Yankees MILB 3/29: Opening Day!

Notes:

C/1B Ben Rice appears to be starting his campaign in Somerset. The left-handed slugger hit .327/.401/.648 in 222 PA for Somerset last year, so hopefully this is temporary.

Scranton (1-0) (Defeated Buffalo, 12-8)

CF Greg Allen: 2-for-4, HR (1), RBI, 3 RS, 2 SB (2)
Allen starts the season off with a lead-off home run. If they need a player in a pinch, he will be on the list of early call-ups.
2B Caleb Durbin: 2-for-5, 2B (1), 3 RBI, RS, HBP, SB (1)
Durbin is somewhere on the MLB depth chart. He has speed and versatility. Last season, he stole 36 bases in 69 games (an injury kept him out of action for a while)
C Carlos Narvaez: 2-for-4, 2B (1), SF, 3 RBI, BB
Narvaez is often overlooked, but stop doing that. He is our #3 catcher, after all.
LF Everson Pereira2-for-6, HR (1), 2 RBI, RS, 3 K
Pereira didn’t have a great start to his MLB career but is in the #5 outfielder mix.
DH Jose Rojas: 1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, 2 BB, 2 K
The veteran utility type hasn’t played in MLB since 2022. He is depth.
SS Kevin Smith1-for-5, BB, K
Smith has MLB experience but isn’t much of a bat.
1B Jordan Groshans: 0-for-4, RS, BB, 2 K
Groshans was a Pipeline and Prospectus Top 100 prospect as recently as 2022 (Baseball America listed him in 2021). In 17 games for the 2022 Marlins, he hit .262/.308/.311 with a homer. They are taking a flyer here.
3B Jeter Downs2-for-4, 2 RS, SB (1), BB, K
A main piece in the trade that sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers, Downs has yet to live up to the hype. Like with Groshans, you take a flyer. If it doesn’t work out, you have some minor-league depth.
RF Brandon Lockridge: 1-for-3, 2B (1), 2 RBI,  2 RS, 2 BB, 2 SB (2)
I often talk about Lockridge having a Tim Locastro-like ceiling, and I still believe that. Will he ever be a Yankee? I don’t know – but, just like Oliver Dunn (former Yankees prospect who made the Brewers’ roster out of spring training), he can find opportunities elsewhere in the future.

RHP Will Warren0.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, HR
A tough first outing, but we’ll let it slide given the weather. It would be a surprise if he didn’t make his MLB debut this season. He would require a 40-man roster move.
LHP Josh Maciejewski2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Maciejewski has been in the system since 2018, filling a variety of roles. Last year, however, he was a reliever for all 30 of his appearances.
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: (W, 1-0)  1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Danny Santana1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
I don’t even need to describe who Santana is – this line does it for you.
RHP Ron Marinaccio2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
It would be great if Marinaccio got back on track.
LHP Nick Ramirez: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Ramirez is on the 40-man and could be on the shuttle this season.


Somerset (0-0)

Season starts on April 5th.


Hudson Valley (0-0)

Season starts on April 5th.


Tampa (0-0)

Season starts on April 5th.


FCL (0-0)


DSL (0-0)