His week was so good, he won Eastern League Player of the Week.

Now, let’s look at the rest of the system in its first full week back in action after the All-Star break.

Ryan Clifford. Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets completed a rare six-game sweep in their most recent series with the Omaha Storm Chasers, bringing their win streak to seven games. Syracuse has been on a tear in the second half, improving their record to 21-6 and 52-50 overall.

Several players had excellent weeks at the plate, including Luis De Los Santos (two home runs, 1.094 OPS) and Jared Young (one home run, 1.084 OPS). Perhaps the best offensive player of the week, though, was veteran Joey Meneses who went 9-for-19 with a double, two home runs, and a team-leading seven RBIs. Meneses also walked twice and scored two runs. His OPS is inching closer to .800 at .788.

Drew Gilbert also continued his tear at the plate, going 9-for-23 with two doubles, two home runs, and five RBIs. Gilbert also walked twice and scored three runs. Gilbert is in one of his best sustained stretches since joining the Mets organization, recording a .947 OPS over his last 36 games to bring his OPS on the season to .790.

Nolan McLean was dominant yet again for the Mets, allowing just two runs across 7 1/3 innings in his start. He allowed four hits and struck out six batters. McLean continues to be fantastic, and his ERA through 13 games in Triple-A is 3.01.

Brandon Sproat had another solid start, allowing two runs in five innings while striking out three. Sproat now has a 0.64 ERA in his last five starts and a 4.30 season ERA.

Sproat and McLean are making cases for late-season call-ups.

Paul Blackburn also looked excellent in two rehab starts, combining to throw 11 1/3 innings with just two runs allowed. He also struck out 11 as he looks to make his way back to the major league team.

Carson Benge. Photo via Brooklyn Cyclones

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies completed a dominant series against the Reading Fightin Phils, winning five of six games and outscoring their opponent 54-22. The Rumble Ponies are now 19-8 in the second half and 64-30 overall.

In addition to what Ryan Clifford did at the plate, Carson Benge looks like a superstar in the making, and he had another fantastic week. Benge went 9-for-25 with three home runs, six RBIs, a walk, and seven runs scored. Benge is crushing Double-A pitching, owning a 1.046 OPS through 21 games at the level.

Nick Lorusso stood out behind Clifford and Benge, going 7-for-18 with two doubles, two home runs, and eight RBIs. Lorusso also walked four times, scored five runs, and stole a base. The third baseman now owns a .762 OPS on the year.

The best start of the week from a Rumble Ponies pitcher was Jonathan Santucci, who fell just one out away from a quality start. Santucci allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings to give him a 2.03 ERA through three starts since being promoted.

Jonah Tong also had a good start, allowing a run over five innings while striking out six. Tong’s ERA through 17 starts is now 1.72.

Boston Baro

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones barely avoided a sweep last week, winning just the final game of their six-game series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers. The second half of the season has not been kind to the Cyclones, who have a 13-17 record. Their record on the entire season is 59-37.

Corey Collins, a slugging first baseman drafted in 2024, had arguably his best week in pro baseball by going 6-for-20 with a triple, a home run, and two RBIs. He also walked three times and scored four runs. Collins has dealt with injuries and lack of production when healthy since being drafted, and he has just a .678 OPS in 17 games with the Cyclones.

Boston Baro, another recent draft pick (2023) who has struggled, also had a good week, going 8-for-24 with two doubles, a home run, and four RBIs. Baro also stole two bases and scored two runs. He owns just a .615 OPS on the season.

Noah Hall delivered two great starts for the Cyclones, combining to allow just one run over seven innings. He allowed four hits and six walks, struggling with command, but he struck out five. Hall has a fantastic 2.32 ERA in 19 games (15 starts) this season.

Will Watson also looked solid, allowing one run over 4 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts. Watson has shined for the Cyclones, recording a 2.25 ERA in nine games (eight starts).

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets won five of six games against the Daytona Tortugas. It was a pretty lopsided series, with the Mets outscoring the Tortugas 43-16. The Mets are now 20-9 in the second half of the season and 54-40 overall.

Nick Roselli had an amazing week, going 9-for-15 with a double, two home runs, and a team-leading seven RBIs. Roselli also walked twice, stole a base, and scored six runs, which tied for the team lead. Roselli hasn’t had the best year, but his great week puts his OPS on the year at .726. He was the Florida State League Player of the Week.

Simon Juan also stood out, going 7-for-16 with a double, two triples, and five RBIs, also adding two walks, two stolen bases, and three runs. Juan has really struggled this year, and he now owns a .634 OPS.

Yohairo Cuevas and Yonatan Henriquez had great weeks at the plate, with Cuevas going 8-for-21 and Henriquez going 9-for-24. Cuevas recorded two doubles, while Henriquez recorded a double and a home run. Cuevas has had the better fortunes this year, owning an .809 OPS, while Henriquez owns a .682 OPS.

Franklin Gomez delivered the best start of the week for the Mets, tossing five scoreless innings with four strikeouts. He allowed two hits, a walk, and hit a batter. Gomez has been stellar all year, owning a 1.85 ERA in 14 games (seven starts) with St. Lucie.

Jose Chirinos had a lengthy outing from the bullpen (four innings), but he was great. He didn’t allow a hit, walked two, and struck out six. In eight games (five starts) with St. Lucie, Chirinos has a 3.18 ERA.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets had multiple games canceled due to rain and thus played just two games this past week, going 1-1. The team is now 25-28 on the year and still in third base in the division.

Edward Lantigua shone in the two games, 3-for-7 with two home runs and a walk. The 18-year-old has been fantastic all year with an .832 OPS.

Yacksel Ríos was one of just two pitchers to appear in the two games to throw a scoreless inning. He hit a batter but otherwise didn’t allow a walk or a hit. It was the first appearance of the year for Ríos, who had a 3.30 ERA in Triple-A Syracuse last year.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Orange went 2-3 this past week, moving to 23-17 on the year. Meanwhile, the DSL Mets Blue went 1-4 to move to 16-24 on the year.

Elian Peña had a decent week at the plate for the Orange squad, going 4-for-18 with a home run, three walks, and four stolen bases. He owns an .814 OPS through his first 39 professional games. On the mound, Franyel Diaz looked fantastic with 11 strikeouts over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Diaz owns a 2.93 ERA in 10 games.

For the Blue squad, Leandy Mella went 5-for-14 with a double, a triple, a walk, and two RBIs. In 23 games, he has just a .633 OPS. On the mound, Darling Perez made a start of five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a hit batsman while striking out two. Perez owns a 4.81 ERA through eight starts.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .314

OPS – Carson Benge (BRK/BNG) – .936

HR – Ryan Clifford (BNG) – 21

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 55

Pitching

ERA – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 1.72

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 138

WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.812

Players of the Week

Offense – Ryan Clifford, 1B/OF Binghamton

Ryan Clifford’s best tool has always been his power, and he’s demonstrated it in a huge way lately. The 22-year-old now has 21 home runs on the year after recording 19 all of last year in 37 more games. If he can consistently mash, he could be an exciting offensive piece for the Mets in the future.

Pitching – Paul Blackburn, P Syracuse

Paul Blackburn made one great start at the major league level this year before floundering, and he’s trying to prove he still belongs. He made two great starts at the run-heavy Triple-A level and could be close to returning to the major leagues. If these two starts are any indication, he could still be a valuable back-of-the-rotation or bulk bullpen arm for the Mets down the stretch.

Upcoming Schedule – July 29 – August 3

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Buffalo
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Harrisburg
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Jersey Shore
• Low-A St. Lucie: @ Jupiter

The post Minors Weekly Report: Ryan Clifford Crosses 20-Home Run Mark appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brandon Sproat looked extremely sharp in his start against Norfolk, tossing five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. He allowed just one hit and one walk. Sproat has now thrown 23 innings in his last four starts and has not allowed a single run in that span. He has since lowered his ERA to 4.34.

Despite the short week, let’s look at how the rest of the minor league affiliates did. Also, make sure to check out Mike Mayer’s midseason Top 50 prospects list ahead of the trade deadline!

Brandon Sproat. Photo Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets took two of three games from the Norfolk Tides in their most recent series. It was a high-scoring set of games, with the Mets outscoring the Tides 28-19. Syracuse is now 15-6 in the second half of the season and 46-50 overall.

Francisco Alvarez had another ridiculous series torching Triple-A pitching, prompting his call-up back to the major league team. Alvarez went 4-for-10 with three home runs, six RBIs, four walks, and five runs scored against Norfolk, good for a 1.871 OPS. He had an absurd 1.129 OPS in 21 games with Syracuse this year.

Gilberto Celestino also had an excellent series, going 4-for-11 with a double, a home run, four walks, two stolen bases, and four runs scored. Celestino has had a decent year in Syracuse, accumulating a .765 OPS.

José Buttó made a couple of rehab appearances as he looks to work his way back to the major league squad. Buttó threw two scoreless innings with two hits allowed and two strikeouts. It’s expected that he’ll be back in the big leagues shortly, potentially as soon as today after an off day Monday.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies also won a relatively high-scoring series, taking two of three games from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Binghamton and New Hampshire each scored 21 runs. Binghamton continues to roll as they are 14-7 in the second half of the season and 59-29 overall.

Carson Benge had an excellent series, going 6-for-12 with a double, three walks, a stolen base, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Benge has arguably been the best position player prospect in the Mets’ system this year, and he raised his Double-A OPS to 1.005.

Jacob Reimer had a pair of extra-base hits, going 3-for-11 with a double, a home run, a walk, and three runs scored. Like Benge, Reimer has done well in Double-A, raising his OPS with Binghamton to .840.

Kevin Parada also had another good series, going 4-for-9 with two doubles, a triple, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Parada has been swinging the bat extremely well lately, owning a 1.017 OPS in his last 32 games. It’s been quite the turnaround at the plate for the former first-round pick. His OPS for the year is .763.

Jonah Tong delivered the best start of the series for the Rumble Ponies, going 5 1/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. Tong’s ERA lowered to 1.71 through 16 starts on the year.

Jack Wenninger also had a good start, allowing two runs (one earned) in 4 2/3 innings with two strikeouts. Through 18 starts, Wenninger owns a 2.96 ERA.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Kylie Richelle

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones dropped their series to the Hub City Spartanburgers, winning just one of the three games. The Cyclones have been stumbling in the second half with a 12-12 record, bringing their overall record to 58-32.

Troy Schreffler, who has struggled mightily in 32 games this year, had a fantastic series against Hub City. Schreffler went 3-for-8 but hit two home runs, his first two of the year, and recorded five RBIs and three runs. Schreffler still has just a .532 OPS on the year.

A.J. Ewing led the team with six hits in 11 at-bats, recording two doubles, a triple, two walks, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Ewing has been one of the breakout stars in the Mets system this year, and he owns an .802 OPS in Brooklyn after a scorching start to the year in St. Lucie.

Ronald Hernandez also had a solid series, going 5-for-11 with a triple, a walk, a stolen base, three RBIs, and a team-high five runs scored. Hernandez has not had a good year as he still owns just a .681 OPS for the season.

Brendan Girton was one of the better performers in the Mets’ system, shoving for 4 2/3 innings in his start and not allowing a single baserunner. He also struck out nine batters. Girton has been phenomenal this season, especially in his last six games, where he has a 1.14 ERA. On the season, he owns a 2.49 ERA in 17 games for the Cyclones.

In addition to Girton, Will Watson also tossed 4 2/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing two hits, two walks, hitting a batter, and striking out four. Watson, like Girton, has shone this year and has a 2.29 ERA in eight games since being promoted to Brooklyn.

Wellington Aracena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets won just one game in their last series against the Palm Beach Cardinals to drop the three-game set. The Mets are now 15-8 in the second half of the season and 49-39 overall.

Trace Willhoite was the lone standout batter for the Mets in this series. He had just seven at-bats, but he recorded three hits, including a home run, with five walks, four RBIs, and three runs. Willhoite has been great all year for St. Lucie, and he now owns an .856 OPS for the season.

Wellington Aracena continued his excellent stretch with another scoreless outing, going 4 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts. Aracena now owns an 0.81 ERA across 22 1/3 innings in his last five games, and he owns a 2.38 ERA in 17 games for the season.

Alfred Vega and Franklin Gomez each made one appearance out of the bullpen and looked great. Vega threw three perfect innings with four strikeouts, while Gomez tossed four scoreless innings with three hits and two walks allowed with three strikeouts. Vega has a 2.54 ERA across three levels this year, and Gomez has a 2.06 ERA in 13 games with St. Lucie.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets went 3-2 this past week to improve on the season to 24-27. They remain in third place in the Florida Complex League East division, 11 games behind the first-place team.

Edward Lantigua had the team’s best week at the plate, going 4-for-12 with two doubles, two RBIs, and three walks. Lantigua has looked solid for the FCL Mets, owning a .780 OPS in 47 games.

On the mound, Paul Blackburn made a rehab start and looked solid, allowing a run in 3 2/3 innings while striking out eight. Blackburn is scheduled to make his next rehab start in Syracuse on Tuesday.

Jose Guevara had an excellent start, tossing three perfect innings with four strikeouts. Guevara has not had success this year, owning a 5.50 ERA in 11 games.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Orange went 2-3 this past week to move to 21-14 on the season. The DSL Mets Blue had an even worse week, going 0-4 to drop to 15-20.

Elian Peña had a great week for the Orange squad, going 6-for-15 with two doubles, four walks, three stolen bases, two RBIs, and three runs. Peña now owns a strong .829 OPS in his first professional season. On the mound, Jose Lopez allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings while striking out seven. Lopez owns a 5.56 ERA in six starts.

The Blue squad had a really rough week as they had just two extra-base hits total, and no batter with more than five at-bats had an OPS above .762 (Jhonael Cuello, who went 2-for-6, hit that mark). On the mound, Christopher Rochin threw four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Rochin now owns a 3.10 ERA in nine games.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .315

OPS – Carson Benge (BRK/BNG) – .919

HR – Ryan Clifford (BNG) – 17

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 55

Pitching

ERA – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 1.71

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 132

WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.812

Players of the Week

Offense – Francisco Alvarez, C Syracuse

Francisco Alvarez did everything he needed to and more to earn a promotion back to the big league club. He hit immediately upon his arrival to Syracuse and continued to hit until he was called back up, mashing home runs seemingly every day. If that means he can turn it around at the major league level, his initial demotion will be deemed a brilliant move.

Pitching – Brendan Girton, P Brooklyn

Brendan Girton was perfect in his latest outing, and he’s been outstanding all season. The 23-year-old has excelled at the High-A level, and conquering the Double-A level will be his next challenge whenever his eventual promotion arrives.

Upcoming Schedule – July 22-27

• Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Omaha
• Double-A Binghamton: @ Reading
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Greensboro
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Daytona/@ Jupiter

The post Minors Weekly Report: Brandon Sproat Continues Scoreless Streak appeared first on Metsmerized.

We’ll have more on Alvarez’s numbers in another article coming out later today.

Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets took four of six games from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, continuing their second-half tear. They are now 13-5 in the second half of the season and 44-49 overall.

Outside of Alvarez, Drew Gilbert led the way in what was another great week. Gilbert went 7-for-23 with three doubles, a triple, a home run, and six RBIs, second on the team behind Alvarez. Gilbert’s strong play of late, a .935 OPS in his last 29 games, has his season OPS up to .767 after a rough start.

Joey Meneses also shined, going 7-for-18 with a double and a home run, also adding four RBIs. Meneses still owns just a .744 OPS for the season, a fine number for MLB but not so great in Triple-A.

Nolan McLean delivered another impeccable start, a regularity since his promotion to Syracuse, but this may have been his best one yet. McLean twirled a gem of six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out 10. McLean now owns a 2.52 ERA in 11 games in Triple-A.

Brandon Sproat also delivered his best start of the season, throwing seven scoreless innings with three hits allowed and four strikeouts. Sproat has been brilliant in his last three starts, not allowing a run in 18 innings in that span, and he’s lowered his ERA to 4.61.

Drew Gilbert. Photo Credit: James Farrance

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies won their series against the Altoona Curve, taking the first four games of the series before dropping the last two. Binghamton is now 12-6 in the second half of the season and 57-28 overall.

Jett Williams had a scorching week at the plate, going 10-for-26 with four doubles, two home runs, three walks, and two stolen bases. He drove in five runs and scored five runs of his own. Williams has been electric this year, and he has his OPS up to .891 for the year.

Carson Benge also shined, going 5-for-10 with two doubles, a home run, and four walks. Like Williams, Benge also drove in five runs and scored five runs of his own. Benge looks more than comfortable in Double-A, owning a .956 OPS in 13 games since his promotion.

Kevin Parada had another great week in his bounceback campaign, going 8-for-16 with five doubles, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Parada has a .990 OPS in his last 30 games to put his OPS for the year at .739.

R.J. Gordon gave the best start of the week for the Rumble Ponies in his Double-A debut, allowing one run over seven innings while striking out eight. Gordon allowed just three hits and one walk in the effort. He now has a 2.89 ERA on the season between Brooklyn and Binghamton.

Jonathan Santucci had another fantastic start, also in his Double-A debut. He allowed two runs over six innings while striking out eight with two hits and one walk allowed. Santucci has completely erased his dreadful start to the season and has a 3.42 ERA between Brooklyn and Binghamton.

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones split their series with the Wilmington Blue Rocks to move to 11-10 in the second half of the season. Overall, Brooklyn has a 57-30 record.

Chris Suero had the best week at the plate for a Cyclone despite not having his best week. Suero went 3-for-16 with a double, a home run, five walks, and a stolen base. Suero added to his great season, improving his OPS to .837.

Diego Mosquera also had a good week, going 5-for-10 with five walks and two RBIs. Mosquera has not been great this year, owning just a .672 OPS.

Noah Hall delivered a brilliant start, tossing seven shutout innings with four strikeouts. Hall allowed just two hits and a walk. With the effort, he lowered his ERA to 2.41.

Brendan Girton also didn’t allow a run, going 4 1/3 innings with four strikeouts. Girton now has a 2.69 ERA in 16 games with the Cyclones.

Will Watson made a couple of starts and looked solid, combining for 7 1/3 innings with three runs allowed and eight strikeouts. Watson owns a 2.64 ERA in seven games since joining Brooklyn.

Christopher Suero. Photo by Ed Delany of Metmerized

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets dominated the Bradenton Marauders, winning five of their six games in the series. St. Lucie is off to a fast start in the second half, owning a 14-6 record. For the whole year, St. Lucie is 48-37.

Yonatan Henriquez had a great week at the plate, going 9-for-26 with a home run, a walk, and a stolen base. Henriquez drove in seven runs and scored five. He raised his OPS on the year to .665.

Vincent Perozo also looked good, going 5-for-12 with two doubles, a home run, four walks, and four runs driven in. Perozo improved his OPS to .743.

Last year’s draft pick Nick Roselli had a solid week, going 6-for-16 with two doubles, two walks, and a stolen base. Roselli has really struggled this year, but his latest series has his OPS up to .641.

Franklin Gomez delivered the best start of the week for the Mets, tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Gomez allowed one hit and three walks while striking out five. He’s been excellent this year, owning a 2.27 ERA with St. Lucie.

Wellington Aracena also continued his recent hot stretch, tossing four scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, a walk, and struck out four. Aracena now has a 2.56 ERA for the year and a 1.00 ERA over his last six games and 27 innings.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets had a second consecutive good week, going 3-1 to improve on the year to 21-25. They remain in third place in the Florida Complex League East division.

Edward Lantigua was fantastic at the plate for the FCL Mets, going 5-for-13 with two doubles, a home run, and a team-leading seven RBIs. Lantigua raised his OPS to .745 with the effort.

Jonathan Jimenez had a good start on the mound, allowing two unearned runs in four innings. Jimenez allowed five hits and a walk while striking out three. Through 11 games, Jimenez is 0-5 with a 4.13 ERA.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Orange went 3-2 this past week to improve their record to 19-11. The DSL Mets Blue went 4-1, improving their record to 15-16.

Adolfo Miranda continued his strong season for the DSL Mets Orange by going 6-for-16 with three doubles and a triple, raising his OPS to 1.023. On the mound, Julio Gonzalez threw three hitless innings. He has a 2.08 ERA in six appearances.

For the DSL Mets Bue squad, Yorber Semprun went 13-for-23 with a home run and six RBIs, raising his OPS to 1.045. On the mound, Abner Meza tossed five scoreless innings. He has a 1.50 ERA in seven appearances and five starts.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .306

OPS – Carson Benge (BRK/BNG) – .907

HR – Ryan Clifford (BNG) – 17

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 55

Pitching

ERA – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 1.83

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 125

WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.812

Players of the Week

Offense – Francisco Alvarez, C Syracuse

Alvarez is certainly making his case to be called back up to the major league squad. He’s demonstrating ridiculous power and showing flashes of what made him the top prospect in all of baseball just a few years ago. Whether this reset will actually work for him remains to be seen, but it’s a good sign to see Alvarez thriving after looking lifeless for much of this season.

Pitching – Noah Hall, P Brooklyn

Hall is not in the upper echelon of Mets pitching prospects alongside Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat, but he’s been pitching himself right into that tier right below them. Hall is pitching in his first full season of pro ball and excelling, with his latest outing his best one so far. The 24-year-old is a name Mets fans should certainly keep an eye on.

Upcoming Schedule – July 18-20

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Norfolk
• Double-A Binghamton: @ New Hampshire
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Hub City
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Palm Beach

The post Minors Weekly Report: Francisco Alvarez Goes on Homer Spree appeared first on Metsmerized.

Gilbert was the best among several great individual performances in the Mets’ system this past week, which we’ll recap in the latest Mets Minors Weekly Report.

Drew Gilbert, Photo by Kylie Richelle of Syracuse Mets

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets continued their impressive start to the second half of the season, winning their latest series against the Worcester Red Sox. The Mets won four of six games, outscoring the Red Sox 27-26 in the series. Syracuse is now 9-3 in the second half of the season and 40-47 overall.

In addition to Drew Gilbert, Pablo Reyes also continues to crush the ball since recently re-joining Syracuse. Reyes went 6-for-16 and clubbed two homers with four RBIs. He also struck out just once, walking three times. Reyes owns a 1.390 OPS in 11 games in his latest Syracuse stint.

Jared Young and Francisco Alvarez also recorded two home runs each, with Young driving in four runs and Alvarez driving in three. Young has a .914 OPS in Syracuse this year, while Alvarez has four home runs in 41 at-bats but just a .795 OPS since being sent down.

Brandon Sproat followed up his best start of the year with another gem, striking out eight over five scoreless innings. Sproat is still recovering from a brutal start to the year, owning a 5.05 ERA, but his last two starts have been spectacular.

Nolan McLean had yet another strong start, allowing two runs across five innings while striking out 10. McLean has exceeded every expectation since joining Syracuse, and he has a 2.80 ERA in 10 games with the team.

David Stearns said last week he didn’t want to call up Sproat or McLean for a spot start, so it seems they’ll only get the call to MLB to get an extended look.

Nolan McLean. Photo Credit: Kylie Richelle

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies also won four of their six games in their latest series, defeating the Hartford Yard Goats. The Rumble Ponies are 8-4 in the second half and 53-26 overall.

Like Drew Gilbert, the player he was traded to the Mets with, Ryan Clifford also had a standout week at the plate. Clifford recorded two home runs and two doubles while going 5-for-17. He also walked five times, struck out just three times, and stole a base. Clifford’s bat has been heating up lately, resulting in an .840 season OPS.

Jacob Reimer has been crushing Double-A pitching since his promotion, and he did again this previous series. Reimer went 6-for-15 with two homers and two doubles, also recording three walks. In 11 games with Binghamton, Reimer has recorded an impressive slash line of .314/.405/.629/1.034.

Carson Benge had a respectable week at the plate, going 4-for-17 and recording his first Double-A home run. Benge has not adjusted as quickly as Reimer has to Double-A, but he still has a decent .739 OPS in 10 games.

Jonah Tong was outshone this week by Jack Wenninger, who put together a brilliant performance on the mound. Wenninger tossed six scoreless innings with just two hits and two walks allowed while striking out 11. Wenninger has not had the same kind of season Tong has had, but he deserves more attention than he’s gotten. In 16 starts, he has a 2.76 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP.

Tong, meanwhile, still had a fantastic outing. He allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings while striking out 10, allowing four hits and two walks in the process. Tong’s ERA raised slightly to 1.83.

The Syracuse rotation could look nice at year’s end with Sproat, McLean, Tong, and Wenninger.

Joander Suarez, for his part, had his best start of the season, allowing just two hits in six scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Suarez has looked great with the Rumble Ponies this year, owning a 3.29 ERA through 12 appearances.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Kylie Richelle

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones had a tough series against the Hudson Valley Renegades, dropping five of the six games in the series. The Cyclones are now just 8-7 in the second half but still 54-27 overall.

Colin Houck had the best week of any Cyclones batter, going 5-for-16 with two doubles and a triple. Houck struggled immediately after his promotion, so he has just a .678 OPS in 11 games with Brooklyn, but he’s getting more acclimated and looking to build off a strong week.

Jesus Baez also looked good at the plate, going 4-for-16 with two doubles and a homer. Baez now owns a .769 OPS on the year.

Jonathan Santucci continues to shove, meaning his dreadful start to the season may have been a fluke. His latest start of six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts earned him a promotion to Double-A Binghamton. He ends his time with the Cyclones with a 3.46 ERA, including a 1.35 ERA in his last nine games.

Noah Hall and Will Watson had decent weeks on the mound, recording similar lines. They each went five innings and allowed two runs, with Hall striking out five and Watson striking out four. Hall now owns a 2.65 ERA, while Watson owns a 2.31 ERA since joining Brooklyn.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by James Villani, MMO

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets played just a five-game series against the Daytona Tortugas due to rain, and the Mets earned the series win by taking three games and dropping two. The Mets are now 9-5 in the second half of the season and 43-36 overall.

Yohairo Cuevas had an excellent series at the plate, going 5-for-13 with two doubles, a home run, five walks, and a stolen base. Cuevas has turned it on lately with the bat, owning a .925 OPS over his last 26 games to improve his season OPS to .813.

Trace Willhoite also shined, going 4-for-14 with a double, a triple, and a home run while leading the club with four RBIs in the series. Willhoite’s season OPS improved to .848 with the effort.

Frank Elissalt didn’t start, but he threw a gem with a one-hit, five-inning appearance out of the bullpen. Elissalt didn’t walk anyone and struck out seven. In 16 games on the year, he owns a 2.76 ERA.

The best start of the week came from Daviel Hurtado, who started the year with the FCL Mets. Despite tossing just three innings, Hurtado allowed just two hits and struck out five. He owns a 1.45 ERA on the year, including a 3.00 ERA in four appearances with St. Lucie.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets had a great week, going 4-0 to improve to 18-24 on the year. They are no longer in last place in their division, now sitting in third after surpassing two teams.

Randy Guzman was the standout batter at the plate, going 4-for-14 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Guzman has been the FCL Mets’ best offensive player on the season, owning an .822 OPS.

Jace Hampson was brilliant in two starts, recording a total of 10 strikeouts over 10 scoreless innings. Hampson has been phenomenal this year, owning a 1.80 ERA over seven starts and 10 appearances.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Orange went 4-1 on the week to improve to 16-9 on the season. The DSL Mets Blue, meanwhile, went 2-3 to move to 11-15 on the season.

Elian Peña had another strong week at the plate for DSL Mets Orange, going 6-for-16 with two doubles, four RBIs, four walks, two stolen bases, and five runs scored. He has improved his OPS on the season to an even .800. In addition to Peña, Adolfo Miranda went 8-for-18 with three homers and 10 RBIs. He owns a 1.015 OPS for the year. On the mound, Franyel Diaz allowed one run over seven innings. He has a 4.41 ERA in six games.

For the DSL Mets Blue squad, Jonnhan Sanchez went 5-for-8 with a home run, two walks, and a stolen base. He has a .790 OPS for the year. On the mound, Anthony Reynoso struck out three over six scoreless innings. He has a 3.72 ERA in nine appearances.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .320

OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK/BNG) – .906

HR – Ryan Clifford (BNG) – 15

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 52

Pitching

ERA – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 1.83

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 125

WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.812

Players of the Week

Offense – Drew Gilbert, OF Syracuse

Drew Gilbert has broken out in a way that should make Mets fans excited. Whether or not he plays a role on the major league team in 2025 remains to be seen, but lately we’ve been seeing flashes from him that show he can still be a very good player at the next level. His three home runs this past week were the apex of what has been a really good stretch.

Pitching – Jack Wenninger, P Binghamton

Jack Wenninger gave the best pitching performance among a number of fantastic ones this week across the Mets’ system. The 2023 sixth-round pick has broken out in a big way and has thrust himself into the conversation of Mets’ premium pitching prospects.

Upcoming Schedule – July 8-13

• Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Lehigh Valley
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Altoona
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Wilmington
• Low-A St. Lucie: @ Bradenton

The post Minors Weekly Report: Drew Gilbert Flashes Power appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jett Williams, Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets had a forgettable series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, dropping all six games last week. All six losses came by two or more runs, with three of the losses coming by more than four runs. The Mets have now lost eight straight games and are 29-40.

Drew Gilbert was one of the lone positives from a position player standpoint. The outfielder went 5-for-20 with two doubles and a home run. He also led the team with five RBIs, four walks, and was the only player to steal a base. It was a great week despite an underwhelming season for Gilbert, who owns a .685 OPS with the Triple-A club.

Yonny Hernández also shined, going 7-for-15 with a double, two walks, and four runs, which led the team. Hernández has just a .600 OPS on the year between Binghamton and Syracuse, but his Triple-A OPS sits at .713.

Nolan McLean delivered a quality start in his lone start of the series, allowing three runs (two earned) in six innings. He allowed four hits, three walks, and struck out three batters. McLean continues to impress as he now owns a 2.56 ERA in seven games with Syracuse.

Frankie Montas had a brutal rehab start, allowing eight runs in 1 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits, a walk, a hit batsman, and recording just one strikeout. Montas now owns a 13.17 ERA in five total rehab starts between two affiliates as he looks to find his footing before joining the major league club.

Out of the bullpen, Dedniel Núñez had a great week. In three appearances, including two in which he served as an opener, Núñez tossed three hitless innings, allowing just one walk and striking out three. The righty owns a 3.79 ERA in 19 games with Syracuse this year.

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies won their series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, winning four games and losing one. The final game of the series was suspended in extra innings due to inclement weather and will not be completed. The Rumble Ponies are now 42-19 on the year and have clinched an Eastern League Northeast first-half championship.

In addition to what Jett Williams provided, Binghamton also received phenomenal performances from two of their other notable position players: Ryan Clifford and Kevin Parada.

Clifford went 9-for-24 with three doubles, two home runs, three walks, and a stolen base. The slugger has increased his OPS on the year to .837.

Parada continues to be on a tear, as he went 7-for-16 with three doubles and two home runs. The former first-round pick, who many consider a non-prospect at this point, suddenly has his OPS up to .713. His OPS in his last 22 games is 1.080.

Jonah Tong made two great starts this past week, striking out 13 and allowing just two earned runs over 10 1/3 innings. His ERA is now down to 1.97, and he is closing in on 100 punchouts on the season with 96 in just 59 1/3 innings.

Jonathan Pintaro and Jack Wenninger also shone in their starts. Pintaro tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing a hit, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out three. Wenninger tossed four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out five. Pintaro lowered his ERA to 3.26 through 10 starts, and Wenninger saw his ERA drop to 2.93 through 12 starts.

High-A

Like the Rumble Ponies, the Brooklyn Cyclones continue to roll. They defeated the Asheville Tourists four games to two in their latest series. The Cyclones are now 43-20 on the year, and they hold a half-game lead in the South Atlantic League North division.

Carson Benge continues to play well as he went 8-for-23 with seven RBIs against Asheville, leading Brooklyn in hits and runs driven in for the series. Of his eight hits, four were doubles, and he also added a stolen base. Benge has been fantastic this year, holding onto a .906 OPS.

A.J. Ewing also had a strong week despite not hitting much. He went just 3-for-15, but he walked a whopping 11 times while striking out just six times. He also added four stolen bases and scored seven runs. No one else on the team had more than three runs scored. Ewing’s full-season OPS between two affiliates lowered to .926, but he raised his stolen base total to 45, being caught just five times.

Marco Vargas rebounded this week after coming into the series against Asheville with a .582 OPS in 30 games since being promoted to Brooklyn. Vargas went 6-for-19 with a double, four walks, and three stolen bases. Vargas has just a .615 OPS in Brooklyn and a .732 OPS overall, but his OPS over his last seven games is .881.

Brendan Girton delivered a brilliant performance in his start for the Cyclones, tossing five perfect innings and striking out six. Girton has had a fantastic season, owning a 2.91 ERA in 12 games. Unsurprisingly, Girton was named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week.

Will Watson (4 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 8 K) and R.J. Gordon (4 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 7 K) had nearly identical outings, though Gordon’s performance came out of the bullpen. Regardless, both pitched wonderfully and added onto their strong seasons as well. Watson lowered his ERA between St. Lucie and Brooklyn to 3.56 through 12 appearances, while Gordon lowered his ERA with Brooklyn to 2.73 through 12 appearances.

In more rehab news, Sean Manaea made a pair of rehab starts for the Cyclones. His first start of the week was encouraging as he struck out four and didn’t allow a run in 2 2/3 innings, but his last start was bumpier, allowing four runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets won four of their six games against the Daytona Tortugas, moving to 34-28 on the year and clinching the Florida State League East first-half championship.

Colin Houck, like Kevin Parada, is having a bit of a resurgence after initially struggling as a former first-round pick. Houck went 8-for-26 during the week with a double, a triple, two home runs, three walks, and two stolen bases. His OPS on the season is now .804.

Trey Snyder and Trace Willhoite also had similarly great weeks. Snyder went 8-for-21 with two doubles, a triple, a home run, four walks, and three stolen bases. Meanwhile, Willhoite went 8-for-23 with a double, a home run, and two walks while leading the team with six RBIs. Snyder has seen his OPS creep up to .714 while Willhoite has impressed all year with an .863 OPS.

Wellington Aracena had a fantastic week, making two appearances, including one start. In total, he allowed two runs (one earned) in 9 1/3 innings while striking out seven. The 20-year-old has a 3.21 ERA in 12 games with St. Lucie this season.

Channing Austin also made a good start, throwing four scoreless innings with four strikeouts. He hasn’t had as much success, as he owns a 4.10 ERA through 12 appearances.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets went 1-4 in their five games this past week, dropping to 10-17 through 27 games this season. They remain in last place in the Florida Complex League East division.

Offense was hard to come by in these five games, but Bohan Adderley had a solid week, going 4-for-16 with a home run, four RBIs, and two stolen bases. Adderley has just a .519 OPS this season.

On the mound, Jose Guevara looked exceptional, tossing four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Still, he owns a 6.63 ERA through six appearances. Meanwhile, Daviel Hurtado tossed three scoreless innings with five strikeouts to lower his ERA through five games to 0.47. His strong start to the year earned him a promotion to the St. Lucie Mets.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Orange had a great week, winning all four games they played in to improve to 7-3. The DSL Mets Blue split their four games, going 2-2 to move to 2-8. Both teams also had their games on Monday suspended due to weather.

Elian Peña finally got on the board with his first hit this season after a long hitless stretch to begin his pro career, and he also added his first professional home run in Monday’s suspended game. That game will be completed later in the season.

Jamdrick Cornelia had a great couple of outings on the mound for DSL Mets Orange, striking out six over four scoreless innings. Darling Perez also shined for DSL Mets Blue, striking out seven over three scoreless innings.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .336

OPS – Jett Williams (BNG)/A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .926

HR – Jon Singleton (SYR)/Ryan Clifford (BNG) – 12

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 45

Pitching

ERA – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 1.83

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 96

WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.734

Players of the Week

Offense – Jett Williams, SS/2B/CF Binghamton

Jett Williams is officially back. After battling injuries and playing in just 33 games across three levels last season with a measly .656 OPS, he’s tied with A.J. Ewing for the highest OPS in the organization at .926 through 55 games with Binghamton this year. He’s been on a tear lately, recording a .421/.522/.868/1.390 slash in his last 10 games. Williams, still just 21 years old, has solidified his place as one of the top position player prospects in the Mets’ system.

Pitching – Brendan Girton, P Brooklyn

Girton was selected in the 10th round of the 2024 draft by the Mets, and he’s surpassed all expectations up to this point. His latest outing was his best one yet, as he didn’t allow a single baserunner over five innings of work. With an ERA now under 3.00, Girton will hope to continue to make a name for himself in the Mets’ system.

Upcoming Schedule – June 17-22

• Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Jacksonville
• Double-A Binghamton: @ Harrisburg
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Aberdeen
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Palm Beach

The post Minors Weekly Report: Jett Williams Goes on Tear appeared first on Metsmerized.

In other Mets minor league news, the team’s four full-season affiliates came back down to Earth a bit after they combined to go 21-2 last week.

Jonah Tong. Photo Credit: Matt Kipp

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets lost their last series by dropping four of six games to the Buffalo Bisons. Offense wasn’t the issue, as the Mets scored 42 runs in the six games, including 18 in a shutout win. The 2-4 series record drops Syracuse to 29-34, which has them in seventh place in the 10-team International League East division.

Six Mets hit home runs, including David Villar, who led the team with two. Villar, who is a few weeks into his tenure in the Mets organization, recorded four hits and now owns an .844 OPS in seven games with Syracuse.

Luke Ritter had another breakout week, recording the highest slugging percentage on the team for the series. Ritter went 6-for-19 with two doubles, a home run, and three walks. He was also tied for the team lead with six runs scored. Ritter is really starting to turn it on, owning a .992 OPS in his last 17 games to raise his season OPS to .724.

Drew Gilbert led the team with six RBIs in the series, also recording a double, a triple, and a grand slam. Despite this, Gilbert went just 5-for-23 and had a .699 OPS in the series. His OPS on the season is now .655.

Brandon Sproat looked phenomenal against Buffalo, striking out four over six shutout innings. Sproat now has a 2.25 ERA in his last three starts but still owns a 5.33 ERA on the season. He’s trending the right way.

Frankie Montas made two rehab starts as he looks to work his way to the major league team for his Mets debut, but neither start went well for the longtime major leaguer. In 7 2/3 innings, Montas allowed eight runs, including a whopping six home runs. The stats aren’t pretty, but the most important thing is Montas shakes the rust off and feels healthier each time he pitches.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies continued their rollicking start to the season with a series win over the Somerset Patriots, grabbing five of the six games. Binghamton has built a formidable lead in the Eastern League Northeast Division, sitting at 38-18 with an 8.5 game lead.

Ryan Clifford and Kevin Parada each hit two home runs in the series, leading the team. Clifford’s home runs were most of his damage, as he recorded just three hits in the series, but he also walked eight times while striking out twice. Parada, meanwhile, did more damage with the bat by recording six hits. He also walked four times and stole a base. Clifford maintains a solid .792 OPS while Parada’s is creeping up and sits at .634.

Jett Williams played really well in the series, even after getting hit on the helmet with a fastball. He finished the week with six hits, including two doubles, and also had five walks and a stolen base. Williams owns a stellar .849 OPS.

D’Andre Smith also had a fantastic week, leading the team with seven RBIs. Smith added three doubles, a triple, a home run, three walks, and a stolen base. Smith, whose RBI total jumped from four to 11, now owns a .747 OPS.

In addition to what Jonah Tong did this week, Zach Thornton added yet another gem to what has been a brilliant season, allowing one run over 6 2/3 innings while striking out eight. Through seven starts in Binghamton, Thornton owns a 2.13 ERA. In 11 starts total, he owns a 1.53 ERA.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones cooled off a bit, splitting their series with the Wilmington Blue Rocks. At 39-18, they retain a tight lead in the South Atlantic League North division, up 1.5 games.

Offense was hard to come by for the Cyclones, but Carson Benge still had a solid week. Benge led the team in several categories, including hits (six), doubles (three), runs (five) and tied for RBIs (four). Benge also recorded a stolen base.

Despite poor performances with the bats, the Cyclones still did some damage on the basepaths. Marco Vargas led the team with five steals, while A.J. Ewing and Chris Suero swiped four bags each. Ewing extended his organizational lead in stolen bases as he now has 41 in 51 games.

Jonathan Santucci delivered arguably the best start of the week for the Cyclones, continuing his resurgence after a rough start to the year. Santucci struck out five over 5 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 4.32. His ERA over his last four starts is 0.44.

Nate Dohm and Joel Díaz also delivered solid starts. Dohm struck out six over five scoreless innings while Díaz allowed one run in five innings. Dohm now has a 2.51 ERA in Brooklyn and a 2.95 ERA overall, while Díaz lowered his ERA to 3.83.

Sean Manaea made his first rehab start of the year as he also looks to work his way back to the major league team for his 2025 debut. Manaea struggled, allowing four runs (three earned) in 1 2/3 innings. He also hit a batter and struck out two. Like with Montas, the most important thing for Manaea is feeling comfortable and healthy, and the Mets will take their time with his rehab as their rotation continues to excel.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by James Villani, MMO

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets lost four of their six games against the Dunedin Blue Jays, recording just 15 runs in what was a quiet series. The Mets are now 30-26 and own a four-game lead in the Florida State League East division.

Yohairo Cuevas stood out for the Mets, tying Colin Houck for the team lead with six hits while also leading the team with four runs. Cuevas raised his OPS on the year to .755.

Houck also had a solid week, going 6-for-17 with a double, two walks, and a stolen base. Houck has been a lot better lately than he was earlier in the season. Going back to May 2, Houck has an .853 OPS in 29 games and owns a .771 OPS for the season.

In his first start with the St. Lucie Mets after starting the year with the FCL Mets, Jose Chirinos delivered by striking out seven over 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Chirinos has made just five appearances (four starts) this year across these two levels, but he’s looked fantastic. He currently owns a 1.80 ERA.

Edgar Moreta continued his great season, striking out eight and allowing one run in 5 2/3 innings. Moreta lowered his ERA in St. Lucie to 3.27.

Franklin Gomez also shined in his start, striking out six over 3 2/3 hitless innings. Gomez owns a 3.15 ERA in six appearances this year, looking better than he did last year when he accumulated a 4.28 ERA.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets had a good week, going 3-1 to improve their record to 9-13. They are tied in last place with the FCL Marlins in the Florida Complex League East division.

• Randy Guzman played great in three games, recording two home runs and five RBIs. The outfielder has a .934 OPS in 19 games.
• Jeffry Rosa also had a good week, recording a home run in nine at-bats. Rosa owns an .807 OPS in 14 games.
• Jace Hampson, the Mets’ 18th-round pick in 2024, allowed one run in four innings in his start. He owns a 2.77 ERA in five appearances.
• Jose Guevara also looked great, allowing an unearned run in three innings in his start. He has a rough 9.00 ERA in five appearances.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Orange went 2-3 this past week, putting them at 3-3 on the young season. The DSL Mets Blue, meanwhile, went 0-5 and are now 0-6 to start their season.

Six games into his professional career, Elian Peña has yet to collect a hit. The highly touted international prospect is 0-for-17 with two RBIs, two walks, and three stolen bases.

Yunior Amparo (1.375 OPS) and Alex Acosta (1.121 OPS), both playing for DSL Mets Blue, have been impressive in a very small sample size. Osiris Calvo (0 ER, 3 1/3 IP) and Deivy Victora (1 ER, 5 2/3 IP), both pitching for DSL Mets Orange, have also impressed.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

• AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .34
• OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK) – .96
• HR – Jon Singleton (SYR) – 1
• SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 41

Pitching

• ERA – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 1.53
• SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 83
• WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.699

Players of the Week

Offense – Luke Ritter, IF/OF Syracuse

Offense was hard to come by this week for the Mets’ minor league affiliates. Ritter didn’t have a jaw-dropping set of games, but he did enough to earn offensive player of the week. Ritter started the season off on a poor note after a strong 2024, but he’s rebounded nicely recently.

Pitching – Jonah Tong, P Binghamton

Jonah Tong is dominating pretty much every time he takes the mound. He’s a strikeout artist whose WHIP is just north of 1.000. He’s allowed 11 earned runs in 10 starts this season and is making his case to move on to Syracuse.

Upcoming Schedule – June 10-15

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
• Double-A Binghamton: @ Richmond
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Asheville
• Low-A St. Lucie: @ Daytona

The post Minors Weekly Report: Jonah Tong Delivers Another Hitless Performance appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jett Williams. Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets went 5-1 against the Iowa Cubs, winning a lot of close games but also recording a blowout 12-3 win. The series win gives the Mets some positive momentum as they now sit at 27-30 on the year.

Ronny Mauricio led the way for the Syracuse offense as he continues to be a force. Mauricio went 7-for-15 with a home run, three walks, and two stolen bases. Mauricio, who is still waiting for his call back to the big leagues, has an absurd .515/.564/.818/1.382 slash in nine games with the Triple-A squad.

Veteran Donovan Walton also had a solid week, leading the club with two home runs. Walton went 5-for-19 and added three walks as he raised his season OPS to an even .700.

Luke Ritter, who has struggled this year after being one of the most notable Mets minor league bats a year ago, broke out in a big way. Ritter went 6-for-17 with three doubles and a triple while adding five RBIs. Ritter, who surprisingly has just one home run in 150 at-bats this season, now owns a .691 OPS.

And for the pitching:

• Blade Tidwell shined in his outing, allowing just two runs in 5 2/3 hitless innings while striking out 11. Though he didn’t allow a hit, he walked four and hit a batter, which allowed the two runs to come across. Tidwell continues to look good in Syracuse, now owning a 3.97 ERA through 10 starts.
• Nolan McLean continues to look comfortable in Triple-A, as he allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings in his latest outing. The top prospect struck out five and now owns a 2.31 ERA with Syracuse and a 1.81 ERA overall.
• Paul Blackburn made his final start for Syracuse last week, too, before joining the Mets on Monday night.

Ryan Clifford. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies swept the Chesapeake Baysox in six games, outscoring the Orioles’ affiliate 25-7. The pitching staff was the highlight of the week, allowing just seven runs in six full games. The Rumble Ponies are now 33-17 and own a five-game lead in the Eastern League Northeast division.

Ryan Clifford had a big week, going 5-for-18 with a double, a home run, and five walks. Clifford still leads the club with eight home runs and owns a .771 OPS.

Kevin Parada also found success, going 4-for-15 with a double, a home run, and two walks. It’s still been a massive struggle for the former first-round pick this year, as his OPS is still just .551.

Nick Lorusso and Nick Morabito recorded the most hits in the series, with Lorusso getting nine hits and Morabito getting eight. Lorusso had two doubles while Morabito had three and also added three stolen bases. Both share a .764 OPS on the season.

The Rumble Ponies recorded three starts of six innings, with each pitcher thriving and allowing either one or zero runs. Zach Thornton (6 IP, 0 ER, 8 K), Jonah Tong (6 IP, ER, 7 K), and Jack Wenninger (6 IP, ER, 7 K) all continued their massively successful seasons. Thornton lowered his ERA between two teams to 1.56, Tong lowered his ERA to 2.25, and Wenninger lowered his ERA to 2.56.

In addition to those three impeccable starts, Binghamton received a fantastic performance from Irving Cota, who made just one appearance out of the bullpen and struck out five over five one-hit innings. It was Cota’s first appearance in Binghamton after recording a 1.57 ERA in nine appearances for Brooklyn. In total, he now owns a 1.34 ERA.

Jacob Reimer. Photo by James Villani, MMO

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones also swept their competition this past week, taking all six games from the Aberdeen IronBirds. It was also a low-scoring series, with the Cyclones outscoring the IronBirds 26-13. Brooklyn is 36-15 and owns a 1.5 game lead in the South Atlantic League North division.

Chris Suero led the way for the Cyclones offensively, going 5-for-14 with a double, a home run, and six RBIs which led the team. Suero has cooled down a bit after a scorching start to the season but still owns an .856 OPS.

Jacob Reimer continues to make his case for a promotion as he went 6-for-20 with a home run, four walks, three stolen bases, and nine runs. Reimer’s OPS has dipped below 1.000 but is still a sparkling .993.

Jonathan Santucci, the Mets’ second-round pick from last year’s draft, appears to be rounding into form. Santucci delivered another great outing this past week, striking out six over 5 1/3 scoreless innings. Through his first six starts of the season, Santucci owned an 8.14 ERA but his ERA in his last three appearances is 0.59. In total, his ERA is 4.95 and dropping quickly.

Brendan Girton showed great swing-and-miss stuff, striking out eight over 4 2/3 scoreless innings in his start. The 10th-round pick from a year ago has a 3.27 ERA in nine appearances (seven starts) so far this season.

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets only played five games this past week against the Palm Beach Cardinals due to weather, but they still took four out of the five games and outscored Palm Beach 33-16. The Mets are 28-22 and own a 4.5 game lead in the Florida State League East division.

Colin Houck broke out with a huge week, going 6-for-17 with a double, a triple, two home runs, and four walks. Houck’s six hits led the team for the series and his two home runs were tied for the team lead. He raised his OPS 70 points to .765.

Trace Willhoite matched Houck with two home runs and he also added a double and three walks without striking out. Willhoite has been fantastic this year and owns a .903 OPS.

Nick Roselli continues to look better as he recorded a double, a home run, and two walks in just three games played. The 11th-round pick from a year ago has a .619 OPS between St. Lucie and Brooklyn this year, but he has an .873 OPS with 14 RBIs in his last 12 games.

Wellington Aracena was nearly untouchable in his start this week, striking out 10 over five scoreless innings. Aracena allowed just one hit and two walks, and lowered his season ERA to 3.77.

Edgar Moreta and Channing Austin each tossed five scoreless innings in their starts, with Moreta striking out six and Austin striking out four. Moreta now owns a 3.52 ERA while Austin owns a 4.50 ERA with St. Lucie.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets dropped all three games they played this past week, lowering their record on the year to 6-12. Their -43 run differential is the second-worst in the FCL.

Branny De Oleo (.679 season OPS) led the way with the highest OPS for the week despite going 2-for-7 with a triple. Jeffry Rosa (.803 season OPS) recorded the second-highest OPS for the week, going 2-for-7 with a double.

On the mound, Jose Chirinos (2.35 season ERA) allowed two runs in four innings but struck out six, while Christian Rodriguez (1.04 season ERA) struck out three over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

DSL Mets

The Dominican Summer League got underway Monday, with the DSL Mets Orange winning 8-5 and the DSL Mets Blue losing 7-1.

The big story of the day was Elian Peña making his professional and Mets organizational debut after becoming one of the biggest international signings in the team’s history. Peña went 0-for-2 but reached twice on a catcher’s interference and a hit-by-pitch. He stole a base and scored two runs in the DSL Mets Orange team’s victory.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .364

OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK) – .993

HR – Jon Singleton (SYR) – 10

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 37

Pitching

ERA – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 1.56

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 72

WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.731

Players of the Week

Offense – Colin Houck, IF St, Lucie

Colin Houck was considered a steal when the Mets nabbed him with the 32nd overall pick of the 2023 draft. He hasn’t lived up to his expectations to this point, but he sure played like a former first-rounder this past week. He showed off great power and plate discipline and is hoping this could be where he really turns it on. He has been playing a lot better lately, owning an .858 OPS over his last 24 games (105 plate appearances).

Pitching – Wellington Aracena, P St. Lucie

Wellington Aracena is not a well-known name in the Mets system, but the 20-year-old just delivered what might be the best outing of his professional career. Aracena has not experienced much success in his pro career, owning a 5.37 ERA over 49 total games, but his ERA is down to 3.77 this season.

Upcoming Schedule – June 3-8

• Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Buffalo
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Somerset
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Wilmington
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Dunedin

The post Minors Weekly Report: Full-Season Affiliates Go 21-2 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Baez was simply unconscious at the plate, recording 11 hits in 17 at-bats with two homers, a double, and 10 RBIs. If that’s not impressive enough, Baez also walked six times and didn’t strike out at all. With the dominant effort, Baez raised his season OPS to .816 after entering the week with a .621 OPS.

Jesus Baez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets dropped four of six games against the Rochester Red Wings in their latest series, marking the team’s second consecutive series loss. The 2-4 record in the series gives the Mets a 22-29 record on the year.

Ronny Mauricio and Jon Singleton both led the team with two home runs each in the series. Mauricio especially looked great, going 8-for-14 and adding a double, while Singleton went 4-for-17 with a double and six walks. Singleton now has double-digit home runs on the year and an .826 OPS while Mauricio has a 1.515 OPS through five games in Syracuse.

Gilberto Celestino and Joey Meneses also looked great. Celestino tied Mauricio for the team lead with eight hits including a home run and two doubles, while Meneses also homered and hit three doubles. Celestino is now batting .302 with a .798 OPS while Meneses owns a .799 OPS.

Paul Blackburn made a phenomenal rehab start, tossing seven scoreless innings with just one hit allowed, striking out six. Blackburn is nearing his way back to the major league roster and has a 2.63 ERA in three starts in Syracuse.

In his third start in Syracuse, Nolan McLean looked great by tossing six innings, allowing two runs though both were unearned. He also struck out six batters. McLean has looked comfortable since his promotion to Triple-A as he owns a 2.00 ERA.

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies had a great week, winning five of six games against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Despite winning five games, it was an unusally quiet series with Binghamton outscoring Richmond 19-16. The Rumble Ponies are 27-17 and in first place of the Eastern League Northeast division.

Former top prospect Alex Ramírez hit the only long ball of the series for Binghamton and also led the team with nine RBIs, nearly half of the team’s total from the series. Ramírez had a fantastic series in what has been yet another down season, as he owns just a .595 OPS.

Under-the-radar prospect William Lugo led the team in hits, going 9-for-19 with three doubles and three walks. It was a good sign to see Lugo take three walks, as he has just six on the year as opposed to 36 strikeouts. His OPS sits at .730.

The Rumble Ponies received three excellent starts in this series: one from Zach Thornton and two from Jack Wenninger. Thornton’s start was particularly notable because he didn’t allow a single baserunner through 6 1/3 perfect innings. He struck out six in the outing as well. Thornton has looked phenomenal across two levels this year, owning a 1.76 ERA in nine starts.

As for Wenninger, the 2023 sixth-round pick allowed just one run and struck out 10 in 10 innings over two starts. Wenninger has been great all year for Binghamton, owning a 2.70 ERA in nine starts.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Kylie RochelleIn

High-A

After recording a sweep two series ago, the Brooklyn Cyclones followed that up with another series win, taking four of six games from the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. The series win puts Brooklyn at 30-15 on the season.

In addition to Jesus Baez’s week at the plate, Carson Benge also continued his torrent start to the year, going 8-for-17 with three doubles and two triples. Benge recorded just one RBI, but he walked eight times, stole two bases, and scored eight runs of his own. The former first-rounder has been phenomenal this season as his OPS (.991) approaches 1.000.

Ronald Hernandez also provided some offense for the Cyclones, going 8-for-20 with a home run, two doubles, and a stolen base. Hernandez has not been off to a particularly great start to the year, but he’s seen his OPS creep up to .752.

It’s been a rough start to Jonathan Santucci‘s pro career, but the 2024 second-round pick had a solid start against the BlueClaws, allowing one run and striking out six over five innings. Santucci still owns a brutal 5.81 ERA through eight starts this year.

R.J. Gordon also looked solid, allowing one run in 4 2/3 innings while striking out seven. Gordon has been one of the better pitchers on Brooklyn’s staff this year, owning a 2.48 ERA in eight appearances.

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets split their series against the Jupiter Hammerheads, going 3-3. The Mets still remain in first place of the Florida State League East division at 24-21.

Daiverson Gutierrez was the standout batter for the Mets, going 6-for-14 with a double and a home run. Gutierrez has, for the most part, not had much of an impact this year as he still owns just a .651 OPS.

Corey Collins and Trey Snyder, a pair of 2024 draft picks who have had slower starts to their pro careers, heated up against the Hammerheads. Collins went just 4-for-14 but he recorded two doubles and six walks while Snyder went 8-for-18 with three walks and five stolen bases. Collins owns an .862 OPS in 12 games with the Mets while Snyder has a .743 OPS in 39 games.

Will Watson delivered a pair of great starts, totaling 9 2/3 innings with just three runs allowed and nine strikeouts. Watson leads the St. Lucie Mets with 38 strikeouts and owns a 2.78 ERA in nine appearances.

Irving Cota and Edgar Moreta also impressed with a pair of scoreless performances. Cota tossed five innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six while Moreta went 4 2/3 innings and struck out two. Cota has thrived this year with a 1.57 ERA in nine appearances, his last one being his first start of the year. Moreta, meanwhile, has mostly struggled and has a 4.05 ERA through nine appearances.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets went 2-2 this past week to bring their record on the year to 6-9. They remain one of the worst run differential teams in the FCL at -30.

Randy Guzman was the only player on the team to hit a home run and he also led the team with four RBIs. In total, he went 7-for-13 and also added two doubles. He has a 1.061 OPS through 12 games.

Edward Lantigua was tied for the second-most RBIs on the team during the week with three, and he also added a double and a triple. He owns a .782 OPS through 11 games.

On the mound, Daviel Hurtado looked great with five scoreless innings, striking out four. Hurtado has made three appearances and pitched 12 innings without allowing a run this season.

Jose Chirinos also had a great start, striking out six over four scoreless innings. He has also looked good this year, owning a 1.59 ERA in three appearances (two starts).

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .373

OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK) – 1.008

HR – Jon Singleton (SYR) – 10

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 32

Pitching

ERA – Nolan McLean (BNG/SYR) – 1.62

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 65

WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.739

Players of the Week

Offense – Jesus Baez, IF Brooklyn

Baez is newly 20 years old and has been solid, but not great, at every stop in his minor league career. Now with High-A Brooklyn, Baez has a chance to keep riding this momentum and turn in a really great season. He currently owns an .816 OPS in 32 games with Brooklyn, with a chance to turn in a season with an OPS above .800 for the first time in his career.

He stood out among an extremely stacked Brooklyn lineup this week.

Pitching – Zach Thornton, P Binghamton

When you go more than six innings without allowing a baserunner, you get recognized as the pitcher of the week. Thornton isn’t a name that’s as known as Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean, especially after he had an ERA above 4.00 in 2024. Thornton, however, has been fantastic this season and has been particularly great at limiting baserunners which we saw in his latest outing.

Upcoming Schedule – May 27 – June 1

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Iowa
• Double-A Binghamton: @ Chesapeake
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Aberdeen
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Palm Beach

The post Minors Weekly Report: Jesus Baez Heats Up appeared first on Metsmerized.

Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing were among the catalysts, but it was a total group effort to shut down the Dash.

Let’s get into the last week of the Mets’ minor leagues.

Eli Serrano III. Photo Credit: Bella Dunning / Brooklyn Cyclones

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets dropped four of six games to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs this past week, being outscored 51-35 in the series. The series loss puts Syracuse at 20-25 on the year.

The offense was the main positive takeaway from the series, with several batters performing well.

Jared Young led the team with eight RBIs and had a .917 OPS. He tied with Joey Meneses for the team lead with two home runs. Meneses also had a great week, recording a .994 OPS. Young (.934 OPS overall) has been great in 20 games this year, while Meneses (.747 OPS) has mostly cooled down from his hot start to the year.

Perhaps the best performer of the week was Gilberto Celestino, who led the team with nine hits, including two doubles and a triple. Celestino recorded a 1.074 OPS for the week and raised his season OPS to .768.

With Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean both struggling, the best start of the week came from Joander Suarez. Suarez allowed two runs, though neither was earned, in 5 2/3 innings while striking out three. Suarez has a 3.21 ERA in six games between Double-A and Triple-A.

Blade Tidwell also impressed, allowing one run in five innings and striking out six. The start from Tidwell lowered his ERA on the year to 4.08.

Nick Morabito. Photo Credit: Rick Nelson

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies won four of their six games against the Hartford Yard Goats, winning three of the final four games to take the series. Two of Binghamton’s losses were by a score of 1-0, while their other loss was by two runs. The Rumble Ponies are now 22-16.

Nick Morabito broke out in a massive way for the Rumble Ponies, going 12-for-26 with a home run, four doubles, three walks, six stolen bases, and six runs. Morabito recorded a 1.294 OPS for the week and raised his season OPS to .758. Morabito was the Mets’ Minor League Player of the Year last season, playing mostly in High-A.

Speaking of breaking out, Kevin Parada had a much-needed strong week, going 5-for-19 with two home runs. The former first-rounder has not looked the part in his professional career to date, and he owns just a .498 OPS in 95 at-bats with the Rumble Ponies this year.

Jett Williams continued his fantastic season by going 8-for-25 with two home runs, two doubles, six walks, and a stolen base. After a mostly lost 2024 season, Williams owns an .898 OPS with the Rumble Ponies and continues to make a case for a promotion to Syracuse.

Ryan Clifford led the team with six RBIs in the series, also recording a home run, two doubles, and four walks. Clifford’s resurgence from early in the year continued as he now own an .819 OPS.

Jonah Tong delivered yet another marvelous start, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. In his last two starts, Tong has now allowed just two hits and two walks in 12 2/3 scoreless innings with a whopping 21 strikeouts. His ERA on the year is 2.12.

Zach Thornton and Jack Wenninger also shined, with Thornton allowing two runs in 12 innings across two starts and Wenninger allowing just one run in six innings in his start. Both have been fantastic this year, with Thornton owning a 2.04 ERA between High-A and Double-A and Wenninger owning a 3.19 ERA in Double-A.

Carson Benge. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones completed their sweep against the Winston-Salem Dash by a combined score of 39 to 18 in a dominant effort both offensively and on the mound. The Cyclones are now 26-12 on the year.

The top of the order was a force, with Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, and Jacob Reimer all putting together a fantastic series. Benge (.919 OPS), Ewing (1.064 OPS) and Reimer (1.085 OPS) have been among the best players in the Mets’ system this year.

In this last series, Benge recorded two doubles, a triple, and a home run with four walks and a stolen base in 18 at-bats; Ewing recorded two doubles and a triple with five walks and six stolen bases in 18 at-bats; and Reimer recorded three doubles, a home run, two walks, and a stolen base in 18 at-bats.

The pitching in this series was also great, with R.J. Gordon (6 IP, ER, 7 K), Brendan Girton (5 IP, ER, 9 K), and Jonathan Santucci (5 IP, 0 ER, 5 K) each tossing at least five innings and allowing either one or no runs. Both Gordon and Girton have been great this year, while it’s been more of a struggle for Santucci. He lowered his ERA to 6.58.

Noah Hall also had a great start. He allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings, though only one run was earned. Hall has been fantastic this year, holding a 1.82 ERA through eight starts.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets took the series from the Daytona Tortugas, winning four of six games. The Mets outscored the Tortugas 42-34 and improved to 21-18 on the year.

Simon Juan had a fantastic week after a mostly rough start to the year. Juan recorded six hits, including a double, a triple, and two home runs for a 1.114 OPS for the series. His overall numbers still aren’t great, as he raised his OPS to .622.

Daiverson Gutierrez also had a solid week, going 5-for-17 with a home run and six walks with just two strikeouts. Gutierrez, like Juan, has not looked good at all this year and owns just a .573 OPS.

Will Watson and Wellington Aracena delivered the best starts of the week for the Mets, with Watson going 4 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and Aracena going four scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Watson (2.77 ERA) has looked great this year, while Aracena (4.43 ERA) has mostly struggled.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets went 3-3 in six games this past week to move to 4-7 on the year. They own the second-worst run differential in the Florida Complex League at -26.

Branny De Oleo, Vladi Gomez, and Randy Guzman were the top hitters for the week, with each hitting a home run. Each recorded a 1.000 OPS or near-1.000 OPS for the week.

On the mound, Jonathan Jimenez and Daviel Hurtado looked sharp, each going four scoreless innings. Jace Hampson also didn’t allow a run in three innings. Of the group, Hurtado has been the best this year and has not allowed a run in seven innings.

Organizational Leaders

Batting (Among Qualified Batters)

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .381

OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK) – 1.085

HR – Jon Singleton (SYR) – 8

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 27

Pitching (Among Qualified Pitchers)

ERA – Noah Hall (BRK) – 1.82

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 59

WHIP – Joel Díaz (BRK) – 0.97

Players of the Week

Offense – Nick Morabito, OF Binghamton

Morabito entered the week with a .638 OPS on the year and had such a good six-game stretch, he raised that number by .120 points. The organizational Minor League Player of the Year for 2024 did it all, displaying power, contact, and speed. He’ll be hoping he can use this series as a launching pad for the rest of the season.

Pitching – Jonah Tong, P Binghamton

Jonah Tong continues to be ridiculously good and is in the conversation as the best arm in the Mets’ system, even ahead of Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean. He doesn’t allow many baserunners, doesn’t allow many runs, and strikes out the world whenever he’s on the mound. The 21-year-old still has Triple-A ahead of him, which has served as an obstacle for many top pitching prospects, but you couldn’t ask for any better of him right now.

Upcoming Schedule – May 20-25

• Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Rochester
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Richmond
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Jersey Shore
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Jupiter

The post Minors Weekly Report: Powerful Cyclones Sweep Six-Game Set appeared first on Metsmerized.

Let’s get into the rest of the week.

Jonah Tong

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets split their six-game series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp last week. Despite the split, the Mets outscored Jacksonville 25-19 in the six games and held the Jumbo Shrimp to five or fewer runs in each game. Syracuse is 18-21 on the year.

Luis De Los Santos had a rollicking series against Jacksonville, going 9-for-20 with two homers and two doubles. De Los Santos also recorded five RBIs, which tied for the team lead in the series. He had been struggling prior to this breakout, as he still owns just a .651 OPS for the year.

Jared Young only went 3-for-14 in the series, but two of his hits went for home runs. Young now has three on the season and owns a .942 OPS through 14 games.

Not to be overshadowed by Jonah Tong and his combined perfect game in Binghamton, Nolan McLean had a brilliant Triple-A debut. McLean tossed seven shutout innings, allowing seven hits, no walks, and striking out seven. McLean’s prospect status continues to surge, as he owns a 1.08 ERA between six starts for Binghamton and Syracuse.

Paul Blackburn also made a couple of notable starts as he inches closer to joining the big league team. Blackburn allowed four runs in 6 2/3 innings across the two starts, not particularly great numbers, but he did strikeout seven and is expected to be a long man in the bullpen upon his return.

Brandon Sproat continues to look more and more comfortable, as he allowed just one run in five innings in his last start. Sproat still owns a 4.82 ERA through seven starts, but just two rough outings are responsible for his inflated ERA.

Nolan McLean. Photo Credit: Rick Nelson

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies played just five games against the Reading Fightin’ Phils, taking the series by winning three of them. Binghamton is now 18-13.

The biggest win in the series came in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, when the Rumble Ponies tossed a perfect game. It can’t be overstated just how dominant Jonah Tong was, as he fanned 13 of the 20 batters he faced and didn’t allow a single baserunner. The Mets struck out two-thirds of the batters they faced in that final game of the series. Tong now has a 2.57 ERA through six starts and an absurd 51 strikeouts in 28 innings.

• Ryan Clifford has finally found a groove after a slow start to the year. Clifford launched three home runs against Reading, going 9-for-19 in the series. His OPS on the year climbed up to .820 after his successful series.
• Joander Suarez added a solid start for Binghamton, allowing just two runs in 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven. Suarez has a 4.03 ERA in five games this year, but a 0.93 ERA in four games with the Rumble Ponies.
• Luis Moreno and Alex Carrillo looked great out of the bullpen, with Moreno tossing 3 1/3 scoreless innings, while Carrillo allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings and struck out six. Moreno (5.91 ERA) and Carrillo (6.75) have both had a rough go of it, but they’ll be looking to build off of these latest solid outings.

Carson Benge. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones split their series with the Asheville Tourists, and it was a very even series, with Brooklyn outscoring Asheville by just one run (35-34). The Cyclones are still off to a great start to the year, sitting at 20-12.

Carson Benge and Eli Serrano had fantastic weeks, each knocking two home runs and going 8-for-23. Benge scored six runs, drove in seven, walked five times, and stole three bases, while Serrano scored five runs, drove in four, and walked twice. Benge (.860 OPS) and Serrano (.883 OPS) have both been extremely impressive and look like stars from the 2024 draft class.

A.J. Ewing and Jacob Reimer also looked great, with Ewing also going 8-for-23 and Reimer going 6-for-16. Each hit a home run, with Ewing stealing five bases, while Reimer drove in five runs and walked four times. In ten games with Brooklyn, Ewing has an .850 OPS (1.018 OPS overall) while Reimer has been crushing Brooklyn all year (1.063 OPS).

Noah Hall made the best start of the week for the Cyclones, allowing just a run in 5 2/3 innings of work. Hall has looked excellent this year and owns a 1.83 ERA in seven starts.

Out of the bullpen, both Eduardo Herrera and Chandler Marsh tossed three scoreless innings with six strikeouts apiece. Herrera has yet to allow a run in nine outings (11 1/3 innings) this year, while Marsh has a 2.81 ERA overall but an 8.44 ERA in four games with Brooklyn.

Colin Houck. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets got off to a hot start in their series against the Clearwater Threshers, winning the first two games of the series, but they couldn’t sustain it and dropped four straight to lose the series. Still, the Mets are 17-16 in the early going.

2024 11th-round pick Nick Roselli had a great series, going 5-for-22 with a double and two home runs. Roselli, however, has struggled mightily this year and owns a .549 OPS between St. Lucie and Brooklyn.

Trace Willhoite also stood out despite playing in just three games. Willhoite went 4-for-10 with two home runs, three walks, and a stolen base. The undrafted free agent now owns an .873 OPS in 22 games with St. Lucie.

2023 first-rounder Colin Houck had another good week as he looks to build momentum. Houck went 5-for-17 with two doubles and a triple, walking five times and stealing two bases. After a slow start to the year, he owns a .735 OPS.

As for the pitching:

• Channing Austin, an undrafted free agent who signed last summer, had the best week of any St. Lucie pitcher. In two relief appearances, Austin allowed just one run in nine innings. Austin has struggled otherwise, owning a 4.94 ERA on the year.
• Edgar Moreta also looked great out of the bullpen, striking out six and allowing one run in six innings of work. Moreta owns a 3.04 ERA in six games.
• Raimon Gomez continues to look unhittable, as he struck out six in 3 1/3 hitless innings out of the bullpen. Gomez did walk three, but he lowered his season ERA to 0.69 through six games.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets went 1-3 in four games this past week, dropping their record to 1-4 on the year. It’s been a brutal start, as the Mets have scored just 16 runs and have allowed 40, averaging 10 runs allowed per game.

Jeffry Rosa went just 2-for-9 in three games played, but his two hits were both home runs. He has a .923 OPS through 13 at-bats this year.

Edward Lantigua had a solid week, going 3-for-8 with two walks and three stolen bases. Lantigua is coming off a year in which he had a .792 OPS in the Dominican Summer League.

Luis Alvarez (3 1/3 scoreless innings, six strikeouts) and Daviel Hurtado (three scoreless innings, six strikeouts) were the standout pitchers for the FCL squad this past week. Alvarez and Hurtado have pitched sparingly in their professional careers but are off to solid starts in 2025.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .361

OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK) – 1.063

HR – Jon Singleton (SYR) – 7

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 21

Pitching

ERA – Anthony Nunez (BRK) – 0.63

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 51

WHIP – Anthony Nunez (BRK) – 0.56

Players of the Week

Offense – Ryan Clifford, 1B/RF/LF Binghamton

It’s great to see Clifford showing significant signs of life at the plate after a dreadful start to the year. Clifford is still striking out at a high rate, but he is starting to demonstrate the power that makes him so valuable. His slugging percentage (.475) is starting to close in on .500 and his OPS is sitting at .820.

Pitching – Jonah Tong, P Binghamton

How does Nolan McLean, who tossed seven shutout innings in his Triple-A debut, not win pitcher of the week? If anything, that should tell you just how good Tong was. Tong is a strikeout artist, and he continues to put people away at unbelievable rates. In his last start, he did so without even allowing a baserunner. Both Tong and McLean have arguably surpassed Sproat in the Mets’ minor league pitcher rankings as they have had brilliant starts to the 2025 season.

Upcoming Schedule – May 13-18

• Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Lehigh Valley
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Reading
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Winston-Salem
• Low-A St. Lucie: @ Daytona

The post Minors Weekly Report: It’s All Jonah Tong appeared first on Metsmerized.