Brooklyn Cyclones: #1 Draft Pick Justin Dunn Makes Pro Debut in Batavia

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Batavia Muckdogs

I - BKN 5; BAT 1

II - BKN 5; BAT 1

Game Three

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Batavia Muckdogs

FROM

Dwyer Stadium

Genesee, N.Y.

BATAVIA: Stay Team Stay!

I have noting but respect for the rich seventy-seven years of Batavia Baseball.  When the Muckdogs visit Coney Island's MCU Park, I make it my business to be there.  After all, what are the Cyclones without competition?

Historic competition at that...

Birth place of the original PONY League back in 1939, a reorganized circuit proceeded forward in 1957 as the New York-Penn League, likewise founded in Batavia - the last remaining charter member of the circuit.

This series potentially may very well be Brooklyn's last visit to Batavia and Dwyer Field.  The park itself was rechristened in 1996, but the original playing field has been in place since 1937.  All these decades later, baseball may be coming to a sad end in Batavia - relocation.

The visiting Brooklyn Cyclones so far have won two of a three game set by identical 5-1 margins, with the series finale scheduled for Wednesday.

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Mets First Round Draft Pick (#19 overall) made a sparkling professional debut on 4th of July.

Justin Dunn, the New York Mets #1 pick (19th overall) of the recent 2016 June amateur draft made his professional debut on Independence Day in western New York against the Batavia Muckdogs.

A local product hailing out of Freeport, Long Island, Dunn, 20 years old, and is listed at 6'2" 170 pounds.  He and the Mets reached an agreement on June 21, for the full slot value of $2,378,800 million dollars.

Used primarily as a reliever during his three years at Boston College, Dunn's early season performance in 2016 earned him a promotion into the Eagles starting rotation by April.

ICYMI

Justin Dunn Has Entered The Building

He features a mature four pitch repertoire replete with a mid-90s fastball, polished curve and slider, and an effective change, and finally put them to work for the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Two things to keep in mind before discussing Justin Dunn's performance: the Mets debuted him on the road, and in a non-save situation.

Read into it what you will...

Dunn otherwise pitched his first two innings as a pro on the fourth of July, charged with protecting a 5-1 lead during the eighth and ninth innings of Saturday's victory.

The first batter to step in against him was number seven hitter, Batavia DH Isaiah White, who reached on an excuse me infield single.  Three pitches into Justin's second batter, his battery mate made his first trip to the mound.  A fielder's choice then advanced the runner to second.  Third batter in second baseman Rony Cabrera witnessed one each of Dunn's 95mph fastball, and nasty slider, but reached safely on yet another excuse me infield single, putting runners on the corners with only 1-out.  With his very next pitch, however, Dunn induced lead-off hitter Cory Bird into an inning ending 4-6-3 double-play.

With Batavia's number two, three, and four hitters, due up in the ninth, Justin Dunn provided distant Mets fans a measure of validation by retiring the Muckdogs in order, fanning the first and final batters of the inning ... game over.