By Jerry Del Priore
On Wednesday, July 10, two former New York Mets organizational players — outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis and infielder L.J. Mazzilli — will represent the Long Island Ducks on the Liberty Division’s roster at the independent Atlantic League All-Star game at PeoplesBank Park, home of the York Revolution, in York, Pennsylvania.
Nieuwenhuis, who played with the Mets for four of his six MLB seasons, has appeared in 60 games during his first season with the Ducks.
The former Brooklyn Cyclone ranks second on Long Island in home runs and is tied for sixth in the Atlantic League. In addition, the outfielder is second among Ducks in RBI (40), runs scored (35) and total bases (99), while amassing 12 doubles, 19 walks and seven stolen bases.
Defensively, he has committed just one error all year long while adding three outfield assists. Nieuwenhuis also compiled a 15-game on-base streak to begin the 2019 campaign.
Mazzilli, an ex-New York Mets and Yankees infield farmhand, has enjoyed a solid season thus far. He has posted a .292 average in 50 tilts. The former fourth-round selection of the Mets in the 2014 MLB draft leads the Ducks in doubles and ranks sixth overall in the Atlantic League.
The former University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskie currently sits third among Long Island players in hits (54), RBI (32), total bases (87) and slugging percentage (.470) while adding five longballs, 26 runs, 15 walks and a .343 on-base percentage.
Plus, Mazzilli, the son of former 14-year major leaguer and manager Lee Mazzilli, has had two separate 10-game on-base streaks this season.
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