Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
Two prospects were released: RHP Jackson Fristoe and IF Santiago Gomez
Fristoe was their 12th round pick in 2022 out of Mississippi State. After starting in 2023 and 2024, he moved to the bullpen in 2025. Injuries and ineffectiveness are a part of his story. This season, in 16 games, he posted a 9.60 ERA and 13/18 K/BB over 15 innings.
Gomez was a $10,000 signing in 2022. In 214 professional games, he is hitting .253/.395/.361 with 86 stolen bases in 108 attempts (79.6%). You may wonder why a prospect with that OBP was released. Most of the “good” stuff came in the rookie leagues.
Former Yankees’ prospect Everson Pereira, who was recently designated for assignment by the White Sox, was claimed by the Cardinals. In 27 games for the White Sox, he hit .225/.284/.438 with four home runs. The Yankees shipped him to the Rays for Jose Caballero at least year’s trade deadline.
Speaking of the trade deadline, utility infielder Josh Smith (traded to the Rangers in the Joey Gallo/Joely Rodriguez deal) was dealt to the Blue Jays. Smith, who won the 2024 Silver Slugger for utility players, hit .254/.336/.380 (109 OPS+) in 293 games from 2024 to 2025. He suddenly fell apart in 2026, however, as he is hitting .209/.293/.266 (65 OPS+) in 157 PA.
Scranton (60-48; 23-11 in the second half) (Lost to Rochester, 10-5. In case you are wondering, Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez are given grace periods before they need to report)
RF Max Schuemann: 3-for-5, 2B (5), HR (2), 4 RBI, R, K
C J.C. Escarra: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Marco Luciano: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
SS Oswaldo Cabrera: 1-for-3, SAC
DH Yanquiel Fernandez: 0-for-3, BB
3B Tyler Hardman: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
Hardman, who is hitting .239 since his promotion, hasn’t homered since July 8th. That was the end of a 3-game home run streak. Baseball!
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 0-for-3, R, SB (9), BB, K
LF Kenedy Corona: 1-for-4, R, 3 K
CF Duke Ellis: 1-for-4, 2B (10), R, 2 SB (42), K
Brendan Jones was the organizational leader with 51 stolen bases in 2025 (that was the most in the organization since Jorge Mateo‘s monster 82-stolen base campaign in 2015). Now in the Marlins’ organization (Ryan Weathers deal), Jones is hitting .228/.339/.424 with 35 stolen bases this year.
RHP Elmer Rodriguez: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 6 K
2.85 ERA (85.1 IP, 68 H, 32 R, 27 ER, 5 HR, 45 BB, 87 K). Limits home runs, plenty of ground balls. It’s the walks that are bothersome. The strikeout rate is also down from 2025.
RHP Danny Watson: (L, 4-3) 1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
Watson’s 12-game scoreless streak is snapped.
RHP Carson Coleman: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Will Brian: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Rafael Montero: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
Somerset (55-50; 18-18 in the second half) (Defeated Akron, 6-5)
2B Connor McGinnis: 1-for-5, HR (7), 2 RBI, R
At this level: .252/.327/.401 in 248 PA. He hit one home run in his first 36 games. He has seven in 62 games since being promoted to Somerset.
CF Jace Avina: 1-for-4, R, BB, K
3B Coby Morales: 1-for-4, R, BB, K
Morales joins Oswaldo Cabrera and Jackson Lovich in the organization’s 100-hit club. He still leads the organization with 72 RBI (Tyler Hardman has 71).
SS Roderick Arias: 2-for-5, 2B (2), 3B (1), 2 RBI
Since promotion: 5-for-14 (2 doubles, 1 triple, 3 RBI).
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
DH Miguel Palma: 1-for-4, K
1B Josh Moylan: 2-for-4, HR (6), 2 RBI, R, K
Moylan has 19 home runs between here and Hudson Valley. Since promotion: .252/.312/.457 in 141 PA.
C Manuel Palencia: 2-for-4, 2B (5)
RF Luis Durango: 1-for-4, R
RHP Rory Fox: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, HR
Growing pains, growing pains…
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: (W, 4-1) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Kevin Stevens: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Kelly Austin (S, 4): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Hudson Valley (48-55; 18-21 in the second half) (Lost to Greenville, 4-2)
SS Core Jackson: 1-for-3, 3B (5), 2 R, BB, K
Jackson is 4-for-10 with a double and two triples since coming off the injured list. He is hitting .257/.367/.479.
CF Jackson Lovich: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 K
Lovich has hit safely in all nine games for Hudson Valley (10-game hitting streak overall). He is hitting .412 with eight RBI in those nine games. Now for the bad news: The hot streak comes with a 36.8% K.
DH Eric Genther: 0-for-3, BB, K
1B Kyle West: 0-for-4, K
C David McCann: 0-for-3, HBP, K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 0-for-4
RF Willy Montero: 1-for-4, SB (2)
LF Robbie Burnett: 0-for-3, BB
3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 1-for-4, K
RHP Bryce Cunningham: (L, 2-8) 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
4.48 ERA (68.1 IP, 58 H, 38 R, 34 ER, 7 HR, 34 BB, 60 K). It’s unfortunate that their 2024 2nd round pick has taken a step back.
RHP Brady Kirtner: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Tampa (60-43; 25-12 in the second half)
Their game against Clearwater was postponed. They will attempt to play a pair tomorrow.
FCL Yankees (29-29)
Their season is over.
DSL Yankees (26-19) (Lost to the DSL Phillies, 4-3)
CF Isaias Castillo: 0-for-4, 3 K
LF Luis Cruz: 0-for-3, R, SB (9), BB, K
Cruz is 3-for-11 with four walks and one strikeout since entering the organization (as part of the Camilo Doval transaction)
SS Stiven Marinez: 1-for-4, 2B (6), R
2B Juan Torres: 3-for-4, RBI, R, CS (5)
Has Torres found his groove again? He is 8-for-11 in his last three games, raising his triple slash from .346/.426/.580 to .370/.454/.618.
C Juan Martinez: 2-for-4, 2 2B (11), 2 RBI, K
.362/.449/.474 in 138 PA. He has 11 doubles, has driven in 25, and has more walks (19) than strikeouts (13). He is still looking for his first professional home run.
1B Poly Ojeda: 2-for-4, 2B (5), 2 K
RHP Jhosneyker Colina: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
When was the last time a Yankees’ DSL pitcher went seven innings? The 18-year-old owns a 4.75 ERA in 41.2 IP (51 H, 5 HR, 13 BB, 39 K)
DSL Bombers (20-25-1) (Lost to the DSL Mets Blue, 9-8)
CF Ruben Castillo: 0-for-2, R, 3 BB
C Alessandro Rodriguez: 1-for-5, RBI, R, K
SS Carlos Bello: 2-for-4, 2B (8), RBI, R, SB (24), BB, K
DH Sebastian Pinto: 1-for-4, 2B (9), RBI, R, HBP, K
2B Edgar Jimenez: 2-for-4, 2B (7), RBI, 2 R, BB, 2 K
Signed as a catcher, the 19-year-old has played several positions (C, 1B, 2B, 3B (1 game) during his 3-year DSL career.
LF Richard Meran: 2-for-5, HR (2), 2 RBI, R, K
RHP Cesar Acosta: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
In ten starts, the 19-year-old owns a 3.47 ERA over 46.2 innings (29 H, 20 R, 18 ER, 1 HR, 20 BB, 59 K). He allowed eight earned runs in his first start, but hasn’t allowed more than two in nine starts since.
LHP Ronald Tejada: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K