New York Mets outfield/first base prospect Ryan Clifford collected his first hit of the spring season on Thursday, which was a two-run shot in the sixth inning of the team's 5-0 Grapefruit League win over the Astros. The 21-year-old is now 1-for-6 during the spring, although it's not likely that he'll be with the big league club come Opening Day, regardless of his performance in the Grapefruit League. The former 11th-round pick spent time at High-A and Double-A last season, amassing a .228-19-68-66-4 line over 129 games, although much of that production came at Double-A. While his batting average is nothing special, he's clearly got some power, but also has a knack for getting on base, boasting an elite career walk rate in the minors of 15.7 percent and a .378 OBP. If he can impress at Triple-A this year, there's a chance we see him in New York by season's end, but a 2026 call-up may be more likely, and he'll be more valuable in leagues that reward OBP while providing a decent source of home runs and RBI production whenever he does get the call.
New York Mets outfield/first base prospect Ryan Clifford went 3-for-5 on Wednesday for Double-A Binghamton with two home runs, a double, six RBI, and two runs scored. The 20-year-old's eight-game hit streak came to an end on Tuesday but he started a new one in style on Wednesday and has now hit safely in nine of his last ten games, going 16-for-41 (.390) during that span including four doubles and four home runs. The former 11th-round pick now has 13 long balls in 77 games, showcasing his prodigious power, especially given his age. Even though this current hot stretch only puts his Double-A batting average at .230, his OBP is strong at .377 and he could see some time at Triple-A before the season is out.
New York Mets outfield/first base prospect Ryan Clifford went 2-for-3 this past Saturday for Double-A Binghamton, extending his current hit streak to nine games. Double-A did not come easy initially for the Mets' fourth-ranked prospect, as he began the streak batting .171 in his first 37 games, although he did have eight home runs during that time. Over his current hit streak, the 20-year-old is 13-for-32 (.406) with three doubles and two more home runs, raising his batting average to .224 for Binghamton. Despite the batting average, the former 11th-round draft pick has a strong .376 OBP, due in large part to his 18.1% BB%, a trait he's maintained throughout his minor league career so far. He's likely a couple of years from the majors, but with his power potential dynasty managers should be keeping close tabs on him.
Ryan Clifford Notches Four Hits, Homer For Double-A Binghamton
New York Mets outfield/first base prospect Ryan Clifford had a memorable Fourth of July with a 4-for-5 game, which included a home run and three RBI for Double-A Binghamton on Thursday. Clifford is hitting .214 with 11 homers and 37 RBI between Binghamton and High-A Brooklyn. The Mets' No. 4 overall prospect offers plus power, which he has been able to demonstrate this season. Thursday's game is a glimpse of the potential Clifford possesses. The 20-year-old offers a lot of upside but is still very young. He could still be a few years away from a big-league debut.
New York Mets first base/outfield prospect Ryan Clifford went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer for Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday. Clifford, 20, was promoted from High-A last week and his home run on Wednesday was his first with Binghamton in seven games. Clifford is the Mets No. 4 prospect after coming over with outfielder Drew Gilbert for starting pitcher Justin Verlander at last year's trade deadline. The left-handed hitter has hit .198 between High-A and Double-A this season with two homers and 13 RBI. Clifford showed power last season with 24 homers, but the power has been slow to develop this season. He should continue to be a good source of power with his body continue to develop with him learning to pull the ball better to all fields as well. Clifford is a few seasons away from making any sort of impact in fantasy circles, but managers in dynasty leagues should monitor him on their watch-list.
The New York Mets have acquired top outfield prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford from the Houston Astros in exchange for ace Justin Verlander, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. This is quite the haul considering FanGraphs ranked Gilbert and Clifford as the Astros' No. 1 and No. 2 prospects, respectively. Gilbert, 22, has split this season between High-A and Double-A. The former first-round pick is slashing .274/.363/.458 with 12 homers, 10 stolen bases, 10.9 BB%, 18.7 K%, and 118 wRC+. Meanwhile, Clifford was an 11th-rounder last year who has burst onto the scene as a productive hitter. Through 83 games between Single-A and High-A this season, he is slashing .291/.399/.520 with 18 homers, 12.4 BB%, 24.0 K%, and 151 wRC+. Both players should be productive parts of the Mets' big-league lineup within a few seasons.
Ryan Clifford
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Mets
