1. Noah Syndergaard, RHP
Status: Hot
Thor continues to stay hot as he makes Eastern League hitters extremely frustrated every time he takes the mound. He was dominant on August 4th against Harrisburg, allowing two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts in five shutout innings. He’s now 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched. Between Binghamton and St. Lucie, he now has a single-season career-high in innings pitched (104.2). The Mets have been limiting his innings, and he’ll likely be shut down around the 130 inning mark.
2. Rafael Montero, RHP
Status: Hot
Now this is the Montero we were used to seeing in Double-A. The right-hander turned in his best start since getting promoted to Las Vegas on August 4th against Memphis. He allowed one run on four hits, no walks, and four strikeouts in eight innings pitched for the victory. It was the first time he hadn’t walked a batter in a start since July 11th, and his streak of walking at least three in a start has halted at three starts. He’s now 3-3 with a 3.88 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched.
3. Travis d’Arnaud, C
Status: Warming up
While d’Arnaud is only hitting .222 since his rehab assignment moved to Double-A Binghamton, he is slugging .481 during that time. We’ve seen glimpses of what he can do, hitting a long home run this week, as well as a pair of doubles and a triple. He also had the opportunity to catch Noah Syndergaard, something we hope to see for years to come. As of last night, d’Arnaud was told he’s heading back to Las Vegas, and could be getting the call to the big leagues once John Buck goes on paternity leave.
4. Wilmer Flores, 2B
Status: Warming up
Flores turned 22-years-old on Tuesday and was rewarded with his long anticipated MLB debut for the Mets. He went 0-for-4 with an error on Tuesday, but collected two hits and three RBIs Wednesday night, helping New York beat the Rockies 5-0. He went hitless again in the series finale yesterday against Colorado, but he drove in a run off a ground out, which was crucial in New York’s 2-1 victory. At the time of his promotion, the infielder was hitting .321/.357/.531 with 15 home runs and 86 RBIs in 424 at-bats for Triple-A Las Vegas
5. Cesar Puello, OF
Status: Suspended
Puello’s received a 50-game suspension this week for his involvement in the Biogenesis clinic. Thankfully, these 50 games can all be applied to this season since he’s on the 40-man roster. The outfielder was enjoying a breakout season in Binghamton, hitting .328/.405/.550 with 16 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases.
6. Dominic Smith, 1B
Status: Neutral
Smith hasn’t been tearing the cover off the ball, but he has recorded one hit in five of his last six games. He continues to draw high marks from scouts and talent evaluators, who believe he will be the real deal and eventually make it to the big leagues. In 112 at-bats in the GCL, the 18-year-old first baseman is hitting .241/.358/.357 with two home runs, seven doubles, and 15 RBIs.
7. Brandon Nimmo, OF
Status: Hot
It’s taken a while, but Nimmo is finally catching fire with the bat. He’s collected three hits in three of his last four games, good for a .529 average during that time. Thankfully, they haven’t all been singles, either. Nimmo has roped two doubles and a home run (his second of the year) this week. Since a solid April, this season has been a struggle for Nimmo, but he’s hopefully putting everything together to have a solid finish. He’s hitting .269/.382/.364 this season, with two home runs and 33 RBIs.
8. Michael Fulmer, RHP
Status: Neutral
Fulmer earned his first career FSL win on August 3rd against Clearwater, but it was a so-so outing. He allowed three runs on three hits, four walks, and four strikeouts in six innings pitched. It’ll be hard for him to make significant strides in his development this season because of a meniscus tear he suffered back in spring training. That left him out of action until the middle of summer. In five starts with St. Lucie, he’s 1-2 with a 4.38 ERA, 12 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 24.2 innings pitched.
9. Gavin Cecchini, SS
Status: Hot
After an incredibly slow start at the plate upon returning from his ankle injury, Cecchini has finally turned it on, hitting .302/.318/.372 in his last ten games. He’s currently on an eight-game hitting streak, which includes both a three-hit and four-hit game. He’s enjoyed his first seven games in August, as he’s hitting .387 with three doubles. In 105 at-bats this season, the shortstop is hitting .267/.297/.324.
10. Jack Leathersich, LHP
Status: Cold
The southpaw reliever only appeared in one game this week for the 51s, and it didn’t end well for Leathersich. He allowed one run on two hits, one walk, and one strikeout in just 0.1 innings pitched against the Memphis Cardinals. His struggle for control continues in Las Vegas; he owns a 5.12 ERA and 1.91 WHIP, while allowing 18 walks and 32 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched.