SAL1 Columbia Fireflies

Fireflies Game Notes: April 26 at Charleston (Game 21)

April 26, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release


Columbia Fireflies (7-13) @ Charleston RiverDogs (9-12)

RHP Willy Tavares (2-1, 2.04) vs. RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 1.46)

Fri., April 26, 2019 - Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park (Charleston, SC) - First Pitch 7:05 p.m. - Game 21

LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App

WATCH: MiLB.TV

LAST TIME OUT: Columbia dropped the series opener to Charleston, 5-3, on Thursday at Joe Riley Park. The Fireflies pitchers struck out a new season-high 15 batters, though. Simeon Woods-Richardson (7), Bryce Hutchinson (5) and Allan Winans (3) were terrific on the slope. The trio walked just one and scattered four hits. Ronny Mauricio and Brian Sharp both finished with a pair of hits.

MOUND MOJO: The last two nights, Columbia's pitchers have combined for 25 strikeouts and have walked just two.

"HE'S NOT AFRAID": Ronny Mauricio is hitting .324 through 18 games and is fifth in the South Atlantic League with 24 total hits. Manager Pedro Lopez said to The State newspaper this week that the 18-year-old Mauricio is "not afraid" at the plate.

FOLLOW THE LAW: Keith Law, senior baseball writer at ESPN, ranked Columbia's roster as the 7th-most "Loaded Roster" in all of Minor League Baseball. Law recognized the fact Columbia's roster includes the Mets' third, fourth and fifth-rated prospects (infielders Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos and Shervyen Newton, respectively), New York's past two second-round draft choices (RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson, Vientos) and the system's ninth-rated prospect, left-hander Thomas Szapucki (drafted in the fifth round in 2015). The roster also features 26th (Baseball America) and 27th-rated prospects Chris Viall and Christian James. The prospect rankings are according to MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

YOUTHFUL ENERGY: Columbia's 2019 roster features three teenagers: SS Ronny Mauricio (18), RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (18) and 3B Mark Vientos (19). All are considered top-10 rated Mets prospects. The Fireflies roster currently includes nine players aged 21 or younger. Columbia's opening day roster was the youngest (average age 21.6) ever. Take a look below for more information on the prospects in Columbia in 2019.

NEW STAFF: Fireflies second-year manager Pedro Lopez notwithstanding, Columbia has an entirely different coaching staff in 2019. Former big leaguer and Mets pitcher Royce Ring assumes the role as pitching coach and former Eastern League champion Luis Rivera is the new hitting coach. One-time Mets farmhand (and former player for Lopez in Binghamton in 2014) Gilbert Gomez is the team's first-ever bench coach. Daichi Arima (athletic trainer), Sam Nickelsen (strength and conditioning coach), Nicole Collins (assistant athletic trainer) and Dave Williams (mental skills coach) complete the Fireflies coaching staff in 2019.

Check out the Columbia Fireflies Statistics



South Atlantic League Stories from April 26, 2019


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