Mets prospect Ryan Clifford put on a hitting clinic Thursday night for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
The 20-year-old left-handed hitter had a career-high four-hit night, finishing 4-for-5 with a home run, double and three RBI in a 7-3 win over the Hartford Yard Goats.
Clifford, who entered the game with a slash line of .191/.353/.466 in 41 Double-A games, began his night with singles in the first and third innings.
He ripped a double into right field in his third at-bat in the fifth inning and followed that with the big blast in the seventh – an opposite-field three-run home run to give Binghamton a 5-1 lead.
Clifford is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Mets’ No. 4 prospect. The Mets acquired him last year in a trade with the Houston Astros (along with No. 3 prospect Drew Gilbert) and his ability to hit for power has been apparent.
He hit 24 home runs between Low-A and High-A ball with the Astros’ affiliates and the Brooklyn Cyclones, the latter of which he hit six dingers in 32 games.
In 42 games with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies this season, Clifford has 10 home runs and 10 doubles as well as 27 RBI and 31 walks. While his average could use improvement, his four-hit night on Thursday raised it from .191 to .213.
In addition to Clifford’s career night at the plate, Brandon Sproat, the Mets No. 6 prospect, struck out nine while allowing two runs on three hits and two walks over 6.2 innings pitched.
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