Midseason Review/New Top 30 Prospects
Notes:
Can a final report be any more anticlimactic? It feels like the minor league season as a whole.
Oh, it wasn’t all bad. Yostin Pena may be 35 for all we know, but he certainly put his name on the map. Jackson Lovich had a big offensive campaign. I have no idea what his position is, but the numbers were there. We’ll see how Double-A pitching handles him next year. Wilberson De Pena won the FCL Triple Crown, while Juan Torres flirted with .400 for part of the season in the DSL. He ended up at .359, good for 4th in the league. Core Jackson could be more than a glove, while Jace Avina conquered Double-A. His 120 wRC+ finished 10th in the Eastern League. The 20-year-old Luis Escudero hitting like a madman in Tampa wasn’t on my bingo card.
The catching situation is still bad. All year, I talked up players like Luis Puello, David McCann, and Eric Genther. While it’s fun to watch unheralded prospects raise their game, it’s hard to see them as big-time future options. Engelth Urena, who played in only 77 games, has been a disappointment. We are not sure what direction they are going in with Brendan Brock. The third-round pick out of Oklahoma is lauded for his athleticism. The Yankees can try him at catcher or center field. You don’t see many prospects with that profile. He didn’t debut after the draft, so we’ll have to wait and see how the Yankees utilize him.
What is missing from the above? Pitching. The Yankees’ typically deep minor league pitching ran into trouble this year. Much of that was due to injury. Ben Hess (56.2 innings), Thatcher Hurd (43), and Mac Heuer (21) couldn’t stay on the hill. Elmer Rodriguez had a strong ERA, but some of his peripherals declined. Carlos Lagrange wowed with his fastball, but a shoulder injury after moving to the bullpen cast a shadow over his season. His fastball was still there in one late-season appearance. Allen Facundo had a solid 27.5% K after his promotion to Hudson Valley but combined that with an ugly 15.9% BB. The bullpen is calling his name.
I am bullish on Hunter Dietz, which is shocking, given he was their first-round pick. I think the Yankees stole him. He will make his debut in 2027.
George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones are helping the big league club. Both are worth 1.0 bWAR. While Jones’ fWAR is in line (0.8), Lombard’s isn’t. That’s tied to the defensive metrics. bWAR uses DRS, where Lombard Jr. shines. fWAR uses OAA, which hasn’t been as enthusiastic.
I asked the same question all season: Where do I go to find an exciting long-term asset? Dax Kilby is the closest player I can find. Fangraphs thinks he could stick at shortstop, but they are an outlier. The bat looks legitimate, to the point where I have “future leadoff hitter” dreams. You find a position for a player with that level of potential, but he has to stay on the field.
Historically, I have leaned positive on the Yankees’ system. This year is an exception to my usual outlook. I want to be wrong. I can write an article on my hits and misses. I don’t ignore my misses while propping up how great I am when I am right. I see enough of that. I have done this long enough, however, to recognize when a system is in a down period. That describes the Yankees on September 20th, 2026. If your opinion differs, I want to know what you are seeing. If your answer is the insane DSL Yankees’ offense, that won’t work. If a future superstar is lurking in the DSL, not one person knows who it is. If your answer is how well Tampa played in the second half, I can listen. However, some of that was driven by 2026 draftees fresh out of college. That’s not a bad thing (you have to start somewhere), but college kids performing in Tampa will not move the needle. They have plenty to prove.
Instead of focusing on reality, people would rather complain that sites like Baseball America “hate the Yankees”. Say what?
Anyway, my “Where are they now?” article is coming soon. As is a Rule 5 primer. Beyond that, maybe I will write 150 articles on the lockout and what that means for you. I don’t know. I love to write, so we’ll see where I go next.
Scranton (78-68; 41-31 in the second half)
Their game against Jacksonville was cancelled due to rain.
Somerset (74-64; 37-32 in the second half)
Their season is over.
Hudson Valley (65-65; 35-31 in the second half)
Their season is over.
Tampa (79-52 regular season (43-20 in the second half); 3-2 in playoffs)
Their season is over.
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.