51s’ Reynolds making strong case for promotion to Mets

After batting .343 last season for Double-A Binghamton and Las Vegas, 51s shortstop Matt Reynolds is on a mission to do it again this year.

“One year doesn’t make a person,” he said. “Each year you have to prove yourself over and over again. That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke.”

Early returns suggest last season was anything but a fluke for Reynolds, who started the 2015 season on a 3-for-23 skid (.130) but has since gone 13-for-28 to lift his average to .314 with a team-leading 15 RBIs.

“The last part of big league camp, I wasn’t getting very many at-bats. I was hot for most of spring training, and I knew there was going to be a period where I was going to struggle a little bit, and it just happened to be at the beginning of the season,” Reynolds said. “I wasn’t stressing about it. I wasn’t panicking. I just had to get that first one out of the way to kind of relax and just go play again.”

Reynolds, 24, went 0-for-5 as his streak of five straight multiple-hit games came to an end in Monday night’s 8-4 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies before 4,503 at Cashman Field.

“Matty knows how to hit. It was just a matter of him getting consistent at-bats,” 51s manager Wally Backman said.

Named the Mets’ Sterling Award winner as Las Vegas’ Most Valuable Player last season, Reynolds continued to impress in spring training, where he hit .375 with two home runs and 10 RBIs to put himself in the mix to make New York’s Opening Day roster.

“I went in with the mindset that I’m going to put some pressure on them and I want to show them that I can handle shortstop at that level. I think I did a great job of that,” he said. “I didn’t make the team, but I’m here trying to get better every day and work toward my goal.”

Reynolds and Daniel Muno were leading candidates to make the team when Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy pulled his hamstring late in camp, but Murphy avoided a trip to the disabled list. New York called up the switch-hitting Muno over Reynolds on Friday, giving the Mets another left-handed bat off the bench.

Backman said New York wants to ensure that Reynolds plays every day.

“Muno’s going to be a backup-type player in the big leagues. He can play third, second and short in a pinch,” Backman said. “Matty can do all those things, too, but I think Matt’s an everyday player when he gets an opportunity. I think that’s the biggest reason that they took Muno over him, just because he needs to play.

“If something happens to (New York shortstop Wilmer) Flores, he’s the guy to go play every day.”

Reynolds, the Mets’ 2012 second-round draft pick out of the University of Arkansas who is ranked New York’s No. 12 prospect by Baseball America, said he was excited for Muno.

“I was completely happy for Muno. He’s one of my good friends,” Reynolds said. “I want to be up there, but at the same time I know that I’m here for a reason. I’ve just got to accept it and keep working hard so when I do get my opportunity, I’m ready.”

Reynolds, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two steals in Saturday’s 17-4 win and 3-for-5 with four RBIs in Sunday’s 10-5 victory, looks as if he’s just about ready for the big leagues to Backman.

“He’s not far off. Could he go there and play right now? Yeah, I think he probably could,” Backman said. “For me, he’s a good base runner, he’s a good defender and he can hit. There’s not much more you can say.”

NOTES — If Miami Marlins manager Mike Redmond is fired, Backman is a leading candidate to replace him, according to the Miami Herald. Backman, the 2014 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year, declined to comment on the report. … The Mets called up 51s catcher Kevin Plawecki and right-handed pitcher Hansel Robles to replace New York catcher Travis d’Arnaud and left-handed reliever Jerry Blevins, who were injured Sunday. … 51s starter Matthew Bowman allowed six runs on 12 hits — all with two outs — in four innings. … Dilson Herrera homered among his three hits for Las Vegas (6-6), which finished with five hits after pounding out 50 in the first three games of its series with Fresno (8-4). … The start of the game was delayed by 16 minutes after a woman ran onto the field and kicked a security guard before she was restrained and eventually taken off the field strapped to a stretcher.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33.