Meet this season’s Las Vegas 51s
The 51s finished last in the Pacific Coast League a season ago.
But the team that returned to Las Vegas this time around looks fairly different — and that includes the coaching staff, too, which will be headed by new manager Tony DeFrancesco.
The season starts Thursday night for a final time at Cashman Field. The roster includes some familiar faces, some rising stars and some players who had been here before a few seasons ago.
Will they jell to give the Mets a minor-league title or stay in the PCL cellar? That will be up to these players.
Glenn Abbott, Pitching coach
Abbott joins the 51s after spending the past six seasons as the pitching coach at Double-A Binghamton. This is his eighth overall season in the Mets organization.
Abbott is an 11-year major league veteran, going 62-83 with a 4.39 ERA in 248 games.
Patrick Biondi, OF
Biondi will advance to Triple-A this year after spending last season with the Rumble Ponies.
He appeared in 94 games last season, hitting .235 with Binghamton.
Zach Borenstein, OF
Borenstein spent the past two seasons with the Reno Aces, beating up on the 51s.
He hit .279/.351/.573 with 24 home runs and 91 driven in last year and will add some power to the 51s’ lineup after signing a minor league deal with the Mets this offseason.
Bryce Brentz, OF
The Mets claimed Brentz off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates in late March.
Brentz has appeared twice briefly in the majors for the Red Sox in 2014 and 2016.
Last year, he hit 31 home runs with the Pawtucket Red Sox.
Jamie Callahan, RHP
Callahan was acquired from the Red Sox last season as part of the trade for Addison Reed.
He pitched in nine games for the 51s, posting a 1.80 ERA and had a brief call up with the Mets at the end of last season, giving up three earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.
He is the Mets’ No. 23 prospect, per MLB.com.
Gavin Cecchini, 2B
Cecchini, the Mets’ 2012 first round pick, is set to begin his third season at Triple-A.
In his first year, Cecchini performed well at the plate but struggled in the field, making 33 errors at shortstop.
A move to second base cut down on the errors but the offensive production dipped a bit.
Cecchini also played in 32 games for the Mets last year.
Joel Chimelis, Hitting coach
Chimelis is entering his first season in the Mets organization. He spent the prior 12 years in the Houston Astros’ organization. Chimelis was the hitting coach at the Astros’ Double-A affiliate last season.
Chimelis had a lengthy minor league career as a player and was called up during the 1995 season, though he never played in a major league game.
P.J. Conlon, LHP
The lefty from Northern Ireland has had plenty of success in the minors since being drafted in 2015.
He has a career 2.35 ERA in the minors, mostly as a starter. Though he did work out of the bullpen a little bit last season, he will begin the year as a starter for the 51s.
Conlon is the Mets’ No. 24 prospect, per MLB.com.
Tony DeFrancesco, Manager
DeFrancesco joined the Mets organization this offseason after spending the past seven years with the Astros. Most recently, he was the manager of the Fresno Grizzlies for three seasons.
He has a lifetime record of 1,625-1,414 (.535) as a manager and a 1,103-890 (.553) record in the PCL.
DeFrancesco was a catcher in the minor leagues as a player.
Matt den Dekker, OF
The outfielder rejoined the organization that drafted him this offseason after leaving New York and playing for three other organizations.
He spent most of last year in Triple-A with both the Tigers and Marlins, though he did appear in four major league games.
Phillip Evans, INF
Evans rejoins the 51s after being sent down by the Mets on Wednesday to make room for Michael Conforto.
He spent most of 2017 in Las Vegas, finishing the season hitting .279 with 130 hits in 127 games before joining the Mets at the end of last season. After being outrighted off the 40-man roster, Evans signed a minor league deal and then impressed in spring training, securing a bench spot.
He is primarily an infielder though he did play some left field for the 51s last season.
Chris Flexen, RHP
The 23-year-old Flexen will be making his Triple-A debut after skipping the level on his way to the majors last season.
Flexen pitched in 14 games with the Mets last season — nine starts — and went 3-6 with a 7.88 ERA.
The righty will be a starter for the 51s.
Jeff Glenn, C
Glenn will begin his third season with the 51s, where he has served as the team’s bullpen catcher.
He has played sparingly in the past two seasons — just six games in 2016 and 18 in 2017.
Luis Guillorme, SS
Guillorme, the team’s No. 11 prospect per MLB.com, will make the jump to Triple-A for the first time after slashing .283/.376/.331 last year at Binghamton.
Guillorme is known for being a good defender and will likely see time at second and short.
Mickey Jannis, RHP
The knuckleballer will get his first crack at Triple-A this year after posting a 3.60 ERA last season at Double-A Binghamton.
Jannis spent part of 2015 and most of 2016 at Binghamton before posting much better numbers there in 2017.
He also pitched well at the Arizona Fall League last fall, putting up a 2.33 ERA in six starts.
Ty Kelly, UTIL
Kelly rejoined the Mets organization this offseason after stints with the Blue Jays and Phillies.
He will provide the 51s with versatility, as he is able to handle both the infield and the outfield.
Jose Lobaton, C
Lobaton, an eight-year major league veteran, signed a minor league deal with this offseason, giving the Mets some extra depth at the position.
Most recently, he was in Washington, where he played for four seasons.
He played in 51 games for the Nationals last year, hitting .170 in limited opportunities.
L.J. Mazzilli, OF
Mazzilli, the son of former met Lee Mazzilli, will break camp with the 51s after playing for them in a few years past.
He appeared in one game for the 51s in 2014, 13 in 2016 and 16 in 2017.
He spent most of his year last year in Double-A Binghamton.
Kevin McGowan, RHP
McGowan spent most of 2017 with the 51s pitching in relief. He put up a 4.15 ERA in 47 games, and had four saves to his name.
He was called up by the Mets later in the season, the first time in August, and pitched in eight games for them.
After the season, he was designated for assignment and then outrighted to Las Vegas.
Matt Oberste, INF
Oberste will make his Triple-A debut after spending the last two seasons at Binghamton.
The first baseman hit .284/.360/.389 last year in 129 games with the Rumble Ponies.
Corey Oswalt, RHP
Oswalt had a dominant season at Double-A last season, posting a 2.28 ERA in 24 starts.
The righty struck out 119 in 134 1/3 innings and will be a starter for the 51s.
He is currently the team’s No. 16 prospect per MLB.com.
Tim Peterson, RHP
The righty appeared just briefly in Las Vegas last year, giving up five runs in 2 2/3 innings pitched.
But he was a dominant reliever at Binghamton, posting a 1.14 ERA in 55 1/3 innings pitched.
Colton Plaia, C
Plaia moves up to Triple-A after spending both of the last two seasons with Binghamton.
He only played in 42 games last season, hitting .241 for the Rumble Ponies.
Matt Purke, LHP
Purke pitched in 12 games last season for the White Sox, giving up 11 earned runs in 18 innings pitched.
He was signed to a minor league contract by the Mets prior to this this season after electing free agency.
Kyle Regnault, LHP
A chance encounter at a golf course he was working at with Mets minor league assistant pitching coordinator Phil Regan led the lefty into affiliated ball.
Regnault had pitched in an independent league before Regan gave him his chance.
He has performed well since joining the Mets, most recently putting up a 3.28 ERA last season with the 51s while striking out 66 batters in 64 2/3 innings pitched.
David Roseboom, LHP
Roseboom suffered a season-ending foot injury early last year which cut his season short after appearing in just 18 games in April and May for the 51s.
The year before that, he had put up good numbers at Double-A, finishing the season with a 1.87 ERA in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
Kelly Secrest, LHP
Secrest appeared brieftly with the 51s, pitching seven innings in five games last year with Las Vegas.
He spent most of the year with the Rumble Ponies, striking out 46 in 38 innings pitched while giving up 17 runs (4.03 ERA).
Dominic Smith, 1B
Smith will techincally begin the season on a major league rehab assignment though he is expected to be optioned afterwards as the Mets signed Adrian Gonzalez this offseason.
Smith was the 11th overall pick in the 2013 draft and performed well at Triple-A last season before a call up. Smith slashed .330/.386/.519 with 151 hits (16 home runs) in 114 games.
He hit nine home runs in 49 games after being called up by the Mets.
Logan Taylor, RHP
Taylor will begin the season at Triple-A again after spending most of last year there.
He finished with a 4.57 ERA in 45 1/3 innings pitched in Triple-A. He also appeared in two games with Binghamton last season.
David Thompson, INF
Thompson, a third baseman, will join the 51s after hitting .263/.325/.429 last year at Binghamton in 133 games.
He also hit 16 home runs and drove in 68 runs to go along with 125 hits.
Zack Wheeler, RHP
Wheeler was sent down to Triple-A for the first time since 2013 after a rocky spring.
The righty missed both the 2015 and 2016 season with injury. He returned to the Mets last year and went 3-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 17 starts spanning 86 1/3 innings.
More 51s: Follow all of our Las Vegas 51s coverage online at reviewjournal.com/51s and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.
Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.
