51s' Conlon overcomes rough stretch
It took only three starts with Triple-A Las Vegas for P.J. Conlon to see the ugly side of a pitcher's life in the Pacific Coast League. But a trip to Albuquerque on Tuesday night produced some positives for the Mets' 24th-ranked prospect.Conlon scattered six hits and a pair of walks
It took only three starts with Triple-A Las Vegas for P.J. Conlon to see the ugly side of a pitcher's life in the Pacific Coast League. But a trip to Albuquerque on Tuesday night produced some positives for the Mets' 24th-ranked prospect.
Conlon scattered six hits and a pair of walks but kept Albuquerque off the scoreboard for 6 2/3 innings in the 51s' 7-0 victory at Isotopes Park. The left-hander struck out three and trimmed his ERA to 6.63 in his first 19 innings at the Triple-A level.
"I think I just came back to being aggressive," he said. "Tonight, I felt like I was just trying to attack guys from the first pitch and just be aggressive. Sometimes I try to get a little too tricky on the mound and then I find myself in all these 2-1 or 2-0 counts, and then that's when guys do damage."
Named the Mets' Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2016, Conlon made 28 appearances, including 22 starts, with Double-A Binghamton last season. He went 8-9 with a 3.38 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 136 innings, tossing three complete-game shutouts.
"I saw guys in Double-A had a pretty good plan at the plate and it just seems like [Triple-A batters] are even more locked in, even more well-prepared," Conlon said. "It's harder to get guys to chase because they're kind of locked in and they know what they want to swing at and a lot of guys don't really get away from their plans."
His welcome to the PCL was a warm one -- he struck out nine and allowed one run over six frames against El Paso on April 8. In his next two starts, however, he surrendered 14 runs on 15 hits over 6 1/3 innings and saw his ERA balloon to 10.22.
Gameday box score
"I think the last couple starts I've got a little nit-picky and tried to nibble and found myself behind counts," the 24-year-old said. "I think anytime you go to a new league, there's a little bit of a learning period. ... You always hear about the elevation and the way the ball flies in the PCL and, I mean, it's just kind of how it goes.
"You just got to work with it and not try to think about it. ... It's just the same game."
The native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, pitched around a single and a walk in the first inning Tuesday before throwing six pitches in a perfect second, aided by Bryce Brentz's diving catch in right. Raimel Tapia connected on a one-out single in the third before moving into scoring position on a passed ball by Johnny Monell. Conlon got some more help from his defense after Mike Tauchman lined a single to Brentz, who made a perfect throw to cut down Tapia at the plate.
"You get an energy boost from stuff like that. It just changes the game," Conlon said. "If that run scores there, it's 1-1 and then it's a completely different ballgame. Those plays are huge, just for momentum and getting the team up and fired up and ready to go. They were unreal tonight behind me."
Las Vegas second baseman Phillip Evans mishandled Drew Weeks' grounder with two outs in the fourth and Elliot Soto followed with a single to center before Conlon recorded nine consecutive outs. He retired the side in order in the fifth and benefited from another outfield assist, with left fielder Zach Borenstein nailing Rockies No. 11 prospect Tom Murphy trying to stretch a single to end the sixth.
The 13th-round pick out of the University of San Diego got a pair of quick outs in the seventh but gave way to reliever Matt Purke after Daniel Castro singled and Stephen Cardullo walked. Purke got Tapia to bounce to second to wrap up the frame.
Conlon (1-1) threw 59 of 86 pitches for strikes and said he looks forward to putting the confidence he's gained into his next start.
"It's just always a learning process, no matter what the result is," he said. "To go through adversity and go back and look at film and go over what you could have done better and go out and then go out the next time and execute that plan and see those things that you worked on are actually paying off, that's big for moving forward."
Purke and Drew Smith worked the final 2 1/3 innings for Las Vegas' first shutout of the season.
Conlon pitched with the lead from the moment he took the mound after Brentz doubled home Borenstein in the first. The 51s broke it open with a six-run eighth, powered by Borenstein's two-run homer and a three-run shot by Ty Kelly.
Gerard Gilberto is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @GerardGilberto4.
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring