Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
RHP Rafael Montero was released from his minor league contract. The veteran had visa issues earlier in the season and was ineffective once those issues were cleared up.
RHP Luis Gil was sent to Hudson Valley (from Scranton) on a rehab assignment.
Several promotions today:
SS Core Jackson, one of the most obvious promotion candidates, was promoted to Somerset. Hyped for his defense, Jackson has put together a nice season at the plate as well. He hit .259/.369/.474 (118 wRC+) with 32 stolen bases in 39 attempts for Hudson Valley.
UTIL Hans Montero was promoted from Tampa to Hudson Valley. A bonus baby who hasn’t lived up to that bonus, Montero hit .234/.357/.425 (109 wRC+) with a personal best 12 home runs for Tampa. He played 286 games over three years for th Tarpons.
Two pitchers were assigned to Scranton from Somerset: LHP Xavier Rivas and RHP Hayden Merda. Rivas compiled a strong 34.3% K rate for Somerset while Merda had a dominant 37.6% rate. Rivas is a starter while Merda is a reliever (converted from starting in 2025).
Scranton (61-51; 24-14 in the second half) (Lost to Lehigh Valley, 5-4)
2B Anthony Volpe: 2-for-5, R
Volpe has hit safely in all four games since his demotion. This was his second game at second base.
LF Jasson Dominguez: 2-for-5, RBI
3B Max Schuemann: 1-for-4, RBI
C J.C. Escarra: 0-for-3, K
DH Marco Luciano: 1-for-3, R, BB, K
SS Oswaldo Cabrera: 1-for-4, HR (13), 2 RBI, R, K
Cabrera is 12-for-38 with three dingers in August.
1B Tyler Hardman: 1-for-4, K
RF Yanquiel Fernandez: 1-for-3, R, BB
Fernandez is 9-for-30 (.300) with a home run in August.
CF Kenedy Corona: 0-for-3, HBP, K
RHP Alexander Cornielle: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR
RHP Brian Hendry: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Will Brian: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
At this level: 2.55 ERA (17.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 14 BB, 20 K). This is his 7th straight scoreless appearance.
RHP Eric Reyzelman:(L, 1-2) 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
For a little while, it looked like Reyzelman was getting over his Triple-A demons. It’s not been fun lately, however.
Somerset (55-53; 18-21 in the second half) (Cruised past New Hampshire, 12-1. They scored 11 runs in the first two innings)
CF Jace Avina: 2-for-5, 2B (24), RBI, 2 R, SB (13), K
Avina hit 24 doubles in 2024 and 2025. Hopefully, he can set a new personal best before the 2026 campaign ends!
SS Core Jackson: 2-for-4, 3B (1), 2 RBI, R, SB (1), BB
A nice Double-A debut for Jackson.
2B Roderick Arias: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 R, SB (3), HBP, 2 K
C Omar Alfonzo: 1-for-5, R, 3 K
RF DJ Gladney: 2-for-5, 2 HR (21), 6 RBI, 2 R
Gladney sets a new personal best for home runs. This is his third multi-HR effort this season.
3B Coby Morales: 2-for-3, HR (19), RBI, R, 2 BB
Your reminder that Morales’ previous best for home runs in a season was seven.
DH Manuel Palencia: 1-for-5, HR (3), RBI, R, K
This is ridiculous. Palencia has homered in three of his last four games. Before this stretch, he had one professional home run.
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB, K
RHP Rory Fox: (W, 1-0) 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Fox had a decent first start (4 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K) and a rough second start (5.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 4 K). He adds a strong effort in his third start at this level.
RHP Kelly Austin: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Matt Keating: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Hudson Valley (52-55; 22-21 in the second half) (Defeated Wilmington, 3-2, on a walk-off home run!)
C Eric Genther: 1-for-4, 2B (18)
Genther is 9-for-32 with four doubles, a home run, and eight walks in August.
SS Jackson Lovich: 0-for-4, 3 K
Lovich has a 41.2% K rate in 51 plate appearances since his promotion. A .556 BABIP has allowed him to compile a .319/.353/.319 triple slash.
1B Kyle West: 0-for-3, BB, K
CF Maika Niu: 1-for-4, HR (2), RBI, R, K
Niu hits a walk-off home run to win it. In four games, the undrafted free agent signing is 6-for-16 with a double, two home runs, and eight RBI.
DH David McCann: 0-for-3, 2 K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 2-for-2, R, BB
Tejeda is 10-for-32 (.313) with six walks and six stolen bases in August.
3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 0-for-2, R, HBP
LF Dean Toigo: 1-for-3, RBI
The 20th round pick is off to a 6-for-17 start with a double and a triple.
RF Willy Montero: 0-for-2, SF, RBI
RHP Luis Gil: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
It’s hard to see an MLB role for him, unless they want to give him a shot as a short reliever.
LHP Franyer Herrera: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR
4.57 ERA (82.2 IP, 73 H, 49 R, 42 ER, 15 HR, 43 BB, 94 K)
RHP Thomas Balboni Jr.: (W, 1-1): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
3.90 ERA (30 IP, 21 H, 14 R, 13 ER, 4 HR, 13 BB, 44 K). Balboni has also hit ten batters in those 30 innings.
Tampa (62-46; 27-15 in the second half) (Lost to Dunedin, 8-3. Dunedin has a chance to tighten up the second half race this week)
SS Dax Kilby: 1-for-4, RBI, R, 2 K
.245/.383/.367 in 60 PA (3 doubles, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 11 BB, 15 K)
CF Wilberson De Pena: 0-for-4, 2 K
De Pena started hot after his promotion but is in a 2-for-29 slide. He has struck out 12 times with only one walk during this stretch.
DH Paul Contreras: 0-for-4, K
C Bear Harrison: 0-for-4, 3 K
LF Luis Puello: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Blake Cyr: 0-for-2, R, 2 SB (3), 2 BB, K
1B Tyce Armstrong: 0-for-2, SB (1), BB
RF Diego Castellanos: 1-for-2, 2B (1), RBI, R, SB (1), HBP
Castellanos swats his first professional extra-base hit.
3B Bayram Hot: 0-for-3, 3 K
Professional debut for the Yankees’ 10th round pick out of Louisville. The 10th round selection wasn’t an accident, as they signed him at a significant savings that they passed on to others (he signed for only $7,500).
RHP Yerry Rodriguez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
The Yankees signed Rodriguez to a minor league deal last November. Placed on the injured list before the beginning of the season, he made seven rehab appearances for Hudson Valley and Tampa before landing on the 60-day injured list. Tonight is the start of a new rehab assignment.
RHP Sabier Marte: (L, 0-2) 4.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Matthew Tippie: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Josh Tiedemann: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, K, HR
FCL Yankees (29-29)
Their season is over.
DSL Yankees (29-20) (Lost a huge game to the DSL Angels, 12-4. The Angels improve to 29-20. The Yankees drop to the 15th-best record. What makes this game especially frustrating is that the Angels compiled only four hits)
LF Luis Cruz: 0-for-3, K
SS Stiven Marinez: 0-for-2, R, SB (34), BB
2B Juan Torres: 0-for-2, R, BB
C Cesar Lopez: 1-for-3, RBI, R
RF Alfiery Matos: 1-for-3, HR (3), 3 RBI, R, K
The 18-year-old owns a .260/.399/.405 triple slash in 163 PA.
3B Abrahan Pichardo: 1-for-3, 2B (5), K
RHP Dalvin Taveras (L, 2-1): 2 IP, 0 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 0 K
Figured I would post his line, as it defines the Yankees’ day on the hill.
DSL Bombers (22-27-1) (Defeated the DSL Phillies, 9-8)
C Kenneth Melendez: 2-for-5, 2B (3), 3B (1), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 K
SS Germayhoni Beltre: 2-for-5, HR (2), 3 RBI, R, K
A nice campaign for the 17-year-old, as he is hitting .289/.428/.408 in 180 PA. He is 23-for-27 stealing bases.
RF-CF David Carrera: 2-for-5, R, 3 K
LF-RF Eliezer Adames: 0-for-3, 2 SB (7), CS (3), 2 BB, K
LHP Junior Tavera (W, 2-4): 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Tavera has 16 strikeouts in nine innings over his last two appearances.
LHP Andre Avila (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K