Christian Scott Keeps Striking Out Triple-A Hitters

Much as was the case last Tuesday, starting pitching dazzled in the Mets’ minor league system tonight. Christian Scott continued to make a case to appear in Queens sooner rather than later, and St. Lucie opening-day starter Jack Wenninger dazzled with one hit over six innings and 10 strikeouts. St. Lucie allowed just one hit on Tuesday night, marking its best game as a staff this season. Two-way sensation Nolan McLean struck out six in five innings of pitching that yielded just three base runners.

Offensively, J.D. Martinez recorded one hit in his first appearance for the Syracuse Mets, playing all nine innings at DH and receiving four at-bats. In their 6-3 win, Syracuse slugged four homers, and no other affiliate hit a homer. Nick Morabito continued his scorching start to the season, and Ryan Clifford continues to struggle for the High-A Cyclones.

Christian Scott, Photo by James Farrance

Triple-A
Syracuse 6, Columbus 3
Box Score

• RHP Christian Scott (W, 3-0, 3.48 ERA): 6.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 8 K
• RHP Yacksel Rios (3.52 ERA): IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K
• RHP Dedniel Nuñez (1 S, 0.00 ERA): IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, K

Christian Scott dominated yet again for the Syracuse Mets. After allowing a homer to the game’s third batter, Scott went on to retire the next eighteen batters, eight of which were on the strikeout. Scott was routinely sitting between 93 and 95 MPH with his fastball. His last pitch of the day was a 95 MPH fastball to sit down Kyle Manzardo, who took him deep in the first inning. Nuñez nailed down his first save of the season for Syracuse and hit 98 on the radar gun with his fastball.

• DH J.D. Martinez (.500 OPS): 1-4, 1B, RBI
• 1B Jiman Choi (.673 OPS): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI
• 2B Jose Iglesias (.708 OPS): 1-4, HR, 2 RBI
• LF Luke Ritter (.927 OPS), 1-3, HR, RBI

Syracuse crushed four homers on Tuesday night but, most notably, rostered J.D. Martinez for the first time this season. Martinez made his debut with Syracuse following a two-hit return to the St. Lucie lineup over the weekend. The veteran slugger will be with Syracuse again on Wednesday and could join the Mets in Queens as soon as Friday. In non-Martinez news, Jiman Choi slugged his first two homers of the year. Luke Ritter continues to impress, and could be pushing the envelope for a call-up to Queens this summer.

Injury Note: Lefty reliever Nate Lavender was placed on the 7-day injured list. 

Double-A
New Hampshire 7, Binghamton 1
Box Score

• RHP David Griffin (L, 0-1, 9.00 ERA): 3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, K
• RHP Nolan Clenney (5.06 ERA): 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, o BB, 3 K
• RHP Trey McLoughlin (3.00 ERA): 1.2 IP, H, o R, 0 ER, BB, 3 K
• RHP Carlos Guzman (8.31 ERA): IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, K

David Griffin was roughed up by the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Tuesday night, lasting just three innings in his start. The 27-year-old has struggled in 2024 as a whole so far, and his Tuesday night start did not do much to change the direction of his campaign. Nolan Clenney, to a lesser extent than Griffin, was also knocked around. The Ponies would not receive solid pitching until McLoughlin and Guzman, who combined for 2 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball with just one base runner and four strikeouts.

• RF Brandon McIlwain (.817 OPS): 2-4, 2B
• CF Alex Ramirez (.841 OPS): 1-2, BB, 2 SB (7)
• C Kevin Parada (.692 OPS): 1-3
• LF Rhylan Thomas (.878 OPS) 1-for-2, RBI, BB, HBP

While the pitching was roughed up, the offense went silent for Binghamton. Brandon McIlwain doubled for one of his two hits, Alex Ramirez paired his single with a walk and two stolen bases, but almost nothing else happened for the Binghamton offense. Ramirez boasts one of the team-best OPS marks at .841 and was the only other Pony to do much on Tuesday night. The offense as a whole struck out 11 times.

High-A
Brooklyn 5, Wilmington 0
Box Score

• C Drake Osborn (1.289 OPS): 2-2, 2 BB
• 1B Nick Lorusso (.950 OPS): 3-4, 3B
• LF Jaylen Palmer (.333 OPS): 0-2, BB, SB (1)

Despite scoring five runs on Tuesday, the Brooklyn offense was mostly quiet. Big names such as Ryan Clifford and William Lugo did not do much on the night, and the offense was carried but unexpected faces. Catcher Drake Osborn reached base every time he went to the plate, walking twice and singling twice. Jaylen Palmer completed the first game of his minor league rehab assignment in Brooklyn, playing all nine innings in left field, and walking in his third at-bat. Slugging first baseman Nick LoRusso notched his first triple of the year, and raised his OPS to .950. Clifford went 0-4 with two strikeouts.

• RHP Nolan McLean (4.91 ERA): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 6 K
• RHP Dakota Hawkins (2.53 ERA): 3 IP, 3 H, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• RHP Joey Lancellotti (2.25 ER): IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, K

Two-way prospect Nolan McLean struck out six batters on Tuesday night, including the first five outs he recorded on the night. McLean, overall, allowed just two base runners and threw 66 pitches in his start. McLean was followed by 24-year-old Dakota Hawkins, who threw three perfect innings, sitting three batters down and lowering his ERA to just a shade above 2.50 in the process. Former Team Italy member Joey Lancellotti struck out the second batter he faced in his clean inning of work, closing the book on a 5-0 Cyclones win.

Low-A
St. Lucie 4, Daytona 0
Box Score

• RHP Jack Wenninger (W, 1-0, 2.50 ERA): 6 IP, H, 0 R, o ER, 0 BB, 10 K
• RHP Miguel Alfonseca (0.00 ERA): IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, K
• RHP Ernesto Mercedes (5.23 ERA): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BBs, K

Jack Wenninger turned in the best start of his professional career on Tuesday night. The Mets’ 2023 sixth round tops out at 95 mph with good ride. He also features a splitter and curveball.

• CF Nick Morabito (1.011 OPS): 3-4
• C Ronald Hernandez (.698 OPS): 2-4
• 1B Christopher Suero (.866 OPS): 2-4, 2B, 4 RBI

The Mets recorded eleven hits on Tuesday night, and seven of them came from the combination of Nick Morabito, Ronald Hernandez, and Christopher Suero. Suero did most of the heavy lifting in RBI situations, driving in all four of the Mets runs on the day. Hernandez, who has struggled to start the year, was able to get on with two singles. Morabito continued his torrid start to the season, reaching on three singles, all of which came in his final three at-bats.

Injury Note: Infielder Marco Vargas was recently placed on the 7-day injured list.

The post Christian Scott Keeps Striking Out Triple-A Hitters appeared first on Metsmerized Online.