Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
OF Logan Maxwell, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2025, has retired. In 29 games for Tampa this season, Maxwell hit .270/.379/.460 in 125 PA. He went 9-for-10 stealing bases.
This could be injury-related, as Maxwell has been on the injured list since July 7th (last played on July 2nd).
C Mitch Garver remains on the restricted list. We are beyond the 48 hours when a decision needed to be made, which could suggest no teams are interested in adding him to their active roster and that Garver does not want to hang around in Triple-A. If there is truth to that, the Yankees would place him on the restricted list for contractual reasons.
Scranton (72-61; 35-24 in the second half) (Defeated Lehigh Valley, 9-2)
CF Jarred Kelenic: 1-for-5, HR (7), 2 RBI, R, K
Kelenic launches his first home run as a member of the Yankees’ organization.
2B Anthony Volpe: 2-for-3, 2B (9), HR (11), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (9), CI, K
Volpe has homered five times in his last five games. He has five stolen bases in his last six games.
LF Jasson Dominguez: 3-for-4, R, SB (14)
Dominguez has four multi-hit efforts in his last six games.
C J.C. Escarra: 2-for-4, SF, RBI, R
DH Marco Luciano: 2-for-4, RBI, BB, K
Luciano has a 5-game hitting streak (9-for-21).
SS Oswaldo Cabrera: 2-for-5, RBI, K
Cabrera has a 6-game hitting streak (9-for-26)
3B Max Schuemann: 1-for-4, 2B (12), 2 R
RF Yanquiel Fernandez: 2-for-4, 2 2B (19), RBI, R
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 2-for-3, RBI, R, SB (13), BB, K
LHP Kyle Carr: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR
RHP Hayden Merda: (W, 1-0) 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K
Merda was humming tonight, reaching 98.4 MPH. His cutter, which averaged 88.4 MPH, generated seven whiffs on 12 swings. He is an interesting relief prospect who has struck out 85 batters in 51.1 innings (K% is 37.9).
RHP Zach Messinger: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Somerset (69-60; 32-28 in the second half) (Lost to Erie, 17-0. Not the way anyone wishes to spend their Friday night)
SS Core Jackson: 0-for-4
DH Jace Avina: 1-for-4, 2 K
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-0
3B-2B Roderick Arias: 0-for-4, K
Arias is in a little 4-for-28 slump.
C Omar Alfonzo: 1-for-3, BB, K
CF DJ Gladney: 0-for-4, 2 K
1B-3B Coby Morales: 1-for-4, K
LF-P Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-2, HBP
2B Connor McGinnis: 0-for-1, K
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-2
RF Luis Durango: 0-for-3
RHP Dom Hamel: (L, 0-2) 1 IP, 4 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, 1 K
Nothing against Hamel, but I breathe a sigh of relief when it’s a minor league veteran getting mauled instead of a prospect.
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
RHP Huey Morrill: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Michael Arias: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Keating: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Keating’s biggest issue in his career has been walks (126 over 221 innings). He is also good at striking hitters out (290; 30.3%).
RHP Tony Rossi: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Since promotion: 2.78 ERA (32.1 IP, 25 H, 12 R, 10 ER, 2 HR, 9 BB, 41 K).
RHP Cole Gabrielson: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Hudson Valley (65-63; 35-29 in the second half) (Lost to Wilmington, 5-1. The Renegades will not make the playoffs in 2026)
DH Jackson Lovich: 1-for-4, HR (6), RBI, R, K
Lovich’s home run was a leadoff blast. He has homered in back-to-back games and is hitting .325/.399/.533 in 138 plate appearances at this level (.289/.363/.516 in 501 plate appearances overall). While anything is possible, I don’t expect them to move him to Somerset for the final week of the season.
CF Maika Niu: 1-for-4, 2 K
The undrafted free agent is hitting .218/.308/.410 over 91 PA.
1B Kyle West: 0-for-4, K
C David McCann: 0-for-3
LF Dean Toigo: 3-for-3
The 2026 draftee has done well at this level, hitting .301/.378/.411 over 82 PA. Today was his 24th birthday.
3B Hans Montero: 0-for-3, K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-3
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 0-for-3, 2 K
RF Camden Troyer: 0-for-3
RHP Sean Paul Linan: (L, 3-9) 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Linan, acquired from the Nationals for Jorbit Vivas, finishes the season with a 5.81 ERA over 91.1 innings (87 H, 67 R, 59 ER, 14 HR, 46 BB, 106 K). Linan has one plus pitch (a changeup) that could potentially play out of the bullpen. As for Vivas, the Nationals have given him a 105-game leash in 2026. He is hitting .242/.337/.328 in 313 plate appearances. He receives high grades for his Whiff%, K%, BB%, and OAA. However, he hits nothing hard. His exit velocity and hard hit percentage metrics are atrocious. One can argue the same is true of Luis Arraez, but Arraez is a master at squaring the ball up. Vivas is not.
RHP Brandon Decker: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Chris Veach: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Wilmy Sanchez: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Tampa (77-50; 42-19 in the second half) (Lost to Dunedin, 6-3. This ends their 10-game winning streak)
DH Yostin Pena: 2-for-4, 2 SB (10), CS (2)
The exit velocities he consistently puts up can mesmorize you. Tonight, he hit balls 110.7, 106.7, and 100.0 MPH. Between here and the DSL, Pena has 37 stolen bases in 42 attempts. He has 26 multi-hit efforts in 59 games.
CF Wilberson De Pena: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
C Bear Harrison: 0-for-4, 3 K
Harrison has struggled in his first taste of professional ball (.162/.284/.235 in 81 PA).
SS Anthony Potestio: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
1B Luke Pettitte: 1-for-4, HR (4), RBI, R, 3 K
Pettitte has four home runs in ten games.
2B Luis Escudero: 1-for-4, HR (10), RBI, R
Escudero hit seven home runs in 133 rookie league games. He has ten in 50 games for Tampa.
RF Diego Castellanos: 2-for-4, SB (3)
3B Blake Schaaf: 1-for-4, R, 2 K
LHP Justin West: (L, 10-4) 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
West doesn’t have the “big stuff” that prospect watchers love (and I am not suggesting he should be on the Top 30), but he did have a solid campaign: 4.06 ERA over 113 innings (104 H, 54 R, 51 ER, 10 HR, 35 BB, 121 K). He also compiled a pair of saves in three relief appearances.
RHP Greysen Carter: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Carter maxed out at 99.2 MPH.
RHP Jordarlin Mendoza: 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Matthew Tippie: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
2.87 ERA (47 IP, 32 H, 23 R, 15 ER, 4 HR, 21 BB, 59 K). Tippie hasn’t allowed a run since July 23rd (12 scoreless innings since).
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.