Tilien cracks a trio of homers for St. Lucie

Mets prospect sets club record with first career three-homer game

Junior Tilien homered twice in his first 13 games in the Florida State League. (Helene Haessler/St. Lucie Mets)

By Michael Avallone @MavalloneMiLB

May 29, 2022

Playing in just his 14th game in Single-A, Junior Tilien made some history. The Mets infield prospect set a club record with three roundtrippers and drove in five runs to fuel St. Lucie's offense in Sunday's 11-9 win over Dunedin at TD Ballpark. The five RBIs marked a personal best

Playing in just his 14th game in Single-A, Junior Tilien made some history.

The Mets infield prospect set a club record with three roundtrippers and drove in five runs to fuel St. Lucie's offense in Sunday's 11-9 win over Dunedin at TD Ballpark. The five RBIs marked a personal best for Tilien, who entered the game with two career long balls, both since May 14.

In a game that featured eight home runs, including a club-record six by the Mets -- Tilien was the star. After joining St. Lucie on May 3, the 19-year-old put himself in the club's record books. A flyout in his first plate appearance extended a slump to 2-for-19 dating back to May 21.

Junior Tilien! Not once. Not twice. But 3️⃣x! He launches a team record 3 homers in today’s win over Dunedin. pic.twitter.com/4OwET42eIE
— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) May 29, 2022

But he powered on bat in the fourth inning when he yanked a first pitch over the fence in left field for a two-run jack. It was more of the same two innings later when Tilien muscled out his second two-run tater of the game to left. The Dominican Republic native completed his historic afternoon with a solo clout in the eighth, becoming the first St. Lucie Met to hit three homers in one game in the franchise's 34th season.

Tilien's three hits also were a career high and improved his slash line to .255/.296/.588 with seven extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in 51 at-bats. The 6-foot-1, 168-pound shortstop began his professional career last season in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League after signing with the Mets as a Minor League free agent in 2019.

Alex Ramirez singled in five at-bats for St. Lucie. Despite a 4-for-31 slide, the sixth-ranked Mets prospect continues to lead the FSL in batting at .324. Omar De Los Santos homered twice as part of a three-hit, four-RBI effort.

No. 25 Mets prospect Christian Scott struggled in relief, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in three innings.

Rainer Nunez slugged his circuit-best 11th homer and drove in four runs for Dunedin.

Michael Avallone is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @MavalloneMiLB.