Mets Minors Recap: Sproat Sharp for Syracuse
Brandon Sproat hurled five scoreless innings of two-hit ball and struck out eight Friday for Triple-A Syracuse. Sproat, 24, widely considered the organization’s top pitching prospect to start the year, has had a disappointing season (5.05 ERA), but has put together two excellent performances in a row (11 scoreless innings, 14 strikeouts, four walks) just as the (big league) Mets find themselves in dire need of starting pitching.
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Triple-A
Worcester Red Sox (43-41) 0, Syracuse Mets (39-46) 4
- C Francisco Alvarez, 0-for-3, R, BB, 3 K (.745 OPS)
- SS Luisangel Acuña, 2-for-4, K (.706 OPS)
- RF Gilberto Celestino, 1-for-3, HR (6), 3 RBI (25) (.779 OPS)
Alvarez had a rough night at the plate and in the field. He made a throwing error and was charged with a passed ball.
- RHP Brandon Sproat (5.05 ERA) 5 IP, 2 H, 8 K, BB
- LHP Brooks Raley (0.00 ERA) IP, H, BB, K, W
Sproat threw 51 of 89 pitches for strikes, induced 11 swings and misses and his fastball topped out at 99.3 mph. The Mets selected him in the second round of the 2023 draft from the University of Florida. Raley has thrown 6.2 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts combined while rehabbing at three levels.
Double-A
Hartford Yard Goats (43-36) 4, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (51-26) 1
- SS Jett Williams, 2-for-4, K (.863 OPS)
- CF Carson Benge, 0-for-4, 2 K ( .768 OPS)
- DH Ryan Clifford, 1-for-3, 2B, BB (.824 OPS)
Benge, a first-round pick in last year’s draft, is 7-for-29 with a home run and a double in nine games since being promoted to Binghamton.
- RHP Jonah Tong (1.83 ERA) 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K, L
This was Tong’s fifth double-digit strikeout game. He hadn’t given up more than one run in a game since May 23 (six starts). He was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Month for June on Thursday, the second-straight month he’s won the award.
High-A
Hudson Valley Renegades (45-32) 4, Brooklyn Cyclones (54-25) 7
- LF Chris Suero, 1-for-4, HR (12), 2 RBI (48), 2 K (.852 OPS)
- 2B Colin Houck, 3-for-4, 3B, 2B, RBI (2), 3 R, K (.670 OPS)
- 3B Jesus Baez, 2-for-4, HR (9), RBI (41), 2 R (.769 OPS)
With the game taking place a stone’s throw from the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, the Cyclones relished the chance to make hot dog puns on the team’s X account.
- RHP R.J. Gordon (3.06 ERA) 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, BB, 5 K
- LHP Ryan Ammons (1.96 ERA) 1.2 IP, K
Ammons, 24, has struck out 32 in 23 IP.
Low-A
St. Lucie Mets (42-35) 6, Daytona Tortugas (36-42) 2
- 1B Yohairo Cuevas, 2-for-4, HR (2), 2B, RBI (9), K (.813 OPS)
- SS Jeremy Rodriguez, 1-for-5, RBI (20), SB (18), K (.562 OPS)
- LF Willy Fanas, 2-for-4, RBI (8), SB (3), K (.537 OPS)
Cuevas’ .275/.447/.366 slash line through 47 games is up dramatically from last year when it was .213/.333/.296 in 457 plate appearances for St. Lucie.
- RHP Wellington Aracena (2.75 ERA) 3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Aracena was the Florida State League Pitcher of the Month for June (1.13 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 29 strikeouts, 24 IP).
Dominican Summer League
DSL Tigers (7-16) 0, DSL Mets Orange (14-9) 5
- 2B Elian Peña, 2-for-4, 2B, R (.812 OPS)
- C Yeider Mindiola, 1-for-1, HR (2), RBI (8), 2 BB, 2 R (.951 OPS)
- CF Adolfo Miranda, 1-for-3, HR (4) 3 RBI (15) (1.052 OPS)
Peña is 5-for-11 in July with two doubles and two walks. (The 17-year-old is rapidly maturing.) Miranda’s homer was his third in two games. The 18-year-old Cuban has also stolen seven bases in 19 games.
- LHP Luis Sotillo (3.38 ERA) 4 IP, H, BB, 3 K
DSL Mets Blue (10-14) 10, DSL Rangers Blue (5-19) 11
- 1B Yunior Amparo, 2-for-3, RBI (11), R, BB (1.236 OPS)
- DH Yovanny Rodriguez, 1-for-5, 2B, RBI (9), R, BB, K (.974 OPS)
- LF Alex Acosta, 2-for-4, 2 R, BB, K (.848 OPS)
Amparo, an 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic, is hitting .422/.525/.711 with three home runs in 19 games.
- RHP Christopher Rochin (4.73 ERA) 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, K
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