Notes:
Spencer Jones earned his first Major League hit today. He is 1-for-9 with a walk and five strikeouts.
The Brewers’ pitching staff is not one you want to make your debut against. Their bullpen is insane, and their rotation features one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in history. Entering today, their 26% team strikeout rate was the best in baseball. A rookie known for his strikeout problems facing a high strikeout pitching staff is not ideal.
The Orioles’ staff isn’t as intimidating, so we’ll see if Jones can crush a few balls in Camden Yards.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Scranton (20-17) (Defeated Worcester, 3-2)
3B George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-3, BB
Since promotion: 6-for-34 (.176/.416/.176) with 12 walks and seven strikeouts. When he was promoted, I said the Yankees probably want 120 plate appearances at this level, but that the goalposts can change. This is why you add that footnote. Remember what I always say: Players dictate their ETA, not prospect writers. In case you are wondering, Lombard’s Scranton BABIP is .222.
SS Anthony Volpe: 0-for-4, K
To add insult to injury, he was also picked off. Volpe is 5-for-35 in May. Oof.
2B Marco Luciano: 0-for-3, R, BB
RF Yanquiel Fernandez: 1-for-4, HR (9), 2 RBI, R, K
.254/.300/.515 in 140 PA (5 doubles, 1 triple, 9 HR, 24 RBI, 19 R, 6.4% BB, 19.3% K). Today’s home run went 439 feet at 111.2 MPH. Yes, the Yankees could have opened up a 40-man roster spot and called up Fernandez over Jones. I support that they didn’t go in that direction.
C Ali Sanchez: 2-for-3, HR (4), RBI, R, BB
LF Jonathan Ornelas: 2-for-4, K
He can play anywhere, and he is hitting this year (.329/.395/.466 in 81 plate appearances). He was a Top 100 pick once upon a time (Rangers, 2018) and played in 32 games with the Rangers and Braves between 2023 and 2025. Doing well for a depth piece.
DH Payton Henry: 2-for-4
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 0-for-4, 2 K
CF Kenedy Corona: 0-for-4, K
RHP Elmer Rodriguez: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Rodriguez’s efficiency wasn’t there, as he needed 94 pitches to earn 14 outs. He owns a 1.38 ERA at this level.
RHP Danny Watson (W, 3-0): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Bradley Hanner: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
2.00 ERA (18 IP, 16 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 8 BB, 27 K). I won’t tell you to get excited over the 27-year-old minor league veteran, but he is pitching well. He averaged 93.9 MPH with his 4-seam fastball today (93.6 with his sinker).
RHP Yovanny Cruz: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
2.25 ERA (16 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 HR, 7 BB, 22 K). After an insane start to the season, he has allowed runs in his last three appearances. He reached 100.4 MPH today.
RHP Zach Messinger (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
4.37 ERA (22.2 IP, 16 H, 13 R, 11 ER, 2 HR, 14 BB, 17 K). Good news: Four straight scoreless appearances. Bad news: After walking nobody in his 2026 debut, he has walked at least one batter in his last nine appearances.
Somerset (15-18) (Lost to Reading, 6-1. The Patriots, averaging a zillion runs per game, have scored only two in their last two games. Baseball!)
CF Jace Avina: 1-for-4, K
RF Garrett Martin: 1-for-4
Martin has a 6-game hitting streak (10-for-27).
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-3, BB, K
Castillo starts his season with a 15-game on-base streak, but this snaps his 14-game hitting streak.
3B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4, K
Hardman’s 11-game hitting streak is snapped.
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-3, K
C Manuel Palencia: 0-for-3, R
DH Miguel Palma: 0-for-3
2B Duncan Pastore: 2-for-3, 2 2B (2)
Pastore’s first two extra-base hits this season (he doesn’t play much).
SS Owen Cobb: 0-for-3, RBI
RHP Gerrit Cole: (L, 0-1) 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Despite a 6.23 ERA for Hudson Valley, the Yankees decided to promote him anyway.
RHP Chase Chaney: 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR
Hudson Valley (18-14) (Defeated Winston-Salem, 5-2)
SS Kaeden Kent: 0-for-4, K
.333/.406/.488 in 138 PA (8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 21 RBI, 23 R, 9-for-10 SB, 10.9% BB, 15.2% K). Even when he struggled last year, his strikeout rate was solid.
C Eric Genther: 0-for-3, R, BB
Genther started hot, but has slumped lately.
1B Kyle West: 2-for-5, 2 HR (4), 5 RBI, 2 R
Today’s offense! The 23-year-old has mostly struggled this season (.189/.233/.328 in 129 PA) but does have back-to-back multi-hit efforts. They consistently bat him near the top of the lineup, which suggests some faith, even if the lineup is a bit shallow on prospects overall.
LF Wilson Rodriguez: 1-for-4, SB (6)
Rodriguez has a 5-game hitting streak and is comfortably over .200 (.224/.352/.347). He is only 21 years old, so there is room for growth.
DH Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-3, SB (2), BB, 2 K
3B Josh Moylan: 0-for-3, BB, 3 K
CF Camden Troyer: 2-for-3, R
2B Connor McGinnis: 1-for-2, R, SB (1), BB, K
McGinnis is 7-for-21 in May.
RF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-3
LHP Franyer Herrera (W, 2-0): 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K
3.28 ERA (24.2 IP, 20 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 5 HR, 14 BB, 30 K). Herrera recently turned 21 and is pitching well here.
RHP Hansel Rincon: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
A much-needed outing for the 23-year-old, who has struggled this season. That was hardly unexpected, as this is his first action since 2023. The Yankees grabbed him in the AAA phase of the 2025 Rule 5 draft.
RHP Wilmy Sanchez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Thomas Balboni Jr.: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Chris Veach (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
12.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 21 K. Pure dominance.
Tampa (15-18) (Lost to Ft. Myers, 5-3)
DH Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-4, 2B (9), R, SB (12), K
Tejeda has a 26-game on-base streak (25-for-97 (.258); 8 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 19 R, 11-for-13 SB, 21 BB, 23 K). Overall, he is hitting .232/.392/.384 with a 19.4% BB.
3B Jackson Lovich: 1-for-2, RBI, HBP, BB, K
Lovich has a 7-game hitting streak (11-for-28). Overall, he is hitting .277/.370/.500 in 108 PA.
CF Brando Mayea: 0-for-1, BB
I am not sure why he left the game early, but the description says he left the game after a ball “deflected off him” in center field.
CF Luis Durango: 0-for-2, K
This snaps his 9-game hitting streak.
C Engelth Urena: 0-for-4, K
.189/.339/.305 in 118 PA (6 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 16 R, 17.8% BB, 22.9% K).
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 1-for-4, SB (7), 2 K
1B Hans Montero: 1-for-3, 2B (6), R, BB, K
LF JoJo Jackson: 1-for-4, RBI, K
RF Willy Montero: 0-for-4
2B Santiago Gomez: 2-for-4, 2 2B (4), R, SB (3)
LHP Henry Lalane (L, 0-1): 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Lalane owns a 7.04 ERA over 15.1 IP (14 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 0 HR, 12 BB, 16 K). Yikes. He averaged 93.6 MPH with his 4-seamer.
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Warrecker pitched well in Hudson Valley last season, so it is hardly surprising he is pitching well during his rehab stint.
RHP Jose M. Rodriguez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Matthew Tippie: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Jordarlin Mendoza: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
FCL Yankees (4-2)
Day off.