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          New York Mets

          Mets promote shortstop prospect Amed Rosario to Binghamton

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterJun 23, 2016, 05:59 PM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          The New York Mets have promoted highly regarded shortstop prospect Amed Rosario to Double-A Binghamton.

          The 20-year-old Rosario hit .309 with three homers and 40 RBIs in 265 at-bats with Class A St. Lucie. He also stole 13 bases in 19 attempts.

          Rosario, who always has been younger than his competition, benefited from repeating in the Florida State League this season.

          He finished the season's first half ranked third in batting average in the league, trailing only Bradenton's Kevin Newman (.366) and St. Lucie teammate Wuilmer Becerra (.320). Rosario finished as the FSL's first-half leader in hits (82), second in RBIs and tied for the league lead in triples (eight).

          “For such a young guy, playing at a very competitive level, he just holds his own,” Mets bench coach Dick Scott, who previously served as director of player development, recently said. “He’s never been overwhelmed by the situation that he’s been in. In fact, some of the major league coaches were commenting when we brought him over a couple of times this year [for Grapefruit League games] that if you just look out there, you couldn’t pick out which guy was the minor-league guy when he’s standing there. He’s just got all of the tools. His physicality is more pronounced this year than it’s been in the past.”

          The Mets handed Rosario $1.75 million in 2012, which represents the largest-ever signing bonus by the organization to an international teenager. Rosario said the Rays, White Sox and Cardinals also seriously pursued him.

          He added 10 pounds of muscle during the offseason. And talk of him one day having to move off shortstop because of his frame have dissipated.

          “I’m working out to make sure I maintain my agility at shortstop to stay long term,” Rosario said through an interpreter earlier this year.

          The youngest player in the Florida State League last season, Rosario hit .257/.307/.335 a year ago. Homerless in 2015, he had a walk-off long ball in the opener for St. Lucie this season.

          “At first it was a little difficult trying to figure out the strike zone, but over the course of time I was able to make adjustments,” Rosario said about last season. “My biggest improvement was with the strike zone. I shrunk it over the course of time, which allowed me to have a good season.”

          Also on the move, South Atlantic League All-Stars P.J. Conlon and Vinny Siena were promoted from Columbia to St. Lucie. Rosario's promotion should allow Luis Guillorme to resume playing shortstop for the Florida State League club, with the UConn product Siena taking over at second base for St. Lucie.