New York Mets get Lucky

By Bruce Morgan

BINGHAMTON — Nick Lucky was a night owl a couple of Sundays ago.

As a big fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championships, the Cocalico grad and Lancaster Stormers center fielder was locked into the television for UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.

It helped, of course, that Mondays for the Atlantic League are off days. So after staying up into the wee hours, Lucky was sleeping in.

Eventually, in the late morning, he woke up and checked the time on his phone. Barely two minutes later, an incoming call from Stormers manager Ross Peeples triggered his ring tone.

Confused as to why he’d be getting a call from Peeples at 11 o’clock in the morning, Lucky took it anyway.

And he’s glad that he did.

“(Ross) says, ‘What are you doing? Are you still in bed?’ I said, ‘No, I just woke up,’” Lucky recalled. “And he goes, ‘Well, get up. The (New York) Mets are sign-ing you.’” This is Lucky’s second crack in affiliated ball. He was also signed by the Minnesota Twins in June of 2024.

But even while batting a torrid .339 in 48 games this season for Lancaster — which ranked fourth in the Atlantic League — Lucky wasn’t sure if he would get another shot.

“I wouldn’t say I was overly confident,” he said, “just because it’s very random and it doesn’t always happen. You’ve kind of got to get lucky, almost.”

Lucky had to consider himself ... um, lucky at the timing of his signing. After traveling

Photo by Nate Stickney/Major League Baseball

Cocalico grad Nick Lucky plays second base for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies in a game against New Hampshire last week.

on Tuesday to Binghamton, N.Y., the site of the Mets’ Double-A affiliate, he started in the Rumble Ponies’ next two games.

Friday night, he didn’t. But it was for a good reason. After all, Binghamton had to make room on the field for rehabbing Mets’ big leaguers Francisco Lindor and Tyrone Taylor.

Not surprisingly, the Rumble Ponies’ Mirabito Stadium was packed to the gills for the arrival of Lindor, a five-time Major League Baseball All-Star.

Lucky was naturally soaking things in, but played it off like a professional.

“There were a ton of people here going crazy for him, and obviously I wasn’t going to do that,” said Lucky, while standing just outside of the Rumble Ponies’ first base dugout. “But deep down inside, I grew up watching him when I was 16, 17 years old, and now to be on the same field with him and in the same dugout is pretty cool.”

Their paths crossed a couple of times. In the dugout, they chatted briefly. And prior to the game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Lindor happened to be getting on the same high-velocity pitching machine which Lucky just used.

But Lindor, who was nursing a strained left calf, didn’t want high velo. Even though the Rumble Ponies were facing a pitcher who throws 96 mph, Lindor asked the Rumble Ponies’ hitting coach to feed him slow curve balls.

“He wanted to feel like he was going down to the ball into his legs,” Lucky said. “He didn’t want to feel like he was getting sped up. To me, that’s interesting to hear because, usually you think that they will want to hit velo because they’re facing velo.

“But you find what works and what doesn’t,” he added, “and being a 12-year big leaguer, you’re going to find out what works for you and what doesn’t.”

Lucky, too, is learning. But he has full confidence in his abilities to be able to play and succeed in affiliated ball. With the Twins in 2024, Lucky played at three levels, including one game with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints.

It’s still early into his time with the Mets, but he was 3-for-11 (.273) with a walk at the plate in his first four games.

“It’s (only) been a couple of days,” said Rumble Ponies’ manager Michael Collins, “but it looks like there’s a lot of athleticism there, versatility (and) the ability to play the outfield and infield.”

In his debut, after making the short drive from a nearby Holiday Inn at which he’s staying, Lucky was 0-for-4, but that included two hard-hit outs to shortstop and second base.

“It’s the first game. I mean, it’s baseball,” Lucky said. “It’s not that it was a bad game. But obviously, the first two at-bats, I was a little jumpy, a little nervous, probably. You’ve got to be able to flush it and just move on.”

Sometimes that’s easier said than done, however. Pitchers in Double-A are able to disguise their stuff better than many of those in Independent ball.

From just 60 feet, 6 inches away, they are crafty enough to make their breaking balls look like heaters for a longer period of time.

“Some guys, you can tell right of their hand, ‘Oh, it’s a breaking ball,’ because it pops,” Lucky said. “Or the way he’s throwing his changeup, he drops his arm or something ... Knowing that little hair second earlier is going to make hitting easier.”

He doesn’t have that advantage in Binghamton. But Lucky did indeed flush his opening-night collar in the Rumble Ponies’ next game. He got his first hit by squaring up a second-inning RBI single to center en route to finishing 2-for-4.

“It wasn’t really a weight off my shoulders,” Lucky recalled. “It was more like, ‘Alright, there’s the first one.’” Naturally, he’s conscious about making a positive impression on his new team. As a free agent signing, Lucky knows that he doesn’t have a prospect label. He has to prove himself more so than a drafted player would.

So the 26-year-old is doing what he has always done. He is playing hard, trying to go 100 mph, putting good at-bats together and doing whatever he can to help the Rumble Ponies win.

“I feel like that’s the biggest way to get yourself to feel good around the guys and everybody kind of be like, ‘Alright, yeah, this kid can play,’” Lucky said.

The fact that he can play multiple outfield and infield positions is a big selling point for him.

He has already started at both corner outfield spots and at second base in Binghamton.

“I think it’s an asset for absolutely anybody who loves opportunity,” Collins said. “This game comes down to opportunity and the chance to showcase your skillset. If you can play multiple positions, it frees you up to try to get him in the lineup as often as possible.”

Reflecting on his career, Lucky isn’t sure that he would even be at his point if he hadn’t taken the path he did.

A 14th round selection by the Boston Red Sox in the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft, Lucky opted to honor his commitment to play at Coastal Carolina.

It’s a decision he doesn’t regret at all.

Although Lucky was fit for an 18-year-old, he really didn’t have a lot of muscle. Now he does, which Lucky is able to combine with more maturity and a better understanding of baseball.

Along the way, he progressed under the tutelage of Chanticleer coaches Gary Gilmore, Kevin Schnall and Matt Schilling.

Though Lucky would’ve loved to have gotten drafted out of Coastal Carolina, he is at peace with everything.

“I think Schnall is one of the best coaches in the world,” Lucky said. “I mean, I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t do that role. Who knows what would have happened if I signed out of high school. I’m not mad with my decision, and obviously, it seems to be working out so far.”

Lucky doesn’t know what his future holds. He’s thrilled to get another crack at affiliated ball.

And at the end of the day, when Lucky puts his head on the pillow at the Holiday Inn, he is just like the rest of his teammates. His ultimate goal is to reach the major leagues.

But for now, it’s one step at a time. He is living the tattoed words - “Carpe Diem” - on his left wrist and seizing the day.

“It’s just get in,” Lucky said, “and ball and do whatever you can to move up as fast as you can.”

Make no mistake, Lucky will always be a fighter, just like those in the UFC.

Photo by Kylie Richelle/Major League Baseball

Cocalico grad Nick Lucky starts his swing while batting for the Double-A Rumble Ponies in their 8-1 Eastern League win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats last Thursday night.