Yankees MILB 7/13: Carlos Lagrange: 5 Hitless Innings
Notes:
RHP Luis Gil made his first rehab appearance today for Somerset.
The draft is tonight. The Yankees, along with the Dodgers and Mets, were penalized for having the audacity to improve their roster and had their draft position dropped ten slots. They will pick 39th.
Recent history suggests that the Yankees will likely select someone who attended an SEC school or was committed to one. Four of their last six top picks fit that description (Anthony Volpe, Spencer Jones, George Lombard Jr., Ben Hess). The two exceptions were Austin Wells (Arizona) and Trey Sweeney (Eastern Illinois).
The latest mock from Pipeline has them choosing either Alabama RHP Riley Quick (Jonathan Mayo) or Tennessee RHP Marcus Phillips (Jim Callis). Both are playing the percentages. When you read their scouting reports, they feel like the types of pitchers the Yankees would target. Quick is big (6’6″) and powerful. His write-up feels like Ben Hess 2.0. Phillips can reach triple digits, but he has command issues.
As stated yesterday, all full-season leagues are on a 4-day break after today. What will I be doing? Likely nothing, though maybe I will type up a “mid-season, though it isn’t” review.
Scranton (52-37; 14-3 in second half) (Defeated Buffalo, 5-4)
By the way, Triple-A playoffs are different than the rest. Because they play an “overall championship” game between the PCL and the International League, the regular playoffs are condensed into one championship series. The division you play in doesn’t matter – the best record in the first half faces the best record in the second half for the title. The good news is that Scranton has the overall second-half lead right now.
DH Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, CS (6), 2 K
Rodriguez has a 9-game hitting streak. Since they traded Alex Jackson, he has become an “iron man” catcher. They are giving him five days off from those duties. Between here and Somerset, he enters the break at .291/.389/.381 in 352 PA (.310/.410/.410 for Scranton).
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, HR (7), RBI, R, K
Jones’ 23rd HR places him one behind minor league leader Ryan Wood (Dodgers), who has 24 in 87 games. Wood is a 27-year-old minor league veteran who consistently hits a bunch of homers. Of more significance is a player Jones is tied with: 21-year-old Mariners’ prospect Lazaro Montes, the 28th-ranked prospect in baseball (Pipeline). Anyway, he is hitting .362/.426/.776 in 68 PA here and .296/.399/.639 in 276 PA overall. With his K%, you may wonder what his BABIP is. It is certainly high (.377) but perhaps not as insane as you would have expected it to be. That’s because of all the home runs. Regardless, what a season he is having.
RF Everson Pereira: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-3, R, BB, K
Rumfield doesn’t want the break to come. He is in a 5-game hitting streak and is 16-for-43 (.372) in July.
3B Jeimer Candelario: 0-for-4, K
Candelario is 2-for-24 since signing. That won’t give the Yankees any incentive to give him a chance!
2B Jake Gatewood: 0-for-3, K
SS Andrew Velazquez: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, R, SB (22)
C Edinson Duran: 1-for-3, R, SB (1)
Duran’s first game since April 27th. I guess if I were on the sidelines for that long, I would be frisky on the basepaths too! Signed by the Yankees in 2021, the 22-year-old has played in only 122 games. In 2023, in the FCL, he hit .314/.405/.457 in 32 games.
LF Duke Ellis: 1-for-2, 2 SB (12), BB
RHP Carlos Carrasco: (W, 2-2) 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Cohen allows his first run since his promotion (9.1 IP)
RHP Kervin Castro (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
1.88 ERA (24 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 10 BB, 31 K). Can the 26-year-old be an addition to the 2025 bullpen? He isn’t a fireballer, though he is in the 91-93 range with his cutter. The Yankees need to look for something better, but Castro is proving to be decent depth.
Somerset (45-41; 12-6 in second half) (Defeated New Hampshire, 5-1)
LF Brendan Jones: 1-for-5, HR (3), RBI, R, K
Jones’ HR was a leadoff blast. Since promotion: .241/.323/.420 in 130 PA (7 doubles, 2 triples, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 16 R, 7-for-8 SB, 11.5% BB, 19.2% K). He is 12-for-37 (.324) with three doubles, a triple, and two home runs (.622 SLG) in July.
C Rafael Flores: 2-for-3, 3B (1), HBP
Flores is an extra-base hit machine, but it usually manifests as doubles and homers. This is only his second career triple (first since 2023). He goes into the break hitting .284/.342/.495 in 365 PA with visions of Scranton in his dreams.
3B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-4, K
CF Jace Avina: 1-for-3, 2 R, BB
DH Omar Martinez: 2-for-4, R
Since promotion: .255/.321/.447 in 53 PA.
1B Tyler Hardman: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, R, BB
RF Cam Eden: 1-for-4, RBI, CS (1), K
SS Max Burt: 1-for-3, SB (10), HBP, K
2B Duncan Pastore: 0-for-4, 2 K
I assume Pastore will be back in Hudson Valley once Lombard Jr. is back on Friday.
RHP Luis Gil: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, HR
Gil’s first rehab start. He tossed 50 pitches (36 strikes)
RHP Luis Pacheco: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Carlos Lagrange: (W, 4-2) 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
I always wonder if going from “starter” to “piggyback” impacts a youngster in any way. The answer is an emphatic “no” from Carlos Lagrange. For Somerset: 3.79 ERA (35.2 IP, 20 H, 15 R, 15 ER, 3 HR, 22 BB, 49 K). Overall: 8-4 with a 3.96 ERA (77.1 IP, 51 H, 35 R, 34 ER, 7 HR, 34 BB, 113 K). He leads Yankees’ farmhands in strikeouts and is in the top five in all of minor league baseball.
Hudson Valley (52-33; 14-7 second half) (Defeated Asheville, 3-2. Eight of Hudson Valley’s starters collected at least one hit, though only one went for extra bases)
LF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-4, R
July: 15-for-39 (.385; 2 doubles, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 9 R, 5-for-6 SB, 5 BB). He was hitting .225 after the June 26th game. He is now hitting .251.
CF Dillon Lewis: 2-for-4, 2B (4), R, K
Lewis has a modest 4-game hitting streak (6-for-15; 1 double, 2 HR). Hopefully, this is the start of a strong finish.
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
SS Alexander Vargas: 2-for-4
2B Jose Colmenares: 2-for-4, R, K
3B Josh Moylan: 2-for-4, RBI, K
C Tomas Frick: 1-for-3, K
DH Kiko Romero: 1-for-3
RF Anthony Hall: 0-for-3
RHP Ben Hess: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Speaking of first-round picks, Hess blew away Asheville hitters today (they are limiting his pitches after he was out for nearly a month between late May and June. In his last start before being shut down, he tossed 99 pitches.) He owns a 4.08 ERA in 53 IP (34 H, 28 R, 24 ER, 2 HR, 32 BB, 80 K). His 34% K rate entering today will be going up.
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Warrecker reaches the break with a 0.96 ERA in 37.1 IP (17 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 8 BB, 39 K). I think that is more than enough to get him to New Jersey.
RHP Ocean Gabonia: (W, 2-2) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
3.74 ERA (21.2 IP, 23 H, 14 R, 9 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 19 K)
RHP Jordany Ventura: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
RHP Huey Morrill: (S, 4) 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
0.29 ERA (31 IP, 12 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 22 K)
Tampa (45-40; 9-11 in second half) (Lost to Lakeland, 3-2)
C Edgleen Perez: 0-for-3, R, BB
Perez is hitting .214/.375/.240 in 344 PA (7 doubles, 0 HR, 25 RBI, 38 R, 5-for-6 SB, 18.6% BB, 18.6% K). One has to like the 1.00 K/BB. After a nice surge, he went 0-for-12 in his final three games before the break. He’s played a lot this year (75 games; 51 was his previous high), and fatigue can certainly set in, even as a teenager. Let’s hope he comes back refreshed.
RF Brian Sanchez: 1-for-2, 2 BB
.278/.371/.436 in 285 PA (24-for-28 SB). The 21-year-old has adjusted nicely in his first year in a full-season league.
DH Roderick Arias: 2-for-4
It’s been a tough go for Arias from the start. At no point during the first half did he reach .200 (.194/.315/.306). His continued lack of success against LHP hurts (7-for-51 with one extra-base hit), but he isn’t crushing RHP either (.209/.333/.346). He has a major uphill battle.
LF Willy Montero: 1-for-4, 2B (2), K
Montero is 9-for-25 with a pair of doubles and a triple. He has multiple hits in four of his six Low-A games.
3B Juan Matheus: 0-for-2, SF, RBI, BB
.263/.355/.349 in 332 PA (19 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 38 RBI, 41 R, 31-for-39 SB (79.5%), 12.7% BB, 20.8% K). He has six starts at second base, 24 at shortstop, and 48 at third base.
CF Wilson Rodriguez: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Austin Green: 0-for-4, R, SB (7), K
SS Owen Cobb: 0-for-3, K
1B Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-2, SF, RBI, K
RHP Gage Ziehl: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Including his one emergency start with Somerset: 4.25 ERA (78.1 IP, 85 H, 45 R, 37 ER, 7 HR, 14 BB, 67 K). Last year’s 4th-round pick (Miami) has pitched well enough to be intriguing. By the way, he wasn’t drafted in the 4th round to “save money” as he received a slightly over-slot bonus ($637,000).
RHP Chris Veach: (L, 2-2) 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Jackson Fristoe: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
FCL (25-26)
Day off.
DSL Yankees (12-18)
Day off.
DSL Bombers (15-15)
Day off.