Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
The Yankees have signed RHP Justin Topa to a minor league deal. The 35-year-old Topa was drafted by the Pirates in the 17th round in the 2013 draft. He didn’t make his MLB debut until the 2020 COVID campaign, but has appeared in every season since. Overall, in 172 games, he owns a 4.27 ERA (3.58 FIP) over 168.2 innings with a 19.2% K, 7.1% BB, and a solid 53% GB. To quote Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), he sounds like a Yankees already.
This year, with the Twins, he appeared in 23 games, going 0-1 with an 8.05 ERA and two saves over 19 innings. He has also pitched in the Blue Jays and Royals organizations, but didn’t appear in MLB for them.
His best season was with the 2023 Mariners, when he posted a 2.61 ERA (3.15 FIP) in 75 games with a 55.8% GB.
RHP Angel Chivilli was placed on the injured list for Scranton.
C Mitch Garver finally reported to Scranton. To make room, C Abrahan Gutierrez was placed on the Development List. Gutierrez hasn’t played much lately with the presence of J.C. Escarra and Christian Bethancourt.
As for the big club, the Yankees are a contradiction. They stress run prevention while putting together a roster that plays horrible fundamental baseball. I won’t get on Luis Garcia Jr. too much, as he has played well defensively since coming here. But that play was horrible. And, as I have said before, this isn’t new. It defines that Aaron Boone era. It’s a feature, not a bug.
Scranton (62-53; 25-16 in the second half) (Lost to Lehigh Valley, 13-1)
2B Anthony Volpe: 1-for-4, HR (3), RBI, R, 2 K
Volpe has hit safely in all seven games since his demotion (9-for-29; 1 double, 1 triple, 2 home runs). Yes, I saw the video of him smiling after two unsuccessful challenges in his first at-bat the other day. Some may not like this take, but who cares?
CF Jasson Dominguez: 1-for-4
LF Max Schuemann: 1-for-4
DH J.C. Escarra: 0-for-4
SS Oswaldo Cabrera: 1-for-4, K
RF Yanquiel Fernandez: 1-for-4, K
Fernandez has a 7-game hitting streak (8-for-23)
C Mitch Garver: 1-for-3, BB, K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 2-for-4
3B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-3, 2 K
RHP Adam Kloffenstein: (L, 2-9) .2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, HR
Reyzelman’s Triple-A ERA is now 10.71. Many people had high hopes for him.
RHP Brian Hendry: 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
LHP Will Brian: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Christian Bethancourt: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Bethancourt has appeared three times on the hill this season. Speaking of it not being unusual: Bethancourt, like Yankees prospect Antonio Gomez, was once given an opportunity to pitch. In 2017, he appeared in 34 Triple-A games, compiling a 8.21 ERA over 41.2 innings. That was the end of that experiment.
Somerset (58-53; 21-21 in the second half) (Defeated New Hampshire, 5-4, on a walk-off 3-run home run. Somerset compiled only three hits)
DH Jace Avina: 0-for-4
SS Core Jackson: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
3B Roderick Arias: 0-for-3, R, BB, 2 K
C Omar Alfonzo: 1-for-4, HR (10), 3 RBI, R, K
Alfonzo launches a walk-off, 3-run home run. It came on a 3-2 count with two outs. This is his first home run since being acquired (he is only 4-for-38).
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-2, BB
RF DJ Gladney: 0-for-3, 2 K
2B Connor McGinnis: 0-for-2, R, BB
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-2, HR (8), 2 RBI, R, BB
Moylan has homered in back-to-back games and has 21 home runs overall between here and Hudson Valley. Moylan being in the organizational home run race was not on my 2026 list.
CF Luis Durango: 1-for-3
RHP Dom Hamel: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Luis Velasquez: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Matt Keating: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Kelly Austin: (W, 4-1) 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
3.21 ERA (47.2 IP, 34 H, 19 R, 17 ER, 5 HR, 18 BB, 51 K). Austin has put together a solid under-the-radar campaign.
Hudson Valley (53-57; 23-23 in the second half) (Lost to Wilmington, 5-2)
C Eric Genther: 1-for-4, HR (12), RBI, R, K
Genther hasn’t slowed down this season. He is hitting .271 with an .839 OPS.
SS Jackson Lovich: 1-for-3, SB (9), BB, K
Lovich’s 30th stolen base. He is 9-for-10 since his promotion.
1B Kyle West: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
CF Maika Niu: 0-for-3, R, BB
3B Hans Montero: 1-for-4, 2 K
DH Dean Toigo: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
2B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 1-for-4, SB (6), 2 K
Martin-Grudzielanek steals his 40th base, joining Duke Ellis and Luis Durango in that club.
LF Robbie Burnett: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
RF Camden Troyer: 0-for-3, K
RHP Luis Gil: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Gil tosses 30 pitches in his second start.
LHP Pico Kohn: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Kohn, Pipeline’s #17 prospect, missed significant time this season due to a stress fracture in his leg. While you don’t want to see a prospect miss months of development, at least it wasn’t his arm (he did have Tommy John surgery in college). Anyway, the key to his future is the development of a third pitch. Do you know how many prospects in history had that said about them? At least nowadays, a potential bullpen move isn’t seen as a disappointment.
RHP Jose Rodriguez: (L, 1-1) 1.1 IP, 3 h, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Jack Sokol: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Hansel Rincon: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
Tampa (64-47; 29-16 in the second half) (Defeated Dunedin, 7-4. Dunedin won the first two games to put some drama in the series, but Tampa has bounced back to win the next two)
SS Dax Kilby: 1-for-4, R, BB
DH Wilberson De Pena: 1-for-4, HR (3), 2 RBI, R, BB, K
De Pena homered in two of his first three games at this level. This breaks a 9-game drought (he was only 5-for-37 during the drought). Moving from the rookie leagues to a full-season league is a big adjustment.
RF Paul Contreras: 1-for-2, 3 R, SB (2), CS (1), 2 BB, K
1B Luis Puello: 2-for-5, R, SB (8)
Puello is 10-for-29 (.345/.424/.621) with a pair of doubles and home runs in August.
CF Diego Castellanos: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
LF Brando Mayea: 1-for-4, RBI, CS (3)
Mayea has hit safely in 17 straight starts. Before streak: .227/.316/.303. Now: .254/.332/.363.
2B Blake Cyr: 1-for-2, SF, RBI, HBP, K
C Ediel Rivera: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
3B Bayram Hot: 0-for-2, SB (2), 2 BB, K
RHP Yerry Rodriguez: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Down here on a rehab stint, the 28-year-old averaged 95.6 MPH with his fastball (maxed out at 97.4). If you still wonder why hitting has become so difficult, here is an example of a grinder who is throwing fastballs 97.4 MPH. This is not me saying Rodriguez is good (his 30 MLB games show otherwise). It is me saying that mediocre shuttle guys are pumping fastballs as hard as this.
RHP Anthony Mena: (W, 1-0) 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, HR
The 21-year-old has pitched well (small sample) in his first taste of a full-season league (7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 5 K)
RHP Jordarlin Mendoza: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Mendoza reached 99.8 MPH with his 4-seamer and 99.7 with his sinker.
RHP Matthew Tippie: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Josh Tiedemann: (S, 7) 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Nobody cares about minor league saves, but Tiedemann leads the organization with his seven.
FCL Yankees (29-29)
Their season is over.
DSL Yankees (31-20) (Defeated the DSL Rangers Red, 11-3. One way to assure you make it to the tournament is by not losing any games. Not only are they ranked 12th, some of the logjam has eased as only one othere team has 20 losses. Four teams have 21.)
CF Isaias Castillo: 0-for-3, 2 SF, 2 RBI, 2 K
Productive outs!
LF Luis Cruz: 0-for-4, RBI, CS (2), K
SS Stiven Marinez: 2-for-4, 2 HR (8), 2 RBI, 2 R, K
Marinez’s first career multi-HR game. He is hitting .316/.443/.551 (7 doubles, 7 triples, 8 HR) in 235 PA.
2B Juan Torres: 2-for-5, 2B (24), R
Torres is a crazy 20-for-38 (.526; 5 doubles, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 15 R, 6 BB, 1 K) in August.
DH Juan Martinez: 1-for-4, RBI, R, K
C Poly Ojeda: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
RF Alfiery Matos: 1-for-1, 3 R,4 SB (32), 3 BB
Matos is 10-for-12 stealing bases in nine August games.
1B Jose Peralta: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 R, BB, K
3B Adrian Feliz: 2-for-3, 2B (2), 2 RBI, R, SB (9), BB
RHP Victor De Leon: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
2.70 ERA (33.1 IP, 26 H, 13 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 28 BB, 29 K)
LHP Luis Rodriguez (W, 1-4): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
DSL Bombers (22-29-1) (Lost to the DSL Rangers Blue, 9-5. They couldn’t do the Yankees’ a favor, as the Rangers Blue improve to 31-21)
DH Alessandro Rodriguez: 1-for-3, R, BB, K
C Kenneth Melendez: 1-for-3, 2B (4), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
SS Germayhoni Beltre: 2-for-4, 2B (10), RBI, R
Beltre has four multi-hit efforts in his last five games.
LHP Jose Sanchez (L, 0-2): 4.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, HR
LHP Kevin Centeno: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K