The Mets have brought back Zach Lutz to the organization after releasing him last June to allow him to sign with Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League. He has been added to the Las Vegas 51’s roster to take the place of OF/IF Alex Castellanos who is headed to play in Japan.
Castellanos was having a great year for the 51’s leading the PCL in doubles (32), SLG (.614), runs (58), 2nd in OPS (.996), 4th in homeruns (16), and 10th in average (.314) while playing all four corner positions and center field.
Lutz hit .314/.370/.667 with five homeruns and eighteen RBI in 15 games for the Golden Eagles after being released by the Mets last year. He was just 3-27 with a homerun while playing for Doosan this year in the Korean Baseball Organization. From 2013-2014 he played 170 games in Las Vegas hitting 38 doubles, 20 homeruns, and 117 RBI over 626 at bats.
Zach made his Major League debut for the Mets on April 24th, 2012 going just 1-11 before finding success in 2013 when he hit .300/.462/.400 in 20 at bats while playing third and first base. Lutz played third base exclusively in 2014 with the 51’s and the Golden Eagles.
Rainy Lara has been demoted from Las Vegas back down to Binghamton to put the Mets back into a 6-man rotation. Lara struggled in his 5 AAA starts giving up 48 baserunners in 24 innings and putting up a 7.12 ERA. Brooklyn infielder Branden Kaupe has been also added to the B’Mets as a temporary option with only four infielders on the roster before his addition. Binghamton will also receive Jonathan Galvez, who they signed five days ago out of the Atlantic League, when he returns from playing for the Dominican Republic in the Pan Am Games. The 24-year old is a career .278/.364/.420 hitter in the Minors League while playing all the infield spots and left field. He was released by AAA Scranton in June.
Starting pitcher Chris Flexen has been promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones to continue his rehab assignment. Flexen pitched 6 scoreless inning with five strikeouts in three appearances for the GCL Mets. Outfielder Hengelbert Rojas was also promoted to Brooklyn from the Kingsport Mets roster.
Outfielder Ivan Wilson has been promoted from the GCL Mets to Kingsport, he is joined by catcher/1B Jose Maria who was playing in the Gulf Coast League as well. The Mets also added their 2015 18th round pick and right-handed pitcher Jordan Humphreys to the GCL Mets roster.
