Today the Mets continued with their minor league moves as they released five more players with Binghamton Mets outfielder Maikis De La Cruz being the most notable.
They also released right-handed pitcher Gaby Almonte (Columbia Fireflies), infielder Luis Ortega (Columbia Fireflies), outfielder Hengelbert Rojas (Brooklyn Cyclones), infielder Santo Marte (Kingsport), right-hander pitcher Luis Carreno (GCL/Kingsport Mets), and right-handed pitcher Enmanuel Berihuete.
Original Report – October 4
As the 2016 minor league season has now been over for about a month, player releases will be coming fast and furious. Over the last two weeks, the Mets have released 19 minor leaguers, with another, RHP Jeff Walters, electing free agency.
Walters spent seven years in the Mets organization, with his best season coming in 2013, when he saved 38 games to set the Binghamton Mets’ team record. He ended up needing Tommy John surgery in 2014 after being added to the major league 40-man roster, and struggled to regain his previous success. In 56 appearances with Triple-A Las Vegas in 2016, Walters recorded an ERA of 5.89 and struck out 48 batters in 65.2 innings.
The Mets released the following stateside players:
RHPs Tyler Badamo, Nicco Blank, Robert Coles, and Raul Jacobson, C Lednier Ricardo, IFs Darryl Knight and Michael Katz, and OFs Will Barring and Joe Tuschak.
Badmo is probably the most surprising name to appear on the list. After he was drafted in 2014 from Dowling College, the Long Island native went 9-10 with a 3.22 ERA in 37 games (31 starts). In 2015 with the Brooklyn Cyclones, Badamo led the New York-Penn League with 81.1 IP and finished third in strikeouts (66), WHIP (1.02), and BAA (.207). His 2016 season was cut short by injury, leading to his release.
Blank has an 80-grade name, but he struggled to prevent runs with Columbia in 2016, allowing 21 in 31.2 innings. Coles repeated St. Lucie in 2016 and saw far worse results, striking out only 28 batters in 50.2 innings. Jacobson was another interesting name. With Brooklyn in 2016 he went 3-2 with a 2.31 ERA in 12 appearances (four starts). He averaged nearly six innings per start without an overpowering fastball but consistent command. When given the opportunity to showcase his stuff in Columbia, however, he gave up 12 runs in two starts.
(Jacob Resnick/MetsMinors.Net)
Ricardo played six seasons in the Cuban National Series before coming to the United States at 27 a year ago. With the Mets, he hit .194 with two home runs in two seasons. Knight possessed physical tools (power and arm strength) but after finding himself low on the depth chart at catcher, he was forced to learn first base. He struggled to find at bats and succeed at the position with Brooklyn in 2016.
Katz had a nice pro debut with Brooklyn in 2014 (.275/.323/.346), but left on a sour note, hitting .219 with a 35% strikeout rate with St. Lucie in 2016. Barring was signed after going undrafted in 2015 and struggled in the GCL in 2015 and at Kingsport in 2016. The Mets gave up on Tuschak after six years in the organization where he put up a .218/.298/.311 slash line with a 28% strikeout rate.
The following players from the Dominican Summer League were released:
RHPs Misael Familia, Wuender Fernandez, and Rafael Guzman, LHPs Brian Batista, Rafael Encarnacion, and Renlly Tejada, C Daniel Cedeno, 1B Hanser Ortiz , and OFs Edy Gil and Claudio Geraldo.
I’ve watched Robert Coles pitch somepretty good games out here Iin st lucie.
It is always a nice story seeing a TJ Rivera make the major leagues and do well. Unfortunately, the majority of players end up being released or retiring without ever seeing the majors. Good article.
When you hear an 80-grade name, you disbelieve it’s real. Nicco Blank doesn’t fit the bill – he’s working with a misspelling of candy and a last name that literally means nothing; he’s certainly no Coco Crisp or Milton Bradley.