News:
Some promotions in the organization today, though the top prospects you hear about the most weren’t a part of this wave. I won’t get into all of them.
OF Aaron Palensky, who compiled an insane .352/.434/.744 (205 wRC+) for Hudson Valley, is now in Somerset. This is not his first taste of Double-A. In 2021, he was assigned there instantly after signing with the Yankees. He compiled an impressive 15.3% BB but only hit .216/.360/.378. That isn’t bad for a player who never played at any other professional level. That was likely done out of necessity though and he was appropriately placed in Hudson Valley to start 2022, where he hit .251/.369/.475. He earned the chance to prove he can hit at the upper levels. He is Rule 5 eligible this winter.
Joining Palensky in Somerset are RHP Danny Watson, who compiled an impressive 39% K rate in Hudson Valley, and LHP Edgar Barclay, who hasn’t pitched in 2023. The 25-year-old compiled an impressive 1.74 ERA and 33.5% K rate for Hudson Valley in 2022. He is already Rule 5 eligible (some were scared that he might get selected last winter)
Unfortunately, with promotions typically come releases. The Yankees have released RHP Justin Maese, RHP Enrique Santana, and OF Alan Mejia. Mejia has his share of fans who look for deep sleepers, but he hasn’t been able to match his .314/.414/.569 line from 2019 (DSL). Maese is a former 3rd round pick by the Blue Jays back in 2015. He has never made it past Double-A.
Scranton (26-26) (Defeated Lehigh Valley, 4-1)
CF Estevan Florial: 1-for-3, 2B (7), RBI, BB, K, SB (11), CS (6)
Florial is now the owner of a 9-game hitting streak (16-for-41; 2 doubles, 6 home runs, 12 RBI, 12 runs). Tonight was the first game during the streak where he did not score a run.
SS Oswald Peraza: 2-for-4, HR (7), RBI, RS, HBP, K
Peraza has 6 home runs in his last 9 games. He is not having any struggles at this level.
LF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-5, 2 K
1B Andres Chaparro: 1-for-4, 2B (7), RS
Chaparro increases his hitting streak to 7. Surprisingly, this is his first extra-base hit during the streak.
RF Kole Calhoun: 1-for-4, RBI
C Rodolfo Duran: 0-for-4, 2 K
DH Carlos Narvaez: 2-for-3, RS, BB, K
3B Jamie Westbrook: 3-for-4, 2B (6), RS, CS (1)
2B Jesus Bastidas: 1-for-4, RBI
Bastidas is an impressive 24-for-68 (.353) in May after his 16-for-78 (.205) April performance.
LHP Tanner Tully: (W, 5-1) 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, HR
3.52 ERA (46 IP, 57 H, 21 R, 18 ER, 4 HR, 11 BB, 44 K). The veteran has done his job, sporting a 2.61 ERA in 31 May innings.
RHP Michael Feliz: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
His organizational debut. He was signed to a minor league contract recently out of the Mexican League (he has plenty of MLB experience)
LHP Nick Ramirez: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Greg Weissert: (S, 5) 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Somerset (25-20) (Lost to Portland, 3-1. The Sea Dogs are a challenge for Somerset, given that they are now 31-15)
SS Trey Sweeney: 1-for-3, HR (3), RBI, RS, BB, SB (8)
Sweeney’s first HR since 5/11. I think the double-digit power will show up.
3B Josh Donaldson: 1-for-4
DH Giancarlo Stanton: 0-for-3, BB
A DH who can’t hit? Not a prospect.
CF Jasson Dominguez: 0-for-3, BB, K
Dominguez is hitting .237/.357/.419 in May. He was scorching earlier in the month but has since stabilized.
C Austin Wells: 0-for-4, K
LF Everson Pereira: 1-for-1
He was pulled early from the game. Fingers and toes crossed.
LF Aaron Palensky: 1-for-3
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
2B Caleb Durbin: 0-for-3, BB
RF Jeisson Rosario: 0-for-3
RHP Richard Fitts: (L, 2-4) 6 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
4.96 ERA (45.1 IP, 51 H, 25 R, 25 ER, 7 HR, 12 BB, 49 K). Back-to-back strong efforts for Fitts (6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K last time out)
RHP Tommy Kahnle: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
It’s all about health for Kahnle, who should be back with the Yankees soon enough.
LHP Lisandro Santos: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3.08 ERA (26.1 IP, 12 H, 11 R, 9 ER, 1 HR, 18 BB, 29 K). The age-old question: If Santos improved his control, would that make him more hittable? That’s where the command conversation would start.
Hudson Valley (27-19) (Lost to Aberdeen, 7-0)
CF Spencer Jones: 0-for-4, 2 K
Jones is 6-for-42 with 19 strikeouts in his last ten games.
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-3, 2B (6), BB, K
Vargas now has a 6-game hitting streak (11-for-27). His triple slash has climbed from .220/.281/.432 to .255/.312/.462.
DH Josh Breaux: 0-for-4, K
C Antonio Gomez: 1-for-4, 2 K
1B Spencer Henson: 1-for-4, K
RF Grant Richardson: 0-for-3, HBP, K
2B Ben Cowles: 1-for-3
Cowles is 22-for-65 (.338) in May.
LF Aldenis Sanchez: 0-for-2, BB
3B Eduardo Torrealba: 0-for-3, K
LHP Joel Valdez: (L, 1-3) 3.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, HR
RHP Bailey Dees: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
2.95 ERA (21.1 IP, 14 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 34 K). When will he join Watson in Somerset?
LHP Ryan Anderson: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
RHP Nick Paciorek: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Tampa (19-27) (Crushed Bradenton, 15-0)
2B Jared Serna: 1-for-5, RBI, RS, BB, K, SB (11)
Serna now owns a 10-game hitting streak.
DH Daury Arias: 1-for-3, RBI, 3 RS, 3 BB
C Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-1, RBI, 2 RS, 5 BB, K
I am sure it has happened – but I don’t remember the last time a Yankees prospect walked five times in a game.
RF Anthony Hall: 2-for-4, 2B (5), 4 RBI, 2 BB
Hall should find his way up to Hudson Valley soon. He is 22-for-65 (.338) in May with more walks (16) than strikeouts (11).
SS Brenny Escanio: 0-for-6, 3 K
Escanio’s biggest asset is his ability to take walks – so, naturally, he goes 0-for-6 without a walk on a night that the team walks 16 times.
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-3, RS, 2 BB
1B Omar Martinez: 1-for-3, 3 RS, 2 BB
LF Christopher Familia: 3-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, 2 RS, BB
This is what you call an impressive 2023 debut. Familia hit .207/.295/.362 in 36 games at this level in 2022.
3B Brett Barrera: 2-for-5, 2B (1), RBI, 2 RS, K
RHP Hayden Merda: (W, 1-2) 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Merda’s has 12 scoreless innings in his last two starts. This is his first professional victory.
RHP Luis Velasquez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
RHP Manny Ramirez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Shane Gray: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K