Yankees MILB 6/24: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz Pitches Well
Notes:
A trio of players made rehab appearances in the FCL today. None are on the Pipeline Top 30 list, though Facundo and Arias have received blurbs in the past on Fangraphs.
OF JoJo Jackson was their 17th-round pick in the 2024 draft. He played in six games for Low-A Tampa last season, going 4-for-21 without an extra-base hit. The right-handed bat out of Georgia State showed some thump at the mid-major school, hitting 30 home runs in 141 games.
LHP Allen Facundo (22) impressed in 30 Low-A innings last year, compiling a 2.40 ERA (3.16 FIP), 30.2% K, and 11.1% BB. Seven of his eight games were starts.
RHP Michael Arias (23) was acquired from the Cubs for cash last winter (after Chicago designated him for assignment). In 49 Double-A/Triple-A games in 2024, he posted a 4.77 ERA (4.69 FIP) over 60.1 innings with a 25.2% K, 16.8% BB, and 40.4% GB. Originally signed by the Blue Jays as a shortstop, he’s had (predictably) mixed results on the hill. That said, he impressed the Cubs enough to be placed on the 40-man roster after the 2023 season.
The Yankees promoted C Omar Martinez from Hudson Valley to Somerset. After one year in Low-A, they decided to give Martinez 1+ years in High-A, where he hit .235/.361/.394 in 679 plate appearances. Martinez, a left-handed bat, has some home run pop, takes walks, and has played only C/DH this year (he played some first base in previous campaigns).
Reliever Hayden Merda will join him in Somerset. The 25-year-old pitched in 22 High-A games, posting a 3.68 ERA (3.57 FIP) over 29.1 innings with a 34.7% K and 10.5% BB. Moved to the bullpen this year, he has seen a significant jump in his strikeout rate (from 21.8% last year in Low-A).
Scranton (39-34) (Defeated Worcester, 6-5)
C Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 BB, K
Since I mentioned how Chase Burns schooled him, I will also bring up that his RBI single was off of rehabbing pitcher Tanner Houck. He is hitting .340/.427/.431 in 246 PA (13% BB, 14.2% K) and continues to lead the International League in batting average.
2B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-4, 2B (9), RBI, K
CF Everson Pereira: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
Pereira is in a little 2-for-18 slump (9 K)
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-4, 2 R, BB
DH Alex Jackson: 0-for-3, R, HBP, 3 K
3B CJ Alexander: 0-for-3, SB (2), BB, 3 K
RF Bryan De La Cruz: 0-for-1, 2 R, SB (4), 3 BB, K
LF Jose Rojas: 2-for-4, 2B (17), 3 RBI, R, K
Rojas is your prototypical “AAAA” player who couldn’t get anything going in 83 games for the Angels between 2021 and 2022.
SS Andrew Velazquez: 0-for-2, RBI, 2 BB
RHP Erick Leal: (W, 2-7) 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, HR
Leal is doing his job as a veteran innings leader, but his profile doesn’t lead you to believe he will be more than that (7.34 ERA in 57.2 IP. As one positive, he has 72 strikeouts).
LHP Jayvien Sandridge: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
I wish we saw him after his (very) brief call-up. For Scranton: 1.13 ERA (8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 16 K). Overall, he owns a 23/7 K/BB over 13 innings.
RHP Scott Effross: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Clayton Beeter: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Beeter has mostly been on his game, but didn’t have it tonight. I don’t think we will ever see spectacular walk rates, but that can be OK if he supplements that with plenty of strikeouts.
RHP Harrison Cohen (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Somerset (35-35) (Destroyed by Erie, 12-5, despite (supposedly) having a Major League pitcher on the hill)
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-3, BB
Lombard Jr. has reached base safely in nine straight contests.
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, R, 3 K
Jones has hit safely in ten of his last 11 games (13-game on-base streak)
C Rafael Flores: 2-for-4, 2B (19), RBI, R, K
.279/.341/.483 in 296 PA (19 doubles, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 39 R).
2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-3, HR (7), 2 RBI, R, K
Riggio has seven home runs in 17 games since his promotion (13 in 38 games overall). He isn’t the biggest guy (5’9″), but he loves to launch balls to right field. He isn’t a utility prospect as 2B is likely his only position. Can he overachieve his way to an MLB starting job? So far, he is overachieving his way to making you feel as if it is possible.
3B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-4, 3B (5), R, K
Jasso has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games and has a 28-game on-base streak.
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, SF, RBI, 2 K
LF Brendan Jones: 0-for-4, 2 K
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4
DH Cole Gabrielson: 2-for-3, HR (5), RBI, R, K
RHP Marcus Stroman: (L, 0-1) 3.2 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Given he pitched like he does when he is with the big club, that’s a good sign that he’s ready. Or something like that. I can’t believe that a Ryan Yarbrough injury was something we would fret this year.
RHP Trystan Vrieling: 2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Kelly Austin: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Cole Ayers: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Hayden Merda: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Not how he wanted his Double-A debut to go, but his feet are wet.
Hudson Valley (40-27) (Lost to Wilmington, 1-0. The minors are about development. When you lose George Lombard Jr., Roc Riggio, Brendan Jones, and Omar Martinez to promotion, the offense will suffer. Plus, Parks Harber is still MIA.)
LF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-3, BB, K
.226/.327/.309 in 269 PA (13-for-13 SB). Castillo caused some excitement with his 21-game audition here in 2024 (.314/.383/.514), but it hasn’t carried over.
CF Dillon Lewis: 0-for-4, K
Since promotion: .185/.214/.407 in 84 PA. Small sample. I think he’ll get it going.
1B Coby Morales: 0-for-4, 3 K
DH Jace Avina: 0-for-4, 3 K
While it didn’t tonight, Avina’s return should help this offense. He is hitting .281/.409/.460 in 176 PA (13 doubles, 4 HR)
2B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-4, K
SS Alexander Vargas: 2-for-3, SB (5)
3B Josh Moylan: 0-for-2, BB, 2 K
RF Luis Durango: 0-for-3, K
C Tomas Frick: 1-for-3, 2B (7)
RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: (L, 5-3) 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, HR (!!!!)
Why the exclamation points? That was Rodriguez-Cruz’s first HR allowed in 2025 (72 IP). Season: 2.50 ERA (72 IP, 44 H, 23 R, 20 ER, 1 HR, 30 BB, 85 K)
RHP Tyrone Yulie: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
4.87 ERA (20.1 IP, 14 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 14 BB, 29 K). Some good, some not-so-good in his first full season as a reliever.
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Warrecker wasn’t his usual dominant self, but a zero is a zero. Season: 0.88 ERA (30.2 IP, 14 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 36 K)
Tampa (38-31) (Defeated Ft. Myers, 6-3)
DH Edgleen Perez: 1-for-3, HBP, BB, K
49 walks in 60 games. So far, that is his offensive calling card.
CF Brian Sanchez: 0-for-4, R, SB (18), BB, K
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
C Engelth Urena: 1-for-4, 2B (10), RBI, R
The extra-base hits are starting to show up (2 doubles, 2 HR in last six games).
3B Juan Matheus: 1-for-2, 2B (15), RBI, 2 R, SB (21), HBP, BB
1B Tyler Wilson: 1-for-3, RBI, CI
LF Hans Montero: 2-for-4, HR (6), 2 RBI, R, 2 K
RF Marshall Toole: 1-for-4, R, SB (21)
Toole is 11-for-12 stealing bases in June.
2B Santiago Gomez: 1-for-4, SB (2), K
He hasn’t been getting on base enough since his promotion to show his ability to steal some bases.
RHP Brandon Decker: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Decker tossed 60 pitches. He owns a 2.91 ERA in 34 IP (29 H, 16 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 14 BB, 34 K). As you would expect, his numbers were better as a reliever, but they are trying to stretch him out to start. Not unreasonable (he was a hybrid starter/reliever for Oakland University last year), and likely the plan all along.
RHP Justin Lange: (W, 1-0) 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Lange’s rehab stint was moved here today. His fastball didn’t reach 90 MPH, and he didn’t emphasize it much, going more with his sinker, slider, curve, and change. We don’t have full data as Tampa is home (remember, they aren’t playing at George M. Steinbrenner Field this year)
RHP Cole Zaffiro: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Brady Kirtner: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Chris Veach: (S, 6) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
1.57 ERA (28.2 IP, 19 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 HR, 17 BB, 42 K)
FCL (17-21) (Lost to the FCL Tigers, 2-0)
LF JoJo Jackson: 0-for-2
PH-RF Luis Puello: 2-for-2
RF-LF Wilson Rodriguez: 1-for-4, K
DH Willy Montero: 0-for-4
He started a rehab stint on May 30th, but it didn’t last. Hopefully, it does this time.
3B Luis Escudero: 2-for-3, CS (4), K
RHP Michael Arias: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
The Yankees didn’t acquire him without a reason. They think there is something to work with here. No risk.
LHP Allen Facundo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Facundo’s first appearance since May 24, 2024. He was rolling at the time of his injury, striking out 11 in five shutout innings that day (struck out eight in five shutout innings in his previous start).
RHP Jose M Rodriguez (L, 0-3): 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Talk about a tough luck 0-3. Rodriguez owns a 0.99 ERA in 27.1 IP (16 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 12 BB, 29 K)
DSL Yankees (7-9) (Defeated the DSL Rockiers, 4-2)
SS Mani Cedeno: 0-for-0, HBP
Ugh. Let’s hope he was pulled for precautionary reasons.
PR-SS Emmanuel Orozco: 0-for-2, R, SB (2), BB, K
CF Francisco Vilorio: 2-for-3, RBI, R
3B Richard Matic: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
C Justin Capellan: 1-for-3, 2B (5), R, SB (5), BB, K
.308/.364/.590 in 44 PA. Five doubles and a homer in 44 plate appearances is nice power production.
2B Alfred Ciriaco: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (4), 3 CS (3)
A mixed bag of craziness, but we’ll take the three hits and pair of RBI.
RHP Enixon Sanchez: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
1.98 ERA (13.2 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 12 BB, 18 K). The 17-year-old impressed in his age-16 season last year. He is keeping up the pace so far this year (walks are an issue, but he is too young to worry about it)
RHP Emanuel Vargas (W, 2-1): 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
LHP Luis Rodriguez (S, 1): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Rodriguez earns his first professional save.
DSL Bombers (6-9) (They have a 7-0 lead against Arizona Black. The game was stopped due to a power outage, I guess)
CF Ruben Castillo: 1-for-2, 2B (3), RBI, R, BB, K
SS Stiven Marinez: 0-for-1, R, CS (1), 2 BB
DH Queni Pineda: 0-for-2, RBI, R, BB
LF Browm Martinez: 3-for-3, 2B (1), 3 RBI
These numbers don’t yet count, but I will add them to his start to 2025: 16-for-35 with three homers and 12 RBI. It will be his third 3-hit effort.
C Carlos Rodon: 1-for-1, SF, 2 RBI, R
RHP Alexander Almonte: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Once these numbers count (I guess assuming they do), he will have 15 innings without allowing an earned run this season (two unearned runs)