Wayback: Future Mets 2015

With the year winding down, join me for one more trip back in time.  It's July 20th, 2015, as the AA Binghamton Mets (they became the Rumble Ponies two years later) visit the New Britain Rock Cats (now the Hartford Yard Goats).  Three of the Mets top prospects took the field that night: a trio that soon made their big league debuts and have gone onto long, productive careers.  For starters, here's starting pitcher Seth Lugo.  Now a key member of the Royals rotation, after mostly relieving in Flushing, he's getting ready for his 11th big league season.

Batting third that night for Binghamton, left fielder Michael Conforto.  Just a year after being the Mets 1st round draft pick -- and four nights before making his big league debut -- he's hitting over .310.  Never quite reaching the heights the organization hoped for, Conforto left for the Giants as a 2023 free agent and now owns a World Series ring as a member of the '25 champion Dodgers.

(Below:)  Two spots down in the batting order, another former Mets 1st rounder -- center fielder Brandon Nimmo.  Taken in 2011 from a small Wyoming high school, he'd arrive at Citi Field in 2016 and become a Flushing fan favorite.  With GM David Stearns eager to make over the roster, Nimmo was traded to the Rangers a few weeks ago for fellow veteran Marcus Semien.
Scan both starting lineups, you'll find a few other familiar names, including future Yankee (and current San Francisco Giant) Mike Tauchman and LJ Mazzilli, the son of popular ex-Met (and Yankee) Lee Mazzilli.  Do you recognize anyone else?













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