Major League Alumni: Brooklyn Cyclones
By Drew Balen
Team: Brooklyn Cyclones
League: New York-Penn League
Class Level: Short-Season A
Major League Affiliate: New York Mets
City: Brooklyn, New York
Population: 2,504,700
Ballpark: MCU Park
In 2001, the Cyclones began playing in Brooklyn and have been affiliated with the New York Mets since the inaugural 2001 season. The franchise originally began play in the 1986 in St. Catharines, Ontario with the name St. Catharines Blue Jays (1986-1995) and St. Catharines Stompers (1996-1999) and spent the 2000 season in Queens, New York with the name Queens Kings before moving to Brooklyn. The Toronto Blue Jays were affiliated with the franchise from 1986 until 2000.
The Brooklyn Cyclones have won 5 division titles, appeared in the playoffs eight times and were co-champions in 2001 with the Williamsport Crosscutters after the championship series ended early due to the September 11 attacks.
Some current or former major league players that have played for Brooklyn (Note: players that played for the Cyclones only and excluding those that played in St. Catharines or Queens) on their journey through the minors include:
Angel Pagan (OF): In 2001, Pagan played in 62 games with Brooklyn. He compiled a batting average of .315 with 15 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in his second professional season. Pagan also played in 4 games with the Cyclones in 2008 during a rehab assignment in which he hit .308 in 14 plate appearances. He was drafted by the New York Mets in the 4th round of the 1999 MLB amateur draft out of Republica De Colombia High School (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico).
Lenny DiNardo (LHP): In 2001, DiNardo posted a record of 1-2 with a 2.00 ERA in 9 games with Brooklyn during his first professional season. DiNardo was drafted by the New York Mets in the 3rd round of the 2001 MLB amateur draft out of Stetson University (DeLand, Florida).
Daniel Garcia (2B): In 2001, Garcia compiled a batting average of .321 with 1 HR and 6 RBIs in 15 games with Brooklyn during his first professional season. Garcia was drafted by the New York Mets in the 5th round of the 2001 MLB amateur draft out of Pepperdine University (Malibu, California).
Mike Jacobs (1B): In 2001, Jacobs played in 19 games with Brooklyn. He compiled a batting average of .288 with 1 HR and 15 RBIs during his second professional season. Jacobs was drafted by the New York Mets in the 38th round of the 1999 MLB amateur draft out of Grossmont College (El Cajon, California).
Scott Kazmir (LHP): In 2002, Kazmir posted a record of 0-1 with a 0.50 ERA in 5 starts with Brooklyn during his first professional season. Kazmir was drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round (15th overall) of the 2002 MLB amateur draft out of Cypress Falls High School (Houston, Texas).
Neal Musser (LHP): In 2002, Musser started 4 games with Brooklyn, although failing to record a decision he posted a 0.69 ERA over 13 innings of work during his fourth professional season. Musser was drafted by the New York Mets in the 2nd round of the 1999 MLB amateur draft out of Benton Central High School (Otterbein, Indiana).
Brian Bannister (RHP): In 2003, Bannister posted a record of 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA in 12 games with Brooklyn in his first professional season. Bannister was drafted by the New York Mets in the 7th round of the 2003 MLB amateur draft out of USC (Los Angeles, California).
Matt Lindstrom (RHP): In 2003, Lindstrom posted a record of 7-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 14 starts with Brooklyn in his second professional season. Lindstrom was drafted by the New York Mets in the 10th round of the 2002 MLB amateur draft out of Ricks Junior College (Rexburg, Idaho).
Yusmeiro Petit (RHP): In 2003, Petit posted a 1-0 record with a 2.19 ERA in 2 starts with Brooklyn in his first professional season. Petit was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 2001 out of Venezuela.
Drew Butera (C): In 2005, Butera had a .217 batting average with 1 HR and 23 RBIs in 55 games with Brooklyn during his first professional season. Butera was drafted by the New York Mets in the 5th round of the 2005 MLB amateur draft out of Central Florida (Orlando, Florida).
Joe Smith (RHP): In 2006, Smith posted a record of 0-1 with a 0.45 ERA in 17 games with Brooklyn during his first professional season. Smith was drafted by the New York Mets in the 3rd round of the 2006 MLB amateur draft out of Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio).
Dillon Gee (RHP): In 2007, Gee posted a 3-1 record with a 2.47 ERA in 14 games with Brooklyn during his first professional season. Gee was drafted by the New York Mets in the 21st round of the 2007 MLB amateur draft out of the University of Texas-Arlington (Arlington, Texas).
Lucas Duda (1B): In 2007, Duda hit .299 with 4 HR and 32 RBIs in 67 games with Brooklyn during his first professional season. Duda was drafted by the New York Mets in the 7th round of the 2007 MLB amateur draft out of USC (Los Angeles, California).
Ezequiel Carrera (OF): In 2007, Carrera batted .300 with 6 RBIs and 6 stolen bases in 20 games with Brooklyn during his third professional season. Carrera was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 2005 out of Venezuela.
Ike Davis (1B): In 2008, Davis had a batting average of .256 with 17 RBIs in 58 games with Brooklyn during his first professional season. Davis was drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round (18th overall) in the 2008 MLB amateur draft out of Arizona State (Tempe, Arizona).
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