Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
According to Joel Sherman, the Yankees have checked in on Luis Garcia Jr.
Garcia is not a perfect fit, as he is a left-handed batter whose primary position in 2026 is first base. Before 2026, he spent a lot of time at second base and limited time at shortstop.
One thing Garcia can do is hit. This season, he is hitting .283/.314/.561 with 19 doubles, 23 home runs, and 76 runs batted in. His extremely low walk rate (4.3%) is accompanied by a low strikeout rate (16.2%). This has been a career year, as he entered the season with a .266/.299/.410 (97 OPS+) triple slash.
Unless the Yankees know something we don’t (namely, Giancarlo Stanton is done for the season), it may be hard to fit him in. Without Stanton, he can be the designated hitter against right-handed pitchers. He crushes righties (.292/.323/.588) but struggles against southpaws (.231/.259/.404).
That said, the Yankees need offense. Saying he isn’t a perfect fit seems weird, as any good hitter should be a good fit.
The Yankees are casting a wide net. I typically don’t dig into rumors, but this one intrigued me enough to write about.
I have talked about Spencer Jones’ strikeout rates many times. The Yankees have no choice but to keep him in the lineup for the power he provides. They lack it, and he provides it.
By the way, Jasson Dominguez has the worst defensive instincts in history, and I had the privilege of watching Glenallen Hill. Hill was slow and was only acquired to hit balls out of the park. Dominguez is supposed to be a martian with 15,349 tools.
Scranton (58-46; 21-9 in the second half) (Defeated Iowa, 7-4)
SS George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-5, HR (6), RBI, R, K
Since promotion: .255/.398/.417 in 256 PA (15 doubles, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 43 R, 10-for-15 SB, 17.6% BB, 21.9% K). He has 23 doubles and 10 home runs in 77 games between here and Somerset.
C J.C. Escarra: 1-for-4, HR (5), 3 RBI, R, BB, K
At this level: .305/.382/.547 in 110 PA.
2B Marco Luciano: 1-for-3, BB
Luciano went 2-for-4 after being promoted here, and dipped under .300 after the next game. Today, he finally clawed his way back up to .300.
3B Oswaldo Cabrera: 1-for-4, HR (11), RBI, R, 3 K
Cabrera has a 5-game hitting streak. Cabrera hit 29 home runs in 2021. He made his MLB debut the next season.
RF Yanquiel Fernandez: 0-for-4
DH Tyler Hardman: 2-for-4, 2 R, SB (7), K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
LF Kenedy Corona: 2-for-3, 2B (8), RBI, R, CS (6)
CF Duke Ellis: 0-for-2, SF, RBI, HBP, CS (6)
RHP Adam Kloffenstein: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
RHP Kervin Castro (W, 3-0): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Reyzelman has struck out 32.1% of batters he has faced at this level. Last seven appearances: 8.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 17 K.
RHP Bradley Hanner (S, 4): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
2.08 ERA (47.2 IP, 34 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 20 BB, 57 K)
Somerset (53-48; 16-15 in the second half) (Lost to Richmond, 10-4)
2B Connor McGinnis: 1-for-4, RBI, HBP
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-4, R, HBP
3B Coby Morales: 0-for-3, CS (9), 2 BB, 2 K
LF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-5, R, 2 K
DH Manuel Palencia: 3-for-4, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 R
How unusual is a Palencia home run? This is his second career homer in 259 games.
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-4, K
C Tomas Frick: 1-for-4, 2 K
PR-C John Cristino: 0-for-0
SS Kevin Verde: 3-for-3, 2 2B (4), BB
Verde has a 5-game hitting streak (8-for-15; 2 doubles, 3 home runs). This is as random of a hot streak as you will find.
RF Luis Durango: 1-for-3, RBI, HBP, K
RHP Chase Hampton (L, 0-4): 0.2 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 2 HR
Oof.
RHP Michael Arias: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Kelly Austin: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
RHP Hayden Merda: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
3.99 ERA (38.1 IP, 27 H, 18 R, 17 ER, 4 HR, 19 BB, 63 K)
RHP Trent Sellers: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
4.76 ERA (64.1 IP, 63 H, 42 R, 34 ER, 9 HR, 41 BB, 86 K). As a reliever: 2.05 ERA (22 IP, 15 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 15 BB, 34 K)
Hudson Valley (47-52; 17-18 in the second half) (Swept in a doubleheader by Jersey Shore)
Game 1 (Lost, 2-0)
SS Roderick Arias: 1-for-3, 2B (17)
DH Jackson Lovich: 1-for-3, CS (1), K
C Eric Genther: 0-for-3, 2 K
1B Kyle West: 0-for-3, 2 K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-3, K
CF Willy Montero: 0-for-2
LF Robbie Burnett: 0-for-2, 2 K
RF Gabriel Lara: 0-for-2, K
3B Santiago Gomez: 0-for-1, BB
RHP Bryce Cunningham (L, 2-7): 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Cunningham pitched well today, as 67 of his 90 pitches were strikes. He owns a 4.41 ERA over 63.1 innings (52 H, 35 R, 31 ER, 7 HR, 32 BB, 57 K).
Game 2 (Lost, 14-6. Thank goodness for Cunningham’s effort, as many pitchers were needed to get through this one)
3B Roderick Arias: 3-for-4, R, K
Arias needed a day/night like this one. His triple slash is .268/.354/.435 in 390 PA (17 doubles, 2 triples, 12 HR, 61 RBI, 53 R, 29-for-39 SB, 10.3% BB, 29.5% K).
SS Jackson Lovich: 2-for-4, RBI, K
Lovich has hit safely in all five games since his promotion (7-for-19). He has yet to launch an extra-base hit, but no concerns about his pop.
DH Eric Genther: 1-for-3, 2B (15), 2 RBI, BB
.271/.401/.425 in 383 PA (15 doubles, 1 triple, 10 HR, 51 RBI, 46 R, 5-for-6 SB, 11.7% BB, 18.3% K). He isn’t young for the level, but he has been one of the organization’s biggest offensive surprises.
1B Kyle West: 0-for-3, BB, K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB, K
CF Willy Montero: 1-for-4, R, 2 K
C Josue Gonzalez: 1-for-4, R, K
LF Robbie Burnett: 2-for-4, HR (3), 3 RBI, R
He dealt with a long-term injury earlier in the season, so he has only played in 24 games for Hudson Valley. He’s hitting .254/.377/.444 in those games.
RF Gabriel Lara: 0-for-3, R, BB, 2 K
RHP Luis Serna: (L, 4-5) 0.2 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
Serna’s hero is Chase Hampton, so he decided to emulate him. This spikes his ERA from 3.90 to 4.69. He’s dealt with injuries throughout his career and has already thrown a career-high number in innings.
RHP Andrew Landry: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Jack Sokol: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Aaron Nixon: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
LHP Tanner Bauman: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
RHP Wilmy Sanchez: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
At this level: 3.28 ERA (24.2 IP, 14 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 1 HR, 16 BB, 39 K). He posted a 1.23 ERA in 7.1 innings in July, allowing only one hit while striking out 15. The Yankees acquired him from the Astros for Braden Shewmake, who was eventually sold to the Brewers before returning to Houston on a minor league deal.
RHP Hansel Rincon: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
3.30 ERA (30 IP, 22 H, 16 R, 11 ER, 0 HR, 18 BB, 49 K)
Tampa (59-42; 24-11 in the second half) (Lost a tough one to Lakeland, 3-1, in eight innings. They entered the 7th with a 1-0 lead but couldn’t hold it. Due to a long rain delay, the teams agreed to play a 7-inning game. Of course, much to my chagrin, the game decided to go extra innings)
DH Dax Kilby: 1-for-4, RBI, K
Kilby is 8-for-28 wth 11 RBI since returning to Tampa.
CF Yostin Pena: 1-for-4, K
Since promotion: 5-for-18. While he has yet to draw a walk, he’s only struck out twice.
RF Wilberson De Pena: 0-for-4, 2 K
Bust!
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 0-for-3, 2 K
3B Hans Montero: 0-for-3
1B David McCann: 0-for-3, K
C Luis Puello: 0-for-2, BB, K
LF Brando Mayea: 1-for-3, R, K
Mayea has a 12-game hitting streak.
2B Luis Escudero: 1-for-3, K
RHP Wyatt Parliament: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
At this level: 5.12 ERA in 45.2 innings (50 H, 32 R, 26 ER, 3 HR, 17 BB, 46 K)
RHP Travis MacGregor: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
LHP Parker Seay : 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Jose Rodriguez: (L, 3-1) 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
FCL Yankees (29-29)
Their season is over.
DSL Yankees (24-18) (Lost to the DSL Twins, 13-9)
CF Isaias Castillo: 2-for-3, 2B (14), HR (12), 5 RBI, 3 R, SB (23), BB
.310/.427/.652 in 192 PA (14 doubles, 2 triples, 12 HR, 39 RBI, 60 R, 23-for-25 SB, 15.1% BB, 29.2% K). Castillo has done enough to go to the next level as he leads the league in home runs, slugging percentage, and runs scored. However, the strikeout rate is scary high for this level.
DH Juan Martinez: 0-for-3, RBI, SB (17)
SS Stiven Marinez: 1-for-3, 3B (6), BB
2B Juan Torres: 0-for-4, R, K
There was a time when Torres was over .400. You can’t expect a player at any level to maintain that. He is in a 3-for-29 slump that has dropped his average to .346. He still has an OPS over 1.000 (1.006).
C Cesar Lopez: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB, K
1B Poly Ojeda: 2-for-4, 2B (4), RBI, R, SB (5), K
Ojeda, who doesn’t turn 18 until November, continues to hit well in his debut campaign (.310/.475/.529 in 118 PA)
RF Manuel Aguilar: 1-for-3, 2B (7), R, 2 SB (9), BB, 2 K
Happy 17th birthday to one of the youngest players in the organization. He is hitting .295/.494/.492 in 85 PA.
LF Alfiery Matos: 0-for-2, R, SB (23), 2 BB, K
3B Abrahan Pichardo: 1-for-4, RBI, R, 2 K
RHP Yunior Jerez: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
DSL Bombers (20-23) (Continued their recent hot offensive stretch with an 11-3 victory over the DSL Tigers 1)
CF Ruben Castillo: 2-for-5, HR (1), RBI, 2 R, K
Castillo hits a leadoff blast. The 18-year-old, who spent a lot of time on the injured list to begin this season, is on a 6-game hitting streak.
2B Dariel Santana: 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K
DH Alessandro Rodriguez: 1-for-2, 2B (7), 2 R, 3 BB
3B Carlos Bello: 1-for-4, HR (6), 3 RBI, R, BB, K
Bello is hitting .190/.333/.366 in 189 PA.
1B David Carrera: 2-for-5, HR (7), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (8), K
SS Germayhoni Beltre: 0-for-2, R, 2 HBP, K
RF Richard Meran: 1-for-2, HR (1), 3 RBI, R, CS (3), 2 BB, K
Meran is already 20 and in his fourth campaign here.
LHP Jose Sanchez: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
When a 17-year-old pitches well in their debut campaign, I pay attention. Sanchez owns a 3.91 ERA over 23 innings with a 28/12 K/BB.
RHP Argenis Veloz (W, 1-1): 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Also 17, Veloz has had a “growing pains” appearance (2 IP, 8 H, 8 R) on his 2026 ledger.
RHP Brandy Luis (S, 1): 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
The 18-year-old earns himself a save.