Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
I don’t have any minor league notes, so how about the MLB franchise?
Yankees fans were starting to yawn. As we kept hearing about how George Lombard Jr. already had an MLB-ready glove, more than a few people rolled their eyes. Why should we trust the organization that kept talking up players who weren’t performing?
The Yankees were being truthful. While it is prudent to be cautious about his offensive game, his defensive game is real. He’s smooth, he’s confident, and he has a cannon.
As for the offense, the scouting reports pointed to issues with in-zone fastballs. It’s too early to know whether that will be a long-term problem. What we do know: He has solid strike zone control and has hit a home run to left and a home run to right. It’s a good start.
He has energized a fan base that was becoming annoyed with a stale offense. While the offense isn’t clicking on every cylinder, they’ve done enough to win the series against the Atlanta Braves. Fellow rookie Spencer Jones hitting well against Chris Sale was a pleasant surprise.
The Yankees do have a roster problem, as they are carrying three outfielders. While Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario provide outfield depth, the Yankees are not carrying a true #4 outfielder, which is due to carrying three 1B/DH types. There’s no solution to this, so Heliot Ramos, Trent Grisham, and Jones are going to play often.
Scranton (60-50; 23-13 in the second half) (Lost to Rochester, 9-0)
2B Anthony Volpe: 1-for-4, 2B (3), 2 K
The last time Volpe played second base was in 2021.
LF Jasson Dominguez: 0-for-4, 2 K
CF Max Schuemann: 1-for-4, 3 K
C J.C. Escarra: 0-for-2, HBP, BB
DH Marco Luciano: 1-for-4, K
SS Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-for-4, K
RF Yanquiel Fernandez: 1-for-3, K
3B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-3
Hardman has three multi-hit efforts in his last six games. He is 7-for-21 in August.
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 1-for-3, 2 K
LHP Carlos Rodon: (L, 0-1) 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, HR
Rodon maxed at 93.8 MPH (averaged 92.5). He generated nine whiffs on 20 swings.
RHP Dom Hamel: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 2 HR
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
Reyzelman averaged 97 MPH. His velocity has been fine, espeically lately. It’s the results that have been uneven, at best.
LHP Will Brian: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Somerset (55-52; 18-20 in the second half) (Lost to Akron, 6-3)
2B Connor McGinnis: 0-for-3, R, SB (6), BB, K
C Omar Alfonzo: 0-for-4, K
Alfonzo is 1-for-22 with ten strikeouts since being acquired.
DH DJ Gladney: 1-for-3, 2B (20), RBI, R, BB, 2 K
Gladney ties his personal best in doubles. He is hitting .268/.327/.507 in 374 PA and is 16-for-17 stealing bases.
3B Coby Morales: 1-for-3, R, BB
Morales has a 5-game hitting streak (one hit in each game).
SS Roderick Arias: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 SB (2), K
Since promotion: 8-for-22 (2 doubles, 1 triple, 4 RBI). Arias reaches 30+ stolen bases for the third year in a row. Including his time with Hudson Valley, he owns an 8-game hitting streak.
CF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-4
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K
RF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-4, K
CF Luis Durango: 0-for-2
PH-CF Jace Avina: 0-for-2
RHP Ben Hess: (L, 3-4) 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 6 K
4.45 ERA (56.2 IP, 52 H, 37 R, 28 ER, 7 HR, 30 BB, 65 K). Hess was pitching pretty well lately, but didn’t have it tonight.
RHP Hayden Merda: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
3.67 ERA (41.2 IP, 31 H, 18 R, 17 ER, 4 HR, 21 BB, 67 K)
RHP Tony Rossi: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 2.91 ERA (21.2 IP, 18 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB, 27 K). Overall, he owns a 53/11 K/BB over 40 innings.
Hudson Valley (49-55; 19-21 in the second half) (Defeated Greenville, 8-2)
SS Core Jackson: 2-for-5, R, BB, 3 K
Jackson owns a 5-game hitting streak (7-for-19; 1 double, 2 triples)
3B Jackson Lovich: 1-for-4, 2 R, 3 SB (8)
I am not sure why Lovich left the game. He is 29-for-37 stealing bases, including 8-for-9 at this level.
PH-2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 0-for-1, K
DH Eric Genther: 3-for-5, 2B (17), 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 K
Genther’s fifth 3+-hit game this season.
1B Kyle West: 2-for-5, 2B (14), HR (19), 2 RBI, R, 2 SB (14)
C David McCann: 2-for-5, RBI, 3 K
RF Willy Montero: 2-for-5, R, SB (3), 2 K
LF Robbie Burnett: 2-for-5, 2B (5), SB (3), K
2B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 1-for-4, SF, RBI, SB (3), K
Martin-Grudzielanek is 37-for-45 stealing bases between here and Tampa.
CF Maika Niu: 2-for-4, 2B (1), R, SB (1), BB, 2 K
Niu’s first double and stolen base in his professional career (which consists of two games).
RHP Luis Serna: (W, 5-5) 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
4.44 ERA (93.1 IP, 82 H, 54 R, 46 ER, 9 HR, 32 BB, 106 K). A nice bounceback effort after allowing eight runs in 0.2 innings his last time out.
RHP Travis MacGregor: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Thomas Balboni Jr.: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Wilmy Sanchez: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Brady Kirtner: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Tampa (61-45; 26-14 in the second half) (Doubled up Clearwater, 4-2)
SS Dax Kilby: 0-for-2, R, 2 SB (5), 3 BB, K
Kilby has walked seven times in his last four games. He is 21-for-23 stealing bases in his career.
LF Wilberson De Pena: 0-for-5, RBI, CS (1), 3 K
CF Yostin Pena: 1-for-2, RBI, HBP, K
Pena left the game after an “Injury Delay.” That’s never good.
PR-CF Brando Mayea: 0-for-1, K
This is what you call a tough way for a 14-game hitting streak to end.
RF Paul Contreras: 1-for-4, K
DH Bear Harrison: 0-for-4, K
3B Hans Montero: 0-for-3, 2 SB (35), HBP
C Luis Puello: 2-for-4, 2 HR (12), 2 RBI, 2 R, K
Puello’s second multi-HR game this season (three HR on June 16th). Including his time in the FCL this season, he has 14 home runs in 65 games this season. Entering 2026, he hit seven home runs in 107 career games.
1B Tyce Armstrong: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB, 2 K
2B Blake Cyr: 1-for-3, 2B (1), BB, K
LHP Justin West: (W, 8-3) 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
4.63 ERA (91.1 IP, 95 H, 50 R, 47 ER, 10 HR, 28 BB, 96 K)
RHP Antonio Gomez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Once a solid catching prospect, Gomez was moved to the mound in 2025. This is his 2026 debut as he was activated off the injured list today. So, what does he do on his first night back? How about five pitches 100+ MPH, topping out at 100.7? He threw his fastball ten times, averaging 99.9 MPH. He used his cutter five times, averaging 88.6 MPH. Conversions like this are longshots to work (yes, I know about Troy Percival), but a raw kid throwing this hard is intriguing.
RHP Josh Tiedemann: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Jose Martinez: (S, 2) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
FCL Yankees (29-29)
Their season is over.
DSL Yankees (28-19) (Defeated the DSL Rangers Red, 13-6)
CF Isaias Castillo: 0-for-4, RBI, R, BB, 3 K
LF Luis Cruz: 2-for-6, 3B (3), RBI, R
Since joining the organization: 6-for-21 with a pair of triples.
SS Stiven Marinez: 2-for-5, 3B (7), SF, RBI, 2 R, SB (33)
Marinez leads the organization with seven triples.
3B Juan Torres: 2-for-4, RBI, SB (23), 2 BB
Torres has a 5-game hitting streak, with multiple hits in every game (15-for-21; 3 doubles, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 10 R, 4 BB, 0 K). Now that’s what you call a hitting streak!
C Poly Ojeda: 2-for-2, 2B (6), 3B (1), RBI, 4 R, 3 BB
.337/.492/.571 in 132 PA. He has four straight 2-hit efforts. Before this stretch, he compiled six straight hitless efforts. Baseball!
2B Stalen Ramirez: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (7), CS (3), HBP, BB
Ramirez recently turned 17. He has 15 starts at 1B, two starts at 2B, three starts in LF, two starts in RF, and one start at catcher. Does this mean anything? No.
RF Alfiery Matos: 1-for-3, 2B (4), 2 RBI, R, SB (27), CS (4), HBP, BB, 2 K
1B Jose Peralta: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (2), 3 BB, K
RHP Yunior Jerez: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
RHP Cesar Vivanco: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Luis Ilarraza: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Brandon Rodriguez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
DSL Bombers (20-27-1) (Lost to the DSL Marlins, 11-7)
CF Ruben Castillo: 2-for-3, 2B (4), 2 RBI, R, CS (3), HBP, BB
Castillo has reached base safely in 16 of his 17 games.
SS Dariel Santana: 1-for-1, 3B (4), RBI, R, BB
3B-SS Germayhoni Beltre: 2-for-2, 2B (8), 2 R, SB (21), BB
RHP Diego Carrillo: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K