Yankees MILB 8/3: Dillon Lewis Hits a Slam

Notes:

Trade analysis links:
Jose Caballero/Camilo Doval (link)
David Bednar/Jake Bird (link)
Ryan McMahon (link)
Amed Rosario (link)
Austin Slater (link)

For the second time over the past week, the Yankees lost a depth infielder. This time, it was 2021 fan favorite Andrew Velazquez who was cut.

He was a mainstay in the Railriders’ lineup this season, hitting .244/.315/.342 with four home runs in 311 plate appearances. He also stole 23 bases in 26 attempts. Velazquez played second base, shortstop, and third base (in addition to two innings in center field).

Injury Log


Scranton (63-41; 25-7 in second half) (Squeaked past Nashville, 8-7)

It’s crazy that a team can be this hot in the second half, yet still trail Syracuse by a half-game.

2B Jorbit Vivas1-for-5, K
Vivas doesn’t have an extra-base hit in his last 25 games (that includes seven MLB games). His Triple-A SLG has dipped from .444 to .369 during this stretch.
LF Spencer Jones0-for-4, 2 K
Jones is 1-for-13 with a pair of walks in August.
1B T.J. Rumfield1-for-4, 2 RBI, R
.313/.396/.501 in 412 PA (28 doubles, 1 triple, 12 HR, 72 RBI, 64 R, 11.2% BB, 16.7% K). He ranks third in the International League in doubles and RBI.
C J.C. Escarra2-for-4, 2 R, K
3B Jeimer Candelario2-for-2, 2 2B (9), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Dueces wild!
DH Jose Rojas2-for-4, 2B (27), HR (19), 4 RBI, R, K
SS Jake Gatewood0-for-4, 3 K
CF Duke Ellis2-for-4, R, SB (19)
Ellis has a 7-game hitting streak (16-for-25 (.640); 5 doubles, 9 R, 6-for-7 SB).
RF Ismael Munguia1-for-4, 2B (10), R, K

RHP Leonardo Pestana2.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
The Railriders didn’t have a starter for today, so they went with Pestana (who has experience as a starter). 
RHP Eric Reyzelman2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
I was hoping that Reyzelman was starting to get on a roll to finish the season strongly. Today was a step backwards.
RHP Ian Hamilton: (W, 1-0)  1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Aces wild!
RHP Zach Messinger (S, 2): 3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, HR
5.37 ERA (60.1 IP, 63 H, 38 R, 36 ER, 6 HR, 36 BB, 61 K). As a reliever: 3.10 ERA (29 IP, 25 H, 12 R, 10 ER, 2 HR, 17 BB, 30 K). The 6’6″ 25-year-old is already Rule 5 eligible, and I wonder if a team would take a shot at him as a relief pitcher. I don’t think the Yankees will move him to the 40-man roster.


Somerset (55-47; 20-13 in second half) (Defeated Richmond, 9-2. WIthout a starter available, the Patriots used eight relievers to get through this game.)

The Patriots are in second place in the second-half standings. However, the leader (Binghamton) won the first-half title. Hence, for now, Somerset is in a playoff spot.

SS George Lombard Jr.0-for-5, 3 K
Not the evening that Lombard Jr. envisioned.
LF Jace Avina0-for-4, BB, 2 K
DH Garrett Martin2-for-5, R, CS (2), K
3B Dylan Jasso: 3-for-4, 2B (15), HR (13), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
Jasso is piling up the multi-hit games (eight in his last 11 games; 21-for-45). He is more of a free swinger than he is a walk merchant, as this is his first walk since July 20th (11 straight games without one).
CF Brendan Jones3-for-5, RBI, 2 R, K
After a .278/.395/.583 July, Jones is off to a 5-for-12 start to August. This follows a June where he went 15-for-75 (.200) following his promotion. 
1B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-4, 2B (18), RBI, R, 2 K
C Tomas Frick: 2-for-3, RBI, R, BB
At this level: 5-for-19 with a homer and three RBI.
RF Cole Gabrielson: 2-for-4, HR (6), 4 RBI, R, 2 K
2B Max Burt: 2-for-4, SB (11)

LHP Will Brian0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Brian, a reliever, came off the injured list today (first appearance since 7/2). For Somerset: 2.70 ERA (26.2 IP, 22 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 1 HR, 13 BB, 30 K)
RHP Hayden Merda: (W, 2-0) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Mason Vinyard1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
At this level: 4.33 ERA (35.1 IP, 26 H, 17 R, 17 ER, 4 HR, 17 BB, 37 K)
RHP Luis Pacheco1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Michael Arias1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Cole Ayers0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Kelly Austin1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
3.03 ERA (32.2 IP, 28 H, 13 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 17 BB, 31 K)
LHP Ryan Anderson1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K


Hudson Valley (61-38; 23-12 second half) (Walloped Wilmington, 10-1)

LF Jackson Castillo1-for-5, RBI, R, K
.243/.340/.339 in 397 PA (16 doubles, 1 triple, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 48 R, 20-for-21 SB)
CF Dillon Lewis1-for-4, HR (9; grand slam), 4 RBI, R, BB, K
Lewis is trying to join Spencer Jones in the organizational 20/20 club, as he is up to 18 homers to go with his 21 stolen bases. This is his second grand slam since his promotion, and he is hitting .233/.302/.444 in 46 High-A games.
1B Coby Morales0-for-3, R, SB (15), BB, K
2B Jose Colmenares0-for-3, R, BB, K
3B Josh Moylan2-for-4, HR (5), 2 RBI, 2 R
A solid stretch of games has him over .200 for the first time this season (.201/.331/.325).
SS Alexander Vargas2-for-4, 3B (2), RBI, R
DH Kiko Romero1-for-3, RBI, R, HBP, K
C John Cristino1-for-3, R, HBP
RF Anthony Hall1-for-3, RBI, R, BB

RHP Andrew Landry4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
At this level: 3.77 ERA (14.1 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 10 BB, 9 K)
RHP Tyrone Yulie2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
5.64 ERA (30.1 IP, 25 H, 20 R, 19 ER, 4 HR, 16 BB, 38 K)
RHP Bryce Warrecker: (W, 2-0) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
1.62 ERA (44.1 IP, 24 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 HR, 9 BB, 48 K). Warrecker didn’t make the “pre-deadline” Top 30 update, while other relievers did. I will be interested to see how things are sorted out when they post their August update, because I think he’s been their most impressive reliever from start to finish this year.
RHP Huey Morrill1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Speaking of impressive, Morrill owns a 0.44 ERA in 41.1 IP (15 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 14 BB, 33 K). A combination of factors puts Warrecker ahead of him (2 years younger, more strikeouts, fewer walks).


Tampa (47-51; 11-22 in the second half)  (Lost to Lakeland, 6-5, in ten innings)

3B Juan Matheus3-for-5, 2B (22), 3B (2), RBI
.267/.359/.365 in 387 PA (22 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HR, 42 RBI, 49 R, 35-for-43 SB, 12.4% BB, 19.1% K).  He is on a 7-game hitting streak (10-for-30). Interestingly, Matheus hasn’t attempted a stolen base in ten straight games. In the game before this stretch, he stole four bases.
SS Roderick Arias0-for-5, 3 K
I wouldn’t be placing Arias in the top ten on any Yankees prospect list. I may struggle to find a spot for him in the Top 20. Without the signing bonus and hype, where would he be?
DH Engelth Urena1-for-4, SF, RBI, R, K
LF Wilson Rodriguez0-for-4, R, HBP
CF Willy Montero2-for-5
.284/.312/.351 in 77 PA. 
1B Tyler Wilson0-for-3, SF, RBI, CI, 3 K
RF Marshall Toole0-for-5
.299/.405/.481 in 274 PA. He was the only player in the Florida State League with a batting average above .300 entering today. He still leads the league with his .299 average.
2B Owen Cobb2-for-4, R, SB (12), K
.313/.366/.492 in 147 PA. He has nowhere near enough plate appearances to qualify for rate statistics (thanks to injury), but he’s had a nice campaign.
C Josue Gonzalez1-for-2, SF, RBI, 2 R, BB

LHP Xavier Rivas2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
RHP Sean Hermann2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
2.61 ERA (48.1 IP, 33 H, 21 R, 14 ER, 0 HR, 31 BB, 36 K)
RHP Antonio Gomez1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Gomez was humming in his second career pitching appearance. He reached 100.9 MPH (averaged 99.7) while mixing in a cutter that maxed at 89.3 (I wonder if it is more of a slider than a cutter). An interesting twist is that Gomez is Rule 5 eligible – if the Yankees don’t add him, would a team like the White Sox jump all over him? Very possible.
RHP Jackson Fristoe1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
5.15 ERA (43.2 IP, 41 H, 29 R, 25 ER, 9 HR, 27 BB, 37 K). I won’t be telling you anything revolutionary when I say walks and homers aren’t a good combination for any pitcher, but especially relievers.
RHP Jordarlin Mendoza1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Gus Hughes (L, 4-3): 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K


FCL (28-30)

Their season is over.


DSL Yankees (20-24) 

Day off.


DSL Bombers (23-21)

Day off.