Yankees MILB 4/11: Agustin Ramirez Homers Again

News:

Nada.

Scranton (7-4) (Defeated Norfolk, 4-3. Even without Jackson Holliday, this lineup is dangerous. Scranton has held them to eight runs in three games)

LF Caleb Durbin: 0-for-3, 2 BB, K
Someone asked me my thoughts on Durbin moving around the field. I am fine with it, as long as it doesn’t impact his offense.  It hasn’t thus far.  If, for any reason, he doesn’t take well to the outfield, you can end the experiment. The Yankees have been trying to develop a super-utility type for a while. Tyler Wade failed. We’ll see if Oswaldo Cabrera can keep up with his early-season hitting. Durbin is hitting .385/.519/.641 in 52 PA (5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 8 R, 11 BB (21.6%), 3 K (5.8%), 7-for-7 SB).
RF Everson Pereira:  1-for-3, 2B (2), RBI, BB, K
.220/.347/.488 in 49 PA (2 doubles, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 6 BB, 17 K, 1-for-2 SB). He’ll get that 34.7% K rate down.
C Carlos Narvaez0-for-4, K
.111/.390/.148 in 41 PA (1 double, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 12 BB, 8 K). Narvaez reached double digits in home runs in 2022 and 2023 and should be able to do it again.
SS Kevin Smith0-for-4, 3 K
3B Jeter Downs2-for-4, HR (2), RBI, RS, K
8-for-26 start with a triple and two home runs (.615 SLG)
1B Jordan Groshans0-for-4, RS
DH Josh Breaux1-for-4, RS, 2 K
2B Josh VanMeter0-for-3, BB, 2 K
CF Brandon Lockridge1-for-3, 2B (3), 2 RBI, RS, SB (10)
Lockridge hit a 103.7 MPH double in the top of the ninth to score the two winning runs. Lockridge hasn’t played much (doesn’t qualify for rate statistics leaderboards) but his ten stolen bases lead all of minor league baseball.

RHP Yoendrys Gomez3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K
A strong 49-pitch effort for Gomez, who could see himself in the MLB bullpen at some point (if they don’t need him as a starter). That last option year is always a pivotal season for a youngster.
RHP Alex Mauricio2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 3 K
He maxed out at 96.4 MPH. He accumulated all of his whiffs (7) with his cutter, averaging 87.9 MPH.
RHP Yorlin Calderon (W, 1-0): 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
For the second time this season, he was summoned to Scranton to fill in some innings. He was awesome today, using his low-90s sinker while mixing sliders, curves, and changeups. Sometimes, players who bounce around aren’t considered prospects as they continuously float around, providing depth or innings. Calderon is not a top prospect but he isn’t a throwaway by any stretch.
LHP Anthony Misiewicz0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Jake Cousins (S, 1): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
When he was in MLB, Cousins looked like a garden variety reliever (which is useful!). We’ll see if they can develop more out of him.


Somerset (2-3) (Lost to New Hampshire, 6-3)

DH Ben Rice1-for-5, RS, K
5-for-22 (1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 R, 3 BB, 9 K, 2-for-2 SB). 
C Agustin Ramirez1-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI,RS, BB
Ramirez has four homers in five games. If you are wondering about a promotion, he played 56 games in Single-A last year before being promoted to High-A, where he only played 27 games before getting to Somerset. Tonight was his 36th game at this level. He is a catcher, so build that into your development equation but the Yankees were aggressive in 2023. He will dictate his ascension.
1B T.J. Rumfield1-for-3, RS, BB, K
CF Elijah Dunham2-for-4, 2B (1), SB (1)
3B Ben Cowles: 1-for-2, 2 SB (2), 2 BB, K
7-for-18 (3 doubles, 3 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 2-for2 SB)
LF Aaron Palensky1-for-3, RBI, SB (1), BB, K
RF Jared Wegner0-for-4, 2 K
2B Anthony Seigler0-for-4, 3 K
SS Max Burt0-for-4, 2 K

LHP Brock Selvidge: 4 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
2024 debut for the 21-year-old. A third-round pick in 2022 (out of high school), Selvidge started to generate some buzz last season. He reduced his walk rate to 6.5% (25.5% K) while tossing 127.2 innings. As for tonight, I guess his command wasn’t great and his defense wasn’t always solid behind him. It’s good enough for his first Double-A start as it is something he can build on.
RHP Danny Watson: (L, 0-1)  1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
These games happen. This is the first time Watson has allowed 3+ runs in a game since 2022 (he allowed two runs only three times in 45 games last year).
RHP Jack Neely1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Neely, who stands 6’8″, struck out 100 batters in 66.1 innings last season.
RHP Tanner Myatt1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
The Patriots’ pitchers struck out four hitters in the 7th inning.


Hudson Valley (2-1)

Their doubleheader at Rome was postponed. They have yet to play a game in this series.

They will try to play a pair of doubleheaders – one on Friday and one on Sunday. One of the six games will not be played. I don’t know if they will schedule it for when Rome visits Hudson Valley or if it is gone forever.


Tampa (1-5) (Lost to Dunedin, 3-1)

3B George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-2, 3 BB, 2 K
Lombard Jr. has reached base safely 16 times in six games (3 hits, 12 BB, 1 HBP). As someone mentioned on Twitter, you want to see more contact to see where the bat is. This is still impressive discipline for an 18-year-old.
SS Roderick Arias: 1-for-3, RBI, CS (1), 2 BB, K
5-for-25 (double, triple, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 3 BB, 15 K)
2B Enmanuel Tejeda1-for-4, SB (3), BB, K
Tejeda has a 6-game hitting streak to start his campaign. He is still looking for that first extra-base hit.
1B Coby Morales0-for-2, BB, 2 HBP
The painful way to improve your on-base percentage.
CF Tayler Aguilar: 0-for-3, BB, HBP, 2 K
C Manuel Palencia0-for-4, K
RF Daury Arias1-for-4, 2B (1), 2 K
DH Edinson Duran0-for-3, BB, 2 K
   PR Willy Montero0-for-0
LF Dayro Perez0-for-3, RS, SB (1), BB, 2 K
Perez put up some impressive numbers in 2021-2022 in the DSL/FCL, including 51 stolen bases in 95 games. Last year, in 50 games, he cratered. 

RHP Cade Smith: (L, 0-1) 3.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Smith threw primarily 4-seamers and sliders, topping out at 94.9 with the fastball. 
RHP Cade Austin3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 6 K
6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 12 K. That’s a nice start to his professional career.
RHP Yoljeldriz Diaz: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Tampa didn’t win but their pitchers struck out 14 batters.


FCL (0-0)

The season starts on 5/4.


DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!