Dix Hills Native Signs Minor League Deal With Mets

Look out for a familiar face among the Mets this baseball season. Dix Hills native John Mincone signed a minor league contract with the team, the Mets said Monday.

The Mets announced through its Twitter page on March 12 that the team signed the 22-year-old Half Hollow Hills High School East graduate. The left-handed pitcher will head to Port St. Lucie, Fla. on Thursday.

“Thank you so much to all the Mets fans out there, this support has been incredible. Looking forward to a great season,” Mincone wrote to his fans on Twitter.

Earlier in his career, the Cubs signed Mincone in the 11th round of the 2009 amateur drafts. Mincone started one game while appearing in three for the Cubs Rookie club in the Arizona League. He posted a 2-0 record with a 3.12 ERA over 8.2 innings. During his stint in with the team, Mincone walked only one batter while striking out seven.

In 2010, the Cubs promoted Mincone into the Low-A Boise ball club In the Northwest League. During his 23 innings with the Boise Cubs, he posted a 0-3 record with a 4.18 ERA, striking out 16 and walking eight. The team released him in July 2011 and Mincone signed with the ThunderBolts. With the Bolts, he appeared in six games, starting three. Mincone posted a 1-2 record with a 4.61 ERA, striking out eight and walking nine over 13 innings pitched.