Offseason acquisition Jose Siri shined at the plate in Dominican Winter League play on Friday night. The center fielder had two hits in five at-bats with a triple, a walk, two RBIs, and two runs. Siri has played well this winter and figures to split time with Tyrone Taylor in center field in 2025.

Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

According to SNY’s Jim Duquette, Pete Alonso‘s camp has offered the Mets a three-year contract that features opt-outs. Duquette noted that no deal is close at the moment.

The Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets’ High-A affiliate, announced on X that they are installing an upgraded video board for the 2025 season.

Latest MLB News

The Blue Jays signed reliever Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million deal Friday night. Hoffman excelled with the Phillies in 2024, pitching to a 2.17 ERA and an All-Star nod. According to Robert Murray of FanSided, Hoffman was in agreement with the Orioles on a three-year, $40 million deal but it fell through when the Orioles flagged his physical.

According to Dan Martin of the New York Post, the Yankees fans who notoriously interfered with Mookie Betts during Game 1 of the World Series have been banned indefinitely from all major league ballparks.

The Cubs signed starter Colin Rea to a one-year, $5 million deal. Rea had a 12-6 record with a 4.29 ERA with the Brewers in 2024.

The White Sox signed former Met Omar Narváez to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training. Narváez played in 28 games with the Mets in 2024 before latching on with the Astros’ Triple-A team.

Tyler Skaggs’ family’s trial against the Angels has been delayed again and will now take place in September this year. It was initially scheduled for October 2023.

Latest on MMO

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki profiles pitcher Jakob Junis as a potential free agent target for the Mets.

Sean Kenny writes about Mets prospects included on Baseball America’s latest article ranking top prospects at each position.

On This Date in Mets History

2022: The Mets announced they would be retiring Keith Hernandez‘s no. 17 jersey. The team held a ceremony during the following season on July 9.

2024: Bud Harrelson passed away one year ago today. Harrelson enjoyed a career that spanned parts of 16 seasons, 13 of which he spent in a Mets uniform. He was a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner, and a member of the 1969 World Series champion Mets.

Born On This Date: Stephen Nogosek (1995), Jermaine Allensworth (1972), Rey Ordóñez (1971), Dan Norman (1955), Jim McAndrew (1944), Danny Napoleon (1944).

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While Acuña and the Syracuse Mets enjoyed a victory, Binghamton, Brooklyn, and St. Lucie suffered losses despite a strong pitching performance in Binghamton and an offensive explosion in St. Lucie. Let’s look at all the action from the Mets’ minor league affiliates on Sunday.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (22-15) 6, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (13-23) 0

BOX SCORE

• CF Luisangel Acuña: 2-for-5, 2 R, BB, K
• RF Ben Gamel: 2-for-4, 2B (9), 2 RBI (21), BB, 2 K
• 3B Mark Vientos: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K
• 1B Luke Ritter: 2-for-5, 2 RBI (18), 2K

The Mets had a great day at the plate on Sunday against the IronPigs, recording 14 hits and six walks to score six runs. Every batter had at least one hit, while five players had multiple hits. While guys like Ben Gamel, Mark Vientos, and Luke Ritter turn in great performances daily, it was good to see Luisangel Acuña have a good day at the plate.

Photo Credit: James Farrance

Acuña has struggled on the offensive side of things early in the year, but he reached base three times and scored two runs in Sunday’s game. Mike Brosseau and Hayden Senger were the two other batters, including Acuña, Gamel, and Ritter, to record two hits in the game.

• RHP Tylor Megill (W, 1-0): 5 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 6 K
• LHP Danny Young: 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K
• RHP Yacksel Ríos: 1 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Grant Hartwig: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K
• RHP Dedniel Núñez: 1 IP, 0 ER, H, BB, K

The Syracuse pitching staff gave up ten hits in total, but they were able to keep Lehigh Valley off the board with a shutout. Tylor Megill led the effort with 5 1/3 shutout innings, and he has looked solid in his rehab assignments thus far. Following Megill, four relievers combined for 3 2/3 shutout innings, with Danny Young and Grant Hartwig allowing no baserunners in their appearances.

In both facets of the game, it was a thoroughly dominant victory for the Syracuse Mets on Sunday.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (18-13) 2, Portland Sea Dogs (17-14) 4

BOX SCORE

• 3B Rowdey Jordan: 2-for-4, 2B (7), K
• C Kevin Parada: 1-for-4, HR (4), R, RBI (17), 2 K
• LF Brandon McIlwain: 2-for-3, K
• 2B Mateo Gil: 1-for-3, HR (1), R, RBI (2), K

The Rumble Ponies fell 4-2 to the Portland Sea Dogs on Sunday. It was a slow offensive day for Binghamton, whose two runs came on a pair of solo shots from Kevin Parada and Mateo Gil. For Parada, it was his fourth of the year in what has been a really sluggish start in Double-A. His batting average still sits below .200, and his OPS following Sunday’s game is .634.

Kevin Parada. Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Rhylan Thomas and Alex Ramírez, two of Binghamton’s better hitters to start the year, went hitless in the effort.

• RHP Tyler Stuart: 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Cam Robinson: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 0 K
• RHP Andre Scrubb (L, 0-1): 1 IP, 2 ER, H, BB, 0 K
• RHP Junior Santos: 1 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, K

Despite the loss, the pitching staff didn’t pitch poorly. Tyler Stuart allowed a first inning run before again allowing the Sea Dogs to take the lead in the fifth inning. Stuart’s outing ended after five innings, and he allowed two runs. His ERA on the season is 3.86. The Rumble Ponies tied the game again, but Andre Scrubb allowed the game-losing blow with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (18-15) 2, Rome Emperors (17-14) 8

BOX SCORE

• CF Nick Morabito: 3-for-4, 2B (2), R
• 1B Nick Lorusso: 1-for-4, R, RBI (16), 2 K
• SS William Lugo: 1-for-4, 2B (3), RBI (10), K

The Cyclones also had a slow offensive game in their loss against the Rome Emperors on Sunday. One of the lone highlights was Nick Morabito, who had a three-hit game, including a double in just his fifth game in Brooklyn. He recorded three of Brooklyn’s six hits.

Both of Brooklyn’s runs came in the fourth inning. The first on a single from Nick Lorusso and a double from William Lugo. Brooklyn’s eight other frames were scoreless, making it nearly impossible to put up a fight.

• LHP Felipe De La Cruz (L, 1-4): 2 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K
• RHP Dakota Hawkins: 2 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Joey Lancellotti: 1 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Jeffrey Colon: 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 0 K

The performances of Brooklyn pitchers, particularly Felipe De La Cruz and Dakota Hawkins, contributed to the loss. Together, they combined for five innings and gave up seven earned runs. The big blow of the game was a bases-clearing double surrendered by De La Cruz to put the Emperors ahead 4-0. Joey Lancellotti also surrendered a run, while Jeffrey Colon had the only scoreless outing of the day.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (12-21) 11, Bradenton Marauders (15-18) 12

BOX SCORE

• SS Marco Vargas: 2-for-5, 2B (1), 3 R, BB, K
• DH Jesus Baez: 2-for-6, HR (4), R, 2 RBI (18)
• 3B Boston Baro: 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI (12), BB, K
• CF Yohairo Cuevas: 4-for-5, R, 3 RBI (9), K
• LF Estarling Mercado: 1-for-4, 2B (4), R, 2 RBI (9), BB, 2 K

The St. Lucie Mets and Bradenton Marauders participated in a shootout on Friday. The two teams combined for 23 runs, and the Marauders came out on top. The Mets added five runs in the top of the second inning, but that lead was quickly erased by the third when Bradenton took a 7-5 lead. The two teams continued to go back and forth before heading to extra innings tied at 10. While St. Lucie scored a run in the top of the 10th, Bradenton scored two in the bottom of the inning to walk it off and secure the win.

Jesus Baez, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Jesus Baez knocked his fourth home run of the year in the loss, and his OPS for 2024 is now .800. Marco Vargas and Boston Baro also found success at the plate, but the most unexpected performance came from Yohairo Cuevas. Cuevas has had a mostly unremarkable start to the season, but he recorded four hits and three RBIs in this game. Despite his efforts, it wasn’t enough to put St. Lucie over the top.

• RHP Austin Troesser: 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Layonel Ovalles: 1 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Miguel Alfonseca (BS, 1): 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, K
• RHP Alan Perdomo: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Wilson Lopez (BS, 1): 1 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 2 H, 2 BB, 0 K
• RHP Jimmy Loper: 3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K
• RHP Jawilme Ramirez (L, 1-1) (BS, 1): 1/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, BB, 0 K

It was an ugly day for the St. Lucie pitching staff. While some pitchers, such as Alan Perdomo and Jimmy Loper, pitched well, others such as Layonel Ovalles and Wilson Lopez, pitched poorly enough to discount St. Lucie’s fantastic day at the plate. Austin Troesser started the game and allowed two earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. He entered the game with a 3.04 ERA and exited with a 3.55 ERA.

The post Luisangel Acuña, Kevin Parada Heat Up at Plate appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Despite the lack of offensive production, there were a couple of standout players. Mark Vientos hit a home run, his sixth of the year, in Syracuse’s loss. It was also his 23rd RBI of the year. Additionally, Nick Lorusso extended his hitting streak to six. The 23-year-old had an extremely rough go of it in St. Lucie last year, but he’s off to a terrific start in Brooklyn this year, where Lorusso has a .902 OPS in 71 at-bats.

Let’s look at the rest of the scores and performances around the Mets’ minor league teams on Sunday.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (17-14) 1, Rochester Red Wings (15-14) 6

BOX SCORE

• CF Luisangel Acuña: 1-for-4
• 3B Mark Vientos: 1-for-4, HR (6), R, RBI (23), 2 K
• RF Trayce Thompson: 0-for-3, K

The final game of the series between the Mets and Red Wings wasn’t a close one, as Syracuse’s offense couldn’t get much going in this one. The only run came on a solo shot by Mark Vientos in the top of the ninth inning, with Syracuse already down 6-0. That home run raised Vientos’ season average in Syracuse to .300 and his OPS to .944.

The other five hits recorded by Mets batters were all singles, and the team drew just one walk, so there were very few scoring chances throughout.

Mark Vientos. Credit: Ed Delaney, MMO

• RHP Dom Hamel (L, 1-2): 3 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 2 K
• RHP Grant Hartwig: 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, K
• RHP Yacksel Ríos: 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Eric Orze: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Hunter Parsons: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K

All of the damage from the Rochester offense came against Dom Hamel, who had an uncharacteristically poor outing. He allowed 12 baserunners in 3 1/3 innings while only striking out two batters. Former Met Travis Blankenhorn drove in three of the six runs allowed, one via a long ball and two via a line drive single. Hamel’s ERA now sits at 6.58 after his brutal showing.

Grant Hartwig relieved Hamel in the fourth and escaped the inning scoreless despite allowing two hits. It was smooth sailing after, as Yacksel Ríos, Eric Orze, and Hunter Parsons combined to throw four perfect innings. It was too little too late, as the Mets were already down 6-0 during that entire stretch. Vientos’ home run in the ninth finally put the Mets on the board, but it wasn’t enough.

Double-A

Sunday’s game between the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and the Hartford Yard Goats was canceled due to inclement weather. The game will not be made up.

High-A

Aberdeen IronBirds (13-14) 2, Brooklyn Cyclones (15-12) 5

BOX SCORE

• 1B Nick Lorusso: 1-for-4, K
• C Drake Osborn: 1-for-3, R, BB, K, SB (1)
• LF Jose Hernandez: 1-for-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI (5), 2 K
• CF Omar De Los Santos: 1-for-4, R, K, 2 SB (17)

The Cyclones defeated the IronBirds by three runs in a game where three of the runs scored by Brooklyn came via a walk, a balk, and a throwing error on a stolen base attempt. It wasn’t the cleanest of games, especially for Aberdeen’s pitching staff, but Brooklyn is happy to take the win. It was a 2-2 game heading into the eighth inning, but a three-spot from the Brooklyn offense gave the team plenty of insurance heading into the ninth, and they held on for the win.

Nick Lorusso continued his stellar season by extending his hitting streak, and Drake Osborn, who’s having an unexpectedly good year at the plate, added a hit, a walk, and a stolen base in the effort. His OPS for the year is .948. Another notable performance came from Omar De Los Santos, who added his 16th and 17th stolen bases of the year. His run came on a throwing error on a steal of third base. He’s only batting .184/.253/.263 on the year but continues to steal bases whenever he gets on.

• RHP Douglas Orellana: 2 2/3 IP, ER, 0 H, 3 BB, 4 K
• RHP Jordany Ventura: 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, BB, K
• RHP Justin Lawson: 3 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, K
• RHP Brett Banks (W, 2-0): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 2 K
• RHP Josh Hejka (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, K

Douglas Orellana started the game for the Cyclones but pitched just 2 2/3 innings. He allowed an earned run despite not allowing a hit, as he was pulled from the game responsible for a runner on base. He walked three and struck out four in the effort, and he currently has a season ERA of 1.33. Jordany Ventura pitched the next 1 1/3 innings and did not allow a run. His season ERA dropped down to 2.35.

Justin Lawson got the bulk of the work in this game. He relieved Ventura and pitched three innings. He allowed an earned run on three hits and three walks, striking out just one batter. Brett Banks got the win after pitching a scoreless eighth, and Josh Hejka shut it down and recorded his first save of the season in the ninth.

Low-A

Jupiter Hammerheads (18-9) 4, St. Lucie Mets (12-15) 0

BOX SCORE

• SS Boston Baro: 0-for-4, 2 K
• 2B Jesus Baez: 1-for-3, 2B (6), K
• C Ronald Hernandez: 1-for-3
• CF Nick Morabito: 0-for-2, BB, K

Sunday was a struggle for St. Lucie against the Hammerheads, who currently sit in first place in the FSL East division. The Mets were shut out and recorded just two hits and a walk. Nick Morabito, arguably the best hitter in the Mets’ system this year, was held hitless in three at-bats, while Jesus Baez and Ronald Hernandez recorded the only two hits of the game.

• RHP Wyatt Hudepohl: 3 IP, 0 ER, H, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Juan Arnaud: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Saul Garcia: 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 2 K
• RHP Layonel Ovalles (L, 0-1): 1/3 IP, ER, H, BB, 0 K
• RHP Miguel Alfonseca: 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, H, BB, K
• RHP Alan Perdomo: 1 2/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 5 H, BB, 0 K

Six pitchers appeared in the losing effort, and Alan Perdomo was hit the hardest. He was the final Mets pitcher to come on, and he allowed three runs, two of which were earned, in 1 2/3 innings of work. He also allowed six baserunners to reach. Layonel Ovalles drew the loss in just 1/3 of an inning of work.

Outside of that, though, the pitching was quite good. Wyatt Hudepohl threw three scoreless innings and lowered his ERA to 3.05 on the season. Juan Arnaud, Saul Garcia, and Miguel Alfonseca all had scoreless outings out of the bullpen. Even with the solid pitching effort, the St. Lucie offense was absent all game and never gave the team a chance.

Complex League

There were no FCL games played on Sunday, one day after the league’s season started. The FCL Mets are back in action on Monday against the FCL Nationals.

The post Mark Vientos Homers, Nick Lorusso Extends Hit Streak appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In winter ball action, Starling Marte went 1-for-3 with a single and reached base twice on hit-by-pitches. Notably, Marte played the entire game defensively in right field for only the second time since playing winter ball this offseason.

Marte is hitting .300 with a .812 OPS in six winter games.

Latest Mets News

The Mets officially announced the signing of pitcher Sean Manaea. In a corresponding move, they designated Diego Castillo for assignment.

On Friday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that Ronny Mauricio prioritized playing winter ball against the wishes of the Mets due to financial reasons. According to Puma, the Mets tried to persuade Mauricio to skip winter ball or at least wait until January to start playing, but Mauricio chose to play for the money. Mauricio’s financial struggles reportedly stem from an agent and family member who have control of his finances and keep most of the money away from him. Mauricio wound up tearing his ACL while playing winter ball and is now expected to miss the entire 2024 MLB season in what would have been a crucial year for the 22-year-old.

Mauricio, however, made an Instagram post Friday evening that appears to be disputing this claim, though he didn’t mention the Puma report specifically. It’s unclear whether he’s saying that Puma’s entire report is completely false, or just a certain part of it.

The Mets are commemorating the life of Bud Harrelson with a digital sign on the outside of Citi Field.

Héctor Gómez became the second reporter on Friday to write about the Mets showing interest in designated hitter Jorge Soler. The Mets currently do not have a true, reliable power hitter on the roster outside of Pete Alonso, and Soler would certainly add pop to a lineup that desperately needs it.

The Mets claimed pitcher Max Kranick off waivers from the Pirates. In a corresponding move, they designated Cooper Hummel for assignment. In addition, the Mets signed pitcher Danny Young to a minor league contract.

Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline interviewed Grant Hartwig this week, who talked about his major league debut during the 2023 season.

Latest MLB News

The Braves announced on Friday that they agreed to a contract extension with general manager Alex Anthopolous that will keep him signed with the team through the 2031 season.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Giants signed Jordan Hicks to a four-year, $44 million contract. Hicks, who spent 2023 between the Cardinals and Blue Jays, is expected to be used as a starter in San Francisco.

The Dodgers hired former big leaguer Raúl Ibañez as their VP of Baseball Development and Special Projects.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Charlie Culberson is signing a minor league contract with the Braves, but as a relief pitcher. The 34-year-old Culberson has been in the big leagues since 2012 as a position player, but has a 1.23 ERA in 7 1/3 career innings as a mop-up pitcher.

Sam Blum of The Athletic wrote about Max Stassi and how the premature birth of his son overtook baseball as his biggest priority during the 2023 season.

Robert Murray of FanSided reported that Drew VerHagen signed a one-year contract with a player option with the Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan. Murray reports that VerHagen can make as much as $8 million over the two seasons.

Latest on MMO

Allison Waxman profiles reliever Wandy Peralta, who is a potential free agent target for the Mets.

In an MMO Fan Shot, Petey Pete asks if the Mets should trade for an ace.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Heath Hembree (35), Elmer Dessens (53), Kevin Mitchell (62)

The post Morning Briefing: Starling Marte Reaches Base Three Times appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Most, but not all, of the draft choices who elected to sign made their brief pro debuts during the 2023 season, and the Mets are hoping that for some it was the start of a long and successful career within the organization. Let’s take a look at how the Mets’ 2023 draft picks did during their first taste of pro ball.

Colin Houck, Photo by Ed Delany

1st Round (#32) Colin Houck – SS

The Mets’ first selection in the draft played in just 10 games in his first professional season, all with the FCL Mets. Though he primarily played shortstop, Houck spent two games at third base and another at second base, demonstrating his defensive versatility. He did commit four errors, including two at shortstop in his first game of the season.

At the plate, Houck slashed .273/.400/.333/.733 and recorded four RBIs. Through 33 at-bats, Houck recorded just one extra-base hit (a triple), but demonstrated a good eye at the plate by walking seven times. He also struck out nine times and was caught stealing on his only stolen base attempt.

2nd Round (#56) Brandon Sproat – RHP

The Mets failed to sign Sproat after selecting him in the third round of the 2022 draft and they wouldn’t let him get away again, this time coming to a deal with him after selecting him in the second round of the 2023 draft. Sproat didn’t make his professional debut with the club this season, however, as he was coming off a senior season with the Florida Gators in which he threw a career-high 106 1/3 innings.

3rd Round (#91) Nolan McLean – RHP/DH

The two-way player out of Oklahoma State demonstrated his ability both with the bat and on the mound between the FCL Mets and the Low-A St. Lucie Mets. In very limited action, McLean struggled at the plate with a .125/.375/.313/.688 slash through 24 plate appearances. Some positives to take away at the plate are that he clubbed a home run in the six games that he played and also recorded at least one walk in each of those games.

McLean saw more success on the mound, albeit in another very limited sample size. He took the mound twice, both times for the FCL Mets, and allowed just one earned run in 3 1/3 innings pitched. He also allowed just one hit, struck out two, and walked two in those appearances.

3rd Round (#101) Kade Morris – RHP

The Mets’ second pick of the third round also saw very limited time on the field between both the FCL Mets and the Low-A St. Lucie Mets. With the FCL Mets, Morris made just one appearance, allowing a run in one inning pitched. His next appearance came nearly a month later with the St. Lucie Mets, where he went further into the game. He threw 2 1/3 innings pitched and allowed a run on one hit and two walks while striking out three.

4th Round (#123) Wyatt Hudepohl – RHP

The Mets agreed to terms with their first pick in the fourth round with a slightly underslot deal. Like Sproat, however, Hudepohl didn’t make his pro debut this season as he was coming off a season with UNC-Charlotte in which he threw 105 1/3 innings.

4th Round (#134) A.J. Ewing – SS

The Mets’ signed this prep middle infielder to an overslot deal, and he actually didn’t play any shortstop with the FCL Mets. Ewing spent most of his time at second base but also saw some action in left field and center field. Ewing demonstrated impressive discipline at the plate in just 21 plate appearances, recording four hits and five walks for a .524 on-base percentage and an .881 OPS.

4th Round (#135) Austin Troesser – RHP

The Mets had back-to-back compensation picks in the fourth round, using the first to take Ewing and the second to take this pitcher out of Missouri. Troesser pitched just one inning for the FCL Mets this season, and although he allowed a walk and a hit-by-pitch, he recorded all three of his outs via the strikeout.

Read our interview with Troesser here.

Via University of Missouri Athletics

5th Round (#159) Zach Thornton – LHP

Thornton did not pitch for the Mets’ organization in 2023. He pitched 88 1/3 innings in his season at Grand Canyon before pitching ten more innings in the MLB Draft League.

6th Round (186) Jack Wenninger – RHP

Although he also pitched 80-plus innings in his 2023 collegiate season and again in the MLB Draft League, Wenninger did make his pro debut with the Mets. The pitcher made one appearance for the FCL Mets, striking out one batter in a clean inning. He then made his final appearance of the year with the St. Lucie Mets, where he threw for 1 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on a hit and two walks while striking out three.

7th Round (216) Noah Hall – RHP

The Mets’ seventh round pick out of South Carolina did not make his pro debut in 2023. He had recorded a 3.29 ERA during the first half of his collegiate season before missing the rest of the season with back injuries.

8th Round (246) Boston Baro – SS

Baro played all over the infield with the FCL Mets, spending time at second base, third base, and shorstop. The 18-year-old impressed at the plate in just 24 plate appearances. He recorded six hits, two of which were doubles, two RBIs, and a slash line of .316/.458/.421/.879. He also managed to walk five times while striking out just once.

9th Round (276) Nick Lorusso – 3B

The 22-year-old Lorusso started his career with the Low-A St. Lucie Mets, bypassing rookie ball. He recorded a larger sample size at the plate than most on this list, but it wasn’t pretty. In 89 at-bats with St. Lucie, he didn’t record a single home run and endured a slash line of .169/.250/.270/.520. Pro ball was clearly an adjustment for Lorusso, who had recorded 26 home runs and a 1.211 OPS in his final collegiate season.

10th Round (306) Christian Pregent – C

Another one of the Mets’ older draft selections, Pregent also started out with the Low-A St. Lucie Mets but did end his year in High-A Brooklyn. He struggled at both levels, recording a .538 OPS in 13 plate appearances in Low-A before recording a .421 OPS in 26 plate appearances in High-A.

11th Round (336) Brett Banks – RHP

Banks appeared in three games with the FCL Mets. The reliever allowed just one run over 2 2/3 innings, recording two walks and no hits allowed. He also struck out three batters.

13th Round (396) Ben Simon – RHP

The righty reliever pitched in six games across two levels during the 2023 season. With the FCL Mets, Simon appeared in two games and pitched 1 2/3 innings. He didn’t allow a run or a walk, and he struck out two while allowing one hit. He had a rougher go of it with Low-A St. Lucie, allowing nine runs (five earned) over 4 2/3 innings pitched. He walked two batters, allowed eight hits, and struck out seven.

14th Round (426) John Valle – RHP

The Thomas Jefferson High School (Tampa, FL) product did not make his pro debut with the Mets in 2023.

15th Round (456) Justin Lawson – RHP

The 22-year-old out of NC State did not pitch for the Mets in 2023.

16th Round (486) Jake Zitella – 3B

The 18-year-old spent limited time with the FCL Mets mostly as a first baseman, though he did play some third base and even served as the designated hitter for a game. Zitella struggled in 21 plate appearances, posting a .167 batting average and a .508 OPS.

17th Round (516) Bryce Jenkins – RHP

The 22-year-old out of Tennesse pitched limited innings between the FCL Mets and Low-A St. Lucie Mets in 2023. In rookie ball, he pitched in two games for a total of 1 1/3 innings. He allowed one run (zero earned) while walking one and striking out another. In Low-A, Jenkins appeared in three games and struggled by allowing five runs (four earned) over 2 2/3 innings. In those appearances, he walked three and struck out three.

20th Round (606) Kellum Clark – OF

The Mets’ final selection of the 2023 draft impressed at the plate across rookie ball and Low-A. With the FCL Mets, Clark recorded an .885 OPS across 38 plate appearances, walking ten times and striking out seven times. In St. Lucie, he recorded a .726 OPS across 49 plate appearances, also knocking a home run in that span.

The post How Mets’ 2023 Draft Picks Fared In First Season appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The team began the year with a formidable group of top prospects in Brett Baty, Francisco Álvarez, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio, and ended the year with just two of MMO’s top 30 prospects (Mike Vasil, Justin Jarvis), neither of whom started the season on the Syracuse Mets’ roster. That roster transformation, along with Syracuse becoming a home for older guys unable to obtain roles on big league clubs, might explain why it was another disappointing year for the Triple-A team.

Dick Scott, Photo by James Farrance

Syracuse finished the first half of the season with a 33-41 record. The sub-.500 record was mostly a result of poor pitching, with the offense finishing the first half with an above-average 5.6 runs per game. Over the second half of the season, though, the offense worsened and the already-poor pitching did too. That led to a 28-44 second half record and a 61-85 record overall.

Pitching was undoubtedly the weak link of this Syracuse team, for a couple of reasons. First, the extremely run-friendly environment of Triple-A makes pitching in that league very tough. Second, the pitching staff was mostly comprised of fringe major leaguers and lower-level prospects.

Leading the Syracuse Mets pitching staff in innings in 2023 was Denyi Reyes with 91 2/3 innings pitched. Reyes spent some time with the big league club, appearing in nine games with them, but spent the bulk of his year in Syracuse where he appeared in 20 games (18 starts) and posted a 2-3 record with a 5.79 ERA.

Following Reyes on the innings pitched leaderboard were José Butto and Joey Lucchesi, neither of whom pitched admirably in Triple-A. While both wound up in the majors down the stretch and pitched at a high level, Butto recorded a 3-7 record with a 5.93 ERA and Lucchesi recorded a 6-5 record with a 4.74 ERA during their times in Syracuse.

The most exciting pitcher on the staff was Mike Vasil, a midseason call-up who is currently MMO’s No. 10 prospect within the organization. While his 4-4 record and 5.30 ERA in 16 starts doesn’t appear great at first glance, Vasil flashed the potential of what the Mets are hoping he can become. He did so most notably on August 8, when he carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning. He also pitched much better down the stretch for Syracuse than he did when he was first called up, with a 7.04 ERA and .973 OPS against in his first eight starts dropping to a 4.04 ERA and .575 OPS against in his final eight starts.

While Vasil wasn’t the only pitcher in Syracuse to pitch well, with excellent performances out of the bullpen from guys like Josh Walker (1.84 ERA) and Nate Lavender (3.27 ERA), it really was a season defined by poor pitching. There were a few more notable pitchers who contributed to that, such as David Peterson, Tylor Megill, and Justin Jarvis.

Peterson was demoted to Triple-A following a stretch of poor starts at the big league level. Peterson didn’t experience much more success in Syracuse, as he finished with a 1-2 record and a 4.86 ERA over seven starts with the team before becoming a fixture in the big league rotation down the stretch and pitching well.

Megill followed a similar path as Peterson: he was demoted from the big league team due to struggles, pitched poorly with Syracuse, but was recalled to the big league team and pitched well down the stretch. In Syracuse, he started six games and went 0-3 with an 8.67 ERA.

Jarvis was an interesting midseason acquisition, coming over from the Brewers in the Mark Canha trade. Jarvis had pitched well with Milwaukee’s Double-A affiliate, posting a 3.33 ERA over 14 starts, but struggled in 12 total starts with two Triple-A teams. With Syracuse, he started nine games and went 0-5 with an 8.04 ERA. Jarvis currently ranks as MMO’s No. 16 Mets’ prospect.

Offensively, Syracuse received massive contributions from a number of players. Most notably was Ronny Mauricio, who led the team in nearly every statistical category. Game after game, Mauricio flashed the power and speed that made him a top prospect in the organization, finishing his time in Syracuse with 23 home runs and 24 stolen bases over 116 games. His final OPS in Triple-A of .852 was dragged down by a midseason slump that doesn’t capture the fact that he finished three months with an OPS over .900.

Mark Vientos was the next biggest contributor in Syracuse despite playing in a little over half the games that Mauricio played in. In those 61 games though, Vientos shined by posting a slash line of .306/.387/.612/.999 while recording 16 home runs and 21 doubles.

Brett Baty was another top prospect who began the year in Syracuse and recorded more time with the team after struggling mightily at the big league level. Any time he was with Syracuse, however, Baty was one of the best players on the field. He played in just 26 games with the team but posted a slash line of .298/.388/.625/1.013 with 10 home runs in just 104 at-bats.

One of the better seasons by a non-top prospect at the plate was by DJ Stewart, who became somewhat of a sensation with the big league club late in the year. While in Syracuse, he accumulated 16 home runs, which tied Vientos for second on the team behind Mauricio. He also posted a .516 slugging percentage during his 51 games in Triple-A.

Outside of those performances, Syracuse received middling contributions from a number of fringe major leaguers. Among them were Danny Mendick (.793 OPS in 373 at-bats), Tomás Nido (.728 OPS in 135 at-bats), Abraham Almonte (.776 OPS in 134 at-bats), José Peraza (.681 OPS in 134 at-bats) and Rafael Ortega (.777 OPS in 113 at-bats).

The team even received cameos from two former Yankees in Luke Voit and Gary Sánchez. Both of them impressed in short stints with the club, with Voit crushing 14 homers in 129 at-bats for a fantastic 1.058 OPS and Sánchez accumulating a 1.014 OPS in just 26 at-bats.

The overall story of the offense is that it just wasn’t good enough. The bulk of the contributions came from top prospects who wound up with the big league club. Those that were left were older veterans whose subpar performances weren’t enough to carry the team. That, coupled with one of the worst pitching staffs in the International League, led to yet another disappointing year in Syracuse.

MMO Top 30

• 10. Mike Vasil, SP
• 16. Justin Jarvis, SP

Coaching Staff

• Manager — Dick Scott
• Bench Coach — J.P. Arencibia
• Pitching Coach — Kyle Driscoll
• Hitting Coach — Collin Hetzler
• Bullpen Coach — Jordan Kraus
• Athletic Trainer — Hiroto Kawamura
• Athletic Trainer — Vanessa Weisbach
• Performance Coach — Alex Tavarez

Team Batting Leaders (Minimum 50 Plate Appearances)

• G: Carlos Cortes — 118
• AB: Ronny Mauricio —490
• R: Ronny Mauricio — 76
• H: Ronny Mauricio — 143
• 2B: Ronny Mauricio — 30
• 3B: Ronny Mauricio/Jonathan Araúz — 3
• HR: Ronny Mauricio — 23
• RBI: Ronny Mauricio — 71
• SB: Ronny Mauricio — 24
• TB: Ronny Mauricio — 248
• BB: Carlos Cortes — 65
• OBP: Luke Voit — .415
• SLG: Luke Voit — .643
• OPS: Luke Voit — 1.058

Team Pitching Leaders (Minimum 20 Innings Pitched)

• W: Joey Lucchesi — 6
• ERA: Zack Muckenhirn — 0.88
• SV: Dennis Santana — 5
• G: Eric Orze — 39
• GS: José Butto — 19
• IP: Denyi Reyes — 91.2
• K: José Butto — 82
• WHIP: Josh Walker — 1.091

The post 2023 Syracuse Season Recap: Top Prospects Shine in Disappointing Season appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Prior to the game, Francisco Lindor was a late scratch from the lineup due to right-side soreness, making this the first game he didn’t play in all year. The Mets announced during the game that Lindor will undergo imaging tomorrow to hopefully diagnose the issue.

Without one of their best hitters in the lineup, the Mets couldn’t find the big hit against Morton who struggled with command all game. He allowed nine baserunners over the first four innings by issuing a career-high seven walks and allowing two hits, but he was able to keep them all from scoring as the Mets failed to pull ahead early.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Following a 1-2-3 fifth, Morton exited the game after allowing a leadoff single in the sixth. His night ended with a zero in the score column despite throwing more balls than strikes and allowing ten baserunners over five-plus innings.

For the Mets, Megill had everything working for him early, even with some hard exit velocities given up. Through three innings, he allowed just one hit with his fastball topping out at 99 miles-per-hour. Megill’s luck ran out soon after, though. You can only silence the Braves’ lineup for so long.

An Austin Riley double was followed by a Matt Olson broken-bat single and a Marcell Ozuna dribbler that stayed fair to load the bases in the fourth inning. Eddie Rosario took advantage by dropping a ball into center field which cleared the bases after Brandon Nimmo couldn’t field the ball cleanly, putting the Braves ahead 3-0.

The Braves tacked on in the fifth with a pair of runs before adding another run in the sixth to put them firmly ahead, 6-0. This offensive onslaught chased Megill out of the game with one out in the sixth inning. Over his start, he allowed five earned runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out three batters. His ERA on the season rose slightly from 5.45 to 5.64.

Jimmy Yacabonis served as the mop-up man for the Mets, finishing out the game by throwing 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball. His lone blemish was a solo homer off the bat of Austin Riley in the seventh inning. With a seven-run deficit late in the game, the Mets pulled Nimmo from the game for DJ Stewart, moving Jeff McNeil to center field for the first time in his career.

The Mets couldn’t muster up any comeback, dropping the game 7-0 to fall to 52-63 on the year. They fall to 1-6 on the year against the Braves, with six games still to go against the National League leaders.

Stat of the Game

Per OptaSTATS, the Mets are the only MLB team in the modern era to record at least seven hits and nine walks in a nine-inning game and not score a single run. The Mets were 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position tonight and bailed out Charlie Morton in what should have been a far worse outing.

The Mets are the only MLB team in the modern era to collect 7+ hits and draw 9+ walks in a 9-inning game but not score a single run.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 12, 2023

On Deck

The series with the Braves will continue on Saturday with a doubleheader. Denyi Reyes (0-1, 6.14 ERA) has joined the Mets and will get the start in the first game, while José Quintana (0-3, 3.42) will start the nightcap. Spencer Strider (12-4, 3.94 ERA) and Allan Winans (0-0, 4.15 ERA) will both start for the Braves, though which games they’ll pitch in is yet to be determined.

The first game will begin at 1:10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on SNY. The second game will start at 7:15 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX.

The post Mets Set Embarrassing Record in 7-0 Loss to Braves appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

Opening Day this year was historic from a fan engagement standpoint. According to MLB Communications, Opening Day was watched for 172 million minutes by MLB.TV viewers, the most watched day in MLB.TV history by 42%. Additionally, online merchandise sales on Opening Day were the highest ever by 10% and social media views were up 83% from Opening Day 2022. Ben Cafardo of ESPN noted that MLB Opening Night on ESPN had 20% more viewers than last year’s MLB Opening Night and was the most watched cable program on March 30.

The Mets lost their first game of the season on Friday, 2-1 to the Marlins. The team will look to rebound as they take on Miami again on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET.

Latest Mets News

Ronny Mauricio was listed in Baseball America‘s list of seven prospects primed to bounce back in 2023.

The Mets tweeted about their new $15 ticket program geared towards college students. Eligible individuals can text “COLLEGE” to 48593 to get notified when these tickets are available.

Pitching prospect Joel Díaz had Tommy John surgery and will miss the 2023 season. Díaz is just 19 years old and is ranked as MMO’s own Michael Mayer as the No. 11 prospect in the Mets’ system.

Latest MLB News

The MLB Players Association released an official statement demonstrating minor league players’ overwhelming support for their first collective bargaining agreemenet.

Per MLB, 269 players on Opening Day rosters were born outside of the United States which is third highest total ever. The Dominican Republic ranked first on the list with 104.

Gary Sánchez signed a minor league deal with the Giants on Friday. According to Anthony Rieber of Newsday, Sánchez nearly signed a deal with a different team recently but the team backed out due to reduced revenue from the collapse of TV RSNs.

Latest on MMO

Ariel Cohen shared Average Total Cost (ATC) projections for Mets players this year.

Michael Mayer looked at the Syracuse Mets’ roster as their season gets underway.

Alexis Farinacci recapped the Mets’ loss to the Marlins on Friday.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Daniel Murphy (38), Willie Montañez (75)

The post Morning Briefing: MLB Boasts Historic Opening Day Numbers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The beginning of the 2023 Major League Baseball season is here, and that means it is time to take a look at the betting odds for all of the awards in the National League. Let’s take a look at where some of the New York Mets fall on these lists.

National League MVP Odds

Here are the top five betting favorites for this award.

1. San Diego Padres OF Juan Soto +550
2. Philadelphia Phillies SS Trea Turner +800
3. Atlanta Braves OF Ronald Acuña Jr. +850
4. Los Angels Dodgers OF Mookie Betts +900
5. San Diego Padres SS Fernando Tatís Jr. +1000

Some of the Mets that are featured on this list include first baseman Pete Alonso at +1500, shortstop Francisco Lindor at +2500 and starting pitcher Justin Verlander at +8000.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

National League CY Young Odds

Here are the top five betting favorites for this award.

1. Miami Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara +450
2. Milwaukee Brewers RHP Corbin Burnes +550
3. New York Mets RHP Justin Verlander +600
4. New York Mets RHP Max Scherzer +800
5. Atlanta Braves RHP Spencer Strider +950

Kodai Senga can also be found at +5000 on DraftKings.

Photo by MMO’s Ed Delany

National League Rookie of the Year Odds

Here are the top five betting favorites for this award.

1. St. Louis Cardinals 3B Jordan Walker +360
2. Arizona Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll +400
3. Los Angeles Dodgers 3B Miguel Vargas +700
4. New York Mets RHP Kodai Senga +950
5. Colorado Rockies SS Ezequiel Tovar +1200

Some of the Mets that are featured on this list include catcher Francisco Alvarez at +1800 and third baseman Brett Baty at +1900.

The post Betting Odds for 2023 National League Awards appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mets’ #9 prospect Mike Vasil made his major league spring training debut on Thursday afternoon, starting against the Atlanta Braves. The 23-year-old took the mound against the Braves A lineup rather than a collection of spring training roster depth, facing Ronald Acuña, Matt Olson, and Austin Riley to start his day. In the outing, Vasil worked three innings, and while he allowed six hits, he looked like his offerings were major league caliber and he induced three swinging strikeouts and didn’t issue a walk.

Mets No. 11 prospect Mike Vasil made his first career Grapefruit League start today, holding a representative Braves lineup to two runs in three innings. He sat 95-96 mph on the gun, struck out Matt Olson on a sharp changeup and induced a double play ball from Michael Harris II.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 23, 2023

While his athletic abilities were of big-league stock, it was evident that it was his first appearance on the more senior side of the spring training complex. Vasil continually hopped off the mound after outs like it was a rivalry game, bringing intensity to an otherwise unimportant late-spring game. He thought he rang up Acuña on a high curveball to start the game and later froze after throwing a fastball away to Orlando Arcia, thinking he had strike three. Acuña ended up flying out later in his at-bat and Arcia hit a weak infield single, so Vasil didn’t turn the jets off after his near strikeouts, but ‘composure’ isn’t exactly the most representative word for his mannerisms.

Now, these body language ‘hiccups’ aren’t necessarily a negative. It’s on brand that Vasil was properly locked in against an intimidating Braves lineup in a bright spot. This was a great chance to show manager Buck Showalter what he might want to call up if Vasil has a strong first half and the Mets are in dire need of a replacement starter.

In addition, Vasil induced ugly swings in his strikeouts against Olson, Acuña, and Eddie Rosario, and commanded his pitches like a seasoned vet. He gave up three consecutive hits in his third inning, but his fast heartbeat, particularly in the third inning, indicates he may not have been sequencing and mixing his pitches as he would normally do during the season. The three consecutive hits he gave up (HR to Olson, singles to Riley and Marcel Ozuna) were all on elevated fastballs—a mistake he’s unlikely to make with a catcher he has a rapport with or in an environment he is used to. His high swing and miss rate on Thursday despite being thrown into the fire indicates he’s even closer to big league ready than the already palatable box score might indicate.

Mike Vasil struck out one of the hottest hitters on the planet on 3 pitches.

The Mets right-hander finished the 2022 season in High-A Brooklyn.

Last pitch is a split-change he's been working on.

pic.twitter.com/Rvi2UAPbIK

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) March 23, 2023

His current arsenal features a mid-90s fastball, up to 98, a cutter in the upper-80s, his sharp bread-and-butter low 80’s big curveball, and a much improved split change-up that made Olson look silly. Mixing in the cutter for weak contact as he cycles through Double-A and Triple-A lineups will be key to keeping his fastball as a swing-and-miss pitch and landing his curveball in different counts will help him get deep into games. The effectiveness of the curve was obvious on Thursday as hitters gave up on it early and allowed him to steal strikes against some of the world’s very best. Vasil’s outing was encouraging for the Mets for near-term MLB depth and should give Mike confidence that he can dominate any minor league level.

The post Mike Vasil Flashes Big League Repertoire in Grapefruit League Debut appeared first on Metsmerized Online.