The Mets drafted catcher Anthony Dimino in the 28th round of the 2015 draft out of Division II Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. The 22-year old left-handed hitter also played the outfield during his sophomore year and was a shortstop in high school.

During his junior year with the Crusaders, Dimino hit .452 which placed him second highest in the nation. He continued hitting for the Mets when he made his pro debut in the Gulf Coast League where he batted .295/.380/.343 with 15 walks compared to only 16 strikeouts in 105 at bats. He had five doubles, two stolen bases, ten RBI, and 15 runs scored.

MMN – First thanks for taking some time to answer questions and congrats on a great pro debut!

Anthony – You’re welcome, thank you for taking the time to talk!

MMN – When did you start catching and how did it come about?

Anthony – I started catching my redshirt sophomore year but not in games, just working on it. My hitting coach and big mentor of mine, Pete Jenkins, called me one day and just shot the question out. He was a catcher and he said he thought it would be a great situation. We got to work right back at campus and he helped immensely.  A lot of work took place and a lot of learning. I’m not anywhere close to where I want to be back there and I’m still learning every day. But I’ve developed a love for the work, the learning process, and the position as a whole. I’m excited to see how much better I will develop into being for our team and our pitchers down the road.

MMN – Who in the Mets system has helped you to continue developing your skills behind the plate?

Anthony – Well my coordinator is Bob Natale, and he is beyond knowledgeable on the position, and how to relay information back there. But my manager, Jose Carreno is also a former catcher and we worked every day on the position. They both are geniuses when it comes to the position and trying different things for different players. We all worked as a team to continue to develop my game and the mental aspect back there as well. Ali Sanchez and I also talked a lot back and forth about certain situations and certain pitchers.

MMN – Have the Mets told you that you are locked into catching now or will they still give you reps at other positions?

Anthony – Right now I’m focused on being the best catcher I can for our team, I will do what’s best for the organization but right now that’s my goal.

MMN – Leading up to the draft did you know that the Mets had interest in taking you?

Anthony – Well I worked out for the Mets in Port Saint Lucie the three days before the draft, and the scouts, coordinators, all staff were unbelievable in the manner that they treated me. I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen during the draft. But I did know after my experience at the work out and dealing with some of the front office, that I wanted to be a Met that next week. I’m very fortunate that it turned out that way.

MMN – Did you have any thoughts of going back to college for your senior year?

Anthony – I did take and still do take my education very seriously. But being a part of the Mets organization and being able to be a professional baseball player has always been a dream of mine since I started playing the game at a young age. Right now I am focused on living out my dream and becoming the best player I can be to help the organization and my team win. I only have one semester of school left and I will definitely finish when I have the chance.

MMN – Which pitchers on the GCL Mets impressed you this season?

Anthony – We had an awesome group of pitching this year, I enjoyed working with the staff and getting to know all of them as well. The cool thing about our pitching was every day they gave our team a chance to win, and didn’t put pressure on the offense at all to score runs. As a catcher I felt comfortable with our entire staff and see bright futures for them moving forward.

MMN – For people who haven’t gotten to see you play can you talk about the type of hitter you are and the approach you take at the plate?

Anthony – It all depends on the situation (score, runners on base, number of outs, etc.) that will determine the type of at bat I need to have to help the team and pass it on to the next guy. Most of the time I like to work deep into the count and make the pitcher throw all of his pitches. That way I know what I’m working with. I like to spray the ball around the field in the gaps, and I don’t mind hitting with 2 strikes at all.

MMN – What was a typical day like in the instructional league?

Anthony – Get to the complex around 630, eat breakfast, get a lift in, some days early defensive work, early hitting, bunting, or base running. Then we would go catch sides, then go into a team fundamental. Afterwards we would split up and do positional defense, then take BP in groups on the field. If it was a game day, then we would do an abbreviated version of that and then play the game. If we weren’t in the game that day we would do extra work, such as more BP, sides or receiving (for catchers), base running, or bunting. The best thing about instructs was that we were always getting work in, and learning every part of the day, to help better each part of our game.

MMN – Did you get a chance to catch Matz when he was there?

Anthony – No I did not, but watched him in his side before the game and it was very impressive.

MMN – What do you think of a rotation where he is the number #4?

Anthony – I think it’s exactly what it was last year, dominant. That just shows how great the rotation is and they are only going to get better which is the scary thing for the rest of the hitters in this league.

MMN – Thanks again for answering all my questions, happy holidays, and hope you have a great 2016 season!

Anthony – No problem. Thank you for taking time to talk. If you ever need anything don’t hesitate to ask.

You can follow Anthony here on twitter @ADimino2