Notes:
With Jazz Chisholm Jr. out until early-to-mid June or longer, the opportunity is there for Jorbit Vivas to make an impression. I won’t ignore the fact that it will eventually open a spot for DJ LeMahieu. Beyond that, your depth is Braden Shewmake (activated off the IL today and on the 40-man), Jake Gatewood, and Andrew Velazquez. If anyone dares to ask about George Lombard Jr., it’s grounds for me to block you from reading my website.
Given his absurdly low K% in Triple-A, it was funny that Vivas struck out in his first plate appearance. Baseball!
Clayton Beeter is in Scranton to continue his rehab. He isn’t far away.
Many players were activated on the FCL roster for tomorrow’s opener. I won’t get into that. Of note, 2B Roc Riggio and RHP Trystan Vrieling will begin rehab assignments. OF Luis Durango, chosen in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 out of Cleveland, will also start a rehab assignment. The 22-year-old hit .250/.344/.311 in 153 plate appearances for Low-A Lynchburg last season. He was an impressive 21-for-22 stealing bases. 21 stolen bases in 41 games? Nice.
Scranton (15-15) (Lost to Syracuse, 6-3)
SS Braden Shewmake: 0-for-3, 2 K
PH-SS Andrew Velazquez: 0-for-1, K
No worries about Shewmake. It is his first game back, so they didn’t allow him to play a full game.
DH Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-4, 2B (3), K
Rodriguez is 14-for-28 (.500) during his 7-game hitting streak. He continues to play C/DH for Scranton. They haven’t deployed him at his other positions (mainly 3B and 1B, though he has a little LF (24 games) and 2B (3) experience).
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-4, R, 2 K
C Alex Jackson: 1-for-4, 2B (2), R, K
Jackson, not known for his offense (especially in MLB), has a 6-game hitting streak.
C Ronaldo Hernandez: 0-for-0
RF Dominic Smith: 2-for-4, 2B (5), 2 RBI, R
LF Bryan De La Cruz: 0-for-3, BB, K
De La Cruz makes his Yankees’ organizational debut.
3B Jose Rojas: 0-for-3, BB, K
2B Jake Gatewood: 0-for-4, RBI, 2 K
CF Ismael Munguia: 0-for-3, K
LHP Brandon Leibrandt: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Leibrandt was activated off the injured list today.
RHP McKinley Moore: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Clayton Beeter: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Beeter topped out at 97.4 MPH (averaged 95.7). He threw ten sliders and nine 4-seam fastballs.
RHP Geoff Hartlieb: (L, 2-2) 0.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
LHP Rob Zastryzny: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Somerset (11-14) (Lost to Richmond, 8-7, in 10 innings)
1B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-6, 2 K
Jasso has been on fire recently. Throw this game out and start over tomorrow.
2B DJ LeMahieu: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
I am not an idiot. If LeMahieu is healthy (BIG IF), Vivas’s stay in the Bronx could be short. That isn’t what I want. It is what I expect.
PH-2B Jose Colmenares: 2-for-2, 2B (1)
Colmenares earns his first Double-A hits (0-for-15 entering tonight)
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, HR (9), 2 RBI, R, 2 BB, 2 K
Jones leads the Eastern League with 9 home runs and 20 runs scored. The next highest home run total (as of this writing) is 6.
C Rafael Flores: 1-for-6, 2B (8), K
Flores is tied for the Eastern League lead with 21 RBI.
DH Tyler Hardman: 1-for-5, R, 2 K
RF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-2, 2 R, HBP, 2 BB, K
Get on base any way you can…
3B Alexander Vargas: 3-for-4, 3B (1), 2 RBI, BB, K
Vargas hit six triples in 2023 and 2024. This triple came in the 9th, narrowing a 7-4 deficit to 7-6.
LF Jared Wegner: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, K
His RBI single in the top of the 9th tied the game at 7.
SS Max Burt: 1-for-4, R, SB (3), BB, K
RHP Baron Stuart: 4 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR
RHP Danny Watson: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, HR
RHP Mason Vinyard: 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
LHP Ryan Anderson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Anderson, typically a consistent bullpen arm, has struggled this year. This was a needed appearance.
RHP Harrison Cohen: (L, 0-2) 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Hudson Valley (17-8) (Defeated Jersey Shore, 9-1)
CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-4, R, BB
SS George Lombard Jr.: 2-for-5, 2B (6), 3 RBI, R, 2 K
His 3-run double in the 7th turned a tight 4-1 game into a 7-1 game. All six of his doubles have come in his last 14 games. He is hitting .312/.491/.455 in 106 PA. I don’t mind throwing “cold water” on a prospect to give people a reality check. With Lombard Jr., the faucet is shut off. I have nothing to offer you as a “weakness.” We’ll see what happens in the upper minors.
LF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-4, RBI, BB, K
RF Jace Avina: 1-for-3, R, SB (2), BB, K
.316/.450/.405 in 100 PA. Avina isn’t much of a basestealer (20-for-28 in 279 career games)
3B Parks Harber: 0-for-4, K
DH Coby Morales: 1-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, R, 2 K
C Omar Martinez: 2-for-3, 2B (3), RBI, 2 R, BB
.244/.337/.317 in 95 PA. Let’s hope he is starting to turn the corner.
1B Josh Moylan: 2-for-4, R
2B Brenny Escanio: 1-for-3, HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (5), BB, K
A nice night for Escanio, who does his job as an organizational utility guy. He offers speed and infield defense, but the bat lags.
RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: (W, 3-1) 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
What, he couldn’t repeat his 6.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 12 K performance? Bust! Season: 2.25 ERA (28 IP, 14 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 HR, 9 BB, 35 K). Impressive.
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
0.93 ERA (9.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 HR, 2 BB, 15 K). Warrecker, who stands an impressive 6’8″, allowed 30 walks in 65.1 innings during his debut 2024 season. If something clicks with his control/command, his prospect status goes up either as a starter or a reliever.
RHP Tyrone Yulie: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3.38 ERA (10.2 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 6 BB, 14 K). Not a bad start to his first full season as a reliever.
Tampa (9-16) (Lost to Bradenton, 9-2. They are quickly falling out of the first-half title race)
DH Edgleen Perez: 0-for-4, K
CF Brian Sanchez: 1-for-3, 2B (8), R, BB
Sanchez leads the Florida State League with his 8 doubles (as of this writing).
C Engelth Urena: 1-for-3, SF, RBI, SB (4), K
2B Austin Green: 0-for-4, 2 K
RF Tyler Wilson: 0-for-4, K
SS Juan Matheus: 1-for-4, 2B (6), R, 3 K
1B Josue Gonzalez: 2-for-4, 2 2B (4)
On April 17th, he was hitting .067/.216/.100. Now, he is hitting .153/.268/.220 (7-for-29 with three doubles and four walks since his low point). He isn’t “hot” – he is playing better.
LF Marshall Toole: 2-for-4, RBI, SB (5), 2 K
.286/.375/.306 in 56 PA (1 double, 4 RBI, 7 R, 5-for-5 SB, 12.5% BB, 26.8% K). Poole has four multi-hit efforts in his last seven games.
3B Hans Montero: 0-for-3, K
LHP Tanner Bauman (L, 0-2): 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
7.91 ERA (19.1 IP, 20 H, 18 R, 17 ER, 0 HR, 21 BB, 16 K). Some first-year prospects jump out of the gate like Griffin Herring, some have initial struggles like Bauman, and some are between those extremes. N
RHP Gus Hughes: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
His name is Alexander David Hughes. I would love to know the story behind “Gus.”
RHP Brandon Decker: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
2.31 ERA (11.2 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 5 BB, 14 K)
RHP Jack Sokol: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
9 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 8 K
FCL (0-0)
Their season starts on May 3rd.
DSL (0-0)
Their season starts in June.