Yankees MILB 8/19: Brandon Decker Ks 10
Notes:
Trade analysis links:
Jose Caballero/Camilo Doval (link)
David Bednar/Jake Bird (link)
Ryan McMahon (link)
Amed Rosario (link)
Austin Slater (link)
The DSL seasons ended today. Both teams missed the DSL Cup Tournament, with the Bombers finishing 1.5 games behind the DSL Astros Blue. Yes, you can have an uneven number of games in the minors.
RHP Jonathan Loaisiga‘s rehab is stalled due to another injury. If you are as shocked as I am, you aren’t shocked at all. $5 million isn’t much in today’s game, but the Yankees wasted money here.
RHP Fernando Cruz will continue his rehab assignment in Somerset. This is likely because Scranton is in Buffalo this week (and was rained out today), and not due to performance. Teams don’t “demote” rehabbing MLB players.
Scranton (70-47; 32-13 in second half)
Their game against Buffalo was postponed due to rain. They will try to play a doubleheader on Thursday.
The Railriders enter the week with a 1-game lead over Syracuse for the second-half title.
Somerset (61-54; 26-20 in second half) (Lost to Hartford, 5-0. This is a big 6-game series as Hartford is Somerset’s closest competition (3.5 games back) for the second-half title. “Title” isn’t the appropriate word, as Binghamton will likely have the best second-half record. However, they already clinched the playoffs in the first half, so it doesn’t matter.)
Old friend Roc Riggio is on the Hartford roster. He went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI, run scored, and a stolen base. He is 12-for-53 (.226/.283/.358) thus far.)
CF Brendan Jones: 1-for-4, K
Jones has a bare minimum hitting streak going (five straight 1-hit efforts).
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-4, 2 K
I have been asked if I have any concerns over his Somerset numbers (.206/.322/.339). What if he never breaks through at Double-A? Anything is possible in the world of baseball prospects. Nothing should surprise you. But there is no reason to be concerned. He’s young and has shown enough here to tell you he isn’t “overwhelmed.” What happens in 2026 is up to him.
3B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-3, HBP, K
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-3, BB, K
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-4, K
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-3, 2 K
2B Jake Gatewood: 1-for-3, K
DH Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-3, 2B (9), 2 K
C Tomas Frick: 0-for-3, K
RHP Carlos Lagrange (L, 5-4): 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
At this level: 3.84 ERA (58.2 IP, 38 H, 28 R, 25 ER, 3 HR, 40 BB, 78 K). He’s had his share of ups and downs, especially in the control development, since his promotion.
RHP Mason Vinyard: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Fernando Cruz: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Tonight’s rehab appearance goes much better than the previous two.
LHP Ryan Anderson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Michael Arias: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Danny Watson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
5.67 ERA (46 IP, 55 H, 30 R, 29 ER, 6 HR, 8 BB, 48 K). Given his ERA was still over 10.00 on May 18th (and wasn’t below 9.00 until June 13th), he’s done a nice job of turning his season around.
Hudson Valley (69-42; 31-16 second half) (Defeated Jersey Shore, 5-2. Jose Colmenares, who the Yankees released recently, is now playing for Jersey Shore (Phillies’ affiliate). I always like to see prospects I follow finding jobs when the Yankees no longer have room.)
CF Dillon Lewis: 0-for-4, BB, K
2B Core Jackson: 1-for-4, RBI, R, BB, 2 K
Jackson is 7-for-36 with three doubles and a triple.
3B Juan Matheus: 1-for-5, R
SS Kaeden Kent: 1-for-4, RBI
C Engelth Urena: 1-for-4, 2B (1), R, K
Urena’s first extra-base hit since his promotion (4-for-34).
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-3, HR (7), RBI, R, HBP
LF Tyler Wilson: 0-for-4, K
DH Camden Troyer: 2-for-3, RBI, R, BB
Troyer’s first professional multi-hit effort.
RF Luis Durango: 0-for-3, K
RF Robbie Burnett: 0-for-1, K
RHP Brandon Decker: (W, 1-1) 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K (personal best)
Last two starts: 11 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 17 K.
RHP Chris Kean: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Tony Rossi: (S, 8) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
At this level: 2.25 ERA (32 IP, 13 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 22 BB, 42 K)
Tampa (53-59; 17-30 in the second half)
Their game against Fort Myers was postponed due to rain. They will try to play a doubleheader tomorrow.
FCL (28-30)
Their season is over.
DSL Yankees (24-32) (Defeated the DSL Giants Orange, 3-2)
SS Mani Cedeno, their 16-year-old bonus baby ($2.5M), didn’t play the last few games. He finishes his debut season at .183/.371/.305 (88 wRC+) over 213 PA (5 doubles, 3 triples, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 41 R, 21-for-23 SB, 20.2% BB, 35.7% K).
CF Isaias Castillo: 1-for-3, 2B (5), RBI
Signed for $750,000, Castillo’s first season ends with a .247/.362/.382 triple slash over 105 plate appearances. He missed the entire month of July.
SS Carlos Bello: 0-for-2, BB, K
.217/.359/.354 in 198 PA (8 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 34 R, 14-for-17 SB, 14.1% BB, 24.7% K). The 17-year-old started hot, and was hitting .305/.468/.508 after a 4-hit effort on July 1st. It was tough going from there.
DH Justin Capellan: 0-for-1, HBP, BB
The 19-year-old ends his campaign at .255/.382/.442 in 186 PA. He started 31 games at catcher at 14 at designated hitter.
LF Wilberson De Pena: 0-for-2, CS (4), BB, K
De Pena went 4-for-28 after being acquired for Oswald Peraza.
3B Adrian Feliz: 0-for-1, R, BB
2B Eliezer Adames: 2-for-2, 3B (1), RBI, 2 R
The $250,000 signee didn’t play much in his debut campaign, going 5-for-43 with a triple. There aren’t any significant gaps in his playing time to suggest an injury, so it was seemingly a strategic move.
RHP Enixon Sanchez: 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
The 18-year-old had some buzz last season, but struggled more in 2025 (ERA spiked from 2.79 in 29 innings to 5.04 in 44.2 innings).
LHP Luis Rodriguez (W, 3-2): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
4.99 ERA (39.2 IP, 38 H, 24 R, 22 ER, 2 HR, 15 BB, 41 K). He is 20 years old, but this was his debut season.
RHP Rafael Arias (S, 3): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
The 21-year-old pitched to a 4.05 ERA in 40 innings (42 H, 24 R, 18 ER, 0 HR, 16 BB, 53 K)
DSL Bombers (31-25) (Defeated the DSL Mets Blue, 7-2)
Like Cedeno, bonus baby SS Stiven Marinez ($1.65M) didn’t play the last few games. He finishes his debut campaign at .275/.424/.375 (115 wRC+) over 205 PA (7 doubles, 3 triples, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 37 R, 22-for-28 SB, 20.0% BB, 22.4% K).
CF Ruben Castillo: 0-for-3, HBP, K
Castillo, a $750,000 signee, finishes his debut campaign at .220/.338/.368 in 225 PA (9 doubles, 5 triples, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 33 R, 20-for-32 SB, 11.1% BB, 24.4% K)
LF Jose Castro: 0-for-2, R, 2 SB (20), 2 BB, K
SS Christofer Reyes: 2-for-3, 3B (1), 2 RBI, BB
After hitting .250/.346/.314 as a 16-year-old last season, he hit .245/.339/.329 this season. He signed for $100,000.
3B-2B Juan Torres: 0-for-4
This 0-for-4 doesn’t dampen an awesome debut campaign (.359/.406/.516; 4 HR, 43 RBI). He signed for only $50,000.
RF David Carrera: 0-for-2, 2 R, SB (14), BB, 2 K
C Carlos Rondon: 2-for-2, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
The 19-year-old played in only 27 games, hitting .281/.453/.484 with three homers and 20 RBI.
LHP Junior Tavera: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Tavara, 18, didn’t last long today. We’ll never know why.
RHP Andre Avila (W, 1-1): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
In his debut campaign, the 20-year-old pitched to a 4.50 ERA in 20 innings with a 22/15 K/BB.
RHP Lenin Caceres: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
The 23-year-old’s professional debut, at least in affiliated ball. Not even Baseball Reference has statistics for the Venezuelan and the only transaction I can find is that he “elected” free agency earlier this season.
RHP Diego Carrillo: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
The 18-year-old appeared in 18 games during his debut season, putting up a 4.08 ERA in 35.1 IP with a 33/18 K/BB.
LHP Ronald Tejada: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Tejada had a solid season as a 17-year-old, but his 18-year-old campaign wasn’t nearly as solid. Nice to see him end on a good note.