News:
2B/3B Jorbit Vivas was promoted to the Yankees today as 1B/3B J.D. Davis went on the injured list.
How much will Vivas be used? Who knows? Because Davis’ IL stint is retroactive, he will be eligible to return right after the All-Star Break. Vivas may only be here for three games.
However, if he isn’t going to be used, they could have brought up Oswald Peraza to sit on the bench and pinch-run. This leads me to believe that Vivas will play.
See what is going on? The Yankees are leading me to a state of confusion. The good news? They face RHP Grayson Rodriguez tomorrow, so we’ll determine how committed they are to using him.
Scranton (48-41) (Lost to Syracuse, 4-3)
CF Brandon Lockridge: 1-for-4, 2 SB (30), BB, 2 K
Lockridge reaches 30+ stolen bases for the second straight season. Last year, he stole 40 bases and is well on his way to doing that again. I have used the name Tim Locastro many times and still think he can become that type of MLB player. The opportunity must come, however.
C Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-4, BB
Ramirez is in a little 1-for-13 slump after his extended hot streak. Baseball is a game of adjusting, re-adjusting, re-re-adjusting, etc.
2B Oswald Peraza: 1-for-4
DH Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-4
Narvaez has a 7-game hitting streak. He has one hit in all seven games and only one of them for extra-bases (double).
1B Jose Rojas: 2-for-4, HR (17), RBI, 2 RS, 2 K
LF Taylor Trammell: 0-for-4, 3 K
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 1-for-4
SS Jeter Downs: 1-for-4, SB (15), K
I can guarantee you that Downs will get another MLB opportunity. That tends to happen with players who have “prospect pedigree”. He is still only 25 years old.
3B Kevin Smith: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (10), CS (1)
LHP Edgar Barclay: (L, 3-8) 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR
Barclay has run into a wall in Triple-A. Between last year and this year, he owns a 7.09 ERA in 119.1 IP with a 117/73 K/BB and 31 HR allowed.
RHP Alex Mauricio: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
1.00 ERA (27 IP, 19 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 32 K). I will forever root for prospects like Mauricio to get to MLB. He is 27 years old and has consistently pitched well since entering the organization in 2017. Like every minor leaguer, he missed the 2020 season. On top of that, he missed the entire 2021 season, which put him behind the curve.
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Duane Underwood Jr.: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Somerset (42-43) (Lost to Erie, 7-1. A hitting clinic, this was not)
SS Ben Cowles: 1-for-4, RBI
.296/.375/.475 in 344 PA. His 23 doubles and 47 RBI are personal bests.
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4, 3 K
C Rafael Flores: 1-for-4, 2 K
RF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-3, K
Dunham’s 17-game hitting streak is snapped.
DH J.C. Escarra: 0-for-3, K
CF Grant Richardson: 0-for-3
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-3, K
LF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-2, RS, BB
3B Max Burt: 1-for-3, 2B (4), K
RHP Bailey Dees: (L, 4-5) 4.1 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
Dees allowed a grand slam in the first inning and couldn’t get on track. This bumps his ERA to 4.45 in 89 IP (77 H, 49 R, 44 ER, 13 HR, 34 BB, 94 K). One thing you worry about is Dees hitting a wall. This is his first season starting, even though he was often asked to go multiple innings as a reliever.
RHP Colby White: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Danny Watson: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Watson has allowed zero runs in four of his last five outings as he continues his recovery from injury.
RHP Matt Sauer: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Hudson Valley (42-41) (Defeated Jersey Shore, 6-1. They scored 5 in the first and never looked back)
2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-5, RS, 2 K
SS Jared Serna: 0-for-5
Serna is 8-for-41 (.195) with three doubles in July. That said, he has struck out only four times.
DH Jace Avina: 1-for-3, RS, 2 BB, K
C Antonio Gomez: 1-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, RS, BB, K
It is hard to give up on someone who had/has the potential of Gomez. It would be nice to see some signs of prospect life the rest of the season.
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-5, RBI, RS, 2 K
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-2, RS, BB, HBP
LF Christopher Familia: 1-for-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI, RS, K
CF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
Gabrielson has a 5-game hitting streak.
3B Brenny Escanio: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K
RHP Cam Schlittler: (W, 4-3) 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
2.84 ERA (69.2 IP, 45 H, 30 R, 22 ER, 6 HR, 33 BB, 89 K). He fell one strikeout short of tying his best.
RHP Huey Morrill: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
3.64 ERA (29.2 IP, 28 H, 17 R, 12 ER, 6 HR, 8 BB, 32 K)
RHP Yorlin Calderon: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Minor league baseball can be a numbers game, but I would not have demoted Calderon.
Tampa (30-53) (Lost to Dunedin, 3-0)
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Roderick Arias: 0-for-2, CS (11), 2 BB
Arias has at least one walk in four straight games. In July, he is hitting .265/.390/.353 (9-for-34; 3 doubles, 7 BB, 8 K, 4-for-6 SB).
1B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-4, 2 K
Jasso’s single broke up a no-hitter in the 7th.
CF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-3
Castillo, who bats left-handed, has struggled against LHP (9-for-43) but is hitting .267/.405/.439 against RHP with all six home runs. He is 21, so there is time to figure it all out.
RF Willy Montero: 0-for-2, BB
3B Hans Montero: 0-for-2, BB, 2 K
C Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-3
DH Anthony Hall: 0-for-3
Hall’s rehab was moved here from the FCL.
LF Coby Morales: 0-for-3, K
RHP Chase Hampton: (L, 0-1) 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
Hampton reached 91.7 MPH with his 4-seamer but averaged 90.1. Don’t be concerned about velocity yet. He has compiled only 5.2 innings during his rehab.
RHP Gabriel Barbosa: 5.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K
He stranded a runner for Hampton and dominated from there. He owns a 4.86 ERA in 83.1 IP (82 H, 47 R, 45 ER, 7 HR, 25 BB, 87 K). Drafted in the minor league phase of the Rule 5, Barbosa uses a wide arsenal that includes a slider, cutter, curve, 4-seam fastball, and changeup. According to Savant, he threw two sinkers as well. He is intriguing because organizations don’t target players in the Rule 5 draft for fun. While these players typically do not become MLB players, they can be useful. In 2017 for example, the Yankees traded Yefry Ramirez to the Orioles for international bonus pool money. Ramirez subsequently pitched in 31 MLB games.
FCL (30-17) (Defeated the FCL Tigers, 7-1. This increases their lead to 2 over the Tigers (3 in the loss column). They play the Phillies tomorrow. The Phillies are 3.5 back (4 in the loss column))
CF Brando Mayea: 2-for-3, RS
Mayea’s first game since June 24th. He was never placed on the Injured List. I wouldn’t worry that he was pulled – that is standard procedure for a returning player. The bonus baby is hitting .272/.370/.301 in 119 PA with a 10.9% BB and 26.9% K. Hopefully, the injuries are over with (he missed time at the beginning of the season as well) and he can play consistently over the final few weeks of the season.
PH-RF Ramiro Altagracia: 1-for-2, 2B (1), RBI, RS
C Edgleen Perez: 1-for-3, RBI, RS, 2 BB
.301/.466/.414 in 176 PA (7 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 29 R, 21.6% BB, 16.5% K). An impressive season for Perez, who doesn’t turn 19 until May 2025.
1B Engelth Urena: 2-for-5, 2B (9), 2 RS, K
.294/.407/.559 in 123 PA (9 doubles, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 24 R, 13.8% BB, 13.8% K, 4-for-5 SB. Urena turns 20 on August 17th. He likely would be in Low-A now if he didn’t miss the entire 2023 season). He has a 7-game hitting streak and is hitting a ridiculous .516/.634/1.129 in July (16-for-31, 7 doubles, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 12 R, 9 BB, 4 K, 4-for-5 SB). He has passed the early test. Next up is a full-season league.
2B Abrahan Ramirez: 1-for-3, 3B (3), RBI, K
Unlike with Mayea, it is a little concerning that Ramirez was pulled. He is hitting .370/.470/.551 in 165 PA.
SS Juan Matheus: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
LF Brian Sanchez: 1-for-3, BB
.306/.398/.526 in 166 PA
DH Gabriel Terrero: 1-for-4, RS, SB (13)
Terrero is a perfect 13-for-13 stealing bases (14-for-20 in 2023).
RF-LF Joel Mendez: 1-for-2, RS, SB (2), 2 BB
3B-2B Santiago Gomez: 2-for-3, CS (5), BB
RHP Indigo Diaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
“Who did the Yankees acquire for Lucas Luetge?” Your first answer (Caleb Durbin) is obvious. The second answer is Diaz, a 25-year-old RHP who pitched to a 4.26 ERA in 31.2 IP between Hudson Valley/Somerset in 2023 (43/21 K/BB).
LHP Henry Lalane (W, 1-1): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
“Will Lalane get to Tampa once the FCL season ends?” He needs innings so I assume he will make his way there.
RHP Andrew Landry: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR
Being a 22-year-old draftee from last year, Landry should pitch well at this level. He didn’t start his season until June 22nd, which is why he is still here to begin with.
RHP Omar Gonzalez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
DSL Yankees (10-17) (Defeated the DSL Arizona Black, 11-4. They earned 7 hits while walking 6 times and being hit by 6 pitches. Arizona also had four errors. DSL baseball!)
DH Justin Capellan: 1-for-2, 2B (6), RBI, RS, SB (5), BB, 2 HBP, K
That is what you call an eventful day.
RF Estivenzon Montero: 3-for-4, 3B (1), 2 RBI, 2 RS
The 17-year-old is 8-for-36 with two doubles and a triple in his debut campaign.
LF Dilan Medina: 1-for-3, RBI, RS, HBP
There’s only so much playing time to distribute, even with two DSL teams. Medina is 7-for-23 with a double and 3 RBI. He is an 18-year-old right-handed bat.
RHP Emanuel Vargas: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Michell Chirinos: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
The 20-year-old owns a 28/13 K/BB over 18.2 IP.
RHP Jesus Mejia (W, 1-0): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Mejia earns his first professional win. He hasn’t allowed a run in 8.2 innings.
DSL Bombers (17-11) (Shut down the DSL Giants Orange, 1-0, in a 7-inning game)
DH Francisco Vilorio: 0-for-3, K
SS Christofer Reyes: 1-for-3, 2B (3)
The 16-year-old is hitting .216/.326/.257 with three doubles and 8 RBI.
C Carlos Villarroel: 1-for-3, RS, SB (1)
The 17-year-old picked a good time for his first career stolen base (bottom of the 7th)
LF Browm Martinez: 1-for-3, RBI
Walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 7th.
RHP Mariano Salomon: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K
0.98 ERA (27.1 IP, 15 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 32 K). He is 20 years old and this is his second season here, so take that into consideration. However, the only way to get off the island is by playing/pitching well.
RHP Enixon Sanchez (W, 2-0): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Sanchez turned 17 on July 7th. He owns a 2.57 ERA in 14 IP with a 12/11 K/BB.