.” You can read the Leathersich interview in it’s entirety here.
• I mentioned in yesterday’s notes that Binghamton manager, Pedro Lopez, stated that he was expecting some tough offensive nights as his team goes through a transition period adjusting to Double-A. It looks as if Saturday was one of those days he was speaking about. After hammering out thirteen hits and fifteen runs on Friday night, the bats were as cold as the Binghamton air temperature on Saturday, as they only managed one run on five hits.
• Noah Syndergaard, whose fastball routinely sits in the mid-90s and can touch triple digits, reminds St. Lucie pitching coach of Kerry Wood. “He reminds me of Kerry Wood,” St. Lucie pitching coach Phil Regan said. “A lot like him, but a better body. He has that tall Texan style.” St. Lucie manager, Ryan Ellis, also likes what he sees: “He has a nice fastball and seems to get stronger. He only threw four innings but he seemed to get stronger in the third and fourth. His breaking ball is really sharp and he’s pitching it with a lot of depth.” Having a combination of Harvey, Wheeler, Syndergaard at the top of the New York Mets rotation, is starting to become a scary reality.
• The St. Lucie Mets pitching staff has lived up to lofty expectations so far this spring. They currently lead the Florida State League with a 2.20 ERA, and second in the league 75 strikeouts. The scary thing is, these stats could have even been better, but Domingo Tapia’s hiccup on Thursday night drove the ERA a bit. Tapia didn’t make it out of the first inning that night, allowing three runs on one hit, also giving up four walks and throwing two wild pitches.

Stat Line of the Night

LHP Steven Matz: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 7 K, 1 BB

Tweet Of The Day

Binghamton’s left-handed fireballer, Jack Leathersich, is going to give away a glove to one of his followers when he hits 3,250 followers. He is currently at 2,952 followers. I wonder what he would be willing to give away for 10,000 followers?

PPL the glove giveaway is still going on.Brand new glove from this year when I hit 3250 followers.lets make it happen! #Mets

— Jack Leathersich (@LeatherRocket) April 13, 2013

Probable Starters

Las Vegas sends Zack Wheeler (0-1, 3.15 ERA) to the mound for tonight against Colorado Springs at 10:05 PM.

Rafael Montero (1-0, 1.54 ERA) of the Binghamton Mets takes on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Sunday afternoon at 1:05 PM.

St. Lucie sends Angel Cuan (1-0, 0.00 ERA) the mound this afternoon against the Bradenton Marauder’s at 1:05 PM. .

Savannah sends Rainy Lara (1-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound in series finale against Rome at 2:00 PM.

Las Vegas 4, Fresno 3

Darin Gorski had a decent outing and the late hitting for the 51s sealed the win, 4-3.

—

Darin Gorski had a solid outing, going five innings allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, walking four and striking out three. Gorski did not exhibit solid command, but managed to miss the bats enough to walk away with a respectable start. Gorski will always be a contact pitcher, and the development of his breaking ball will determine his final resting place. Greg Peavey went two innings, allowing two hits and striking out one. Justin Hampson got the win, giving up one hit in his inning of work. Jeurys Familia came out for his inning to grab the save, giving up two hits but striking out one batter. Pitching has been a huge part of the 51s success and will continue to be.

On the offensive side, Vegas continued its early scoring mentality netting a run on a Wilmer Flores RBI groundout and an Andrew Brown RBI triple. Josh Satin would push an RBI single in the sixth inning to tie the game. A Jamie Hoffman RBI single in the top of the ninth inning would seal the win for the 51s. Despite many offensive explosion type games, the 51s have shown some clutch hitting as well as some great situational hitting.

Zack Wheeler toes the rubber for the 51s tomorrow evening at 10:05 ET as Las Vegas (4-1) continues their series with the Fresno Grizzlies.

Key Stats

• Juan Lagares - 2 for 5, R
• Travis d’Arnaud – 1 for 3, R, BB
• Wilmer Flores – 0 for 3, R, RBI, BB, K
• Darin Gorski - 5 IP, 5H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
• Jeurys Familia - 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, SV

Binghamton Mets 7, Erie SeaWolves 2

Erik Goeddel had a great outing and the offense made sure there was no doubt in the 7-2 victory

—

Erik Goeddel put together a strong outing, going six innings giving up two runs on eight hits, walking no one and striking out five. Goeddel relied on generating ground balls and leaning on his defense, which is always a positive plan when you have a great defense behind you. Jack Leathersich came out for two innings of work, and allowed one hit while striking out two batters. Leathersich may be the fastest mover in the Mets system based on his ability to be a crossover reliever and dominate lefties. Jeffrey Walters came out for the ninth inning and allowed two hits and walked one batter pitching the ninth. The premier pitching surplus is present in Binghamton and they are utilizing it well.

The B.Mets offense didn’t take the day off either, with five earned runs crossing the plate and a few runs scoring due to some shoddy defense from the SeaWolves. Cesar Puello hit an RBI double in the fifth and was thrown out in a run down play being aggressive. Alonzo Harris hit a solo home run in the sixth inning. Wilfredo Tovar had an RBI fielders choice in the seventh, scoring Cesar Puello. Darrell Ceciliani had a two-RBI double in the seventh, and Cory Vaughn struck out swinging but a wild pitch allowed Darrell Ceciliani to score from third. Rhyne Hughes netted an RBI on a force attempt in the ninth inning, scoring Alonzo Harris.

Rafael Montero looks to build on his strong opening day start against Erie tomorrow evening at 6:05 ET.

Key Stats

• Alonzo Harris - 3 for 5, HR, 2 R, RBI
• Cory Vaughn – 0 for 5, 3 K
• Cesar Puello – 1 for 3, R, RBI, BB, K
• Erik Goeddel - 6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• Jack Leathersich - 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER. 0 BB, 1 K

No doubt that you’ve all seen or heard of the defensive woes of Ruben Tejada to start the season. This is frontpage news. The shortstop committed his fourth error yesterday. One person on twitter actually told me it was time to bring up Wilfredo Tovar. I thought he was pulling my leg, but he was serious. That’s not happening and there’s a good chance that Tovar might be worse offensively AND defensively. It was only two years ago when the masses were putting Tejada’s defense above any Mets infielder including Jose Reyes. Everybody calm down. Players can slump in the field as easily as they do at the plate… Ask the captain, David Wright. Nobody knows that better than him.

Apparently, all that Ike Davis needed to get his season going was a good clean shave. After taking a razor to his grizzled face, Davis put his his 1-for-16 slump in his rearview shaving mirror and responded responded with two hits and a walk. Why do bloggers always think they know the cause for a player’s slump? Lately, I’ve been reading some of the most ridiculous assumptions and presumptions I’ve ever seen before throughout the Mets blogosphere. I think we’ve hit the saturation point. Luckily there’s still 5-6 good sites posting original and thoughtful content, but otherwise it’s mostly all regurgitated and reworded stuff. My Top 6 for originality not counting us? That’s easy, Studious Metsimus, Faith and Fear, Kranepool Society, Real Dirty, 2 Guys Talking Mets, and my partner in crime New York Mets Report.

So how long did that everyday outfield of Lucas Duda, Collin Cowgill and Marlon Byrd last? I had the over/under at April 15th and took the under, but geez not even two games and Plan A was blown to smithereens. When’s the last time you saw anyone use the word “smithereens” in a Mets post?

Jack Leathersich picked up his first save of the season, Rafael Montero and Jacob deGrom got off to roaring starts and my three prospects I projected for breakthrough seasons are all on track to do just that. It was good to see Steven Matz back on the mound and four innings he looked dominating until he tired and was pulled from the game. As promised we have ramped up our minor league coverage with a 12 man team that will give it to you straight and often. A big shout out to friend of MMO Josh Satin, who is off to a quick 4-for-8 start in Vegas. He doesn’t get enough credit for for his bat despite a career .858 OPS in the minors. The thing of it is that he’s a corner infielder and is blocked at the major league level.

There was a great article on Mets outfield prospect Cory Vaughn a few days ago by Lynn Worthy of PressConnects.com. Vaughn’s a good sleeper candidate for Double-A after finishing second in the Florida State League in home runs and third in extra-base hits (51), while leading St. Lucie in homers, RBIs and total bases in just his second pro season.

Travis d’Arnaud may have switched organizations, but he’ll still be wearing a Las Vegas 51s uniform this season and is off to a killer start. He considers being a top prospect an “honor,” he told reporters before the game, but it means nothing to him until he gets to the big leagues. “I haven’t done anything in the majors. I have to keep working hard and one day I’ll get there and become a great player,” said d’Arnaud. A great player? I like the sound of that. Keep swinging, Travis and you’ll be here soon enough. But for now, John Buck‘s got things covered quite well. Buck is putting Uniform No. 44 back in fashion again.

Don’t touch that dial….

Rafael Montero headlines the B-Mets 2013 roster.

While, for most of the season, it will be the St. Lucie Mets grabbing the headlines, the Binghamton Mets have an intriguing roster as well. Bingo will feature a solid pitching staff, headlined by Rafael Montero, as well as some prospects that have largely flown under the radar in their careers, but have talent, such as Wilfredo Tovar and Alonzo Harris. The B-Mets will also feature two interesting names who haven’t been able to put it all together yet: Cory Vaughn and Cesar Puello, both of whom have very high ceilings. Now, let’s get to the players.

The Big Names

• Rafael Montero (RHP)- Montero has risen through the minors unusually quickly, playing for seven of the Mets’ minor league affiliates after signing with them before the 2011 season. Although he had a fine 2011 season between the Dominican Summer, Gulf Coast, Appalachian, and New York-Penn leagues, he didn’t really put himself on the map until last season. Last season between Savannah and St. Lucie, he posted a 2.36 ERA in 122 innings, striking out 8.1 per nine while walking just 1.4. Scouts credit his strong secondary pitches for his successes so far in his career. His changeup and slider are both well-developed, which is why he has dominated and moved up so quickly. 
• Wilfredo Tovar (SS)- Until last season, Tovar looked like a weak-hitting shortstop with a good glove, but also a bat that would keep him from the majors. In 2011, Tovar hit .251/.318/.318 in a full season with Savannah. He was moved up a level to St. Lucie last season, in which he started to look like more than a weak-hitting shortstop. In half a season with St. Lucie, he upped his batting line to .284/.377/.385 with 12 stolen bases in 65 games, earning himself an FSL All-Star Game selection. What was especially promising was his strikeout and walk rates, which were better than ever. He walked in 11.3% of his plate appearances, compared to his career-best of 8.0%, and struck out at a 6.6% clip, also the best mark of his career. He struggled in Binghamton last year, which is why he is repeating the league, but if he can harness the patience that we saw out of him over the first half of 2012, he could become a Ruben Tejada-type player.
• Cory Vaughn (RF)- The Mets don’t have many pure power hitters in their system, but Cory Vaughn is one of them, and among the best. He is the definition of a power hitter: getting on base, and hitting a ton of extra-base hits. Last year, he hit 51 extra-base hits in 126 games with St. Lucie, 23 of them home runs. Vaughn, however, has speed that most power hitters don’t have. He swiped a career-best 21 bases last season. Vaughn’s biggest weakness right now is his hit tool. Everything else is there. If he starts hitting for a higher batting average, everything will come together.
• Cesar Puello (RF)- Once dubbed the next Carlos Beltran, Puello may have the best tools in the entire Met system. He has speed, power, and is a solid defender in the outfield. It’s the health that will dictate his future. Last season, Puello hit .260/.328/.423 with 26 extra-base hits in 66 games.

The Sleepers

• Danny Muno (2B/SS)- Muno was suspended for PED use last year, after hitting .355 in Brooklyn in 2011. The 2011 eighth-round pick still put up solid numbers, even after the suspension. He hit for a little bit of power, knocking 16 doubles, two triples, and six homers in 81 games with St. Lucie. He put up a .280/.387/.412 batting line. Muno walked an excellent 14.2% of the time while striking out only 15.1%. Oh, and he stole 19 bases.
• Tyler Pill (RHP)- Pill is seeing his stock rising fast, and although he isn’t put in the same group as Wheeler, Fulmer, or Syndergaard, he has made a name for himself as a top-30 prospect. He only throws in the high-80s, but uses his excellent command to get hitters out. Last season, he put up an impressive 4.77 K/BB rate with a 2.31 ERA in 113 innings between St. Lucie and Savannah.
• Jack Leathersich (LHP)- Leathersich has put up amazing strikeout numbers out of the bullpen since being drafted in 2011 in the fifth round out of UMass-Lowell. Leathersich is on the fast track to the major league bullpen, and will continue to move quickly if his strikeout numbers remain this high. Last season he struck out 14.1 batters per nine. Some call his delivery deceiving, which may explain why his ERA in the Florida State League this year was 4.12. Maybe more advanced hitters are catching on. Perhaps his high walk numbers are hurting him. Or maybe the high ERA was just a result of a small sample size, as so often happens with minor league relief pitchers.
• Alonzo Harris (OF)- Harris, once deemed ruined after an aggressive promotion by Omar Minaya went horribly wrong, has re-gained his prospect status with a much-improved approach at the dish over the last few seasons. Promoted too quickly because of his athleticism and raw tools, Harris hit .224/.270/..342 as a 20 year-old, second-year player in Savannah. He was overly-aggressive and struck out over in over 20% of his plate appearances. Since then, he has seen his walk rates rise and strikeout rates fall steadily and now he has a solid approach at the dish. His success in 2011 in Savannah were attributed to him getting used to the league, but the even better walk and strikeout numbers in 2012 with St. Lucie have some people believing that he’s not done yet.

Other Names to Watch

• Cory Mazzoni (RHP)- Mazzoni was the Mets’ second-round pick of the 2011 draft out of NC State. After a little over a year in the minors, it appears that that Mazzoni, with a limited arsenal, is headed to the bullpen. He will start for the forseeable future to get more in-game action, but his 6.5 K/9 last year leave much to be desired.
• Logan Verrett (RHP)- Verrett only made six starts in St. Lucie after coming back from a shoulder strain, but will move up this year anyway. His 7.15 K/BB ratio last year was stellar. The only concern is the lower strikeout rate in the six St. Lucie starts, which fell to 6.1 K/9 from 9.3 in Savannah.

Now that the season has begun, and all of our regular readers are returning from their offseason slumber, I’m going to re-post many of our interviews that you may have missed.

I can’t think of a better Mets prospect to lead things off with than lefty fireballer Jack Leathersich. Enjoy…

After being taken by the Mets in the 5th round of the 2011 MLB draft, Jack has now completed two solid and exciting years as a pro, and has quickly risen up the ranks of many a Mets top prospects list. The talented southpaw has posted some dazzling strikeout numbers at each level as he quickly moves through the Mets system.

Jack, 22, is a well grounded young man who loves the game and has a profound respect for the art of pitching. He sees each new challenge as another opportunity to learn more about his craft and improving his approach. In my conversation with him, I could tell how important winning was to him and he often mentioned how much he wants to help his teammates and the team succeed.

In our interview, we discussed how far he has come in the last two years in terms of his development and what his goals are for this season. I asked him who he likens himself to, some of the players he’s looked up to, the things he’s learned as a pro, and a host of other subjects. Enjoy the interview…

Joe D. – First of all congratulations on a successful second pro season last year and for helping St. Lucie get into the FSL playoffs. It must have been quite an exciting year for you. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for our readers at MetsMerizedOnline.com. Here goes and reply back at your convenience.

Joe D. – When did your workout schedule begin and can you describe your regimen and how you stay in shape in the offseason?

Jack - I started working about September 10 which was about five days after the season ended. I work out and train at Cresse Performance where they have a new facility with everything we need. I know Eric Cresse personally and he’s the best of the best. It’s a large facility and a lot of the pros all go there — they have two cages and two mounds, a full staff and all the workout equipment you need.

Joe D. – What specifically do you work on when you’re Cresse’s, do you have a specific program or regimen that you go through?

Jack – They designed a personal workout program that is suited to my needs and goals. It focuses on heavy legs, shoulder care, and of course arm care. After a long season, stuff starts to break down and you need to get it back to full strength.

Joe D. – How was your stamina at the end of the season?

Jack – It was good. After my first year in 2011, going from my final college season and then onto Brooklyn, I got very tired at the end of the season and I just broke down. I learned how hard a season can be and how long it is. That offseason I learned that there are things I can do that will help me stay strong all year. I don’t really take a long break after the season ends and I prefer instead to workout and build my strength and stamina. I did a pretty good job last year and I stayed strong and felt better because of it. That’s why it was important for me to continue what I started as far as working out after the season. so that I could take care of my arm so that I could keep it as fresh as it can be. Having a tired arm my first year was one of the worst things.

Joe D. – What was the most important lesson you took from last season?

Jack – Being more consistent. Last season I was blessed because I got to work with two great pitching coaches, Frank Viola and Phil Regan. Those two are the best of the best and there aren’t two better pitching coaches anywhere. Sometimes I can get a little inconsistent with my mechanics and that’s always been my biggest downfall. But those two really helped me to become more consistent with my delivery. Also, I sometimes have a tendency to start flying open a little bit and I end up leaving too many balls up which can get me into trouble. But they taught me how to keep the ball down more consistently and especially with my breaking ball and changeup.

Joe D. - Describe your arsenal for me.

Jack - I only throw a four-seam fast ball, I don’t throw a two-seamer any more because it was slower and flatter, so now I just stick with the four-seamer. My other two pitchers are a slider and change-up, I guess you’d say that’s pretty standard for a lefty.

Joe D. - What kind of action and movement do you have on your fastball, it’s obviously missing a lot of bats.

Jack - It runs in late and has nice action. I try to keep it low in the zone and outside with it early, and then I like to come in on a hitter late in the count. My goal is to try and catch the hitter off guard.

Joe D. - Are you working on any new pitches or are you going to stick with those three for now?

Jack - Obviously I’ve thought about it and I’ve thought about a cutter or something like that. But I don’t really believe that the more pitches you can throw the better you are. I’ve really worked hard this offseason to make my three pitches the best that they can be. Trying to work on a new pitch can make you lose sight of making the pitches you already throw, better. I think it’s important for me right now to focus and just work on refining the pitches I already have. It would be great to come into a game and have all three of them pitches working like they’re supposed to all at once.

Jack Leathersich (Photo by Michael G. Baron, SNY)

Joe D. – Do you have a particular way that you like to go after hitters? What is your mindset when you take the mound? Do you have the same approach whether there are runners on base or not?

Jack – No, not really. I go up there and I’m just trying to get ahead in the count and get some outs. I’m not afraid to let them hit the ball, especially at this level where I know my teammates have my back and so far they have been unbelievable. They are out there making all the plays and I trust them. I try not to think about the situation and I pretty much prefer to just go after guys and attack that situation pitch by pitch. I try to stay calm and my goal is to keep my team in it and hopefully we end up with the “W” after the game.

Joe D. – So Basically you’re telling me you like to get up on the mound and just start pounding the zone, going after each hitter one at a time, and not being afraid to pitch to contact? You’re pretty much telling the hitter, “here’s my best pitch, take your best shot at it?”

Jack – Absolutely. Exactly. But don’t get me wrong… If I read the pitching report and I know that a hitter can’t hit a breaking ball then he’ll get the best breaking ball I can throw. I’m not trying to over-think things, I try to stay focused on how to get a hitter out. I believe that if I can make good pitches, I’m gonna get most guys out. I trust all of my pitches.

Joe D. – Are those pitching reports a big part of your preparation before each game?

Jack – Oh yeah. At the higher levels from what I’ve noticed you pay attention to details more and I learn a bunch about hitters from my teammates as well. I like to hang around the older guys who come to St. Lucie to do their rehabs – you can really learn so much from them and they are always willing to help. There’s a lot that goes into pitching. But the bottom line is that you really have to use your head out there and not over-think everything so much.

Joe D. – Normally, when you look at a lefthanded reliever and check out his splits you expect to see that he dominates lefthanded hitters more than righthanded hitters. Last season, LH hitters hit only .256 against you in St. Lucie, not bad. But you held RH hitters to a .205 average. Is that normal for you?

Jack – Actually, I didn’t even know those numbers. I don’t think about that too much. Obviously I have a different game plan for left-handed and right-handed hitters, but I basically try to stick with the same stuff – try to attack with my fastball and use my offspeed stuff when I need to. I mean lefty or righty, it doesn’t really make a difference to me – I don’t really mind facing either and you do have to get good at facing both of them.

Joe D. – We often see many left-handed relievers steered towards careers as a bullpen specialist in the majors or pigeon-holed into a LOOGY role. But sometimes you come across a southpaw like you that possesses great crossover stuff and is highly effective against both leftys and rightys. A lot of us are excited about the possibilities of your future moving forward with the Mets.

Jack – Thank you.

Joe D. – You started out last season with a bang, I mean you were untouchable. Then you had a couple of bumpy months in June and August, but you finished extremely strong and held the opposition to a .194 batting average in your last ten appearances with 24 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. Did you make some sort of an adjustment toward the end?

Jack – It’s a long season and I’ve learned a lot last year about myself and about pitching. I went through a little rut those months and at the time it was really frustrating and I was being really hard on myself. But as I look back, it made me a lot better in the long run. It’s a learning process — there’s a reason why every pitcher doesn’t have a zero ERA. You’re gonna get hit at some point and what’s important is how you bounce back and that you are better because of it. I was unhappy at times obviously, but it was good and I’m happy now because I went through it and learned a lot from that last year. It was good.

Joe D. – From many of the other players I’ve watched and spoken to over the years, one of the common things I hear about when they are going through a rut, is that eventually they came out of it once they stopped thinking so much about it. The ones who come out of it quickly are the ones who stay positive, go back to basics, keep within themselves and basically start having some fun again.

Jack –  Absolutely. Baseball is a game, but I also understand that it’s my job and I take that very seriously. What matters most to me is that the team is winning. No matter what I will always give my best effort when I’m out there so that me and my teammates win as many games as we can. I try to keep my emotions to myself and try to think positive all the time. Negative thoughts are not only going to make it tough on you, but it also makes it tough on your teammates and you don’t want to do that. Just like you said, it’s all about staying positive, keeping it fun and remembering it’s a game.

Joe D. – Don’t ever forget that, Jack.

Jack – Definitely, I won’t.

Joe D. - This will be your second spring with the Mets. What do they have you doing this spring? What do they have you focusing on?

Jack – I haven’t had a chance to discuss what the plan is with my coaches yet, but I can tell you that I’m in the best shape I can possibly be in and that my arm feels great and I’m ready to go. It doesn’t really matter to me what their plan for me is, I’m more focused on doing what ever they need me to do to help the team win. Wherever I end up this season, my mindset never changes, I want to help my team win.

Joe D. – Speaking of where you end up, I have every reason to believe that we’ll be seeing you at Double-A Binghamton – perhaps even to begin the season. Going from High-A to AA is probably the biggest and most challenging jump for any prospect. How do you prepare for something like? What do you need to focus on to excel at that next level?

Jack – I try not to think about that too much. I’m just going to always try and put myself in a situation where I’m playing at my best and then see what happens from there.

Joe D. – So what are you saying – you’re a “take-it-as-it-comes” type of guy?

Jack – Absolutely. But look, I’ve heard that Double-A is a big jump and the that hitters are so much better up there and harder to get out, but that’s why I’ve been working on improving my offspeed pitches this offseason. And that’s why I’m very focused on trying to refine everything right now especially my offspeed stuff.

Joe D. – Since the end of last season, I’ve been telling anyone that will listen that you are the best left-hander in the system AND that I wouldn’t be shocked to see you in the majors as soon as 2013. Fast forward three months later… During a Q&A with season ticket holders at Citi Field in February, Mets Exec J.P. Ricciardi was asked what prospect he was most excited to see this season. Dude, he picked you! And not only that, he said you’re one of the prospects who could get a taste of the big leagues at some point this year. What have you got to say about that?

Jack – (After a nice chuckle) You know thanks so much, and J.P. – well he’s a great guy, and we have a pretty good relationship. That’s great, but it doesn’t really mean anything until I can go out there and do it and prove that I belong. I need to go out there this season and do my thing. I need to show them that I deserve to climb the ladder. Actions speak a lot louder than words. I’m gonna show up, let them know that I’m happy to be here, and that I’m ready to go. Let’s see what happens.

Joe D. - You spent some time in Savannah to start last season before finishing up in St. Lucie. Tell our readers what teammate you were you most impressed with last season and why? Who really stood out to you last year and who should Met fans be really excited about?

T.J. Rivera batted .320/.372/.444 for Savannah and St. Lucie in 2012.

Jack - Oh yeah, definitely T.J. Rivera - he’s the one. He’s the real deal. I’ve never been around a kid who prepares as well as he does. He just really loves the game and it seems like every time I see him he’s out on the field working on something. Rivera plays hard and is completely balls to the wall – he’ll do anything to make sure we win. He’s a great teammate and obviously a great player and everybody should be real excited about him. If he continues the great things he did last season, and I’m pretty sure that he will, he’ll be a lot of fun to watch.

Joe D. – What baseball team did you root for growing up? Who is your favorite player? Is there a major league player, past or present, that you think you are similar to in style? Or someone that you can see yourself pitching like someday in the majors?

Jack – I was a Boston Red Sox fan growing up, but my favorite player has always been Tom Glavine actually.

Joe D. – No kidding? Glavine huh… Most Met fans are very familiar with that guy. What are some of the comparisons you’ve heard about yourself?

Jack – Obviously every pitcher is different, but I hear the name Billy Wagner a lot, although I must admit I don’t have the stuff he has.

Joe D. – Don’t sell yourself short. In preparing for this interview I discovered your numbers compared amazingly well to Billy Wagner at the same age and level, and you both have similar builds and height. Your strikeout  and walk rates, and your WHIP, BAA, K/BB are actually all significantly better, and I for one am very excited about that.

Jack – I mean that’s what I’ve heard too, but I’m just trying to be my own player. Billy Wagner, man I loved watching him on the mound, he was just fearless every time he pitched. He couldn’t care less who was up at the plate because he knew he was going to get that batter out. And as for Tom Glavine, his command was ridiculous – he could the ball anywhere he wanted. I remember the times my dad and I would sit on our couch to see him pitch – analyzing everything about the way he pitched. He was fun to watch.

Joe D. – Give me a message for the fans… What do you want to tell them as we wrap this baby up?

Jack – I just want to win this year, wherever the team decides to put me. I’m committed to winning. I owe that to myself and my teammates. I’m going to go out there and do my job and that is to get outs  - pitch by pitch. My desire is to win and I want to represent the Mets organization well.

Joe D. – Thanks so much, Jack. Go out there and have a kick-ass season….

Jack – You bet, it’s been a pleasure

For more analysis on Jack Leathersich, check out Mitch Petanick’s recent Prospect Pulse feature on him.

You can follow Jack Leathersich on Twitter at @LeatherRocket.

Special Note: Next week I’ll have a couple of nice surprises as we’ll be interviewing two more fascinating young players and introduce you to a couple of our newest Mets prospects. Stay tuned to Mets Merized Online for all of your comprehensive Mets minor league coverage.

BRANDON NIMMO: The future is coming his way.

The Mets currently boast a minor league system that ranks in the top half amongst the other organizations in the league. This ranking is primarily due to a crop of promising young right-handed pitchers.

In the most recent edition of Baseball America, they gave their 2013 rankings for pitching prospects. They separated it into three categories: Right-Handed Pitchers, Left-Handed Pitchers and Relief Pitchers. The Mets had five right-handed pitchers ranked in the top 75 right-handed pitchers in the minors. They are Zack Wheeler (5), Noah Syndergaard (19), Luis Mateo (65), Rafael Montero (66) and Michael Fulmer (75).

There were very few teams who had as many, or more, right-handed pitching prospects listed in their top 75. After looking at that list, it’s hard to fathom that the Mets aren’t ranked in the top ten, or even top five minor league systems. However, it’s when you look at the rest of the positions that you get a better idea of why the Mets are sitting just outside the top ten, and probably closer to the middle of the pack.

Baseball America goes on to rank the top 50 left-handed pitching prospects, and no Mets’ prospects cracked their top 50. Not even Jack Leathersich (ranked No. 16 on MMO’s Top Prospect List) or Darin Gorski made the list. On Baseball America’s top 35 relief pitcher rankings, Jeurys Familia came in ranked at No. 15.

When you do the math, Baseball America ranked a total of 160 pitchers. The Mets had six players ranked, good for about 4% of the pitchers ranked.

The minor league system is carried by that crop of right-handed power pitchers, two of which cracked the top ten on MLB.com’s rankings (Wheeler and Syndergaard). Travis d’Arnaud and Wilmer Flores lead the pack of position players, but once you get past those names, the system really starts to thin out. The system is very top-heavy, but that doesn’t mean that some of the other guys won’t step this year to help boost the Mets system to new heights. The talent is there, these guys just have to start performing.

Here is a list of position players you should keep an eye on in 2013:

Brandon Nimmo, OF

Gavin Cecchini, SS

T.J. Rivera, 2B

Camden Maron, C

Vicente Lupo, OF

German Ahmed Rosario, SS

Phillip Evans, SS

Wuilmer Becerra, OF

Aderlin Rodriguez, 3B

Wilfredo Tovar, SS

As you can see from the list, there is no shortage of shortstops in the organization, and there are actually a few more that I left off this list. On MLB.com’s position rankings, no Mets’ players rank in the top ten of their respective position aside from d’Arnaud and Flores. While some of the players listed above may never crack a top ten list on MLB.com, they do have the potential to make some noise and boost the system’s prospect rankings. Keep an eye on those guys and look for some Prospect Pulse features on them in the near future.

GAVIN CECCHINI: Brighter days lie ahead.

Anthony DiComo wrote a little about that this morning on Mets.com and it reminded me of how quickly and easily some top prospects can just fizzle and lose their shine. Some of them to be heard of no more until someone years later does a “Whatever Happened To __________”, just fill in the blank.

Not only were these particular two generating all this buzz in Mets camp, but MLB scouts everywhere were equally excited about 19-year old Mejia’s “dynamic cut fastball that made scouts dream about his future at the top of a rotation.”

And as DiComo states, it was also around this time a year ago, that all the hype in camp was surrounding Matt Harvey and Familia (Mejia was coming back from TJS) and many baseball people were profiling them as front-end starting pitchers with high impact.

Well certainly Harvey stepped up the most between the three and made a spectacular ten-game debut last season, but what about the other two?

Well more and more the discussion about Familia and Mejia seems to have them both ending up in the bullpen rather than the front end starters everyone thought they would be. Even Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen himself has said as much about each of them and has been for quite a while.

So what happened? Or maybe the better question is why does this keep happening to hundreds of top pitching prospects over the years?

The answer may not be as simple as it seems, but history does a pretty good job of explaining what goes wrong.

Most minor league pitchers can dazzle in Rookie or Developmental Leagues and suddenly out themselves on the map of many a top prospect list. Many of them continue to carry that through from Low-A tall the way to High-A. But then comes the steepest hurdle that all pitching prospects must eventually face – the jump to Double-A.

I spoke about that jump with Michael Fulmer and Steven Matz just last year, and I talked extensively about that hurdle only two weeks ago in an Interview I conducted with Jack Leathersich. It’s the jump all young pitchers look forward to because it puts them in the biggest spotlight that they’ve ever experienced in their pro careers – more visibility – and only two levels away from their dream of reaching the major leagues.

However, Double-A is also the level where many of baseball’s greatest pitching prospects have gone to pasture. Less than third of them will ever make it to the majors as the frontline starters they were projected to be, or the elite closers or setup men everyone expected.

More-so for the starters than the relievers, it comes down to the development of their secondary pitches, or adding an effective changeup. But in most of the cases it always comes down to their command and control.

In the lower levels hitters have a tendency to swing wildly and are less disciplined, but that changes as they develop and advance to the higher levels. All of a sudden these same hitters are not so easy to strike out even when you missed the strikezone wide by a foot.

I bring this up mostly because I thought about how many of our top arms have yet to get past High-A. We have a lot of great arms that will make any Met fans mouth drool including this one. We write about them on MMO every week and we follow their progress ever so closely. But this particular 2013 season is going to be a huge year with a lot riding on it for about a dozen or so of these exciting young arms – you know all the names – you know who I’m talking about.

Honestly, I would have bet the mother lode that a couple of those arms were going to be swapped for an outfielder this offseason.

The Mets have a dozen of them and I don’t believe there’s such a thing as a 14-man rotation yet, so why not deal from this strength especially coming off some great seasons in 2012? Especially because the outfield is our weakest organizational position with nothing close to major league ready or even Double-A ready. Matt den Dekker’s glove sure is, but so far his bat isn’t.

Getting back to my original point, the sad reality of what will happen with most of these pitchers and their “electric stuff”, to coin an often-used phrase from our friends at MetsBlog, is that this is what always happens with top level pitching prospects in baseball – fewer than a precious third of them will ever meet those lofty expectations.

And in the cases of Matt Harvey, Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia – though sad in how it looks to be playing out – is not anything we’ve never seen before. This is the norm. This is baseball.