Yankees MILB 9/16: Grant Richardson Homers

News:

I have nothing interesting to report.

Scranton (69-72; 35-32 in the second half) (Lost to Buffalo, 3-2, in ten innings)

SS Wilmer Difo1-for-4, 2B (9), RS, BB, K
DH Carlos Narvaez0-for-4, BB, 2 K
Between here and Somerset: .244/.368/.399 in 383 PA (16 doubles, 11 HR, 39 RBI, 45 R, 57 BB (14.9%), 103 K (26.9%), 6-for-9 SB)
RF Franchy Cordero0-for-3, BB
1B Andres Chaparro1-for-4, RBI
.249/.337/.445 in 570 PA (21 doubles, 2 triples, 24 HR, 84 RBI, 77 R, 64 BB, 119 K, 4-for-4 SB)
2B Jamie Westbrook0-for-4, K
3B Jake Lamb: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K
C Josh Breaux1-for-3, HR (2), RBI, RS, HBP
Breaux has ten home runs overall this season. He has reached double digits in HR in four straight seasons. Nobody ever denied his power potential.
LF Aaron Palensky: 1-for-2, BB, HBP, K, SB (1), CS (1)
Palensky earns his first Triple-A hit and stolen base. Overall, he has 22 stolen bases in 24 attempts.
CF Nelson Medina0-for-4, 3 K
Medina is 0-for-15 since his promotion – even in a league filled with offense, it should come as no surprise that a kid who spent the year either injured or in Low-A would struggle after being placed in Triple-A.

LHP Edgar Barclay5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
At this level: 6.23 ERA (39 IP, 39 H, 30 R, 27 ER, 11 HR, 29 BB, 41 K).
Other than two curveballs, Barclay was a two-pitch pitcher today. He threw 54% changeups and 43% 4-seamers. He averaged 89.6 with that pitch, topping out at 92.5. It is not about velocity with Barclay – and the fact remains that talent evaluation is tough at Triple-A. Has MLB considered fixing this issue? While some of the ballparks in Triple-A are going to produce more offense because of where they are located, there is no reason for the entire league to be souped up. 
LHP Josh Maciejewski1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Matt Krook1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
0.84 ERA (32 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 23 BB, 53 K). His BABIP is .167 – frankly, I thought it may even be lower than that. 
RHP Ron Marinaccio1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo (L, 0-2): 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

Somerset (83-53; 41-27 in the second half) (Defeated New Hampshire, 8-3)

SS Trey Sweeney: 2-for-3, RS, 2 BB, 2 SB (20)
Sweeney is 51-for-61 stealing bases over the past two seasons (210 games) and is hitting .250 with a .774 OPS this season. Entering tonight, he owned a rather impressive 8.7% Swinging Strike. That is 4th best among Eastern League qualifiers.
C Ben Rice1-for-4, 2B (13), 2 RS, BB
Rice has 29 extra-base hits (13 doubles, 1 triple, 15 HR) in 47 games for Somerset.
CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, 2 K, SB (8; 43rd overall), CS (3)
Jones swatted 28 doubles in 100 games for Hudson Valley. This is his first double since his promotion (16 games).
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-4, SF, 2 RBI
It has been a tough go for Rumfield after his rehab stint, as he is 6-for-34 with zero home runs and five runs batted in. Before his injury, he swatted 17 homers in 71 games.
DH Caleb Durbin1-for-5, RBI
RF Elijah Dunham1-for-4, HR (10), RBI, RS, BB
Dunham has 16 HR and 34 stolen bases between Somerset and Scranton. He is Rule 5 eligible and could be selected – he offers value as a #4-#5 outfielder potentially. 
2B Anthony Seigler: 2-for-4, HR (5), RBI, 2 RS
Unless something crazy happens tomorrow, Seigler will walk more than he strikes out for the second year in a row. Last year, the ratio was 91/82. This year, the ratio is 53/48.
LF Grant Richardson1-for-4, HR (5), 2 RBI, RS, K
Richardson has five home runs in 15 games since his promotion (13 HR in 77 games for Hudson Valley). The left-handed hitting prospect has shown some pop and the Yankees have another year of evaluation as he isn’t Rule 5 eligible until after 2024.
3B Eduardo Torrealba1-for-4, RS

RHP Yoendrys Gomez4.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Gomez finishes the regular season with a 3.58 ERA in 65.1 IP (47 H, 27 R, 25 ER, 6 HR, 37 BB, 78 K). Gomez has been on the 40-man roster for a while now but might be out of minor league options next spring (sometimes, a player “earns” an extra option so we’ll see if that applies to Gomez). If the clock has run out, the Yankees have a talented arm with an injury history to make a decision on. Unlike Estevan Florial last spring, Gomez will not pass through waivers if the Yankees attempted to do that. 
RHP Carlos Gomez (W, 2-1): 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER,, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
At this level: 3.86 ERA in 14 IP (8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 17 K). Overall, the 25-year-old owns an 81/40 K/BB over 63 IP. He was signed all the way back in 2018.
RHP Anderson Munoz: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Bailey Dees1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Since promotion: 21 IP, 17 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 12 BB, 18 K

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

Their championship series against Greenville starts tomorrow. It is a best-of-3 and Greenville has home field advantage (Game 1 in Hudson Valley, final two games in Greenville)

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 9/15: Richard Fitts Ks 11

News:

I have nothing interesting to report.

Scranton (69-71; 35-31 in the second half) (Defeated Buffalo, 4-2)

RF Franchy Cordero1-for-3, 2B (13), 3 RBI, BB, K
3B Jamie Westbrook0-for-4, 3 K
C Carlos Narvaez0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K
DH Andres Chaparro0-for-4, 2 K
1B Jake Lamb2-for-4, HR (5), RBI, RS
SS Jesus Bastidas0-for-2, RS, BB, HBP
LF Aaron Palensky0-for-3, RS, HBP, 3 K
Palensky’s Triple-A debut.
CF Nelson Medina0-for-4, 2 K
2B Wilmer Difo0-for-1, RS, 2 BB, K, 2 SB (22)

RHP Mitch Spence: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
4.50 ERA (156 IP, 155 H, 86 R, 78 ER, 28 HR, 50 BB, 150 K)
RHP Zac Houston: (W, 3-1) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
RHP Aaron McGarity (S, 4): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (82-53; 40-27 in the second half) (Defeated New Hampshire, 3-1)

SS Trey Sweeney0-for-4, BB, 2 K
1B Ben Rice0-for-3, 2 HBP, K, CS (3)
Rice has 11 HBP in 71 games. He is hitting .324/.396/.638 in 212 PA at this level.
C Agustin Ramirez0-for-3, RS, BB, 2 K
At this level: .211/.276/.309 in 30 games. I stand by what I said when he was first promoted: I am not concerned about him struggling here. 
CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, RS, K, SB (7)
Jones has 47 extra-base hits (28 doubles, 4 triples, 15 HR) and 42 stolen bases (53 attempts). Tonight’s HR was hit off of LHP Ricky Tiedemann, the top prospect in the Blue Jays system (Pipeline). No, he won’t be in the mix for the CF job in 2024 with Jasson Dominguez out – but a hot first half will get people talking.
DH Mickey Gasper0-for-3, RS, BB, K, SB (8)
LF Jeisson Rosario0-for-3, BB
3B Eduardo Torrealba1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
RF Grant Richardson0-for-3, 2 K
2B Max Burt1-for-2, BB, 3 SB (21)
Burt sets personal bests for both stolen bases in a game and in a season.

RHP Richard Fitts: (W, 11-5) 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
Fitts sets a new personal best for strikeouts in a game (he struck out exactly ten batters three times this season). This is probably his last regular season start of 2023 unless they give him one up in Scranton. If it is, he posted a 3.48 ERA in 152.2 IP with a 163/43 K/BB. I would say that is something to build on and Fitts should be in the 2024 mix at some point.
RHP Tanner Myatt: (S, 7)  2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)  (Defeated Jersey Shore, 3-2, to win the best-of-3 series. They will play Greenville (BOS) in the championship series. It starts on Sunday)

3B Ben Cowles2-for-3, 3B (1), RBI, RS, BB
A nice night for Cowles, who hit .254/.356/.393 in 444 regular-season plate appearances. He stole 23 bases in 27 attempts.
2B Jared Serna0-for-3, BB, CS (1)
LF Jesus Rodriguez0-for-3, BB
Rodriguez went 4-for-10 with two walks and only one strikeout in the series.
DH Christopher Familia0-for-4, K
1B Spencer Henson0-for-4, 3 K
C Rafael Flores2-for-3, 2 2B (2), 2 RS, K
Flores went 4-for-8 with two doubles and three walks in the series.
RF Anthony Hall1-for-3, 2 K
SS Alexander Vargas0-for-2, SF, RBI
CF Cole Gabrielson0-for-1, 2 BB

LHP Brock Selvidge: (W, 1-0) 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Selvidge pitched to a 3.45 ERA in 127.2 IP during the regular season between Tampa and Hudson Valley (116 H, 56 R, 49 ER, 5 HR, 35 BB, 137 K). He compiled a 25.5% K and 6.5% BB. In 2022, his BB% was 9.4. He is developing the way you would want him to develop and there isn’t a long line of left-handed starting pitching prospects in the system.
RHP Cole Ayers0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: (S, 1)  1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
In a key moment in the 8th, Gilbert came out of the bullpen with the bases loaded and one out. He promptly struck out back-to-back hitters.

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 9/14: Clayton Beeter Ks 13

News:

LHP Clay Aguilar stayed in Double-A for 24 hours or so. He was promoted to Scranton today.

The Rule 5 eligible 24-year-old pitched to a 2.25 ERA (3.30 FIP) over 44 innings down in Hudson Valley with a 34.1% K and 13% BB. He missed the entire 2022 season.

Scranton (68-71; 34-31 in the second half) (Lost to Buffalo, 7-1)

RF Franchy Cordero1-for-3, 2 BB, K
DH Carlos Narvaez0-for-5, K
3B Andres Chaparro0-for-1, 2 BB, HBP
2B Jamie Westbrook1-for-4, K
1B Jake Lamb: 1-for-3, BB, K
LF Michael Hermosillo2-for-4, 2B (5), RS, K
C Josh Breaux0-for-2, BB, HBP
SS Jesus Bastidas1-for-3, BB, K, SB (10)
Bastidas has 13 HR and 11 stolen bases between Somerset and Scranton. I think he has a chance to make it to MLB as a utility type – probably not with the Yankees.
CF Nelson Medina0-for-4

RHP Clayton Beeter5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 13 K
Beeter sets a new personal best for strikeouts in a game. He owns a 5.40 ERA in 60 innings at this level (57 H, 37 R, 36 ER, 13 HR, 37 BB, 75 K). Overall, he owns a 151/68 K/BB over 120.2 IP. Unless they use him in a deal, Beeter is going to be protected from the Rule 5 draft this winter.  Tonight, he featured two pitches in his 100-pitch effort: 49 sliders + 48 4-seam fastballs (three changeups).
LHP Clay Aguilar: (L, 0-1) 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, HR
Aguilar’s Triple-A debut.
RHP Michael Gomez: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR

Somerset (81-53; 39-27 in the second half) (Defeated New Hampshire, 6-2)

CF Elijah Dunham0-for-5, 3 K
1B T.J. Rumfield1-for-5, RS, 3 K
C Agustin Ramirez1-for-4, 2B (6), RS
Ramirez is hitting .217 with a .594 OPS in 130 PA since his promotion. 
DH Spencer Jones0-for-3, 2 RS, BB
2B Caleb Durbin1-for-3, 2B (12), 2 RBI, K
If not for his injuries, Durbin easily steals 50+ bases this season. As is, he is 36-for-44 in 67 games.
   PH-2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-0, RS, BB
LF Grant Richardson: 2-for-4, HR (4), 3 RBI, RS
Richardson is 17-for-45 since his promotion (1 double, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 9 R). His 17 HR between Hudson Valley and Somerset is a new personal best. He is a 24-year-old left-handed bat who has too much swing-and-miss in his profile to date – if he can clean that up, he has a chance.
RF Jeisson Rosario0-for-4, 2 K
3B Eduardo Torrealba0-for-3, BB, K, 2 SB (4)
SS Max Burt0-for-3, BB, 2 K

RHP Zach Messinger4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, HR
A nice Double-A debut for Messinger, who pitched to a 4.36 ERA in 97 innings for Hudson Valley (82 H, 13 HR, 53 BB, 113 K).
LHP Ryan Anderson2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Cohen’s Double-A debut. He pitched to a 3.86 ERA in 49 IP between Tampa and Hudson Valley (40 H, 23 R, 21 ER, 5 HR, 24 BB, 64 K)

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)  (Defeated Jersey Shore, 6-2. The series is tied at 1-1. The decisive third game is tomorrow night)

3B Ben Cowles0-for-4
2B Jared Serna: 1-for-2, RBI, RS, 2 BB
Serna was on his way to a 20/20/20 (doubles/HR/SB) season, but couldn’t put a ball over the fence after his promotion here. That said, he wasn’t overmatched here either. The full package is a kid who should break into Double-A at some point in 2024. 
DH Christopher Familia1-for-4, 2B (2), RBI, 2 K
LF Jesus Rodriguez: 2-for-3, RS, BB, K, SB (1)
Rodriguez is 4-for-7 in two playoff games. When you combine that with his regular season performance, he is hitting .315. I keep talking about this kid because I think performance still should matter. He has hit all season long at a young age while being asked to play four positions (C/1B/3B/LF). I simply cannot ignore that regardless of the Top 30 lists.
  LF Kyle Battle0-for-0
I hope this move was for defensive purposes only (as I have said before: In the playoffs, minor league managers can often be a little more “strategic”)
1B-C Rafael Flores1-for-2, RS, 2 BB, K
RF Anthony Hall2-for-4, RBI, RS, K
Hall struggled a bit after his promotion – good to see him compile a multi-hit game tongiht.
SS Alexander Vargas1-for-4, 2 RBI, K
C Antonio Gomez0-for-0
I am not sure why Gomez left the game early.
  1B Spencer Henson: 2-for-4, 2B (1), HR (1), RBI, 2 RS, 2 K
Not bad for a player who wasn’t in the starting lineup.
CF Cole Gabrielson1-for-3, 2B (1), K

RHP Cam Schlittler: (W, 1-0) 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K
A strong performance by Schlittler, who tossed 46 regular season innings between the FCL/Tampa/Hudson Valley this year (professional debut season)
RHP Osiel Rodriguez2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Rodriguez has the talent to move quickly. He is still only 21 years old (if it feels he has been around forever, he has been – since he debuted in 2019). He just has to start putting the puzzle together.
RHP Matt Keating: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 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 9/13: Trey Sweeney: 3 Hits

News:

OF Aaron Palensky is now a member of the Scranton Railriders.

Palensky has been the organization’s leader in wRC+ for most of the season (especially after Ben Rice‘s injury). He hit .252/.369/.531 in 369 plate appearances between Hudson Valley and Somerset with 21 stolen bases in 22 attempts.

That said, most of the good stuff happened in Hudson Valley, where he hit an astonishing .352/.434/.744 (209 wRC+) in 143 plate appearances. For Somerset, the line was .183/.327/.383 (98 wRC+) in 226 PA. The walk rate was still strong and his K% was similar. One major difference? His BABIP was .405 in Hudson Valley and .202 for Somerset.

Palensky is Rule 5 eligible. I don’t think he will be drafted, but you never know.

Scranton also received C Edinson Duran from all the way down in the FCL. This is likely a “warm body” kind of transaction. The 21-year-old hit .314/.405/.457 (130 wRC+) in 121 plate appearances with a pair of home runs and 17 runs batted in.

OF Brandon Lockridge, who stole 40 bases between Somerset and Scranton this season, was placed on the 7-day IL today. If this is the end of his campaign, he may have played his last game as a member of the Yankees organization. I think Lockridge will make MLB as I can see him as a Tim Locastro type. That’s not a bad outcome, folks.

Scranton (68-70; 34-30 in the second half) (Lost to Buffalo, 9-1)

“Why aren’t you updating the standings anymore?”
Durham (41-23) put together an extended period of exceptional play while Scranton started to fall back. If they somehow make it close again, I’ll update this space again. It doesn’t seem likely.

3B Jake Lamb: 1-for-3, BB
Jake Lamb leading off games in mid-September. That is what happens when the prospects are either in MLB or injured.
C Carlos Narvaez2-for-4, 2 K
Narvaez is 9-for-29 (.310) in September with three doubles and a homer.
1B Andres Chaparro0-for-3, BB
RF Franchy Cordero0-for-4, 3 K
DH-2B Jamie Westbrook0-for-3, BB, K
LF Michael Hermosillo: 1-for-3, BB, K, SB (8), CS (2)
SS-P Jesus Bastidas1-for-4, HR (10), RBI, RS, 2 K
Bastidas has 13 HR in 109 games between here and Somerset. 
2B-SS Wilmer Difo0-for-3, 2 K
CF Nelson Medina0-for-2, BB, K, SB (1)
Medina’s first Triple-A start. He was 8-for-11 stealing bases down in Tampa.

RHP Zach Greene3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Recently promoted, the 28-year-old spent the majority of his season in Somerset. The Yankees purchased him from Lancaster (Independent) on June 27th.
LHP Matt Krook1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
LHP Josh Maciejewski: (L, 3-1) 1.1 IP, 4 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
Entering tonight, Maciejewski had allowed eight earned runs in 26 games (38.2 IP).
RHP Ron Marinaccio1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Jesus Bastidas1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
His first career pitching performance is a clean one…

Somerset (80-53; 38-27 in the second half) (Lost to New Hampshire, 5-1)

SS Trey Sweeney3-for-5, 2B (19), SB (18)
Sweeney has seven 3-hit games this season. He is hitting .249 with a .773 OPS in 457 PA (19 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 64 R, 62 BB, 87 K, 18-for-25 SB). I would assume he was on his way to Scranton at some point before his injury – maybe they still get his feet wet, but it really is not a big deal. May as well just let him play here through the playoffs.
C Ben Rice0-for-4, RS, BB, 3 K
LF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-5, 3 K
CF Spencer Jones1-for-5, K, SB (6)
Jones’ 41st stolen base between here and Hudson Valley. Unless Lockridge gets back, Jones is going to lead the organization in stolen bases this season.
1B T.J. Rumfield0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K
RF Jeisson Rosario: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K
2B Mickey Gasper0-for-4, K
DH Grant Richardson: 2-for-3, 2B (1), BB, K, SB (5)
Richardson has 16 homers and 19 stolen bases between here and Hudson Valley. He is now 15-for-41 since his promotion.
3B Max Burt0-for-4, K

RHP Blane Abeyta: (L, 8-8)  4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR
5.67 ERA (127 IP, 130 H, 83 R, 80 ER, 18 HR, 51 BB, 126 K)
RHP Bailey Dees: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
Since promotion: 4.50 ERA (20 IP, 16 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 18 K). Overall, Dees has a 77/26 K/BB over 61.2 IP.
RHP Anderson Munoz: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Munoz started 2023 at this level (two games before going down to injury). He dominated during his stay in Hudson Valley (12.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 18 K)

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

They lost to Jersey Shore last night in Game 1. The series continues tomorrow. The Renegades must win the next two games to advance.

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 9/12: Will Warren Solid Again

News:

The Yankees announced that RHP Drew Thorpe (who should be the organization’s Pitcher of the Year) has been placed on the 7-day IL. No matter how minor the injury may be, he’s done for the year. They aren’t going to push him for the Double-A playoffs.

In his first professional season, Thorpe was dominant down in Hudson Valley, pitching to a 2.81 ERA (3.30 FIP) over 109 innings with a 32.4% K and 7.7% BB. That was more than enough to earn a promotion to Somerset, where he was more dominant. In five starts for the Patriots, he pitched to a 1.48 ERA (2.15 FIP) over 30.1 IP with a 40% K and 4.5% BB. Thorpe isn’t Rule 5 eligible until after the 2025 season, but that won’t stop the Yankees from using him in 2024 once he is ready.

RHP Danny Watson, one of their best relief prospects, was also placed on the IL. In 45 games between Hudson Valley and Somerset, Watson pitched to a 1.58 ERA over 62.2 IP with a 32.7% K and 10.0% BB. He held opponents to a .138 BAA. Hopefully, the injury is minor because he should be in the 2024 bullpen mix at some point. He isn’t Rule 5 eligible until after the 2024 season.

OF Nelson Medina was promoted from Tampa all the way up to Scranton today. Don’t read a lot into that – he is not likely to be playing in Scranton to start 2024. Medina, soon to be 23, hit .276/.380/.479 in 192 PA for Tampa with six home runs and 28 runs batted in. I can’t tell you how the decision-making process works (Elijah Dunham would have been a good choice to bring back to Scranton), but this is usually a move to get a warm body onto the roster. The Railriders recently lost Estevan Florial to MLB promotion after losing Jasson Dominguez and Everson Pereira.

The Somerset Patriots received some pitching from Hudson Valley today, as LHP Clay Aguilar, RHP Harrison Cohen, RHP Zach Messingerand RHP Anderson Munoz are now on the roster. This is a good indication that these four pitchers are scheduled to start 2024 at this level. Munoz started 2023 at Somerset before an injury sidelined him for a significant amount of time. The Yankees aren’t loaded with LHP, so there is an opportunity for Aguilar to make some noise.

With Tampa’s season over, Hudson Valley received some players for the playoffs (which started tonight):
RHP Luis Arejula
RHP Jackson Fristoe
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert
RHP Nolberto Henriquez
RHP Sebastian Keane
RHP Matt Keating

Just like with the kids promoted to Somerset, this is a good indicator that at least some of these pitchers will begin 2024 in Hudson Valley.

Scranton (68-68; 34-28 in the second half) (Defeated Buffalo, 4-1)

CF Brandon Lockridge0-for-2, HBP, K
  PR-CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-1, RS, K
C Carlos Narvaez1-for-4, 2B (11), RBI, 2 K
.252/.379/.402 in 301 plate appearances since his promotion. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yankees look for a trade partner before they need to submit their 40-man roster this winter.
RF Franchy Cordero2-for-2, RS, 2 BB, SB (7)
1B Andres Chaparro1-for-4, 2 K
3B Jamie Westbrook1-for-4, RBI, K
DH Jake Lamb1-for-4, 2 RBI
LF Michael Hermosillo0-for-3, K
SS Jesus Bastidas0-for-2, BB
2B Wilmer Difo1-for-2, RS, BB

RHP Will Warren5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
At this level: 3.91 ERA (89.2 IP, 76 H, 49 R, 39 ER, 15 HR, 43 BB, 93 K). Entering today, the league ERA was 5.53 – which should show you just how well Warren has been pitching lately.
RHP Zac Houston: (W, 2-1)  1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Aaron McGarity1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Michael Gomez (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
5.40 ERA (61.2 IP, 59 H, 45 R, 37 ER, 6 HR, 40 BB, 54 K)

Somerset (80-52; 38-26 in the second half) (Defeated New Hampshire, 3-2)

SS Trey Sweeney1-for-5, RS
Since coming off of the IL: 3-for-20 with three walks and four strikeouts. Overall, he is hitting .245 with a .766 OPS (18 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 63 R, 62 BB, 87 K, 17-for-24 SB)
C Ben Rice0-for-3, RS, BB
1B T.J. Rumfield0-for-3, RBI, BB, K
CF Spencer Jones0-for-4, 3 K
LF Elijah Dunham: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, K
DH Jeisson Rosario0-for-3, BB, 2 K
2B Anthony Seigler0-for-3, BB, SB (7)
It is too bad that the injury bug hit Seigler so hard – he is an athletic kid who switch hits and can take a walk. The rest of his offensive game simply hasn’t been there.
RF Grant Richardson1-for-3, BB, K, 2 SB (4)
Richardson is 18-for-21 stealing bases between here and Hudson Valley. He is 13-for-38 since his promotion with three home runs.
3B Max Burt1-for-4, RS, K, SB (18)

RHP Matt Sauer: (W, 5-4)  5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, HR
3.63 ERA (62 IP, 47 H, 26 R, 25 ER, 10 HR, 27 BB, 74 K). Does he survive the Rule 5 draft again?
RHP Carlos Gomez2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
RHP Tanner Myatt: (S, 6) 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
2.80 ERA (54.2 IP, 29 H, 20 R, 17 ER, 3 HR, 38 BB, 67 K). As usual, Myatt is tough to hit but walks too many hitters. 

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)  (Lost to Jersey Shore, 2-1. They fall behind in the best-of-3 series, 1-0. The final two games will be at home)

RF Anthony Hall0-for-5, 2 K
SS Jared Serna0-for-4, 2 K
DH Jesus Rodriguez2-for-4
Of course, Rodriguez would compile a multi-hit game in Game 1. During the regular season, between here and Tampa, he finished at .310/.399/.450 in 460 PA (20 doubles, 4 triples, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 66 R, 55 BB, 70 K, 21-for-25 SB)
LF Christopher Familia2-for-4, 2B (1), K
A multi-hit game for Familia. It will be interesting to see what he does in 2024 after a power surge in 2023.
3B Ben Cowles0-for-3, BB
2B Alexander Vargas1-for-2, 3B (1), RS, 2 BB
Vargas had an organization-leading six triples during the regular season.
C Rafael Flores1-for-3, RBI, BB
1B Spencer Henson0-for-3, BB
CF Cole Gabrielson0-for-4, K

RHP Yorlin Calderon5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
A sparkling performance in Game 1 for Calderon, who entered this game with two High-A starts to his name.
LHP Joel Valdez1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Cole Ayers:  (L, 0-1) 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, HR

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 9/10: Estevan Florial: 2 HR, 6 RBI

News:

As I suspected, veterans Matt Bowman and Anthony Misiewicz were called up today. We’ll see if this is permanent or temporary. This is a good time to get Will Warren and Clayton Beeter some innings in MLB, even as long relievers.

Beeter may have the inside track as he needs to be protected this winter while Warren does not need to be.

Scranton (67-68; 33-28 in the second half) (Crushed Columbus, 13-2)

LF Estevan Florial3-for-5, 2 HR (28), 6 RBI, 4 RS, BB, 2 K
Florial has hit two home runs four times this season. He sets a new personal best with the six RBI and has 79 RBI this season. The 28 homers lead the organization. He is building up his resume for other teams to look at for 2024. Should he get AB instead of someone like Jake Bauers at this point? Of course. Just reward the kid for playing well while being stuck in purgatory all year.
1B Andres Chaparro2-for-5, RBI, RS, BB, 2 K
Chaparro is up to 83 RBI, which continue to lead the organization.
RF Franchy Cordero2-for-6, 2 RBI, K
DH Jamie Westbrook1-for-4, SF, HBP, RBI
3B Jake Lamb1-for-3, RBI, 2 BB, K
C Josh Breaux1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, BB
Breaux has 7 HR in 47 career Triple-A games.
CF Brandon Lockridge0-for-4, RS, BB
2B Wilmer Difo3-for-3, 4 RS, 2 BB, SB (20), CS (9)
SS Jesus Bastidas: 2-for-4, 2 RS, HBP, K

LHP Edgar Barclay: (W, 1-3)  5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Barclay’s best performance since his promotion. He ties his personal best for strikeouts in a game (previously done on 8/13/2021)
RHP Aaron McGarity1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
LHP Josh Maciejewski1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Michael Gomez1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR
RHP Zach McAllister1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Somerset (79-52; 37-26 in the second half) (Defeated Erie, 8-5. I have said a few times that their season ends today. Nope – they still have one regular season week before the playoffs)

SS Trey Sweeney1-for-4, RS, BB, K, SB (17)
Sweeney is 2-for-15 since coming off of the injured list. Could he still get to Scranton for a week? Maybe.
C Ben Rice2-for-4, HR (15), RBI, RS, BB, K
At this level: .343/.404/.674 in 198 PA (12 doubles, 1 triple, 15 HR, 45 RBI, 35 R). Overall, Rice has 19 homers and 65 RBI in 68 games. One can only imagine what kind of season he could have had if not for injury.
1B T.J. Rumfield1-for-5, 2B (13), RBI, RS, K
DH Grant Richardson: 3-for-3, HR (3), RBI, 2 RS, BB
Richardson, who hit .204/.306/.389 with 13 HR for Hudson Valley, is 12-for-35 with three homers since moving to Somerset. The 16 HR tie his personal best, set last year.
CF Elijah Dunham0-for-3, BB, K
2B Mickey Gasper1-for-4, HR (6), 3 RBI, RS
RF Jeisson Rosario1-for-4, HR (10), RBI, RS, K
.222/.360/.365 in 409 PA.
3B Max Burt1-for-4, RS, K, SB (17)
LF Aaron Palensky0-for-3, BB

RHP Richard Fitts (W, 10-5): 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 2 HR
3.58 ERA (146 IP, 127 H, 59 R, 58 ER, 22 HR, 42 BB, 152 K). One could worry a bit about his HR rate as a right-handed arm trying to get to Yankee Stadium, but his overall profile in 2023 is a solid one. I think the homers come down to the reports that he sometimes loses his command inside the strike zone.
RHP Bailey Dees1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
LHP Ryan Anderson1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo (S, 1): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Hudson Valley (70-62; 31-35 in the second half)  (Lost to Jersey Shore, 10-9, in 11 innings. They begin their playoff journey on Tuesday)

RF Anthony Hall0-for-6, K
SS Alexander Vargas1-for-6, K
3B Jesus Rodriguez1-for-5, RBI, RS, BB, K, 2 SB (6)
One of the reasons why they are likely moving him around the field is because he has some athleticism. This season, he stole 21 bases in 25 attempts between here and Tampa. You will see him in Somerset in 2024.
DH Antonio Gomez3-for-5, RBI, 2 RS, K
Nice to see Gomez have a strong effort on the final day of the regular season.
  PH-DH Luis Santos0-for-0, BB
2B Ben Cowles3-for-5, 2B (18), 2 RS, SB (23)
After a big August, Cowles cooled off in September so this game is much-needed heading into the playoffs.
1B Spencer Henson2-for-6, HR (14), 3 RBI, RS, 3 K
Henson finishes the season with 17 doubles, 14 HR, and 48 RBI in 82 games.
C Rafael Flores2-for-5, RS, BB, K
Flores tapped into some power towards the end of the season. It will be interesting to see if that continues into 2024.
LF Jared Wegner1-for-3, RBI
  LF Kyle Battle: 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, RS, K
  Not a bad way to end your campaign. 
CF Cole Gabrielson2-for-4, RBI, RS, HBP, CS (2)
At this level: 9-for-34 with two doubles and a home run.
  PH Marcos Cabrera0-for-1, K

LHP Brock Selvidge5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
At this level: 3.58 ERA in 50.1 IP (44 H, 22 R, 20 ER, 2 HR, 14 BB, 46 K). Overall, Selvidge compiled a 137/35 K/BB over 127.2 innings. The improvement in the walk rate is very encouraging.
RHP Shane Gray1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Leonardo Pestana1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Osiel Rodriguez2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Rodriguez’s High-A debut. He will be here for the playoffs as well.
RHP Mason Vinyard: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Juan Crisp: (L, 0-1)  1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Crisp isn’t a pitcher – this is life in the minors. You aren’t going to change your pitching plans just because it is a tied-up game in extras. This is part of the reason why the minors started using ghost runners years ago.

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half) (Lost to Lakeland, 3-1. Their season is over)

DH George Lombard Jr.: 2-for-4, RS, K
It is safe to say that his first exposure to professional pitching went well. Not including the FCL playoffs, he hit .311/.466/.356 in 58 plate appearances with 13 walks and 12 strikeouts. During the playoffs, he went 3-for-11 with an RBI and two runs scored. He won’t be 19 until next June.
RF Jackson Castillo1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
Castillo went 7-for-38 (.184) at this level with a homer and six runs batted in.
3B Kiko Romero0-for-4, 4 K
Romero hit .216/.350/.382 in 123 PA at this level with three home runs, 20 walks, and 38 strikeouts.
1B Josh Moylan0-for-4, 3 K
Romero and Moylan certainly hoped for a better final day of the season. It will all be forgotten tomorrow. Moylan hit .241/.386/.313 in 101 PA with two homers, 16 walks, and 28 strikeouts.
C Omar Martinez1-for-4
Martinez’s first experience in a full-season league went well. In 105 games (444 plate appearances), the 21-year-old left-handed bat hit .251/.367/.445 (16 doubles, 1 triple, 18 HR, 71 RBI, 66 R, 67 BB (15.1%), 110 K (24.8%), 8-for-9 SB). 
SS Brenny Escanio2-for-4, 3B (5), K
.224/.335/.296 in 476 PA (10 doubles, 5 triples, 3 HR, 36 RBI, 57 R, 68 BB, 119 K, 21-for-27 SB)
LF Daury Arias0-for-2, 2 BB, K
CF Tayler Aguilar0-for-3, BB, 2 K
2B Jose Colmenares0-for-3, K

RHP Jackson Fristoe4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Fristoe’s arm is tantalizing. As others have said, it may be more of a bullpen arm down the road but there is zero harm in trying to see if you can develop him into a starter. Between here and the FCL, he had a 45/28 K/BB over 36.2 IP. 
LHP Pablo Mujica2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Yoljeldriz Diaz (L, 0-1): 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Ocean Gabonia1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

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 9/9: Jesus Rodriguez Hits a Slam

News:

The Yankees sent RHP Ron Marinaccio and LHP Matt Krook back down to Scranton after today’s game, meaning that two new pitchers are on their way to the Bronx. People are hoping for RHP Clayton Beeter, but he pitched on Friday. It is possible they will bring up a temporary filler before giving Beeter a roster spot once rested.  RHP Will Warren is another popular pick – he last pitched on September 7th, so he wouldn’t be available tomorrow. RHP Matt Bowman is a veteran on the 40-man – they could certainly bring him up as a warm body until someone else is ready. The same is true for LHP Anthony MisiewiczThe “Big 3” (literally) relievers down in Somerset (Bailey Dees, Danny Watson, Jack Neely) would be intriguing but I am not sure if they are going down that path. RHP Chase Hampton is shut down for the season and RHP Richard Fitts and Drew Thorpe appear to be winding down (Thorpe more than Fitts).

I guess what I am saying is that I have no idea who the two mystery pitchers will be. If it is any of the veterans listed above, it will likely (hopefully) be temporary until others are rested.

Scranton (66-68; 32-28 in the second half) (Lost to Columbus, 5-3)

LF Estevan Florial1-for-4, HR (26), RBI, RS, K
Florial’s HR was a lead-off blast. He ties Tyler Hardman (who has been out for a while) for the organization’s home run lead. Scranton’s season continues for a few more weeks (while everyone else ends tomorrow), so he has a good chance to win the HR title.
2B Jamie Westbrook2-for-4, RS, SB (6)
C Carlos Narvaez0-for-4, 2 K
3B Andres Chaparro2-for-4, RS, 2 K
.252/.336/.457 in 544 PA (21 doubles, 2 triples, 24 HR, 82 RBI, 76 R, 60 BB, 113 K). 
1B Mike Lamb1-for-2, BB, HBP
DH Rodolfo Duran0-for-3, RBI, HBP
RF Michael Hermosillo0-for-4, RBI, 2 K
CF Brandon Lockridge1-for-4, K, CS (3)
SS Jesus Bastidas1-for-4, 3 K

RHP Mitch Spence7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
4.56 ERA (150 IP, 151 H, 84 R, 76 ER, 28 HR, 47 BB, 144 K). Imagine having to throw 150 innings in this league – poor kid. But he certainly has held his own.
RHP Zach Greene (L, 2-1): 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR

Somerset (78-52; 36-26 in the second half) (Lost to Erie, 5-3)

CF Elijah Dunham0-for-4, BB, 2 K, SB (22)
Dunham is up to 34 stolen bases in 41 attempts between here and Scranton.
DH Spencer Jones2-for-4, RS, BB, 2 K, SB (5), CS (2)
Jones joins Brandon Lockridge and Jasson Dominguez in the organization’s 40 SB club (all three have exactly 40 stolen bases in the minors. Dominguez added an MLB stolen base today). Anyway, Jones has three multi-hit games in his last four games as he tries to finish his season strongly.
1B T.J. Rumfield1-for-4, BB, SB (8)
C Agustin Ramirez1-for-4, 2B (5), RS, BB, K, SB (3)
Ramirez is at .216/.278/.310 in 126 PA since his promotion.
2B Anthony Seigler0-for-4, 2 K
RF Grant Richardson0-for-2, BB, HBP, SB (2)
LF Jeisson Rosario2-for-4, 2B (17), RBI, RS, SB (11)
SS Max Burt1-for-4, 2B (11), RBI, K
3B Eduardo Torrealba0-for-3, BB, K

RHP Yoendrys Gomez4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
3.69 ERA (61 IP, 46 H, 27 R, 25 ER, 6 HR, 33 BB, 71 K). Gomez’s issue has always been injuries – he has been with the organization since 2017, yet this year’s 61 innings are a new personal best. A crucial spring training is upcoming in 2024.
RHP Tanner Myatt1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
RHP Carlos Gomez1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Alex Mauricio1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
RHP Mickey Gasper0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Gasper (a C/1B who has played some 2B this year) with his third professional pitching appearance (he had two in 2019)

Hudson Valley (70-61; 31-34 in the second half)  (Split a doubleheader with Jersey Shore)

Game 1 (Won, 2-0)

SS Jared Serna0-for-3, K
2B Alexander Vargas: 0-for-2, BB, K
DH Christopher Familia0-for-3, 2 K
Between Tampa and Hudson Valley: .307/.378/.617 in 294 PA (11 doubles, 2 triples, 22 HR, 63 RBI, 57 R, 25 BB, 61 K). He was insane for Tampa but has hit well enough here to keep your attention.
C Antonio Gomez0-for-2, RS, BB, K
.230/.286/.322 in 349 PA (18 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 32 R, 21 BB, 111 K). It wasn’t long ago when Gomez was their most tantalizing catching prospect. Some catchers are late bloomers, so maybe he can find some discover some offense in his game.
1B Spencer Henson1-for-3, RS
RF Jared Wegner0-for-2, BB, K
CF Cole Gabrielson2-for-3, RBI, K
3B Marcos Cabrera1-for-3, RBI
LF Kyle Battle0-for-1, BB

RHP Cam Schlittler (W, 1-0): 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Schlittler’s first professional win. Congrats!  This season (professional debut), he pitched to a 4.11 ERA in 46 innings between the FCL/Tampa/Hudson Valley with a 51/20 K/BB. He is a 6’6″ 22-year-old out of Northeastern. 
RHP Anderson Munoz1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
At this level: 12.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 18 K. 
RHP Cole Ayers (S, 1): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 18 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB, 22 K. Ayers (a 2021 draftee) is 24 years old.

Game 2 (Lost, 8-5)

SS Jared Serna1-for-2, 2B (7), 2 RS, 2 BB, SB (10), CS (2)
Serna has 28 doubles and 29 stolen bases between here and Tampa. Tomorrow is his last chance to reach 20 home runs. By the way, though it is widely assumed that Serna is a 2B long-term (60 starts there in 2023), he has 51 starts at shortstop. 
DH Alexander Vargas: 2-for-3, 2B (18), RBI, RS, BB
.206/.249/.345 in 441 PA. Vargas looked like he might be breaking out earlier this season but his final stat line is going to look quite similar to his 2022 line in Tampa.
C Jesus Rodriguez1-for-3, HR (3), 4 RBI, RS, BB, K
A grand slam for Rodriguez, who continues to hit. He is up to .365 (1.025 OPS) in 103 PA since his promotion and .312/.400/.454 in 454 plate appearances overall. Quite a season.
1B Rafael Flores0-for-3, BB, K
3B Ben Cowles0-for-3, K
RF Jared Wegner0-for-3, K
CF Cole Gabrielson0-for-3, 2 K
2B Luis Santos1-for-2, RS, BB, SB (10)
LF Kyle Battle0-for-3, K

RHP Baron Stuart: (L, 2-4) 4 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, HR
RHP Harrison Cohen1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
LHP Clay Aguilar1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K

Tampa (61-68; 30-33 in the second half) (Lost to Lakeland, 4-1)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-3, 2 BB, CS (2)
At this level: 7-for-29 (.241) with a double and eight walks (.405 OBP). Very small sample size in 2023, but Lombard doesn’t seem to be overwhelmed.
2B Brenny Escanio1-for-4, 2B (10), RS, BB, 2 K, SB (21)
.221/.333/.289 in 472 PA with 21 stolen bases in 27 attempts. 
1B Kiko Romero0-for-4, BB
DH Garrett Martin2-for-3, 2B (6), RBI, HBP
13-for-65 (.200) with six doubles and seven runs batted in. The Yankees placed the 23-year-old at this level immediately after signing him (undrafted signee)
CF Nelson Medina1-for-3, BB, K
LF Daury Arias1-for-4
RF Tayler Aguilar0-for-4, K
3B Beau Brewer2-for-4
.280/.410/.293 in a weird 195 PA sample. Brewer (obviously) hasn’t hit for power (two doubles) but he has 35 walks (17.9%) while striking out 12 times.
C Manuel Palencia1-for-4

RHP Sebastian Keane: (L, 0-2)  3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
He threw 47 pitches tonight. He came out of the bullpen down in the FCL before two late starts here. This is essentially a get-your-feet-wet type of season. 
RHP Matt Keating1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
3.64 ERA in 64.1 IP (60 H, 32 R, 26 ER, 6 HR, 36 BB, 92 K). Keating doesn’t throw hard (his out pitch appears to be a slider, and he features it as much as he does the fastball)
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
2.92 ERA in 49.1 IP (35 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 1 HR, 28 BB, 58 K). On pitch profile alone, he might just be the left-handed version of Keating. I will note that arsenals can change as players work their way through a system.
RHP Alex Bustamante1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Nolberto Henriquez0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
As I mentioned last time, Henriquez throws a lot of sinkers. Tonight, he averaged 95.4 MPH with that pitch – he is a bit of a project with uneven results, but I can imagine that the organization would like to work with someone who can throw a sinker in the mid-90s. We’ll see.

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 9/8: Ben Rice Has a Big Night

News:

Nada. The season is almost over so nobody is making headlines.

Scranton (66-67; 32-27 in the second half) (Lost to Columbus, 10-5)

LF Estevan Florial: 2-for-5, 3 K, SB (25)
Estevan Florial, defined (OK, he isn’t going to hit .400…)
3B Jamie Westbrook: 3-for-4, 2B (18), HR (21), 2 RBI, RS, BB
Westbrook has done a solid job as the veteran utility guy down here. You need these types in your system.
C Carlos Narvaez1-for-5, 2 K
1B Andres Chaparro1-for-5, K
RF Franchy Cordero1-for-5, 2 K
DH Josh Breaux1-for-4, 2B (1), 2 RS, BB, 2 K
CF Brandon Lockridge2-for-4, 2B (9), RS, BB, 2 K
He will get an MLB shot at some point with some team – and I am intrigued to see what he does with it.
2B Wilmer Difo1-for-3, 2 RBI, HBP, K
SS Jesus Bastidas1-for-3, RBI, BB, K

RHP Clayton Beeter: (L, 2-5) 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 2 HR
At this level: 5.89 ERA in 55 IP (53 H, 37 R, 36 ER, 13 HR, 35 BB, 62 K). It is very hard to evaluate this performance, given the offense in the International League – but it still isn’t ideal. The walks are way too high.
LHP Anthony Misiewicz1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HR
RHP Zac Houston1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Matt Bowman0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Michael Gomez: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Somerset (78-51; 36-25 in the second half) (Defeated Erie, 4-3, in 11 innings)

DH Trey Sweeney1-for-5, BB, K
1B Ben Rice: 4-for-5, 2 2B (12), 2 RBI, RS, BB, SB (7)
Rice walks it off with an RBI single in the 11th. This is his 4th 4-hit game this season and he is hitting .339/.399/.661 at this level (12 doubles, 14 HR, 44 RBI). What more is there to say? The question one needs to ask is where he fits in the Yankees’ plans.
CF Spencer Jones2-for-3, 2 BB
Jones has his average up over .200 (.205; 8-for-39) since his promotion. He is 5-for-12 in his last three games. Can you see him in pinstripes next year? Well, you are seeing Jasson Dominguez this year, so don’t rule anything out. 
C Agustin Ramirez0-for-4, K
RF Elijah Dunham0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 SB (21)
Dunham has 33 stolen bases in 40 attempts between here and Scranton.
2B Mickey Gasper1-for-3, HR (5), RBI, RS, BB, SB (7)
LF Grant Richardson0-for-3, BB, 2 K, SB (1)
SS Max Burt0-for-3, BB, K
3B Eduardo Torrealba0-for-3, 2 RS, BB, 2 K

RHP Blane Abeyta6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, HR
5.58 ERA (122.2 IP, 122 H, 79 R, 76 ER, 16 HR, 51 BB, 122 K)
RHP Jesus Liranzo1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Danny Watson: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
At this level: 1.64 ERA (38.1 IP, 18 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 5 HR, 16 BB, 43 K). Overall, he has an 82/25 K/BB in 62.2 IP. How much more development does he need? Perhaps nothing more than spring training games.
LHP Ryan Anderson: (W, 2-1) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Hudson Valley (69-60; 30-33 in the second half) 

Their game against Jersey Shore was postponed. They will try to play two tomorrow.

Tampa (61-67; 30-32 in the second half) (Squeaked past Lakeland, 2-1)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-5, 3 K
This is the first time Lombard didn’t reach base in a professional game.
CF Jackson Castillo1-for-3, BB, K
Since promotion: 6-for-34 with a homer and five RBI.
3B Kiko Romero1-for-3, 2B (6), RS, HBP
.234/.368/.415 in 114 PA at this level. He has a 7-game hitting streak (8-for-22; 3 doubles, 2 HR) 
C Omar Martinez1-for-4, RBI
.251/.368/.447 in 440 PA (16 doubles, 1 triple, 18 HR, 71 RBI, 66 R, 67 BB, 110 K, 8-for-9 SB)
1B Josh Moylan1-for-4, K
DH Garrett Martin1-for-4, K
LF Nelson Medina1-for-4, HR (6), RBI, RS, K
Medina has homered in back-to-back games.
RF Tayler Aguilar0-for-4, 4 K
2B Jose Colmenares1-for-3, BB

RHP Sean Hermann: (W, 7-6) 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR
They could bring him up for the High-A playoffs, but I think they will shut him down now. His season: 4.79 ERA in 112.2 IP (118 H, 69 R, 60 ER, 10 HR, 45 BB, 91 K). Hermann is known for inducing ground balls – if he can start missing more bats, there is big potential here. If not, nothing wrong with being a ground ball machine if that trend continues as he moves up.
RHP Luis Arejula2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Ocean Gabonia (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

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 9/7: Will Warren: 7 Shutout Innings

News:

I have nothing important to share.

Scranton (66-66; 32-26 in the second half) (Lost to Columbus, 2-1. They tried to steal this game by compiling only one hit (a solo HR), but runs were allowed in the 8th and 9th)

CF Estevan Florial0-for-4, 2 K
.278/.377/.544 in 467 PA with 65 walks and 138 strikeouts (29.6%). He won’t be in this organization in 2024, so where does he go? There are plenty of small-to-mid-market teams who are looking for cheap talent. Jonathan Davis has squeezed out 454 career MLB plate appearances on defense and speed alone. I don’t take the “he passed through waivers in spring training” thing with a lot of salt because teams already settled on their 26-man and 40-man rosters. It comes as no surprise that teams wouldn’t bend over backward to find a slot for him in 2023. 2024 will be a different story, as he likely will need to settle for a MILB deal with a spring invite.
C Carlos Narvaez0-for-3, K
1B Andres Chaparro0-for-3, K
RF Franchy Cordero0-for-3, K
3B Jamie Westbrook0-for-3
DH Jake Lamb0-for-3, K
LF Michael Hermosillo1-for-3, HR (13), RBI, RS
2B Wilmer Difo0-for-3, K
SS Jesus Bastidas0-for-3, K

RHP Will Warren:7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K
Another impressive outing for Warren, who lowered his Triple-A ERA to 4.07 (84 IP, 72 H, 48 R, 38 ER, 15 HR, 40 BB, 89 K).
Last 7 starts: 2.48 ERA (40 IP, 29 H, 13 R, 11 ER, 14 BB, 43 K)
This is the moment where he should be brought up to get some MLB innings in. He has 113.1 innings this season and 242.1 career innings. That is enough for a 24-year-old who logged 205.1 college innings + 72 innings in off-season leagues.
RHP Aaron McGarity (L, 6-3): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR
LHP Josh Maciejewski0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (77-51; 35-25 in the second half) (Lost to Erie, 4-3)

SS Trey Sweeney0-for-3, BB
  PH Eduardo Torrealba0-for-1
I typically say don’t worry about this when a player is rehabbing – but weird that they pulled Sweeney for a PH in the 9th.
C Ben Rice2-for-5, K
Rice has 24 multi-hit games (67 games)
CF Spencer Jones1-for-4, HBP, K, CS (1)
Jones was picked off first twice tonight (one was recorded as a caught stealing)
DH Agustin Ramirez0-for-3, RS, BB, K
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-3, 2B (12), RS, BB, 2 K
Rice has likely passed by him, but Rumfield is younger and has a 2023 power surge to fall back on. There isn’t enough room at the inn for all of them, but hopefully one of them can be a solid contributor.
2B Anthony Seigler0-for-2, SF, RBI, BB, K
RF Grant Richardson0-for-2, RS, BB, HBP, K
LF Aaron Palensky0-for-3, BB, 2 K
3B Max Burt1-for-4, RBI, K

RHP Matt Sauer5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 3 HR
As they say, if you are going to allow HR, make them solo shots. Yeah, you probably don’t want to give up three!  Anyway, Sauer owns a 3.79 ERA at this level with a 69/23 K/BB over 57 IP.
RHP Bailey Dees2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
At this level: 4.32 ERA (16.2 IP, 12 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 16 K). He is in the group with Jack Neely and Danny Watson as big RHP who have their eyes set on the 2024 MLB bullpen. I don’t *think* any of them make it to MLB out of spring training, but much stranger things have happened. I would put the odds of at least one of them making it to the MLB bullpen out of spring as better than Anthony Volpe being the everyday SS coming out of 2023 spring training.
RHP Tanner Myatt1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Hudson Valley (69-60; 30-33 in the second half) (Lost a rain-soaked game to Jersey Shore, 6-1)

CF Anthony Hall0-for-3, BB, K, SB (2)
2B Jared Serna1-for-4, 2 K
Serna has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games (he has reached base safely in all 16 games)
3B Jesus Rodriguez1-for-4, 2 K
Rodriguez has struck out multiple times in only four of 23 games since his promotion.
DH Antonio Gomez0-for-3, HBP, 2 K
SS Ben Cowles0-for-4, K
LF Christopher Familia3-for-4, HR (11), RBI, RS
His 21-game sample in Tampa (.398/.474/.928) was obviously never going to be matched. He is holding his own here, however (.817 OPS with 11 homers in 46 games). Overall, he has 22 homers and 63 RBI in 67 games (291 PA).
C Rafael Flores0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K
1B Spencer Henson1-for-3, 2B (17), K
RF Jared Wegner0-for-3

RHP Zach Messinger: (L, 1-10)  1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
A long rain delay cuts his night short. His ERA is at 4.36 in 97 IP with a 113/53 K/BB. Yeah, his record doesn’t exactly match up to his overall performance!
RHP Mason Vinyard2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Between here and Tampa, Vinyard owns a 73/29 K/BB over 59.2 IP.
LHP Joel Valdez3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
RHP Shane Gray1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Luis Santos1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Essentially, Hudson Valley was out of pitchers so Santaos (a utility infielder) received a turn. It is his second pitching appearance in 2023.

Tampa (60-67; 29-32 in the second half) (Lost to Lakeland, 8-6)

SS Brenny Escanio0-for-5, K
3B Kiko Romero1-for-4, 2B (5), K
Romero has nine extra-base hits in 24 games at this level to go along with 19 walks. 
CF Jackson Castillo1-for-4, RS, 2 K
DH Omar Martinez0-for-3, RS, BB
1B Josh Moylan1-for-4, RS, 2 K
LF Nelson Medina1-for-3, HR (5), 2 RBI, RS, BB, K, CS (3)
Medina is hitting .276 with a .848 OPS in 48 games (lost a lot of time to injury). This is the 22-year-old’s first taste of a full-season league and he is holding his own.
RF Daury Arias1-for-4, 2B (14), 2 RBI, RS
I won’t say that Arias has a lot of “hype” but he is often grouped in with guys like Christopher Familia as bats to watch (Fangraphs report) – Familia has exploded a bit, so who knows what will happen with Arias? 
2B Jose Colmenares2-for-4, HR (7), 2 RBI, RS, K
Colmenares has seven homers in 24 games (four HR in 57 games entering 2023)
C Manuel Palencia0-for-3, BB

RHP Luis Gil: 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
If you care about the stat line for Gil, you have too much time on your hands. His FB is looking good, velocity-wise (97.8 max tonight) and he struck out a hitter with three straight sliders. Like many pitchers coming off of arm injuries, he is likely going to have some command issues (and he has never been the king of command)
RHP Ryan Harvey1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Alex Bustamante1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Yoljeldriz Diaz1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Nolberto Henriquez: (L, 1-1) 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
One number that likely intrigues the organization: He averaged 95 MPH with his sinker tonight. Of his 28 pitches, 23 were sinkers.
RHP Adam Stone0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
3.02 ERA in 47.2 IP (35 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 1 HR, 26 BB, 57 K). He sits mostly in the lower 90s with both his 4-seam fastball and sinker. 

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 9/6: Spencer Jones: 2 Hits, 3 SB

News:

SS Trey Sweeney was activated today for Somerset. IF Caleb Durbin, who left the game early the other day, was placed on the injured list.

Scranton (66-66; 32-26 in the second half) (Defeated Columbus, 6-0)

CF Estevan Florial2-for-4, 2 RS, BB
Florial has scored 78 runs this season. He has set personal bests in HR, RBI, and runs scored.
C Carlos Narvaez1-for-5, 2B (10), RBI, 3 K
I will keep saying it: Narvaez is an interesting Rule 5 guy this winter. They probably have to add Agustin Ramirez at this point. Will they protect Narvaez? Or look for a trade partner? 
3B Andres Chaparro2-for-5, HR (24), 2 RBI, RS
.252/.338/.462 in 532 PA (21 doubles, 2 triples, 24 HR, 82 RBI, 75 R, 60 BB, 109 K, 4-for-4 SB). He is on a 7-game hitting streak (11-for-30). The best way to describe Chaparro in 2023 is with one word: Productive.
DH Franchy Cordero0-for-4, RS, BB
2B Jamie Westbrook3-for-4, RS
The veteran is hitting .299 and has seven 3+ hit games this season. 
1B Mike Lamb1-for-2, RS, 2 BB
RF Michael Hermosillo: 0-for-4, 2 K
SS Wilmer Difo0-for-3, BB, K, CS (8)
LF Brandon Lockridge1-for-4, 2B (8), 2 RBI, K

RHP Zach McAllister3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
RHP Michael Gomez: (W, 2-5)  2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K
RHP Zach Greene: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Ron Marinaccio1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
LHP Nick Ramirez1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Somerset (77-50; 35-24 in the second half) (Defeated Erie, 5-4, in ten innings. They scored three in the tenth to pull off the win)

LF Elijah Dunham0-for-4, RS, BB, 2 K
DH Ben Rice1-for-5, RBI, RS, K
At this level: .323/.385/.652 in 182 PA.
C Agustin Ramirez1-for-5, RBI, K
Since promotion: .231/.286/.327 in 112 PA.
CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-5, RS, 3 SB (4)
Jones has 39 stolen bases in 48 attempts between here and Hudson Valley. This is his first professional 3+ stolen base effort and second multi-hit game since his promotion.
1B T.J. Rumfield1-for-4, RBI, BB, 3 K
Rumfield with the walk-off RBI single.
2B Mickey Gasper0-for-3, RS, BB
RF Jeisson Rosario: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K
3B Max Burt1-for-3, SF, RBI, K, SB (16)
SS Eduardo Torrealba1-for-3, RBI, RS, BB, K

RHP Drew Thorpe4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, HR
Don’t get nervous as my guess is that they are managing his load down the stretch (he is up to 139.1 innings in his professional debut season). Can I say that for sure? Of course not – but it is a reasonable assumption. Anyway, Thorpe now has an 182/38 K/BB this season.
RHP Carlos Gomez2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
LHP Ryan Anderson1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
At this level: 1.13 ERA (20.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 6 BB, 21 K)
RHP Alex Mauricio1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Danny Watson: (W, 4-0)  1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
Watson is up to 81 strikeouts in 60.1 IP between here and Hudson Valley. He will be in the 2024 bullpen mix. I don’t see why he would need a lot of time in Scranton.

Hudson Valley (69-59; 30-32 in the second half) (Lost to Jersey Shore, 2-0)

RF Anthony Hall2-for-4
Hall has hit safely in seven of his last eight games.
SS Jared Serna0-for-3, BB, K
Serna’s hitting streak is snapped at 14.
C Jesus Rodriguez1-for-4, K
Rodriguez has hit safely in seven of his last eight games.
2B Alexander Vargas0-for-4, 2 K
3B Ben Cowles0-for-3
LF Christopher Familia0-for-2, HBP, K
1B Rafael Flores0-for-3, K
DH Jared Wegner0-for-3, 3 K
CF Cole Gabrielson0-for-3, 3 K

RHP Yorlin Calderon5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
A nice bounce-back effort for Calderon, who allowed four runs (three earned) in three innings pitched his last time out (his High-A debut)
RHP Anderson Munoz2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: (L, 3-3): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
RHP Cole Ayers0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Tampa (60-66; 29-31 in the second half) (Lost to Lakeland, 6-2)

SS George Lombard, Jr.: 1-for-4, K, CS (1)
Lombard has reached base safely in all 13 of his professional games. Since his promotion: 6-for-21 (.286) with a double, four runs batted in, six walks, and six strikeouts.
DH Jackson Castillo0-for-2, RS, 2 BB, 2 K
1B Josh Moylan0-for-2, BB, HBP
.254/.393/.338 in 89 PA with a pair of home runs. The power hasn’t shown up, but it’s only 21 career games. 
C Omar Martinez0-for-3, BB
.253/.370/.453 in 432 PA. 
3B Kiko Romero1-for-2, HR (3), 2 RBI, RS, 2 BB
The 22-year-old left-handed bat is hitting .230/.368/.402 (4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 14 R) in 106 PA at this level.
CF Nelson Medina1-for-4, K
RF Daury Arias0-for-3, BB, K
LF Tayler Aguilar0-for-3, BB, K
2B Beau Brewer1-for-3, K

LHP Pablo Mujica: (L, 0-1) 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Low-A debut for the 6’0″ 22-year-old. The Yankees chose Mujica in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft (which doesn’t mean he was a Triple-A player!)  He pitched to an 8.27 ERA in 20.2 IP down in the FCL.
RHP Matt Keating3.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR
3.73 ERA (62.2 IP, 59 H, 32 R, 26 ER, 6 HR, 35 BB, 88 K). 
RHP Montana Semmel2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

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.