Yankees MILB 4/6: Omar Martinez: 4 Hits, HR

News:

No news is good news, except when it isn’t.

Scranton (3-4) (Lost a doubleheader to Syracuse)

Game 1 (Lost, 4-2)

RF Greg Allen1-for-1, RS, SB (3)
Allen left the game early.
   RF Josh VanMeter0-for-3
LF Caleb Durbin0-for-3, RS, SB (5), BB
C Carlos Narvaez1-for-2, SB (1), 2 BB, K
Narvaez is 3-for-19 with eight walks. That is how you turn a .158 batting average into a .393 OBP.
DH Everson Pereira0-for-2, 2 BB, K
1B Luis Torrens0-for-2, RBI, BB, K
SS Kevin Smith0-for-1, SF, RBI, BB, K
2B Jeter Downs0-for-3, K
3B Jordan Groshans: 0-for-3, 2 K
CF Brandon Lockridge: 1-for-2, 3 SB (7), BB, K

RHP Will Warren4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Warren didn’t pitch well in not-so-ideal Opening Day conditions. He bounced back tonight.
LHP Tanner Tully (L, 0-1): 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 3 K
Tully cleared waivers and was outrighted to Scranton, where he will eat some innings as needed.

Game 2 (Lost, 9-6, in eight innings. Remember that minor-league doubleheaders are 7-inning games. Syracuse scored five in the 7th to take the lead, only for Scranton to answer with three. However, Syracuse pulled away in the 8th).

CF Brandon Lockridge1-for-2, RBI, RS, 2 SB (9), 2 BB
Lockridge has nine stolen bases in six games. He stole 40 in 92 games in 2023.
SS Caleb Durbin1-for-4, 2 RBI, K
Durbin is 11-for-26 (2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R, 6 BB, 2 K, 5-for-5 SB). So far this season, he has already played 2B/SS/3B/LF/DH. This kid has serious “fan favorite” ability because he can do so many things.
DH-1B Jose Rojas1-for-4, HR (3), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
The 31-year-old depth piece has three homers in five games.
RF Everson Pereira1-for-4, 2 K
6-for-26 (.231) with a pair of home runs. He has four walks and 11 strikeouts.
1B-2B Luis Torrens1-for-3, RS, BB
LF Luis Gonzalez0-for-4, K
3B Jeter Downs1-for-2, RBI, RS, BB, K
C Josh Breaux0-for-2, RS, 2 BB, K
2B-P Josh VanMeter0-for-2, RS, BB, K

RHP Clayton Beeter3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 5 K
As usual, Beeter was fastball/slider-heavy. He topped out at 94.5 MPH but averaged 91.8. On a good note: He generated 12 whiffs. There’s talent here – I still wonder where that talent is best utilized.
LHP Clayton Andrews1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Yerry De Los Santos (L, 0-1): 0.1 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
De Los Santos is throwing hard (95.9 MPH sinkers). With the injuries happening with the big club, there will be opportunities for some of these relievers to shine. That can change once Tommy Kahnle/Scott Effross/Lou Trivino emerge from their injuries.
LHP Anthony Misiewicz0.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Josh VanMeter1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
VanMeter was forced into some relief duty. It isn’t foreign to him, as he has three games of MLB experience on the hill. Those games didn’t go much better.


Somerset (1-1) (Lost to Richmond, 13-3)

C Ben Rice1-for-5, RS
1B T.J. Rumfield2-for-3, 2B (1), BB, K
Rumfield’s HR spiked from four homers in 2021-2022 to 17 in 2023. If the power game continues to develop, he will become interesting.
DH Agustin Ramirez1-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
After his promotion last year, he hit two home runs in 31 games. This year? Two home runs in two games. You will hear about whether the 22-year-old can stick behind the plate. Remember this: We heard that about Austin Wells since day one. I like that Fangraphs said that he isn’t ready to be an MLB catcher YET instead of making a decisive prediction on his future position.
RF Elijah Dunham0-for-2, 2 K
I think many were hoping that Dunham would get some MLB at-bats last year. However, he had a tough year. I don’t know why he was pulled today.
  RF Jared Wegner1-for-2, 3B (1), RS
LF J.C. Escarra1-for-3, 2B(1), BB, K
Typically a 1B/DH, this is Escarra’s first career game in the outfield. He was signed to a minor league contract over the winter.
3B Ben Cowles1-for-4
CF Grant Richardson0-for-4, 3 K
2B Aaron Palensky0-for-1, 2 BB, HBP, K
Anthony Seigler at 2B yesterday…Aaron Palensky (typically an OF) today! He played one game at 2B in 2023.
SS Max Burt0-for-4, 2 K

RHP Bailey Dees (L, 0-1): 3.1 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 3 K
Dees is undergoing a role change, it appears. With that will come growing pains, as we saw tonight. He is listed at 6’8″, 255 pounds.
LHP Clay Aguilar1.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 K
Typically reliable, Aguilar had a tough time today in his Double-A debut (he pitched four games for Scranton last year). 
RHP Kevin Stevens2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Stevens (26) was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He didn’t pitch in 2023. This is only his sixth career game.
RHP Carlos Gomez2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K


Hudson Valley (1-1) (Walloped Bowling Green, 14-2)

2B Jared Serna1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, 3 RS, 2 BB
I wrote last night about his lack of home runs since joining Hudson Valley last year. It must feel good to get that first one out of the way finally.
 PH-2B Beau Brewer: 0-for-1, K
3B Jesus Rodriguez1-for-6, RS, 2 K
C Omar Martinez4-for-5, HR (1), 2 RBI, 3 RS, BB
The left-handed hitting catcher hit .291/.367/.445 with 18 HR in 105 games for Tampa last year. He was one of the few performing prospects who did not receive a promotion, but I wouldn’t read into that. 
RF Garrett Martin2-for-5, 2B (1), 3 RBI, 2 RS, K
  RF Kyle Battle0-for-0, HBP
LF Anthony Hall0-for-5, RS, BB, K
DH Rafael Flores3-for-5, HR (1), 3 RBI, 2 RS
The 23-year-old C/1B spent the entire season here last year, hitting .259/.346/.366 with eight home runs.
1B Kiko Romero1-for-4, RBI, RS, SB (1), HBP, 2 K
SS Alexander Vargas0-for-4, RBI, BB
Vargas has the glove to stick at SS. However, the bat has yet to develop.
CF Cole Gabrielson1-for-5, RBI, RS, SB (1), K
Gabrielson was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023. MLB shortened the draft a few years ago, so talented kids will slip through. 

LHP Kyle Carr: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Carr (21) is receiving a lot of buzz. This represented the professional debut for the 21-year-old, who was drafted in the third round in the 2023 draft out of Palomar College.
RHP Trent Sellers3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K
Professional debut for the 24-year-old Sellers, who was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023. In 15 starts for Oregon State, he posted a 4.86 ERA and 106/32 K/BB over 74 innings. It looks like he continued the strikeout tradition tonight.
RHP Leonardo Pestana2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
LHP Joel Valdez2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K


Tampa (1-1) (Lost to Fort Myers, 6-4)

2B George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
SS Roderick Arias1-for-4, 3B (1), RS, K
A homer and triple in his first two games? We’ll take it.
3B Enmanuel Tejeda2-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (1)
This looks like it will be the infield configuration early. It is smart, as Arias should play a lot at SS. It should change as players eventually move around levels. Plus, there will be off days, DH days, etc. Back to Tejeda: He stole 24 bases in 30 attempts in the FCL last year.
LF Coby Morales1-for-4, RS, 3 K
1B Dylan Jasso0-for-3, BB, 3 K
CF Jackson Castillo0-for-4, RS, K
DH Willy Montero0-for-3, RBI, SB (1), BB, K
Montero was productive last season, but only stole five bases. In 2022, he stole 16 in 53 games.
RF Daury Arias0-for-4, RBI, 2 K
The toolsy Arias didn’t perform well here last season (.217/.335/.318 with six home runs)
C Manuel Palencia1-for-3, 2B (1), RS, BB, K
The 21-year-old played ten games at this level in 2023 (11-for-35). 

RHP Ryan Harvey1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
The 23-year-old was the Yankees 11th round pick in the 2022 draft. He pitched to a 3.94 ERA with a 48/22 K/BB ratio over 45.2 innings last year (his debut year).
LHP Allen Facundo: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Fucando threw one of his 4-seamers 96.1 MPH. His sinker? Maxed at 97.4. That will get my attention, as will the 127 strikeouts in 80.2 career innings.
RHP Jordy Luciano (L, 0-1): 2.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Throughout his brief career, the 22-year-old’s issue has been control. 
RHP Kris Bow2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
The Yankees drafted Bow in the 14th round of the 2022 draft. He is a sinker/slider type, who threw one sinker 94.8 MPH tonight. Control has been an issue in his short career.


FCL (0-0)

The season starts on 5/4.


DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!