Opening Day may not have gone as hoped for the big-league club, but a pair of the Mets’ top farmhands were raring to go and got their seasons off on the right foot for Triple-A Syracuse.
Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuña, who profile as the No. 2 and No. 3 prospects respectively in the team’s system according to MLB Pipeline, blasted back-to-back solo home runs off of former Met Robert Gsellman in the fourth inning of a 6-3 season-opening win at home against the Rochester Red Wings.
Photo Credit: James Farrance
Gilbert’s homer travelled 380 feet to right field with an exit velocity of 101.9 mph and put Syracuse up 5-1 before Acuña matched that distance with a 380-foot bomb of his own to center field that was 104.1 mph off the bat and further extended the lead to 6-1.
Both Gilbert and Acuña made their Triple-A debuts in the contest after coming over from the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers organizations, respectively, at last season’s trade deadline. Gilbert, rated as the No. 51 overall prospect by Pipeline, finished the day with a 1-for-4 stat line while Acuña, ranked No. 64, went 1-for-5.
