SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Tomas Nido is improving as a hitter, and he's putting himself on the catching radar of the New York Mets in a hurry.
The 23-year-old native of Puerto Rico, taken by New York in the eighth round of the 2012 Draft and now ranked as the team's No. 9 prospect, had another banner night in Arizona Fall League play Thursday as his Scottsdale Scorpions played the visiting Salt River Rafters to a 4-4 suspended-game result after 11 innings at Scottsdale Stadium. The game marked the first tie of the AFL season.
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Nido went 2-for-3 with two walks and a big two-RBI double that tied the game at 3 in the bottom of the sixth inning against reliever James Farris (Rockies No. 21 prospect).
"They were throwing me in a lot, so I got ready a little early and he threw me a slider that hung a little bit," Nido said. "I was looking for a fastball and I had time to react. It stayed up in the middle of the plate and I put a good swing on it."
This big blow came mere nights after Nido hit his first AFL homer. He raised his batting average to .250 and his OPS to .844 and said he is continuing to stick to a plan in the batter's box that is paying dividends.
"Just trying to be on time, start early and see the ball better," Nido said. "Let the ball travel a little deeper and not be so anxious. That's kind of what I've been working on."
Nido was selected for AFL play last year and spent two weeks in the desert but didn't see any action because of soreness. Then he hit eight homers and drove in 60 runs for Double-A Binghamton and even got his first taste of Major League action, going 3-for-10 in five games for the Mets.
"I had a good year, a learning experience, it's a great organization to be in and I'm in a good position," Nido said. "I'm excited for next year as well."
Nido wasn't the only Mets farmhand who had a big night Thursday. Left fielder Kevin Kaczmarski went 2-for-4 with a double and his first homer of the AFL season, and third baseman David Thompson (Mets' No. 24 prospect) went 2-for-5 with an RBI.
On the Salt River side, Colorado prospect Yonathan Daza continued to sparkle in the outfield and at the plate. Daza robbed Wade Wass (Angels) of extra bases with a diving catch and almost threw out Troy Montgomery (Angels No. 20 prospect) at first base after Montgomery hit a sharp single to right.
Daza added two hits and two stolen bases a day after he had three hits for Salt River.
Other standouts for Salt River included Lucas Erceg (Brewers No. 10), who tripled in a run, and Corey Ray (Brewers No. 2, No. 58 overall prospect), who legged out an infield single and stole a base.