Yankees MILB 6/22: Jesus Rodriguez Hits First Double-A Homer

News:

RHP Cam Schlittler was promoted to Scranton from Hudson Valley. This is likely a move for need rather than a permanent placement. Typically speaking, a prospect isn’t going to skip over Double-A.

Schlittler has put together a solid season, pitching to a 2.32 ERA (3.97 FIP) over 54.1 innings with a 56.4% GB, 31.7% K, and 12.5% BB. It is a simplistic way to evaluate, but prospects who miss bats and keep the ball on the ground are gold.

LHP Chasen Shreve is back. The lefty was signed to a minor league deal today after opting out of his Rangers contract. Most of the time, players opt out because they have an MLB opportunity. For now, that isn’t the case with Shreve, but the Yankees bullpen is uncharacteristically in chaos mode. From 2015-2018, Shreve compiled a 3.92 ERA (4.99 FIP) over 174.2 innings for the Yankees. He was traded to the Cardinals (along with Giovanny Gallegos) for Luke Voit. While Gallegos has become a mainstay in the Cardinals’ pen, Shreve has bounced around.

DH Giancarlo Stanton left tonight’s game, potentially opening up a roster spot for many potential options. The first instinct for prospect lovers is Agustin Ramirez if the Yankees want to be aggressive. Alternatively, they could promote T.J. Rumfield and have Ben Rice take more DH at-bats (Rumfield has a better reputation at first base). Veterans like Oscar Gonzalez, Jose Rojasand Taylor Trammell could be in the conversation. Oswald Peraza? He wouldn’t be a perfect fit for this role but he is conveniently on the 40-man roster.

Outside the organization, washed-up veterans Garrett Cooper and Jose Abreu are available. Abreu has a 3 OPS+ in 2024. That isn’t a typo. Cooper, a former Yankee, hit .206/.267/.299 for the Cubs and Red Sox this season. That’s good for a 59 OPS+. In other words, no. Just no. No. No. No. No. No.

Scranton (41-30) (They are supposed to play two against Buffalo)

Game 1 (Losing, 21-10, in the bottom of the 9th. This game is in a rain delay. I doubt Game 2 is played. If it is, I will update this whenever it finishes)

2B Brandon Lockridge0-for-1, K
  2B-3B Josh VanMeter1-for-3, 2 RBI, RS, BB
DH-2B Jorbit Vivas1-for-5, HR (2), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
Vivas has two home runs in his last four games.
3B-SS Oswald Peraza1-for-5, 3 K
1B Agustin Ramirez0-for-2, 2 K
Ramirez is 1-for-11 since his promotion.
  1B T.J. Rumfield1-for-2
Runfield is hitting .295 with a .800 OPS for Scranton.
C Carlos Narvaez0-for-2, 2 RS, HBP, BB
Narvaez is another potential option, but he is best off catching down here.
LF Jose Rojas2-for-4, 3B (1), HR (15), 2 RBI, 2 RS
As I have stated before: Rojas rarely has issues with minor-league pitching. Major League pitching is a different story.
RF Oscar Gonzalez1-for-4, 2 RS
CF Taylor Trammell2-for-3, 2 RBI, RS, BB
SS-P Kevin Smith1-for-3, 2B (8), RBI, BB, 2 K

LHP Edgar Barclay: (L, 3-6)  2.2 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
RHP Duane Underwood Jr.1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Art Warren1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Cody Morris0.1 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Kevin Smith2.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K


Somerset (32-35) (Lead Erie, 1-0, in the second inning. This game was suspended due to rain and they will try to finish it up tomorrow)

DH Spencer Jones0-for-1
C Jesus Rodriguez1-for-1, HR (1), RBI, RS
Once this game goes official, this will be Rodriguez’s first Double-A home run. Between 2023-2024, he hit 8 home runs in 81 games for Hudson Valley (High-A).
3B Tyler Hardman0-for-1, K
2B Ben Cowles0-for-1, K
CF Grant Richardson0-for-0
RF Elijah Dunham0-for-0
1B J.C. Escarra0-for-0
LF Aaron Palensky0-for-0
SS Alexander Vargas0-for-0

RHP Bailey Dees1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
This will be a wasted start, but that isn’t a big deal. Season: 3.80 ERA (68.2 IP, 60 H, 33 R, 29 ER, 9 HR, 24 BB, 74 K). 


Hudson Valley (33-34) (Lost to Greensboro, 2-1, in 11 innings)

2B Roc Riggio0-for-1, HBP, BB, K
Riggio wasn’t pulled from the game immediately after the HBP but one’s first instinct is that it is related.
   PH-2B Beau Brewer: 0-for-1
After Riggio was pulled, they didn’t turn to Jared Serna. That tells me they were committed to giving him a full night off. 
CF Jace Avina1-for-4, BB, K
C Rafael Flores0-for-5, 3 K
DH Omar Martinez1-for-4, HR (7), RBI, RS, BB
.238/.377/.403 in 223 PA. His personal best for home runs is 18, set in 2023.
PR-DH Nelson Medina0-for-0
RF Christopher Familia0-for-4, HBP, 2 K
LF Cole Gabrielson0-for-5, 4 K
1B Josh Moylan1-for-4, 2 K
3B Kiko Romero0-for-4, 2 K
SS Brenny Escanio2-for-4, 2B (4), CS (1), 2 K

LHP Ben Shields5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Shields sets a new personal best for strikeouts in a game. Season (for Hudson Valley – I am ignoring that emergency start he made for Scranton): 3.06 ERA (47 IP, 34 H, 19 R, 16 ER, 5 HR, 10 BB, 62 K). While he is 25, this is his debut season. I expect him to be a Somerset option when mass promotions begin.
RHP Matt Keating2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
3.46 ERA (41.2 IP, 28 H, 18 R, 16 ER, 4 HR, 17 BB, 50 K). Keating has 145 strikeouts in 108 career innings.
RHP Eric Reyzelman2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Between here and the FCL: 12.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 21 K. For Hudson Valley: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 12 K>
RHP Mason Vinyard (L, 2-1): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
2.18 ERA (20.2 IP, 14 H, 11 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 10 BB, 32 K)


Tampa (24-42) (Lead Palm Beach, 2-0, in the bottom of the 4th. The game was suspended again due to rain. They will attempt to finish it tomorrow, followed by the regularly scheduled game. Tonight’s regularly scheduled game is postponed. I do not see a make-up date listed. The squads do not play each other again this season, so the game may forever go away)

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 (23-13) (Defeated the Blue Jays, 7-5, in nine (extra) innings. Read below for a most unusual fact from this game)

CF Brando Mayea0-for-4, RS, BB, 3 K
C Edgleen Perez2-for-3, RS, BB, K
.280/.473/.398 in 129 PA with 20 runs batted in (he has 32 walks (24.8%) and 22 strikeouts)
SS Juan Matheus1-for-4, RS, 2 K
2B Gabriel Terrero0-for-3, RS, SB (9), BB
RF Joel Mendez0-for-3, RS, BB, K
DH Diomedes Hernandez: 0-for-1, BB
   PR-DH-P Santiago Gomez1-for-2, HR (1, grand slam), 4 RBI, 2 RS, SB (9), CS (4), K
His grand slam in the top of the 9th was part of a 6-run inning that the Blue Jays couldn’t overcome. However, this wasn’t the end of Gomez’s day (keep scrolling down!)

RHP Carlos Lagrange1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
Lagrange’s 2024 debut. He has some “buzz” surrounding him (not as much as Henry Lalane, but that isn’t a knock). The 21-year-old pitched to a 4.97 ERA and 63/24 K/BB over 41.2 innings in 2023. He is 6’7″.
RHP Andrew Landry1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
The professional debut for last year’s 16th-round pick out of Southeastern Louisiana.
RHP Chris Kean2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
1.88 ERA (14.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 3 BB, 17 K). Tampa is calling…
RHP Santiago Gomez (S, 1): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
The player who hit the big grand slam in the 9th was needed to save the game. Can you do that, Shohei Ohtani?


DSL Yankees (5-10) (Defeated the DSL Angels, 3-2)

3B Richard Matic1-for-3, 2B (3), RS, K
DH Luis Puello2-for-3, RBI, K
The 18-year-old is 12-for-25 (..480) with a pair of homers and 11 RBI.
RF Estivenzon Montero3-for-3, 2B (1), 2 RBI, SB (2)
Montero’s first career multi-hit game (6th game)

RHP Jorge Luna5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 K
1.98 ERA (13.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 17 K)
LHP Ronald Tejada (W, 1-0): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
The 17-year-old’s first career win.


DSL Bombers (9-5) (Defeated the DSL Giants Orange, 5-4)

C Queni Pineda0-for-1, 3 RS, SB (4), 3 BB
Pineda is 8-for-28 with 2 doubles, a homer, 13 runs scored, 12 walks, and 5 strikeouts.
LF Browm Martinez1-for-3, SF, 2 RBI, K
3B Kevin Verde: 1-for-2, 2 SF, 2 RBI

RHP Jerson Alejandro3 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K
The 6’6″ Alejandro has a 14/11 K/BB in 9 innings.
RHP Carlos Almonte: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Standing 6’5″, this is the 20-year-old’s professional debut.