Mets Minors Weekly Report: Parada, Vasil Lead the Way

Kevin Parada, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

All four teams in the Mets system failed to win their series this week, continuing a trend of subpar performances that have also affected the major league club. Here are the biggest developments throughout the system, including big weeks from Kevin Parada and Mike Vasil.

Triple-A Syracuse

The Syracuse Mets dropped five of six games at home against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. They are currently riding a three-game losing streak, and their season record sits at 15-18.

It was a tale of two halves of the week for Ronny Mauricio, who went 9-for-23 with two doubles, a triple, three RBI, and three runs scored. He was also successful on both of his stolen base attempts. Mauricio had eight of his nine hits in the first three games of the series, going just 1-for-10 during the team’s current three-game losing streak.

Mark Vientos went 5-for-22 with two home runs, a double, and four RBI. He managed the team’s only hit in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader, and he became the first Mets farmhand to reach double-digit homers on the year. His 1.120 season OPS is second in the International League among qualified batters, and his 10 home runs is tied for third-most.

With the major league club struggling so mightily with finding offensive production, it would seem like the promotions of Mauricio and Vientos should be imminent. Brett Baty and Francisco Álvarez have been two of the only bright spots in the lineup during the team’s recent skid, and Mauricio and Vientos may have their shot at providing production to a lineup that sorely needs it.

DJ Stewart had a monster week, going 5-for-15 with four homers, all solo shots. The man who hit for the cycle back in spring training has found his power stroke after hitting just two homers through the first month of the season.

David Peterson struggled in his first start with Syracuse since being optioned from the major league club, allowing four runs on seven hits across five innings. He walked five batters and recorded just four strikeouts.

Nathan Lavender made his Syracuse debut after being called up last week, firing off 1 1/3 scoreless innings and striking out two batters. Grant Hartwig lowered his season ERA to 1.35 after pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings over two outings, while Josh Walker’s ERA is down to 0.87 after his 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Double-A Binghamton

The Rumble Ponies lost five of six games away at the Somerset Patriots. They have lost four straight and have an 11-14 record this year.

It was a quiet week all around for the offense. The team’s most productive hitter to this point of the season has been Matt Rudick, but he went just 2-for-18 with one double.

Dominic Hamel and Mike Vasil had superb starts in their respective appearances on the mound. Hamel picked up his first win of the season in the team’s only victory this week, allowing one run across five innings and striking out eight batters. Vasil was even better, allowing just one run in six scoreless innings and racking up seven strikeouts.

Hamel and Vasil proved this week why they are among the organization’s highest-regarded pitching prospects. They have both been off to great starts this year despite the Rumble Ponies’ overall struggles, and getting a full season with them both in the same starting rotation could become one of the developments fans have the most to look forward to this year.

High-A Brooklyn

The Cyclones split their six-game series at home against the Aberdeen IronBirds. Their overall record sits at 9-14.

Kevin Parada had a strong week, going 7-for-23 with three doubles, one triple, and one home run. He finished a homer shy of the cycle in Tuesday’s game and recorded at least one hit in five of six games. Alex Ramírez went 4-for-21 with a double, three RBI, and two runs scored. He split time between center field and left field this week and collected two of his RBI in the one game he hit cleanup instead of in his usual leadoff spot.

Blade Tidwell recorded the first double-digit strikeout game of his professional career in his one start, punching out 10 batters across 5 1/3 innings but also allowing three runs and being tagged with a loss. He has a 5.40 ERA through the early part of the season.

Tyler Stuart continued his strong campaign with two great starts. He allowed two runs (one earned) and struck out nine batters across five innings in his first start, and he fired off two scoreless innings with three strikeouts in his second outing. His season ERA sits at 1.74.

Jordan Geber was sensational in relief of Stuart on Sunday, allowing just three hits across seven scoreless innings and striking out six to pick up his second win of the year. He also pitched a scoreless inning on Tuesday, giving him eight scoreless innings total this week.

Low-A St. Lucie

The St. Lucie Mets dropped four of six games at home against the Jupiter Hammerheads. The team’s 7-20 record this year is the worst in the Florida State League.

Jett Williams returned after missing most of the previous week’s series, going 2-for-11 with a double, three RBI, and a stolen base in the three games he played. He was lifted for a pinch runner in the third game of the series and did not play the rest of the week.

Wilfredo Lara had quite the week in his season debut, going 8-for-19 with two homers, nine RBI, and four runs scored. The 19-year-old had a .691 OPS in 42 games of rookie ball last year, so the early success is both somewhat unexpected and a welcome sign for a St. Lucie team in desperate need of more production from the offense.

Jordany Ventura made two starts, allowing three runs across five innings in the first and pitching a scoreless inning in the second. Javier Atencio and Layonel Ovalles each allowed four runs across five innings in their respective starts, and both were tagged with a loss.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – Mark Vientos (SYR) – .339

OPS – Mark Vientos – 1.120

HR – Mark Vientos – 10

SB – Omar De Los Santos (BRK) – 13

Pitching

(Among qualified players)

ERA – Tyler Stuart (BRK) – 1.74

SO – Mike Vasil (BNG) – 34

WHIP – Mike Vasil – 0.77

Players of the Week

Offense – Kevin Parada, C Brooklyn

Parada put together easily his best week of the year, with five extra-base hits across his six games and even recording his first career triple. The 21-year-old Parada is the same age as Francisco Álvarez but is looking to follow in Álvarez’s footsteps as a highly touted catching prospect with huge offensive upside.

Parada split his time at catcher (four games) and DH (two games) this series, continuing a trend that has lasted all year. It remains to be seen if Parada will stay at catcher, both because of the presence of Álvarez and because of early concerns about his ability to play the position effectively. Parada has played exclusively as a catcher throughout his college and professional career, so a shift in position may be difficult at first but could ultimately be best for his long-term prospects.

Honorable mentions go to Wilfredo Lara for his outstanding first week at the Low-A level, Ronny Mauricio for his continued offensive production, and DJ Stewart for his four-homer week.

Pitching – Mike Vasil, P Binghamton

Vasil was lights out in his start this week, scattering just three baserunners (one hit, two walks) across six scoreless innings. He struck out seven batters, and he lowered his season WHIP to 0.77, a stellar mark that leads all qualified pitchers in the organization.

The 23-year-old Vasil has adjusted very well to life in Double-A, doing a superb job of preventing batters from reaching base against him and racking up 34 strikeouts in just 22 innings of work. He’s been bit by the long ball, allowing three homers already after surrendering just four in over 70 innings last season, but he has issued just four walks, an immense improvement over his career walk rate. Vasil is well on his way to a career year for an organization that is currently quite thin on highly rated pitching prospects.

Honorable mentions go to Dominic Hamel for his strong start for Binghamton and Jordan Geber for his electric seven-inning relief outing for Brooklyn.