Mets Minor League Roundup: Ryan Clifford beginning to show power with Double-A Binghamton

Here's the latest news and buzz on the Mets' top prospects...

INF Luisangel Acuña, Triple-A Syracuse

After a very slow start to the season, the 22-year-old had a month of May to remember. While getting playing time at short, second, and center field, Acuña hit .282 in May with one home run, seven RBI, 28 runs scored and 33 total hits.

Acuña has gone 6-for-31 (.194) over seven games in June, including a triple, two walks, and two stolen bases. He still remains one of the club's top prospects and one who could end up making his big league debut at some point this season

RHP Dom Hamel, Triple-A Syracuse

Hamel has not had the season that he or the Mets organization had hoped for to this point, going 1-3 with a 7.29 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 45.2 IP across 11 starts.

The 25-year-old struggled last time on the mound on June 6, letting up five runs on five hits, including three home runs, over just four innings of work.

RHP Brandon Sproat, Double-A Binghamton

Sproat last pitched on June 2, allowing just one hit over seven innings of work with a career-high 10 strikeouts.

The 23-year-old righty lowered his ERA to 1.38 and his WHIP to 0.769 over his first four starts since his promotion from Brooklyn in mid-May.

Across 51.1 innings this season, the organization's No. 13 prospect has allowed just eight runs (seven earned) on 26 hits and 22 walks while striking out 63 batters.

OF Ryan Clifford, Double-A Binghamton

The Mets promoted Clifford to Double-A in an effort to see if the move would help his power numbers. The Cyclones' ballpark is notorious for the strong beach winds knocking down balls hit in the air to right field, so the hope was this promotion would help Clifford's confidence.

Clifford struggled when he first got to Double-A but appears to have begun to figure it out a bit this month. Over seven games in June, Clifford is hitting .227 (5-for-22) with four home runs and seven RBI, showing off his power that was quiet in Brooklyn.

RHP Blade Tidwell, Double-A Binghamton

The Mets promoted Tidwell, Joe DeMayo's second-highest-ranked pitching prospect (behind Christian Scott), to Triple-A Syracuse in May.

In two Triple-A starts, Tidwell has pitched to a 1.54 ERA, allowing just two earned runs in 11.2 innings. His last time starting on May 29, Tidwell tossed 6.0 shutout innings, allowing just four hits.

Tidwell had his first rough appearance in Triple-A on June 5, allowing four runs on two hits, including a homer, and two walks over 0.2 innings of relief.

RHP Jonah Tong, High-A Brooklyn

Tong has been a revelation for the Mets organization this season, but he's hit some bumps in the road in June.

Facing Jersey Shore on June 1, Tong recorded just one out while being charged with five earned runs on four hits and two walks. This clunker of a start saw Tong's High-A ERA rise from 1.69 all the way to 3.74.

Tong followed up the poor performance with a better, but not great, outing on June 7 against the Aberdeen IronBirds. He allowed four runs on seven hits, including a homer, and struck out eight over five innings. His ERA in High-A now sits at 4.39

Here are some thoughts on Tong's potential, from SNY contributor Joe DeMayo.

Two-way player Nolan McLean, Double-A Binghamton

McLean impressed enough to get the call up to Double-A at the end of May, and he's shown some flashes at the plate. In 15 games, McLean has posted a .584 OPS with one home run, two doubles, four walks, and five RBI.

On the mound, McLean has struggled a bit more, allowing 11 earned runs on 21 hits with 23 strikeouts over 16.2 IP. He suffered a loss Sunday, allowing two runs on three hits, including a homer, with six strikeouts over just 2.2 IP. McLean now owns an 0-3 record and a 5.94 ERA in Double-A.