Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
LHP Kyle Carr was activated off the injured list for Scranton. He started tonight’s game. Meanwhile, RHP Bryce Cunningham was moved up from Hudson Valley to Somerset. In 17 games (15 starts) for Hudson Valley, Cunningham posted a 4.71 ERA (4.60 FIP) over 80.1 innings with a 19.5% K, 10.5% BB, and 34.5% GB. Coming out of college, I was bullish on him but it’s been rough after coming back from injury.
Scranton (65-58; 28-21 in the second half) (Lost to Worcester, 8-5)
2B Anthony Volpe: 2-for-5, R
CF Jasson Dominguez: 0-for-4, 3 K
Dominguez has struck out 12 times in his last eight games (4-for-31)
C Mitch Garver: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
Garver is 3-for-20 since signing with the Yankees.
DH J.C. Escarra: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Escarra has 20 RBI in 19 August games.
LF Marco Luciano: 3-for-4, 2 HR (12), 3 RBI, 2 R, K
Luciano has 22 home runs between here and Somerset, leaving him two behind Tyler Hardman and Garrett Martin for the organizational lead. This is his fifth multi-HR effort this season (three with Somerset, two with Scranton).
SS Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-for-4, 3 K
RF Yanquiel Fernandez: 0-for-4, 2 K
3B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 1-for-3, 2B (14), R, SB (12), BB
LHP Kyle Carr: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
In his return, Carr needed 27 pitches (generated five whiffs) to get through his one inning. Even if he was scheduled to go further, they weren’t going to let him toss a second inning after needing 27 pitches in the first.
LHP Xavier Rivas: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 2 K
Rivas has struggled a tad since his promotion (7.1 IP, 9 H, 15 R, 13 ER, 2 HR, 14 BB, 6 K). “You have a different definition of ‘a tad’ than I do, Tom”.
RHP Danny Watson: (L, 4-4) 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Zach Messinger: 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Somerset (65-56; 28-24 in the second half) (Won a crazy game over Akron, 10-9, in 11 innings. Akron scored four runs in the top of the 11th, only for Somerset to counter that with five runs in the bottom half)
SS Core Jackson: 1-for-3, R, SB (5), BB
Jackson is hitting .292 (7-for-24) since his promotion. Overall, he has 37 stolen bases in 44 attempts.
PH-SS Kevin Verde: 0-for-0, SAC
PH Jackson Castillo: 0-for-1, K
CF Jace Avina: 2-for-5, SF, 3 RBI
Avina drove home the winning runs with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the 11th.
2B Roderick Arias: 2-for-5, HR (2), RBI, 3 R, 3 K
This sums up Arias, though it is missing the stolen base. Between here and Hudson Valley, Arias has 25 doubles, 3 triples, 14 home runs, 75 RBI, 71 R, 33 stolen bases (46 attempts), 45 walks, and 145 strikeouts. He set new personal bests for home runs and RBI tonight.
C Omar Alfonzo: 0-for-5, 2 K
RF DJ Gladney: 2-for-5, HR (23), 3 RBI, R, 2 K
Gladney, closing in on the organization’s home run lead, leads the organization with 85 RBI. He also leads the Eastern League with that total.
3B Coby Morales: 1-for-5, R, 2 K
DH Manuel Palencia: 1-for-4, HR (6), RBI, 2 R, BB
Palencia’s crazy home run surge continues. All six of his home runs have come in August. As I have stated previously, he had one career home run entering August. Is there a rational explanation? An old school theory was that “doubles become home runs.” From 2021 through 2024, Palencia hit 24 doubles and a triple in 133 games. That’s not an extreme number, but he may be getting stronger or learning how to lift the ball better. Another possibility is one of those random baseball flukes we will never be able to explain. All this said, the Yankees are desperate for catching prospects and it would be fun if he is blossoming before our eyes. He is Rule 5 eligible, so one way we’ll find out what the Yankees think of him is if they protect him (assuming there is a Rule 5 draft this winter)
1B Josh Moylan: 2-for-5, R
LF Cole Gabrielson: 2-for-4, RBI, R, BB, K
RHP Bryce Cunningham: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
Cunningham’s Double-A debut. He cruised through four innings, but allowed three runs in the 5th.
RHP Kelly Austin: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Kevin Stevens: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Tony Rossi: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Keating: (W, 3-1) 1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR
Hudson Valley (62-57; 32-23 in second half) (Defeated Brooklyn, 4-1. They have a 9-game winning streak)
C Eric Genther: 1-for-4, K
SS Jackson Lovich: 1-for-2, 2B (1), R, 2 BB
Lovich finally fills in the doubles column. Since his promotion: 29-for-86 (.337/.416/.477; 1 double, 1 triple, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 19 R, 13-for-15 SB)
1B Kyle West: 0-for-4, 2 K
CF Maika Niu: 1-for-3, RBI
DH Dean Toigo: 0-for-3
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-3, 2B (10), R, SB (23), K
His solid August continues (.273/.377/.348; 12-for-14 SB).
LF Robbie Burnett: 1-for-3, R, K
3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 RBI, R, K
It was a struggle at this level for Martin-Grudzielanek until his 2-run blast in the 5th inning broke a 1-1 tie.
RF Camden Troyer: 0-for-3, 2 K
RHP Brandon Decker: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
With the promotion of Cunnigham, Hudson Valley had to go with a bullpen game. Season: 3.06 ERA (47 IP, 39 H, 21 R, 16 ER, 4 HR, 22 BB, 53 K)
RHP Andrew Landry: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Brady Kirtner: (W, 4-3) 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, HR
RHP Jack Sokol: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
3.32 ERA (38 IP, 40 H, 24 R, 14 ER, 3 HR, 15 BB, 36 K).
RHP Hansel Rincon: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
2.90 ERA (40.1 IP, 31 H, 19 R, 13 ER, 2 HR, 18 BB, 58 K). After not pitching for two years, the Yankees nabbed him in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft (out of the Brewers organization) and he has done a nice job.
Tampa (69-49; 34-18 in the second half) (Doubled up Jupiter, 10-5. Their offense has gone absolutely bonkers)
SS Dax Kilby: 1-for-6, 2 K
Kilby has been a key cog in their offensive explosion, but they had to pick him up today.
CF Yostin Pena: 2-for-4, RBI, 3 R, HBP, BB, K
Since promotion: 24-for-67 (.358; 0 doubles, 2 triples, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 16 R, 4-for-4 SB, 2 BB, 13 K). Between here and the DSL, he has an incredible 77 RBI in 52 games.
LF Paul Contreras: 1-for-2, R, CS (2), HBP, 2 BB, K
DH Bear Harrison: 0-for-4, BB, K
3B Anthony Potestio: 0-for-2, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Potestio’s first career hitless game (entered tonight with a 10-game hitting streak). Not that he will complain about drawing a pair of walks and scoring two runs.
1B Luke Pettitte: 1-for-4, HR (3), 3 RBI, R, BB, K
Pettitte has two doubles and three home runs in five games.
C Luis Puello: 0-for-5, R, 3 K
RF Brando Mayea: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB
Mayea has hit safely in 22 straight starts. In August, he is 17-for-40 (.425).
2B Blake Cyr: 2-for-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI, 2 K
RHP Sabier Marte: 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 3 HR
A mixed bag tonight for Marte, who generated 18 whiffs on 43 swings. He reached 97 MPH with his 4-seam fastball.
RHP Antonio Gomez: (W, 1-0) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
The converted catcher earns his first professional win. While he fell short of his usual 100+ MPH heater, Gomez was dominant. He was 100% with the swing-and-miss (6 swings, 6 misses).
LHP Pedro Rodriguez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Rodriguez’s first outing since July 8th.
RHP Rafael Arias: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Arias has 14 strikeouts in 9.1 innings since his promotion.
RHP Josh Tiedemann: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
FCL Yankees (29-29)
Their season is over.
DSL Yankees (33-21 regular season; 0-2 in pool play)
Their season is over.
DSL Bombers (25-29-1)
Their season is over.