Notes:
The Yankees claimed utilityman CJ Alexander off waivers from the Athletics and assigned him to Scranton. No corresponding 40-man roster move was needed because they had space.
Alexander, who has experience at the “four corners”, is 4-for-25 in his MLB career without an extra-base hit, walk, or stolen base. That’s impressive. He spent time with the Royals in 2024 and the Athletics in 2025. Remember that the next time those teams intersect on the Immaculate Grid.
He will turn 29 years old in July and bats left-handed. During his long minor-league career (528 games), he owns a .254/.320/.461 line with 85 home runs. He was a 20th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2018, so he deserves credit for earning his way to a Major League roster.
Scranton (29-31) (Defeated St. Paul, 7-2)
C Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-4, BB, K
Rodriguez has tied his walk output from May (23 games in May; 7 games in June). He is hitting .354 with a .898 OPS for Scranton (9 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 31 R, 9-for-13 SB, 12.3% BB, 12.3% K).
3B Jorbit Vivas: 0-for-3, R, HBP, BB
DH T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB
RF Bryan De La Cruz: 0-for-4, 2 K
1B Jose Rojas: 1-for-4, 2B (14), 2 RBI, R, K
LF Brennen Davis: 2-for-4, 2B (2), HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 R, K
Davis is now 9-for-19 at this level and has four homers in 13 games between here and Somerset. His combination of prospect status (at one time) and youth (25) separates him from typical minor league signings.
SS Braden Shewmake: 1-for-3, 2 R, BB
Nobody is going to be more disappointed going home than Shewmake. He finishes the series 8-for-19.
2B Andrew Velazquez: 1-for-2, RBI, SAC, BB
CF Ismael Munguia: 1-for-4, SB (15)
RHP JT Brubaker: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
According to Savant, Brubaker generated six swings with his slider, and all resulted in whiffs. The decision on his future is getting close. His first rehab appearance was on May 18th, and pitchers receive a maximum of 30 days. I believe teams can ask for extensions, but only for arm injuries. Brubaker was placed on the injured list due to left rib fractures.
RHP Zach Messinger: (W, 1-3) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
As a reliever: 11.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB (2 intentional), 10 K. Today, he hit 96.2 MPH with his fastball. I wish I knew exactly how that compares to his time as a starter, but I don’t remember him throwing *this* hard.
RHP Scott Effross: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Carlos Carrasco: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Geoff Hartlieb: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
Somerset (25-30) (Lost to Binghamton, 7-4. There is interesting talent in Somerset (especially after the recent promotions). However, it is hardly surprising to see the team struggle as a whole in the first half.)
2B Roc Riggio: 3-for-4, 2 HR (4), 3 RBI, 2 R
If you were skeptical of the power he was showing in Hudson Valley (6 HR in 20 games), perhaps this surge will convince you otherwise? Riggio has homered four times in his last three games and has 11 home runs (tied for the organizational lead with Rafael Flores) in 27 games this season. That includes his FCL rehab time, though that was only one homer in two games. He hit 11 home runs in 128 career games entering 2025.
SS George Lombard Jr.: 2-for-4, R, SB (8), K
One good reason to leave TwitterX was that people were clamoring for him to make the Opening Day roster. Anyway, today’s multi-hit effort gets his average back to .200.
LF Spencer Jones: 0-for-4, K
Jones is down to .218 as he is 5-for-29 (.172) with 13 strikeouts since coming off the injured list.
C Rafael Flores: 1-for-4, 3 K
.283/.342/.498 in 240 plate appearances. After playing 162 High-A games, he has 121 Double-A games. I think he’ll get to Scranton sometime in the second half. They’ll figure out how to distribute the playing time.
CF Brendan Jones: 1-for-4, RBI
Unlike Riggio, Jones has struggled since the promotion. Nice to see him get an RBI single today.
DH Garrett Martin: 1-for-4
1B Tyler Hardman: 1-for-4, SB (3), K
RF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-4, 2 K
3B Max Burt: 0-for-3, R, HBP, 2 K
RHP Trent Sellers: (L, 1-3) 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
3.98 ERA (43 IP, 28 H, 19 R, 19 ER, 4 HR, 20 BB, 51 K). He has thrown only 43 innings in ten starts.
LHP Ryan Anderson: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Danny Watson: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR
RHP Luis Pacheco: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
2.11 ERA (21.1 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 12 BB, 27 K). This is his 8th consecutive scoreless appearance.
RHP Kelly Austin: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
Hudson Valley (34-22) (Lost to Aberdeen, 4-1)
CF Dillon Lewis: 0-for-4, K
Lewis is 6-for-30 with a double, triple, and homer since his promotion. His strikeout rate is 16.1% (28.2% for Tampa. We’ll see if he can keep this up as the sample size becomes larger.)
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-4
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-3, R, BB, K
3B Parks Harber: 1-for-3, BB, K
Harber has a 6-game hitting streak (9-for-22). He is tied with Rafael Flores for the organizational lead in hits and is second to Jesus Rodriguez in batting average.
DH Omar Martinez: 0-for-3, BB, K
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-3
2B Brenny Escanio: 1-for-2, RBI, BB
RF Luis Durango: 0-for-3, K
Durango is 8-for-28 (.286) with a 5-for-8 stolen base rate at this level. He has zero extra-base hits.
C Tomas Frick: 0-for-3
LHP Griffin Herring: 6 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Herring with a solid “bend-don’t-break” outing. He generated two double plays and was aided by a strikeout-caught stealing double play. Since promotion (2 starts): 12 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 6 K.
RHP Hayden Merda: (L, 1-1) 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR
Merda struck out the side in his first inning, but allowed a home run to lead off his second inning. He owns a 3.55 ERA and 37/11 K/BB over 25.1 innings.
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
A rare run allowed by Warrecker (who also allowed an inherited run). His ERA climbs over 1.00 (1.08), the first time it has been there since April 29th.
Tampa (31-25) (Lost to Jupiter, 5-4. They were on the verge of sweeping the 6-game set, but it wasn’t meant to be)
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-5, K
.155/.313/.240 in 160 PA. In the past, his struggles against left-handed pitchers were well-documented, and that continues (3-for-27). However, he is struggling mightily against RHP, and that is a problem (.167/.328/.265). He wasn’t great against RHP last season (.235/.346/.430), but it was something seemingly to build on.
RF Brian Sanchez: 0-for-5, 2 K
Sanchez has been so good lately that we will let this one slide.
C Edgleen Perez: 1-for-3, BB, K
DH Engelth Urena: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
The minors are for development over winning games (notice that I don’t say that winning is unimportant!). Incredibly, the Tarpons have played so well lately despite the struggles of Arias, Perez, and Urena at the top of the lineup.
3B Juan Matheus: 1-for-3, 3B (1), 2 R, SB (17), BB, K
LF Tyler Wilson: 2-for-3, RBI, R, SB (15), BB
Wilson has hit safely in all six June games (11-for-21).
2B Owen Cobb: 1-for-2, SF, RBI, BB, K
CF Marshall Toole: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, K
One of the reasons why they have played so well is their group of “unheralded” prospects that includes Matheus (.272/.351/.356; 17-for-22 SB), Wilson (.287/.372/.383; 29 runs; 15-for-20 SB), Cobb (.366/.415/.598; 11-for-13 SB), and Toole (.316/.426/.513; 7 doubles, 5 triples, 2 HR, 30 runs; 16-for-17 SB).
1B Josue Gonzalez: 1-for-3, 2B (6), K
PH Hans Montero: 0-for-1, K
LHP Ben Shields: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
The rehab stint continues. He threw 49 pitches (57% sliders; 43% sinkers). He touched 94.5 MPH with the sinker.
RHP Chris Veach: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
1.21 ERA (22.1 IP, 15 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, 12 BB, 35 K). There’s only so much room on pitching staffs, but Veach’s changeup deserves a shot in Hudson Valley.
RHP Jack Sokol: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Unlike Veach, Sokol features a “harder” changeup that reached 88.1 MPH today. He owns a 3.72 ERA (19.1 IP, 19 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 1 HR, 9 BB, 16 K)
RHP Brady Kirtner: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
LHP Tanner Bauman: (L, 2-5) 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
FCL (13-13)
Day off.
DSL Yankees (0-4)
Day off.
DSL Bombers (2-2)
Day off.