Conforto, Gsellman earn top organizational honors

FLUSHING, N.Y. - The New York Mets announced that outfielder Michael Conforto was named the Sterling Minor League Organizational Player of the Year and RHP Robert Gsellman earned Sterling Organizational Pitcher of the Year honors.
 
In addition, the Mets announced the 2015 Sterling Awards, emblematic of the Most Valuable Player for each of the organization's nine minor league affiliates. Taking the honor for St. Lucie was first baseman Dominic Smith, who was also named the Florida State's League Most Outstanding Player.
 
Conforto, Gsellman and Smith all opened the season with St. Lucie. Gsellman was the team's Opening Day starter. Gsellman and Conforto excelled early and were both promoted to Double-A Binghamton in late May.
 
Conforto hit a combined .297 with 24 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs and 54 RBI in 91 games between St. Lucie and Binghamton before making his major league debut on July 24. He was named the FSL mid-season All Star team but did not play because of his Double-A promotion. Conforto, 22, participated in the SiriusXM Futures Games as part of MLB's All Star festivities in Cincinnati. Upon returning from the Futures Game, Conforto won Eastern League Player of the Week and was called up to New York a few days later.
 
Gsellman went 13-7 with a 2.89 ERA in 24 combined starts for St. Lucie and Binghamton. He led the organization with 13 wins and was third in the organization in ERA among qualified pitchers. He was named to the FSL mid-season All Star team but did not pitch in the game due to his promotion.
 
Smith led the FSL in RBI (79) and doubles (33), was third in slugging (.417), fourth in batting average (.305) and tied for fourth in hits (139). He was the fourth youngest player in the league at the start of the season.
 
Other Sterling Award winners:
 
Las Vegas (AAA) - OF Travis Taijeron
Binghamton (AA) - SS Gavin Cecchini
Savannah (A) - SS Luis Guillorme
Brooklyn (A) - RHP Alex Palsha
Kingsport (R) - C Patrick Mazeika/OF Kevin Kaczmarski
GCL Mets (R) - RHP Adonis Uceta
DSL 1 (R) - OF Wagner Lagrange
DSL 2 (R) - RHP Nicolas Debora