Minor League Reports Archives - Page 19 of 31

My Take: Yankees Acquire OF Alex Verdugo

The trade:

Yankees acquire OF Alex Verdugo from the Boston Red Sox for RHP Greg Weissert, RHP Richard Fitts, RHP Nicholas Judice

It isn’t often that the Yankees and Red Sox make a trade. While we have seen significant swaps in the past that go beyond the purchase of Babe Ruth (Don Baylor for Mike Easler, as one example), most of their deals are minor.

This trade is far from a blockbuster, but is isn’t insignificant. Brian Cashman talked about wanting two left-handed hitting outfielders, and Verdugo fits. His position doesn’t fit quite as easily, however. Defensive metrics like Verdugo as a corner outfielder – as a center fielder, however, he is below average.

The bat is a potential fit as a complementary lineup piece more than a main lineup piece. In 2019-2020, Verdugo hit a rather impressive .300/.351/476 (117 OPS+) in 598 plate appearances with 38 doubles, 18 home runs, and 59 runs batted in. His production has fallen off a bit in his last three seasons, however, as he owns a .278/.334/.417 (103 OPS+) line over 1,850 plate appearances. The Yankees acquired an average-ish MLB corner outfielder, which is better than what they trotted out there in 2023. However, the bar should not be the 2023 Yankees outfield as many players can clear that. The true bar is Verdugo himself when you think about it. Verdugo is pretty good, but teams should strive to acquire players better than him.

Two publicized benchings by Alex Cora during the 2023 season also raises eyebrows. One suspension was due to a lack of hustle, while the other was due to arriving late at the ballpark.

As for what the Yankees gave up, Fitts is the most intriguing of the bunch. In 27 starts for Double-A Somerset, Fitts pitched to a 3.48 ERA (3.92 FIP) over 152.2 IP with a 6.8% BB and 25.9% K. The innings were the third highest in all of minor league baseball. His ceiling is probably in the neighborhood of a modern-day innings eater. His most probable outcome, however, may be as a spot starter/long reliever type. While he has impeccable control, he lacks command which makes him vulnerable to the long ball (22 in 2023). A move to the pen can lead to an uptick in velocity, which makes it easier to get around command issues. Fitts was never linked to the Soto talks as he isn’t at the level of Drew Thorpe/Chase Hampton in prospect circles. However, that doesn’t mean he is without value. He’ll probably make it to MLB in some capacity.

We have seen Weissert in MLB over the last two seasons. Thus far, he hasn’t been able to translate minor league success to MLB success, as he owns a 4.60 ERA (4.29 FIP) over 31.1 innings with a 9.6% BB and 24.4% K. Weissert’s stuff can be mesmerizing, but he has trouble controlling it. So far, despite his funkiness, he hasn’t shown any special ability to get right-handed hitters out. To be exact, right-handed batters hit him better than left-handed ones. The sample size is still on the small size.

Judice has yet to make his professional debut. Drafted in the 8th round in the 2023 draft out of Louisiana-Monroe, it should come as no surprise that he stands at 6’8″. The Yankees love to draft tall pitchers, and Judice is that. Judice will turn 23 in April, so he is on the older side for a player who has yet to make his debut. He is older than a typical “lottery ticket” but that is still the best way to describe him. If he can start pumping out 98 MPH fastballs consistently, he has a chance. That is true of approximately 328,923 pitchers across minor league baseball.

Bottom Line:

If your first thought is that the Yankees gave up little in this trade, I will ask you this: What exactly could Boston ask for in a deal for a mid-level corner outfielder in his last year of arbitration? This move is a salary dump for the Red Sox, which lowers the prospect ask.

Verdugo is a player that Yankees fans love to hate. But we need to look past that and ask ourselves if he is a good baseball player. The answer to that is Yes. Nobody can deny that Verdugo is a capable MLB player who does many things pretty well, even if he doesn’t own a plus-plus offensive tool. However, you can fairly ask how he fits with the 2024 Yankees, especially if Juan Soto is acquired. He isn’t a center fielder (he can fake it out there a few times a week, perhaps) and it is dangerous to rely on Aaron Judge to be the everyday center fielder. An acquisition of Soto gives the Yankees three corner outfielders, no true center fielder, and Giancarlo Stanton in the designated hitter spot. Jasson Dominguez (who probably profiles as a corner outfielder himself down the road) will be back sometime in 2024. However, it is foolish to think we can rely on him to be above average once he returns. It took Bryce Harper, one of the best baseball players in the league, a few months to find his power coming off of a similar injury.

The Yankees entered this offseason with glaring holes. The squad was boring as they plodded their way through an 82-80 season. Verdugo doesn’t make the roster any more exciting, but we have to be fair and admit that he is an upgrade. If they keep him (I think they will), it is only a 1-year commitment at between $9-10M. That doesn’t seem significant enough to keep the Yankees away from Soto and/or Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

In the end, if this is the biggest move we are talking about when camp opens, the Yankees are in trouble. As of now, I am optimistic that won’t be the case.

Yankees MILB: 2023 Pitching Review

A look at the Yankees’ pitching prospects in 2023, starting with the All-Star team.

The starters:

RHP Drew Thorpe, Hudson Valley/Somerset (14-2, 2.52 ERA (3.05 FIP); 139.1 IP, 34% K, 7.1% BB, 49.2% GB; Age: 23; Rule 5 Eligible: 2025)

In a surprising twist, Thorpe makes my list of top five pitchers in the organization. The second-round pick in 2022 dominated in his first professional season, though it didn’t start that way (in his first three starts, Thorpe allowed ten runs in 15.1 IP). His changeup passed a big test when he compiled a 1.48 ERA (2.15 FIP) over 30.1 innings for Somerset. For the most part, advanced hitters will eat mediocre changeups. That didn’t happen with Thorpe, who can be an MLB option as soon as 2024.

RHP Will Warren, Somerset/Scranton (10-4, 3.35 ERA (4.19 FIP); 129 IP, 27% K, 10.7% BB, 51.7% GB; Age: 24; Rule 5 Eligible: 2024)

The numbers may not jump at you, but Triple-A is a haven for offense. In his first 13 Triple-A starts, Warren posted a 5.24 ERA in 55 innings, allowing 11 homers while compiling a 22.6% K and 11.5% BB. In his final six starts, he posted a 1.61 ERA over 44.2 innings, allowing four homers while compiling a 29.8% K and 10.1% BB. When Warren has his command, expect a lot of ground balls mixed with enough strikeouts to make him enticing. If the final six starts are an indicator that something has clicked, he can be a mid-rotation level starter. If not, a swingman role could be his future – much like former Yankee Adam Warren.

RHP Richard Fitts, Somerset (11-5, 3.48 ERA (3.92 FIP); 152.2 IP, 25.9% K, 6.8% BB, 39.5% GB; Age: 23; Rule 5 Eligible: 2024)

Amongst all minor league pitchers, Fitts ranked third in innings (organization-mate Mitch Spence was the leader!). I look at Fitts as a modern-day bulldog type – a kid who isn’t afraid to pound the zone with his fastball/slider combination. This feature can, at times, turn into a bug as he is prone to long balls when he doesn’t locate his pitches well. Personally, I love pitchers who pound the zone, which elevates Fitts in my eyes. I say this while realizing that his GB% may not be ideal for a right-handed starter in Yankee Stadium.

RHP Chase Hampton, Hudson Valley/Somerset (4-3, 3.63 ERA (3.38 FIP); 106.2 IP, 33.1% K, 8.4% BB, 32.5% GB; Age: 22; Rule 5 Eligible: 2026)

When you combine age, level, and stuff, Hampton is the most tantalizing pitching prospect in the organization. He throws four pitches (fastball, slider, curve, change) and shows swing-and-miss with both the curve and slider. He wasn’t quite as dominant in Somerset as he was in Hudson Valley (not surprising for a 21-year-old in his debut season), as his K% dipped from 40.5% to 27.4%. Like with Fitts, one could be concerned by the ground ball rate, but if a pitcher keeps the K% elevated, that can offset that. Plus, a pitcher can “learn” to keep balls away from the porch.

LHP Brock Selvidge, Tampa/Hudson Valley (8-5, 3.45 ERA (2.98 FIP); 127.2 IP, 25.5% K, 6.5% BB, 50.1% GB; Age: 21; Rule 5 Eligible: 2026)

If it is a left-handed prospect you wish to drool over, Selvidge should be on your list. Amongst the Yankees’ prospects with 70+ innings, Selvidge had the lowest FIP (2.98), HR/9 (0.35), and BB% (6.5%). He dropped his walk rate from the 9.4% he compiled in the Complex League in 2022. What makes Selvidge fun is that he is not fully baked – his stuff is good as is, but it can get even better as he continues to gain experience and strength. He isn’t Rule 5 eligible for a long time and we should see him in Somerset sometime in 2024 (he tossed 50.1 innings in Hudson Valley, so I suspect he will start the season there before a relatively early promotion)

The relievers:

RHP Danny Watson, Hudson Valley/Somerset (1.58 ERA (3.66 FIP); 62.2 IP, 32.7% K, 10% BB, 37.6% GB; Age: 23; Rule 5 Eligible: 2024)

The Yankees have a wide selection of tall relief prospects, and Watson (6’7″) is no exception. His 1.58 ERA was the best amongst Yankees’ prospects with 50+ innings. After making High-A hitters look silly (39% K), Watson found Double-A to be a little more challenging in the strikeout/home run department. The thing with prospects is that it sometimes is better for them to struggle a bit at an advanced level rather than continue to dissect hitters in the lower levels. The Yankees’ bullpen is often strong, and it could feel daunting for a prospect to break through. He should be in the mix for MLB innings sometime in 2024.

RHP Jack Neely, Hudson Valley/Somerset (2.17 ERA (2.90 FIP); 66.1 IP, 38.6% K, 7.7% BB, 35.1% GB; Age: 23; Rule 5 Eligible: 2024)

Neely (6’8″) did a nice job maintaining his K% between Hudson Valley and Somerset while cutting his BB% by more than half (full disclosure: He only tossed 17.2 innings in Somerset). He reached 100 strikeouts out of the bullpen, which is always a fun number to report. Neely’s ascension pretty much matches Watson’s, and he should also be in the bullpen mix sometime in 2024. Healthy competition is good competition.

RHP Bailey Dees, Hudson Valley/Somerset (2.60 ERA (3.37 FIP); 62.1 IP, 30.3% K, 10.6% BB, 36.1% GB; Age: 24; Rule 5 Eligible: 2024)

Dees (6’8″) is in the same boat as Watson and Neely: Big right-handed relief pitchers who you are going to be hearing about in 2024. Any of the three have “Twitter favorite” potential when a big league reliever starts to struggle. Of the three, Dees experienced the biggest dip in strikeout rate between Hudson Valley and Somerset, while his BB% spiked. I don’t concern myself too much with small sample size noise, but it is something to monitor. Hopefully, all three of these kids are invited to spring training because it would be quite a sight to see three power forwards eating some early spring innings.

RHP Luis Velasquez, Tampa/Hudson Valley (1.74 ERA (3.44 FIP); 62 IP, 30.8% K, 13.2% BB, 63.6% GB; Age: 22; Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible)

“Are all the Yankees relief prospects Paul Bunyan types?” The answer is no, as Velasquez packs a smaller size (5’10”) and a better ground ball profile (his 63.6% rate was 4th best in all the minors amongst pitchers with 60+ innings). Velasquez was crazy good down the stretch, posting a 0.89 ERA over his final 30.1 innings While his K rate remained steady during this stretch, he was able to reduce his walk rate (10.9%). Velasquez is Rule 5 eligible and you never know if a small market team would be willing to “bury” someone of his type at the end of their bullpen. I wouldn’t be scared off by that, however – he should be left unprotected and he should pitch for Somerset in 2024.

Honorable Mention:

Starters:

RHP Clayton Beeter (Rule 5 Eligible) – Beeter is essentially the 6th starter on my list above. I remain intrigued to see what he can do if the Yankees tell him to air it out for an inning or two, but there is zero harm in keeping him in the rotation for now. He will need to be protected, as there is zero doubt that a team will grab him and (at the very least) throw him into a relief role.

RHP Justin Lange (Rule 5 Eligible: 2024) – Lange’s potential remains huge, but he still has a lot to work on. His 33.2% strikeout rate jumps out at you, as he struck out exactly ten batters three times this season. Lange was dominant in his first High-A start (5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K) but struggled in his final two. The potential outcomes are wide-ranging, as he remains a lottery ticket.

RHP Matt Sauer (Rule 5 Eligible) – Sauer had a late start to his 2023 season but was able to squeeze in 74 innings of 3.41 ERA ball. He struck out 30.3% of the hitters he faced. Sauer has an intriguing profile and is a former second-round pick, but how much room do the Yankees have to protect him? He can be prime trade bait before the Rule 5 protection list deadline.

RHP Yoendrys Gomez (On 40-man) – Gomez pitched well for Somerset in 19 starts (3.58 ERA in only 65.1 innings), before being called up to the big leagues to get his feet wet. Gomez has always intrigued, but injuries have held him back. The 67.1 innings between Somerset/MLB represents his career best, which shows you just how much time he has missed through the years. If he can stay healthy, the Yankees have an arm with not much mileage on it. His best role may be out of the bullpen.

RHP Brendan Beck (Rule 5 Eligible: 2024) – It is amazing that Beck’s clock is already closing in on zero as we enter 2024, making the season huge for him. Due to injuries, his debut was in 2023, where he pitched only 34 innings over ten starts. The Yankees correctly placed him in High-A (after one start in the FCL) and will probably fast-track him in 2024. Yes, there is a good chance that people on social media will drool over Beck next year.

RHP Zach Messinger (Rule 5 Eligible: 2024) – Messinger is only 2-18 in his professional career, but that is misleading to an extreme. He has seldom been asked to throw more than 4-5 innings, which limits his win potential. Messinger pitched in 21 games (only four starts) for Virginia in 2021, so the Yankees are asking him to stretch back out as a starter in the minors. With that comes a lot of growing pains, and we are seeing that. The reward can be that of a mid-rotation starter, or a multi-inning reliever if they decide to move him back later.

Relievers/Swing guys

LHP Edgar Barclay (Rule 5 Eligible) – Barclay is another victim of Triple-A insanity. He was nearly unhittable in Somerset before getting lit up in Scranton (it should be noted that all 11 of his Somerset appearances were out of the bullpen, while his 10 appearances for Scranton were all starts). Barclay has enough to be a fixture in an MLB bullpen, and I bet he is selected if left unprotected.

RHP Yorlin Calderon (Rule 5 Eligible) – For a while, it looked like Calderon was going to become a permanent bullpen fixture. The Yankees threw a bit of a curveball at us when his final five appearances (three for Tampa, two for Hudson Valley) were all starts. He is unlikely to be chosen in the Rule 5, and it will be interesting to see which role the Yankees throw him in for 2024 and beyond.

LHP Ryan Anderson (Rule 5 Eligible) – Anderson was sneaky good in 2023, compiling a 2.17 ERA (2.90 FIP) over 58 innings with a 27.9% K. His calling card is his ability to keep the ball on the ground (57.1%) and if he can keep that up, there should be a job for him in the big leagues somewhere at some point. Interestingly, his most dominant stretch was at an advanced level (1.01 ERA in 26.2 Double-A innings)

RHP Harrison Cohen (Rule 5 Eligible: 2025) – The Yankees moved Cohen through three levels in 2023, as they gave him 3.1 Double-A innings down the stretch. Cohen pitched to a 3.86 ERA during his time in Hudson Valley, striking out 29.1% of the hitters he faced. Cohen will be 25 in May, and the Yankees will likely continue to push him.

The Future:

RHP Luis Serna – Now 19, it is time for Serna to make his way to a full-season league. It is possible he would have done that in 2023, if not for an injury that limited him to eight starts (19.1 IP). Serna was 23rd on the Fangraphs’ preseason list, praised for his advanced feel for pitching for a teenager.

RHP Carlos Lagrange – Lagrange was able to toss 41.2 FCL innings in 2023, putting up impressive 32.5% K and 51.2% ground ball rates. Lagrange is an imposing 6’7″, and he has to work on his control (not uncommon for a young kid of his size. Heck, older kids of his size have issues with control)

LHP Henry Lalane – Lalane is a 6’7″ 19-year-old who showed good control in 2023, walking only four batters in 21.2 innings (34 strikeouts). If he can keep that up, there may not be a sky-high enough for him to reach. However, we shall not get carried away before any kid (especially pitchers) gets out of the Complex League.

RHP Jackson Fristoe – Fristoe throws hard, but doesn’t always know where it is going. I wasn’t sure where to put him on this list as he actually made a playoff start as high as Hudson Valley this year. He feels like a project – but one who has made it to the point of being a step away from the critical Double-A level.

RHP Sebastian Keane – The 2022 draftee was impressive in 18 FCL games (1.71 ERA with a 35/16 K/BB over 26.1 innings). A starter in college, he pitched exclusively out of the pen in the FCL. That said, his final two appearances (covering only 5.1 innings) were starts for Tampa.

RHP Eric Reyzelman – The hard-throwing 2022 draftee was only able to get into five games down in the Complex League this season. He is a fastball-heavy reliever, and the Yankees are likely working on developing a solid secondary pitch. He is 100% a relief pitcher.

The 2023 draft:

LHP Kyle Carr may be our next Brock Selvidge. Carr is likely at a more advanced spot right now than Selvidge was when he was drafted (makes sense), but Yankees fans seem to like their left-handed pitching prospects. Put Carr on your list.

RHP Nicholas Judice is, you guessed it, a huge kid (6’8″) with fast-track relief potential. The Yankees simply love these kids – they likely feel as if their size makes them undervalued to teams who may not think their control will translate to professional ball. The big kid fascination also shows up in 20th-round pick Bryce Warrecker (6’8″).

The Yankees have a track record with their mid-round pitching prospects. Any one of them (including several I have not listed) can show up next year with a 95 MPH fastball.

The bottom line:

The pitching pipeline continues to be loaded with talent. There are arms I didn’t include above that probably deserve to be included (sorry, Sean Hermann, Matt Keating, Cam Schlittler, Osiel Rodriguez, Mason Vinyard, etc.). However, I didn’t plan on writing a 5,000-word essay.

When the Yankees make trades, it should surprise nobody that pitchers are often involved. Other franchises covet their arms. It proves itself over and over, even if not many of them have bitten the Yankees to date (pitching prospects are so hard to project that many people will tell you that they don’t even exist).

More good news? When you look at the list above, there is a lack of Rule 5 eligible kids. None of the starters or relievers on my “first team” are Rule 5 eligible. Other than Beeter, there is no guarantee that anyone else will be protected. They will give consideration to Sauer and Barclay.

While we wait to see if the position player pipeline can sustain itself, there is zero doubt that the pitching pipeline has. The arms just keep on coming.

Yankees MILB: The Offensive All-Stars

A look at the top positional players in the Yankees’ organization this season.

Overall, it was a good season for positional players. The FCL Yankees averaged 6.67 runs per game, second in the league to the Tigers. The average age of the Tigers position players was a full year older than that of the Yankees. The dominant Somerset Patriots scored an impressive 5.47 runs per game, tops in the Eastern League. Overall, Yankees affiliates averaged 5.58 runs per game with a .770 OPS.

I will write about the pitchers at a later date.

The All-Star Team (I only considered full-season prospects for All-Star selections. The FCL/DSL players have their own section):

C – Agustin Ramirez, Tampa/Hudson Valley/Somerset (.271/.364/.455 (492 PA); 12.4% BB, 17.3% K; 24 doubles, 18 HR, 69 RBI, 73 R; Rule 5 Eligible: Yes)

The 48th-ranked prospect in the 2018 International class (Baseball America) has not disappointed. Playing most of the season at the age of 21, he jumped three levels (though he eventually ran into a wall in Somerset). Before the season started, I would have placed the odds of him being protected in the upcoming Rule 5 at 5%. Now? I can’t imagine leaving him unprotected. He needs seasoning, but that won’t prevent a desperate club from taking him. Another 500 plate appearances in the minors won’t hurt him, so I am looking at him as a potential 2025 option.

1B – Ben Rice, Tampa/Hudson Valley/Somerset (.324/.434/.615 (332 PA); 13.3% BB, 18.7% K; 18 doubles, 20 HR, 66 RBI, 62 R; Rule 5 Eligible: 2024)

First things first: While I list all the affiliates above, his stint in Tampa was a rehab stint. The most important numbers are those he put up in 48 games for Somerset, where he hit .327/.401/.648 with 16 home runs. Rice, who is listed as a catcher but is unlikely to stay there, is a bat-first prospect. If you want something to be nervous about, Rice played in only 141 games between 2022 and 2023. His bat is probably big league-ready right now, and his swing is perfectly suited for the porch – it will be a challenge to figure out exactly where to play him.

2B – Jared Serna, Tampa/Hudson Valley (.283/.350/.463 (563 PA); 8.7% BB, 16% K; 28 doubles, 3 triples, 19 HR, 79 RBI, 90 R, 29 SB; Rule 5 Eligible: Yes)

Reaching 20 doubles/20 homers/20 stolen bases looked like a certainty for Serna, but he didn’t homer in 27 games after his promotion to Hudson Valley. That said, he did hit .287/.350/.389 and struck out fewer times (12.5%) than he did for Tampa (16.9%). The 21-year-old is on the smaller side (5’6″), which leads to natural questions about his power in the future. He is Rule 5 eligible but I don’t think he will be protected or drafted. His ETA is probably sometime during the 2025 season. By the way, the Yankees increased his utility profile this season by having him play 52 games at shortstop (compared to 60 games at second base).

SS – Trey Sweeney, Somerset (.252/.367/.411 (472 PA); 13.8% BB, 19.1% K; 20 doubles, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 67 R, 20 SB; Rule 5 Eligible: 2024)

This came down to Oswald Peraza vs. Sweeney, but Peraza’s MLB experience in 2022 disqualified him in my brain. Sure, there are exciting guys deeper in the system, but it is Sweeney who is close to MLB. Sweeney possesses solid contact skills with extra-base hit power to tap into. While he may be a third baseman long-term (he is unlikely to be a shortstop with the Yankees), that doesn’t mean shortstop is out of his range. That fact increases his trade value though it is enticing to have a left-handed hitting third baseman drooling at the sight of the porch. He should be MLB-ready sometime in 2024.

3B – Jesus Rodriguez, Tampa/Hudson Valley (.310/.399/.450; 12% BB, 15.2% K; 20 doubles, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 66 R, 21 SB; Rule 5 Eligible: Yes)

Am I cheating by placing Rodriguez at 3B? I don’t think so, as he did play more games at third than any other position. Rodriguez also has experience at catcher, first base, and left field, which adds to his prospect intrigue. While the 21-year-old is not a regular on organizational prospect lists, the fact is that he refuses to stop hitting. During the 2022 season, he played in the Complex League, where he hit .348/.434/.576 in 32 games. I am a firm believer that performance counts for something, and Rodriguez has yet to give us an indication that his performance is a fluke. We will see him in Somerset at some point in 2024.

OF – Jasson Dominguez, Somerset/Scranton (.265/.377/.425 (544 PA); 15.3% BB, 24.4% K; 22 doubles, 15 HR, 76 RBI, 89 R, 40 SB; Rule 5 Eligible: On 40-man)

Baseball can be cruel. Between 2022 and 2023, Dominguez compiled 1,037 plate appearances over 229 minor league games (remember that minor league seasons are shorter). I probably commented more than once about his durability. Within a few weeks of being called up in 2023, the news came that he needed Tommy John Surgery, which will cost him a good chunk of the 2024 season. The good news is that Dominguez showed off his incredible potential during his short stay in MLB, giving one hope that he can man the Yankees’ outfield for a decade. Center field is not likely a perfect spot for him long-term (he is passable in the shorter term), but he would likely be an above-average LF, something that is needed in Yankee Stadium.

OF – Spencer Jones, Hudson Valley/Somerset (.267/.336/.444 (537 PA); 9.1% BB, 28.9% K; 29 doubles, 16 HR, 66 RBI, 71 R, 43 SB; Rule 5 Eligible: 2025)

Jones was the organizational leader in doubles and stolen bases. While the strikeout rate was high, he was able to reduce it somewhat as the season went along, with a slight dip between his time in Hudson Valley (29%) and Somerset (28.2%). There are still some “lottery ticket” facets to Jones’ game, but the potential for him to develop into an MLB All-Star level player is real. I wouldn’t be shocked if he made his MLB debut in 2024, but remember that Dominguez’s ascension was partially due to where the Yankees were in the standings.

OF – Everson Pereira, Somerset/Scranton (.300/.373/.548 (343 PA); 9.3% BB, 28.6% K; 17 doubles, 18 HR, 64 RBI, 53 R, 11 SB; Rule 5 Eligible: On 40-man)

Pereira’s 139 wRC+ was second in the system to Rice’s 183 amongst players with 300+ plate appearances. While he struggled in the big leagues, that was hardly surprising. He has an aggressive style at the plate, so I figured it would take him some time to figure things out. While that can be concerning, I am more concerned by his nagging injury history. I see Pereira as a prime trade chip, though the Yankees may hesitate due to Dominguez’s injury. Pereira can play center field, so the Yankees may keep him around to be a part of the outfield competition if they don’t trade for/sign a veteran option.

UTIL – Caleb Durbin, Hudson Valley/Somerset (.304/.395/.427 (291 PA); 8.9% BB, 6.2% K; 17 doubles, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 46 R, 36 SB; Rule 5 Eligible: 2024)

Durbin was acquired from the Braves as a part of the package for LHP Lucas Luetge. For those who like a “different” kind of prospect, Durbin is for you. Amongst all minor leaguers with 250+ PA, Durbin’s 6.2% K rate was the second-lowest (the leader (Ernie Clement (TOR) is 27 years old). As for his “utility,” I am stretching things a bit as he is likely a second baseman long-term. That said, he played three games at shortstop and 15 games at third base. Plus, his speed may allow him to get some left-field reps. His combination of contact and speed makes him a potentially elevated version of a Ronald Torreyes–type. I don’t think he is a long-term starter for the Yankees, but in modern baseball, utility players are expected to take on bigger workloads. As for his lack of plate appearances, a non-contact injury crushed his season. Without that, he may have stolen 60 bases. He should be a 2024 option, perhaps as a shuttle guy to start.

Honorable mentions:

C – Austin Wells, Omar Martinez – Wells is the current favorite (in my mind) to start 2024 as the Yankees’ everyday catcher. Martinez was one of the few solid prospects who didn’t move off his level (Low-A Tampa), though that shouldn’t be seen as worrisome. Ramirez’s fast ascension was too much for me to ignore for the top slot.

1B – T.J. Rumfield, Rafael Flores – Before an injury stopped him in his tracks, Rumfield was having a power surge down in Somerset. He ended the season with 17 HR in 82 games. but he didn’t hit any in ten games after his rehab stint. Flores hit eight of his nine home runs in his final 53 games. He also had time behind the plate.

2B – Ben Cowles – Before landing in the Arizona Fall League, the Yankees gave Cowles some late-season plate appearances in Triple-A. His upside is limited, but he can draw walks and steal bases. The strikeout rate will need to come down.

SS – Nobody in a full-season league earned this slot. Alexander Vargas has defensive chops but the bat, after a strong start, continues to be problematic (.206/.248/.342 with 16 stolen bases). He is Rule 5 eligible but won’t be chosen, giving the Yankees extra time to develop him. There is a lot of talent in his rear-view mirror, however.

3B – Andres Chaparro, Tyler Hardman – Chaparro was the organization’s leader in runs batted in, and his 25 homers ranked him third. He might be a minor-league free agent if the Yankees don’t add him to the 40-man roster. I suspect he would look for an opportunity that offers him a better shot at MLB. Hardman crushed 26 home runs in only 77 games for Somerset (though he did strike out 33.2% of the time). If not for an injury that ended his season in late July, he was surging towards 30-35 home runs. If he can stick at third base with that kind of pop, his MLB dreams should be reached. Whether that is as a platoon corner IF or an everyday player will be determined by how much he can reduce the strikeouts.

OF – Aaron Palensky, Christopher Familia, Brandon Lockridge – Amongst qualified full-season players, Palensky’s 137 wRC+ was tops in the organization. Much of that came during his insane run at Hudson Valley (.352/.434/.744) which he couldn’t keep going upon reaching Somerset (.183/.327/.383). That was still good enough for a 99 wRC+, which can show you how tough the Double-A environment can be.
Simply put, Familia was a beast in his limited time. He hit 22 home runs and drove in 57 runs in only 68 games. While his Hudson Valley numbers weren’t close to his Tampa numbers, he was hardly overmatched (.264/.332/.472). Before the season began, he was among a group of toolsy prospects looking to break out. I would say he did a good job of that.
Lockridge bounced back from a tough 2022 to hit .296/.379/.414 (40 stolen bases) in 325 plate appearances for Somerset/Scranton. His combination of speed/defense makes me think he can be a Tim Locastro type. It is going to be tough to keep him in the organization.

UTIL Jesus Bastidas – A year after hitting 18 homers in 111 games for Somerset, Bastidas swatted 15 in 118 games between Somerset and Scranton. If he can translate some of that pop into MLB, his versatility will play. I believe that would happen elsewhere, however.

The Future:

Down in the Complex League/DSL, the Yankees had several prospects making noise. This was especially true in the Complex League.

Infielders:

Simply put, it will be hard to find an organization deeper in low-level infield talent.

The most talked about prospect is SS Roderick Arias, who hit .267/.423/.505 with six homers and 17 stolen bases in 27 games. His season was cut short by injury. It is tough to get a read on prospects this low in the system, but Arias is the one who has that superstar-level upside…2B/SS Keiner Delgado had a dynamite season (one that I thought should get him to Low-A, but the Yankees decided against that). He hit .293/.414/.485 in 239 PA with 36 stolen bases. Like Serna, Delgado is on the smaller side (5’7″), but he packs a punch for a kid his size…First-round pick George Lombard made his way to Low-A late in the season, putting together an impressive .311/.466/.356 line in his small 13-game sample. It would be a nice accomplishment if he makes his way to High-A in 2024…There is a “flavor of the year” aspect to following prospects. That likely happened to one-time bonus baby Hans Montero, who hit a paltry .180/.345/.261 in 31 games in the DSL in 2022. In 2023, he rebounded in the FCL, putting up a .257/.419/.404 line in 53 games…Last but not least, Enmanuel Tejeda seems to float under the radar. I don’t think he would in other organizations. He hit .307/.465/.458 in 217 plate appearances with 24 stolen bases in 30 attempts.

In the DSL, Gabriel Terrero clubbed an impressive seven home runs while driving in 27 in 37 games…

The Yankees will need to make room for these players heading into 2024. It is possible they will try to include a few of them as trade sweeteners. Not all of them will make it (if they did, it would go down as a legendary group of prospects!), so it is all about maximizing value in every way.

Outfielders:

Brando Mayea made his debut in the DSL and immediately made an impression. He hit .276/.382/.400 in 38 games with 22 stolen bases…If you want to dream about a kid who can hit leadoff if everything goes right, Gabriel Lara is the one for you. Regarded as one of the speediest players in all of organized baseball, Lara hit .267/.401/.411 in 43 games with 18 stolen bases in 26 attempts. Like most teenagers, he has a lot to work on. That said, it surprised me that he showed that much bat already in his debut season…In the FCL, John Cruz showed impressive power. In 48 games, the left-handed slugger clubbed ten homers and drove home 47 runs (tops in the league). Not far behind him in that department, Willy Montero drove home 43 runs (while hitting only two long balls). Montero’s .331 batting average was good for second in the league…

The draft:

Beyond Lombard, the rest of the 2023 draftees don’t overwhelm you with big upside potential. That said, 2B Roc Riggio has quick rise potential (can be in the same category as Rob Refsnyder, etc.) while teenage OF Wilson Rodriguez put together a .799 OPS in 12 FCL games.

One of the more intriguing players is a player that they signed post-draft: 1B/OF Josh Moylan, a 21-year-old left-handed bat out of East Carolina. The Yankees moved him straight to Tampa upon signing him, where he hit .241/.366/.313 in 24 games with a pair of home runs. 1B/3B Dylan Jasso hit .320/.433/.493 in 21 games between the FCL/Low-A. Due to the fact that MLB shortened the draft, we are going to see undrafted players who have legitimate MLB aspirations. In some cases, a player will prefer that over being a 20th-round pick. Moylan was able to shop his services, landing himself a $150,000 bonus.

I don’t like to play the “hype” game and I am typically in the camp where you maximize a prospect’s value when you trade them at a peak point. It is not an exact science – it is why I typically trust the organization to know who to trade and when to trade them. That doesn’t always work out either, but not many Yankees prospects blossom into stars once they are traded.

That said, this is as impressive of a group of offensive prospects as we have seen in recent times. They have graduated Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza, Oswaldo Cabrera, Austin Wells, Everson Pereira, and Jasson Dominguez over the last few years. It is unlikely that Wells, Pereira, and Dominguez would have graduated if the Yankees played to their expectations.

Even after doing that, they haven’t depleted the pipeline. 2024 will be a season where we follow to see if the “next wave” can sustain its momentum. If they can, the Yankees can dream about having a true pipeline instead of occasional high-profile classes.

Yankees MILB 9/24: Clayton Beeter Tosses 5 Scoreless Innings

News:

This is the last full report for 2023. I don’t typically type up reports during the off-season leagues. Those leagues are important, but the most intriguing part about them is who the Yankees send there.

I will probably type up some sort of recap soon enough.

Anyway, thanks for reading these reports this season. It’s a blast to do them, though, by late September, I am ready for a reset. What will 2024 bring? I guess we will find out sometime in April!

Scranton (73-75; 39-35 in the second half) (Defeated Syracuse, 7-3)

3B Jamie Westbrook: 2-for-5, RS, K
I like to give shoutouts to the minor league veterans who fill out rosters every year. Westbrook provided infield depth all season (played in 117 games), hitting 21 home runs. I root for him to fulfill his MLB dream after 1,110 minor league games – it seems doubtful he will be back in this organization next year, but you never know.
C Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-3, RS, HBP
C Mickey Gasper: 0-for-0, BB
1B Andres Chaparro: 1-for-4, HR (25), RBI, 2 RS, BB, K
15 HR in 2021, 20 HR in 2022, 25 HR in 2023….can he aim for 30 in 2024? And will it be as a member of the Yankees’ organization? I think he is eligible for minor league free agency. He began his journey in 2016. Supporting my claim is that Wilkerman Garcia was eligible last year, and he started his career in 2015. Just like with the Rule 5 draft, a team can prevent a player from reaching minor league free agency if they place him on the 40-man roster.
DH Jake Lamb: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 RS, 2 HBP
SS Jesus Bastidas: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 HBP, 2 K, SB (11)
If Chaparro is eligible for minor league free agency, so is Bastidas. There is likely a better opportunity for him in a different organization (I always say this: This is not a knock on the Yankees or the player! The Yankees have a load of infielders and Basitdas is not high on their list. In a different organization, the path is likely easier to earn some MLB playing time)
LF Aaron Palensky: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, RS, 3 BB, SB (2)
Palensky did a lot of damage while with Hudson Valley but slowed down in Somerset/Scranton. Some of that is certainly BABIP luck – it was over .400 for Hudson Valley, and under .200 for Somerset/Scranton. Anyway, he played in 103 games this season, hitting .245 with 20 doubles, 3 triples, 22 homers, 68 RBI, 72 runs, 54 walks, 100 strikeouts, and 23 stolen bases in 26 attempts. He is Rule 5 eligible this winter but I don’t think he will be chosen.
2B Wilmer Difo: 0-for-5, RBI
Like Westbrook, Difo provided depth. He played in 96 games, stealing 23 bases. Unlike Westbrook, Difo has already realized his MLB dream and won a World Series ring as a member of the 2019 Nationals.
CF Nelson Medina: 1-for-5, RBI, K
We will next see Medina in the Arizona Fall League.
RF Kyle Battle: 1-for-5, 2B (1), 3 K
Battle went 2-for-8 at this level.

RHP Clayton Beeter: (W, 3-5) 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K
While Beeter is often erratic and may be suited more for a power relief role, there is no way the Yankees will leave him exposed to the Rule 5 draft. Today’s pitch mix: 51% 4-seam (avg. 93.2; topped out at 95.6); 35% slider; 9% curve balls; 5% change-ups. Between here and Somerset, he struck out 165 batters while walking 75 in 131.2 IP. He easily surpassed last year’s inning total (77).
LHP Clay Aguilar: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Most pitchers had issues upon reaching Triple-A this year – Aguilar was no different.
RHP Michael Gomez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Gomez did a solid job escaping a 7th-inning mess. He finishes with a 5.45 ERA in 67.2 IP with a 61/43 K/BB.
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Bowman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Somerset (84-53; 42-27 in the second half)

They lost to Binghamton in the semi-finals. Their season is over.

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)

They lost to Greenville in the championship series. Their season is over.

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half)

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over. They missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/23: Will Warren Finishes Strong

News:

The end is near.

Scranton (72-75; 38-35 in the second half) (Defeated Syracuse, 6-4)

RF Franchy Cordero: 3-for-5, 2B (14), 2 RBI, 2 RS
C Carlos Narvaez: 2-for-4, 2B (13), HR (10), 3 RBI, 2 RS, HBP
The Yankees have a lot of catching on the 40-man roster as is, so it is hard to imagine that they will find a 40-man slot for Narvaez this winter. That said, no team wants to allow a developed catcher (even if said catcher has a backup ceiling) to get away for nothing. I view him as a prime trade candidate prior to the 40-man roster deadline.
At this level, he is hitting .242 with a .766 OPS (13 doubles, 10 HR, 39 RBI, 40 R, 57 BB (16.1%), 91 K (25.6%))
DH Jamie Westbrook: 1-for-3, 2 BB, 2 K
1B Jake Lamb: 2-for-5, 2B (9), RBI, 2 K
SS Jesus Bastidas: 0-for-4, BB, K
LF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-5, 2 K
2B Wilmer Difo: 1-for-4, RS, BB, K
3B Ben Cowles: 1-for-4, K
CF Nelson Medina: 1-for-4, RS, 2 K

RHP Frankie Montas: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Montas maxed out at 95.2 MPH (4-seamer) and averaged 94 MPH with his sinker. His Yankees’ career will be far from memorable.
RHP Will Warren: (W, 7-4) 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
For Scranton: 3.61 ERA in 99.2 IP (83 H, 50 R, 40 ER, 15 HR, 47 BB, 110 K). This followed up a solid 29.1 innings to start the season for Somerset. The home runs in Triple-A are high, but he didn’t allow any homers in September (28.2 IP, 15 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 11 BB, 36 K). Warren features a 5-pitch mix (including both a sweeper and a slider), is not afraid to use any of them, and generates a solid number of ground balls (entering tonight, his GB% for Scranton: 51.8%).
He will be a strong contender to make the team out of spring training next year. Does a 24-year-old (25 next June) really need more than 100 Triple-A innings? I would say the answer to that question should be rather obvious: NO!
RHP Aaron McGarity: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
I don’t write often about McGarity, but one has to appreciate the grind. He was drafted in the 15th round out of Virginia Tech back in 2017 and is now 28 years old. This year, he pitched in 51 games (69.2 IP), compiling a 5.17 ERA and 72/27 K/BB.
RHP Zac Houston: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo (S, 1): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (84-53; 42-27 in the second half)

They lost to Binghamton in the semi-finals. Their season is over.

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)

They lost to Greenville in the championship series. Their season is over.

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half)

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over. They missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/22: Edgar Barclay Ks 8

News:

The Yankees have promoted RHP Yoendrys Gomez from Somerset to the big league roster. He is the first player to ever be promoted directly from Somerset to the big leagues. Keep in mind that Somerset didn’t become an MLB affiliate until 2021.

Gomez, who has been on the 40-man roster since 2020, has dealt with injuries in his career. He has logged only 275 innings since his debut season (2017), and this year’s 65.1 innings are his personal best. In those innings, he has a 3.58 ERA (3.83 FIP) with a 28.5% K and 13.5% BB.

According to Fangraphs, this is Gomez’s last option year. That said, we thought 2022 was Deivi Garcia‘s last option year – only to discover that MLB granted the Yankees an additional option for 2023. That isn’t done out of the goodness of their hearts – criteria need to be met and all that jazz.

If it is his final year, a big winter/spring is coming up. Let’s get this out of the way: Gomez is not going to be in the 2024 Opening Day rotation. Cross that thought out of your mind – if he isn’t traded, his best bet to make the squad in 2024 would be out of the bullpen. He has the stuff that would carry well in the bullpen. There are questions about whether he can handle a starter’s workload anyway.

The AFL rosters were announced today. The Yankees will be playing for Mesa but you aren’t going to see any of their top names playing. It is good to see that RHP Trystan Vrieling (#17 prospect according to Pipeline) will get some work in. He was drafted in 2022 but was unable to make his debut in 2023 due to injury.. The other players on the list aren’t going to jump out at you, though IF Caleb Durbin had a standout 2023 season that was marred by an injury. RHP Kevin Stevens got his feet wet in 2022 but didn’t appear in 2023. He was an undrafted free agent signing. UTIL Ben Cowles played mostly at Hudson Valley in 2023, promoted to Scranton after the Renegades were eliminated. While there isn’t much buzz around RHP Nolberto Henriquez, I checked out Savant after he was promoted to Tampa. He was throwing hard sinkers, which is something the current Yankees’ regime seems to like. It doesn’t shock me that they want to give him more innings after he tossed only 30.2 in 2023 with mixed results. OF Nelson Medina dealt with injuries for most of the season. He is getting some extra at-bats in Scranton as their season comes to a close – perhaps the promotions to Scranton should have hinted to us who was going to Arizona. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that Cowles and Medina were promoted and are now on their way to Arizona. RHP Baron Stuart was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Pitt. Unlike others on the list, he threw a good number of innings (100.2) in his debut professional season. I guess it is a good sign for him that they want him to throw more before he shuts down for the year.

Scranton (71-75; 37-35 in the second half) (Lost to Syracuse, 4-3, in ten innings). As for the last two games of the season, the weather up in Syracuse is actually not forecasted to be bad this weekend. There could be some rain on Sunday evening/night, but hopefully, it stays away during the afternoon.

C Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-4, BB, K
RF Franchy Cordero: 1-for-5, RS, K
3B Jamie Westbrook: 2-for-4, 2B (20), BB, 2 K
The minor league veteran reaches 20 doubles/20 home runs for the first time in his career.
DH Andres Chaparro: 1-for-5, 2B (24), RBI, 3 K
Chaparro is up to 88 RBI. The last Yankees’ prospect to reach 90 RBI was Peter O’Brien, who drove home 96 runs back in 2013. O’Brien would eventually play in 72 MLB games (most recently with the Marlins in 2019), hitting .209/.275/.434 with 11 home runs in 200 plate appearances.
1B Mike Lamb: 1-for-4, RS
SS Jesus Bastidas: 1-for-3, HR (12), 2 RBI, RS, BB, K
Bastidas’ 2023 numbers are pretty much right in line with his 2022 numbers. Between here and Somerset, he has 15 homers, 44 RBI, 64 runs, 40 walks, and 105 strikeouts in 445 plate appearances, Last year, playing only for Somerset, he hit .240/.323/.427 in 453 plate appearances (18 HR, 55 RBI, 56 R, 38 BB, 115 K, 11-for-18 SB)
LF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Ben Cowles: 0-for-0
I think Cowles was brought into the game in the 10th inning to give Scranton an extra infielder when the winning run was on third with nobody out.
2B Wilmer Difo: 0-for-4, 2 K
CF Nelson Medina: 2-for-4
Medina is 5-for-36 since his promotion. He started off 0-for-19, so it is nice to see him get some hits before the season comes to a close.

LHP Edgar Barclay: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
A solid final effort for Barclay, who is pitching to a 5.89 ERA in 44.1 IP since his promotion to Scranton. Prior to that, he compiled a 1.32 ERA in 34 IP for Somerset. All of his games (11) were relief appearances for Somerset, while his ten appearances for Scranton are all starts. He doesn’t throw hard (max fastball was 90.7 tonight, and he averaged 88.7), but he has solid secondary offerings that allow him to be a tantalizing MLB prospect. I don’t expect him to be a starter, but there is no harm in developing him as a Swiss-army knife type of pitcher.
LHP Matt Krook: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
LHP Josh Maciejewski: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Michael Gomez: (L, 2-6) 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Somerset (84-53; 42-27 in the second half)

They lost to Binghamton in the semi-finals. Their season is over.

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)

They lost to Greenville in the championship series. Their season is over.

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half)

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over. They missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/21: Richard Fitts Finishes Season with a Strong Effort

News:

Nothing.

Scranton (71-74; 37-34 in the second half) (Lost to Syracuse, 5-4)

2B Wilmer Difo: 1-for-4, RS, BB, 2 K, SB (23)
3B Ben Cowles: 1-for-5, 4 K
Cowles’ Triple-A debut.
C Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-2, 3 BB
1B Andres Chaparro: 1-for-5, RBI, RS, 3 K
Chaparro now has 87 RBI. It is the most RBI in the organization since Oswaldo Cabrera drove home 89 in 2021 (I never said it was a long time ago)
DH Josh Breaux: 1-for-2, K
He left the game after an “injury delay.”
PH-DH Edinson Duran: 0-for-2, K
Duran’s Triple-A debut.
SS Jesus Bastidas: 2-for-4, HR (11), RBI, RS, 2 K
RF Aaron Palensky: 1-for-4, HR (2), RBI, RS, K, CS (2)
Palensky’s 22nd HR between here, Somerset, and Hudson Valley.
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-3, 2 K
LF Kyle Battle: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K, SB (1)
Battle’s first Triple-A hit.

RHP Mitch Spence: 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, HR
Spence finishes the season with a 4.47 ERA in 163 innings (the most in all of MILB – not just the Yankees organization!). He allowed 162 hits while walking 53 and striking out 153. Spence is already Rule 5 eligible – not sure if he is eligible for MILB free agency.
RHP Zach Greene: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Matt Bowman (L, 4-1) 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (84-53; 42-27 in the second half) (Lost to Binghamton, 2-0. Their big season comes to an end as the Rumble Ponies sweep them in two games. Sometimes, the best team simply doesn’t win, especially in the minor leagues, where rosters fluctuate all year)

SS Trey Sweeney: 0-for-3, BB, K
Sweeney likely begins 2024 in Scranton. I don’t like prospects staying there for long, so we’ll see how he does in the first few months.
C Ben Rice: 0-for-4
Rice doesn’t really need to go to Triple-A in 2024, but the question is where he fits into the Yankees’ plan. He can catch and play first base. Furthermore, his swing looks perfect for the Yankee Stadium porch. For a team that lacks offense, you would think they could find a spot.
CF Spencer Jones: 0-for-4, K
Was Jones’ 2023 season a success? Between here and Hudson Valley, he hit .267/.336/.444 (113 wRC+) in 537 plate appearances with a 9.1% BB and 28.9% K. He was also 43-for-55 in the stolen base department. I would say this is an overall success with some room for improvement. That is a fair enough assessment.
DH Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-4, 4 K
There is no doubt that Ramirez will return to this level to start 2024. That is OK – it’s been a long season for the catcher and he likely ran into a wall late.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-3, K
His first half HR binge was fun – he couldn’t get it back post-injury. He should be the Scranton first baseman next year.
LF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-3, K
I don’t know where Dunham’s future lies – he probably isn’t protected from the Rule 5 this winter. Does another organization see value in his left-handed bat and solid ability to steal bases? We’ll find out.
3B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-3
Durbin is a unique prospect – not much power, but can play 2B/3B (and played a few games at SS) and has strong contact skills with speed to burn. Don’t sleep on him.
2B Mickey Gasper: 1-for-2, 2B (1), BB, CS (1)
RF Jeisson Rosario: 0-for-2, K
PH-RF Grant Richardson: 0-for-1

RHP Richard Fitts: (L, 0-1) 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, HR
Fitts is one of a few top prospects who spent all season at one level (that is not a bad thing if that level is Double-A!). Between the regular season and this playoff start, he pitched to a 3.46 ERA in 158.2 IP (136 H, 62 R, 61 ER, 23 HR, 44 BB, 171 K). The home runs are a bit high, and scouting reports indicate that sometimes he can have command issues inside the strike zone. That can be worked on with experience. He should firmly be in contention for some MLB innings in 2024.
RHP Bailey Dees: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Jack Neely: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Both Dees and Neely are arms to watch for call-ups in 2024. I don’t think either will start the season in the big league pen, but the talent is there to make it at some point (the same goes for Danny Watson, who missed the last several games of the season due to a not-so-bad injury)
RHP Tanner Myatt: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)

They lost to Greenville in the championship series. Their season is over.

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half)

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over. They missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/20: Drew Thorpe Wins Player of the Year

News:

C Rodolfo Duran was placed on the 7-day injured list today. Meanwhile, the Railriders added a couple of bodies, bringing up OF Kyle Battle and IF Ben Cowles from Hudson Valley. The Renegades’ season ended last night.

The 23-year-old Cowles hit .254/.356/.393 (109 wRC+) in 444 plate appearances in High-A.He was 23-for-27 in the stolen base department while playing second base and shortstop. The Yankees drafted him in the 10th round in the 2021 draft out of Maryland.

Battle has played in only 15 games this season, going 3-for-34 with a home run.

Baseball America named RHP Drew Thorpe as the Yankees Minor League Player of the Year. Thorpe (22) pitched to a 2.52 ERA (3.05 FIP) over 139.1 innings with a 34% K and 7.1% BB. He is the leader in all of MILB with 182 strikeouts and 26.9% K-BB%. His season ended early due to an injury to his non-throwing arm. He will receive a spring training invite in 2024 and should make his debut at some point during the season. There is no reason to hold him back based on his Rule 5 status (he isn’t eligible until after the 2025 season). If he is still in the minors at that point, something went wrong.

Scranton (71-73; 37-33 in the second half) (Lost to Syracuse, 14-3)

C Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-5, RBI, 2 K
RF Franchy Cordero: 0-for-3, BB
RF Kyle Battle: 0-for-0, BB
Battle earns himself a walk in his first Triple-A plate appearance.
2B Jamie Westbrook: 0-for-5
1B Andres Chaparro: 0-for-4, K
3B Jake Lamb: 1-for-4, RS
DH Josh Breaux: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Aaron Palensky: 1-for-3, 2B (1), RS, BB, 2 K
Palensky has 20 doubles, 21 HR, and 22 SB between Hudson Valley, Somerset, and Scranton. He is 3-for-15 since his promotion with a double, home run, and five walks.
SS Wilmer Difo: 2-for-4, 2B (10), RBI, RS, K
CF Nelson Medina: 1-for-4, RBI

RHP Zac Houston: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
A spot start for the 28-year-old. He owns a 4.78 ERA for Scranton with a 44/15 K/BB over 26.1 IP.
RHP Aaron McGarity: (L, 6-4) 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
The 28-year-old can dial it up (hit 98.7 MPH on the gun tonight; averaged 96.4 MPH). If you throw hard, you will always get a look. However, Liranzo has yet to make his MLB debut, mostly because his walk rates are rather extreme.
LHP Clay Aguilar: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Michael Gomez: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Ron Marinaccio: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
It’s been a rather frustrating season for Marinaccio, who pitched to a 2.05 ERA (3.20 FIP) in 40 games for the Yankees in 2022. Walks and the gopher ball (a lethal combination) hurt him in 2023. We’ll see if he can find a way to rebound next year.
RHP Jesus Bastidas: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
The utility infielder makes his second appearance on the hill.

Somerset (84-53; 42-27 in the second half)

The Patriots currently trail Binghamton in their best-of-three series, 1-0. The series continues on Thursday.

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)

They lost to Greenville in the championship series. Their season is over.

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half)

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over. They missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/19: Trey Sweeney Doubles, Homers

News:

I have nothing interesting to report.

Scranton (71-72; 37-32 in the second half) (Defeated Syracuse, 10-5, thanks to a 7-run 9th inning)

1B Carlos Narvaez: 2-for-5, 2B (12), RBI, BB, 2 K
RF Franchy Cordero: 2-for-5, RBI, RS, BB, K
2B Jamie Westbrook: 2-for-5, RBI, RS, CI, K
3B Andres Chaparro: 3-for-6, 2 2B (23), RBI, RS, K
Chaparro’s 6th 3+ hit game this season (including a 5-hit game).
DH Jake Lamb: 1-for-2, HR (6), 3 RBI, 2 RS, 3 BB
Lamb’s 3-run HR in the top of the 9th gave Scranton the lead.
C Josh Breaux: 2-for-5, 2 HR (4), 3 RBI, 2 RS, 2 K
Four of Breaux’s eight hits at this level have gone over the fence. This is his first multi-HR game since 7/10/2021 (he hit three that day).
SS Jesus Bastidas: 0-for-4, HBP, 2 K
LF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
CF Nelson Medina: 2-for-5, 3B (1), RS, K, SB (2)
Medina earns his first two Triple-A hits after starting 0-for-19. Again, not surprising as he was placed here straight from Tampa.

RHP Clayton Beeter: 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 2 HR
This is likely his final start of 2023 (unless he is brought up to MLB, or they allow him to pitch in the season finale on Sunday). If it is, he finishes with a 5.32 ERA in 66 IP with an 82/40 K/BB at this level. Overall, in 126.2 IP between here and Somerset, he pitched to a 3.77 ERA with a 158/71 K/BB. Unless he is traded, Beeter will be protected from the Rule 5 this winter.
LHP Matt Krook: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
LHP Josh Maciejewski: (W, 4-1) 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K

Somerset (84-53; 42-27 in the second half) (Lost to Binghamton, 9-2. They are down 1-0 in the best-of-three semifinals. They will need to win the final two games to move on – the games are at home)

SS Trey Sweeney: 2-for-4, 2B (1), HR (1), RBI, RS
Sweeney compiled multiple hits in three of his last four regular-season games – good to see him keep it up tonight.
C Ben Rice: 1-for-3, BB, K
CF Spencer Jones: 0-for-3, BB, K, CS (1)
DH Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-2, K
PH-DH Mickey Gasper: 1-for-2
I am not sure why Ramirez was pulled.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-4, K
2B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-4, K
LF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, 2 K
RF Grant Richardson: 0-for-3, K
3B Max Burt: 0-for-2, 2 K
PH Jeisson Rosario: 1-for-1
3B Eduardo Torrealba: 0-for-0

RHP Blane Abeyta: (L, 0-1) 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Anderson Munoz: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Zach Messinger: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Messinger mostly pitched for Hudson Valley this season (one late-season start for Somerset). At all levels (including tonight’s playoff game), he had a 126/56 K/BB over 105.1 IP. An arm to watch next year.

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half) (Lost to Greenville, 7-3. They fell in the championship series, 2-0. There were a lot of success stories at this level – they promoted a lot of players up to Somerset and that is the overall goal)

2B Jared Serna: 0-for-4, 3 K
Serna, so consistent during the regular season, went only 2-for-18 in the playoffs. He wasn’t striking out much until tonight. Overall, there is nothing to complain about in 2023.
3B Ben Cowles: 0-for-4, 3 K
C Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
One of the most consistent bats in the entire system this season, Rodriguez went 5-for-18 in the postseason.
LF Christopher Familia: 2-for-3, 2B (3), RS, BB
Familia went 6-for-20 with three doubles in the postseason. In 73 games this season (including the playoffs), he compiled 14 doubles, 2 triples, 22 home runs, 63 RBI, and 58 runs scored. Successful, that is.
1B Rafael Flores: 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, RS, BB, K
Flores went 5-for-13 in the playoffs with two doubles and a home run. He started to show off some pop in the second half of the season. He will be an intriguing story entering 2024.
RF Jared Wegner: 0-for-4, 3 K
DH Anthony Hall: 1-for-4, 2B (1)
Hall hit .194/.282/.296 in 24 games after his promotion. I am not going to worry about that, for now – just hope he enters 2024 healthy and ready to go.
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-4
CF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-3, RS, BB, 2 K, SB (1)

RHP Cam Schlittler: 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
At three levels during the regular season (including one start here), Schlittler pitched to a 4.11 ERA in 46 innings with a 50/21 K/BB. This is enough for the 6’6″ 22-year-old to build on heading into 2024.
RHP Yorlin Calderon: (L, 0-1) 3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
While he has only reached High-A, Calderon could be a sneaky Rule 5 pick this winter. He is 22 years old and compiled a 106/28 K/BB over 90 innings this season (including this postseason). Would he stick if he is chosen? That’s a different story.
RHP Matt Keating: 1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
Shake it off and move on to 2024.
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half)

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over, as they missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/17: Will Warren Ks 10

News:

I have nothing interesting to report.

Scranton (70-72; 36-32 in the second half) (Defeated Buffalo, 7-6, in 12 innings. They still have one week left in the season)

C Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-4, 2 BB
RF Franchy Cordero: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 BB, K, SB (8)
3B Andres Chaparro: 0-for-5, SF, RBI, RS, 2 K
Chaparro is up to 85 RBI. 15 RBI in six games is a tall task if he wants to reach 100, but his season will go down as a productive one.
1B Josh Breaux: 2-for-5, RS
DH Jake Lamb: 1-for-4, RS, BB, 3 K
SS Jesus Bastidas: 3-for-5, 2 2B (13), RBI, RS, 2 K
I like utility types that show some pop, which is why I have bullish tendencies with Bastidas. He won’t be a star – he may be nothing more than an up-and-down guy. But I do think he makes MLB.
LF Aaron Palensky: 1-for-3, HR (1), 3 RBI, RS, 2 BB
Palensky’s HR in the top of the 9th tied the score at 4. He has 21 home runs between here, Somerset, and Hudson Valley.
2B Wilmer Difo: 0-for-5, K
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-4, 2 RS, BB, K, CS (1)

RHP Frankie Montas: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Montas featured all four of his pitches, maxing out at 96.1 MPH. While he is intriguing and you can never have enough pitching, I think they move on from Montas this winter. They have young arms who are ready to contribute + they will seemingly be heavily involved in negotiations for Japanese RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
RHP Will Warren: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 K
Sometimes, I worry when a starter follows up a rehabbing player – but it certainly didn’t impact Warren today. This is his first career double-digit strikeout performance. In September, the 24-year-old is dominating, pitching to a 0.38 ERA in 23.2 IP (10 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 9 BB, 29 K). Overall, for Scranton, he owns a 3.71 ERA in 94.2 IP (78 H, 49 R, 39 ER, 45 BB, 103 K). Unless they bring him up to the big leagues now, he is in line for one more start this season.
RHP Michael Gomez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Bowman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Zach Greene : 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Aaron McGarity: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
LHP Clay Aguilar (W, 1-1): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Aguilar appears to be a slider/change-up heavy reliever.

Somerset (84-53; 42-27 in the second half) (Closed out their regular season with a 7-1 win over New Hampshire. Their playoff journey starts on Tuesday against Binghamton)

SS Trey Sweeney: 2-for-5, 2B (20), 2 RS, K
.252/.367/.411 in 472 PA (20 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 67 R, 65 BB, 90 K, 20-for-27 SB). The injury sucked but 472 plate appearances is more than enough for evaluation.
DH Ben Rice: 2-for-4, HR (16), 3 RBI, RS, BB
Between all levels, Rice finishes (assuming he doesn’t go to Scranton) his regular season with 20 homers, 68 RBI, and 62 runs scored in only 73 games.
CF Spencer Jones: 3-for-5, HR (3), 2 RBI, RS, K
Jones compiles three straight multi-hit games to close out his regular season. In his last ten games, he went 15-for-42 (.357) to help him finish his Somerset campaign at .261 with a .739 OPS.
C Agustin Ramirez: 1-for-5, 2B (7), K
Why don’t I worry much about Ramirez’s slump after coming to this level? He struck out 19.4% of the time after his promotion. Overall, he struck out 17.3% of the time this season. Yes, it spiked a bit for Somerset but it is not outrageous – he seemingly was not overwhelmed here.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-4, 2B (14), 2 K
1B Mickey Gasper: 0-for-1, K
2B Caleb Durbin: 2-for-5, RS
Durbin hit .304/.395/.427 with 36 stolen bases in 69 games between here and Hudson Valley.
RF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-4, 2B (13), RBI, RS, K, SB (23)
Dunham has 25 doubles and 35 stolen bases between here and Scranton. It has to be at least somewhat frustrating that he wasn’t able to get off to a strong start in 2023, as the Yankees could have deployed him in their much-depleted OF at some point.
3B Max Burt: 0-for-4, K
LF Jeisson Rosario: 1-for-2, RS, 2 BB, K

RHP Matt Sauer: (W, 6-4) 6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, HR
For Somerset: 3.42 ERA in 68.1 IP (49 H, 27 R, 26 ER, 11 HR, 29 BB, 83 K). He had a strong finish and I don’t know if he will slip through the Rule 5 again.
RHP Jack Neely: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
For Somerset: 2.55 ERA in 17.2 IP (12 H, 9 R, 5 ER, 4 HR, 3 BB, 26 K). Overall, Neely put together a 100/20 in 66.1 IP between here and Hudson Valley.
LHP Ryan Anderson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half) (Lost to Greenville, 2-0, in Game 1. They will once again need to sweep two games. The difference this time is that they are going on the road instead of heading home. In Game 1, a bout of wildness by a pair of relievers cost them – Greenville scored two runs without the benefit of a hit in the 6th)

3B Ben Cowles: 0-for-3, HBP, K
2B Jared Serna: 1-for-4
DH Christopher Familia: 1-for-4, K
LF Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-4
1B Spencer Henson: 0-for-3, 3 K
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-2, BB
RF Anthony Hall: 0-for-3, K
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-3, 2 K
CF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-1, 2 BB, K
As you can see, offense was a big issue today…

RHP Jackson Fristoe: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
A nice High-A debut for Fristoe. Yes, the minor league playoffs are built differently (LOL) – a youngster making his level debut in Game 1 of the championship series is likely not all that uncommon. Anyway, Fristoe’s calling card is his ability to throw the baseball fast. We don’t have Savant data for today, but one has to be impressed with the stat line.
RHP Baron Stuart: (L, 0-1) 1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Sebastian Keane: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Rodriguez is throwing well as the season comes to a close…
RHP Luis Arejula: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Arejula’s High-A debut.

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half)

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over, as they missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.