Mets Minors Recap: Brandon Sproat Continues To Shine

MMO Michael Mayer’s No. 1-ranked prospect Jett Williams was scratched from the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies’ lineup on Thursday. The 21-year-old was initially listed as the starting shortstop, but he was in the dugout and did not play. The reason for his absence is still yet to be disclosed. Meanwhile, Brandon Sproat turned in another quality start for Triple-A Syracuse.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (59-52) 10, Charlotte Knights (52-58) 3

Box Score

• SS Luisangel Acuña: 2-for-5, R (.700 OPS)
• CF José Azocar: 2-for-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, BB (.765 OPS)
• 1B Jared Young: 2-for-4, 3B, RBI, BB (.944 OPS)
• 3B Pablo Reyes: 1-for-2, HR, 3 RBI, R, 3 BB, SB (.975 OPS)
• RF Gilberto Celestino: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R (.775 OPS)

Syracuse feasted on former Yankees prospect Yoendrys Gómez, erupting for ten runs on 14 hits, including four extra-base hits—three of which cleared the fences. In the bottom of the fourth, eight-straight batters reached base. Additionally, only one player in the lineup went hitless.

• RHP Brandon Sproat (W, 7-4): 6 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR (4.10 ERA)

Sproat looked fantastic through his first four innings, managing both his pitch count and the strike zone with precision. However, after a long fourth inning, he was hit hard in the fifth before settling down to deliver a solid sixth. Overall, Sproat threw 84 pitches with 53 strikes. Jose Castillo, Chris Devenski and Dylan Ross followed with one scoreless frame apiece.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (70-33) 5, Somerset Patriots (56-49) 4

Box Score

• CF Carson Benge: 0-for-4, BB, R, 2 SO (1.038 OPS)
• RF Nick Morabito: 2-for-5, RBI, R, SB (.759 OPS)
• 1B Chris Suero: 0-for-3, RBI, R, HBP, 2 SB (.790 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies’ generally lackluster offensive day was helped by a wild outing from Patriots starter Carlos Lagrange, the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Binghamton drew seven walks and saw two batters get hit by pitches. They made the most of the free passes with two stolen bases from Suero, who’s now up to 29 on the season, and one from Morabito, who increased his total to 35. Additionally, late in the eighth, Patriots outfielder Jace Avina’s stolen base attempt was thwarted by catcher Kevin Parada, helping secure the win.

• RHP R.J. Gordon: 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO, 2 HR (4.30 ERA)

Gordon earned the win despite allowing four earned runs over six innings. The bullpen locked down the Patriots with three no-hit innings from Felipe De La Cruz, Ryan Lambert and Joshua Cornielly, who notched his second save of the season.

High-A

Hudson Valley Renegades (63-39) 7, Brooklyn Cyclones (61-44) 1

Box Score

• 3B Jefrey De Los Santos: 2-for-3, 2B (.600 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez: 1-for-4 (.637 OPS)
• 2B Marco Vargas: 1-for-4, SB

Brooklyn’s bats were quiet for most of the night, as they produced just six hits and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Their lone run came in the fifth when 24-year-old Troy Schreffler Jr. delivered a two-out RBI single to score second baseman Nick Roselli, who had reached base on a hit-by-pitch. De Los Santos collected the team’s only extra-base hit, a double in the third, and Vargas swiped his 34th bag of the season.

• LHP Franklin Gomez: 4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K (2.16 ERA)
• RHP Dakota Hawkins (L, 2-2): 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K (2.64 ERA)
• RHP Eduardo Herrera: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (1.98 ERA)

On the mound, Gomez kept the Renegades scoreless for 4 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five before turning things over to the bullpen. Hawkins struggled in relief, surrendering four runs in the sixth, and Herrera was charged with three unearned runs in the seventh. Herrera’s control woes continued as he hit two batters and uncorked a wild pitch. Despite the loss, Gomez’s performance lowered his ERA to a pristine 2.16.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (61-42) vs. Tampa Tarpons (48-52)
POSTPONED

“Tonight’s doubleheader between the Tampa Tarpons and the St. Lucie Mets has been postponed due to lightning, continuous rainfall and the potential threat of additional inclement weather,” the Tarpons’ PR team announced on Thursday. “The makeup game from Thursday will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Friday, August 8th, with the first pitch scheduled for 4:00 PM. Both games will be 7 innings in regulation.”

Dominican Summer League

DSL Mets Blue (17-30) 11, DSL Rangers Blue 7
DSL Tigers 1 (22-25), DSL Mets Orange (26-21) 4

17-year-old Elian Peña went 1-for-3 with an RBI single and a run scored, pushing his OPS up to .901. The red-hot infielder is now batting an eye-popping .588/.632/.882 in August.

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