Three Mets prospects named South Atlantic League All-Stars

The Single-A Columbia Fireflies will send three Mets prospects to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game this year: first baseman David Thompson, infielder Vinny Siena, and left-handed pitcher P.J. Conlon. The game will take place on Tuesday, June 21, at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington, Kentucky, the home of the Lexington Legends.

David Thompson was selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB draft out of the University of Miami. The third baseman made his debut with the Brooklyn Cyclones and hit an underwhelming .218/.268/.320 in 59 games over the summer after hitting .328/.434/.640 in 67 games earlier in the year with Miami. He began the 2016 season with the Fireflies and came out of the gate blazing, starting the season with an 11-game hitting streak. The 22-year-old hit the disabled list at the end of May with an undisclosed injury but has since returned to the Columbia lineup. Through 44 games, Thompson is hitting .288/.349/.491 with four home runs. In addition to his strong season at the plate, he has played a proficient third base. When drafted, he had just recovered from thoracic outlet surgery, and questions regarding his arm strength and his ability to make throws from third base dropped him down the draft board. Thompson has no problems fielding his position and should remain at the hot corner indefinitely.

Vinny Siena was selected by the Mets in the fourteenth round of the 2015 draft out of the University of Connecticut. The infielder made his debut with the Brooklyn Cyclones and got off to a hot start, but the combination of playing 60 games with the Huskies—where he hit a healthy .362/.424/.519—and another 64 with Brooklyn led to a noticeable tail-off as the weeks progressed, ultimately resulting in a .273/.337/.304 batting line for the season. He began the 2016 season with the Fireflies and, like Thompson, came out of the gate blazing. The 22-year-old safely reached base at least once in his first 21 games. Through 54 games, Siena is hitting .293/.430/.381 with six stolen bases.

P.J. Conlon was selected by the Mets in the thirteenth round of the 2015 draft out of the University of San Diego. A southpaw, he was assigned to the Brooklyn Cyclones, where he posted a perfect 0.00 ERA in 17 outings, all one-inning relief appearances. When he was promoted to the Columbia Fireflies for the 2016 season, he returned to the starting rotation. Thus far in the season, his combination of finesse and cerebral pitching has proven too much for South Atlantic League hitters. Through ten starts, the 22-year-old has a 7-1 record, with a league-best 1.21 ERA in 67 innings.

In addition to the Mets trio, Southern Division notables include Brendan Rodgers and Phil Bickford, while notables for the Northern Division team include Ke'Bryan Hayes and Victor Robles.