Columbia Fireflies Review: Mark Vientos Was Sterling

Photo by Ed Delany, MMN

The Mets Single-A affiliate, Columbia Fireflies, season may not have yielded the results the team was hoping for, as they finished with the worst record in the South Atlantic League (52-84 .397%). Managed by Pedro Lopez, Columbia was overall one of the worst offensive team with the most alarming team statistic being them only walking 342 times against 1211 strikeouts.

Despite the lackluster team stats, this season did provide a decent look at some of the Mets’ top prospects first glimpse of full season baseball. Lead offensively by two of the youngest players in the league, Ronny Mauricio (.268 AVG 4 HR 37 RBI) and 2019 Sterling Minor Lleague Hitter of the Year, Mark Vientos (.255 AVG 12HR 62 RBI), the future of the Mets were on full display.

The switch-hitting Mauricio lead the team among qualified hitters in average, hits, runs and triples. Defensively, while noting minor league scoring is sometimes suspect, Mauricio committed 23 errors at short. On that front, it should be noted some scouts believe Mauricio may well have to move to third as he matures physically.

In terms of the errors and his .665 OPS, Mauricio did go through an August slump indicating he was fatigued in his first ever full season. Moreover, it should be noted he was 3.5 years younger than league average. That makes his being a near league average hitter (93 wRC+) is all the more impressive.

While Mauricio had a promising season, Vientos’ might’ve been all the more impressive. With his leading the team in doubles, homers, RBI, total bases, SLG, and OPS, he was named the 2019 Sterling Hitting Award, given to the top offensive player in the Mets’ farm system. In receiving that award, he joins a prestigious list which includes past winners Pete Alonso (2018), Dominic Smith (2017), Brandon Nimmo/Amed Rosario (2016), and Michael Conforto (2015).

While Mauricio and Vientos would show signs of progress, Shervyen Newton would unfortunately have an injury plagued year. After beginning the year on the IL with a shoulder injury, he would struggle. While he would have a disappointing season, he showed a good eye finishing second on the team in walks.

Beyond the three top prospects, Hayden Senger would have a great June showing some of the power which led to his being drafted in the 24th round of the 2018 draft. Brian Sharp would finish just one homer behind Vientos for the team lead in homers, and his eight stolen bases were third most in the league among corner infielders.

Similar to the team’s struggles offensively, the team would finish near the bottom of every pitching stat. This was partially attributable to the team’s overall poor fielding. Columbia’s 150 total errors were the second most in the league.

While the team may have struggled on the mound one of the few bright spots was the right arm of Jose Butto. The Venezuela native pitched to a 4-10 record despite his 3.62 ERA, 3/1 K/BB ratio, and 8 HR allowed. The 21 year old tops out around 94 MPH with a low 3/4 arm slot. His strong season has moved his name into top 30 prospect lists.

The highest rated of those top 30 prospects to play for Columbia is Thomas Szapucki, who made his return to the mound this season for the Fireflies coming off Tommy John surgery. He made eight starts with the team posting a promising 2.08 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 21.2 innings before being promoted to St. Lucie and then eventually Binghamton.

Other top prospects to appear for Columbia include Dedniel Nunez, Daison Acosta, Bryce Hutchinson, and Tylor Megill. Most of this group would post big strikeout numbers. Nunez struck out 33 in 22.1 innings before being promoted to St. Lucie. Including his time with Brooklyn, Acosta struck out 9.4 per nine. Megill struck out 41 in 31.0 innings.

We can’t conclude a recap on the Columbia Fireflies season without also talking about Segra Park. Having just recently been named the top Single-A ball ballpark of the decade, it is one of the best places to watch a ballgame. From the glowing colors, fantastic mascot Mason, some of the best giveaways and promotions, and all the different seating options available it truly is one of a kind. More than that, as we saw this year, it is the place to see some of the best prospects in the Mets farm system.