Mets Minors Recap: Gilbert Goes Deep Twice

Drew Gilbert homered twice, doubled, and drove in four runs to lead Triple-A Syracuse to an 8-2 victory Friday over Omaha. The 24-year-old center fielder’s big night came two days after he went 4-for-5 with a double. He’s raised his OPS 127 points since June 22.

The Mets traded a pair of minor league right-handed pitchers to the Orioles Friday for lefty reliever Gregory Soto.

Wellington Aracena, 20, was 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 17 appearances (eight starts) for St. Lucie. He struck out 84 in 64 1/3 innings.

Reliever Cameron Foster, 26, struck out 39 in 30 1/3 innings pitched while posting a 2.97 ERA and 1.06 WHIP for Binghamton and Syracuse. He was a 14th-round pick in the 2022 draft from McNeese State.

The trade deadline is Thursday. Will any top prospects be dealt?

Triple-A

Omaha Storm Chasers (38-61) 2, Syracuse Mets (50-50) 8

Box Score

• CF Drew Gilbert, 3-for-4, 2 HR (12), 4 RBI (46), 2B (.796 OPS)
• 3B Luis De Los Santos, 2-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI (30) (.605 OPS)
• C Matt O’Neill, 3-for-4, 2 RBI (3) (1.045 OPS)
• 2B Yonny Hernández, 1-for-3, 2 R (.835 OPS)

O’Neill was promoted last week, making it to Triple-A Syracuse for the third consecutive year. The 27-year-old was drafted from the University of Pennsylvania in the 20th round in 2019. He was born in Morristown, N.J., and played high school baseball for Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, N.J.

• RHP Brandon Sproat (4.30 ERA) 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K, W
• RHP Jonathan Pintaro (3.86 ERA) 2 2/3 IP, BB, 3 K
• LHP Richard Lovelady (1.23 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, 2 K

Sproat, who allowed an earned run for the first time in five starts, has struck out 73 in 90 innings pitched.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (62-30) 12, Reading Fightin Phils (36-56) 9

Box Score

• 3B Nick Lorusso, 1-for-3, HR (7), 2 RBI (45), 3 R, 2 BB (.762 OPS)
• C Chris Suero, 3-for-5, HR (1), RBI (1), SB (1), 3 R, K (.623 OPS)
• SS Jett Williams, 1-for-5, 2 RBI (34), R, BB, 3 K (.891 OPS)
• CF Carson Benge, 2-for-4, 2 RBI (12), R, K (.974 OPS)
• DH Ryan Clifford, 1-for-3, 2 RBI (62), R, 2 BB, K (.830 OPS)

Lorusso, who was born in Carmel, N.Y., homered for the second straight game. Benge has reached base in 10 consecutive games. Binghamton scored seven runs in the fifth inning.

•  RHP R.J. Gordon (4.96 ERA) 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 6 K, HR, W

This was Gordon’s third appearance for Binghamton since being promoted from Brooklyn, where he pitched to a 3.06 ERA over 67 2/3 innings. It wasn’t a great start, but it was an improvement from his last time out (six earned runs, 4 1/3 innings). He was drafted in the 13th round last year out of the University of Oregon.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (58-36) 1, Greensboro Grasshoppers (66-27) 2

Box Score

• CF A.J. Ewing, 2-for-4, 2B, R, CS (6) (.816 OPS)
• 3B Boston Baro, 3-for-4, 2B, RBI (28), SB (17) (.596 OPS)
• 2B Marco Vargas, 0-for-4 (.592 OPS)

Baro doubled into the right-field corner to open the scoring. The 20-year-old still has more to prove at High-A. After posting a .767 OPS at St. Lucie last year, his slash line is down across the board this season at Brooklyn. He also made two errors to raise his season total to 17.

• RHP Will Watson (2.25 ERA) 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, 8 K, HR, L
• RHP Chandler Marsh (3.00 ERA) 2 IP, H

In nine appearances for Brooklyn, Watson has 49 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched. He was selected in the seventh round of last year’s draft from the University of Southern California. Marsh has struck out 34 in 30 innings with Brooklyn.

Low-A

 St. Lucie Mets (52-40) 6, Jupiter Hammerheads (39-53) 3

Box Score

• DH Randy Guzman, 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 RBI (2), BB (1.833 OPS)
• 1B Trace Willhoite, 1-for-4, HR (12), RBI (52), BB, K (.854 OPS)
• LF Yohairo Cuevas, 3-for-5, 2B, RBI (10), CS (2) (.812 OPS)

Guzman homers in his St. Lucie debut. The 20-year-old from the Dominican Republic hit seven homers in 178 plate appearances in Rookie Ball for the Florida Complex League Mets before he was promoted.

• RHP Jonathan Jimenez (3.00 ERA) 3 IP, ER, BB, 2 K
• RHP Layonel Ovalles (1.59 ERA) 3 IP, W

Jimenez, 21, of Venezuela, hadn’t allowed an earned run since June 14 (18 innings pitched over five outings).

Dominican Summer League

DSL Mets Orange (22-16) 7, DSL Arizona Red (23-15) 8

Box Score

• 2B Elian Peña, 2-for-3, 4 SB (16), 2 R, 2 BB, K (.838 OPS)
• LF Heriberto Rincon, 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI (15), SB (27), 2 R (.763 OPS)
• SS Yunior Amparo, 1-for-4, 2 SB (15), CS (3), R, BB (1.001 OPS)

Peña has a four-steal game and a three-homer game less than a month apart. He stole third base three times Friday and is 16-for-17 swiping bases. After starting 0-for-26 and hitting .186 in June, the 17-year-old is slashing .316/.435/.456 in 57 at-bats this month.

• RHP Yoralbert Cadiz (5.24 ERA) 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 K

DSL Phillies Red (16-22) 3, DSL Mets Blue (16-22) 2

Box Score

• SS Yorber Semprun, 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI (.905 OPS)
• RF Hector Francis, 2-for-3, 2B, CS (1) (.438 OPS)
• 1B Vladi Guerrero, 1-for-3, 2B, R, K (.687 OPS)

Semprun has 32 hits, 20 runs scored, and 12 steals in 28 games. The 17-year-old has made 10 starts at shortstop, eight at second base, and eight at third. Guerrero has recorded a hit in five of his last six games. He is the 18-year-old son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero and the half-brother of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He wears No. 27.

• RHP Jean Brito (2.36 ERA) 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 K, L

This was only the second time in 10 appearances that Brito allowed two earned runs or more. His outings have mostly been short, but effective. The 19-year-old Venezuelan has struck out 27 and walked 16 in  34 1/3 innings pitched.

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