Notes:
SS Anthony Volpe may return on Friday. He was not in the lineup tonight for Somerset, a strong indicator that he is on his way to New York. Is it possible that today was a scheduled off day during his rehab stint? I guess, but it seems highly unlikely.
The Yankees aren’t bringing him back to sit on the bench. Jose Caballero has done a nice job in his absence, compiling a .267/.313/.400 (98 OPS+; 101 wRC+) line with a league-leading 12 stolen bases in 16 attempts. The defensive metrics are very good as well.
However, while my favorite color is probably blue, it is not the color one wants to see on their Baseball Savant page. Under the hood, Caballero’s offense is scary.
I have mentioned it before – I don’t just look under the hood. Results still matter. However, it is impossible to look at his Savant page and not conclude that either a massive correction is imminent or his metrics will start to catch up with the results. His past doesn’t make the latter likely.
Someone asked me about Dax Kilby. I have no information beyond that he is nursing a hamstring issue. He’s been out for a while, which isn’t encouraging. However, keep in mind that the Yankees are not going to rush him back.
Scranton (16-12) (Defeated Buffalo, 5-4, in ten innings)
SS George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-3, 2 R, CS (1), 2 BB, K
According to Jack Curry, the Yankees feel that Lombard Jr. is ready defensively, and it comes down to how he performs offensively in Scranton. They probably want at least 100-120 plate appearances here, you would think. Who knows? Science is not exact, and performance will move the goal posts. That includes the performance of the players on the Major League roster.
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-5, 3 K
RF Yanquiel Fernández: 2-for-5, RBI, K
3B Oswaldo Cabrera: 2-for-3, 2 BB
The struggle has been real for Cabrera this year. Hopefully, reaching base four times tonight jumpstarts him.
DH Seth Brown: 0-for-4, BB, 3 K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 R
C Ali Sanchez: 2-for-5, CS (1)
LF Duke Ellis: 1-for-4, 3B (2), R, BB, K
2B Jonathan Ornelas: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, K
Ornelas walked it off with an RBI single in the 10th.
RHP Carlos Lagrange: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Three of his pitches topped 100 MPH (maxed at 100.6). He generated 11 whiffs, including eight with his slider/sweeper combination.
RHP Bradley Hanner: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
The 27-year-old has pitched well thus far: 1.26 ERA (14.1 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 6 BB, 18 K).
RHP Dylan Coleman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Kervin Castro : (W, 1-0) 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
4.05 ERA (13.1 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 HR, 4 BB, 8 K). He was one of the final spring training cuts, but his season thus far has been below par. He does have the advantage of being on the 40-man roster if there is a need.
Somerset (10-14) (Defeated Portland, 9-6)
RF Jace Avina: 2-for-5, RBI, 2 R, 2 K
.198/.267/.469 in 90 PA. He hit for average in 52 games for Hudson Valley last year, but this year follows his typical pattern of not hitting for much average but showing some pop.
DH Garrett Martin: 3-for-5, 2 HR (7), 4 RBI, 3 R
Martin’s 4th career multi-HR game. He is hitting .250/.307/.550 in 88 PA. The Eastern League home run leader (Sean Keys) has nine home runs.
2B Marco Luciano: 1-for-4, R, HBP, 3 K
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-5, HR (6), 3 RBI, R, K
If you are going to compile only one hit, make it count: Morales hit a walk-off 3-run home run. He has six home runs in 23 games after hitting seven in 116 games last season. He owns a .313/.404/.625 triple slash.
3B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-4, 2 K
From .203/.292/.422 to .257/.337/.459 in three games.
LF DJ Gladney: 1-for-3, R, SB (3), BB, K
CF Kenedy Corona: 0-for-4, 3 K
C Miguel Palma: 0-for-1, R, HBP, 2 BB, K
SS Owen Cobb: 1-for-3, 2B (1), RBI, SAC, K
LHP Carlos Rodon: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, HR
Rodon tossed 75 pitches (51 strikes). According to Aaron Boone, Rodon is scheduled to make at least one more rehab start.
RHP Michael Arias: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Xavier Rivas : (W, 1-2) 3 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
Hudson Valley (14-9) (Lost to Jersey Shore, 4-3)
DH Eric Genther: 0-for-1, R, HBP, BB, K
PH-DH Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-1, HBP, R
SS Core Jackson: 4-for-5, K
And just like that, he is hitting .250/.350/.393 in 100 PA. After games of 4/26, he was hitting .186/.318/.343. It doesn’t take much when sample sizes are still small. This is his first career 4-hit effort.
1B Kyle West: 1-for-5, 2 RBI, K
3B Roderick Arias: 1-for-5, K
.205/.314/.260 in 86 PA. It used to be that hitting right-handed was his issue, but he is 5-for-11 vs. LHP so far. That matters little when you aren’t hitting RHP.
RF Wilson Rodriguez: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, K
LF Josh Moylan: 1-for-4, 2B (4), 3 K
CF Camden Troyer: 0-for-4
C Josue Gonzalez: 1-for-3, BB
2B Connor McGinnis: 1-for-3, R, K
LHP Allen Facundo: 4 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Facundo’s Hudson Valley debut. His control was spotty, as he also hit a batter and had two wild pitches. Unfortunately, we don’t get Savant data from High-A ballparks, but the seven strikeouts stand out. Including his time in Tampa, he has 32 strikeouts in 19 innings.
LHP Tanner Bauman: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Hansel Rincon (L, 0-1): 1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Jackson Fristoe: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Tampa (11-13) (Defeated St. Lucie, 8-5)
CF Luis Durango: 1-for-3, 2B (1), 3 R, 2 SB (2), HBP, BB
That’s what a leadoff hitter should do!
SS Jackson Lovich: 2-for-4, 2B (7), RBI, R, HBP, 2 K
.243/.329/.471 in 79 PA with seven doubles and three home runs.
3B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (8), HBP
.244/.406/.385 in 102 PA. He has just as many walks as strikeouts (21).
LF Brando Mayea: 2-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, R, SB (2), K
Mayea’s overall numbers aren’t great, but he has hit safely in five of his last six games, with some power mixed in (3 doubles, 1 HR). He hit two balls at 107.7 MPH.
DH Willy Montero: 0-for-3, CS (1), BB, K
2B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 1-for-3, BB, K
RF JoJo Jackson: 1-for-2, R, 2 BB, K
C Ediel Rivera: 1-for-3, R, HBP
1B Hans Montero: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
LHP Justin West: 4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Greysen Carter (W, 1-0): 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Carter walked ten batters in his first two games (2.2 innings). He has walked four in his last four games (8.1 IP). I won’t try to convince you that four walks in 8.1 innings is a good rate, but it shows obvious improvement. As for the fastball, he topped out at 101.1 MPH tonight. Carter with decent control = a legitimate prospect. We’ll see how this evolves.
RHP Jordarlin Mendoza: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR