Yankees MILB 6/21: Jace Avina Doubles, Homers

News:

RHP Yoendrys Gomez and Phil Bickford were promoted to MLB today. RHP Ron Marinaccio was demoted to Scranton while LHP Victor Gonzalez was designated for assignment. Gonzalez doesn’t have enough service time to refuse an outright assignment, nor has he been outrighted before. Hence, if he somehow clears waivers (unlikely), the Yankees could store him for depth. Gonzalez looked like a good replacement for Wandy Peralta, but it hasn’t worked out. In 27 games, he pitched to a 3.86 ERA (5.93 FIP) with an 11/13 K/BB ratio over 23.1 innings. His calling card (ground balls) was still a strength (52.9%)

I would like to see Gomez get an extended look. He is out of options in 2025, so the time is now for evaluation. That said, he threw a lot of pitches tonight. Will the Yankees replace him for tomorrow’s contest? It isn’t impossible, but I hope not.

When Bickford debuts, it will become his 4th MLB organization since 2020. Unlike other Yankees’ relievers, Bickford is not a ground ball pitcher (35.2% career GB). However, he can miss bats (26.6%). Last season, he pitched to a 4.62 ERA in 25.1 innings for the Mets.

Scranton (41-29) (Down to Buffalo, 11-0, in the third inning. This game is suspended and, unfortunately, will need to be completed)

2B Brandon Lockridge0-for-1, K
DH Jorbit Vivas0-for-1, K
3B Oswald Peraza0-for-1, K
1B Agustin Ramirez0-for-1, K
C Carlos Narvaez0-for-1
LF Jose Rojas0-for-1
RF Oscar Gonzalez0-for-0
CF Taylor Trammell0-for-0
SS Kevin Smith0-for-0

LHP Edgar Barclay2.2 IP, 12 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 3 HR
And you thought you had a bad day…
RHP Matt Sauer0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K


Somerset (32-35) (Lost to Erie, 8-2. I guess this game got a bit chippy, as an Erie pitcher was ejected in the 9th inning. Sounds like fun)

CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-3, BB, K
Jones has played well in June (21-for-73 (.288), 3 homers), though one still feels he hasn’t yet gone on a season-altering tear.
3B Jesus Rodriguez1-for-3, RS, HBP
Rodriguez is 3-for-11 since his promotion (0 K in 14 PA)
SS Ben Cowles1-for-4, HR (5), 2 RBI, RS, K
Cowles has hit safely in three straight games after an 0-for-16 stretch. It’s a start!
C J.C. Escarra0-for-4, 2 K
DH Grant Richardson0-for-4, 3 K
LF Elijah Dunham1-for-3
2B Anthony Seigler0-for-2, BB
RF Jared Wegner0-for-3, K
1B Max Burt0-for-3

RHP Zach Messinger: (L, 2-4)  4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
3.89 ERA (74 IP, 61 H, 43 R, 32 R, 6 HR, 25 BB, 83 K). Messinger is a 6’6″ bulldog who is pitching well overall.  As of this writing, he leads the Eastern League in strikeouts.
RHP Luis Velasquez1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Colby White1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP McKinley Moore: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Moore is a project with a low-to-medium probability, but one that is likely worth investing in.
RHP Aaron Palensky0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Palensky is a position player. This was his second pitching appearance in 2024 (washes away a not-so-great first appearance!)


Hudson Valley (33-33) (Lost to Greensboro, 10-3)

2B Roc Riggio: 2-for-4, K
Riggio has a 5-game hitting streak (6-for-18, 1 double, 2 HR). It’s nice to see him compile some hits.
SS Jared Serna0-for-4, K
Serna is 0-for-15 since missing a game due to a HBP.
DH Rafael Flores2-for-4, RS
.295/.406/.486 in 219 PA. He has 17 multi-hit games (54 games played).
C Omar Martinez2-for-4, RS
.237/.376/.390 in 218 PA.  He owns a 17.4% BB and 22.0% K. Last season, for Tampa, he hit .251/.367/.445 in 444 PA with a 15.1% BB and 24.8% K. He is fairly consistent, though his FB rate is down in 2024.
CF Jace Avina: 2-for-4, 2B (18), HR (7), 3 RBI, RS, K
.271/.349/.457 in 241 PA. He has a pair of doubles and homers in his last five games and has shown signs of breaking out of his slump.
LF Christopher Familia0-for-4, 2 K
Familia is having trouble so far, as he is 4-for-26 without an extra-base hit since joining this level.  Remember: He got off to a late start due to injury.
RF Garrett Martin0-for-4, 2 K
1B Kiko Romero: 1-for-4, K
3B Brenny Escanio1-for-4, 2B (3), 2 K

LHP Kyle Carr2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
I am not sure why Carr was pulled after only 40 pitches.
LHP Joel Valdez: (L, 1-2)  2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Cole Ayers1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
2.54 ERA in 39 IP (30 H, 15 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 14 BB, 47 K). 
RHP Trent Sellers1.2 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
RHP Huey Morrill0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, HR


Tampa (24-42) (Lead Palm Beach, 2-0, in the bottom of the 4th. The game was suspended due to lightning/rain. They will try to finish it up tomorrow)

DH Enmanuel Tejeda0-for-2
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-2, K
2B Roderick Arias0-for-1, SB (18), BB
1B Dylan Jasso0-for-2
CF Jackson Castillo1-for-2, RS
3B Hans Montero1-for-1, RS, BB
RF Willy Montero2-for-2
LF Coby Morales: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, SB (14)
C Oscar Silverio:  0-for-0, BB

RHP Luis Serna4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
The weather cuts Serna’s start for the second consecutive time. While the stats aren’t official until the game concludes, this effort will lower his ERA below 4.00 (3.98 in 52 IP (37 H, 23 R, 23 ER, 2 HR, 15 BB, 61 K)). His ERA was 10.32 in his first three starts and 6.97 after five starts. He has been on quite a roll and is still under 20 (until July 20th).


FCL (22-13) (Defeated the Blue Jays, 8-1. I am still not sure how playing the same three teams is helpful, but I guess playing time is the most important thing)

CF Brando Mayea2-for-3, RBI, RS, 2 SB (15), CS (3), 2 BB
15 SB in 23 games. The league leader (Staryln Caba (PHI)) has 28 in 32 games.
DH Edgleen Perez0-for-2, RS, SB (3), 3 BB
2B Abrahan Ramirez2-for-4, 2B (8), RBI, 2 RS
Ramirez is hitting .400/.517/.589 in 119 PA. He leads the FCL in average, OBP, and OPS (third in slugging percentage). The Yankees signed him for $30,000.
LF Brian Sanchez1-for-5, 3B (3), 2 RBI, SB (11), 3 K
Sanchez is first in slugging percentage (.629) and second in OPS (1.071)
3B Luis Ogando2-for-5, 2 RBI, RS, SB (8), K
SS Sebastian Gomez: 1-for-3, 2 SB (8), HBP
RF Fidel Montero1-for-3, 2B (3), BB, K

RHP Harrison Cohen1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Rehab appearance for Cohen, who pitched to a 3.61 ERA in 52.1 IP between Tampa/Hudson Valley/Somerset in 2023.
RHP Danny Flatt (W, 1-0): 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 3 K
2.67 ERA (27 IP, 22 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 HR, 15 BB, 30 K). The 20-year-old is a candidate for Low-A Tampa when the promotions start happening.
RHP Yoljeldriz Diaz2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Alejandro Gomez2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K


DSL Yankees (4-10) (Lost to the DSL Rockies, 6-1)

C Luis Puello3-for-3, 2B (2)
Puello had three of the team’s five hits. The 18-year-old is 10-for-22 (2 doubles, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K)
SS Ovandy Frias1-for-3, HR (2), RBI, RS
Frias hit one home run in 35 games last year. He has two in three games this year.

RHP Alexander Almonte5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
10 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 6 BB, 10 K. He is only 17.


DSL Bombers (8-5) (Defeated Mets Blue, 4-1)

SS Christofer Reyes2-for-4, RS, SB (6)
CF Richard Meran1-for-2, 2B (3), 2 RS, SB (1), HBP, BB

RHP Mariano Salomon (W, 2-0): 5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
A strong performance by the 21-year-old. I doubt it is common that both DSL starters go 5+ innings on the same day.