The Mets’ top pitching prospect and their two-way player were in action during an intriguing day in the minor leagues. Both pitched well, and Mark Vientos continued to show off his power.
Triple-A
Syracuse Mets (5-5) 3, Worcester Red Sox (4-6) 2
- 3B Mark Vientos: 1-for-3, R, HR (3), 2 RBIs (9), K (1.016 OPS)
- SS Luisangel Acuña: 1-for-4, R, 3B, 2 Ks (.444 OPS)
- 2B Jose Iglesias: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI (3), BB (1.009 OPS)
While the Syracuse offense only had four hits in the win, Vientos continued his strong start to the season on Wednesday when he hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to open up the scoring.
Mark Vientos doing Mark Vientos things 💪
2-0 SMets pic.twitter.com/ulfrp5jAQW— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) April 10, 2024
Vientos drove in Acuña, who tripled to lead off the inning. The shortstop has at least one hit in four of the last five games, and he showed off his speed on the bases.
- RHP Christian Scott (1-0, 4.00 ERA): 5 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, BB, 10 K (57 of 83 pitches for strikes)
- LHP Nate Lavender (6.75): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 K (12 of 17 pitches for strikes)
- RHP Grant Hartwig (6.00, 1st Save): 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 2 K (16 of 24 pitches for strikes)
It’s only been two starts, but Scott has been dominant in his first taste of Triple-A baseball. He struck out 7 of the first 11 batters he faced. According to Baseball Savant, he got 12 swings and misses and threw his fastball in the zone 63% of the time. In his first two starts of the year, the 24-year-old right-hander has 19 strikeouts to 1 walk in nine innings of work.
Come for Christian Scott’s seventh K in three innings, stay for the cotton candy pic.twitter.com/gTKTp414Sx
— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) April 10, 2024
Double-A
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (2-3) 4, Erie SeaWolves (3-2) 3
- SS Jett Williams: 2-for-4, R, 2B, 3B, RBI (1), K (.733 OPS)
- LF Rhylan Thomas: 3-for-4, R, 2B, SB, RBI (1) (.873 OPS)
- DH Kevin Parada: 0-for-3, RBI (2), K (.744 OPS)
- CF Alex Ramirez: 0-for-3, RBI (3), 3 K (1.048 OPS)
- 1B JT Schwartz: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K (.679 OPS)
Williams was able to shine in the leadoff spot on Wednesday afternoon as his triple in the top of the fifth ended up breaking a 1-1 tie. That would be followed up by an RBI single from Thomas.
Parada’s sacrifice fly in the eighth ultimately scored the game-winning run for Binghamton. Thomas, the 23-year-old, had his first three-hit game of the year and his first since August 12, 2023, when he was with Brooklyn.
- RHP Tyler Stuart (5.79): 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 2 K (48 of 74 pitches for strikes)
- LHP Daniel Juarez (3.00): 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H (9 of 13 pitches for strikes)
- RHP Hunter Parsons (1-0, 0.00): 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 3 K, HBP (16 of 26 pitches for strikes)
- RHP Wilkin Ramos (0.00, 2nd save): 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 K (9 of 11 pitches for strikes)
Stuart was unable to get out of the fifth inning and maintain the lead for the Rumble Ponies as he allowed nine hits (two extra-base hits). The nine hits allowed were the most he has surrendered in a start in his minor league career. The Binghamton bullpen did not allow a run over the final 4+ innings and combined for six strikeouts in the victory.
High-A
Asheville Tourists (3-2) 7, Brooklyn Cyclones (1-4) 3
- SS William Lugo: 1-for-4, RBI (3), BB, 3 K (.855 OPS)
- RF Omar De Los Santos: 1-for-5, R, RBI (1), 2 K (.464 OPS)
- 2B Junior Tilien: 2-for-4 (.594 OPS)
- C Drake Osborn: 2-for-3, R, BB, K (1.000 OPS)
- 1B Ryan Clifford: 0-for-2, 3 BB (.582 OPS)
The Cyclones had seven hits, but they did not record an extra-base hit, and their lineup combined to strike out 12 times in the loss. All three runs came in the bottom of the seventh due to RBI singles from De Los Santos and Lugo and a wild pitch.
Lugo has shown good discipline at the plate, with eight walks in the first five games of the year. Clifford also showed a good eye, with a three-walk game of his own (his fourth since 2023).
- RHP Nolan McLean (0.00): 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K, 2 HBP (36 of 56 pitches for strikes)
- RHP Victor Castaneda (0-1, 11.57): 2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB (22 of 38 pitches for strikes)
- RHP Ben Simon (6.75): 2.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 K, HBP (32 of 44 pitches for strikes)
Wednesday was McLean’s High-A debut, and the third-round pick in last year’s MLB Draft had his longest outing of his career in his third professional outing. Even though he hit two batters in the top of the third, he got himself out of trouble with a double play and a strikeout during the inning.
Final line for Nolan McLean in his season debut for the Brooklyn Cyclones:
3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) April 10, 2024
Low-A
St. Lucie Mets (2-3) 4, Jupiter Hammerheads (2-3) 1
- C Christopher Suero: 2-for-4, R, 3B, 2 RBIs (3), K (.568 OPS)
- 2B Diego Mosquera: 2-for-4, 2 RBIs (2), BB (.900 OPS)
- 3B Jesus Baez: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB, K (.654 OPS)
- CF Nick Morabito: 1-for-3, R, BB (.867 OPS)
- SS Colin Houck: 0-for-5, 2 K (.536 OPS)
The St. Lucie offense was quiet for the bulk of Wednesday, but it came alive in the ninth with a four-run inning. Suero drove in the go-ahead runs on a two-run triple. Four batters later, Mosquera drove in two runs of his own with a base hit.
- RHP Kade Morris (0.00): 5 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K (47 of 65 pitches for strikes)
- RHP Jawilme Ramirez (0.00): 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 3 K (21 of 32 pitches for strikes)
- RHP Alan Perdomo (1-0, 2.70): 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 2 K (15 of 21 pitches for strikes)
- RHP Brett Banks (4.50, 1st save): 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, K (19 of 28 pitches for strikes)
While Morris was unable to get the win, he was as efficient as can be on the mound. The 3rd-round pick in last year’s MLB Draft had a career-high four strikeouts in his third professional start. Banks was able to work out of trouble in the ninth to record the second save of his career.