Yankees MILB 9/18: Carlos Lagrange Ks 7
Notes:
Trade analysis links:
Jose Caballero/Camilo Doval (link)
David Bednar/Jake Bird (link)
Ryan McMahon (link)
Amed Rosario (link)
Austin Slater (link)
Updated look at the trade deadline.
The Yankees and Rays completed the Jose Caballero transaction today, as the Bronx Bombers sent Low-A outfielder Marshall Toole to the Rays.
Toole feels like a Rays-type prospect, doesn’t he? In 2025, he hit .305/.406/.420 (148 wRC+) with 44 stolen bases in 50 attempts. He was first in the Florida State League in batting average and triples while finishing second in OBP, SLG, OPS, and wRC+. While center field was his primary position, he also saw time in the outfield corners.
Toole was neither on the Yankees’ Top 30 list before the trade nor the Rays’ Top 30 list after the trade. That said, if he is going to develop his tool set, Tampa seems like the organization for the type of player he is.
Often in trades like these, the teams agree to a list of players at the time of the trade, and one is chosen by a specified date. One famous Yankees’ story was the Texas Rangers choosing Joaquin Arias over Robinson Cano a few months after the Alex Rodriguez trade was announced. It made sense – Arias was a solid shortstop prospect, and a team will typically choose that over a second base prospect. It does show you how inexact the science can be.
The Rays ended up with a power prospect (Everson Pereira, who is now on the MLB roster) and Toole in exchange for Cabellero. My viewpoint doesn’t change. It was a solid acquisition for the Yankees. Pereira wasn’t a part of their present, and Toole is typically not the type of prospect the Yankees utilize on the MLB roster. Brett Gardner was an exception to that rule.
Scranton (85-59; 47-25 in second half) (Lost to Buffalo, 2-0, in an uneventful afternoon affair.)
Syracuse won last night. Tonight, they are down, 4-1, in the 5th inning. If Lehigh Valley wins, Scranton will have a 3-game lead with three games to play. If my research earlier this week is correct, Syracuse would win a potential tiebreaker.
A reminder that, in Triple-A, there’s only one round of playoffs in each league. If Scranton wins the second half, they will play Jacksonville for the International League title. The winner of that series will play the winner of the Pacific Coast League in the Triple-A Championship Game (yes, only one game) in Las Vegas. Speaking of Las Vegas (ATH), they won the first half in the PCL and will likely play Tacoma (SEA) for the PCL Championship.
3B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-2, 2B (20), 2 BB
.268/.390/.362 in 450 PA (20 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HR, 41 RBI, 56 R, 12-for-21 SB, 14.2% BB, 10% K). As someone pointed out to me earlier this season, Vivas is out of options next year. His ability to make contact will likely draw interest.
DH J.C. Escarra: 0-for-3, BB, K
2B Jose Rojas: 0-for-3, BB
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, 2 K
Jones has a 20-game on-base streak (.256; 5 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 15 R, 8.2% BB, 51.8% K (not a typo)). With Scranton: .273/.339/.555 in 289 PA (13 doubles, 1 triple, 19 HR, 46 RBI, 58 R, 18-for-21 SB, 8.3% BB, 37% K). Overall: .274/.360/.571 in 497 PA (21 doubles, 1 triple, 35 HR, 78 RBI, 100 R, 28-for-33 SB, 11.3% BB, 35.6% K).
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
LF Brennen Davis: 0-for-4, K
C Omar Martinez: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K
RF Duke Ellis: 0-for-3, SAC, K
SS Andrew Velazquez: 0-for-3, 2 K
RHP Joel Kuhnel (L, 4-2): 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Bailey Dees: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
1.80 ERA (50 IP, 25 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 29 BB, 58 K). We don’t have to wait much longer to see what the organization thinks of him. Do they add him to the 40-man roster to keep him away from the Rule 5 draft? Do they try to trade him before the Rule 5 draft? Or, do they leave him exposed?
LHP Jayvien Sandridge: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Erick Leal: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Interesting that they went with four relief pitchers to start the afternoon and finished it off with three innings from a starter.
Somerset (Lost to Binghamton, 5-4. Binghamton takes the series, 2-0. The Patriots fell behind, 5-0, but scored four runs in the 7th. That was the extent of their offense, however. There is no shame in admitting that they were outclassed by a team that won both halves. That doesn’t diminish their season, as you will see in the next paragraph.)
In the regular season, Somerset compiled a 73-65 mark (38-31 in the second half). Four of their top pitching prospects (Carlos Lagrange (#2), Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (#5), Ben Hess (#6), and Kyle Carr (#13)) joined Brock Selvidge (#10), who made it here last season, in a prospect-laden rotation. It feels like a century ago, but Cam Schlittler‘s 2025 journey also began here. Additionally, their top overall prospect (George Lombard Jr.) and a solid outfield prospect (Brendan Jones (#15)) made their presence known.
CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-4, 3 K
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-4, 4 K
This isn’t the way Lombard Jr. wanted to go into the off-season, but there is no doubting the strides he made this season.
LF Jace Avina: 1-for-3, R, BB
Avina was another mid-season promotion from Hudson Valley. Their #25 prospect struggled in his first taste of this level, hitting .224/.314/.341 in 194 plate appearances.
3B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-4, R, K
Jasso, unranked by Pipeline (not surprising), was a consistent performer for the Patriots. A 22-year-old hitting .257/.326/.400 (114 wRC+) in his first taste of Double-A shouldn’t be brushed off. He is at least worth a further look.
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-3, R, BB, 3 K
DH Jackson Castillo: 2-for-3, RBI, R, BB
The undrafted free agent (2023) went 4-for-7 in two postseason games after going 11-for-35 (.314/.405/.457) in 18 regular-season September contests. The left-handed bat is 22 years old.
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-4, RBI, K
2B Max Burt: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
A shoutout to Burt, the 29-year-old organizational utility player who has been with the franchise since 2018 (28th round pick out of Northeastern). Whether he will return next season is unknown, but his longevity suggests that the organization values something about him. That doesn’t mean they think he is an MLB player…
C Manuel Palencia: 0-for-3, SAC
RHP Carlos Lagrange: (L, 0-1) 5 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
It’s odd to see Lagrange get hit around a bit, since it’s typically a lack of control that gets him in trouble. That does not diminish his campaign, as he placed himself firmly in the conversation for best pitching prospect in the system. MLB Pipeline thinks so, due to the overpowering stuff that one expects from a pitcher of his size. Work is still needed on control, but a healthy Lagrange is likely to make his debut in 2026.
RHP Zach Messinger: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
The 25-year-old found some traction as a reliever, but is unlikely to be protected this winter.
RHP Carson Coleman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
In his first action since 2022, Coleman pitched to a 1.59 ERA in 17 regular-season games (17 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 2 BB, 15 K). Whether it is with the Yankees or elsewhere, Coleman making it to the big leagues would be a nice story.
RHP Michael Arias: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Hudson Valley (79-50; 41-24 second half)
Their season is over.
Tampa (63-63; 27-34 in the second half)
Their season is over.
FCL (28-30)
Their season is over.
DSL Yankees (24-32)
Their season is over.
DSL Bombers (31-25)
Their season is over.