Tom Brennan: METS MINORS - HOT BATS AND PENS

Tom Brennan: METS MINORS - HOT BATS AND PENS

Boy, oh boy, the minors are in full crank mode right now.  A welcome distraction from Queens baseball.

All 9 teams are playing, and that is a LOT of hitters and bullpen guys.

Since I don't have all day, folks, 'cause "I'm workin' for the man every night and day", I will only list guys with SCINTILLATING performances so far.

The creme de la creme.

As I truly am squeezed for time, I include stats of players  only through Tuesday's games. 

SCINTILLATING HITTERS:

AAA:

No Brennan list begins without Batman and Robin a/k/a Peter Alonso and Jeff McNeil.  Pete recently had a 3 homer game in his first week playing for Vegas, and Jeff has been doing a fine job in the lead off slot for the 51s.

Alonso: 18 HR, 63 RBI, .307.  Slumping a bit after the 3 HR sensation.

McNeil: .331/.402/.598. And .350 in his first 10 AAA games. (My only player update after Tuesday - on Wednesday, 3 for 5 with 2 doubles.  On Thursday, 2 for 4 with a homer - so, in 12 Vegas games, .388/.426/.571.  Call him UP).

AA:

No one, although Kevin Taylor and Tim Tebow have had fine Junes (.359 in last 10 games for Taylor and .310/.355/.466 in 20 June games for Tebow).

HIGH A:

Sorry, no one.  Andres Gimenez is doing well, but not doing SCINTILLATING.

FULL A:

Sorry, no one, although Rafael Gladu (.278) had a tremendous 23 game hit streak earlier this year, and the catching tandem of Scott Manea and Ali Sanchez have been close to .260, with 8 combined homers, and have cut down 36 of 73 runners (50%) - that is SCINTILLATING.

ROOKIE BALL BATS:

BROOKLYN:

Guys hitting over .300 so far include EF Jose Miguel Medina, 3B Jose Brizuela, SS Oliver Pasqual, 1B Chase Chambers, C Carlos Sanchez, and OF Wagner Lagrange.  And OF Ross Adolph is hitting .294 with 10 RBIs (and 14 Ks) in 7 games.

KINGSPORT:

A team-wide scintillating hitting start.

TWELVE GUYS hitting .300 or higher after 7 games! 

Whole team hitting .364!  Who stands out most? 

CF Anthony Dirocie (.476/.556/.905, with just 1 K in 24 PAs), 2B Luis Santana (.462/.516/.615, with just 1 K in 30 PAs), CF Guillermo Granadillo (.444/.545/.444 in 22 PAs), and SS Sherveyn Newton (.412/.474/.615 in 38 PAs, but with 13 Ks).  WOW! 

GULF COAST METS:

Jarred Kelenic, our 2018 first rounder, started out 8 for 13, and uber-international signee Ronnie Mauricio .333 (9 for 27, 3 doubles, a HR, and 8 RBIs) - the teenage Batman and Robin.

BULLPEN BEASTS:

Several guys have been promoted to Queens this season, as the Queens bullpen semi-disintegrated, like Gerson Bautista, Jacob Rhame, Drew Smith, Tim Peterson, and Tyler Bashlor.

Who SCINTILLATES amongst those not yet called up?

Las Vegas? None. No bullpen scintillators in Sin City. The goodies have been flown east already.

Binghamton?  Matt Blackham and Dave Roseboom are two of my faves.  Others who have strong AA ERAs and have fanned many include Dan Zamora, Joshua Torres, and Eric Hanhold.

St Lucie? Joe Zanghi and Ryder Ryan are the two finest.

Columbia? Trey Cobb and Conner O'Neil have rocked it.

Brooklyn?  Kingsport? GCL Mets?  Let's give the relievers another week or two to formulate a meaningful relief record.

Lastly, the two pre-rookie ball developmental league teams?  The very best so far?  maybe next time folks - I am out of time, and any DSL guys that make the majors will take years, so try to be patient, huh?

That's it for this current edition of bats and pens, folks.