Notes:
RHP Bryce Cunningham has been activated off the injured list, reducing the number of Top 30 prospects (Pipeline) on the list to five. Cunningham, their second-round pick in the 2024 draft, started for Hudson Valley tonight.
The Yankees have released RHP Bailey Dees and RHP Baron Stuart.
Dees, who stands 6’8″, was their 18th-round pick in the 2021 draft out of Penn State. He had a solid year out of the bullpen in 2023, and the Yankees decided to try him as a starter in 2024. While he struck out 145 hitters over 137.2 innings, the overall results were mixed, and the Yankees scrapped the idea in 2025.
Stuart was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Pitt (spent most of his collegiate career with South Florida). In 2024, he pitched well in 116 innings (mostly with Hudson Valley), compiling a 3.49 ERA (3.56 FIP) with a 21.4% K, 9.5% BB, and 47.2% GB. Injuries impacted his 2025 campaign, and he struggled in limited 2026 action.
A few promotions to note:
RHP Ben Grable and RHP Jack Cebert are on their way to Somerset, while LHP Allen Facundo is now in Hudson Valley. The three promotions were well-earned. In 7.2 innings for Hudson Valley, Grable struck out a whopping 58.6% of batters. This is his debut campaign, and he is already being tested in Double-A. Meanwhile, Cebert owned a 0.98 ERA in 18.1 innings with a 53.5% GB, 25.8% K, and 3.0% BB. This is his sophomore campaign, though he only tossed 6.1 innings last year. Facundo compiled a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings with a 42.4% K and 11.9% BB.
The biggest promotion, of course, is UTIL Max Schuemann.
Just kidding.
RHP Elmer Rodriguez is making his MLB debut tomorrow afternoon. Rodriguez has been dominant since coming over from the Red Sox in 2025 and earned this shot. I like this idea. As a rookie, he will feel the pressure regardless, but it is still a relatively pressure-free situation. The Orioles, during the Earl Weaver days, broke in their starters by throwing them in the bullpen. That isn’t as easy to do nowadays, as a 4-2 lead in the 6th inning is being turned over to a relief specialist. Modern managers aren’t programmed to ensure a starting prospect gets their relief innings in appropriate spots. I think placing him in a mid-week afternoon start in Texas can be just as effective a strategy.
Later in the night, the Yankees announced that George Lombard Jr. is on his way to Scranton. In a sign that more goes into that than recent success, Lombard has been in a little slump lately (3-for-22, which dipped his OPS below 1.000 for the first time this season). He received 559 plate appearances in Somerset. If you don’t remember, Anthony Volpe received 497 plate appearances for Somerset before moving up to Scranton.
Scranton (15-12) (Defeated Buffalo, 9-6)
LF Spencer Jones: 3-for-5, 2 HR (7), 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 K
His second home run was crushed (424 feet; 107.1 MPH). I don’t have a list available, but add Jones to the list of Yankees’ prospects who have gone deep to lead off a game this year. Jones had five multi-HR efforts in 2025 (including a 3-HR game) and has nine in his career. He has driven home 30 runs in 26 games.
RF Yanquiel Fernández: 0-for-5
SS Paul DeJong: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, K
DH Seth Brown: 2-for-5, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 K
His home run went 432 feet.
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB
C Payton Henry: 3-for-5, 2B (3), HR (3), 3 RBI, 2 R, K
CF Duke Ellis: 1-for-2, 2B (1), R, SB (9), HBP, BB
Ellis should get more playing time as long as Jasson Dominguez is with the big club.
2B Jonathan Ornelas: 0-for-3, BB
3B Duncan Pastore: 0-for-3, BB, K
Pastore’s 2026 debut as a hitter. He pitched two innings in a game for Hudson Valley earlier this season. He is an organizational utility type who hit .218/.298/.277 with nine RBI for Tampa/Hudson Valley/Somerset in 2025.
RHP Yerry de los Santos: 1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Emergency start (as an opener). This was Rodriguez’s spot.
RHP Zach Messinger: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Yovanny Cruz: (W, 4-0) 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
0.82 ERA (11 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 17 K). Cruz threw four pitches 100+ MPH and averaged 99.5. I am waiting for the clock to strike midnight on his improved control, but it’s stuck at 11:59 PM.
RHP Danny Watson: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: (S, 1) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Somerset (8-13) (Defeated Portland, 2-1)
3B George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-3, K
Lombard finishes the Somerset part of his season with a .312/.400/.571 triple slash. He hit eight doubles and four home runs.
SS Anthony Volpe: 0-for-3
I see this question often. Here’s the answer: The Yankees didn’t “demote” him to Somerset. He went to Scranton last week because Somerset was on the road in Richmond. Scranton is also playing at home this week, but the Yankees are more comfortable watching him play in Somerset. It isn’t deep.
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-3, K
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3
2B Marco Luciano: 2-for-3, 2 HR (6), 2 RBI, 2 R
Luciano’s second 2-HR game this season (4/16). Impressive that he did it in a game where offense was lacking. He is hitting .286/.363/.629 with six doubles and six home runs in 80 plate appearances.
DH Coby Morales: 0-for-3, K
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-3
LF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-3
6-for-14 since coming off the injured list.
C Miguel Palma: 2-for-3
It’s been a struggle for Palma, who earns his first multi-hit game in 2026. He has also hit safely in four of his last five games after going 0-for-16 in his first five games.
RHP Trent Sellers: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K
The only negative is that all the strikeouts crushed his pitch count (94 pitches). He struggled mightily in his first three starts, so this was a needed effort. The ten strikeouts represent a new personal best.
RHP Ben Grable: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Grable’s amazing start continues. As noted above, he had a 58.6% strikeout rate for Hudson Valley. The more advanced hitters in the Eastern League didn’t provide much resistance in his debut here. Interesting. Intriguing.
RHP Kelly Austin: (W, 2-1) 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Austin allowed four runs in his first two games (two runs over seven innings in his last five games)
LHP Will Brian (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
0.71 ERA (12.2 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 19 K)
Hudson Valley (13-8) (Defeated Jersey Shore, 9-5)
2B Kaeden Kent: 2-for-4, HR (3), 4 RBI, R, SB (7), BB, K
Kent has a 9-game hitting streak. All 15 of his RBIs this season have come during this streak. He also has six multi-hit efforts. He was hitting .279/.380/.349 before the streak. He is now hitting .346/.424/.519. There is an infield opening in Somerset now…
SS Core Jackson: 1-for-4, 2B (4), SF, RBI, K
1B Kyle West: 1-for-4, R, SB (5), BB, 3 K
DH Eric Genther: 1-for-5, 3B (1), R
Genther launches his first career triple.
3B Roderick Arias: 1-for-3, SF, 2 RBI, HBP, K
RF Wilson Rodriguez: 1-for-4, CS (2), 2 K
CF Camden Troyer: 1-for-2, 2B (5), 3 R, 2 BB, K
C Josue Gonzalez: 2-for-4, 2B (3), RBI, R, SB (1), K
Gonzalez has hit safely in eight of his last ten games. Big prospect? No. Would it be nice if he emerged from the Yankees’ Catching Academy, given their lack of catching prospects? Certainly.
LF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB
RHP Bryce Cunningham: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
I am bullish on Cunningham, a 6’3″ pitcher out of Vanderbilt. He has work to do with his breaking pitches, so hopefully he can stay healthy and develop one as a plus pitch. His fastball/change combination is solid.
RHP Thomas Balboni Jr.: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Chris Veach: (W, 2-0) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
9 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 15 K. Veach is auditioning for one of those promotion things that are going around.
RHP Andrew Landry: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Tony Rossi: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
2.08 ERA (8.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 2 BB, 14 K)
Tampa (8-13)
Day off. They are playing a doubleheader on Wednesday. This was not weather-related. It was a part of the 2026 schedule.