Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes - April 13 at Lexington (Game 9)
April 13, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Please note the following New York Mets minor league transactions:
- RHP Garrison Bryant transferred to Brooklyn
- RHP Christian James transferred to Columbia from Brooklyn
Columbia Fireflies (3-5) @ Lexington Legends (5-3)
RHP Christian James (0-1, 4.50) vs. RHP Kyle Gray (0-0, 0.00)
Sat., April 13, 2019 - Whitaker Bank Ballpark (Lexington, KY) - First Pitch 6:35 p.m. - Game 9
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: The Mets decided to invest approximately $1.5 million of signing bonus money in their second-round draft pick of 2017, Mark Vientos. And with good reason. Vientos demolished an estimated 436-foot home run on Friday night, his first of the year, in an 8-4 loss to Lexington.
THE METRICS: Vientos' homer over the center-field wall not only traveled 436 feet, it also left his bat at a speed of 109 miles per hour. The Mets' fourth-rated prospect finished fourth in the Appalachian League a season ago with 11 HR and third with 52 RBI.
MAURICIO ON THE RISE: After going hitless on opening night, Columbia's top-rated Mets prospect (No. 3 in the system) Ronny Mauricio is on a six-game hit streak that includes three multi-hit games. The 18-year-old doubled in Friday's game against Lexington and is hitting .321 through seven games.
STREAKIN': Mark Vientos has reached safely in all seven games he's played in to start the year.
FOLLOW THE LAW: Senior baseball writer at ESPN, Keith Law, 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' past two second-round draft choices (Simeon Woods-Richardson, Mark Vientos), the system's third-rated prospect (Ronny Mauricio), according to Baseball America, and left-hander Thomas Szapucki (drafted in the fifth round in 2015) who's returned after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery.
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 10 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.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 13, 2019
- Greenville Escapes with Narrow 6-5 Victory over Rome - Rome Emperors
- Encarnacion Slam Caps Stunning Shorebird Comeback - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Terry Delivers Walk-Off Double in Extras - Hickory Crawdads
- Claws Lose No-Hitter in 9th, Fall on Walk-Off Grand Slam - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Suns Split Doubleheader with Tourists - Hagerstown Suns
- Lexington Takes Series over Columbia with 3-1 Victory - Lexington Legends
- RiverDogs Shut out for Second Time in Three Games by Greensboro - Charleston RiverDogs
- Drive Ends Skid with 6-5 Victory at Rome Saturday - Greenville Drive
- Mauricio Extends Hit Streak to Seven Straight on Saturday in Lexington - Columbia Fireflies
- Asheville and Hagerstown Split Double-Header - Asheville Tourists
- Corry Dazzles But Augusta Offense Struggles - Augusta GreenJackets
- Moyers Stifles GreenJackets in 2-1 Victory - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes - April 13 at Lexington (Game 9) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Game Notes (April 13) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Braves Shift Drive into Neutral in 5-0 Win - Rome Emperors
- Plate Discipline Lifts Augusta to 9-3 Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Kelenic Homers as Power Falls to Augusta Friday - Charleston Dirty Birds
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