This week, as the Bisons host the Syracuse Mets for six straight games at Sahlen Field, the Herd will have to meet six of the New York Mets’ top prospects.
The best of the prospects on Syracuse is third ranked 1B/OF Ryan Clifford, who is in his first full season with the team. The former 2022 Houston Astros' 11th round pick has a .224 batting average,13 home runs, 25 RBI and .305/.463/.766 in 59 games. In two series against the Bisons this season, Clifford has batted a .265 average, three homers, nine RBI, and .381/.647/1.028.
New York has another top five prospect in their organization who is with Syracuse. Fifth ranked RHP Jack Wenninger is also playing his first full season with Syracuse so far. The Mets’ 2023 sixth rounder has pitched 50.1 innings with a 2.68 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 49 strikeouts and a 3-4 record. He has faced Buffalo twice this season and against them, has posted an 8.65 ERA, 2.50 WHIP, 10 strikeouts and a 0-2 record in 9.2 innings pitched. Wenninger has a four-seam fastball, a splitter, slider and a curveball in his pitching arsenal that he mostly goes to.
Just outside of the top ten, 11th ranked OF Nick Morabito is in his first season with Syracuse. The Mets’ 2022 second round pick is batting a .250 average, five homers, 22 RBI and .356/.391/.747 in 50 games. In five games against the Bisons this year, Morabito has a .235 batting average, one homer, two RBI and slashed .278/.412/.690.
Number 13th ranked LHP Zach Thornton is the only southpaw on the list who’s with Syracuse. The Mets’ 2023 fifth rounder has a 4.87 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 19 strikeouts and a 1-2 record in 20.1 innings pitched this season. Thornton, who began the year with the AA Binghamton Rumble Ponies, hasn’t faced Buffalo yet this season. He throws a cutter, four-seam fastball, sweeper, sinker and changeup.
RHP Dylan Ross is ranked 17th on the Mets’ top prospects list. New York’s 2022 13th round pick has a 6.07 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 19 strikeouts and a 3-1 record in 13.1 innings pitched with Syracuse. Ross hasn’t faced the Bisons yet, as he started the year with A St. Lucie and then with A+ Brooklyn. Ross has a four-seam fastball, splitter, slider and curveball in his arsenal.
Ranked 20th, RHP Jonathan Pintaro is the last prospect with Syracuse. Pintaro, who went undrafted in 2022, has a 3.38 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 37 strikeouts and a 2-0 record in 29.1 innings pitched this season. In three games against Buffalo, he has a 2.73 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, five strikeouts and a 0-0 record in 3.3 innings pitched. Pintaro relies on his cutter, sinker, changeup, sweeper and four-seam fastball while on the mound.
The Bisons will start their series at home against Syracuse on Tuesday. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.