Yankees MILB 5/30: Tyler Hardman Homers Twice (Again)

Notes:

There’s nothing I can offer you.

Injury Log


Scranton (24-28) (Defeated Worcester, 3-1)

C Jesus Rodriguez0-for-4, 2 K
Rodriguez is 4-for-22 in his last five games (one of those games was a 3-hit effort). 
LF Dominic Smith2-for-3, R, BB
RF Everson Pereira2-for-4, R, 2 K
.274/.377/.521 in 138 PA (2 doubles, 9 HR, 23 RBI, 32 R, 5-for-5 SB, 13.0% BB, 32.6% K). Pereira isn’t perfect, but we need him to stay healthy in case someone is needed in MLB. They have outfield “depth” to some extent, but a healthy Pereira would be their best bet.
1B T.J. Rumfield0-for-2, R, 2 BB
DH Alex Jackson1-for-4, 2B (3), 3 RBI
Jackson’s 3-run double in the bottom of the 8th gave Scranton the lead.
3B Jose Rojas1-for-4, K
  3B Jake Gatewood0-for-0
SS Braden Shewmake1-for-4
2B Andrew Velazquez0-for-4, K
CF Ismael Munguia1-for-3

RHP Anthony DeSclafani4 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
RHP Jake Woodford: (W, 2-2)  5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
The two MLB veterans combine to allow one run while scattering ten hits. Woodford has a 4.54 ERA in 39.2 IP (45 H, 23 R, 20 ER, 6 HR, 17 BB, 39 K). So far, the Yankees haven’t needed to dig too deeply into their starting pitching depth, which is surprising when you lose Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil before the season and Marcus Stroman (don’t laugh) during the season. If they ever need to, DeSclafani and Woodford are somewhere on the depth chart.


Somerset (23-25) (Lost to Akron, 8-7. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the 9th and didn’t score. My high school coach would make us run the bleachers for two hours after such an effort)

2B George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-3, R, SB (7), 2 BB, K
Lombard Jr. continues to show off his plate discipline. It’s impressive for a 19-year-old (we won’t be able to call him a teenager much longer – he turns 20 on Monday)
DH Spencer Jones0-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Jones is hitting .237 with a .940 OPS (4 doubles, 9 HR, 17 RBI, 21 R, 7-for-9 SB, 18.3% BB, 35.8% K)
   PH Antonio Gomez0-for-0, BB
Yes, the Yankees are strict about players coming back from injury. Even down a run in the 9th, they weren’t going to allow Jones to bat.
   PR Max Burt0-for-0
C Rafael Flores0-for-4, BB
3B Dylan Jasso1-for-4, R, HBP, K
RF Brennen Davis1-for-5, 3 K
CF Garrett Martin: 1-for-5, 2B (8), 2 RBI, 2 K
1B Tyler Hardman2-for-5, 2 HR (8), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 K
Hardman hits two home runs for the second day in a row.  He is giving us a glimpse of the masher he was a few years ago (before injury).
LF Cole Gabrielson1-for-4, 3B (1), R, 2 K
SS Alexander Vargas1-for-4, RBI, 2 K

RHP Trystan Vrieling2.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Vrieling’s first two appearances since coming back from his rehab stint were scoreless (7.1 innings). I am not going to worry about a random rough evening when he is essentially in “late spring training” mode.
RHP Jordany Ventura1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Mason Vinyard: (L, 1-2)  0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
LHP Will Brian1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
LHP Ryan Anderson2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Cole Ayers1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K


Hudson Valley (30-18) (Lost to Wilmington, 4-0)

2B Roc Riggio1-for-4
“Is Roc Riggio a legitimate prospect?” Yes, but with limitations. He won’t be versatile, remaining anchored at second base. His ability to hit for average at advanced levels will be tested. However, although he stands 5’9″, he has legitimate pull power, which would be enticing in Yankee Stadium. His ability to take walks further helps his profile, as he should be able to maintain a decent OBP.  Is there room for, let’s say, a .220/.310/.420 MLB second baseman with 10-15 stolen bases? This is where you can run into an issue with his defensive profile, as his bat may scream “solid utility guy!’ while his fielding screams “You can’t play him anywhere but second base!” Yes, tweener potential exists. We’ll learn more when he gets to Double-A, likely later this season.
LF Brendan Jones1-for-3, BB
Surprising to see Jones reach base twice and not steal a base! 
DH Jace Avina0-for-4, K
1B Coby Morales2-for-4, K
3B Parks Harber1-for-3, BB
CF Jackson Castillo0-for-4, K
SS Brenny Escanio: 0-for-4, 2 K
C Tomas Frick0-for-3, K
RF Anthony Hall0-for-2, BB, 2 K

RHP Josh Grosz: (L, 3-3)  7 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Grosz needed only 86 pitches to record 21 outs. This is his second straight start in which he tossed seven innings without exceeding 90 pitches.  Season: 3.86 ERA (42 IP, 32 H, 22 R, 18 ER, 3 HR, 13 BB, 51 K).  Going strictly by Pipeline rankings, Grosz is the least heralded of the *seven* starting pitchers at this level. If Grosz is the lowest-rated prospect on your staff, you must have something good.
RHP Tyrone Yulie1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
3.24 ERA (16.2 IP, 14 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 22 K)
RHP Sebastian Keane1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
1.50 ERA (12 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 7 BB, 12 K)


Tampa (26-22) (Defeated Fort Myers, 9-3)

SS Roderick Arias1-for-5, RBI, 2 K
.161/.325/.280 in 117 PA (8 doubles, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 12 R, 11-for-14 SB, 18.8% BB, 29.9% K). Even though his 2024 was uneven, he did show some power (42 extra-base hits, including 13 home runs). This is beyond being concerning.
CF Brian Sanchez2-for-4, RBI, 2 SB (10), BB, 2 K
Sanchez is 5-for-14 with a pair of stolen bases since coming back from his 2-week injury.
C Edgleen Perez2-for-5, R, K
.217/.374/.245 in 182 PA. After an extended hot streak, he hit a little 0-for-13 slide entering tonight. His march through the system won’t be fast, as he is a 19-year-old catcher growing into his game. The Yankees have to keep throwing him out there.
DH Engelth Urena0-for-4, 2 R, BB, 2 K
RF Cam Eden: 3-for-5, 3B (1), RBI, 2 R, SB (1)
Eden is a good speed/defense depth piece. He is 164-for-185 (88.6%) stealing bases in his 456-game minor league career. He had a cup of coffee with the 2023 Blue Jays, but didn’t attempt a stolen base.
LF Dillon Lewis2-for-5, 2 RBI, R, SB (13)
.238/.316/.458 in 187 PA (9 doubles, 2 triples, 8 HR, 28 RBI, 31 R, 13-for-14 SB, 9.6% BB, 27.8% K). The 21-year-old has tools to work with.
3B Juan Matheus0-for-2, R, 2 SB (14), 2 BB, K
.286/.358/.354 in 173 PA. Power will not likely be a part of his game, which is why he has to refine his basestealing (14-for-19 this year; 52-for-74 in his career) to add to his potential value. 
1B Tyler Wilson0-for-4, K
2B Austin Green1-for-3, RBI, 2 R, SB (6), HBP

RHP Gage Ziehl: (W, 2-2)  5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, HR
4.22 ERA (32 IP, 31 H, 17 R, 15 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB, 25 K). Ziehl has pitched well since coming back from Somerset, where he made one emergency start.
RHP Jack Sokol1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Cole Zaffiro2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Chris Veach1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
1.42 ERA (19 IP, 14 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, 10 BB, 32 K). Veach touched 95 MPH with his sinker tonight. That is important, as his bread-and-butter is his changeup. If he can dial up that fastball into the 94-95 range consistently, he could become a Tommy Kahnle-like prospect. Never take my comparisons as absolutes.


FCL (9-11) (Defeated the Tigers, 8-5)

DH Willy Montero0-for-3
Montero is here on a rehab stint from Tampa. Last year for Tampa, he hit .244/.311/.355 in 486 PA (23 doubles, 2 triples, 7 HR, 58 RBI, 64 R, 15-for-16 SB).
CF Brando Mayea1-for-1
There was a dreaded “injury delay” on a force play at second base. Mayea was pulled from the game.
    LF Kevin Verde1-for-4, R, SB (3), K
C Manuel Palencia3-for-5, 2 2B (4), R
3B Luis Escudero1-for-3, 2 R, BB
RF Santiago Gomez2-for-3, RBI, 2 R, SB (9)
The 21-year-old is hitting .309/.375/.327 in 64 PA (9-for-10 SB)
1B Luis Puello1-for-3, HR (1), 3 RBI, R, BB, 2 K
Listed as a catcher, the 19-year-old has yet to play the position in 2025.
2B Gabriel Terrero3-for-3, 2B (2), 2 RBI, SB (4)
Terrero has 3-hit and 4-hit games this season (11 games played).

RHP Edinzo Marquez5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HR
4.34 ERA (18.2 IP, 17 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 4 HR, 9 BB, 16 K)


DSL (0-0)

Their season starts in June.

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