Despite heavy turnover, Wally Backman still expects 51s to win

The phenoms have graduated.

During the past three years, with the help of some of the top prospects in baseball, the 51s have racked up two first-place finishes and one second in the Pacific Coast League’s Pacific South Division. Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz now are in New York, comprising 60 percent of arguably the best rotation in baseball.

But with a new season on the horizon, Las Vegas manager Wally Backman has the same expectations even without the hard-throwing aces.

“To win,” Backman said simply. “Bottom line.”

The 51s will get their first chance to do that today when they host the Fresno Grizzlies, the defending Triple-A champions, on Opening Night at 7:05 p.m. at Cashman Field.

Right-hander Rafael Montero, once a top prospect in the Mets’ system before dealing with shoulder soreness for nearly all of last season, will get the start Thursday.

Seth Lugo, Gabriel Ynoa and Sean Gilmartin will follow him in the rotation this weekend, and pitching coach Frank Viola also said Stolmy Pimentel will start and relieve this season.

“We don’t have the so-called phenom type of situations we did with Syndergaard and Matz the last couple years, but we have a some really good arms who will give us innings and will give the Vegas 51s a chance to win every night,” Viola said.

Beyond the rotation, Backman is excited about the rest of his pitching staff, calling it the best bullpen he’s had in his four seasons in Las Vegas.

That bullpen includes three lefties and four to five relievers Backman thinks can close.

“I can mix and match a lot more, play matchups even more,” he said. “We’ve got quality guys that come out of that bullpen, (so) if our starter goes five or six innings, we’re in real good shape.”

Chasen Bradford, a Silverado High graduate, will be in the 51s’ bullpen for the third consecutive season.

Paul Sewald, a Bishop Gorman graduate who will begin the season as the team’s closer, joins him there. It will mark the first time in franchise history that the team has had two Las Vegas products.

Sewald, 25, spent last season at Double-A Binghamton, going 3-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 51.1 innings.

“This kid wasn’t a real high pick, but he’s really moved up the ladder real fast,” Backman said. “Probably not as fast as he wants, but I don’t think it’s going to shock me if this kid ends up in the big leagues before long. And I don’t even think it would shock him because his blood’s pretty cold.”

Sewald might not have been a first-round pick, but the 51s do boast a couple of those.

Gavin Cecchini, the team’s top pick in the 2012 draft, will make his Triple-A debut today as the team’s starting shortstop, and Brandon Nimmo, the Mets’ 2011 first-round selection who played 32 games in Triple A last season, is back in center field after fully recovering from a partially torn tendon in his foot.

“It does help being familiar with these guys and the players and the field and the city,” Nimmo said.

Most of the roster is familiar with one another at this point, as 13 players saw time in Las Vegas last season. Some bounced back and forth, with seven in New York at some point.

Even though the phenoms have moved up, Backman said he thinks five to 10 players on the roster could compete in the majors right now.

“We have the players to send to the major league team that can compete on a championship team,” Backman said. “And I think that’s what you really try to form in an organization, and we really have them, especially at this level now.”

Backman and the 51s are hoping that will translate into wins.

“We try to come prepared to the field, and my biggest thing for the players is you take the game personally. And you have a job to do,” Backman said. “There’s only one more step to go, but if you take the game personal, you’re going to give yourself a chance.”

Review-Journal reporter Betsy Helfand can be reached at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @BetsyHelfand