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[FIMG=580]https://www.brooklynpaper.com/assets/photos/42/37/bn_cyclones_nypl_champs_2019_09_13_bk01_z.jpg[/FIMG]
The 2019 Brooklyn Cyclones, the class of the Mets' minor league system, were not only the post-season champs, but they also finished tied with The Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa Bay) for the league's best regular season record at 43-32. This perhaps-more-impressive feat was accomplished by the team winning the last three games of their season, a sweep of the Staten Island Yankees. This had the added virtue of eliminating the Yankees from post-season attention, and also should be celebrated for diminishing the standing of the distasteful parent club, if only just a bit.
Following the regular season, they took on the those same highly ranked Renegades in the first round of the league's two-tiered playoff, and the matchup was almost as close as their equal records would suggest. Following a down-the-final-out 5-4 loss on the road in the Game One, the 'Clones swept the next two at home.
The first of those wins came on a white-knuckle 1-0 victory in which four Cyclone pitchers gave up just three baserunners on two hits and a walk, but still faced the tying run on base in the ninth, following a one out walk. A double-play induced by the fourth outstanding Cyclone pitcher, Nelson Leon, ended things. The DP was turned by special guest Jed Lowrie, who also provided the lone run on a solo home-run earlier in the game.
Here's to using slumming big-leaguers as minor league playoff ringers!
The first round's clincher came on the third one-run game of the the three-game set. The game see-sawed early, with the combatants tied at three after four innings, but there was no more scoring until the bottom of the ninth, when rightfielder Ranfy Adon, who had homered earlier in the game, doubled home Yoel Romero with the walkoff game winner.
Next up was the finals against the Lowell Spinners. This time they were able to take the tense first game in Lowell (which, you'll note, though they have a team in the New York-Penn League, is situated in neither New York nor Penn). The final was 2-1, as they got six scoreless, one-hit innings from Garrison Bryant (more on that guy below), and enjoyed a pair of hits from shiny new first-round-draftee Brett Baty.
Unfortunately, they gave that win back at home the next night, losing 3-1 despite three hits from firstbaseman Joe Genord, and 4 2/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen (more on that below, too).
So it came down to one game for all the New York-Penn marbles: Brooklyn vs. Lowell (whose name should actually be “The Crackpot Astrologersâ€). The teams were locked up at three going to the seventh, when Mitch Ragan took the mound for the ‘Clones and was quickly greeted by a Marino Campana (“Marine Bellâ€) homer. He finished the inning and yielded to his teammates.
But you know, his teammates came through! Singles by Jake Mangum and Yoel Romero sandwiched themselves around a triple by Antoine DuPlantis and the Brooklyns took the lead by one with two innings to play. They gave the ball to Andrew Edwards (apparently Edward Andrews was busy), and six outs later Mucus Park erupted with joy. The Cyclones were champs. Pan. De. Monium.
The win had to be especially sweet for Brodie Van Wangenen, as several of his June draft choices (and one unsigned free agent, as shown below) were contributors to the victory, including first rounder Brett Baty.
The offensive star of the season was infielder Wilmer Reyes. The 21-year-old Dominican with the most Metly of names (until Mookie Kranepool joins the organization, anyhow) played in 61 games, slashing .323 / .350 / .441 // .791 in 244 plate appearances. Playing mostly shortstop, he hit five homers and drove in 33 teammates. Yeah, I know — he could walk more. A Mets infield prospect who has less-than-ideal plate discipline is pretty typical, and less-than-ideal, but it can't be denied that the young man can hit.
Garrison Bryant (a 2016 draftee who spends his offseason in Britain, working as an esteemed barrister) was the anchor of the rotation, going 5-1 with a 2.39 ERA in 75 1/3 innings, not to mention that one-hit gem of an appearance in the championship series against Lowell. Bryant really took off after a first few shaky appearances at the top of the season, before going 4-0 with a deGromian 1.08 ERA over his last ten starts. This is some especially sweet shortening bread for Bryant as he had started his pro career over the previous three seasons going 1-8 with a 7.07 ERA. With those figures and a 36th-round pedigree, it's pretty surprising that Bryant was invited back to camp this spring. But he found his niche and he's been great, often alternating between big strikeout numbers one game and pitching to contact the next.
But what the Mets need are bullpenners. And Brooklyn 2019 had no shortage of excellent relief pitchers. While their 3.25 ERA ranked fourth in the 14-team league (Aberdeen was simply fantastic with a 2.38 figure), I suspect they were either first or second in bullpen ERA. (Splits are not available.). The even led the league in saves.
But no Cyclone provide more relief than Jared “Shut Up, You Old†Biddy. Jared appeared in 14 games covering 28 innings, and he left them more than covered. His 0.96 ERA and 0.93 WHIP stole the show at MCU Park. The dude threw scoreless ball in 26 of his 28 innings, and he walked off with a 34-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The next homer he allows will be his first as a pro.
Add in 3 1/3 scoreless innings he threw for Columbia and Kingsport, and the guy's ERA drops to 0.86.
Not bad for an undrafted 2019 amateur free agent.
So yeah, most things went right, and most of the guys who put in something like a full schedule with Brooklyn (and some who didn't) can be assured of moving up to full-season ball. The only question is, will Edgardo Alfonzo (and members of his staff — head trainer Vanessa Weisbach has already received an invite to join the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League) get to move up with them. Obviously part of the point of securing Edgy A. as the Coney Island manager was his marketability in the City of New York, but like Edgardo the player, he may be surprising observers and making a prospect of himself.
[FIMG=580]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECtDeFhX4AAhiP4.jpg[/FIMG]
Transactions, 7/12
[td90]Direction[/td90][td90]COMING[/td90][td90]Transaction[/td90][td90]Transferred
In Rehab
Assignment
From GCL[/td90][td90][/td90][td90] [IMG]http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/images/players/head_shot/664869.jpg[/IMG][/td90][td90]Name[/td90][td90]P.J.
Conlon
  https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/flag-of-northern-ireland.jpg>[/td90][td90]DoB[/td90][td90]11/11/93[/td90][td90]B/T[/td90][td90]L/L[/td90]|
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