Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Las Vegas dropped to Tacoma, 5-3.
• Binghamton dropped to Akron, 7-5.
• St. Lucie blew topped Tampa, 9-2.
• Savannah edged out West Virginia, 3-2.

Prospect Pipeline

• Noah Syndergaard got his first win of the 2013 season against the Tampa Bay Yankees after a dominating performance. Since his implosion on April 18, he has pitched in 13 innings allowing eight hits, three walks, and had 13 strikeouts. He allowed two runs in those 13 innings, but neither of them were earned. On Sunday he easily delivered his best start of the year.
• Hamilton Bennett is quietly having a solid season coming out of the bullpen for St. Lucie. In 12 innings pitched, he has allowed three runs, and has 15 strikeouts on the year. He also has two saves.
• Alonzo Harris was 0-for-4 last night, snapping a ten game hit streak.
• Cory Vaughn has been on absolute fire the past ten games. Over that span, Vaughn has clobbered three home runs and is hitting  healthy .342, with eight RBI. He smacked his fourth home run of the year yesterday, tying him for second best in the organization (Dustin Lawley has five). Vaughn is now hitting .299 on the year.
• Brandon Nimmo has cooled off. He has been hitless in four straight games, dropping his average on the year to .337. Over the past ten games, he is hitting .205.

Stat Line of the Night

Noah Syndergaard: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 7 K

Transactions/Injuries

• Big news for center fielder Matt den Dekker who tells us that his cast is being removed by team doctors today. He could be back by mid-May.
• Cesar Puello, who out with a sore left wrist was back in the lineup on Sunday and went 2-for-4 with a stolen base. He now has six swipes in 13 games and is sporting a .286/.375/.429 slash.
• Cory Mazzoni is still on the DL, but he could be throwing a bullpen session one day this week.
• Right-handed pitcher Luis Mateo, who made one start with the B-Mets in place of Mazzoni, is no longer with the team. He has returned to the Mets facility in Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Hat tip to Lynn Worthy). Mateo should resume throwing again in the next week or so, based on his elbow strength.
• Michael Fulmer tossed twelve pitches over the course of an inning in an extended spring training game. No reported issues.

Quote Of The Day

St. Lucie pitching coach had this to say about after Syndergaard’s dominating performance yesterday:

“Today, he really located his fastball really well over both sides of the plate. Kept the ball down and was pretty much in command of all his pitches,” St. Lucie pitching coach Phil Regan said. “He also had two strikeouts on curveballs and two on changeups, and these are the things we have been working on.

“And he went seven innings. It was an interesting thing, someone mentioned to him it was the first time he went seven innings this year. And he says, “Yeah, it’s the first time in three years, since high school.’”

Photo of the Day

You’ve got five seconds to hand over that MMO Minor League Report.

Mike Newman of ROTOscouting posted an article on FanGraphs regarding some of the Mets’ exciting Dominican arms who he says ranks among the top-15 prospects in the organization.

I mentioned one of them in our Minor League report today, Gabriel Ynoa, about whom he writes:

Against Savannah, Ynoa sat 91-92 with his fastball, touching 93 mph. With sink and a sling shot delivery, Ynoa is deceptive and his length gives the impression of the ball exploding on an opposing hitter. Plus, he’s not a max effort pitcher which speaks to durability and future health.

In Brooklyn, J.D. Sussman had Ynoa up to 95 mph, so expect even more from the young right-hander as the weather warms. Plus, his body lacks muscular development. As Ynoa fills out, the potential is there for him to add even more velocity… Ynoa is the gem of the Savannah pitching staff. Look for the 19-year old to vault up Mets mid-season prospect lists and into the top eight overall by season’s end.

Earlier today, and before Mike linked me this article, I wrote that while last season many of the scouts were already labeling Ynoa as a future reliever, I thought there was a lot more to him than that and called him a future ace in the making. Check out our always insightful Minor League Report from today for more on Ynoa.

While Jeurys Familia, Rafael Montero, Luis Mateo and Domingo Tapia get much of the ink, and deservedly so in their own rights, Gabe Ynoa and also Rainy Lara are two more names not to be ignored.

Newman says that by mid-season, Ynoa could crack the Mets Top 10.

Mike has a tremendous eye for scouting and check out his new site that I linked to above. He’s been kind enough to let us share many of his scouting videos on MMO.

The plan is for him to remain in a boot and miss about eight weeks, but could be back sooner than that, Collins added.

As we previously first reported, D’Arnaud was hit on the foot by a foul ball during the sixth inning of the Las Vegas 51s 3-2 win over Sacramento on Wednesday night. He was lying on the ground face down and in obvious pain, but remained in the game only to be removed by manager Wally Backman in the next half inning.

He was flown to New York where he visited with team doctors at the Hospital for Special Surgery who determined that the fracture could heal without surgery.

In other injury related news, Sandy Alderson told Adam Rubin that right-handed pitching prospect Luis Mateo, who was pulled from his Double-A debut three pitches into the fourth inning, will be sidelined for two weeks but has no serious elbow damage.

Mateo will take anti-inflammatory medication after being examined by team doctors in New York.

MMO beat writer John Delcos spoke with Terry Collins a short while ago about right-hander  Cory Mazzoni, who also was examined and had an MRI yesterday. But Collins said there was nothing new to report to his knowledge.

Update: Sandy Alderson had relatively good news on prospect Cory Mazzoni. Elbow irritation. Rest 3 days. This according to Adam Rubin.

Fort Myers 11, St. Lucie 8

It was not a good day for the R.A. Dickey trade all around, as on the heels of the news to the injury of Travis d’Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard had a rough time pitching for St. Lucie on Thursday evening. Syndergaard was in consideration for a promotion to Binghamton when Luis Mateo was placed on the DL – but was passed over in favor of Jacob deGrom, who shined in his debut on Wednesday night.

Syndergaard was left to make his scheduled start down in St. Lucie, but unfortunately for the young prospect, he ran into a bit of a wall. He lasted only three innings and was on the hook for seven earned runs off eight hits and two walks, while striking out two. He allowed one home run – a two-run jack in the first inning and never really looked comfortable after that. He allowed a lead-off double to begin the game to Adam Pettersen, who scored on the aforementioned two-run home run with two outs in the first. He gave up two hits in the second, but induced a double play to get out of it.

The third inning brought trouble for him again, however, where he struggled to get the third out once again. After allowing a lead-off single to Adam Pettersen again, he got the next two men out, although Pettersen stole second base. Syndergaard then allowed a walk, triple, single, walk, and double…ouch. The whole fiasco resulted in a five-run third inning and closing the door on Syndergaard’s evening.

St. Lucie overcame the 7-2 deficit by scoring five runs in the third inning, with the big blow coming on a two-run homer by Matt Reynolds, his first of the season. St. Lucie then took an 8-7 the lead in the fourth when Aderlin Rodriguez launched his third homer of the season – a solo job. However, the bullpen failed to get it done. After three hitless innings of solid relief from Jim Fuller, the next four relievers Wanel Mesa, Hamilton Bennett and Randy Fontanez combined to surrender four runs over the final three innings.

Key Stats

Aderlin Rodriguez: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

Dustin Lawley: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 R

Matt Reynolds: 2-for-5, 1 3B, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI

Gilbert Gomez: 2-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 K

Charles Thurber: 1-for-2, 2 BB, 1 R, 1 RBI

Noah Syndergaard: 3.0 IP. 8 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 HR

Jim Fuller: 3.0 IP. 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Hamilton Bennett: 1.0 IP. 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Updated by Joe D. at 10:00 PM

Lynn Worthy just broke the news on Twitter, that Jake DeGrom will remain with the Binghamton Mets even when Cory Mazzoni comes off the disabled list next week.

Worthy adds that the B-Mets will go with a six-man rotation which is something they did last season as well.

Great news, and DeGrom is exactly where he should have been to start the season.

Good stuff…

Original Post by Satish at 9:30 PM

Wow…  Talk about an impressive splash into AA! Jacob DeGrom was recently promoted to Binghamton to replace Luis Mateo‘s spot in the rotation, and there was some talk about the fact that he got the call before Noah Syndergaard. So what did Mr. DeGrom do about it?

He went out and dominated. His first start ever in AA may have been a loss, but you have to look past that to see how impressive he really was.

DeGrom lasted eight innings and allowed an earned run off a mere three hits and one walk. His opposition, the Portland Sea Dogs, looked lost all night as he dazzled Mets minor league fans with eight strikeouts.

DeGrom was ranked at #17 during our offseason MMO Top Prospects, and here is what I had to say about him back then…

Another solid right handed pitcher in the Mets system? You are correct, sir… I believe Jake deGrom was destined for something special. DeGrom was drafted in the 9th round of the 2010 Draft and immediately had TJ surgery in the Fall of 2010. That sounds pretty bad for a young pitcher, especially when you consider that he missed the entire 2011 season because of said surgery. But like I said, deGrom just might be destined for something special, because he came back topping the radar gun at 97 MPH in 2012.

Mets Scouting Director Paul DePodesta raved about him according to Joe D.. He started 2012 in Savannah and was promoted to St.Lucie later in the year, where he actually improved on his numbers. He finished the year with a 2.43 ERA in 111.1 innings and a WHIP of .997. He struck out a solid 96 while walking only 20, and allowed only four home runs all year.

DeGrom is quite a story and very easy to root for – especially considering he is one of our own. You might be hearing his name a lot more before long and seems to be on the fast track to success.

Collin McHugh thrives in Vegas while Aaron Laffey toils for Mets.

Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Savannah (6-6) got edged out by the Greensboro Grasshoppers, 9-8
• St. Lucie (9-3) destroyed the Charlotte Stone Crabs, 13-3
• Binghamton (7-5) defeated the Portland Sea Dogs, 7-3
• Las Vegas (6-6) dropped to Sacramento River Cats, 2-1

Prospect Pipeline

• Brandon Nimmo continues to flatten baseballs. He had another three hits in Tuesday night’s game, and has brought his average up to a ridiculous .447. Many people were watching to see how Nimmo would respond in 2013, and he seems to be silencing the critics. There was going to be an adjustment period for Nimmo at the professional level. High school players might see one good pitcher a week at that level, then they come to professional baseball and are facing pitchers everyday that may have been better than any pitcher they ever faced in high school. It’s safe to say Nimmo has made the necessary adjustment to professional baseball, and continues making the doubters look foolish.
• It’s time to promote Kevin Plawecki. Low-A pitching is just not challenging enough for him. He’s a polished college hitter and should have started the season at St. Lucie. Everyday he goes and smacks another double or home run, I scratch my head and wonder why he is playing for Savannah.
• Another solid outing for Collin McHugh last night. The righty now has started three games and has a ridiculous 0.50 ERA. He also has fifteen strikeouts in fifteen innings this year to only four walks. What are the Mets waiting for to give this guy a shot at the back end of the rotation?
• Newly promoted Jacob deGrom gets the nod for Binghamton tonight. Many had him penciled into the Binghamton rotation at the start of 2013, so it was really only a matter of time before he got the call. While at St. Lucie, he pitched twelve innings, striking out thirteen batters while only walking two.
• Many already know that Joe D. and I differ with our thoughts on Zack Wheeler. I am for promoting him as soon as the Mets gain the extra year of control for a number of reasons. One, I think he’s bored pitching at the minor league level. When you have a talent like Wheeler, you have to keep challenging them in order to get the most out of them. Once promoted, we will see a different Zack Wheeler. Two, there are factors beyond Wheeler’s “control” that lead to walks. If pitchers threw the ball in the strike zone consistently, they would get rocked, and never make it past Single-A. It’s the pitcher’s job to either get hitters to swing at bad pitches, or throw pitches that look bad, but then break over the strike zone. So they want them to swing at pitches out of the zone, and not swing at the ones in the zone. Makes sense right? Well, I believe that Wheeler’s pitches are so dominant, that the batter’s aren’t given the opportunity to chase them. Then when the umpire calls ball four, the hitter is probably breathing a sigh of relief as he walks down to first base. Any hitter that has gone up against a dominant pitcher knows exactly what I’m talking about.

Stat Line of the Night

Cam Maron: 3-for-5, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1 R

Tweet of the Day

Some of the guys aren’t used to these early starts…

Can’t remember the last time I have played a 10:45 am game. Tomorrow morning might be my first since T ball.

— Kevin Plawecki (@kplawecki26) April 17, 2013

Transactions

Jacob deGrom was promoted to Binghamton, and Luis Mateo has officially been placed on the disabled list.

Prospect Chat

Cory Vaughn has been tearing the cover off the ball of late. Hear him talk to B-Mets broadcaster Tim Heiman before last night’s game.

I can get used to playing in Savannah, and those BBQ Pork Kabobs aren’t half bad.

Breaking News:

As I predicted only two days ago, Jacob deGrom was indeed promoted to Binghamton before Noah Syndergaard.

DeGrom replaces Luis Mateo, who was placed on the DL with a right elbow strain.

Good call by the Mets, and a hearty get well soon to Luis Mateo.

Joe D.

Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Savannah (6-5) topped the Greensboro Grasshoppers, 8-5
• St. Lucie (8-3) defeated the Charlotte Stone Crabs, 6-3
• Binghamton (6-5) dropped a game to the Portland Sea Dogs, 7-4
• Las Vegas (6-6) got toppled by Colorado Springs, 19-5

Prospect Pipeline

• Brandon Nimmo‘s new nickname is the Human Torch — he is on absolute fire. He had another three hits, one of which was his first home run of the season, and added five RBI in last night’s game. He is now the organization leader in batting, with a .429 average. He is also the only hitter in the organization with a batting average over .400. Nimmo on his home run: ”I was looking for a good pitch to hit, and I got a fastball inside and drove it well,” he said. “It felt really good. Even in my fourth at-bat, I hit the ball pretty well. I was staying on the ball, seeing it well tonight. You just enjoy these nights.”
• Travis d’Arnaud hit his first home run of the year on Monday night. So far on the season, d’Arnaud is hitting an even .300, and has six extra base hits and eight RBI. Even more impressive is the fact that he has walked twelve times against seven strikeouts. His on base percentage is an outstanding .488. This kid is ready for big league pitchers.
• I’ve been saying since last Summer that Rafael Montero could be a viable option for the Mets 2014 rotation. Some scoffed, but I stood my ground. Now I say he’s a lock and we’ll see him by September of this season at the latest. I’m higher on Montero than I am about Noah Syndergaard and I don’t really care what others think about that. Three starts into his Double-A season and Montero already looks like he needs more of a challenge at Triple-A, and no, it’s not too early to say that as I said he was polished enough to start at Vegas even before the season started. Also, what is the big deal about who signed Montero? It’s as if some will root less for him based on who signed him. I swear, I’m seeing more and more fans with this crackpot mentality everyday. Give it a break. (Joe D.)
• As I wrote in an article yesterday, right-hander Zack Wheeler pitched 5.1 innings, issued no walks and struck out 8 on Sunday afternoon. Improvement? Without a doubt. But for crying out loud stop with all the cries of calling him up. He hasn’t thrown one quality start yet and is completely gassed by the fifth inning. All these scouts that follow him around like puppy dogs never say anything about that. I get it, he has four plus pitches, no need to repeat it every five days. His pitch counts are way too high and while he walked none in this last start, I lost count of how many times he went to three ball counts on batters. One-hundred pitches through five innings is not going to cut it in the major leagues. Stop trying to get the front office to rush him. He has the talent and bulldog mentality that Matt Harvey does, but not nearly the refinement and efficiency. (Joe D.)
• Collin McHugh gets the ball tonight for Las Vegas. Many people have been calling for McHugh to be called up to Flushing, and rightly so. So far this season, McHugh is 2-0, has an ERA under 1.00, and twelve strikeouts to only one walk. (Hey Mitch, I second that motion. – JD)
• J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America, answered some fans’ questions about prospects, and why some players got the snub on his Prospect Hot Sheet last week. Here is what he had to say about Nimmo and Travis d’Arnaud: “Nimmo was in consideration more than d’Arnaud…  The catcher’s week was nice, but not really Hot Sheet worthy in a week where 150+ players posted 1.000 OPS or better. And many of them were playing in less hitter-happy environments.” And in regards to Kevin Plawecki: “Thought about it for a little while. Working against him was the fact that he’s a tick old for the Sally League, but the Mets like to take it slow with their draft picks. He still looks to be most likely a backup catcher at the big league level, but he is an intriguing guy to watch.” Here is what he said about the Mets pitcher who impressed him most so far this season, not named Rafael Montero: “Mateo. He was in serious consideration to at least make the team photo. Very nice first outing after a healthy jump up in level of competition.” What about Montero’s chances of pitching at Citi Field in 2013? “Let’s slow down a minute. I know the Marlins just rocketed Jose Fernandez to the big leagues, but that’s a rare case. Montero has two starts in Double-A and only 10 pro starts above low Class A right now. A full season in Double-A is probably best for his development.”
• Lately, I seem to find myself watching twice as much Mets minor league baseball than regular Mets baseball. I don’t miss any of the Mets games, but in addition to them I’m catching at least two other minor league games a day as well. Sometimes simultaneously. I just find the minor league games to be so much more compelling and it reminds me of the old baseball broadcasts where you could actually hear the sounds of the game instead of three guys in a booth that yap non-stop and then those insane interviews that cut in while players are scoring runs in the background. SNY broadcasts have become way too noisy and distracting to me. Call to the Booth, Tweet the Booth, Text Polls, Cholula Hot Sauce Meters, etc. It’s a wonder they could fit the game in. (Joe D.)

Stat Line of the Night

Brandon Nimmo: 3-for-5, R, HR, 5 RBI

Tweet of the Day

Zack Wheeler took Darin Gorski on his first trip to In-N-Out Burger:

First trip to in and out was a success…def one of the best burgers I’ve ever had and the fries animal style #legit

— Darin Gorski (@darin_gorski20) April 15, 2013

Picture Courtesy Of Zack Wheeler’s Twitter Feed

Transactions

Retroactive to April 11, Cory Mazzoni was placed on the disabled list due to ”Tennis Elbow.” Luis Mateo was called up from St. Lucie to fill in for Mazzoni while he is out. He started last night’s game, and was removed in the fourth inning with an apparent injury. Before leaving the game, Mateo gave up four runs on six hits. He also walked three batters.

In other transactions, Pedro Feliciano joined the St. Lucie roster, Adam Kolarek was moved up from Binghamton to Las Vegas, and Shawn Teufel was added to Binghamton’s roster from extended spring training. Teufel arrived in Binghamton, and then found himself pitching a couple of hours later, coming in to relieve Mateo when he was removed from the game. He pitched two innings, giving up two hits and striking out two.

So Sandy is yelling at Terry five times a day?

Juan Centeno (Photo by Gordon Donovan)

We want to welcome notable photographer Gordon Donovan to our team. Gordon’s work is featured mostly on CBS News and various political sites, but he is also a die-hard Mets fan who follows the Mets minor leagues very closely and will be doing photo shoots all season long for each affiliate throughout the season. His photography is absolutely spectacular as you can see, and we are proud to be featuring his stunning images at MMO this season. It’s an honor to showcase his images on this site.

Portland 7, Binghamton 4

The B-Mets were held hitless through 6.2 innings, and finished with four hits in a 7-4 loss to the Portland Sea Dogs Monday night at NYSEG Stadium.

Portland struck first in the top of the second inning against B-Met starter Luis Mateo. After Peter Hissey singled, moved to second on a balk, and stole third base, he was brought home on an RBI single by Alberto Rosario. In the third, Portland took a 3-0 lead when Tony Thomas hit a two-run home run to right-centerfield.

In his Double-A debut, Mateo’s night ended after throwing just three pitches in the fourth inning. With a 3-0 count to Alberto Rosario, Mateo was removed from the game with an apparent injury. He finished his night giving up three runs on six hits.

LHP Sean Teufel came in for relief, and made his B-Met debut. He gave up one run in the fourth on a RBI single by Michael Almanzar, but came back to throw a scoreless fifth. John Church came in next and threw a scoreless sixth and seventh, his best outing so far this season.

After the B-Mets were held hitless through 6.2 innings, Juan Centeno ended the no-hitter and shutout with a two-run double off of Pete Ruiz. With a 4-2 advantage in the top of the ninth, the Sea Dogs tacked on three more runs on four hits against Chase Hutchingson. Binghamton showed life in the ninth, scoring twice on RBI doubles from Rhyne Hughes and Cesar Puello, but could not complete the comeback. Anthony Ranaudo earned the win after striking out six in five hitless innings. Mateo was given the loss in his Double-A debut.

The B-Mets (6-5) continue their series with the Portland Sea Dogs (5-5) Tuesday night at NYSEG Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM as RHP Logan Verrett will pitch against LHP Drake Britton.

Key Stats

Luis Mateo: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 4 ER, 2 K

Juan Centeno: 1-for-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI

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

(Team Report)

Update 10:40 PM by Satish Ram

Lopez said Mateo’s issue was in his right forearm/elbow. Mateo got checked out by the team doctor, but he may also get an MRI to be safe.

— Lynn Worthy (@PSBLynn) April 16, 2013

Team doctors have examined Mateo and it looks like he’s definitely heading for an MRI in the morning.

Well, let’s all hope for the best…

Original Post 7:58 PM

One of the top Mets pitching prospects, Luis Mateo, has left his Double-A debut in the fourth inning of tonight’s game for the B-Mets. The trainer and head coach Pedro Lopez visited Mateo the mound and escorted him off the field. According to a tweet by Lynn Worthy, they appeared to be inspecting his hand.

Mateo was called up from St. Lucie to replace Cory Mazzoni, who was placed on the disabled list with “Tennis Elbow,” earlier today.

Before leaving the game, Mateo had given up four runs on six hits, one of which was a two run home run.

Once we get word on Mateo we will pass it along. Check back for updates.

Phil Evans is heating up after making some adjustments to his approach.

Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Savannah (5-5) lost a close one to Rome, 2-1
• St. Lucie (7-3) toppled Bradenton, 8-2
• Binghamton (6-4) dropped New Hampshire, 6-3
• Las Vegas (6-5) beat Fresno in eleven innings, 5-4

Prospect Pipeline

• Zack Wheeler, who had walked six batters in his first 8.1 innings this season, did not walk any Fresno batters in Sunday’s matchup. He now has seventeen strikeouts and six walks this year, which is a solid ratio. At this point, Wheeler is just bored pitching in the minor leagues. We will see a different side of Wheeler once he is finally called up to the show.
• Rafael Montero continues to pump out quality starts. Through three starts in 2013, he has thoroughly dominated Double-A hitters, pitching in 16.2 innings, striking out 21 batters and only walking one. That is a ridiculous ratio. Montero has established himself as an early promotion candidate, and don’t be surprised to see him get the call up to Triple-A when Wheeler gets promoted. Montero is the youngest pitcher in the top two levels of the organization (AA/AAA).
• Montero also impressed Akron pitching coach, Greg Hibbard: “Once he got into a rhythm and found his arm slot, he just dominated us. Good command, good fastball — 94 mph high, 92 average. … From a developmental standpoint, the changeup — that’s probably the third-best pitch — needs a little work. For righties, that’s often the last thing to come along.”
• Brandon Nimmo looks to be on a mission to prove the doubters that he was worthy of a first round selection. He now ranks second in batting in the South Atlantic League, with a .405 batting average. He trails teammate Kevin Plawecki, who has a .410 average.
• Scouting expert Mike Newman is glowing about Travis d’Arnaud. “If not for D’Arnaud’s recent string of injuries, I’d prefer him over Mike Zunino. Back in 2009, I saw a .285 hitter with 18-25 home run potential and his surge in minor league production has made this a real possibility. I’d loved to see him get the nod on opening day, but John Buck is serviceable, so why push D’Arnaud’s arbitration clock? Sometimes being a pragmatic prospect guy really ruins the fun doesn’t it?” (Joe D.)
• Another scout on Wheeler yesterday: “Very good. 94-98 w// good life on all pitches. Pitched better than line indicates. No sign of finger bothering him” (Joe D.)
• Luis Mateo is getting called up from St. Lucie to make one spot start. Cory Mazzoni is going to miss one start with Binghamton because of arm soreness that for now is not considered serious. Mateo has nine strikeouts and two walks in 6.2 scoreless innings this season. Mateo will return to PSL after his start. (Joe D.)
• Cory Vaughn hit a three-run home run on Sunday. It was the first B-Met home run with runners on base. Vaughn finished the series with a robust seven RBI. (Joe D.)
• Mets left-hander Steven Matz delivered a solid performance this weekend which was great to see. Frank Viola has asked the young southpaw to scrap his curveball and go with his slider which seems to be making a positive and significant difference. In 5.0 innings, he allowed one unearned run on four hits while walking one and striking out seven. This is what a great pitching coach is supposed to do. (Joe D.)
• Shortstop Phillip Evans is heating up. On Sunday he went 3-for-4 with three singles and it’s great to seem him making adjustments on the fly as he has stopped pulling everything and is now going the other way while being more selective at the plate. Evans is a strong kid and will hit for power, but he needed to understand that contact is the name of the game and it seems like he gest that now. (Joe D.)

Stat Line of the Night

Brian Harrison: 3-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

Tweet Of The Day

Don’t measure success by how far you’ve gone. Measure success by how far you have come. #itsthelittlethings

— Michael Fulmer (@MFulmer12) April 15, 2013

Probable Starters

Las Vegas sends Chris Schwinden (1-1, 7.45 ERA) to the mound against Colorado Springs at 10:05 PM.

Luis Mateo (read above) is being borrowed from St. Lucie to make that start for Binghamton against the Portland Sea Dogs tonight at 6:35 PM.

St. Lucie sends (TBD) the mound this evening against the Charlotte Stone Crabs at 6:30 PM. .

Savannah sends  (TBD) to the mound this evening against Greensboro at 7:00 PM.

* We’ll fill in the rest of the probables once they are announced.

Something’s always happening down on the Mets farm.

RHP RAFAEL MONTERO, BINGHAMTON

MMO MINOR LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Montero has been the picture of poise, command and sheer dominance on the mound for Double-A Binghamton to begin the season. The most notable stat that jumps out at you? No walks and 16 strikeouts. He deserved a second win but his team got shutout in a 1-0 loss on Tuesday.

This kid is the real deal, and he’s skyrocketing up the system faster than a speeding bullet. He’s coming soon to a Rotunda near you.

Honorable Mentions

Rainy Lara, Matthew Bowman and Luis Cessa all came up big for Savannah. Jacob deGrom, Luis Mateo and Noah Syndergaard have yet to give up a run for St. Lucie… Cory Mazzoni hasn’t allowed a run yet either this season.

CF BRANDON NIMMO, SAVANNAH

MMO MINOR LEAGUE HITTER OF THE WEEK

For all of you worry warts who were already to write this kid off, RELAX…  Brandon Nimmo is still one of the youngest players in his league and is now showing all the tools that compelled the mets to take him with their top pick in the 2011 Draft.

Nimmo burst out of the gate with 11 hits in his first 29 at-bats translating into a .379/.471/483 slash with 8 runs scored and 4 RBI. Throw in a double, triple and a stolen base for good measure. This is the Brandon Nimmo we’ve all been waiting for.

Check out the following video taken this week from notable scout Mike Newman who launched a great new site; ROTOscouting.com…

Honorable Mentions

Nimmo’s teammate Kevin Plawecki (.500) and Jayce Boyd (.440) are also off to torrid starts at the plate. This was a big week for Josh Satin (.480) who has been a one-man wrecking crew for the Las Vegas 51s with three homers already in the bank. Shortstop Matt Reynolds is lighting up the scoreboard for St. Lucie and catcher Camden Maron is right behind him. Josh Rodriguez and Alonzo Harris are tearing it up in Bingo.

See you next Thursday…

I can’t get enough of these Mets farm hands.

St. Lucie Mets 4, Palm Beach Cardinals 0

Noah Syndergaard will headline one of the best rotations in the minor leagues.

The roster of this year’s St. Lucie Mets team is packed with some fantastic talent. This year, St. Lucie will showcase some of the finest pitching pitching prospects in the Met system, and even some of the finest in the minor leagues. This year’s team will likely be the most potential-packed of any in the system. Let’s see who will make this season one to watch.

The Big Names

• Noah Syndergaard (RHP) – The hard-throwing right-hander was only the second biggest name in the R.A. Dickey trade this winter, but by no means should he be overlooked. While he may have been overshadowed by Travis d’Arnaud, Syndergaard also has scouts drooling over his potential. In the Midwest League last season (the equivalent of Savannah), Syndergaard tossed 103.2 innings, putting up a 2.60 ERA and a 10.6 K/9 rate. That went along with an above-average 2.7 BB/9 rate, which is also his career minor league average. Syndergaard was ranked the 29th best prospect in baseball by MLB.com this spring and 54th by Baseball America. After d’Arnaud and Zack Wheeler graduate to the big leagues, all eyes will turn to Syndergaard, who thus far has everyone excited about his future.
• Michael Fulmer (RHP, torn meniscus) – Fulmer is one of the many young and promising arms the Mets have in the lower minors. 20 years old, Fulmer had a terrific season last year with Savannah, posting a 2.74 ERA in 21 starts (108.1 innings) while striking out 101 and walking 38. Fulmer was drafted in 2011 from Deer Creek High School in Oklahoma  He was well-regarded before last season, but he put his name towards to top of every prospect guru’s list with a very impressive season. He will miss most of, if not all of the first half of the season with a torn meniscus, but will return some time this summer.
• Luis Mateo (RHP) – Luis Mateo will do something this year that not many pitching prospects in the Mets system do: skip Savannah. Mateo, 23, had a fantastic season for the Cyclones last year, and along with Hansel Robles, will skip A-Ball and go straight to Advanced A-Ball St. Lucie. Mateo put up a 2.45 ERA last season in 12 starts, striking out 10.4 batters per nine innings while walking only 1.1 He has incredible stuff and is someone you will hear a lot from in the near future.
• Domingo Tapia (RHP) – Domingo Tapia’s two-seam fastball may be one of the best pitches in all of the minors. It has heavy sinking action and sits in the mid to upper 90s. He doesn’t have a breaking pitch, and may end up in the bullpen by the time he reaches the majors, but he is nonetheless a very intriguing pitcher. Tapia threw 108.2 innings last season and posted a 3.98 ERA. He slaso struck out 8.4 batters per nine innings (an increase from 5.8 K/9 in 2011) with 2.7 walks.
• Aderlin Rodriguez (3B) – Rodriguez may already have, at age 21, the most power in the entire Mets farm system. Rodriguez hit a meager .221/.265/.372 in 131 games as a 19 year-old in Savannah in 2011, with the only positive being his 17 home runs. Last year, however, repeating the league, Rodriguez started hitting like he never had before. He hit .274/.336/.497 with 16 dingers in only 83 games before earning a promotion to St. Lucie. Looking deeper into his splits from Savannah, you see that although he hit just .233/.309/.473 in 40 games at home at Grayson Stadium, he hit eight home runs. That;s notable considering that Savannah is not only the toughest park in the South Atlantic League to get a hit in, but it is also the most difficult park in the entire minor leagues to hit home runs. If Rodriguez can hit for power there, he can do it anywhere.

The Sleepers

• Jacob deGrom (RHP) – Coming off six so-so outings in Kingsport in 2010 and Tommy John surgery, Jacob deGrom broke out in a big way last year in Savannah. Overall, he made 15 starts there and put up very impressive statistics: 2.51 ERA, 7.8 K/9, and 1.4 BB/9. He then made four starts in St. Lucie, allowing five earned runs in 21.2 innings. A lanky 6’4″, 185 pounds, deGrom has the physical profile that scouts look for in a young pitcher. Watch out for him this year.
• Hansel Robles (RHP) – In a bit of a surprise, the Mets sent Hansel Robles to St. Lucie for the start of the season instead of Savannah, where he was projected to go. Robles, 22, was the ace of the excellent Brooklyn Cyclone pitching staff last season, posting a 1.11 ERA in 72.2 innings to go along with excellent 8.2 K/9 and 1.2 BB/9 rates. 
• T.J. Rivera (2B) – Rivera doesn’t have any tools that stand out in particular, but he has put up very good numbers ar every level he’s played. Although he hasn’t hit for much power, he has hit at least .290 in every league he’s played in. Last season in 128 games between Savannah and St. Lucie, he hit .320/.372/.444.
• Alex Panteliodis (LHP) – A ninth-round draft pick in 2011 out of the University of Florida, Panteliodis put up a 3.64 ERA in 22 starts in Savannah last year in 108.2 innings.

Other Names to Watch

• Chasen Bradford (RHP) – A reliever out of UCF, Bradford posted an excellent 2.47 ERA in Savannah last year in 51 innings, all out of the bullpen. 
• Camden Maron (C) – Maron may be the second-best catcher in the Mets’ system after hitting .300/.403/.408 in Savannah last year. He didn’t hit for much power (five home runs), but his 13% walk rate was very impressive.

Noah Syndergaard will lead a talented Advanced-A rotation in St. Lucie.

The Port St. Lucie residents will be in for a treat this season, as the St. Lucie Mets arguably have the best rotation in the minor leagues. If they aren’t the best right now, they certainly are in the discussion.

The way the roster has shaken out, it looks as if the rotation will consist of Noah Syndergaard, Domingo Tapia, Luis Mateo, Hansel Robles, Alex Panteliodis and Jacob deGrom to start the season. The roster also consists of Michael Fulmer, who is currently recovering from a knee injury, and will definitely be in the mix once he is healed.

You will be hard pressed to find a pitching staff as deep, and as potentially dominant as the St. Lucie Mets. The majority of the Mets top pitching prospects will all begin their season in St. Lucie, and in a recent edition of Baseball America, they gave their 2013 rankings for pitching prospects where three St. Lucie pitchers were ranked. They separated their rankings into three categories: Right-Handed Pitchers, Left-Handed Pitchers and Relief Pitchers. The Mets had five 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) — Syndergaard, Mateo and Fulmer will be playing for St. Lucie this year.

All eyes will be on St. Lucie this year, as some of the top pitching prospects in the Mets’ organization will be on display. Any Mets fans that live in the Port St. Lucie area may want to look into a season ticket package at Tradition Field, because this may be the last time this many top pitching prospects are pitching in the same rotation for a long time. Don’t you feel bad for St. Lucie’s opponents? Yikes!

Media Day: St. Lucie Launch Party at Tradition Field

Here is the first look at the St. Lucie Mets roster. The starting pitching staff on this team may arguably be the best pitching staff in the minors, and if not the best, definitely in the discussion.

Pitchers

Hamilton Bennett

Chasen Bradford

Marcos Camarena

T.J. Chism

Angel Cuan

Jacob deGrom - Finger Injury

Randy Fontanez

Jim Fuller

Michael Fulmer - Knee Injury

Luis Mateo

Estarlin Morel

Alex Panteliodis

Hansel Robles

Noah Syndergaard

Domingo Tapia

Taylor Whitenton

Catchers

Xorge Carrillo

Albert Cordero

Camden Maron

Infielders

Joe Bonfe

Brian Harrison

Matt Reynolds

T.J. Rivera

Aderlin Rodriguez

Rylan Sandoval

Robbie Shields

Outfielders

Dustin Lawley

Travis Taijeron

Charles Thurber

Gilbert Gomez

To see pictures from this afternoon’s Launch Party for the St. Lucie Mets, check out their Facebook Page here.

2013 Savannah Roster

Here is unofficial roster for the Savannah Sand Gnats based on players already there for Media Day. That’s as close to official as you can get.

Starting Pitchers

Matthew Bowman
Gabriel Ynoa
Steven Matz
Rainy Lara
Logan Taylor
Matt Koch
Luis Cessa

Relievers

Hunter Carnevale
Julian Hilario
Jake Kuebler
Bret Mitchell
Timothy Peterson
Paul Sewald

Catchers

Kevin Plawecki
Jeffrey Glenn
Nelfi Zapata

Infielders

Jayce Boyd
Chad Zurcher
Phillip Evans
Cole Frenzel
Yucarybert De La Cruz
Jeff Reynolds

Outfielders

Brandon Nimmo
Stefan Sabol
Eudy Pina
Gregory Pron

The Mets will be piggybacking pitchers again in the rotation which explains the seven starters.

2013 Savannah Preview

The 2012 Sand Gnats were a very intriguing team. There were some surprises like Travis Taijeron and Aderlin Rodriguez, as well as some great seasons from big names, such as Michael Fulmer. This year, the team could be even more exciting to watch and follow, as the 2012 draft class begins to rise through the minor league system. We’ll get to see some highly-touted draft picks in their first taste of long-season professional baseball. The other interesting group we’ll see in Savannah is the starting rotation coming up from Brooklyn. Most of the pitching staff, which had a brilliant year last year, will be heading to Savannah this summer, including Hansel Robles, Gabriel Ynoa, and others. Let’s take a look at some of the names to watch this season.

Players To Watch

• Brandon Nimmo (OF) – While Brandon Nimmo‘s batting average from last season doesn’t look great, there were plenty of positive signs from the Mets’ 2011 first-round pick that should have fans pretty excited. At age 19, Nimmo showed unexpected power, slugging 28 extra-base hits in only 69 games, six of those home runs. He was fourth in the league in doubles and .158 ISO (SLG-BA, a good indicator of power) was sixth in the league. He was the only player under 20 years old in the top 20. Nimmo was also very patient at the plate, walking in 14.3 percent of his plate appearances, third in the NYPL. Despite having missed out on a year of high school ball due to injury and playing his first full year of professional ball in a pitcher friendly league (where many of the year’s top college pitchers go), he thrived, which is a great sign for his future.
• Gabriel Ynoa (RHP) – Another star in the 2012 Brooklyn rotation, Ynoa had a great season last year as well, leading the team in innings pitched. He was also fifth in the league in WHIP (0.926). He put up an incredible 6.40 strikeout to walk ratio. Ynoa did all this as one of the youngest pitchers in the league. He already has a solid fastball and an advanced changeup. He could be someone who has another breakout year with Savannah.
• Rainy Lara (RHP) – Lara, another 2012 Cyclone, put up some ridiculous numbers last year in Brooklyn, but didn’t get as much attention as Hansel Robles and others did. In 12 starts, he posted a 2.91 ERA, walked 1.6 batters per nine, but most impressively, struck out 10.2 batters per nine. Among qualified pitchers, that was second only to his teammate Luis Mateo. At 22, some may be skeptical of Lara’s performance and say it was a result of his age, but when you keep in mind that he made the jump from the Gulf Coast League to Brooklyn, his performance last year was impressive.

Other Notables

• Kevin Plawecki (C) – The Mets grabbed Plawecki in the supplementary round out of Purdue in last year’s draft, and for good reason. Plawecki was sent to Brooklyn, where he put up big power numbers. He was fourth in the league in home runs with seven in 216 at-bats. He put up a decent walk rate of 9.9 percent, and put up a .345 On-Base Percentage. Behind Travis d’Arnaud, he is probably the best catching prospect in the system.
• Matt Koch (RHP) – The Mets’ third round draft pick out of the University of Louisville last year pitched mostly out of the Brooklyn bullpen, but was able to make two starts. He was mostly a reliever in college, and projects as one in the future. In 23.1 innings, Koch struck out 19 (7.3 K/9) and walked seven (2.7 BB/9) while allowing 13 earned runs.
• Jayce Boyd (1B) – The Mets picked Boyd, a right-handed hitting first baseman, out of Florida State last June. He went to Brooklyn and showed a little bit of pop, hitting five homers, nine doubles, and a triple in 54 games.

We take our baseball seriously in Savannah.

Ken Davidoff of the New York Post has a somewhat critical take on the Mets under Sandy Alderson, and yesterday he spoke to a rival NL executive who told him this:

“The big thing for me is it feels like the Mets are stuck in some kind of purgatory,” an official from another NL team said recently, on the condition of anonymity. “They didn’t blow up their club like Houston did, but they also aren’t a serious threat in the NL East behind Washington, Atlanta, and even Philadelphia.”

“Players like Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy have value, but are they going to be part of the next division winner in Queens? Unlikely. They are losing value every day as their salaries increase and years of club control decrease.”

Davidoff adds that the Mets’ first two drafts under Alderson have not received high grades in the industry, nor has the team come up with any under-the-radar finds through waivers or minor league free agency.

They have done better internationally, with 2011 Dominican pitchers Rafael Montero and Luis Mateo climbing the organizational ladder. Their clear need is for position players, as top draft picks Brandon Nimmo (outfielder, 2011) and Gavin Cecchini (shortstop, 2012) have underwhelmed outside observers.

I’m a big fan of Sandy, probably the biggest one on this site. But clearly he’ll need to make some noise in this year’s draft and follow that up with a less rigid approach to how he navigates the off-season next winter.

I doubt he can continue to tell fans that he has the money, is unwilling to spend it, and get away with it.

He’s losing some of his most steadfast supporters lately, and a fifth straight losing season could start tipping the scales the other way. It’s time for him to be bold and start talking more about the present and less about the future which we already know looks bright.

The Binghamton Mets and Springfield Cardinals played to a scoreless tie today in minor league action. While there may not have been much offense in the game, the pitching was very impressive, as Domingo Tapia and Jacob deGrom combined efforts in the shutout.

Tapia got the start, going four innings and allowed just one hit. MMO had both Tapia and deGrom pegged to start the season at High-A ball with the St. Lucie Mets. However, they were both named to the “Group 2″ starters, who traditionally start the season with the Binghamton Mets (AA).

DeGrom (17) and Tapia (8) were both listed in the most recent top 25 prospect list by MMO, and are two reasons why the Mets are boasting that they have the one of the strongest crop of young right-handed pitchers in baseball. Neither Tapia nor deGrom were listed on the recent list of top right-handed pitching prospects by Baseball America, but if they keep pitching the way they did today, it won’t be long before the men or women that make these lists start taking notice.

With names like Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard, Luis Mateo, Rafael Montero and Michael Fulmer already giving the Mets a reason to be excited about some young and promising right-handed pitchers, deGrom and Tapia are just two more reasons why the Mets are smiling. You will never hear anyone complain about having too much pitching, and the Mets are definitely stocked in that category right now. The biggest problem will be trying to figure out what to do with all these great arms if they all pan out.

The Binghamton Mets have six more games scheduled in spring training before they kick off their regular season action on April 4th, against the Akron Aeros.

Michael Fulmer will debut in St. Lucie this season after dominating in Savannah last year.

I was flipping through Baseball America’s most recent issue listing their 100 Top Prospects, and I came across something interesting in their organization reports about the New York Mets. In summary, they state that the Mets now believe they have “one of the most promising stables of right-handed power arms in the game.” This is some very optimistic, yet very bold thinking from the Mets. I like the message they are trying to put out to the fan base. It gives a reason for fans to be excited. But after digging a little deeper, it can also lead to some skepticism at the same time.

We already know about the more prominent young power arms in the Mets system: Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard. However the rest of the names included by Baseball America which the Mets are boasting about are Rafael Montero, Michael Fulmer, Luis Mateo, Domingo Tapia and Corey Mazzoni. This is where we can poke some holes in the Mets’ claims.

Don’t get me wrong. These guys have dynamite stuff, and supporting what the Mets are boasting, the recent MMO Top 25 Prospect list included all of the pitchers named above (aside from Harvey who is no longer a prospect). In fact, every pitcher listed above was in the top ten on the MMO list aside from Mazzoni, who checked in at No. 23. All of these guys touch the mid to upper 90s with their fastballs, with Tapia touching 100 MPH. After reading that last statement, it’s easy to see why these guys are considered power arms.

However, with the exception of a couple of the guys listed above, not many of them have pitched above A-Ball yet. That is obviously where the skepticism comes into play. At single-A, these guys can rely on throwing complete gas and dominate the less experienced hitters at the lower levels. It really won’t be until we see these guys at double-A where we can start making bold claims that the Mets truly have the best crop of right-handed power arms in their system. On paper, these guys look great. Heck, at single-A these guys look great. But let’s wait and see what happens against more polished hitters in the upper levels.

Even Syndegaard is labeled as a guy that has to start developing his secondary pitches, and there is a very good chance he will be considered the top prospect in the Mets organization once Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud are promoted this season.

These pitchers’ have a ton of potential, but as Joe D alluded to in one of his recent posts, there is only so much we can look into guys that have yet to pitch beyond A-ball. The reality of the situation is the fact that probably half of those guys won’t ever pitch at the major league level. It’s just part of the game, and we have to accept it.

Only time will tell how this crop of young fire-ballers’ careers pan out. But I’m not upset that the Mets are boasting one of the best crops of young right-handers in the game. They have a right to make the claim; it will just be better supported once these guys start showing success above the Double-A level.

While the Mets try to make do with an outfield made up of what would likely be utility outfielders on most other teams, John Harper of the Daily News sheds some new details on the Mets’ failed pursuits of Justin Upton and Michael Bourn.

Regarding Upton, the Mets were hoping he would just fall in their laps for either Daniel Murphy or Ruben Tejada plus two A-Ball pitching prospects, believing Arizona GM Kevin Towers was desperate for a third baseman or shortstop.

In addition to either Murphy or Tejada, the Mets would have included one or more of lower-level pitching prospects, presumably someone from the likes of Rafael Montero, Luis Mateo, Michael Fulmer, or even recently-acquired Noah Syndergaard.

But while Alderson actually thought he was in the game, a baseball executive from another club who knows Towers well says the D-Backs GM never got close to doing anything with the Mets before finally trading Upton to the Braves.

As for the Bourn situation, for one thing it’s now clear other teams complained about making an exception to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement just to appease the Mets and also let Scott Boras beat the system.

The Mets were going to have to win a grievance to keep the draft pick, and Alderson didn’t want to go through that process before having an agreement because he believed it would give Boras more leverage. It was that fear and tentativeness that blew any chance to sign Bourn, sources told Harper.

“Typical Mets.”

“They can say this happened or that happened but the bottom line is they didn’t act decisively,” one major league executive said. “They should have gotten the draft pick decision settled — it wasn’t going to change Bourn’s market. To let the delay of the draft-pick decision get in the way of a deal was small-time thinking.”

The executive added that while neither Bourn or Upton was going to make the Mets winners in 2013, it now makes building a contender-worthy outfield in 2014 considerably more difficult, and that Alderson will be under the gun to finally deliver a winning season in his fourth and final year of his contract.