Yankees MILB 4/15: Elmer Rodriguez: 5.2 Shutout Innings

Top 30 Prospects

Injury Log

Notes:

RHP Angel Chivilli, who has impressed the most amongst the Scranton relief corps, was called up to take Yerry de los Santos‘ place on the roster. We are seeing the musical chairs in real time.

Chivilli (23) spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Rockies, compiling a 6.18 ERA over 90.1 innings with a 17.4% K and 8.1% BB. So, why am I impressed?  I have a thing for mediocre pitchers. Seriously, though, the Yankees have toned down his fastball usage while increasing his slider/change usage. It seems to have worked in Scranton. We’ll see if it translates in MLB.

As for what the Yankees gave up for Chivilli, 1B TJ Rumfield is off to a hot start with the Rockies (.304/.365/.464 in 17 games).

SS Anthony Volpe wasn’t in the Somerset lineup tonight. This is common during rehab stints. The Yankees played him for five innings last night and gave him a day off today. We’ll know the rehab is in full swing when he plays a full game in the field two games in a row.


Scranton (10-7) (Defeated Syracuse, 4-1)

LF Jasson Dominguez0-for-4, 2 K
RF-1B Oswaldo Cabrera0-for-4
3B Max Schuemann0-for-3, 2 R, 2 SB (4), BB, K
CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-4, 2B (5), RBI, SB (4), CS (2), 2 K
It is fair to say that Jones is one of the most interesting prospects I have followed. He is hitting .254/.357/.492 in 70 PA with five doubles, three home runs, and 19 RBI. Yet, he is striking out 40% of the time. 
1B Seth Brown1-for-3, 2B (1), R, BB
   PR-RF Duke Ellis0-for-0, CS (1)
DH Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 2-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI, R, SB (2), 2 K
Martinez Jr. has homered in back-to-back games (all four HR have come in his last nine games). 
C Ali Sanchez0-for-3, K
SS Braden Shewmake0-for-3, K
2B Jonathan Ornelas0-for-3, K

RHP Elmer Rodriguez: (W, 1-1)  5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K
Rodriguez tossed 80 pitches. Season: 1.15 ERA (15.2 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 6 BB, 13 K).  Tonight, he averaged 95.5 MPH with his 4-seamer (31% usage) and 95.0 MPH with his sinker (33% usage).
RHP Bradley Hanner1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Yovanny Cruz1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
Nick Morabito took him deep on a 99.1 MPH fastball.  Anyway, Cruz continues to show off improved control (7.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 11 K). And one of those walks was intentional. Last season, he walked 44 over 59.1 innings for Double-A Portland (Red Sox).
RHP Carson Coleman (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
14 of his 15 pitches were sinkers (one 4-seam fastball).  Season: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 6 K.


Somerset (4-6) (Lost to Reading, 8-6)

SS George Lombard Jr.0-for-5, 4 K
He is human, after all. This drops his average from .469 to .405.  After striking out zero times in his first four games, he has nine in his last five games.
RF Garrett Martin0-for-4, 3 K
2B Marco Luciano0-for-4, R, K
DH Coby Morales2-for-4, 2B (3), R, 2 K
Morales has reached base in all nine of his games this season (at least one hit in eight of those games).
3B Tyler Hardman0-for-3, BB, K
1B Nicholas Torres2-for-4, 2B (2), RBI, 2 R
The 32-year-old is having fun against Double-A pitching (14-for-30; 2 doubles, 1 HR, 6 RBI).  There isn’t really a need for him to be in Triple-A, though. 
LF DJ Gladney1-for-4, 2B (3), 2 RBI, R, 2 K
CF Kenedy Corona: 2-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, R, 2 K
Corona’s first home run as a member of the Yankees’ organization. He has hit as many as 22 (2023). 
C Manuel Palencia0-for-3, BB

RHP Trent Sellers4 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, HR
LHP Will Brian2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K. Brian has pitched very well since being promoted here last season.
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: (L, 0-1)  1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 2 HR
RHP Chris Kean1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K


Hudson Valley (5-5) (Won two games against Frederick)

Game 1 (Won, 10-2, in the conclusion of last night’s suspended game)

2B Kaeden Kent3-for-5, 2 2B (3), 2 R, K
Kent’s second career 3+ hit effort (five hits on 8/27/25).  He has three doubles in nine games this year after hitting only two in 25 games in 2025. 
SS Core Jackson0-for-3, R, 2 SB (4), 2 BB, K
1B Kyle West2-for-5, 3 RBI, R
A strong Game 1…
DH Eric Genther1-for-3, 2 HBP, K
3B Roderick Arias0-for-4, R, 2 SB (6), BB, 2 K
.257/.333/.343 in 39 PA (1 double, 1 triple, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, 6-for-7 SB, 3 BB, 11 K). All six of his stolen bases have come in his last four games.
RF Wilson Rodriguez0-for-4, SF, RBI, R, K
LF Josh Moylan0-for-3, R, 2 BB, 3 K
CF Camden Troyer: 2-for-5, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 R, K
Last year’s 12th round pick launches his second professional home run.
C Josue Gonzalez1-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, R, HBP, K
Gonzalez’s first hit of 2025 (1-for-14) is a big one.

LHP Franyer Herrera2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
RHP Brandon Decker (W, 1-0): 4.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K
8.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 3 BB, 10 K. In 40 High-A innings dating back to last year, he owns a 3.83 ERA and 49/19 K/BB. He has allowed only one home run.
RHP Brady Kirtner1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
RHP Chris Veach1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
First four High-A games: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K. That’s how you make an early impression.

Game 2 (Won, 7-3)

3B Kaeden Kent2-for-4, R
A 5-for-9 day raises his average from .226 to .300. This was his fourth professional game at third base. 
SS Core Jackson: 1-for-3, 2 R, HBP, K
1B Kyle West1-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, R
West launches his first professional home run (21st game). He had eight RBI in 19 career games before these two games. Baseball!
C Eric Genther1-for-3, R, BB
RF Wilson Rodriguez1-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, R
Rodriguez launches his first Hudson Valley homer.  While he is only 4-for-25, he has walked ten times while striking out only five times.
DH Tyler Wilson2-for-4
LF Josh Moylan1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, R, K
2B Connor McGinnis1-for-2, 2B (1), BB
CF Cole Gabrielson0-for-3, CS (2)

RHP Luis Serna4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Not quite what he did in his first start, but health is the most important thing.
RHP Ben Grable2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Grable continues to dominate: 5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 13 K. He is the High-A Mason Miller!
RHP Tony Rossi1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
After striking out 64 in 45.1 innings last year, he has ten strikeouts in 4.1 innings this year. Maybe he is Mason Miller!


Tampa (4-7) (Brutalized Bradenton, 12-1)

SS Jackson Lovich1-for-4, 2B (5), 2 RBI, R, 2 BB, K
In 12 career games: 9 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 12 runs.
CF Brando Mayea1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, K
Still a long way to go (obviously), but a breakout by Mayea would be quite a story. He started slow, but now owns a 5-game hitting streak
3B Enmanuel Tejeda1-for-4, 3B (1), 3 RBI, R, BB, K
The climb back to respectability will be a long one, but he has increased his batting average by over 100 points in the last two games (from .037 to .139). He has hit for the cycle over those two games.
DH Engelth Urena1-for-3, R, 2 BB
Urena is trying to find his footing, though he does have more walks (12) than strikeouts (11). His 26.1% BB rate is ridiculous, but fun to note.
RF Logan Maxwell1-for-4, R, BB, K
2B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek0-for-3, RBI, R, 2 BB, 2 K
LF Willy Montero1-for-4, 2B (1), 2 RBI, R, BB, K
C Ediel Rivera0-for-2, 2 R, 3 BB, K
1B Hans Montero1-for-3, 2B (2), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB

LHP Allen Facundo4.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
1.80 ERA (10 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 5 BB, 17 K).  He averaged 94.9 MPH with his 4-seamer and generated 12 whiffs (at least two with each of his four offerings).  Yes, he reached 100+ MPH in 2025, but hasn’t done so yet in 2026. I am not concerned because he is still throwing plenty hard enough.
LHP Parker Seay (W, 1-0): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Seay’s first professional win.
RHP Yerry Rodriguez2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Have to assume the 28-year-old’s rehab stint is nearing a conclusion.
RHP Jose Martinez2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K



category : Minor League Reports, Yankees

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