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The 2016 Kingsport Mets season officially starts today, Thursday, June 22, against the Elizabethton Twins. In December, the Mets signed a five-year extension with the Kingsport Convention and Visitors Bureau and the city of Kingsport to keep the Kingsport Mets at Hunter Wright Stadium. They have called Hunter Wright Stadium their home since 1995, and with this new agreement, will continue calling it home through 2020.
The manager
Luis Rivera will be returning for his second season as skipper of the Kingsport Mets. Last season, he led Kingsport to the Appalachian League playoffs, winning the West Division with a 40-32 record last season. Joining him will be Ender Chavez, who will be serving as hitting coach, and Royce Ring, who will be serving as pitching coach. Chavez, who spent the last three seasons as hitting coach for the GCL Mets, will be replacing Sean Ratliff, who was promoted to hitting coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones. Ring, who spent the last two seasons as pitching coach for the GCL Mets, will be replacing Jonathan Hurst.
Players to watch
The pitchers
Most noteworthy in the Kingsport Mets' starting rotation are Max Wotell, their third-round selection in the 2015 draft, and Thomas Szapucki, their fifth-round selection in the same draft. Wotell was ranked #19 on Amazin Avenue's Top 25 Mets Prospects list for 2016, while Szapucki was ranked #25. Both have excellent stuff, and could realistically force their way into the top 10 with solid 2016 seasons. Additionally, honorable mention Jose Medina has been assigned to the Kingsport roster.
New additions to the organization from the 2016 draft include Chris Viall, selected in the sixth round, Placido Torres, selected in the eighth round, Colin Holderman, selected in the ninth round, Trent Johnson, selected in the 16th round, and Max Kuhns, selected in the 21st round. Additional draftees that have yet to sign will likely be added to the Kingsport roster throughout the year.
The hitters
Raphael Ramirez headlines the Kingsport offense. Ranked #24 on Amazin' Avenue's Top 25 Mets Prospects list, the toolsy outfielder has a great deal of projection in his athletic frame. Honorable mention Ricardo Cespedes, also a toolsy outfielder, has also been assigned to the Kingsport roster. Yeffrey de Aza was a high-profile international signing in 2013, and after a successful season with the GCL Mets last year, may appear on prospect lists with another one in 2016.
New additions into the organization from the 2016 draft include Ian Strom, selected in the 22nd round, and Jeremy Wolf, selected in the 31st round. As with the pitching staff, 2016 draftees who sign in the coming months may well land in Kingsport.
Pitchers
| # | NAME | POS | BAT | THW | HT | WT | DOB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Adrian Almeida | P | L | L | 6' 0" | 150 | 2/25/1995 |
| N/A | Eucebio Arias | P | R | R | 6' 1" | 173 | 9/20/1994 |
| 45 | Gregorix Estevez | P | R | R | 6' 5" | 200 | 4/12/1994 |
| 17 | Audry German | P | R | R | 5' 11" | 163 | 8/16/1992 |
| 18 | Ronald Guedez | P | R | R | 6' 1" | 160 | 1/26/1996 |
| 15 | Colin Holderman | P | R | R | 6' 5" | 200 | 10/8/1995 |
| 36 | Kurtis Horne | P | L | L | 6' 5" | 190 | 8/5/1996 |
| 4 | Jordan Humphreys | P | R | R | 6' 1" | 190 | 6/11/1996 |
| 21 | Trent Johnson | P | R | R | 6' 5" | 185 | 8/12/1996 |
| 16 | Max Kuhns | P | R | R | 6' 3" | 210 | 8/11/1994 |
| 25 | Jose Carlos Medina | P | L | L | 6' 2" | 180 | 8/25/1996 |
| 34 | Darwin Ramos | P | R | R | 6' 2" | 195 | 11/23/1995 |
| 6 | Jake Simon | P | L | L | 6' 2" | 175 | 1/21/1997 |
| 19 | Thomas Szapucki | P | R | L | 6' 2" | 190 | 6/12/1996 |
| 27 | Placido Torres | P | L | L | 5' 11" | 160 | 5/17/1993 |
| 33 | Adonis Uceta | P | R | R | 6' 1" | 195 | 5/10/1994 |
| 35 | Chris Viall | P | R | R | 6' 9" | 230 | 9/28/1995 |
| 30 | Max Wotell | P | R | L | 6' 3" | 180 | 9/13/1996 |
Catchers
| # | NAME | POS | BAT | THW | HT | WT | DOB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Anthony Dimino | C | L | R | 5' 11" | 180 | 8/5/1993 |
| 24 | Jose Maria | C | R | R | 5' 9" | 195 | 11/30/1994 |
| 11 | Dionis Rodriguez | C | R | R | 6' 0" | 185 | 2/15/1995 |
Infielders
| # | NAME | POS | BAT | THW | HT | WT | DOB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Cecilio Aybar | SS | R | R | 6' 0" | 165 | 11/23/1993 |
| 29 | Franklin Correa | 2B | R | R | 5' 9" | 180 | 1/1/1996 |
| 12 | Yeffry De Aza | 3B | R | R | 6' 0" | 170 | 1/14/1997 |
| 13 | Angel Manzanarez | SS | R | R | 6' 0" | 152 | 5/19/1997 |
| 1 | Santo Marte | 2B | R | R | 5' 9" | 170 | 9/30/1993 |
| 23 | Walter Rasquin | 3B | R | R | 5' 9" | 160 | 3/21/1996 |
Outfielders
| # | NAME | POS | BAT | THW | HT | WT | DOB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Will Barring | OF | R | R | 6' 1" | 200 | 4/24/1993 |
| 32 | Ricardo Cespedes | OF | L | L | 6' 1" | 160 | 8/24/1997 |
| N/A | Bradley Marquez | OF | R | R | 6' 1" | 185 | 12/14/1992 |
| 44 | Jose Miguel Medina | OF | R | R | 6' 3" | 170 | 10/21/1996 |
| 2 | Raphael Ramirez | CF | L | L | 5' 11" | 175 | 12/15/1995 |
| 20 | Ian Strom | OF | R | L | 6' 2" | 200 | 12/12/1994 |
| 3 | Jeremy Wolf | OF | L | R | 6' 3" | 220 | 11/2/1993 |