Mets Minors Recap: Brandon Sproat, Ryan Clifford Have Big Nights

Brandon Sproat has been a hot name among Mets prospects. He was chosen for the 2024 Futures Game and is starting to be included in more of the top 100 prospect lists. On Thursday, Sproat tossed a gem for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Another name starting to gain more steam among Mets fans is slugger Ryan Clifford, and he kept that going with four hits –including a home run– in Binghamton’s win.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (52-32) 9, Worcester Red Sox (40-44) 1

BOX SCORE

• DH Pablo Reyes: 2-for-3, RBI, BB, R (.934)
• 3B Brett Baty: 1-for-5 (.977 OPS)
• LF Yolmer Sánchez: 2-for-3, HR (5), 2B, 4 RBI (.660 OPS)
• 1B Mike Brosseau: 1-for-3, 2 BB
• SS Rylan Bannon: 2-for-5, HR (15), 2B, 2 RBI (.870 OPS)
• 2B Luke Ritter: 2-for-5, HR (18), 3B, 2 RBI (.836 OPS)

Ritter leads the Mets minor leagues with 18 home runs this season. Reyes is 6-for-16 with 5 RBIs this week against the team he played for earlier this season.

• LHP Joey Lucchesi (4.20 ERA) 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• RHP Cole Sulser (1.71 ERA) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Back-to-back good starts from Lucchesi as he lowered his Triple-A era to 4.20 for the season. Sulser has been consistently on the Syracuse Mets best relievers in 2024.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (38-38) 7, Hartford Yard Goats (44-33) 3

BOX SCORE

• RF Ryan Clifford: 4-for-5, HR (10), 3 RBI, 2B (.873 OPS)
• DH Kevin Parada: 1-for-4, RBI, BB (.660 OPS)
• LF Alex Ramírez: 1-for-5, RBI, 2B, SB (.676 OPS)

Mets prospect Ryan Clifford is having a huge night for Double-A Binghamton:

4-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI

His Double-A OPS is up to .879

pic.twitter.com/qb4uReVEmM

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) July 5, 2024

After a bit of a slow start in Double-A, the 20-year-old Clifford has six doubles and nine home runs in his last 27 games. He’s hitting .253/.412/.632 with 22 RBIs during that span. Binghamton stole three bases in the game, getting one each from Ramírez, Rowdey Jordan (11), and JT Schwartz (7).

• RHP Brandon Sproat (2.05 ERA) 6.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 K,93 pitches (65 strikes)

Sproat was completely dominant through six innings, but did allow two of the last three batters he faced (via walk and home run) to reach base as he matched his career-high in pitches. Among 324 minor league pitchers to throw 60 innings this season, Sproat’s 1.71 ERA ranks fourth. The opponent’s .167 average against him ranks fifth of 324 pitchers.

Right-hander Trey McLoughlin struck out the only batter he faced to pick up his fifth save of the year.

High-A

Hudson Valley Renegades (40-37) 6, Brooklyn Cyclones (37-42) 0

BOX SCORE

• SS Wilfredo Lara: 2-for-3, HBP (.683 OPS)
• 3B Nick Lorusso: 1-for-4 (.848 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito: 0-for-4 (.722 OPS)
• LF Karell Paz 2-for-4, 2B (.533 OPS)

Infield prospect Jesus Baez was not in the lineup on Thursday after leaving the game early on Wednesday following a slide at third base. Baez was in crutches after the Wednesday game.

• RHP Dakota Hawkins (4.34 ERA) 5.1 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Right-handed reliever Joshua Cornielly tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (27-52) 5, Daytona Tortugas (37-41) 4

BOX SCORE

• RF Yohairo Cuevas: 1-for-2, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB (.576 OPS)
• DH Boston Baro: 1-for-3, 2 BB, 2 R, 2B (.741 OPS)
• SS Marco Vargas: 1-for-4, BB, R (.613 OPS)

The St. Lucie Mets scored two runs in the eighth inning and two more in the bottom of the ninth to win in walk-off fashion on Independence Day.

• RHP Edgar Moreta (11.32 ERA) 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• LHP Gregori Louis (1.71 ERA) 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Moreta was second on the night in the Florida State League with 16 whiffs, including five whiffs on five swings against his slider.

FCL

FCL Mets (17-25) 3, FCL Marlins (31-10) 7

Box Score

• SS Jeremy Rodriguez: 2-for-5 (.735 OPS)
• 2B D’Andre Smith 1-for-2, 2 RBI, BB (Rehab)
• DH Yonatan Henriquez: 2-for-4, R (.810 OPS)

Smith was playing in his first game of the 2024 season.

• RHP Wilson Esterlin (10.42 ERA) 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• RHP Francisco Mercado (1.80 ERA) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K

The DSL Mets Blue won 9-5 behind two hits and three RBIs by Edward Lantigua. The DSL Mets Orange lost 5-1. 

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