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Baseball is finally back in Brooklyn! The 2016 Brooklyn Cyclones season officially kicks off on Friday, June 17 against their cross-bridge rivals, the Staten Island Yankees. In the 15 years since first taking the field at then-Keyspan Park, the team is 654-473.
The manager
Tom Gamboa will once again be managing the Cyclones. In his two years as the skipper of the team, the Cyclones have gone 42-34 and 33-43, the latter being the first losing season in the 15-year history of the organization. Joining him are a pair of first-time coaches: Billy Bryk Jr., who will be serving as pitching coach, and Sean Ratliff, who will be serving as hitting coach. Bryk, who is replacing Dave LaRoche, has years of experience coaching teams in the independent Frontier League, Can-Am League, Golden League, and American Association. Ratliff, who is replacing Yunir Garcia, was drafted by the Mets in the 4th round of the 2008 MLB Draft and seemed off to a promising future, but was forced to retire after being unable to completely recover from being struck in the right eye by a foul ball.
Players to watch
The pitchers
The Brooklyn Cyclones have always been a pitching-first organization, and 2016 looks to continue this trend. Harol and Merandy Gonzalez (no relation) will anchor the Cyclones' starting rotation along with Cyclone veteran Nicco Blank. The trio will look to become the next Brooklyn pitching 1-2-3 punch since Marcos Molina, Corey Oswalt, and Casey Meisner stymied NY-Penn League hitters in 2014.
2016 draftees Austin McGeorge, selected in the seventh round, Adam Atkins, selected in the eighteenth round, and Gary Cornish, selected in the nineteenth round, will all make their professional debuts with Brooklyn. Additional draftees that have yet to sign will likely be added to the Brooklyn roster throughout the year, possibly including first-round pick Justin Dunn.
The hitters
By far, Ali Sanchez and Desmond Lindsay are the most intriguing position player on the 2016 Cyclones. Sanchez, ranked #17 on Amazin' Avenue's list of top prospects for 2016, has a a solid defensive foundation and burgeoning bat, and will almost certainly be a top-ten prospect in the system in 2017. Lindsay, who was ranked #8, has the potential to be a "five-tool first-division center fielder", according to Oakland A's scout Al Skorupa, and could feasibly be the Mets' top position player prospect come next season. The outfielder, unfortunately, pulled a hamstring and will not make his season debut until early July.
Joining them will be a variety of talent selected in the 2016 MLB Draft. Fifth-round pick Colby Woodmansee, 13th-round pick Dan Rizzie, 15th-round pick Jake Zanon, and 17th-round pick Jay Jabs will all be making their professional debuts with the Cyclones.
Pitchers
| # | NAME | POS | BAT | THW | HT | WT | DOB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | Adam Atkins | P | R | R | 6' 3" | 210 | 9/8/1993 |
| 28 | Adrian Almieda | P | L | L | 6' 0" | 150 | 2/25/1995 |
| 16 | Dillon Becker | P | R | R | 6' 3" | 225 | 4/21/1994 |
| 30 | Bryce Beeler | P | R | R | 6' 2" | 190 | 3/9/1993 |
| 22 | Nicco Blank | P | R | R | 5' 10" | 170 | 10/29/1992 |
| 44 | Alejandro Castro | P | R | R | 6' 0" | 198 | 1/15/1993 |
| 18 | Gary Cornish | P | R | R | 6' 3" | 200 | 1/21/1994 |
| 40 | Gabriel Feliz | P | L | L | 5' 10" | 170 | 11/12/1992 |
| 38 | Harol Gonzalez | P | R | R | 6' 0" | 170 | 3/2/1995 |
| 38 | Merandy Gonzalez | P | R | R | 6' 0" | 170 | 10/9/95 |
| 47 | Taylor Henry | P | L | L | 6' 2" | 195 | 6/15/2016 |
| 46 | Joel Huertas | P | L | L | 6' 3" | 210 | 2/14/1996 |
| 31 | Raul Jacobson | P | R | R | 6' 1" | 215 | 4/12/1992 |
| 48 | Gabriel Llanes | P | R | R | 6' 3" | 190 | 1/15/1996 |
| 35 | Erik Manoah | P | R | R | 6' 2" | 195 | 12/22/1995 |
| 17 | Austin McGeorge | P | R | R | 6' 2" | 210 | 11/27/1994 |
| 39 | Joseph Zanghi | P | R | R | 6' 2" | 225 | 12/1/1995 |
Catchers
| # | NAME | POS | BAT | THW | HT | WT | DOB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Brandon Brosher | C | R | R | 6' 3" | 225 | 2/17/1995 |
| 33 | Dan Rizzie | C | R | R | 6' 2" | 200 | 11/26/1993 |
| 4 | Ali Sanchez | C | R | R | 6' 0" | 195 | 1/20/1997 |
Infielders
| # | NAME | POS | BAT | THW | HT | WT | DOB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dale Burdick | 2B | R | R | 6' 0" | 190 | 10/12/1995 |
| 1 | Franklin Correa | 3B | R | R | 5' 9" | 190 | 1/1/1996 |
| 11 | Yeffry De Aza | SS | R | R | 6' 0" | 170 | 1/14/1997 |
| 21 | Jay Jabs | 3B | L | R | 6' 0" | 190 | 9/30/1994 |
| 25 | Darryl Knight | 1B | R | R | 6' 2" | 220 | 2/26/1993 |
| 23 | Santo Marte | 2B | R | R | 5' 10" | 180 | 11/30/1994 |
| 7 | Nick Sergakis | 2B | R | R | 5' 8" | 175 | 4/6/1993 |
| 3 | Colby Woodmansee | SS | R | R | 6' 3" | 192 | 8/27/1994 |
Outfielders
| # | NAME | POS | BAT | THW | HT | WT | DOB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Arnando Berrios | OF | S | R | 5' 9" | 175 | 1/15/1996 |
| 27 | Vicente Lupo | OF | R | R | 6' 0" | 225 | 11/27/1993 |
| 5 | Dionis Paulino | OF | R | R | 6' 0" | 170 | 6/20/1994 |
| 12 | Hengelbert Rojas | OF | R | R | 6' 1" | 220 | 10/27/1993 |
| 10 | Enmanuel Zabala | OF | R | R | 6' 0" | 195 | 9/29/1994 |
| 24 | Jacob Zanon | OF | R | R | 6' 1" | 185 | 6/25/1995 |