Joseph Langan, Author at Metsmerized https://metsmerizedonline.com/author/josephlangan/ Everything New York Mets Mon, 29 May 2023 20:38:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.9 https://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/cropped-mmo-2-32x32.png Joseph Langan, Author at Metsmerized https://metsmerizedonline.com/author/josephlangan/ 32 32 Brooklyn Cyclones Season Review: Top Prospects Shine in Losing Season https://metsmerizedonline.com/brooklyn-cyclones-season-review-top-prospects-shine-in-losing-season/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=brooklyn-cyclones-season-review-top-prospects-shine-in-losing-season https://metsmerizedonline.com/brooklyn-cyclones-season-review-top-prospects-shine-in-losing-season/#respond Sat, 30 Oct 2021 19:00:33 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/brooklyn-cyclones-season-review-top-prospects-shine-in-losing-season/ At the end of the 2019 season, the Brooklyn Cyclones were at the top of the baseball world. The team won their first New York-Penn League title, bringing home the first baseball pennant since the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955. While the Cyclones planned to repeat their historic run to the top, COVID-19 had other plans […]

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Francisco Alvarez, Photo by Dan Fritz

At the end of the 2019 season, the Brooklyn Cyclones were at the top of the baseball world. The team won their first New York-Penn League title, bringing home the first baseball pennant since the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955. While the Cyclones planned to repeat their historic run to the top, COVID-19 had other plans for the world in 2020, forcing the cancelation of the minor league season.

With baseball returning in 2021, the Cyclones were no longer the short-season affiliates of the New York Mets, but instead the High-A club of the same organization. This was a considerable jump that certainly showed in the standings this season. While the record may not have been pretty, Mets fans got to see a slew of the club’s top prospects come through Brooklyn this season.

With the Cyclones season officially in the books, Mets Minors will break down some of the incredible talents that Brooklyn saw in 2021. The team went 48-70 despite getting impressive performances from multiple top prospects.

The Opening Day Stars

Ronny Mauricio, Matthew Allan, and Brett Baty were the top prospects slated for the Opening Day roster. As the season lurked closer, unfortunate news came out from the Mets organization announcing that Allan would need season-ending Tommy John surgery. This was a big blow that significantly impacted the Brooklyn pitching staff.

While the staff needed some work, Baty and Mauricio immediately got to work, showing why they’re touted as some of the best prospects that the Mets have to offer. In May, Brett slashed an incredible .317/.429/.397 with an OPS of .850, earning him a spot on Baseball America’s “Hot Starts” list and cracking their top 100 prospects list.

Baty would undoubtedly continue that hot start as he continued to torch opposing pitchers, finishing with a stat line of .309/.397/.514 with an OPS of .911 over 51 games with the Cyclones. Brett earned the honor of playing in the Sirius XM Futures Game due to his stellar play and ended the season as baseball’s number 52 prospect, according to Baseball America.

Mauricio made some power strides in the off-season and immediately showed it in the first month of play. Through 18 games, Ronny roped four homers and five doubles, posting a slugging percentage of .487. The 26 strikeouts were a big red flag but he inevitably cut down the 34% strikeout rate.

Ronny would have some ups and downs as the season went on but ultimately ended on a good note. His final slash line for Brooklyn was .242/.290/.449 with an OPS of .739 and 19 round-trippers. Mauricio would finish the season as baseball’s number 54 prospect, according to MLB.com.

Both Baty and Mauricio were impressive during their 2021 campaigns, earning promotions and reuniting together with the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

The Addition of Number One

With the number two and three hitting prospects already on the roster, the Mets wasted no time promoting 19-year-old superstar Francisco Alvarez. The Venezuelan catcher was a man amongst boys in rookie ball, slashing .417/.567/.646 with an OPS of 1.213 with two homers and 12 RBIs in only 15 games.

The Mets’ number one prospect would eventually cool down but significantly impacted the Cyclones lineup. Throughout 84 games with the High-A club, Alvarez crushed 22 home runs and drove in 58 RBI’s, generational power stats from a teenager catcher. Francisco went on to slash .247/.351/.538 with an OPS of .889 with Brooklyn, earning his spot as the number 14 prospect, according to Baseball America.

J.T.’s Comeback

There weren’t many pitchers fans could count on during the season; that was until J.T. Ginn joined the Cyclones in July. The 22-year-old coming off of Tommy John surgery certainly gave the Brooklyn rotation some new life. The Mets’ number five prospect posted a record of 3-and-4 and totaled an ERA of 3.38 over 53 1/3 innings pitched. Ginn finally started to see his velocity come back toward the end of the season, topping out at 96 miles per hour with significant life on all of his pitches.

While J.T. was an electric boost, Justin Lasko was the only other pitcher the Cyclones could count on before his promotion. The 6’4″ righty tossed 64 innings with Brooklyn, totaling four wins over 11 starts. During that time, he posted an ERA of 2.81 with 64 strikeouts and only 13 walks. While the two only got to pitch together for less than a month, fans could have only imagined what an entire season with the two would have looked like.

Jaylen’s Homecoming

It’s not often that a prospect gets drafted to play for his hometown team, but Jaylen Palmer is one of the lucky ones. The 21-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, reunited with his hometown after being promoted from Low-A St. Lucie. After joining the Cyclones squad, Palmer struggled, seeing his average dip below .200. While the bat-to-ball skills were lacking, Jaylen showed some power that fans didn’t expect—crushing 11 extra-base hits and driving in 15 over 39 games played. The strikeouts are a big concern for Palmer’s future, but with a refined approach and more time at the High-A level, he could potentially live up to his prospect ranking.

Brooklyn inevitably finished the season with a record of 48-and-70, the worst record in the High-A East-North. With that being said, Ed Blankmeyer and his coaching staff accomplished the job they set out to do on day one: “Get these players to the next level.” The Cyclones saw Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Justin Lasko, Jake Mangum, Antoine Duplantis, and many more get the bump to Double-A this season after playing with Brooklyn.

Blankmeyer put it best: “Minor League Baseball isn’t always about winning, it’s about development,” and that’s just what this team did.

This season was certainly historic for the franchise with the amount of talent that came through their doors. It was a key stop for a numbers of high-end prospects that the Mets hope will ultimately play important roles in the big leagues for years to come.

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/brooklyn-cyclones-season-review-top-prospects-shine-in-losing-season/feed/ 0 Mets Select RHP Dominic Hamel in Third Round https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-select-rhp-dominic-hamel-in-third-round/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mets-select-rhp-dominic-hamel-in-third-round https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-select-rhp-dominic-hamel-in-third-round/#respond Tue, 13 Jul 2021 00:01:44 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-select-rhp-dominic-hamel-in-third-round/ With the 81st overall pick in the third round of the 2021 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, the New York Mets select Dominic Hamel. A 6’2”, 22-year-old right hander from Dallas Baptist. Hamel was draft eligible last season but wasn’t selected in the five round shortened affair. Baseball America had Hamel slotted at […]

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With the 81st overall pick in the third round of the 2021 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, the New York Mets select Dominic Hamel. A 6’2”, 22-year-old right hander from Dallas Baptist.

Hamel was draft eligible last season but wasn’t selected in the five round shortened affair. Baseball America had Hamel slotted at the 151st rank in this years draft and see him as both a solid starter or power reliever. 

“Teams decided they didn’t have enough to pick him in a five-round draft. There will be no such concerns this year. Hamel was Dallas Baptist’s ace in 2021, ranking among the nation’s top 10 in strikeouts (129) and top 20 in strikeout rate (13.4 K/9). He reached double digits in strikeouts in six of his first 15 starts in 2021. Hamel has shown the consistent ability to elevate his plus 90-94 mph fastball for swings and misses. It has the vertical movement that frustrates hitters, although he could still improve his command of it.”-Baseball America

With a terrific season for Dallas Baptist, Hamel was able to drive his stock up and sneak his way into the third round of the draft. Hamel’s fastball may need a bit more velocity before he finds himself at higher levels, but his spin rate and movement is what sets him apart from many pitchers in this class.

Hamel was an early draft riser on many boards due to his above average analytics this season, a category front-offices are head over heels for. Baseball America had seen his stock rising all the way back in April.

Right now when hitters pick up on his fastball they are able to damage, with all 14 of his home runs allowed being on the heater. He has a fast arm and great extension with his 6’2″ frame so with continued work in the minors, Hamel could potentially turn into a metric monster that baseball drools over.

This is the third consecutive right handed pitcher the New York Mets have drafted in the first three rounds.

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-select-rhp-dominic-hamel-in-third-round/feed/ 0 Breaking: Mets No. 4 Prospect Brett Baty Promoted To Double-A Binghamton https://metsmerizedonline.com/breaking-mets-no-4-prospect-brett-baty-promoted-to-double-a-binghamton/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=breaking-mets-no-4-prospect-brett-baty-promoted-to-double-a-binghamton https://metsmerizedonline.com/breaking-mets-no-4-prospect-brett-baty-promoted-to-double-a-binghamton/#respond Sun, 11 Jul 2021 04:00:04 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/breaking-mets-no-4-prospect-brett-baty-promoted-to-double-a-binghamton/ News broke Friday night that New York Mets No. 4 prospect, Brett Baty, was promoted to Double-A Binghamton. The Mets first-round pick back in 2019 put together a monstrous first half, slashing .309/.397/.514 with an OPS of .911 and a 150 wRC+. The big lefty has gone above and beyond expectations, landing him in the […]

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Brett Baty, Photo by Dan Fritz

News broke Friday night that New York Mets No. 4 prospect, Brett Baty, was promoted to Double-A Binghamton. The Mets first-round pick back in 2019 put together a monstrous first half, slashing .309/.397/.514 with an OPS of .911 and a 150 wRC+. The big lefty has gone above and beyond expectations, landing him in the Sirius XM Futures Game in Colorado and on Baseball Prospectus’s top 20 prospects list.

The Rumble Ponies officially announced the news on Saturday.

Going into 2021, scouts called into question Baty’s ability to play third base as well as his ability to handle higher velocity pitching. After getting to learn from major league talent at the alternate site in 2020, Baty elevated his game to the next level. He shed his baby weight and built muscle around his 6’3″ frame enabling him to be more muscular and more athletic at third. As a hitter, he took the time to study the strike zone and focus on the pitches he wanted to hit, a method that has paid off significantly.

With Baty being promoted to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, he will be joining other top prospect third baseman Mark Vientos. Vientos is having a great season at Binghamton, leading the Mets farm system in home runs with 13. It will be interesting how the organization will manage both of their playing times now that they are competing for a position. Both Baty and Vientos have played games in the outfield this year, leading people to believe that one will spend time out there while the other man’s third.

 

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/breaking-mets-no-4-prospect-brett-baty-promoted-to-double-a-binghamton/feed/ 0 Mets Minors Players of June: Mark Vientos, Brett Baty Shine https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-minors-players-of-june-mark-vientos-brett-baty-shine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mets-minors-players-of-june-mark-vientos-brett-baty-shine https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-minors-players-of-june-mark-vientos-brett-baty-shine/#respond Tue, 06 Jul 2021 22:30:21 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-minors-players-of-june-mark-vientos-brett-baty-shine/ With the calendar flipping from June to July and the 2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game quickly approaching, two outstanding prospects are heading to the Sirius XM Futures Game on July 11th at Coors Field in Colorado. While every player may not receive the prodigious honor, there were many stand-out stars in the New York […]

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Brett Baty, Photo by Dan Fritz

With the calendar flipping from June to July and the 2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game quickly approaching, two outstanding prospects are heading to the Sirius XM Futures Game on July 11th at Coors Field in Colorado. While every player may not receive the prodigious honor, there were many stand-out stars in the New York Mets’ organization in June.

Triple-A Syracuse Mets 

On the final day of May, the Mets sent their number one outfield prospect, Khalil Lee, back to the Triple-A squad in Syracuse. Since being demoted from the big leagues, Lee has been very impressive in his pursuit to get back to the Majors.

The 23-year-old played in 26 games in June, hitting a solid .272/.423/.420 with an OPS a few ticks below .850. Things are certainly trending in the right direction for Lee as he came pretty close to doubling his Triple-A stat line from May (.147/.293./.206).

A massive reason for Lee’s improvement at the plate is his strike zone awareness. In May, he struck out 19 times throughout 34 at-bats and only walked five times. Here in June, he’s struck out 26 times over the course of 81 at-bats, while walking an incredible 20 times.

With Lee finally getting the pitches he wants to hit, his power has started to emerge, hitting his only two home runs of the season in the past 30 days. Khalil Lee still has more developing to do with the Syracuse squad, but with steady play and continued improvement, he can certainly turn out to be the steal of the three-team trade between the Mets, Royals, and Red Sox.

 

Pitching hasn’t been the strong suit for the Syracuse Mets in June; or for the entirety of the 2021 season, for that matter. With that being said, right-hander Tylor Megill was a bright spot for this struggling Triple-A squad when he was with the team.

The Mets’ number 21 prospect turned enough heads during the season to get the call to Queens on June 6th, where he led the Mets to a critical divisional win against the Atlanta Braves. Since then, he has been absolutely spectacular for the big league team.

While Megill was with Syracuse, he started in three games totaling an ERA of 3.77 and accumulating 17 strikeouts over 14.1 innings of work.

Megill’s solid stuff transitioned well to the big leagues as he earned himself a spot in the New York Mets rotation going forward. After just two starts at the Major League level, manager Luis Rojas was very impressed with the youngster, saying, “I can tell why this kid was putting up the numbers he did in Double-A and Triple-A.”

Megill has certainly been a surprise to many this season, but Mets fans should be excited for what he has to offer as he continues to perform on the big stage.  

 

Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies 

Mets’ number eight prospect, Mark Vientos, powered his way through the competition in June. The 21-year-old slugger averaged a home run every nine at-bats after recording nine round-trippers in 81 at-bats.

Vientos ended the month with an 11 game hitting streak and slashing .324/.407/.775 with an OPS of 1.182 and 20 RBI’s. He was awarded Minor League Baseball’s Northeast Player of the week after going 8-for-20 and hitting five home runs throughout five games against the Reading Fightin Phils.

Vientos seemed like a strikeout machine in May, going down on strikes 36 of his 78 times and only walking six times. He’s certainly made the necessary adjustments at the plate as he’s cut his K rate more than 40% and is starting to hunt the pitches he wants to hit.

If Vientos can continue to tap into his full potential, he could potentially be one of the best hitters in the New York Mets farm system. 

After being the primary catalyst for the Rumble Ponies’ first combined no-hitter in club history, Josh Walker couldn’t be touched in June. The 6’6″ lefty from the University of New Haven went 3-1 with an ERA of 3.42 over 23.2 innings pitched.

He, along with Vientos, earned Northeast League honors after tossing six no-hit innings against the Fightin Phils on June 22nd. After his great month, Walker improved his season record to 6-1 with a 3.15 ERA and a fantastic WHIP of .939.

He’s only allowed nine free passes and struck out 57 batters, holding his opponents to a .209 batting average on the season. Walker is undoubtedly opening eyes around the organization this season, but his age is a concerning factor with his door to the bigs slowly closing.

While he may not be considered a prospect, Walker has been one of the best pitchers in the Mets Minor League organization this season. 

 

High-A Brooklyn Cyclones  

Despite the onslaught of top prospects being held in Brooklyn, they still have difficulty finding the win column, going 9-and-21 in June. Despite the losing record, number four prospect Brett Baty continued to punish pitchers, slashing a fantastic .322/.413/.633 with an OPS of 1.047.

Baty found his power swing in June, totaling 15 extra-base hits with six going over the fence. Baty has been one of the clutch hitters for the Cyclones all year, going .375/.436/.583 with 26 RBIs when runners are in scoring position.

Not only does he come through with runners on, but he also sets the table nicely, going .343/.395/.486 in the first inning.

With Baty’s incredible season, he’s getting recognition from the Mets organization and Major League Baseball. He and number one prospect Francisco Alvarez have been elected to the Sirius XM Futures Game during All-Star Weekend in Colorado. This honor has been well earned for the two as they have seemingly bright futures with the New York Mets.

 

After his promotion to Brooklyn at the end of May, Justin Lasko has been nothing short of amazing on the mound. The 24-year-old’s 1-3 record may be an eyesore, but it doesn’t show how good he’s been in June.

Lasko accumulated 28.2 innings in five games, racking up 25 strikeouts and limiting his ERA to 3.77. Lasko’s fantastic attribute is limiting the walk; facing 219 batters this season, he only walked 10 of them, bringing his WHIP to an excellent 0.936.

Lasko is a pitch-to-contact type of guy who generates many ground balls with his A+ off-speed arsenal. With more work and improvement at the High-A level this season, Lasko can possibly crack the top 30 prospects list for the New York Mets. 

 

Low-A St. Lucie Mets

Warren Saunders may not be topping the ranks in the Mets farm system, but he certainly put on a show in June for the St. Lucie Mets. The 22-year-old from the Bahamas is slashing an incredible .325/.360/.450 with a .810 OPS and 10 RBIs.

Not much is known about Saunders and his capabilities as a professional ballplayer. Fans got a quick glimpse of what he has to offer in the Gulf Coast League back in 2019, where he slashed .323/.397/.386 throughout 33 games. With an OPS of .783 and only six extra-base hits, Saunders seemed to lack in the power department.

He appears to be tapping into his power with a more developed frame by having eight extra-base hits over 80 at-bats in June. Saunders still has many question marks surrounding his game but is trending in the right direction for the Mets organization.

 

St. Lucie’s best pitcher this month was undoubtedly Oscar Rojas. The 22-year-old from Guanajuato, Mexico, received two consecutive Mets Minors Player Of the Week Honors during June.

After a horrific month of May, Rojas has bounced back in a big way, tossing 27 and ⅔ innings and only allowing three runs over that time. During this time, Rojas was able to accumulate 25 strikeouts and bring his June ERA to 0.98, much better than his 11.08 May ERA.

Rojas has a lot more work to do at the Minor League level, but can potentially see a promotion to the High-A Brooklyn squad after being named the Low-A Southern Pitcher Of the Month. 

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-minors-players-of-june-mark-vientos-brett-baty-shine/feed/ 0 MMO Exclusive: Catching Up With Mets Number Two Prospect Ronny Mauricio https://metsmerizedonline.com/mmo-exclusive-catching-up-with-mets-number-two-prospect-ronny-mauricio/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mmo-exclusive-catching-up-with-mets-number-two-prospect-ronny-mauricio https://metsmerizedonline.com/mmo-exclusive-catching-up-with-mets-number-two-prospect-ronny-mauricio/#respond Sun, 27 Jun 2021 18:59:55 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/mmo-exclusive-catching-up-with-mets-number-two-prospect-ronny-mauricio/ On a sunny Friday afternoon in Coney Island, Mets number two prospect Ronny Mauricio finished his batting practice rounds. The 20-year-old phenom who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 has been putting together a fantastic display of offense and defense since joining the Brooklyn Cyclones this season. Metsmerized & Mets Minors were fortunate […]

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On a sunny Friday afternoon in Coney Island, Mets number two prospect Ronny Mauricio finished his batting practice rounds. The 20-year-old phenom who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 has been putting together a fantastic display of offense and defense since joining the Brooklyn Cyclones this season. Metsmerized & Mets Minors were fortunate enough to catch up with Ronny for an exclusive interview right after his workout. 

With Mauricio being assigned to the High-A affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones, only 22 miles separate him and the Major League squad in Queens. While he may be a couple of years away from a big league debut in Citi field, Ronny has every intention of playing in front of the Mets faithful one day. 

Mauricio may be thousands of miles from his hometown in the DR, but he’s indeed found a home in the United States with this Brooklyn team. Playing alongside guys like Brett Baty and Francisco Álvarez has undoubtedly made him more comfortable. “The Big Three,” as I’d like to call them, are always smiling, having fun, and laughing at Àlvarez’s antics. It would be an electric time for Mets fans if these three can find themselves in Queens together in the near future. 

While Mauricio loves playing in front of the home fans in Coney Island, he certainly hits better on the road. A split-statistic that tends to skew the other way. On the road, Ronny is slashing .330/.364/.670 with an OPS of 1.034 and seven bombs. The switch-hitter is working hard to improve his .116/.164/.130 home slash but doesn’t see any differences in his approach at home versus away.

While Mauricio thinks his approach is solid, he recognizes that his strike zone knowledge needs some work. Often falling behind in counts, Ronny needs to work on getting his pitch and capitalizing on it. This season with balls batted in play (BABIP), he’s hitting .288 with his highest isolated power (ISO) numbers in his career at .202. 

A looming question that many Mets fans wonder is Mauricio’s ability to play other positions. With Francisco Lindor locked up long-term in Queens, Ronny has undoubtedly been taking reps at different infield positions. While many prospects would feel they need to beat out their Major League counterpart in order to play, Mauricio embraces the idea of being able to play alongside “Paquito” one day. 

Mauricio’s most suitable position change would be to second base, where he was taking reps during BP.

Mauricio is more on the quiet side when you compare him to his good friend Francisco Àlvarez, but Ronny opened up and had some fun during our interview. At the end of our conversation, I gave Ronny his 2019 first Bowman rookie card, and he was ecstatic. He was even responding in English for the first time in the entire interview!

Fans need to remember that Mauricio is only 20-years-old, he’s a young prospect getting better each day while trying to have some fun in between. His raw talent is starting to translate into games, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for his future.

Thank you to Ronny, Bella, and the Brooklyn Cyclones organization for their time and effort. For more exclusive content like this, make sure to check out @Josephlangan2, @Metsmerized, and @Mets_Minors on Twitter!

 

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/mmo-exclusive-catching-up-with-mets-number-two-prospect-ronny-mauricio/feed/ 0 Mark Vientos On Fire for Double-A Binghamton https://metsmerizedonline.com/mark-vientos-on-fire-for-double-a-binghamton/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mark-vientos-on-fire-for-double-a-binghamton https://metsmerizedonline.com/mark-vientos-on-fire-for-double-a-binghamton/#respond Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:00:32 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/mark-vientos-on-fire-for-double-a-binghamton/ Mark Vientos, the Mets number six prospect according to Baseball America, has been trending in the right direction for the organization this month. Vientos was having a rough go at it to start the season, going .231/.279/.410 with an OPS of .689 and 31 strikeouts, not exactly lighting the world on fire. With fans and […]

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Mark Vientos, Photo by Peter McClelland

Mark Vientos, the Mets number six prospect according to Baseball America, has been trending in the right direction for the organization this month. Vientos was having a rough go at it to start the season, going .231/.279/.410 with an OPS of .689 and 31 strikeouts, not exactly lighting the world on fire.

With fans and scouts starting to get concerned with his level of play, Vientos stepped it up big time. Over his past 28 days, Mark is hitting .273/.344/.673 with an OPS of 1.017 and limited his strikeouts to seventeen. With Vientos getting more selective at the plate and waiting for his pitch, his productivity has ramped up as well, slamming six homers and driving in thirteen RBIs

If those numbers weren’t promising enough for fans, his numbers over the past seven days have been eye-popping. Going .385/.429/1.077 with three home runs and only two strikeouts. Over his fantastic stretch, Vientos boosted his season numbers to a respectable .246/.306/.515 with an OPS of .821 and nine-round trippers.

The biggest thing for Vientos’s development is to limit his 31.9 strikeout percentage and increase his 8.3 walk percentage, a trend he’s been trying to change since he started in the minors. Mark finally seems to be tapping into his true power potential as he leads all of the Mets minor leaguers in homers and has his highest ISO percentage ever at .269.

The third base prospect still has work to do on his defense –and has even played six games at first base this season– but the type of power he’s showing will give him offensive value no matter what position he ends up playing.

Hopefully, Vientos can continue trending upward for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and create good competition between him and his prospect counterpart, Brett Baty. The 21-year-old has some serious power and could potentially be an impactful player at the major league level if he can continue to be a patient hitter.

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/mark-vientos-on-fire-for-double-a-binghamton/feed/ 0 Mets Minors Players of the Week: Baty, Cortes Showcase Power https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-minors-players-of-the-week-baty-cortes-showcase-power/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mets-minors-players-of-the-week-baty-cortes-showcase-power https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-minors-players-of-the-week-baty-cortes-showcase-power/#respond Wed, 09 Jun 2021 01:00:36 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-minors-players-of-the-week-baty-cortes-showcase-power/ It was a good week for both offense and pitching to start the month of June for the New York Mets MiLB organizations. These are the Mets Minors Players of the Week! Triple-A Syracuse Mets After spending some time in Queens, Mets number nine prospect Khalil Lee stood out in Syracuse this week. The 22-year-old […]

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Photo: MLB.com

It was a good week for both offense and pitching to start the month of June for the New York Mets MiLB organizations. These are the Mets Minors Players of the Week!

Triple-A Syracuse Mets

After spending some time in Queens, Mets number nine prospect Khalil Lee stood out in Syracuse this week. The 22-year-old prospect slashed .444/.583/.722 with an OPS of 1.306 throughout six games against Buffalo. Lee went 8-for-18 with five doubles, five RBI’s, and four runs scored to cap off a productive week.

After struggling to start the season, the Syracuse Mets have seemed to turn their game around, winning seven of their last twelve games. Some time at the Triple-A level will serve Lee well, as he looked a bit overmatched against big-league pitching. Fans can expect to see him back in Queens one day, as he has an above-average toolset.

Thomas Szapucki had a solid start for the Syracuse Mets this week, tossing five innings in a no-decision against the Bisons. The Mets number sixteen prospect gave up one earned run on two hits, striking out seven and only walking one in the contest.

Szapucki seems to be getting better and better with each start he makes, improving his season ERA to 2.05 with opponents hitting just .241 against him. At times, Szapucki ranked as high as number five in the Mets’ prospect rankings.

If the southpaw can continue to elevate his velocity and limit the base on balls, scouts are encouraged he could make a first big league appearance during the 2021 season.

Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Carlos Cortes had a powerful week in Binghamton, stroking six extra-base hits over the course of five games. The Rumble Ponies left-fielder slashed .391/.462/.826 with an OPS of 1.288 and two home runs.

Cortes has emerged as a top thirty prospect for the Mets after showing off his incredible bat speed and increased ability to hit for power. On the season, the 23-year-old has five home runs, 18 RBIs, and an OPS over .900.

Tony Dibrell made two solid starts for the Rumble Ponies this week, earning wins in both of his outings. Dibrell tossed twelve innings of work, only allowing four earned runs and striking out ten batters.

On the season, Dibrell has accumulated an ERA of 3.20 over twenty-five innings pitched with a WHIP just above 1.1.

Dibrell was a former fourth-round pick out of Kennesaw State who throws a four-pitch mix, including a deceptive changeup. He recently fell out of the Mets top thirty prospects list, but with a couple more good outings, Dibrell can find himself back there soon enough.

High-A Brooklyn Cyclones 

There isn’t a hotter hitter than Brett Baty at the High-A level right now; the 21-year-old is making a serious name for himself after his monumental series against the Blue Claws.

Baty slashed a gaudy .524/.615/1.190 with an OPS of 1.806 and four home runs throughout twenty-one at-bats. He also drove in ten runs on the series, scored seven times, worked five walks, and only struck out four times.

After his great week, Baty now leads all of High-A East in AVG (.369), OBP (.476), second in RBIs (27), and third in doubles (7). Brett has certainly been fun to watch along with his Brooklyn counterparts, who combined for eleven homers in the series.

The future is bright for Baty if he can keep continuing to produce as he moves forward through the system.

Alec Kisena had a masterful performance on Saturday, tossing five no-hit innings in his start against the Blue Claws. Kisena struck out five batters and only allowed one walk; unfortunately, he earned a no-decision in the outing, resulting in his 1-2 record remaining the same.

Nevertheless, he’s emerged as a solid pitcher for this Brooklyn Cyclones team, only giving up six runs over 16 ⅔ innings pitched, suitable for a 3.24 ERA. Kisena has twenty-two strikeouts on the season with a 1.08 WHIP, solid numbers for a 15th round pick back in 2015.

Low-A St. Lucie Mets

The offensive numbers for the St. Lucie Mets were subpar at best. Outfielder Joe Suozzi had a solid week, though, despite the lack of production. He slashed .333/.368/.389 with an OPS of .757 throughout five games.

Not much is known about Suozzi, as these are his first eighteen at-bats at the MiLB level. However, the 23-year-old is a product out of Boston College and certainly had a good week to start his professional career.

St. Lucie Mets pitcher Oscar Rojas received Low-A Southeast Pitcher of the Week honors after two lights-out performances. The 22-year-old from Mexico tossed ten scoreless innings, only allowing three hits and striking out six in the process.

Rojas only walked two batters over the pair of stars, good for 0.50 WHIP while opponents were hitting just .100 against him. His start to the season wasn’t fantastic, but fans can begin to see his numbers even out with more starts like this.

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-minors-players-of-the-week-baty-cortes-showcase-power/feed/ 0 How He Got Here: Brett Baty’s Hard Work Pays Off https://metsmerizedonline.com/how-he-got-here-brett-batys-hard-work-pays-off/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-he-got-here-brett-batys-hard-work-pays-off https://metsmerizedonline.com/how-he-got-here-brett-batys-hard-work-pays-off/#respond Sun, 06 Jun 2021 00:00:31 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/how-he-got-here-brett-batys-hard-work-pays-off/ Coming out of the 2019 first-year player draft Brett Baty was labeled as one of the best pure hitters across the board. The 19-year-old from Austin, Texas, declined his offer to play at the collegiate level after being taken off the draft board day number one by the New York Mets. Scouts knew that the 12th […]

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Coming out of the 2019 first-year player draft Brett Baty was labeled as one of the best pure hitters across the board. The 19-year-old from Austin, Texas, declined his offer to play at the collegiate level after being taken off the draft board day number one by the New York Mets. Scouts knew that the 12th overall draft pick had the hitting tools but often questioned his age and fielding abilities.

“Originally, most scouts believed that Baty was destined for a transition to first base in pro ball because of his below-average footwork, suspect hands, and a plus throwing arm that had strength but was erratic with a slow exchange.” – Baseball America.

Baty’s first year as a Met showed promise, playing at three different levels of professional ball. At the time, the 20-year-old slashed .234/.367/.452 with an OPS of .821. While the numbers aren’t eye-popping, Baty was still able to manage 25 extra-base hits, 33 RBI’s, 35 walks, and 37 runs in the matter of 51 games played. What concerned scouts and fans the most, though, was his 65 strikeouts.

Baty ended his 2019 season with New York Penn League champion Brooklyn Cyclones, knowing he needed to do some work. With COVID-19 throwing a wrench into the MiLB season, Baty was given more time to better his approach and fill out his 6’3” frame. This added time and extra work at the alternate site with high velo level arms gave him that competitive advantage he desperately needed going into 2021.

Baty returned to the Cyclones this year as a High-A player after the realignment of the MiLB system. Scouts and coaches were highly impressed with the amount of muscle he gained along with improvement to his footwork and defense. Fans knew he had the power, but the real question was could he put more balls in play this year at a higher level of baseball?

Wasting no time, he came out of the gate blasting baseballs to all fields, looking like a transformed hitter. His approach was simplified, and he learned the strike zone at an elite level, allowing him to get the pitches he wanted to hit. In May, Baty slashed an impressive .317/.429/.397 with an OPS of .825 and only 19 strikeouts. A very drastic improvement since fans had last seen him. Baty credited his massive improvement to his patience at the plate and ability to stay on his back leg and drive the baseball.

While Baty was fantastic in his first month of High-A, his month of June is coming together even better. In the first four games against the Blue Claws, Baty is making a serious case for a promotion to Binghamton. In his 15 at-bats during the series, Brett hit 9-for-15 with two doubles, three home runs, nine RBI’s, and only two strikeouts. In addition, Baty showed his incredible power to all fields by driving two of his homers to the opposite field and one to the pull side, all going well over 350 feet apiece.

Since being drafted, scouts have questioned Baty’s abilities to perform at higher-level play. However, as we watch him in 2021, that is clearly not the case. Brett has undoubtedly proved that he has the capability to be an impact hitter at the MLB level one day. In High-A, Baty currently sits first in AVG (.372), first in OBP (.468), second in OPS (1.045) and second in RBI’s (26). He certainly has more work to do at the minor league level, but a well-earned promotion is coming sooner rather than later. It won’t be long till fans see Baty in Queens if he keeps going at this rate.

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/how-he-got-here-brett-batys-hard-work-pays-off/feed/ 0 Mets No. 1 Prospect Francisco Àlvarez Makes High-A Debut in Brooklyn https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-no-1-prospect-francisco-alvarez-makes-high-a-debut-in-brooklyn/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mets-no-1-prospect-francisco-alvarez-makes-high-a-debut-in-brooklyn https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-no-1-prospect-francisco-alvarez-makes-high-a-debut-in-brooklyn/#respond Wed, 26 May 2021 17:15:59 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-no-1-prospect-francisco-alvarez-makes-high-a-debut-in-brooklyn/ On a windy Tuesday night in Coney Island, the New York Mets No. 1 prospect, Francisco Àlvarez, made his High-A debut. This is a significant jump for the 19-year-old who had only played fifteen games at the Low-A level before getting the bump. During his snapshot with the St. Lucie Mets, Alvarez hit .417/.567/.646 with […]

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Francisco Alvarez, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

On a windy Tuesday night in Coney Island, the New York Mets No. 1 prospect, Francisco Àlvarez, made his High-A debut.

This is a significant jump for the 19-year-old who had only played fifteen games at the Low-A level before getting the bump. During his snapshot with the St. Lucie Mets, Alvarez hit .417/.567/.646 with an OPS of 1.213 and seven extra-base hits. Numbers like these certainly made it challenging for the Mets organization not to promote him to Brooklyn. 

Àlvarez joined the organization’s other top prospects, Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty, forming one of the best line-ups in the MiLB. The three will hit together in the middle of the order at three, four, and five creating a severe problem for pitchers.

Even though Àlvarez is known for his offensive prowess, he made his presence known immediately on defense to start the game. Making an excellent pick and tag on the outfield assist from Zach Ashford, the Cyclones were able to make the double play and get out of a jam.

In the bottom of the first, Antoine Duplantis and Mauricio pushed singles through the holes allowing Àlvarez to step to the plate for the first time. The powerful righty smashed a line drive to center field, but Zach Watson came on to make the nice running play. Nonetheless, a fantastic swing that Cyclone fans can get used to.

Àlvarez certainly needs more work when it comes to receiving and framing pitches at higher velocities. After changing to the new hybrid style of catching in training camp, his ability to block balls in the dirt has improved along with his overall defensive game. The only part that didn’t need improving was his cannon of an arm, which he put on display on Tuesday night. 

Francisco got three more at-bats as the dreadful night for Brooklyn went on. It wasn’t until his very last plate appearance, trailing 8-1, that he saw results from his good swings. Crushing a liner to left, Kyle Stowers made an excellent play to cut the ball off and hold Àlvarez to a thunderous single. A significant milestone for the Venezuelan native as it was his first hit at the High-A level.

He finished the night 1-for-4 as Brooklyn dropped their series opener to the Aberdeen IronBirds 8-1.

Àlvarez will immediately impact this Cyclones lineup, taking some of the pressure off of his prospect counterparts Baty and Mauricio. There’s no telling how much damage the Mets top three hitting prospects can do together. This is a rare occurrence that does not happen very often, and fans should enjoy it while they can. 

Welcome to Brooklyn Francisco Àlvarez! 

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]]> https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-no-1-prospect-francisco-alvarez-makes-high-a-debut-in-brooklyn/feed/ 0 Prospect Spotlight: Baty and Mauricio Shine Bright In Brooklyn Infield https://metsmerizedonline.com/prospect-spotlight-baty-and-mauricio-shine-bright-in-brooklyn-infield/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prospect-spotlight-baty-and-mauricio-shine-bright-in-brooklyn-infield https://metsmerizedonline.com/prospect-spotlight-baty-and-mauricio-shine-bright-in-brooklyn-infield/#respond Fri, 21 May 2021 01:00:00 +0000 https://metsmerizedonline.com/prospect-spotlight-baty-and-mauricio-shine-bright-in-brooklyn-infield/ The anticipation for the Minor League Baseball season had many Mets fans excited to see their organization’s new High-A affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones. To start 2021, Brooklyn features the number three and five prospects in the organization, Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty. High expectations are placed on the two infielders, but their play goes above and beyond […]

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Brett Baty (Left) and Ronny Mauricio (right), Photo by Joseph Langan of MMO

The anticipation for the Minor League Baseball season had many Mets fans excited to see their organization’s new High-A affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones. To start 2021, Brooklyn features the number three and five prospects in the organization, Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty. High expectations are placed on the two infielders, but their play goes above and beyond what anyone imagined. 

The already star-studded infield in Brooklyn has been boosted by the stellar play of Joe Genord, who is tearing the cover off the ball. The first baseman from the University of South Florida is quietly putting together a fantastic season. He’s accumulated a slash line of .341/.367/.727 with eight extra-base hits after Wednesday’s three-hit performance against Hudson Valley.

Genord’s four homers this year have him tied with teammate Ronny Mauricio and six others for fourth place in the High-A East. Joe’s batting average is good for seventh, while his sky-high OPS of 1.095 currently ranks second in the division, just behind Tyreque Reed of the Greenville Drive. Genord is a powerful first baseman who is slightly on the older side; if his production continues to trend upwards, fans could see a bump to Double-A sooner rather than later. 

Mauricio has all the tools to be an impact player in the majors one day, and he’s certainly showing it in Brooklyn. The switch-hitter from the Dominican Republic had a solid season back in 2019, hitting .268/.307/.357 with an OPS of .665 over 116 games in Columbia. High strikeouts and below-average power made fans skeptical about his future, but Mauricio made it his mission to get stronger over the lull in 2020.

Out of the gate, his hard work is certainly paying off, slashing .320/.358/.660, and he has that OPS at 1.018, good for eighth in the division. After struggling against lefties in 2019, Mauricio seems to be a legitimate threat from both sides of the plate, hitting over .300 as both a lefty and a righty. Matching his total home run numbers (4) from 2019 in the matter of eleven games, Ronny has seen that slugging percentage surge, currently ranking fourth in the division. The 20-year-old added noticeable strength to his frame over the offseason, and it’s been showing up in games. 

While Mauricio and Genord have shined, Brett Baty has been the star of the show in Brooklyn so far. Being the twelfth overall pick back in 2019, Baty was touted as the “best prep school hitter coming out of the draft,” and he’s showing it here in 2021. After Wednesday night’s four-hit performance, Baty has secured the league lead in batting average, hitting .425. Baty doesn’t try to do too much out of the cleanup spot, driving the ball to all fields and bringing in runs. He currently sits in second place in the division with 14 RBIs, just behind Bowling Green’s Grant Witherspoon.

Baty’s advanced knowledge of the strike zone has allowed him to get the pitches he wants to hit and get on base at a higher clip. As a direct result of his patience, Baty’s .520 OBP has him atop the High-A East by a good margin. Brett has not recorded a round-tripper yet this season but certainly has the power.

Baty has looked like a very advanced hitter for High-A, so it will be interesting to see how long the presence of fellow third base prospect Mark Vientos will hold him back from a promotion to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. 

This Cyclones infield has been extraordinary so far in 2021, having three of the top eight hitters by OPS in the league. Second baseman Luke Ritter has been no slouch himself, he has three home runs and a .800 OPS in 11 games. 

Fans should catch a game at Brooklyn soon because Genord, Mauricio, and Baty may be promoted more shortly than you think. The Cyclones are back in action Thursday night against the fireballer Luis Medina.

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