Nido named Sterling Award winner for St. Lucie Mets

FLUSHING, N.Y. - The New York Mets have announced the winners of the 2016 Sterling Awards, which are emblematic of the Most Valuable Player in each of the organization's nine minor league affiliates.
 
Five players who suited up for the St. Lucie Mets this season have been honored. Catcher Tomas Nido was the Sterling winner for St. Lucie. Nido was a mid-season and postseason Florida State League All Star. He went 7 for 10 over the final two days of the regular season to clinch the League's batting title. Nido excelled behind the plate, throwing out 42 percent of base stealers.
 
Shortstop Amed Rosario, who spent the first half of 2016 in St. Lucie, was named Sterling Minor League Organizational Co-Player of the Year. He shared the distinction with outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Rosario was a mid-season FSL All Star. He batted .309 with 40 RBIs, 10 doubles, eight triples and three home runs in 66 games for St. Lucie. Rosario was promoted to Double-A Binghamton at the conclusion of the first half.
 
Left-hander P.J. Conlon was selected as the Sterling Organizational Pitcher of the Year. Conlon started the season with the Low-A Columbia Fireflies and spent the second half of the season with St. Lucie. Conlon went 4-1 with a 1.41 ERA in St. Lucie. He earned a save in his only relief appearance. He did not allow a run over his final 20.2 innings of the regular season.
 
Third baseman David Thompson also spent the last half of the year in St. Lucie. Thompson was the Sterling winner for Columbia. With the Fireflies he batted .294 and drove in 58 runs in 61 games. After his promotion to St. Lucie, Thompson registered 37 RBIs in 55 games. Thompson collected 95 RBIs in just 116 total games.
 
Infielder Phillip Evans shared the Binghamton Sterling Award with Dominic Smith. Evans, who spent all of 2014 and 2015 in St. Lucie, played the first two weeks of 2016 in St. Lucie before being promoted to the B-Mets. He caught fire at Double-A and ended up winning the Eastern League batting crown. In his final St. Lucie game, Evans scored the winning run on a walk-off wild pitch.
 
All the Sterling Award winners will be honored at Citi Field in New York before the Mets game against the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.