Yankees MILB 7/2: Spencer Jones Homers

News:

The Yankees’ two representatives in this year’s Futures Game are OF Spencer Jones and LHP Brock Selvidge. Congrats to the Somerset teammates.

IF Caleb Durbin was transferred to the 60-day injured list today. That’s not good news. They made it retroactive to June 27, according to Conor Foley. That doesn’t make sense, since he last played on May 23rd. Whatever – any time a player is moved to the 60-day injured list, it is concerning. The only “good” news (for now) is that he hasn’t been transferred to the full-season list (minor league baseball has a full-season injured list).

Durbin, who has earned cult status amongst Yankees prospect watchers, missed several games last season due to a non-contact injury (he ended up playing in only 69 games). This year, he has missed several weeks due to a HBP. He should be in the conversation to take over second base in 2025, but this setback will cost him valuable development time.

LHP Ben Shields and RHP Eric Reyzelman were promoted from Hudson Valley to Somerset.

Shields compiled a 2.75 ERA (3.00 FIP) over 52.1 innings for Hudson Valley with a 34.8% K and 4.9% BB. That works. He made an emergency start for Scranton that didn’t go well, but it is fair to toss that.

Reyzelman is on the fast track to MLB and should be an option in 2025. The 23-year-old has yet to allow a run this season in 15.1 IP between the FCL (rehab stint) and Hudson Valley. He has 26 strikeouts and 5 walks.

Scranton (45-35) (Lost to Lehigh Valley, 5-3)

CF Brandon Lockridge1-for-5, 2B (10), 2 K
Lockridge will try to build off a .382/.462/.500 June.
2B Jorbit Vivas1-for-5, K
Vivas has an 8-game hitting streak (12-for-31) and a 13-game on-base streak.
SS Oswald Peraza1-for-4, CS (3), BB, K
C Agustin Ramirez0-for-2, RS, 2 BB, K
Since promotion: 4-for-36 (.111) with a homer, five walks, and 11 strikeouts.
1B T.J. Rumfield2-for-4, 2B (15), RBI, RS
.298/.350/.471 in 246 PA since his promotion. It’s too bad that he only plays first base.
DH Carlos Narvaez0-for-2, RS, 2 BB
RF Oscar Gonzalez1-for-3, BB, K
LF Taylor Trammell1-for-4, RBI, K
3B Jeter Downs0-for-4, RBI, 2 K

RHP Yoendrys Gomez: (L, 2-4)  3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, HR
The walks continue to be a problem (30 in 49.1 innings)
RHP Cody Morris1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Jack Neely1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. 
LHP Chasen Shreve1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Ron Marinaccio1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K


Somerset (38-39) (Lost to Reading, 4-2)

CF Spencer Jones1-for-5, HR (10), RBI, RS, K
Jones, who flew out with the bases loaded and two outs in the 9th, has five doubles and three home runs in his last six games, increasing his SLG from .381 to .427.
SS Ben Cowles0-for-4, K
Cowles is in a little 0-for-13 slump, which has dropped his average to .288 (before the slump, he compiled a 9-game hitting streak. Baseball!)
3B Tyler Hardman2-for-4
1B Rafael Flores0-for-3, BB, K
C J.C. Escarra1-for-4, RS
DH Elijah Dunham2-for-4, K
Dunham has an 11-game hitting streak (16-for-46, .348).
RF Grant Richardson2-for-4, RBI
Richardson has five 2-hit efforts in his last eight games. He is hitting .260/.324/.400.
2B Anthony Seigler0-for-3, BB, K
LF Jared Wegner0-for-3, BB

RHP Zach Messinger: (L, 2-5)  5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Messinger had to grind through this one. Season: 3.60 ERA (85 IP, 68 H, 49 R, 34 ER, 6 HR, 29 BB, 92 K). His highest innings total is 101.1 (last year). He’s a big kid (6’6″) and is 24 years old – he can probably get as high as 150 innings this year.
RHP Carlos Gomez2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP McKinley Moore1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Since being placed in Somerset, Moore has walked one batter in 7 IP. It is too small of a sample to get excited, but Moore with even slightly below-average control can be a potent bullpen piece.
RHP Eric Reyzelman1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Reyzelman’s Double-A debut.


Hudson Valley (39-36) (Lost to Brooklyn, 7-0)

2B Roc Riggio0-for-3, SB (11), BB, K
Riggio has a 20-game on-base streak.
DH Jared Serna1-for-4
1B Josh Moylan0-for-4, 2 K
Moylan’s 9-game hitting streak is snapped.
C Antonio Gomez0-for-3, K
RF Garrett Martin0-for-2, CI, 2 K
LF Christopher Familia0-for-3, K
3B Kiko Romero1-for-3, K
CF Cole Gabrielson0-for-3, 2 K
SS Brenny Escanio0-for-2, BB, K

RHP Sebastian Keane: (L, 6-6)  1.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
It wasn’t his night – it required 52 pitches to earn those five outs. Season: 4.98 ERA (65 IP, 60 H, 37 R, 36 ER, 6 HR, 32 BB, 61 K).
RHP Luis Arejula2.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Huey Morrill2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Mason Vinyard1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
2.52 ERA (25 IP, 18 H, 13 R, 7 ER, 2 HR, 13 BB, 37 K)


Tampa (27-47) (Their game against Lakeland was postponed due to wet grounds)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-0
DH Enmanuel Tejeda0-for-0
Tejeda has impressed as a 19-year-old. vs. RHP: .302/.340/.380. vs. LHP: 10-for-28 (.357). 
2B Roderick Arias0-for-0
1B Dylan Jasso0-for-0
CF Jackson Castillo0-for-0
Castillo has floated under the radar. He owns a solid .251/.377/.415 (131 wRC+) line with ten stolen bases. 45 of his 57 starts have been in CF (10 in LF, 2 at DH)
3B Hans Montero0-for-0
LF Willy Montero0-for-0
RF Coby Morales0-for-0
C Tomas Frick0-for-0

RHP Bryce Warrecker0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K


FCL (26-14) (Split a doubleheader against the Tigers)

Game 1 (Won, 8-7, in 8 innings)

CF Brian Sanchez1-for-5, HR (4), 3 RBI, RS, K
C Edgleen Perez: 4-for-5, RS
Perez’s first career 4-hit game.
DH Anthony Hall3-for-5, RS, SB (1)
He should be back in Hudson Valley soon enough.
3B Abrahan Ramirez1-for-4, 2B (9), RBI, 2 RS, BB, K
SS Juan Matheus: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K
2B Gabriel Terrero1-for-3, RS, SB (10), 2 BB, K
Terrero is a perfect 10-for-10 stealing bases.
RF Fidel Montero2-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, RS, CS (3), BB, K

RHP Yoljeldriz Diaz (W, 4-0): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Game 2 (Lost a pitching duel, 18-13)

CF Brian Sanchez1-for-4, 2B (13), 2 RS, BB
.314/.404/.576 in 136 PA (13 doubles, 3 triples, 4 HR, 27 RBI, 28 R, 11-for-13 SB). He turns 20 on the 4th of July. The second piece in the Jake Bauers deal (Jace Avina is considered the better prospect) has the second-best SLG in the FCL. He is pushing for a promotion.
DH Edgleen Perez1-for-3, 2 RS, BB
.312/.486/.440 in 148 PA. His .486 OBP is second in the FCL.
C Engelth Urena2-for-4, 2 2B (4), 3 RBI, RS, BB
The $275,000 bonus baby from 2022 (the same year they signed Roderick Arias) is trying to make up for lost time after missing 2023.
2B Abrahan Ramirez1-for-3, 2B (10), RS
FCL stats should be taken with a grain of salt, but Ramirez’s .396 batting average leads the league by 56 points. He also leads the league in OBP and SLG. Incredible season for the 19-year-old (he doesn’t turn 20 until October).
SS Juan Matheus2-for-3, SF, RBI, 2 RS, 2 SB (10), BB
Matheus’ .340 batting average trails only Ramirez’s for the FCL lead.
LF Joel Mendez4-for-4, 2 2B (7), 3B (3), 3 RBI, 2 RS
Mendez’s first career 4-hit game.


DSL Yankees (9-12) (Lead the DSL Rockies, 1-0. This game was suspended in the top of the 4th. They will attempt to resume it on July 15th)


DSL Bombers (12-8) (Down to the DSL Tigers 1, 1-0. This game was suspended in the bottom of the second. They will attempt to resume it on July 6th)