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 3, Trenton 1

With all the talk in Binghamton circling around Rafael Montero, the incredible season that Logan Verrett is having has almost gone by the boards. Verrett went ahead on Wednesday and tossed perhaps the best game of his career – as he nearly finished the game with a complete game victory.  He was taken out of the game after 99 pitches, which perhaps was pitch count related, before he could achieve the final out. At that point, he had allowed just the one earned run in the bottom of the fourth, and was utterly dominant throughout the entire game. His nine strikeouts were demonstrative of that fact.

His final line was eight-and-a-third innings pitched, where he gave up five hits and just one walk, while striking out nine batters. His one earned run came on an RBI single he gave up to JR Murphy in the fourth, but that was basically his only blemish. He threw 71 of his 99 pitches for strikes, and was removed from the game in favor of Jeff Walters, who stranded the two inherited runners to save the game for Binghamton and the win for Verrett, his fifth.

It may look like the B-Mets struggled offensively a little – and they did, outside of Cesar Puello and Wilfredo Tovar. Tovar had a three-hit game, and is beginning to show me some offensive talent, as per my request, and was only outclassed by Puello. Puello had a monster game in support of Verrett, with two home runs that drove home all three runs for Binghamton.

Cesar Puello has been on fire during his recent hit streak – and Logan Verrett has been on fire this entire season. Great evening for Binghamton.

Key Stats

Alonzo Harris: 0-for-2, 2 BB

Cory Vaughn: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB

Cesar Puello: 2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R

Wilfredo Tovar: 3-for-3

Logan Verrett: 8.2 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 9 K

Jeff Walters: 0.1 IP, 0-2 inherited runners scored.

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)

Binghamton 6, Erie 5

The Binghamton Mets blew a pair of two-run leads, but prevailed on Tuesday night, defeating the Erie SeaWolves, 6-5, at NYSEG Stadium. Danny Muno capped a three-hit game with a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning.

For the second straight night, the B-Mets plated the eventual game-winning run in their last turn at bat. Blake Forsythe started the rally by blasting a leadoff double to right against reliever Blaine Hardy. Muno brought him home and broke the tie game by bouncing a sinking line drive single in front of Luis Castillo in right field.

Given a one-run advantage for the second time in as many nights, Jeffrey Walters retired all three SeaWolves he faced in the ninth to collect his league-leading eighth save.

In a contest that pitted a pair of spot-starting southpaws, the B-Mets drew first blood against Erie starter Matt Crouse. With two aboard, Wilfredo Tovar got Binghamton on the board with an RBI single and Alonzo Harris doubled the lead on a sac fly.

B-Mets starter Mark Cohoon made the lead stand through four innings. Making his first start of the season and pitching in his first game since April 14, the lefty faced just one over the minimum over four shutout innings.

Erie scratched out their first run in the fifth against reliever Shawn Teufel. Tyler Collins reached on a fielding error by Wilfredo Tovar and took second on an errant pickoff throw by Teufel. James Robbins brought him in with an RBI single to right.

After Binghamton returned serve with a run on a David Kopp wild pitch in the fifth, the SeaWolves tied the game in the sixth against Jack Leathersich. A leadoff walk came back to bite the lefty when Collins threaded a game-tying two-run homer over the left field wall.

Forsythe offered a quick rebuttal in the bottom half of the frame. The B-Mets catcher tattooed a 2-2 offering from Kopp over the left field fence to break the tie. Joe Bonfe extended the lead with a sac fly later in the frame.

The two-run lead did not last for long as Leathersich fell into more trouble in the seventh. The SeaWolves loaded the bases on two singles and hit batsman. Hernan Perez provided a sac fly and Ramon Cabrera capped a nine-pitch at bat with a game-tying RBI single up the middle.

Chase Huchingson (2-0) entered in the eighth and worked around a two-out double to preserve the tie. The southpaw racked up his second consecutive win after the B-Mets took the lead on Muno’s hit. Hardy (0-1) suffered the loss in his SeaWolves debut.

The B-Mets (14-11) continue their series against the SeaWolves (12-11) Wednesday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Rafael Montero (3-1, 1.95) gets the nod for Binghamton against RHP Victor Larez (3-0, 3.43).

Key Stats

Blake Forsythe: 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R

Cesar Puello: 1-for-4, 1 R

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

Joe Bonfe: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R

Wilfredo Tovar: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 R

Mark Cohoon: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 3 K

Shawn Teufel: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 K

Jack Leathersich: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 HR, 1 BB, 4 ER, 3 K

Chase Huchingson: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 1 K

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

(Team Report)

Efficient. The term popped up in my brain with the regularity Logan Verrett pounds the strike zone as I watched Verrett confuse and befuddle Akron Saturday in Binghamton.

Verrett managed his pitching workload with laser life efficiency throwing two-hit ball over eight innings as the B-Mets toppled Akron, 7-2.

If making good first impressions is a valued introductory tactic, Verrett hit a home run with me. The B-Met righthander was terrific. In fact, about now Verrett might be wondering what all the fuss is about the legendary daunting jump from A to AA ball. The B-Met win leaves Verrett 4-0 on the young campaign with a 2.52 ERA.

I treated my good friend Glen Reynolds, my fantasy baseball partner, to the game. He’s a huge Cleveland Indian fan and was anxious to catch up with the progress of the Tribe’s prospects. Instead, like me, Glen came away singing Verrett’s praises.

Verrett is all business on the hill and works quickly. It would be hard to lose your focus playing behind Verrett with the crisp, down-to-business attitude he takes to the mound. Verrett showcases fluid, repeated mechanics in a compact pitching delivery.

Over eight innings, Verrett pitched to just three batters beyond the minimum. I charted his performance and his statistics are eye-popping. Take a look.

8 Innings Pitched, 2 Runs, 2 Earned Runs, 2  Hits, 1 BB, 7 K

Total Pitches: 93 – Strikes: 67 (63%) - Balls: 26 (37%)

Full Windup
Fastball: Strikes 34 (67%) – Balls 17 (33%)
Slider: Strikes 10 (100%)
Change: Strikes 15 (62%) – Balls 9 (38%)

Stretch
Fastball: Strikes 5 (100%)
Slider: Strikes 2 (100%)
Change: Strikes 1 (100%)

First Pitch Strikes
16 of 27 (59%)
Verrett threw first pitch off-speed pitches 9 of 27 times, 8 of 19 after the first two innings.

Velocity
Fastball: 87 – 92
Sliders: 83 – 86
Change: 80 – 83

Admittedly, I struggle delineating the break on the slider, old eyes I guess. It really doesn’t matter. The critical point is Verrett uses his off-speed pitches effectively to disrupt opposing hitter’s timing and from behind the plate all Verrett’s pitches appear to be delivered from the same arm slot with a similar delivery. Throughout the first two innings, Verrett established his fastball mastery of the strike zone. As the game wore on, especially when he pitched to Aeros power hitters in the middle of the line-up, the B-Met ace threw more and more off-speed stuff.

Akron’s only runs came via the long ball. Catcher Chris Wallace opened the second inning with a line drive that just cleared the wall in left field. A Ronny Rodriguez triple with one out in the fifth set up the Aeros second run. Rodriquez scored on Giovanny Urshela‘s sacrifice fly.

Pitch selection to Urshela was my only confusion throughout the game. In his first at bat, Verrett made Urshela look bad, striking out waving feebly at three straight sliders. With a runner on third and one out I expected Verrett to milk the same pitch, but he served up two fastballs, the second the sac fly to center.

The B-Mets scored single runs in each of the first four innings then busted the game open with three runs in the sixth. After far to many strikeouts on Friday night, the B-Mets fanned only three times and pounded out 13 hits.

Binghamton centerfielder, Alonzo Harris, got off to a sizzling start blasting a leadoff homerun and never stopped cooking. Harris delivered a quality at bat almost every time he stepped to the plate. In his second plate appearance, Harris sent a screaming line drive up the middle that was slowed down when it glanced off pitcher Matt Packer‘s shoulder just enough for Areos second baseman Jose Ramirez to backhand the ball and catch Harris at first by a whisker. Harris walked the third time he batted then the speedy outfielder legged out and infield single on the tenth pitch of his fourth plate appearance. Harris hit into a first pitch fielders choice in his final at bat.

Harris’s contributions weren’t limited only to his bat. He made six fly ball putouts in centerfield, tracking down one blast to make a running grab in left-center. A B-Met note; Harris is hitting .287 with 10 stolen bases at the top of the B-Met batting order.

Darrell Ceciliani, the Binghamton rightfielder who bats second, went 3 for 5 with a double, stolen base and an RBI. The stolen base was Ceciliani’s 7th, giving the B-Mets promising base running speed to set the table for the power guys.

Richard Lucas had two hits, stole a base, and made a slick bare handed pick-up on a well placed Tyler Holt bunt down the third base line.

B-Met catcher Blake Forsythe stayed hot going 2 for 4 with a double and sacrifice fly.

Binghamton showed great plate discipline at times. Cory Vaughn showed patience when Aeros pitchers nibbled. Vaughn walked three times. Daniel Kuno walked twice, one free pass at the end of a ten pitch at bat.

Wilfredo Tovar probably should have used a bit more patience when he came to the plate with the bases loaded, no outs and the game tied 1-1 in the second. Packer was struggling allowing back-to-back singles to Forsythe and Francisco Pena then walked Daniel Muro. The Aeros starter entered the game with a 1.70 WHIP putting the pressure squarely on Packer’s back. Tovar hit a hard first pitch ground ball into a 6-4-3 double play plating a run but killing the chance for a big rally. Tovar later redeemed himself with a hard double to the gap in left-center and made a sterling diving defensive stop, springing to his feet to just get a speedy Tyler Holt at first.

The defensive players of the game though were Jose Ramirez and Holt of Akron. Ramirez flashed some awesome leather that even left B-Met fans amazed. He robbed Harris of the second inning screamer up the middle, turned a potential run scoring Allan Dykstra ground single to a 4-1 putout, then in Binghamton’s last at bat used a backhand stab to take a hit away from Lucas near the second base bag.

Holt made a stunning running grab on Forsythe’s sacrifice gapper, killing a big B-Met rally when he doubled Lucas off second base in the third inning. The following inning, Holt snared Tovar’s smash in the opposite gap with a bare hand denying the Binghamton shortstop a triple.

But, the day belonged to Verrett as he continues to prove that great pitching isn’t all about velocity.

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)

Portland 1, Binghamton 0

I attended the game and charted Jacob DeGrom’s pitching stats on the hunch that tonight could be special. The kid was stellar; polished, poised, a smooth and effortless delivery, and he simply pounded the strike zone. I don’t think I’ve seen a B-Met pitcher pitch a game like this since Scott Kazmir many years back.

Here’s DeGrom’s pitching line:

8.0 IP – 1 ER – 3 H – 1  XBH – 1 BB – 8 K

The statistics are even more impressive when you break them down. Take a look at this.

• Total Pitches: 102, Strikes: 71 – 69% Balls 31
• Full Windup: Pitches: 90, Strikes: 62 – 70% Balls: 28
• Fastballs: Pitches: 66 Strikes: 46 – 70% Balls 20
• Off-Speed Pitches: 24 Strikes: 16 – 67% Balls 8
• Stretch: Pitches: 12 Strikes: 9 – 75% Balls 3
• Fastballs: Pitches: 7 Strikes: 4 -57% Balls 4
• Off-Speed Pitches 5 Strikes 5 – 100%

DeGrom’s fastball range stretched from 86 to 96. He threw only six of 66 fastballs in the 80′s. It was hard to classify his off-speed pitch that ranged from 78-83, but generally fell between 81-83. I asked a B-Met pitcher sitting behind home plate and charting what his pitch was and he said it was a changeup. It did appear to tail away from left-handed hitters and I thought I saw a small downward drop occasionally against righthanded batters, so I wasn’t sure. What I was sure about was it’s effectiveness.

DeGrom retired the first seven batters of the game. The seventh hitter sent a scorching grounder up the middle that hit DeGrom’s foot and was turned into a 1-4-3 putout. It seemed to rattle him just a bit. His next three pitches were out of the strike zone, before he threw three straight strikes (the last a foul ball) and then surrendered his first AA hit.

A high first pitch in the fourth inning,a pitch off the plate but Xander Bogaerta reached and got just enough of it to place a soft popup that hit the rightfield line not too far beyond the infield. It resulted in a leadoff double. Bogaerta moved to third on a weak infield groundout to short and scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

DeGrom retired his final 12 batters in a row with only three balls hit out of the infield. His 101st pitch registered at 91 mph. The kid was brilliant.

Portland’s Brandon Workman proved Met fans aren’t the only fans excited about pitching prospects. He threw seven innings, allowing four hits, striking out nine and walking none. Workman and DeGrom gave the sparse crowd an old-fashioned pitching duel.

The B-Mets had a pair of two-hit innings but couldn’t scratch out a run for DeGrom. Some efficient outfield play and the cannon arm of Sea Wolf left fielder Tony Thomas helped keep the B-Mets off the board. Thomas gunned down Wilfredo Thomas going first to third to kill a rally in the second inning.

When Allan Dykstra sent a screamer down the leftfield line to lead off the B-Met eighth it looked like a double. But, Thomas played the ball perfectly and unleashed a rocket to second that had Dykstra scrambling to get back to first. Corey Vaughn failed to advance Josh Rodriguez who pinch ran for Dykstra. That proved costly when Blake Forsythe singled to right sending Rodriguez to third. But Daniel Muno looked at a third strike and Wifredo Tovar swung and missed a third strike and that was that.

Darrell Ceciliani had two hits for the B-Mets, but the real story in Binghamton was quality starting pitching, for Met fans – the stellar AA debut of Jacob DeGrom.

Key Stats

Darrell Ceciliani: 2-for-4, 1 CS

Allan Dykstra: 1-for-3

Wilfredo Tovar: 1-for-3

Blake Forsythe: 1-for-3

Jacob DeGrom: 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 8 K

John Church: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K

Report contributed by MMO reader John Bernhardt (B-Met)

Akron Aeros 13, Binghamton Mets 3

The Mets may be awesome – but even they can’t win them all, as the B-Mets dropped this game to the Aeros 13-3.

If this game only lasted five innings, the Mets would have walked away with a commanding victory – and although the numbers may look a little rough, there were a lot of positives to take away from Tyler Pill‘s AA debut. After walking the first batter, Tyler Holt, to begin the game, Pill retired the next nine batters straight. This including striking out the side in the third and allowing just two hits and one run through the five innings overall. The run was unearned as well, due to a throwing error in the fourth.

Pill fell apart in the sixth, however, where he allowed three hits, a walk, and a run without recording an out. He was pulled from the game in favor of Mark Cohoon, who allowed all three inherited runners to score, which left Pill’s final line at five hits and two walks through 5+ innings, with four earned runs. Cohoon, unfortunately, struggled on his own as he was on the hook for eight hits and four earned runs after recording only three outs.

The Mets did scratch out three runs on the other side of the ball, as Darrell Ceciliani ripped an RBI double to score Wilfredo Tovar – and Blake Forsythe drilled an RBI double of his own to drive home Ceciliani. Ceciliani was not done either, as he picked up an RBI single in the seventh for the third Binghamton run.

It was a sloppy game defensively though, with Binghamton committing five errors in the field, which led to four unearned runs and a harder time on the already taxed pitching staff. The good thing about baseball is that even when you have games like these, you can shake it off with a great effort the very next night.

The B-Mets start a series with the Erie SeaWolves tomorrow evening at 6:35 PM, where Erik Goeddel makes his AA debut.

Key Stats

• Darrell Ceciliani - 2 for 5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, Err.
• Blake Forsythe - 1 for 4, 2B, RBI
• Richard Lucas - 2 for 4, 2 Err.
• Tyler Pill - 5 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 R (4 ER), 5 K, L.

The Binghamton Mets scored the game-winning run without the aid of a hit and the bullpen provided four shutout innings of relief in a 2-1 victory over the Akron Aeros Friday night at Canal Park.

With the game tied and the bases loaded on two walks and a hit batsman in the top of the seventh, Wilfredo Tovar lifted a weak popup behind first base. Jose Ramirez raced over from second, but dropped it, allowing Cory Vaughn to score the go-ahead run.

The B-Mets were forced to play catch-up after the Aeros used the bottom of their order to strike in the second. Roberto Perez started the rally with a two-out double to left-center. B-Mets starter Cory Mazzoni allowed a single and issued a walk to load the bases, but worked ahead of nine-hitter Delvi Cid to an 0-2 count.

Cid waved at a low breaking ball, but the third strike kicked away from B-Mets catcher Juan Centeno, rolling fifteen feet from home plate. Centeno failed to cleanly bare-hand the ball, allowing Perez to score from third.
After being kept in check by Aeros starter T.J. House for five innings, Binghamton broke through in the sixth. Back-to-back singles from Wilfredo Tovar and Alonzo Harris chased the southpaw from the game. Fabio Martinez entered from the pen and uncorked a wild pitch on his first offering, pushing both runners up a bag. Daniel Muno tied the game with an RBI ground out to second.

Taken off the hook, Mazzoni exited after five innings. The righty saved his best for last; retiring the final six batters he faced, including four straight strikeouts.

With the game tied at one, Mark Cohoon made his first relief appearance since July 2008. The southpaw worked around a double and a walk to put up a scoreless sixth.

In the seventh, Martinez handed out a walk and hit Puello before being replaced by Kyle Landis. Pena was intentionally walked after a sac bunt from Juan Centeno, setting the stage for Wilfredo Tovar’s run-producing popup.

Chase Huchingson made the lead stand with two scoreless innings of relief and Jack Leathersich stranded a pair of runners in the ninth to secure the win. Cohoon (1-0) collected the victory while Leathersich earned his first save. Martinez (0-1) suffered the first blown save in the losing effort.

The B-Mets (2-0) look to secure the series victory Saturday afternoon at 2:05 PM. RHP Logan Verrett makes his Double-A debut against LHP Matt Packer. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show starts at 1:50 PM.

Binghamton Mets

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.

Maybe he wouldn’t have been sent down today with nine others, but as spring training goes on and the need to stretch out the starters increases, Wheeler’s innings would have been reduced, something the Mets did not want to happen.

Since he is better off getting regular innings, today’s demotion was inevitable. With the oblique hampering him, there’s no sense in trying to squeeze him in. He’s better off resuming a normal routine in the minor league camp, where he’ll throw in the bullpen again before getting into a game.There’s always the possibility of Wheeler pitching in a “B” game, but for now he’s in the right place for his development. The Mets have long been accused of rushing pitchers – see Mike Pelfrey and Jenrry Mejia – and as they are building again they can’t afford to make a similar mistake with Wheeler, regardless how he feels.

“It’s the big leagues, of course I want to be here,’’ Wheeler said. “I’m not surprised. They told me this could happen.’’

When Johan Santana went down, there was immediate speculation Wheeler might be the one to replace him on the roster, but general manager Sandy Alderson immediately shot that down, saying the plan of patience used for Matt Harvey would be the same for Wheeler.

“I felt bad for him because of the injury,’’ manager Terry Collins said. “I told him he’s sitting in the same seat Matt Harvey was last year. I told him to do well and force us to call him up.’’

The Mets played Harvey perfectly. They resisted the initial temptation, and eventually brought him up in July when the season was already lost. Harvey impressed in ten starts enough to be in the rotation. They project the same for Wheeler.

Wheeler already had a setback when he strained his right oblique muscle 11 days ago and had to be scratched from a start against St. Louis. Wheeler conceded the injury was a setback. Wheeler made one start this spring, throwing two scoreless innings against Washington.

“I only got out there one time,’’ Wheeler said. “ That’s what I’m kind of mad about. I wanted to sort of get out there and prove myself. I hope I’ll be up here soon.’’

Several things have to happen if Wheeler is to see Citi Field soon, including injuries to a pitcher in the major league rotation; Wheeler’s performance at Triple-A Vegas, and, of course, economic considerations.

“I told him to work on his secondary pitches and fastball command on both sides of the plate,’’ pitching coach Dan Warthen said.

Wheeler is aware what needs to improve if he’s to succeed in the major league. He’s aware he can beat hitters with his stuff in the minor leagues, but realizes he needs more finesse and guile in the major leagues.

“I need to keep working on my curveball and getting it over for strikes,’’ Wheeler said. “I want to keep my pitch count down and get deeper into games.’’

Economically, if Wheeler stays in the minors for the first 20 games of the season he can’t be credited with a full year of major league service time, which would delay his free agency season from after 2018 to 2019.

It is anticipated the cutoff date for the extra year of salary arbitration might be June 15, so it is entirely feasible Wheeler will be called up after that date. That’s also the same time we might see catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud.

Unless there’s a dire need, don’t expect to see Wheeler before June 15.

MARCUM PITCHES WELL: Shaun Marcum was exceptional today, throwing 3.2 scoreless innings while giving up one hit and striking out two in the Mets’ 3-0 victory over St. Louis.

“I saw a lot that I liked,’’ Collins said. “He had tremendous command and that’s his trademark. He made pitch after pitch.’’

Marcum, penciled in as the fifth starter, is confident in his progress.

“I feeling like I’m heading in the right direction,’’ Marcum said. “I need to build up my pitch count.’’

Mechanically, Marcum said he doesn’t have command of his change-up and is pushing it rather than throwing it with a natural release.

When his change-up doesn’t have the right movement and goes horizontally rather than dip, it is a sign he is flying open with his shoulder and not staying on top.

METS NOTEBOOK: Jordany Valdespin continues to impress, today driving in a run with a seventh-inning single. … Alderson said it still is too early to make a determination on placing Santana on the disabled list to open the season. … Frank Francisco threw off the mound. The reports were good, but Collins said: “Be careful what you see in March and be careful what you see in September.’’ Translation: He’s opening the season on the DL. … Wheeler highlighted the list of ten cuts, which included: pitchersGonzalez Germen, Collin McHugh, Elvin Ramirez and Hansel Robles; left-hander Darin Gorski; infielders Reese Havens and Wilfredo Tovar; outfielders Juan Lagares and Cesar Puello. The Mets are down to 45 players in camp.

In putting together this list, I tried to balance as best I could major league readiness with the so-called “ceiling” of each prospect. In compiling the list, I looked at and analyzed career statistics, video, scouting reports, and the opinions of some well-respected scouts and Mets minor league experts before coming to my conclusions. Enjoy!

20. Jack Leathersich, LHP

Height: 5’11″

Weight: 205

Throws/Bats: L/R

We may be seeing Josh Edgin 2.0 as Jack Leathersich shoots up the ladder. Another college lefty reliever. However, Leathersich is rather unconventional, and has been slightly more successful than Edgin was in his short time in the minors. Although he had a 4.12 ERA over the second half of the year when he was with St. Lucie, Leathersich had an astronomical strikeout rate of 14.2 batters per nine. That’s 35.5% of the hitters he faced.

There is still one question with Leathersich, a very important one. Is his success because of his talent or a deceptive delivery? Watch his delivery below and you’ll see what I’m talking about:

He struggled to get hitters out for the first time in his career with St. Lucie last year, and we’ll have to wait and see how his delivery translates to the higher levels.

2013 Outlook: Leathersich has been shooting up through the lower levels, and will likely continue to do so. He may even be an outside candidate to pitch for the Mets in the second half this year. Then, we’ll see what he’s got. He will start the year with Binghamton in all likelihood and go from there. If his success continues, he will move up fast.

19. Cory Vaughn, RF

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 225

Throws/Bats: R/R

A former fourth-round pick and son of former major leaguer Greg Vaughn, right fielder  Cory Vaughn is a physically-gifted, all-around athlete. Coming out of San Diego State in 2010, Vaughn was projected as a five-tool player, and did a little bit of everything once he turned pro. In his first professional season with the Cyclones, he hit .307/.396/.577 with 14 home runs in just 72 games. He also swiped 12 bases and hit five triples.

In 2011, Vaughn saw his numbers drop. He had a decent first half with Savannah, batting .286 (although he hit only four home runs) until he was called up to St. Lucie, where he struggled even more. In an injury-riddled second half, Vaughn hit only .219 in 63 games.

2012 was another year of mixed results for the 23 year-old outfielder. Everything was there – the power, speed, defensive skills – except for the hit tool. Vaughn struggled to but the barrel on the ball consistently, hitting just .243. The key to Vaughn’s success going forward will be his ability to hit for average. The other tools are there, but the one he didn’’t show this year is the most important to future success.

2013 Outlook: Vaughn has played 189 games for St. Lucie, so but he may end up there again. He may start the season there again because of his struggles at the plate last season. He will be turning 24 in May, so the clock is ticking. We’ve seen what happens to guys like Zack Lutz and Josh Satin getting “stuck” in the minors because of age. Vaughn still has some time, but he can’t afford to spend the majority of 2013 in St. Lucie.

18. Phillip Evans, SS

Height: 5’10″

Weight: 185

Throws/Bats: R/R

The Mets got a steal two years ago when, in the 15^th round they drafted a high school shortstop named Phillip Evans. Evans was a 2^nd-round talent, but scouts were scared off by his commitment to San Diego State. Luckily, the Mets were able to grab him late and sign him for $600,000.

Scouts say Evans has an advanced approached at the plate. He also generates a decent amount of power, despite being very small. (He is listed at 5’10”, but is much shorter). He hit .252 in his first full professional season with Brooklyn. He had an OPS of .665, but hit five home runs, third on the team.

The Mets will have to decide over the next few years where exactly Evans fits. He has a weak throwing arm and often has to take a few steps before making a throw to first. The general belief Is that he will eventually have to move to second base.

2013 Outlook: Phillips will probably split time with Savannah and St. Lucie this season.

17. Matt den Dekker, CF

Height: 6’1″

Weight: 205

Throws/Bats: L/L

It was like two separate seasons for Matt den Dekker in 2012. In the first half, we saw his bat come alive, as he hit double after double (along with a few home runs), batting .340 in 58 games for Double-A Binghamton. Den Dekker was arguably the best player in the league, socking 21 doubles, four triples, and eight home runs. He also stole ten bases and continued to play incredible defense.

The second half was a different story for den Dekker, after he was called up to Buffalo. He was striking out more, walking less, and most importantly, hitting the ball less. Here is how his first half in Binghamton compared to his time with Buffalo:

Den Dekker is facing the same strikeout problem that held Kirk Nieuwenhuis back last season. He has to lower his strikeout rate drastically or he is going to have a very difficult time hitting in the big leagues. You can’t get away with a 25% strikeout rate in the bigs. He’s too much of a free-swinger (as you can tell by his walk rate, which was already low in the first half) and big league pitching will test him.

2013 Outlook: Last year, den Dekker was a candidate to make the team out of Spring Training, but that’s not happening no matter how he performs in spring games. He will need to put together a few months with lower strikeout rates in order to get the promotion.

16. Gabriel Ynoa, RHP 

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 158

Throws/Bats: R/R

After dominating the Dominican Summer League two years ago and pitching well in the Gulf Coast league in 2011, Gabriel Ynoa once again had a fantastic season, this time as a part of Brooklyn’s incredible pitching rotation.

Ynoa showed ridiculous control, walking only 1.2 batters per nine innings. The skinny right-hander has always been known for his excellent command, and in over 200 pro innings, he has walked only 22 batters.

Ynoa made 13 starts in the New York-Penn League this season, and in 76.2 innings, he had just a 2.23 ERA. He also struck out 7.5 batters per nine, up from only 4.3 the year before. He has a good changeup and a low-90s fastball that he commands very well. Hopefully, he will fill in his 6’2” frame (he’s listed as only 158 pounds), which could help him put a little more heat on his fastball.

2013 Outlook: Ynoa is so young and still has to build up some innings. He will probably go to Savannah in the spring and stay there the entire season.

15. Wilfredo Tovar, SS

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 160

Throws/Bats: R/R

Tovar has always been known as a very skilled defensive shortstop. That’s his best skill, and he is probably the best defender in the entire Mets system. The questionable part of his game has always been his bat.

Signed out of Venezuela at 16 years old in 2008, Tovar had a tough time hitteing at even the lowest levels of the minor leagues, hitting just .203 in 49 games in the Venezuelan Summer League. He saw some improvement in the following years, as his batting average hovered around .250. Last season, he started to see some big changes.

After playing the better part of two years with Savannah, Tovar started the year with St. Lucie, and he started hitting the ball much better. In his 65 games with St. Lucie, he hit .284 with a career-high .377 on-base percentage and 11.3% walk rate, a significant improvement from the year before. He had a tough second half in Binghamton, with his numbers reverting back to what they were pre-St. Lucie, but that may have been due to the fact that he was 20 playing in Double-A.

Tovar certainly has the potential to be a Ruben Tejada-type player with an even better glove. We just have to wait and see how the bat develops. He started hitting some more extra-base hits this season, which was a very good sign. He will need that gap-to-gap power in order to become an MLB regular.

2013 Outlook: The Mets will be in no rush with Tovar. He will begin the season in Binghamton and play most of the season there.

14. Aderlin Rodriguez, 3B

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 210

Throws/Bats: R/R

Possibly the best power hitter in the system, Rodriguez had a breakout campaign in 2012. The 21 year-old corner infielder, repeating low-A Savannah, displayed incredible power throughout the first half. He clubbed 16 home runs and slugged .497 in just 318 at-bats. This is in Savannah, where home runs go to die. Rodriguez has power to spare.

After 83 games in Savannah, Rodriguez finally made the trip to St. Lucie, where he would spend the rest of the season. There, he saw his batting average and walk rates plummet, but his power numbers stay well above-average. He finished his time in St. Lucie with a .190 ISO and eight home runs in 42 games.

Rodriguez’s power could take him a long way. He still doesn’t really have a defensive position. However, if Rodriguez can keep his power numbers up and improve his walk rate, it won’t matter what position he plays because his bat will make up for whatever he lacks defensively.

2013 Outlook: Rodriguez only played 42 games in St. Lucie, so he will probably play another half season or so before going to Binghamton.

13. Kevin Plawecki, C

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 205

Throws/Bats: R/R

The Mets used their supplemental round pick last year on a young catcher from Purdue named Kevin Plawecki. Scouts praised him for his refined approach at the plate and his ability to hit home runs. One year later, Plawecki is the second-best catching prospect in the farm system, behind only Travis d’Arnaud.

Plawecki signed early and played 61 games for the Brooklyn Cyclones, and showed off his power. He led the team in home runs with seven despite hitting only .250. His patience was also very impressive as he had a walk rate of 9.9%. Combine that with a fantastic 9.5% strikeout rate and you can see why the Mets drafted him so high.

On the downside, Plawecki hit only eight doubles last season, and will need to work on his gap-to-gap power. Also, while he threw out almost 50% of base stealers, he still has work to do defensively.

2013 Outlook: Plawecki is still a few years away. However, because of his patience at the plate, he will likely play most of the year in St. Lucie as opposed to Savannah.

12. Gavin Cecchini, SS

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 180

Throws/Bats: R/R

Gavin Cecchini is what scouts call a “baseball rat.” He comes from a baseball family. His father is the baseball coach at his former high school and a former college player. His brother Garin Cecchini is a speedy third baseman and one of the top prospects in the Red Sox organization. Gavin is a smart baseball player with great instincts. He doesn’t have the raw talent that some of his fellow 2012 draft picks have, but scouts say he has outstanding baseball instincts.

Cecchini signed very quickly, allowing him to get some experience in Kingsport to start of his career. His bat proved to be a work in progress as he hit only .240 and hit only one home run. However, his swing is smooth and he has the potential to be a very good line drive hitter. He doesn’t have the power, but that was never expected of him.

Cecchini’s defense is really why he was drafted. He doesn’t have particularly great speed or arm strength, but otherwise has the tools to be a good defender. As I mentioned, he has great baseball instinct which will help him read hitters and make him an even better defensive player at a position where that’s very important.

2013 Outlook: Cecchini is still a very raw talent, and will likely stay in St. Lucie for extended spring training before heading to Brooklyn. The Mets will take it slow with him and we probably will not see him until at least September 2015.

11. Jacob DeGrom, RHP

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 185

Throws/Bats: R/L

DeGrom had a stellar season for Savannah, surprising a lot of followers of Mets minor league baseball. Before the season started, he wasn’t very highly-rated and was outside of Toby Hyde’s top 41 list. The 24 year-old had surgery in the fall of 2010, just months after he had been made a 9^th round pick by the Mets. He sat out the entire 2011 season rehabbing, and was able to start the season with Savannah.

Despite the serious injury, DeGrom came back with a vengeance, immediately dominating South Atlantic League hitters. He displayed excellent control, walking only 1.6 batters per nine innings, while striking out 7.8. He ended up making 15 starts with Savannah, tossing 89.2 innings with a 2.51 ERA along the way, before earning a late-season promotion to St. Lucie for the playoff run.

DeGrom made four starts to end the regular season in St. Lucie and an additional one in the playoffs, allowing just five runs in 27.2 High-A innings. DeGrom will need to develop his off-speed stuff in order to stay a starter, but is on track for a successful career. There is still a concern for his health after his Tommy John surgery, but after watching how he responded this season, that may not be a problem again.

2013 Outlook: DeGrom will likely pitch no more than a few months in St. Lucie, especially if he keeps pitching like he did last year. Expect him to debut sometime in late 2014 or 2015.

10. Luis Mateo, RHP

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 170

Throws/Bats: R/R

Mateo followed a long and unconventional path to get where he is today. He was originally signed by the Giants five years ago for $625,000, bone chips were found in his elbow, and the Giants voided his contract. Later that year, he signed with the Padres for $300,000, but after an MLB investigation, it was revealed that Mateo had lied about his age. He served a suspension, and finally signed with the Mets in 2011 for only $150,000.

Mateo dominated the Dominican Summer League in his first pro season in 2011, making 13 starts (63 innings) and posting a 2.00 ERA. He impressed the Mets front office enough to skip the Mets’ rookie affiliates and head straight to short-season Brooklyn, where he would become the face of a very formidable pitching staff.

Mateo used a combination of two dangerous fastballs and a sharp slider to dominate the league, posting a 2.45 ERA in 73.1 innings and even more impressively, a K/BB ratio of 9.44. In those 73.1 innings, he struck out 85, and walked nine. You can make an argument that this is the result of a 22 year-old in the low-A New York-Penn League, which is why he’s not ranked in the top five on this list. Had he been two or three years younger, I would put much more stock in the numbers he put up, but until I see him dominate in the Florida State League or Eastern League, that uncertainty remains.

2013 Outlook: As long as Mateo keeps pitching well, the Mets will keep promoting him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he only makes a few starts with Savannah, or skips Savannah entirely like he did Kingsport.

9. Rafael Montero, RHP

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 175

Throws/Bats: R/R

Rafael Montero transformed his reputation this year with a stellar season between Savannah and St. Lucie. Despite pitching 71 innings in 2011 with a 2.15 ERA between the Dominican Summer League, the Gulf Coast League, Kingsport, and Brooklyn, Montero wasn’t taken too seriously before the season started. In just a few short months, however, he became one of the highest-rated pitching prospects in the entire farm system.

Montero, 22,  signed a little late in the game as a 20 year-old out of the Dominican Republic in 2011, but has rocketed through the Mets’ system. Boasting a low-90s fastball, a solid slider, and a changeup, Montero has excellent command, walking only 1.4 batters per nine innings last season while striking out 8.1.

Montero has a special combination of control and pure stuff. It’s still early, but I expect we’ll see great things from him. He is one of many promising young pitchers working their way through the lower minors that could definitely be in the Met rotation in a few years.

2013 Outlook: My guess is Montero will split the season between St. Lucie and Binghamton (If he continues to pitch well) much like how he split the season between Savannah and St. Lucie this year.

8. Domingo Tapia, RHP

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 186

Throws/Bats: R/R

Domingo Tapia’s future role is still very much up in the air. Tapia, 21, had a breakout year last season with Savannah. Although his ERA (3.98) was slightly worse than his 2011 mark (3.38), he had a much better season. Tapia, whose repertoire consists of a high-90s two-seam sinking fastball, a high-90s four-seam fastball, a high-80s changeup, and a below-average breaking pitch, struck out 8.4 batters per nine, much better than his 5.8 mark in 2011. Despite having pitched just over 220 professional innings, Tapia already seems destined for the bullpen. He doesn’t have much of a breaking pitch, relying almost completely on his sinker and four-seam fastball. That combination has worked so far, but won’t work as he climbs the minor league ladder, especially as a starter. It may also be difficult for him to develop a breaking pitch considering how low his arm slot is. He is still very young, however, so there is still time for Tapia to develop a breaking pitch. Now the decision rests with the front office: to keep him a starter, they may have to raise his arm angle, possibly jeopardizing his sinker. The Mets will have to decide whether they will take that risk or move him to the bullpen.

2013 Outlook: The future is unclear in regards to Tapia. While scouts agree that he has a great sinker and a good four-seam, his role is still up in the air. As for this season, you’ll probably see him in St. Lucie.

7. Jeurys Familia, RHP

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 230

Throws/Bats: R/R

Last year was a bumpy one for Jeurys Familia. In 2011, it looked like he had finally started to put it together as a starter, pitching 23 games with a 2.90 ERA in 124 innings between St. Lucie and Binghamton. It looked like the mechanical issues were starting to get fixed and he was looking more and more like a starter. That changed this past season, as Familia regressed.

Familia was very inconsistent in his season with Buffalo. Every few starts, he would dominate and strike out seven or eight batters, but those starts were few and far between. For most of the season, Familia struggled with his control, worked up a high pitch count, and was unable to go deep into games. He has the stuff to be a good pitcher, but he doesn’t have the makeup of a starting pitcher.

Familia has what it takes to be a successful reliever, which is where I think he will eventually end up. The Mets will probably give him another year as a starter (unless they feel they really need him in the bullpen) to develop his breaking pitches. If he doesn’t stay a starter, the transition may take a few months but eventually, he could be the full-time closer and be a good one too.

2013 Outlook: A bullpen role seems most likely long-term unless Familia makes major improvements with his control and secondary pitches this year or in 2014. He will start the year in Triple-A and go from there.

6. Brandon Nimmo, OF

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 185

Throws/Bats: R/L

The Mets took a big risk in 2011 when they drafted 18 year-old outfielder Brandon Nimmo out of Wyoming. Why was it such a risk? There is no high school baseball in Wyoming, so the only experience Nimmo had was on top-tier club teams in his area. That, on top of an injury in high school that caused him to miss an entire season put him at a disadvantage when making the jump to professional baseball. This season, after playing only ten professional games in 2011, made the jump to Low-A Brooklyn in the tough New York-Penn League, where many of the top college picks are sent. After a full season there, the numbers don’t stand out as those of a future star, but considering his experience in high school, his season was impressive. He batted just .248, but had a very high walk rate of 14.3%. He also displayed some power, hitting six home runs in 266 at-bats. His ISO (Explanation) of .158 was ninth best in the New York-Penn League. Among players under 20 years of age (with a minimum of 200 Plate Appearances), he was first in that category. He finished tenth in the league in homers, and was the only player under 20 in the top ten. However, he didn’t show much speed or hit lefties very well. Nimmo is someone who is still very inexperienced, so fans have to be more patient than usual with him. The front office will surely take it slow with him, as he is still a very raw talent.

2013 Outlook: The Mets will take it slow with Nimmo this season. He will probably spend the entire year with Savannah. It’s still too early to get a real sense of what type of player Nimmo will be, but the signs so far point towards Nimmo eventually becoming an average to above average major league player at worst. But again, it’s too early to make any conclusions (as is the case with any of these prospects) because he is a rather unconventional prospect.

And my Top 5…

5. Wilmer Flores, 2B, 3B

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 190

Throws/Bats: R/R

One year ago, Wilmer Flores was on the brink of irrelevancy. He had played 200 games in High-a Port St. Lucie, and hadn’t put up stellar numbers. His 2011 season was one with many ups and downs, and the statistics didn’t look pretty in the end. While he managed to hit a respectable .269 in 559 plate appearances, his on-base percentage was .309 – the second lowest mark of his minor league career. He had signed out of Venezuela as a 16 year-old in 2008 with very high expectations. He was supposed to become a hitting machine, and someone who could eventually become an elite power hitter. In his first season, playing in Kingsport, Brooklyn, and Savannah, he had a .180 ISO, and it looked as if the power was developing early. However, after that, the home runs disappeared and in 2011, he hit a low point, hitting only nine home runs in over 130 games for St. Lucie. His prospect status was in jeopardy. He fell out of the top 15 on many Mets prospect rankings. People started to wonder – what happened? That all changed this season.

Flores broke camp with St. Lucie for the second year in a row, but immediately started hitting the ball much better. He started hitting for power again, slugging ten home runs in 64 games. He had an excellent first half with St. Lucie, batting .289 with a .799 OPS, all capped off by an FSL All-Star Game MVP Award.

He was then called up to Binghamton, where he had a hard time adjusting in his first few weeks. After his adjustment period, he took off again, and hit even better than he did in St. Lucie. Flores continued to hit home runs, slugging eight in 66 games in the Eastern League. He also hit well over .300 for the first time since 2008. His walk rate rose to 7.3%, still below average, but almost a career-high for Flores, and his strikeout rate to its lowest point (10.9%) since he was in Kingsport as a 16 year-old. Between the two leagues, Flores finished with an even .300 batting average, a .827 OPS, 18 home runs, and 30 doubles in 493 at-bats.

What else is there to love about Wilmer Flores? He’s still just 21 years old. He still has plenty of time to get better. The only question mark left with Flores is his defense. He played second base and third base in the minors last year, after posting a dreadful .959 fielding percentage in his career as a shortstop. Flores is big, which may make it difficult for him to be a middle infielder. However, if the Mets want to keep him around, that’s where he may stay because it doesn’t look like Ike Davis or David Wright are going anywhere. If the Mets staff can get him to a point at second base where he is average or slightly below average, he will make up for his sub-par defense with production at the plate.

2013 Outlook: The Mets will not want to rush him (that has hurt him in the past), but Flores got a lot of playing time in the Venezuelan Winter League (in which he played well), so you could see him begin the season with Las Vegas. He isn’t too far off, and could get a cup of coffee at the end of September this year before making his real debut sometime in 2014.

4. Michael Fulmer, RHP

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 200

Throws/Bats: R/R

19 year-old Michael Fulmer has quietly become one of the Mets’ top pitching prospects. While most of the attention has gone to Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Noah Syndergaard, Fulmer is looking like he could be a fixture in the Met rotation as well.

Fulmer was selected by the Mets 44^th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft out of Deer Creek High School in Oklahoma. Originally slated to go to the University of Arkansas, the Mets took a risk drafting him, but he eventually signed with them for just under $1 million. He was only able to pitch in four games with the GCL team in 2011 before the season ended.

Fulmer was thrust into the world of professional baseball this year, starting the season with the long-season Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League. The fifth-youngest pitcher in the league, Fulmer was at a bit of a disadvantage facing hitters older than him, but he still had major success. Armed with a mid-90s fastball to go along with a quality curveball and developing changeup, Fulmer made 21 starts, pitching a total of 108.1 innings. He posted a 2.74 ERA and struck out 8.4 batters per nine, while walking only 3.2, very good for a pitcher right out of high school.

Scouts have been very impressed with Fulmer’s stamina and ability to go deep into games. He has the physical ability to have success at the higher levels.

It’s still very, very early to project what Fulmer could be. He’s still developing, but all signs point towards him becoming a productive starting pitcher.

2013 Outlook: Fulmer will follow the traditional track, and will pitch for St. Lucie, probably for the whole season. He will make his debut sometime in 2015 if he stays healthy.

3. Noah Syndergaard, RHP

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 200

Throws/Bats: R/L

When the Mets traded R.A. Dickey to Toronto, most of the attention went to a certain catcher the Mets got in return. But the Mets acquired another notable player in the trade, a pitcher who has been nothing but dominant in his three-year minor league career: Noah Syndergaard.

Syndergaard, 20, looks much more refined than most pitchers his age. He has much better command than Zack Wheeler had at that age (and maybe even better control than Wheeler right now), walking just 2.7 batters per nine this past season in the Midwest League, which is on the same level as the South Atlantic League. Since coming to the Mets, many writers and scouts have compared him to Zack Wheeler. Syndergaard actually pitched much better this season in A-ball than Wheeler did, as you can see below:

Syndergaard is often compared to Wheeler from a dominance standpoint, but they are two much different pitchers. Syndergaard throws two fastballs. One is a high-90s four-seam and the other is a sinker. Syndergaard does not possess a good secondary pitch, while Wheeler has a very good one.

Overall, it’s tough to compare Syndergaard to Wheeler because they are at completely different stages. Wheeler is knocking at the door to the big league club while Syndergaard probably has two to three years in the minors left before he debuts. However, it’s great to see such success so soon, and I’m hopeful that the Mets will put Syndergaard in a situation where he can develop his secondary pitches because if he does, he could be a very dominant pitcher.

2013 Outlook: Syndergaard pitched the entire season for a long-season Low-A team, so the next logical step for him is St. Lucie. As of right now, I would project him to make his MLB debut in 2015.

2. Travis d’Arnaud, C

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 195

Throws/Bats: R/R

There is a reason why in the negotiations for R.A. Dickey, Sandy Alderson held out for Travis d’Arnaud. He is a game-changer, and one of the few players in the minor leagues that can make trading away the reigning Cy Young Award winner worthwhile. d’Arnaud is of a rare breed of catchers: he can hit for power, average, and is decent with the glove.

A former first-round pick, d’Arnaud didn’t put all those tools together until two years ago, when he had a breakthrough season in Double-A New Hampshire. He had already been a highly-regarded prospect, but he became arguably the most promising catching prospect in the game after his fantastic 2011 season, in which he hit 21 home runs with a slash line of .311/.371/.542.

In 2012, d’Arnaud continued to rake with the bat, this time in Triple-A Las Vegas, where he hit 16 home runs in 67 games. Hitting numbers are inflated by the hitter-friendly Cashman Field in Las Vegas, but d’Arnaud actually hit slightly in away games. The numbers are there. The power is there. d’Arnaud was on track to make his MLB debut in the second half of the season, but had his year abruptly cut short when, in July, he tore his PCL.

d’Arnaud has earned the praise of scouts around the country. Before last season’s excellent performance, Baseball America had him listed as 17^th in their overall prospect rankings, tops among catchers. Here’s what they had to say about him:

“He’s a rare catching prospect that projects to hit in the middle of a lineup. He is an above-average hitter who should hit for at least average power. He doesn’t walk much but makes consistent hard contact, getting hits even when his timing is off or he gets off balance. He has the bat speed and strength to hit plenty of homers and lets his power come naturally, employing a short stroke and all-fields approach.”

Power at the catching position is certainly a valuable commodity that very few catchers possess. d’Arnaud seems to have that rare skill and while he is not expected to be a Mike Piazza-type, his minor league power numbers match up well with Piazza’s, meaning d’Arnaud’s power is legit:

At minimum, d’Arnaud looks to be a serviceable MLB catcher, but he can be so much more than that. He has the tools to be a dynamic, all-around catcher who can hit fifth or sixth in the lineup. The only question that remains is health, but he doesn’t seem to have any long-term issues.

2013 Outlook: The Mets are in a situation that many front offices encounter every year. They really believe d’Arnaud is a future star. However, d’Arnaud breaking camp with the big league club in April would mean he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season. If he comes up later, however, he won’t become a free agent until after the 2019 season. It seems like a ridiculous thing to consider now, but down the road it will be something that really matters if d’Arnaud turns out to be the star people think he could be. For that reason, and to test out his injured knee, I would say he spends the first month or so with Las Vegas.

1. Zack Wheeler, RHP

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 185

Throws/Bats: R/L

When the Giants picked Zack Wheeler sixth overall in the 2009 MLB Draft, they were taking a player with enormous upside, but not very polished. In his first professional season a year later at age 20, playing in the South Atlantic League, Wheeler showed just that: a high “ceiling” but with work to be done. In his first season, he walked 38 batters over 58.2 innings, and struck out 70. He made 13 starts and appeared in eight out of the bullpen.

In 2011, Wheeler broke camp with San Francisco’s California League (A+) affiliate, San Jose. There, he was once again inconsistent. He pitched well, but couldn’t get over his control problem, and was walking 4.8 batters per nine innings. When the Giants needed a bat for the stretch run in 2011, they were reluctant to part ways with Wheeler because of his potential, but gave him up any way in a desperate move to bolster the offense at the trade deadline. And what looked

Once in the Mets organization, Wheeler’s command started to improve. He finished the year in the tough Florida State League, with Port St. Lucie. He pitched extremely well there, allowing just six runs in 27 innings and walking only five, setting him up for a Double-A debut in 2012.

After a productive ending to 2011, Wheeler picked it right up again, and steamrolled through the Eastern League. He made 19 starts, and had a 3.26 ERA in 116 innings. During his time in Binghamton, he kept his strikeout rate up (9.1 K/9) and his walk rate relatively low (3.3 BB/9), earning him a promotion to Triple-A Buffalo, where he finished the season. He struggled in his six starts at the next level with his command, but in a small sample size (33 innings) like that, it’s not much of a concern right now.

2013 Outlook: Wheeler has “ace” written all over him. With his electric fastball and very good secondary stuff, my guess is he will be very successful in the big leagues. Look for him to debut a few months into this season, unless the Mets are unable to acquire a fifth starter. He needs a bit more seasoning in Triple-A before he gets called up.

What do you think? What do YOUR rankings look like? Also make sure to check out MMO’s OFFICIAL top 25 prospects, but together by the brilliant Satish Ram (“Perseus”) and Sean Kenny.

The regular season is over for all three upper minors teams. That means no more baseball for the Bisons and B-Mets, and a best-of-three divisional series for the St. Lucie team. Let’s take a look at who finished up the season strong, and who didn’t.

Who’s Hot!!!

• Wilfredo Tovar 2B, Binghamton- Tovar had a strong first half with St. Lucie, but had a tough time adjusting in Double-A Binghamton. However, he was able to finish the season very strong. He hit .417 over his last ten games, driving in six runs and hitting four extra-base hits.
• Dustin Martin OF, Binghamton- Martin is heating up once again with Binghamton. He is hitting .359 over his last ten games to go along with three home runs and six RBI. He has a total of seven extra-base hits over that span.
• Wilmer Flores INF, Binghamton- Flores finished up the season very strong, hitting .359 over his last ten games and hitting .377 over the month of August. He hit five home runs last month, driving in 13 runs.

Honorable Mention: Logan Verrett SP, St. Lucie- Verrett has put together a dominant string of starts since being called up to St. Lucie from Savannah. In six starts in the FSL, he has a 2.09 ERA in 38.2 innings pitches. He has also struck out 26 batters and walked only four over that span.

Who’s Not!!!

•  Brad Emaus 2B, Buffalo- Brad Emaus struggled in Buffalo this season, hitting just .212 in 73 games. However, he finished up the season with a really tough stretch. Over his final ten games, he hit just .156 with a .229 on-base percentage and .219 slugging.
• Adam Loewen OF, Buffalo- Loewen is another guy who has struggled in less than half a season with the Bisons. Loewen is hitting .227 on the season with Buffalo, including a .148 average in his last ten games. He drove in just one run over that span and also struck out in nine of his 27 at-bats.
• Daniel Muno SS, St. Lucie- Muno caught fire after returning from a PED suspension earlier this season, but has struggled recently. He ended the season with a ten-game in which he .167. The good news for Muno is he drew ten walks during that span, making his on-base percentage .395.