The New York Mets today announced that outfielder Brandon Nimmo and shortstop Amed Rosario were named Sterling Minor League Organizational Co-Players of the Year and LHP P.J. Conlon earned Sterling Organizational Pitcher of the Year honors.
Brandon Nimmo played all three outfield spots this year for the 51s on the way to a great bounce back season in which he hit .352/.423/.541 and got his first taste off major league action. His .423 on-base led the PCL while his 11 home runs and 25 doubles were both career highs.
Amed Rosario hit .324/.374/.459 while setting career highs with 24 doubles, 12 triples and five home runs between the St. Lucie and Binghamton Mets.
P.J. Conlon was 12-2 with a 1.65 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP combined for the Columbia Fireflies and the St. Lucie Mets. His combined 1.65 ERA was the best full season starter ERA in the minor leagues this season.
In addition, the Mets announced the 2016 Sterling Awards, emblematic of the Most Valuable Player for each of the organization’s nine minor league affiliates.
Las Vegas 51s
- T.J. Rivera – The 51s utility guy hit .353/.93/.516 with career highs in doubles (31), homers (11) and RBI (85).
Binghamton Mets (Co-Players)
- Dominic Smith – The 21-year old hit .302/.367/.457 with a career high 14 home runs and 91 RBI. He struck out only 74 times compared to 50 walks.
- Phillip Evans – The Eastern League batting title winner hit .335/.374/.485 with career highs in doubles (30) and home runs (8) in 361 at-bats for the B-Mets.
St. Lucie Mets
- Tomas Nido – The 22-year old catcher had a breakout season in which he won the Florida State League batting title with his .320 average. He also set career highs with 23 doubles, seven home runs and 46 runs batted in.
Columbia Fireflies
- David Thompson – The young third baseman led the Mets minor leagues with a combined 95 runs batted in between the Fireflies and the St. Lucie Mets. In 61 games for the Fireflies he hit .294/.344/.474 with 22 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 58 RBI.
Brooklyn Cyclones
- Desmond Lindsay – The 19-year old outfeidler hit .297/.418/.450 with a 20 BB/26 K ratio in 32 games with the Brooklyn Cyclones. On August 12th, he drove in seven runs and finished a triple short of the cycle in what is his best pro game to date.
Kingsport Mets
- Thomas Szapucki – Overall this year the young left-hander made nine starts between Kingsport and Brooklyn going 4-3 with a 1.38 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and a 14.9 K/9. He had double digit strikeout games in five of his nine starts.
GCL Mets
- Carlos Sanchez – In his stateside debut he hit .317/.382/.44 with eight doubles, two triples, two home runs and knocked in 16. He played catcher, second, third and first base for the Gulf Coast League Mets.
DSL Mets (1&2)
- Raul Beracierta – The 17-year old outfielder played every outfield position in his first pro season. Beracierta hit .327/.397/.403 combined between the DSL Mets1 & 2 with one homer, three triples and seven doubles.
- Andres Gimenez – The 18-year old shortstop hit .350/.469/.523 to go with 27 extra base hits. He walked 46 times compared to only 22 strikeouts on the season.
The Sterling Award winners will head to East Harlem on Monday, September 19 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. to make sandwiches to help feed the hungry at New York Common Pantry located on 8 East 109th Street.
