Nashville Sounds (48-54) 10, Las Vegas 51s (37-66) 4 Box Score

• Neil Walker DH: 2 for 3, 2 Runs, BB
• Amed Rosario SS: 1 for 4, Run, RBI, 2 K
• Dominic Smith 1B: 2 for 4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K

Good game for Neil Walker who is just a few days away from re-joining the team. Rosario extended his hitting streak to 15 games. Smith now has a robust 1.179 OPS in July.

• RHP Donovan Hand (2-5, 8.05 ERA): 3.2 IP, 14 H, 10 ER, 2 BB, K
• RHP Jonathan Albaladejo (0-0, 0.00 ERA): 4.1 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 K

Well, there have been some really bad pitching performances for the 51s lately and Hand’s might not even be the worst one. Albaladejo really did great working not giving up any runs and also saving the rest of the bullpen.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (54-44) 6, Akron Rubberducks (50-50) 0 F/7 Box Score

• L.J. Mazzilli RF: 1 for 4, K
• Luis Guillorme SS: 1 for 3, 3 RBI
• Matt Oberste 1B: 1 for 3, BB

Guillorme has a big game and the offense as a whole rebounded from a poor game 1 of this double header.

• RHP Mickey Jannis (7-5, 4.04 ERA): 7 IP, 4 H, BB, 9 K

Great game for Jannis. The knuckleballer has had a nice season and has managed to stay healthy, giving Luis Rojas some quality innings.

Akron Rubberducks (50-49) 1, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (54-44) 0 Box Score

• Luis Guillorme 2B: 2 for 4
• Kevin Taylor DH: 1 for 4
• Patrick Biondi CF: 1 for 3

Not much offense for the Rumble Ponies as they only amassed six baserunners in the whole game. Guillorme’s OBP is now at .367 for the season.

• RHP Marcos Molina (0-5, 4.14 ERA): 6 IP, 3 H, 9 K
• LHP Ben Griset (3-1, 2.23 ERA): 1.1 IP, 2 BB, K
• RHP Corey Taylor (5-5, 3.97 ERA): 1.1 IP, 2 H, ER, BB

Molina’s first start since July 9th was a master piece. His stuff was much sharper and he had his strikeout pitch working. Perhaps he is finally back on track and the Mets could be a little more aggressive with him if he has more starts such as this one.

Bradenton Marauders (57-41) 4, St. Lucie Mets (46-54) 2 Box Score

• Peter Alonso 1B: 2 for 3, Run
• Patrick Mazeika C: 1 for 3, RBI
• Michael Paez DH: 1 for 3, Run, RBI

Alonso just keeps continuing to mash. His OPS is up to .838 this season which would have been good for seventh in the league had he qualified. Not bad at all give all his early struggles.

• RHP Merandy Gonzalez (4-2, 2.23 ERA): 6.2 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, K
• LHP Miguel Gutierrez (0-0, 0.00 ERA): 1.1 IP, H, BB, K
• RHP Johnny Magliozzi (4-1, 3.93 ERA): 1 IP, H, K

Arguably Merandy’s worst start of 2017. The strikeouts have dipped since his promotion but he’s still likely still adjusting to the league. His control has been very promising to see.

Columbia Fireflies (54-45) 9, Kannapolis (51-49) 2 Box Score

• J.J. Franco DH: 2 for 4, Run, RBI, BB, 2 K
• Andres Gimenez SS: 3 for 4, 3 Runs, RBI, BB, K
• Jacob Zanon CF: 2 for 5, 3 RBI, K

Another big game for Andres Gimenez, who is now hitting .395 over his last ten games. Franco is the son of former Met, John Franco, he has been a high OBP bat this season.

• LHP Blake Taylor (1-9, 4.94 ERA): 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, K
• LHP Taylor Henry (3-0, 3.38 ERA): 4 IP, 3 H, 3 K
• RHP Matt Blackham (4-1, 1.90 ERA): 2 IP, BB, 4 K
• RHP Matt Pobereyko (1-0, 2.35 ERA): 1 IP, BB, 3 K

Blake Taylor left after only 50 pitches. We will have to see if something up with him. Blackham has been dominant and should be in St. Lucie soon.

Aberdeen Ironbirds (19-15) 4, Brooklyn Cyclones (12-23) 3 Box Score

• Leon Byrd SS: 1 for 4, Run, K
• Walter Rasquin DH: 1 for 3, 2B, RBI
• Quinn Brodey LF: 0 for 4, K

The Cyclones had the early lead but could not hang on. Rasquin has managed to hit for a high average this season. It is currently at .346.

• RHP Trent Johnson (1-3, 6.82 ERA): 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Connor O’Neil (0-1, 2.79 ERA): 1.2 IP, BB, 2 K
• RHP Marcel Renteria (1-1, 3.60 ERA): 2 IP, 3 BB, 4 K
• RHP Keaton Aldirdge (1-0, 5.63 ERA): 1 IP, H, K

Renteria has still had some issues with command but was known as a hard thrower in college. O’Neil has shown some promise as a college reliever who can hopefully rise in the organization quickly.

DSL Mets2 (30-14) 3, DSL Brewers (19-24) 2 Box Score

• Yoel Romero 3B: 4 for 5, 2 Runs, 2 2B, RBI
• Shervyen Newton SS: 0 for 2, BB
• Luis Santana 2B: 0 for 4, RBI

The DSL Brewers tied the game in the ninth but Yoel Romero won it with a walk-off RBI Single. Romero is now slashing .343/.435/.399.

• RHP Jose Butto (1-0, 1.86 ERA): 6 IP, 6 H, 6 K
• RHP Luis Vasquez (2-0, 3.94 ERA): 2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K
• LHP Daniel Guzman (3-2, 3.15 ERA): 1 IP, 2 K

Vasquez struggled in his two innings but Guzman was charged with the blow save. Butto has been solid this year and has shown good command.

DSL Mets1 (31-13) 6, DSL Yankees (18-26) 4 Box Score

• Jean Carlos Soto LF: 1 for 5, Run
• Sebastian Espino SS: 1 for 3, 2 Run, HR, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
• Wilmer Reyes 3B: 3 for 5, 2 Run, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 K

Big game for Wilmer Reyes who homered twice for his first two home runs of this season. Espino broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning with a two-run home run.

• RHP Jorge Cespedes (5-1, 1.44 ERA): 3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• RHP Jhonfran Escalona (0-1, 5.40 ERA): 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, K
• LHP Hector Rodriguez (2-0, 0.32 ERA): 2 IP, H, 2 BB, 4 K
• RHP Juan Martinez (0-1, 1.13 ERA): 2 IP

Rodriguez and Cespedes struggled with their command but they managed to only escape with the the lead. Martinez picked up the save.

Danville Braves (17-16) 8, Kingsport Mets (12-19) 2 Box Score

• Raphael Gladu DH: 0 for 3, BB
• Jeremy Vasquez 1B: 0 for 3, BB, 2 K
• Juan Uriate C: 1 for 3, Run, HR, RBI, K

Not much offense for Kingsport but Uriate has shown some nice power at the plate this year. He is hitting .309/.374/.482 this season and he’s only 19.

• RHP Garrison Bryant (0-5, 9.00 ERA): 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Ronald Sanchez (0-1, 5.82 ERA): 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K
• RHP Yeudy Colon (0-1, 4.11): 1.2 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Not much to write home about the pitching staff in this one. 19 baserunners in nine innings do not bode well.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Rosario Extends Hitting Streak and Marcos Molina Dominates appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

El Paso Chihuahuas 7, Las Vegas 51 2  Box Score

•  Josh Rodriguez LF: 1 for 1, HR, R, RBI
• Dominic Smith 1B: 2 for 4, RBI
• Amed Rosario SS: 2 for 4, CS
• Gavin Cecchini 2B: 1 for 4, R, K, SB

The 51s were held without a run until the eighth, when Rodriguez led off with a pinch-hit home run, his second of the season. Three consecutive hits led to another run before Travis Taijeron grounded into a double play to end the rally. Rosario has now hit safely in all four Vegas games and Smith has two hits in three of four. Matt Reynolds played some center field and Phillip Evans started in left.

• LHP Sean Gilmartin (0-1, 8.10 ERA) 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K
• RHP Logan Taylor (0-0, 5.79 ERA) 2.2 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 2 K
• RHP Erik Goeddel (1-0, 5.40 ERA) 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K

Gilmartin was knocked out of the game in the fourth after giving up three runs, including a home run to former Met Collin Cowgill. After a perfect seventh inning, Goeddel was hit hard in the eighth, giving up three runs, before being replaced by David Roseboom.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 3  Box Score

• Matt Oberste 1B: 2 for 4, 2B, RBI, 2 K
• L.J. Mazzilli RF: 1 for 2, 2B, RBI, 2 BB
• Patrick Biondi CF: 0 for 5, RBI, 2 K

The Binghamton offense failed to get much going until the eight inning, when back-to-back doubles by Oberste and Mazzilli brought in two of their three runs. Mazzilli has played right field in every game for the Rumble Ponies, despite only playing the infield previously in his career.

• RHP Corey Oswalt (0-1, 9.00 ERA) 4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, BB, 7 K, Loss
• RHP Scarlyn Reyes (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, H, 3 K
• LHP Ben Griset (0-0, 13.50 ERA) 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, K
• LHP Alberto Baldonado (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, BB, 2 K

Oswalt got roughed up right out of the gate, giving up four runs in the first inning. He settled down after the first, but the game was put out of reach when Griset gave up three runs in his two innings of work. Reyes, pitching as a single-inning reliever for the first time in his career, was dominant striking out three.

St. Lucie Mets 6, Palm Beach Cardinals 3 Box Score

• Wuilmer Becerra DH: 1 for 3, R, RBI, 2 K, HBP
• Jhoan Urena 3B: 1 for 4, RBI, K
• Peter Alonso 1B: 0 for 4

After only scoring one run through the first eight innings, the St. Lucie offense was ignited in the ninth after having the first three hitters reach base on two errors and a hit by pitch. After consecutive hits by Urena, Nick Sergakis, Jeff Diehl, and Enmanuel Zabala, the Mets had scored five runs in the inning, which was enough to take the lead.

• RHP Nabil Crismatt (0-0, 3.00 ERA) 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Justin Brantley (1-0, 0.00 ERA) 2.0 IP, H, 2 K, Win
• RHP Alex Palsha (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, H, BB, Save

Crismatt got the start for St. Lucie and was solid, only needing 74 pitches to get through six innings. Brantley and Palsha combined to throw three scoreless innings and seal the victory for the Mets. Our own Ernest Dove was at the game and made these observations.

Columbia Fireflies 6, Augusta GreenJackets 0 Box Score

• Gene Cone CF: 2 for 5, RBI, K
• Anthony Dimino 1B: 3 for 4, R
• Tim Tebow LF: 1 for 3, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, K
• Ali Sanchez C, 1 for 4, 2 RBI

The Columbia offense continues to be outstanding, scoring at least six runs in each of their first four games. Tim Tebow hit is 2nd home run of the year, a three-run no-doubter. The other three runs came in the second inning on four walks and two hits.

• RHP Merandy Gonzalez (1-0, 0.00) 6.0 IP, 3 H, BB, 6 K
• RHP Max Kuhns (0-0, 4.15 ERA) 2.0 IP, BB, 2 K
• RHP Cameron Griffin (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, K

Merandy Gonzalez was dominant in his first start of the season, pitching six shutout innings with six strikeouts in his full season debut.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Tebow Homers Again, Rosario Keeps Hitting appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The New York Mets were defeated by the Detroit Tigers by the score of 4-3 this afternoon at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, FL.

Pitching

Lefty Adam Wilk got the start for the Mets. He got into a little trouble in the first, loading the bases with two hits and a walk, but was able to get out of it. He threw 2.2 scoreless innings allowing three hits and striking out one, lowering his ERA on the spring to 1.93.

Next up, Donovan Hand made his Mets debut, throwing 1.2 perfect innings. He showed a 90-92 MPH fastball and an average slider.

Lefty Kyle Regnault struggled in his two innings of work. He allowed four runs on four hits, including a long home run to J.D. Martinez. He suffered the loss on the day.

Rafael Montero continued his strong spring fighting for a bullpen spot. He threw 1.2 scoreless innings allowing two hits and striking out two. His ERA this spring is now at 1.86.

Lefty Josh Edgin set the Tigers down in order in his only innings of work, he struck out one and didn’t allow a hit.

Batting

Kevin Plawecki was on DH duties and had a hard hit fly out to center and picked up a single.

Phillip Evans continued to make a name for himself, picking up two singles on the day. He’s having a very strong spring hitting .417. He also made a beautiful play in the field at second base.

L.J. Mazzilli and Patrick Binodi both picked up RBI doubles. Mazzilli drove in another run on a sacrifice fly.

Luis Guillorme came in as a late inning replacement and picked up a base hit.

Notes

Juan Lagares was expected to start in center field but was a late scratch with a stiff back.

Up Next

The Mets return to First Data Field to take on the Marlins on Monday afternoon. Noah Syndergaard is expected to get the start for New York.

The post Spring Recap: Tigers Claw Their Way Back In 4-3 Win Over Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Bradenton Marauders (58-56) 10 vs. St. Lucie Mets (61-51) 7 BOX SCORE

• Patrick Biondi CF: 2 for 5, 2B, RBI, CS .266/
• David Thompson 3B: 2 for 3, 2B, RBI, R .293/.353/.407
• Luis Guillorme SS: 1 for 3, 2B, R, RBI .260/.332/.314
• Lednier Ricardo C: 2 for 4, 2B, 3 RBIs, R, .184/.236/.254

The St. Lucie Mets scored five runs in the second to open the scoring. David Thompson extended his hitting streak to seven games, over those seven games he is 11-24 (.458) with four walks.

• Chris Flexen RHP: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 5 K (3.67 ERA)
• Domingo Tapia RHP: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, K, L (0-2 5.30 ERA)

Flexen and Tapia could not hold the 5-0 lead they got in the second. Combined they allowed nine runs (4 ER) in six innings. Flexen allowed five walks for the second time in his last ten starts. Tapia is having a tough time after his TJS, pitching to a 1.81 WHIP.

Columbia Fireflies (53-64) 8 vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers (62-55) 0 BOX SCORE

• Enmanuel Zabala CF: 2 for 3, RBI, BB, R .297/.348/.351
• Eudor Garcia 3B: 0 for 2, R, 3 BB .242/.299/.387
• Dash Winningham 1B: 2 for 4, R, RBI, K .240/.286/.372
• Patrick Mazeika DH: 2 for 3, 2 R, RBI, BB .255/.367/.354
• Tyler Moore C: 3 for 4, 2B, 3 RBIs, R .233/.302/.312

The Fireflies scored two in the second and six in the fourth. Eudor Garcia walked three times,to increase his OBP to .299.

• Joe Shaw RHP: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, W (7-8 4.14 ERA)
• Tyler Bashlor RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 3 K (2.47 ERA)
• Jimmy Duff RHP: IP, 0 H, 0 ER (2.51 ERA)

Joe Shaw followed his eight inning performance in his last start, with 6.2 shutout innings. In his last two starts, Shaw allowed just nine hits in 14.2 innings pitched, walking just three and striking out fourteen. Tyler Bashlor keeps running up the strikeouts, in his last two outings he has struck out nine in 3.1 innings. He has 62 strikeouts in 47.1 innings for the season.

Before the game the Fireflies announced that Spirit Communications Park will host the 2017 SAL All-Star Game.

Brooklyn Cyclones (28-25) 7 vs. Vermont Lake Monsters (19-34) 4 BOX SCORE

• Jose Reyes 3B: 0 for 1, R, 2 BB, 2 SB (Rehab Assignment)
• Nick Sergakis 2B: 0 for 0, 4 BB, 2 R, RBI, SB .252/.353/.364
• Blake Tiberi DH: 2 for 3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2 R, BB .235/.317/.286

The Cyclones collected just seven hits but walked twelve times in the victory. Reyes played five innings at third base.

• Justin Dunn RHP: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K (0.50 ERA)
• Raul Jacobson RHP:  3.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (2.51 ERA)
• Joseph Zanghi RHP: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 3 K, fourth save (1.69 ERA)

Justin Dunn keeps pitching really well in his first pro season. Dunn has allowed just 13 hits in 18 innings pitched, while striking out 19. The six strikeouts are a new career high for Dunn who reached 97 MPH on his fastball.

Injury note: According to our own Jacob Resnick who was at the game, Peter Alonso is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a broken finger. Photo taken by Jacob as well. 

Yesterday we released our Mets Midseason Prospects #25-21 which you can read here.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Alonso Breaks Finger, Dunn Flashes Heat appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Returning home from a rough series loss in Reno during which they had two blown saves, Las Vegas (29-25) aimed to turn things around against Tacoma Saturday night. Rafael Montero started, and was staked to a two-run lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Dilson Herrera led off with a walk and went to third on an errant pick-off attempt by Rainiers pitcher Sam Gaviglio. T.J. Rivera grounded out to third allowing Herrera to score. Then Johnny Monell sent a line-drive over the wall in right for a solo homer.

Unfortunately, Montero gave back those two runs in the top of the second. Giving up three hits in the inning including a double and triple, Montero was getting hit hard. In the third another run came in on three more hit and a walk. Seven hitters came to the plate in both of those innings. Tacoma scored a fourth run in the fifth on consecutive doubles. Montero gave up four runs on nine hits in seven innings of work. He was helped out by a couple of double plays to limit the damage. But after the first inning, the 51s offense stalled and by the time Montero’s night was down, Vegas was still down 4-3.

On offense, Herrera hit a high arching home run in the bottom of the seventh to get the 51s a little closer. Paul Sewald came on in the eighth and struggled giving up a home run to designated hitter Dario Pizzano and a triple to center fielder Boog Powell. Powell  came all the way home on an error. But Sewald has given up 12 runs, 8 earned, on 18 hits over his last 1o appearances.

In the bottom of the eighth, Brandon Nimmo doubled and scored on a double by Monell, but the rally was cut short when Monell was cut down at third trying to take an extra base.

Chase Bradford pitched the ninth and gave up a home run to second baseman Chris Taylor. With the Rainiers’ lead now 7-4, Vegas had one last chance to catch up.

They got the inning off to a good start with back-to-back doubles by Eric Campbell and Travis Taijeron to score one. With one out Gavin Cecchini kept things going with a single, driving in Taijeron. Kyle Johnson followed with a double to drive in Cecchini with the tying run. Herrera capped off the comeback with a single to drive in Johnson with the game-winner. The win is the second walk-off in the last three days, which may be just what Vegas needs to shake off the 1-3 series loss to Reno.

Top Performers:

Herrera went 3-5 including the game-winning hit, he scored two runs and drove in two. He also hit a home run, his 9th of the year. Monell went 2-4 with two RBI, a run scored and a home run. Brandon Nimmo, Eric Campbell and Gavin Cecchini each had two hits with a run scored. T.J. Rivera had a single and has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games. Box Score

Binghamton Mets (22-32) 3 vs. Altoona Curve 0 BOX SCORE

Binghamton evened up th series against the Pittsburgh Pirates Double-A Affiliate by a 3-0 final score.

• Victor Cruzado CF: 2 for 4, Run scored, K .258/.356/.368
• Xorge Carrillo C: 1 for 4, RBI, K .267/.320/.397
• Jared King LF: 1 for 4, 2B, RBI, Run scored .183/.247/.268
• L.J. Mazzilli 1 for 3: 3B, RBI, K .259/.342/.349

Cruzado had his fourth multi-hit game in his last five games. Mazzilli is hitting .419 in his last ten games.

• Rainy Lara RHP: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, W (3-6, 4.78 ERA)
• Tim Peterson RHP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB (Hold. 9.53 ERA)
• Akeel Morris RHP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K (4th save, 4.63 ERA)

After he was named MMN reliever of the Month, Morris had a rough outing last time out but bounced back with a dominant ninth for his fourth save.

Brevard County Manatees 9 vs. St. Lucie Mets (26-29) 4 BOX SCORE

The St. Lucie Mets lose their third in a row, second against the Milwaukee Brewers Class-A Affiliate.

• Amed Rosario SS: 3 for 5, SB .308/.357/.458
• Tomas Nido C: 1 for 4, HR, 3 RBI .295/.327/.425
• Patrick Biondi LF: 2 for 4, 2B, 3B, SB .267/.350/.337

Amed Rosario has his third multi-hit game in the last four games. Biondi had his second straight two hit game.

• Scarlyn Reyes RHP: 5 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, L (2-7 6.93 ERA)
• Kelly Secrest LHP: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K (6.23 ERA)
• Robert Coles RHP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K (3.48 ERA)

Reyes lost his third straight decision. He did not make it thru six innings for the seventh time in ten outings (nine starts). It was the second start where Reyes allowed ten or more hits.

Hagerstown Suns 2 vs. Colombia Fireflies (28-28) 1 F/12 BOX SCORE

The Fireflies could not avoid the sweep against the Washington Nationals Full Season-A Affiliate, droping the final game 2-1 after 12 innings.

• David Thompson 3B: 2 for 5, HR, RBI, 2B .288/.349/.491
• Luis Ortega 1B/C: 2 for 5 .268/.302/.415

The Fireflies managed only four total hits in 12 innings. Thompson hit his fourth homerun of the season, his second RBI since his return from the DL. Thompson now has 42 RBI’s for the season. He still leads the South Atlantic League in Runs Batted in.

• P.J. Conlon LHP: 10 IP (no typo) 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, BB, 5 K (7-1 1.21 ERA)
• Alex Palsha RHP: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, L (2-2 3.12 ERA)

P.J. Conlon was outstanding again going TEN innings, needing only 97 pitches to do so. He lowered his ERA to 1.21 which now leads the South Atlantic League. He still leads the league in wins with seven although he did not get the win after this amazing start.

The Dominican Summer League began yesterday as well with Andres Gimenez hitting a grand slam in his first pro game. You can read the full recap here.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Herrera With Walk-Off Hit, Conlon Pitches Ten Innings appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Reno 9, Las Vegas 0 (28-25)

• Gavin Cecchini SS 3 for 4 .318/.393/.403
• T.J. Rivera 3B 2 for 4, 2B .370/.406/.540
• Eric Campbell LF 1 for 4 .250/.308/.250

Cecchini accounted for half of the hits in the shutout. Herrera struck out three times in four at-bats.

• Sean Gilmartin LHP 5.2 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 3 BB, 7 K 4.93 ERA, Loss
• Stolmy Pimentel RHP 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER 2K 10.80 ERA

Pimentel allowed 2 runs to score on a wild pitch after relieving Gilmartin. This is not a typo.

Altoona 7, Binghamton 4 (21-32)

• Derrik Gibson 3B 2 for 5, 2 RBI, K .284/.372/.384
• Phillip Evans SS 1 for 4, RBI, K .333/.333/.440
• Jayce Boyd LF 1 for 3, BB, K .125/.263/.125
• Matt Oberste 1B 2 for 4, R .293/.347/.437
• L.J. Mazzilli 2B 1 for 3, RBI, 2 R, BB, K  .258/.342/.337

Oberste played first base for the first time since May 17th. Mazzilli is hitting .438 in his last 10 games.

• Tyler Pill RHP 6 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 6 K 4.43 ERA, Loss
• Logan Taylor RHP IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K 2.70 ERA
• Beck Wheeler RHP IP 2H, ER, K 6.04 ERA

Taylor continues to excel in relief with 47 strikeouts in 33.1 innings.

Brevard County 6, St. Lucie 4 (26-28)

• Champ Stuart CF 1 for 4, 3B, R, K .227/.316/.368
• Jonathan Johnson 2B 0 for 1 R, SF, 2 BB .306/.438/.388
• Amed Rosario SS 2 for 4, 2 3B, 2 RBI, K .301/.352/.455
• Tomas Nido C 2 for 4 .296/.329/.408, PB (4)
• Patrick Biondi RF 2 for 4 2B .258/.345/.299

Rosario continues his extra base streak after doubling last night with two triples tonight. He overtakes the lead for triples in the Florida State League. Nido continues to hit well in the Florida State League.

• Ricky Knapp RHP 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, K, HRA 2.17 ERA
• Mike Hepple RHP 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, K 5.40 ERA
• Corey Taylor RHP IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K 1.74 ERA, Loss

Hepple has struggled after being demoted from Binghamton. Taylor has proved he isn’t un-hittable after two runs allowed, losing the game.

Hagerstown 6, Columbia 2 (28-27)

• Kevin Kaczmarski RF 2 for 4, 2B, 2K .252/.335/.396
• David Thompson 3B 1 for 4, 2B, 2K .285/.348/.468
• Milton Ramos SS 1 for 2, RBI, BB .247/.329/.313
• Ivan Wilson CF 1 for 3, 2B, K .215/.299/.386, Outfield Assist

Ramos has been hitting much better as of late, with a .265 average in the last ten games to couple with his spectacular defense.

• Chase Ingram, 3.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K 5.03 ERA, Loss
• Seth Davis 3.2 IP H, 2 BB, 7 K 2.32 ERA
• Craig Missigman 2 IP, H, K 2.89 ERA

Ingram has had a pitching slump, allowing four or more runs in his last five starts. Davis continues his great pitching striking out seven out of 14 batters faced.

DSL Mets teams start today at 10:30 AM. You can check out my breakdown of the rosters that include Gregory Guerrero and Andres Gimenez here.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Rosario Triples Twice, Cecchini Three Hits appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With 2015 now behind us we will look at how each of the Mets affiliates fared last year. We start with the team that won the most games.

One of the biggest bright spots was the Savannah Sand Gnats who went 84-53 in the South Atlantic League. They had an 18-game winning streak, which was the longest in the last ten years of minor league baseball. The streak wasn’t ended by a loss but an extremely rare tie in baseball that was brought on heavy rain to an already suspended game.

Their season ended on September 12th after losing the rubber game in a best-of-3 series against the Asheville Tourists (Colorado Rockies) in the first round of the playoffs. They had the tying run at third base and the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the 9th inning when a groundout by Patrick Biondi ended the season. During the regular season the Gnats were led by South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player Luis Guillorme who hit .318/.391/.354 with 55 RBI and 18 stolen bases.

The Sand Gnats had a 3.12 team ERA which was the lowest in the league and the best among Mets full season teams. They also led the league with nine complete games and 14 shutouts. The pitching staff allowed the fewest amount of walks (342) while striking out the third most (1097) producing a 3.21 SO/W that led all of the Mets affiliates.

The Gnats offense held its own scoring 4.54 runs per game compared to the league average of 4.39 runs per game. They were third in the with a .335 on-base percentage but had the second fewest extra base hits with 328 as they played in the pitcher friendly Grayson Stadium.

Infielder Jonathan Johnson, starting pitcher Casey Meisner (traded to A’s), and reliever David Roseboom were midseason All-Stars. The SAL post-season All-Star team included Gnats outfielder Wuilmer Becerra, manager Jose Leger, and Guillorme.

Offensive Leaders:

• Homeruns – Eudor Garcia 9, Becerra 9, Vicente Lupo 8, Michael Katz 6, Tomas Nido 6
• Triples – John Mora 12, Patrick Biondi 5, Jean Rodriguez 5, Garcia 4, Johnson 4
• Doubles – Becerra 27, Garcia 23, Mora 22, Johnson 19, Lupo 18, Guillorme 16
• AVG – Guillorme .318, Garcia .296, Becerra .290, Mora .278
• OBP – Johnson .396, Guillorme .391, Mora .368, Becerra .342
• SLG – Garcia .442, Mora .428, Becerra .423, Katz .395, Lupo .381
• Stolen Bases – Biondi 38, Johnson 23, Guillorme 18, Rodriguez 17, Becerra 16
• RBI – Becerra 63, Mora 60, Garcia 59, Guillorme 55, Rodriguez 44
• Runs – Johnson 73, Becerra 67, Guillorme 67, Mora 65, Garcia 57

Pitching Leaders:

• Wins – Corey Oswalt 11, Scarlyn Reyes 10, Casey Delgado 8, Ricky Knapp 8
• Starters ERA – Meisner 2.13, Martires Arias 2.43, Ricky Knapp 2.60, Delgado 3.17
• Starters WHIP – Meisner 1.026, Delgado 1.095, Arias 1.099, Knapp 1.239
• Saves – Jimmy Duff 12, Alberto Baldonado 9, David Roseboom 8
• Strikeouts – Arias 110, Oswalt 99, Knapp 91, Delgado 81, Reyes 78
• Reliever ERA – Roseboom 1.15, Paul Paez 1.36, Cameron Griffin 1.67
• Reliever WHIP – Roseboom 0.798, Luis Mateo 0.943, Paez 1.008
• SO/W – Paez 5.67, Duff 5.50, Chris Flexen 4.71, Oswalt 4.71, Knapp 4.55

The year was bittersweet though for the Gnats as it was also their last season as a Mets affiliate. The Mets new Class A team will be the Columbia Fireflies who will play at Spirit Communications Park in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. The Gnats have been a Mets affiliate since 2007 and won a league title in 2013.

For the Winter Ball Recap: T.J. Rivera Stays Hot, Asdrubal Cabrera Plays Short Again and more minor league information head over to MetsMinors.net.

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Wuilmer Becerra (Photo by Michael Baron)

The Savannah Sand Gnats have announced its initial roster for the 2015 season and it has some exciting names on it.

The rotation will include Casey Meisner who was outstanding for Brooklyn last year and was #19 on MMO’s Top 25 Prospect list. Fellow Brooklyn starters Corey Oswalt, Martires Arias, and Alberto Baldonado should also join Meisner in Savannah.

The bullpen will feature Shane Bay who was a perfect 15-15 in save situations last year for Brooklyn and was selected to the All-Star game. Joining him the the Gnats bullpen will be two draftees from last year in Brad Wieck (7th round) and Josh Prevost (5th round). Returning to pitch in the Gnats bullpen for the 2nd year in a row are John Mincone, Darwin Frias, Chris Flexen, and Paul Paez. Other pitchers are the roster include Scarlyn Reyes, Gaither Bumgardner, James Duff, Cameron Griffin, David Roseboom, and Carlos Valdez.

The big position prospect landing in Savannah is MMO’s 18th best prospect Wuilmer Becerra who posted great numbers in Kingsport last year. Other outfielders on the team include fellow Kingsport teammate Vicente Lupo and Stefan Sabol and Patrick Biondi returning to Savannah. John Mora who played for Brooklyn last year will also be on the Gnats roster.

The infield will include slick fielding shortstop Luis Guillorme, Jonathon Johnson, and Jon Leroux who are returning to the Gnats. Joining them will be Pedro Perez who played in Kingsport and J.C. Rodriguez who played in Brooklyn.

To round out the roster will be the Mets 2014 6th round pick Tyler Moore who played in Brooklyn last year. Tomas Nido will also do some catching for the Sand Gnats after playing in Brooklyn the last two years.

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39. Patrick Biondi, OF

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 160 LBs

DOB: 1/9/1991 (22 years old)

Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Hit: 40/50 Power: 20/25 Arm: 55/55 Field: 60/60 Speed: 55/65

A 2013 draft pick for the Mets, Biondi was a senior sign grabbed in the 9th round. He’s a bit on the smaller side, standing at 5’9”, but his body type is that of your prototypical speedster.

It’s very likely that Biondi will barely hit for any power down the line, with just five home runs in 822 at-bats in Michigan. His speed is his claim to fame, however, as he has 103 stolen bases in 130 chances over that span — and he backs it up with above-average defense. Biondi’s got a solid arm, takes good paths to balls, and accelerates well when tracking down balls — so he’s definitely got that part of his game down. He’s also got a career .304 college average to his name, highlighted by his league-leading .388 in 2012.

Biondi, unsurprisingly, was sent to Brooklyn where he posted a .249/.348/.301 slash line in 193 at-bats with no home runs, six doubles, two triples, and 17 stolen bases.

Outlook: Biondi’s speed really excites me — and he plays solid enough defense that I think he’ll end up as a solid 4th OF type player no matter what happens. He’s certainly talented enough to play center field defensively, by the way. His ability to hit for contact will determine whether he can find himself in a starting gig or not someday. He owns a solid walk rate and demonstrates good plate discipline. However, he’ll be 23 at the start of next season and getting his first-taste of full season ball, so time isn’t exactly on his side here. If I had to give you an MLB comparison, my first thought is Endy Chavez — so there’s value here yet.

ETA: Late 2016

MMN Top 40 Prospects

40. Jhoan Urena

39. Patrick Biondi

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I hope you all enjoyed my coverage of the Brooklyn Cyclones this summer. I certainly did!

It was great to meet and interact with many of the team’s recent draft picks to see what’s in store for the future. And of course, Rich Donnelly is an awesome baseball mind, so it was great to hear his perspective each night.

Below is a Q&A between myself and the MMO staff discussing the Cyclones’ season. It may be a bit early to tell if some of this summer’s Cyclones will soon be playing at Citi Field, but a few certainly have some potential for down the road.

1. After following and covering the Brooklyn Cyclones for our sites this season, you got to see and talk to many of the players and the coaches as well. What I’d like to know is what were your overall thoughts on the relationship between the players and coaches. Was there anything in particular you could share with us about that particular dynamic and the role it plays in the player development process. 

With many of the Cyclones fresh out of college, having a coaching staff that is involved is vital to a young player’s success. That was exactly the scene in Brooklyn.

Manager Rich Donnelly, pitching coach Marc Valdes and hitting coach Bobby Malek are great with the young guys. Donnelly in particular has now been in this role for a few seasons, and while he’s focused on winning, he understands that his main responsibility is to prepare his players for the next level. Donnelly sometimes got to MCU Park at 10 a.m. for a 7 p.m. game, which shows his tireless dedication. He routinely talked to his players during batting practice to help with any adjustments or to just see how they were doing.

That’s the type of atmosphere that works in the low minor leagues, and Donnelly again did his part in fostering the environment for his players to be successful. Though the team missed the playoffs this season, a few of this summer’s Cyclones already seem like they can be primary contributors at St. Lucie or Savannah next season.

2. Which 2-3 players were you most impressed with this season and do you foresee them as future contributors at the big league level. Tell us a little bit about them and what stood out the most to you.

I was very impressed this summer with Robert Gsellman, John Mincone, L.J. Mazzilli and Gavin Cecchini. I liked how Gsellman could go deep into games, which is usually a rare feat among short-season Single-A pitchers. This was his third year with the Mets organization, so Brooklyn likely wasn’t his primary destination, but he pitched very well, which allowed him to get the call for starts in Savannah and St. Lucie later in the summer. He’s still only 20, so let’s keep an eye on him the next few seasons.

John Mincone could be a big-league contributor someday, but he really has to stay healthy. Both his summers in Brooklyn were cut short due to injury. But when he’s on the mound, the lefty has looked great, as evidenced by his back-to-back selections to the NYPL All-Star Game.

L.J. Mazzilli had all the hype from being Lee Mazzilli’s son, and L.J. did a fine job in his first professional season. He pretty much batted over .300 all summer, but a thumb injury late caused his average to slip to .278. He even showed a little bit of pop and played a nice defensive second base. It’s still a bit early with him as well, but an offensive-minded second baseman is always a plus.

As for Cecchini, he got off to a very cold start offensively and then suffered a high ankle sprain. But once he came back healthy, he was on fire with the bat. He actually hit into much tough luck, as often he’d rocket a ball right at a defender. Even so, to finish at .273 from where he started the season is very impressive.

But most impressive about Gavin is his calm demeanor and his glove. Defensively, he made a few big-league-type plays and showed he already has great arm strength. It’s that defense that can carry him to the next level and beyond. He will need to hit, and he must be sure to try to avoid long slumps. He’s only 19, so he definitely is in this team’s plans somewhere down the line.

3. On the flip side, were there any prospects that gave you some pause or concerns about their future as a major leaguer?

Seventh-round draft pick Matt Oberste had a bit of a rough go of it this summer. I have to say, he did come up with a few big hits, but his .208 batting average and 56 strikeouts may force him to remain another summer in Brooklyn. He went through a few long hitless streaks, which shows he did not quite master the baseball art of making adjustments.

4. Which pitchers had the best fastball, curveball and slider?

The best fastball on the team was split between Akeel Morris and Johnny Magliozzi. The ball just explodes out of Morris’ hand, and we’ll get to him in the next question, but Magliozzi, who is listed at a generous five-feet 10-inches, could really bring it from the closer’s role. He took over after Mincone went down with injury and wound up picking up nine saves.

Lefty reliever David Wynn had the best curveball on the staff. It sat in the high 70s-low 80s and had plenty of bite.

All-Star Miller Diaz relied on his slider for his out pitch this summer. He got plenty of strikeouts on the pitch but also plenty of foul balls. Donnelly said after one game that Diaz’s pitch counts were elevated since he had trouble putting guys away.

Finally, John Gant had the team’s best change-up. He really had his change working in a memorable performance this summer when he threw a one-hitter and faced the minimum. He’s a tall, lanky guy with a good fastball, so having that change-up is a great change of pace for him.

5. Which position players showcased the best power and the best speed?

Alex Sanchez and James Roche displayed some good power. Sanchez hit some monstrous home runs, which is very difficult at MCU Park. Roche meanwhile led the team with five home runs and went through a stretch where it seemed like all his hits were for extra bases.

As for speed, Patrick Biondi took care of that category. He led the Cyclones with 17 stolen bases while only being caught four times. He dealt with a wrist injury, but still, he’d come in late in games to pinch run even when he couldn’t hit.

6. What did you think of Akeel Morris’ season? Do you see success in the cards for him as a reliever or as a starter?

From how Rich Donnelly spoke early in the year about Morris, he must have really have had a rough go of it in extended spring training. Morris was apparently walking a ton of batters, which came back to bite him.

But all summer, Morris threw the ball extremely well. He settled into a piggy-back role with lefty Dario Alvarez, but in conversations with him, I could tell that he wanted to be a full-time starter.

But frankly, I see his value as more of a late-inning reliever or even a closer based on his ability to strikeout opposing hitters. His small frame also would suggest that he could be better suited as a reliever. Either way, he’s just another talented pitching prospect to keep an eye on in the Mets’ system.

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