Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
I was at the game yesterday, which explains the delay for this report.
Note: I get that the Yankees need to evaluate for the playoffs. I get that Aaron Judge needs to be brought along as if he is on a minor league rehab assignment. However, a lineup without Ben Rice and Luis Garcia Jr. is criminal. Rice is seventh in MLB in slugging percentage. Garcia Jr. is third. No other organization in baseball is sitting both players. No other organization in baseball would likely sit one.
I am not suggesting benching Paul Goldschmidt against lefties. Nor am I one of those radicals who will suggest playing Garcia Jr. at second base or Rice at catcher (though you may be able to convince me of the latter). The lineup looked feeble on the car ride to the Stadium and it played out.
Not that any lineup would make up for what Gerrit Cole did yesterday.
Scranton (75-65; 38-28 in the second half) (Lost a backbreaker to Rochester, 7-6. They owned a 6-0 lead entering the bottom of the 6th. Current records: Rochester (40-28), Scranton (38-28), Indianapolis (39-29), Syracuse (38-29), Worcester (36-30). One of these five squads will win the second-half title next week and go straight to the International League Championship Series against Memphis)
Rochester is the affiliate of the Washington Nationals. RHP Ben Grable, who was the top relief prospect in the Yankees’ system at the time of the Luis Garcia Jr. trade, has struggled in seven games at this level: 5.2 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 6 K.
LF Jarred Kelenic: 0-for-5, K
SS Max Schuemann: 1-for-5, HR (6), RBI, R, 3 K
DH J.C. Escarra: 0-for-4
2B Marco Luciano: 1-for-2, HR (16), RBI, 3 R, 2 BB
Luciano has 26 home runs between here and Somerset. He has homered in back-to-back contests.
RF Yanquiel Fernandez: 1-for-4, HR (26), 2 RBI, R, K
Fernandez sets a new personal best for home runs. He is four RBI behind Jackson Lovich for the organizational lead, and Lovich’s season is over.
PR-RF Kenedy Corona: 0-for-0
3B Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-for-4, K
1B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-4, 2B (12), RBI, R
Like Fernandez, Hardman is four RBI behind Lovich for the organizational lead.
CF Duke Ellis: 2-for-2, 2B (12), RBI, SB (52), 2 CS (9), 2 BB
Ellis is a high-volume basestealer, so it will likely come as a shock when I tell you this is the first time he has ever been caught stealing twice in a game. He is 234-for-266 (87.9%) in his career. That doesn’t include his 5-for-5 mark in MLB.
C Abrahan Gutierrez: 1-for-3, K
PH Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 1-for-1, 2B (16)
RHP Adam Kloffenstein: 5 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
He was cruising through five before running into a wall in the 6th. It’s crazy how everything can fall apart so quickly.
RHP Yerry de los Santos (L, 3-3): 2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Entering a game with the bases loaded and nobody out is not an enviable task. However, you can’t allow all three runners to score!
RHP Chris Kean: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Somerset (74-63; 37-31 in the second half) (Defeated Hartford, 11-6. While the Patriots fell short of their playoff goal, they forced everyone else to win their games as they are 4-1 this week. Their season ends today.)
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-4, RBI, R, BB, K
Avina slipped through the Rule 5 last year. Will his chances of being selected improve this year?
DH Core Jackson: 2-for-4, HR (2, grand slam), 4 RBI, 2 R, BB
Jackson launches his first career grand slam. He is ending the season on a high note (14-for-46 (.304/.347/.478 with ten RBI in September).
SS Roderick Arias: 1-for-5, R, SB (8)
More on his season
RF DJ Gladney: 0-for-1, K
RF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-4, RBI, R, SB (11)
3B Coby Morales: 0-for-3, R, BB
C Manuel Palencia: 2-for-3, 2B (9), SF, RBI
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-2, 2B (12), 3 R, 2 BB, K
If he plays on Sunday, he needs one home run for 30. Two farmhands reached 30 in 2025 (Spencer Jones (35) and Jose Rojas (32)). The veteran Rojas played 17 games for the Mets Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse this season before an injury sidelined him. He was eventually released.
2B Connor McGinnis: 4-for-4, 2B (12), 4 RBI, R
His second 4-hit effort this season (he has three 4+ RBI efforts).
LF Luis Durango: 0-for-2, R, SAC, BB
RHP Cade Smith: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 5 K
A tough season comes to a close for Smith, who entered the season with an outside shot of becoming an MLB option (would have been tough with the Yankees, I know). He pitched to a 5.27 ERA (5.47 FIP) over 124.2 innings with a 21.7% K, 10.0% BB, and 44.4% GB. He allowed 1.59 HR/9, though he gradually reduced that as the season went on.
RHP Clarke Schmidt: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Huey Morrill: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert (W, 6-2): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
3.63 ERA over 39.2 innings (21 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 7 HR, 22 BB, 47 K). He allowed three home runs in 100 career innings entering this season.
Hudson Valley (65-65; 35-31 in the second half)
Their season is over.
Tampa (79-51 regular season (43-20 in the second half); 2-0 in playoffs)
Day off.
The Tarpons will face off with Jupiter for the Florida State League title. The best-of-3 will be played out on Sunday/Tuesday/Wednesday.
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.