Yankees MILB 8/1: Omar Martinez Hits 3 Homers

News:

The Yankees added RHP Keynan Middleton from the Chicago White Sox for RHP Juan Carela (Rule 5 eligible).

The Yankees needed some bullpen innings (I guess) and acquired a pure rental to fill those innings. I guess that excites someone.

This year for the White Sox, the 29-year-old pitched to a 3.96 ERA in 39 games. He is showing off an impressive strikeout rate (30.1%) and, by emphasizing his changeup more, he has increased his GB rate to 50%. It was 26% in Arizona in 2022.

If Middleton started 2023 with the Yankees, we would be touting him as a major Matt Blake success story. While that is well and good, I am not sure what he adds to this bullpen for two months. He would be a nice complimentary acquisition of something bigger. As a lone acquisition, what’s the point?

Carela (21) pitched to a 3.67 ERA (3.73 FIP) over 83.1 innings for High-A Hudson Valley. His 31.1% K rate shows some of his potential, but he doesn’t possess the velocity that organizations look for. For Chicago, he represents a decent get for a rental relief pitcher. One can project him as a future reliever who focuses heavily on his breaking stuff.

The Yankees made a smaller trade for RHP Spencer Howard, giving up only cash considerations to the Texas Rangers. Howard has done nothing to thrill you in MLB, but he was ranked as the 27th prospect in MLB by Baseball America in 2021. Storing his arm in Triple-A hurts nobody, so this doesn’t bother me. If the Yankees made a meaningful acquisition today, his news would have been buried.

Scranton (47-53; 13-13 in the second half) (Defeated Rochester, 5-4)

2B Oswaldo Cabrera1-for-4, BB, 2 K
SS Oswald Peraza3-for-3, 2B (7), SF, 2 RBI, RS, BB, SB (12)
.272/.362/.508 in 221 PA (7 doubles, 1 triple, 12 HR, 30 RBI, 35 R, 21 BB, 39 K, 12-for-15 SB)
C Austin Wells0-for-4, BB, 2 K
Since promotion: .235/.325/.294 in 40 PA. He has five walks and 15 strikeouts.
RF Everson Pereira2-for-5, 2 RBI, RS, K
Since promotion: .329/.368/.573 in 82 PA. Pereira has three multi-hit games in his last four games played.
CF Estevan Florial1-for-4, BB, 2 K, SB (19)
Florial has hit safely in ten of his last 11 games.
3B-1B Andres Chaparro0-for-3, BB
LF Franchy Cordero0-for-2, 2 BB, K, SB (5)
  2B Jesus Bastidas0-for-0
C Carlos Narvaez1-for-4, RS, 3 K
1B Jake Lamb2-for-4, RS
   PR-LF Brandon Lockridge: 0-for-0, RS, 2 SB (12)
Lockridge is 29-for-33 stealing bases between here and Somerset (he is tied with Jasson Dominguez and Caleb Durbin for the organizational SB lead)

LHP Edgar Barclay3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, HR
Barclay’s Triple-A debut.
RHP Zac Houston2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Well, this is rather impressive.
RHP Michael Gomez: (W, 1-4)  3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
RHP Matt Bowman: (S, 4) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Somerset (58-37; 16-11 in the second half) (Lost to Akron, 6-1)

SS Trey Sweeney1-for-4, 2 K
.249/.365/.420 in 425 PA (18 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 62 R, 58 BB, 83 K, 15-for-22 SB). Sweeney/Dominguez at the top of the order has produced plenty of baserunners for the hitters below them.
CF Jasson Dominguez1-for-2, RBI, 2 BB, CS (7)
.228/.356/.372 in 421 PA (10 doubles, 2 triples, 12 HR, 53 RBI, 65 R, 70 BB (16.6%), 112 K (26.6%), 29-for-36 SB). I like to see dropping K rates…for hitters, at least.
1B Ben Rice0-for-3, BB
LF Elijah Dunham0-for-4, 2 K
2B Mickey Gasper0-for-3, 2 K
C Anthony Seigler0-for-3, 2 K
.166/.320/.221 in 181 PA, He continues to draw his walks (18.8%) but the hit tool has not developed well – some of that can be the injuries.
3B Max Burt0-for-2, BB, 2 K, CS (4)
DH Jeisson Rosario1-for-3, 2 K
RF Aaron Palensky1-for-3, RS

RHP Blane Abeyta (L, 6-5): 4 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR
5.82 ERA (89.2 IP, 93 H, 60 R, 58 ER, 12 HR, 39 BB, 93 K)
RHP Blas Castano2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
LHP Lisandro Santos0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Tanner Myatt1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
3.66 ERA (39.1 IP, 24 H, 18 R, 16 ER, 3 HR, 30 BB, 47 K)

Hudson Valley (54-43; 15-15 in the second half) (Lost to Wilmington, 8-4)

CF Spencer Jones0-for-4, RBI, BB, 2 K
2B Ben Cowles1-for-4, 2B (14), RS, BB, K
He has hit safely in nine of his last ten games. 
C Agustin Ramirez1-for-4, RBI, RS
Since promotion: .400/.447/.726 in 103 PA (10 doubles, 7 HR, 18 RBI, 19 R, 7 BB, 12 K). His hitting streak is up to seven (12-for-31)
DH Rafael Flores1-for-4, K
LF Christopher Familia1-for-4
Since promotion: .253/.316/.460 in 95 PA. Overall: .324/.395/.688 in 190 PA.
SS Alexander Vargas0-for-3, RS, BB, K
1B Spencer Henson1-for-4, K
RF Aldenis Sanchez3-for-4, RS
Sanchez has a 6-game hitting streak (8-for-24). 
3B Eduardo Torrealba1-for-3, RBI, BB

RHP Brendan Beck4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
At this level: 0.47 ERA in 19 IP (14 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 20 K)
LHP Joel Valdez: (L, 2-5)  2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Shane Gray1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Carlos Gomez1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Tampa (46-50; 15-15 in the second half) (Annihilated Bradenton, 15-6)

SS Jared Serna: 4-for-6, 2 2B (20), HR (19), 2 RBI, 2 RS
As usual, once you think Serna is “slumping,” he does something like this. Serna has four 4-hit games this season and has 20 doubles, 19 HR, 68 RBI, and 69 runs scored.
3B Jesus Rodriguez1-for-4, RBI, RS, BB, HBP, 2 K
C Omar Martinez: 4-for-6, 3 HR (15), 5 RBI, 4 RS, K
Martinez is the third Yankees prospect to hit three home runs in a game this season (Jhon Imbert, Tyler Hardman). He is hitting .263 with a .857 OPS (11 doubles, 1 triple, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 46 R). 
CF Anthony Hall: 3-for-3, HR (9), 2 RBI, 2 RS, BB
Hall is hitting .286 with a .875 OPS (9 doubles, 2 triples, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 42 R, 38 BB, 55 K). He likely belongs in Hudson Valley.
  PH-CF Daury Arias2-for-2, RS
DH Coby Morales: 2-for-5, 2B (1), HR (1), 4 RBI, 2 RS, K
This is an impressive professional debut for Morales, who was their 18th-round pick out of the University of Washington. He is a 21-year-old left-handed bat.
LF Garrett Martin0-for-5, BB, 2 K
Martin’s professional debut. The 23-year-old was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Austin Peay State. He played in 20 games for Oklahoma State back in 2022.
RF Tayler Aguilar1-for-6, RBI
1B Beau Brewer0-for-4, 2 BB
2B Jose Colmenares1-for-4, 2B (1), RS, BB

RHP Sean Hermann4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: (W, 1-0)  2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Since promotion: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 10 K
RHP Cole Ayers1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
RHP Alex Bustamante: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
3.59 ERA (42.2 IP, 28 H, 21 R, 17 ER, 1 HR, 29 BB, 46 K)

FCL Yankees (24-15) (Split a doubleheader with the Phillies)

Game 1 (Won, 2-1, in 8 innings)

DH Keiner Delgado0-for-3, RS, BB, 2 K, 2 SB (24)
2B Roc Riggio1-for-3, BB, 2 K
Riggio made his debut yesterday. He has fast-rise potential.
RF Willy Montero0-for-4, 2 K
SS Hans Montero0-for-2, 2 BB
1B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-2, 2 BB
Jasso, a 20-year-old out of Mexico, makes his professional debut.
CF Cole Gabrielson3-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, K
Gabrielson, a 23-year-old right-handed bat out of USC, makes his professional debut. He was signed as a non-drafted free agent.
LF Joel Mendez1-for-2, K

RHP Luis Serna2.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
4.97 ERA (12.2 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 HR, 6 BB, 15 K)
RHP Jordy Luciano (W, 2-3): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
4.26 ERA (19 IP, 15 H, 14 R, 9 ER, 0 HR, 18 BB, 20 K)
RHP Steven Fulgencio0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Fulgencio’s first career save. Congrats!

Game 2 (Lost, 4-3)

SS Keiner Delgado0-for-4, 2 K
.280/.386/.467 in 176 PA with a 24-for-29 stolen base rate. Delgado is 58-for-71 stealing bases in 88 career games.
3B Enmanuel Tejeda2-for-3, RS
.305/.471/.449 in 157 PA with an 18-for-23 stolen base rate. He has 33 walks and 34 strikeouts.
LF John Cruz1-for-3
C Manuel Palencia1-for-2, 2B (3), RBI, BB
His trip up to Low-A (where he went 2-for-4) was a one-off.
CF Wilson Rodriguez1-for-3, 2B (1), RBI, K, CS (1)
The 18-year-old was drafted in the 17th round in this year’s draft out of Puerto Rico. He is a left-handed bat.

RHP Jackson Fristoe3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
5.85 ERA (20 IP, 16 H, 13 R, 13 ER, 3 HR, 21 BB, 22 K). Although he is 23, it is also his first taste of pro ball.

DSL Yankees (24-14) (Defeated Colorado, 9-4)

CF Brando Mayea2-for-5, 3B (1), RBI, 2 RS, SB (17)
.248/.358/.352 in 123 PA with a 17-for-20 SB rate. He isn’t crushing the level, but his performance is fine.
SS Luis Suarez2-for-5, RBI, 2 RS, 2 SB (17)
2B Santiago Gomez2-for-4, 2B (9), 2 RS, BB, 2 SB (12)
.282/.433/.427 in 134 PA (9 doubles, 2 HR, 24 RBI, 27 R, 20 BB, 27 K, 12-for-15 SB). Gomez is 19 and repeating the level.
3B Luis Ogando2-for-5, 2 RBI, RS, K, SB (11), CS (6)
.374/.463/.596 in 121 PA for the 19-year-old. He hit .300/.417/.440 in 34 games at this same level last year.

RHP Christian Zazueta4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K
RHP Jesus Castellanos (W, 1-0): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Signed on July 12th, this is Castellanos’ professional debut.

DSL Bombers (19-20) (Lost to DSL Miami, 6-2)

2B Gabriel Terrero1-for-4, RBI, BB
.314/.407/.578 in 118 PA (7 doubles, 1 triple, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 25 R, 14 BB, 23 K, 12-for-16 SB). Nice debut season for the 17-year-old.
CF Gabriel Lara0-for-2, RBI, 2 HBP
.263/.403/.430 in 144 PA (5 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 26 R, 23 BB, 25 K, 14-for-18 SB). Another 17-year-old having a nice debut season

RHP Joshawn Lampson (L, 0-3): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
A DSL line if there ever was one.