Minor League Players of the Month: Sproat, Benge Dominate July

July is in the books, which means it’s time to see how the Mets’ minor leaguers played during the dog days of summer.

TRIPLE-A: SYRACUSE METS

Hitter of the Month: Francisco Alvarez

Stats: 14 G, .333/.433/.902/1.335, 2 2B, 9 HR, 14 R, 19 RBI, 7 BB, 15 SO

Yes, the first player featured in the July edition of the Mets minor league players of the month is a major leaguer, but what Francisco Alvarez did while in Triple-A can’t be ignored. He played 14 games for Syracuse in July, seven behind the leader, but enough of a sample size. His nine home runs led the team, as did his 19 RBI and his 1.335 OPS.

While top prospects will usually make stops in Triple-A on the way to the big leagues, oftentimes that’s not what the level is for. Triple-A is for career minor leaguers who can’t quite seem to crack the majors, former MLB players trying to fight their way back to the big leagues, and MLB depth players who are on a shuttle to and from the big leagues all season. Alvarez, a big leaguer who needed an opportunity to get right after a dreadful slump, fit the criteria.

Pitcher of the Month: Brandon Sproat

Stats: 5 GS, 27 IP, 14 H, 3 R (2 ER), 33 SO, 8 BB, 0.67 ERA, 0.81 WHIP

Talk about a comeback. After struggling in Triple-A to finish last season and for most of the first half of this season, Brandon Sproat turned in a July for the ages. His velocity has seemingly returned, and with it, so have the results. His July ERA is over three full runs lower than his next closest ERA in a single month (4.15, June), and his 33 punchouts mark the first time he’s broken 20 in a month.

Sproat’s lengthy Triple-A struggles have caused him to slide down the Mets’ top prospects lists and off the MLB top 100 prospects lists, but if he maintains this level of success throughout the rest of the season, he could find himself back on them.

DOUBLE-A: BINGHAMTON RUMBLE PONIES

Hitter of the Month: Carson Benge

Stats: 18 G, .397/.482/.726/1.208, 3 2B, 7 HR, 22 R, 17 RBI, 11 BB, 11 SO

Double-A is where the top prospects in the Mets’ system are, and there might not be a single hitter across the entire minor leagues with more helium than Carson Benge. The 2024 first-round pick destroyed baseballs in July and has catapulted himself into being one of the best outfield prospects in baseball. If he can stick out there, the Mets could have their center field solution as soon as next season.

Benge’s July was so good, it overshadowed what was a great month for many Rumble Pony hitters. Ryan Clifford hit eight home runs and had a 1.020 OPS. D’Andre Smith hit .350 with a .935 OPS. Nick Lorusso hit .305 with a .984 OPS. Jett Williams turned in another good month. However, Benge was so good, no one else was even close.

Pitcher of the Month: Jonah Tong

Stats: 4 G (4 GS), 19 IP, 10 H, 4 R (3 ER), 31 SO, 9 BB, 1.42 ERA, 1.00 WHIP

Another month, another stretch of Jonah Tong dominance. There’s not much more to say about Tong at this point. He’s the best pitching prospect in the Mets’ system. He’s one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, and might still be underrated nationally. His fastball is gross, his curveball is a weapon, his slider plays and his new Vulcanchange appears to be working.

There’s really only one question left: What is he still doing at Double-A?

HIGH-A: BROOKLYN CYCLONES

Hitter of the Month: A. J. Ewing

Stats: 21 G, .291/.360/.405/.765, 7 2B, 2 3B, 9 R, 7 RBI, 9 BB, 14 SO

For as good as the Cyclones’ offense was in the first half of the season, that’s how bad it has been in the second half. A.J. Ewing has been the exception. He hasn’t torn the cover off the ball, but he’s been consistently good after being promoted from Single-A in April. The power is still a work in progress and likely won’t ever be a massive part of his game, but he’s still just 20 and will turn 21 on August 10, so there’s plenty of time for it to improve—and it should.

Ewing has been one of the larger breakout prospects for the Mets this season. He’s jumped from the low-20s into the top-10 among prospects in the Mets organization, and, if things break right next season, he has a chance to become a top 100 prospect in baseball.

Pitcher of the Month: Will Watson

Stats: 6 G (6 GS), 27 IP, 17 H, 7 R (6 ER), 29 SO, 12 BB, 2.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP

The Mets are so pitching-rich in the minor leagues it is absurd. Brooklyn’s offense struggled in July, but the pitching carried on unfazed. Four different pitchers threw double-digit innings with an ERA under two, and yet Will Watson takes the crown thanks to his whole body of work (and still stellar ERA). He threw eight more innings than any other Cyclone pitcher in July and did so about as effectively as anyone.

A seventh-round pick in 2024, Watson has been one of the best pitchers in the system this season. He has a really strong fastball, a great changeup, a good slider and a new cutter that has become a weapon for him. He’s on track to start 2026 in Double-A, and once you make it to Double-A, the big leagues can be right around the corner.

SINGLE-A: ST. LUCIE METS

Hitter of the Month: Trace Willhoite

Stats: 22 G, .282/.418/.538/.956, 3 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 20 R, 20 RBI, 16 BB, 18 SO

Another repeat player in one of these pieces, Trace Willhoite has some serious pop. In the Florida State League this season, he’s in the 100th percentile in xwOBA and Barrel%, and in the 90th percentile or better in wOBA, average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage. He has his holes, mainly centered around swing-and-miss, but there’s some legitimate juice in that bat.

He is 24, which is old for Single-A. While this level of success is notable regardless, there’s an argument that he should be doing at least close to this. Brooklyn’s offense is struggling, and maybe Willhoite could help the Cyclones out. After all, they’re already locked into a playoff spot. Reinforcements are probably needed.

Pitcher of the Month: Franklin Gomez

Stats: 4 G (2 GS), 16.2 IP, 7 H, 0 R (0 ER), 7 BB, 13 SO, 0.00 ERA, 1.02 WHIP

Franklin Gomez just turned in about as good of a month as one can: ZERO runs in 16 2/3 innings. Not even an unearend run. He faced some stiff competition from Jose Chirinos, Daviel Hurtado and the recently traded Wellington Aracena, but it’s hard to be 16 and 2/3 shutout innings.

Gomez doesn’t have overpowering stuff but has excelled at inducing soft contact while still striking out his fair share of batters. He gets batters to chase, he gets them to swing and miss, and he gets them to hit the ball on the ground when they do make contact. Usually, that’s a good combination, and it has been for him. Next up: High-A. Gomez, who is still just 20, was promoted to Brooklyn on July 31.

FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE: FCL METS

Hitter of the Month: Edward Lantigua

Stats: 15 G, .326/.500/.609/1.109, 4 2B, 3 HR, 7 R, 14 RBI, 11 BB, 8 SO

Edward Lantigua was one of the breakout prospects for the Mets in the Dominican Summer League in 2024, and after coming stateside at just 18 years old, he has really looked the part. He makes good contact, limits strikeouts and has shown some solid power for someone his age. The tools are there.

He’s the No. 26 prospect in the system on MLB Pipeline and is unranked on Baseball America, but don’t be surprised to see him shoot up these lists if he repeats this again next year. This production from an 18-year-old is impressive and should turn some heads.

Pitcher of the Month: Jose Guevara

Stats: 3 G, (1 GS), 9.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 16 SO, 0.00 ERA, 0.10 WHIP

Gomez was about as good as one can be in Single-A, but Jose Guevara found a way to one-up him. He also didn’t give up a single run, and he went as far as to not give up a single hit. It came across three outings, but Guevara, in a sense, threw a “no-hitter” in July. He went the length of a normal game—plus two more outs—and let up just a single baserunner. And did so with 16 punchouts to boot.

Guevara has largely struggled this season, and struggled in two games in July for Single-A St. Lucie, but this run of outings for the FCL Mets was too dominant to ignore.

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE: DSL METS

Hitter of the Month: Adolfo Miranda

Stats: 20 G, .311/.346/.581/.927, 6 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 11 R, 17 RBI, 3 BB, 9 SO

Yovanny Rodriguez and Elian Peña, the Mets’ two most recent top international free agent signings, made strong cases, but Adolfo Miranda edged them out to take the top spot. An 18-year-old, Miranda is really in his first season after playing just seven games last season. A 2025 DSL All-Star, he’s shown good pop and has hit for a good average despite an ugly strikeout to walk ratio. Someone to keep an eye on.

Pitcher of the Month: Franyel Diaz

Stats: 6 G (0 GS), 18.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R (2 ER), 25 SO, 7 BB, 0.98 ERA, 0.82 WHIP

Franyel Diaz didn’t start a single game in July, but he threw more innings than any Mets Dominican Summer League pitcher. He was dominant, limiting both hits and walks, while punching out hitters at a great rate. Diaz was very effective in 2023, pitching to a 3.00 ERA in 12 games in the DSL, but didn’t pitch in 2024. Back on the mound in 2025, Diaz is back to dominating. A move stateside should be in the cards soon, or to begin next year at the very latest.

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