Mets Minor League Roundup: Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuna homer in first series of season
Here's the latest on some of the Mets' top prospects...
RHP Mike Vasil, Triple-A Syracuse
Vasil's 2024 campaign did not get off to a good start on Sunday as the 24-year-old surrendered five runs (four earned) on four hits in just 2.1 innings pitched. Three of those runs scored when the right-hander allowed a three-run home run in the top of the first.
The No. 11 prospect in the Mets' system committed a throwing error, did not strike out a batter, walked four and threw a wild pitch while throwing just 32 strikes out of 66 pitches.
Vasil made 16 starts with Syracuse a season ago after making his first 10 starts with Double-A Binghamton. He pitched to a 5.30 ERA and 1.479 WHIP in 73.0 innings at Triple-A, while striking out 81 and walking 38. He had a 3.71 ERA and 0.843 WHIP in 51.0 innings at Binghamton.
OF Drew Gilbert, Triple-A Syracuse
Gilbert, the No. 50 prospect in baseball, put the Mets up 5-1 with his first home run of the season (101.9 mph exit velocity.)
Unfortunately, that was Gilbert's only hit of the series as the center fielder and leadoff hitter had trouble with the Rochester Red Wings pitchers. He struck out six times in three games.
He finished the series 1-for-12 with the homer and a hit-by-pitch.
SS Luisangel Acuna, Triple-A Syracuse
In his third at-bat of the season, Acuna got his first home run of the campaign to put Syracuse up 6-1 on the game and complete a back-to-back combo with Gilbert. The homer (104.1 mph off the bat) was his only hit of the day in five at-bats, but he hit the ball sharply (100.4, 92.4 and 100) in three other times up.
Acuna singled in the bottom of the first on Sunday for his only other hit in the series. The Mets' No. 3 prospect and No. 63 in all of baseball, went 2-for-13 with two strikeouts and a throwing error.
LHP Nate Lavender, Triple-A Syracuse
Lavender made his first appearance in relief of Jose Butto in Saturday's game. He surrendered a solo home run to the first batter he faced before allowing a pair of singles, the second by James Wood (the No. 14 prospect in all of baseball), put two on and two out. A ground out ended his first inning of work.
The 24-year-old lefty got the ball to start the seventh and walked the leadoff man before inducing a groundout and getting his second called third strike of the afternoon.
His first line of the year: 1.2 innings, one run, three hits, one walk, two strikeouts on 34 pitches (24 strikes).
3B Mark Vientos, Triple-A Syracuse
After getting squeezed out of making the big league club at the start of the season, Vientos bounced back from an 0-for-3 season opener with Syracuse by getting three hits in his next two games.
Vientos, who batted cleanup in all three games this weekend for Syracuse, socked a homer (99 mph exit velocity) and a double (106.5 mph) in his final two at-bats on Saturday. He grabbed his second RBI of the year with an RBI single in the first inning on Sunday and while notching just one hit smoked three balls (109.3, 106.3 and 104.3).
Vientos went 3-for-9 with three walks and a strikeout in the season’s opening series.
