Tag: Chase Hampton

Yankees MILB 7/26: Agustin Ramirez is Heating Up

News:

Infielder Caleb Durbin returned to Somerset yesterday. Infielder Ben Cowles is heading to the injured list for Somerset today.

Cowles, who was HBP last night, is having a breakout season while playing three positions (2B/SS/3B). He is hitting .294/.376/.472 (140 wRC+) in 378 PA with 9 home runs, 51 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 16 attempts. He owns a 10.3% BB and 17.7%. In 2023, he struck out at a 23.7% clip. With the MLB infield in flux, one could see him as an option for at least a utility role sometime in 2025.

Infielder Enmanuel Tejeda was moved to the full-season injured list for Tampa. Darn. Tejeda will finish the season with a .310/.353/.369 (108 wRC+) line for Low-A Tampa with a homer, 18 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 28 attempts.

OF Jasson Dominguez was activated today and assigned to Scranton. It isn’t a rehab assignment on paper, but it is in reality.

Scranton (55-44) (Defeated Worcester, 8-5)

DH Jasson Dominguez: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, HBP, 2 K
A good enough return for Dominguez. When will he be back with the Yankees? Let’s get him through a week or so of games before we speculate.
SS Oswald Peraza: 1-for-5, 4 K
2B Jorbit Vivas: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, RS, 2 SB (11), K
Hopefully, Vivas is heating up again. He has 12 stolen bases total this year after stealing 25 last season. The ability to steal bases could get lost in his profile, but it’s in his toolbox.
C Agustin Ramirez: 2-for-4, RBI, RS, 2 K
Ramirez has an 8-game hitting streak (11-for-34; .324). He is also on a 5-game RBI streak (hasn’t relied on a home run for any of the RBI)
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-5, RS, 2 K
CF Brandon Lockridge: 2-for-4, 2B (15), RS, 2 K
LF J.C. Escarra: 2-for-3, 2 2B (3), 2 RBI, RS, BB, K
Escarra is on a heater since his promotion (10-for-20, 3 doubles, 5 RBI). He is a left-handed bat who can play some positions, including catcher. 
3B Kevin Smith: 2-for-4, 2 RS, K
RF Taylor Trammell: 1-for-4, 2B (13), RBI, RS, K

LHP Tanner Tully: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Alex Mauricio: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
LHP Chasen Shreve: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
RHP Jack Neely (W, 1-0): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 0.93 ERA (9.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 12 K). Neely should be on the list of possible reinforcements, but the Yankees are going to look for relievers with more experience. That’s fine, too.
LHP Anthony Misiewicz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Tim Mayza (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Somerset (48-46) (Lost to Portland, 3-0)

DH Caleb Durbin: 0-for-3, SB (2), BB
Durbin has stolen bases in back-to-back games and is 22-for-24 in 50 games this season. His ability to run should not be underestimated.
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, 2B (15), 2 K
Jones’ 50th career double (222 games). I am honest: I can’t read who he is. I don’t think anyone knows what he will be.
C Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-2, CS (1), BB,K
   PH-C Juan Crisp: 0-for-1, K
Rodriguez’s rehab will allow Crisp to get a little playing time.
1B Rafael Flores: 1-for-4, 2 K
3B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-4, 2 K
RF Grant Richardson: 0-for-1, 2 BB
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-3
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-3
Vargas has a 5-game hitting streak (7-for-18).

RHP Bailey Dees: (L, 4-6)  6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR
Dees is over the 100-inning mark. Season: 4.28 ERA (101 IP, 85 H, 53 R, 48 ER, 15 HR, 37 BB, 104 K). It isn’t a perfect stat line, but it is his first year as a starter. I am happy with what I see.
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 8.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 13 K. He is an impressive relief prospect.

Hudson Valley (45-47) (Lost to Wilmington, 5-2)

CF Jace Avina: 1-for-4, RS
SS Jared Serna: 2-for-3, 2 2B (26), CS (8), BB
Serna has three doubles and a homer in his last four games, increasing his triple slash to .253/.341/.444. His 26 doubles rank second in the league. He is only 11-for-19 stealing bases after going 29-for-37 last year.
C Omar Martinez: 0-for-3, BB
DH Antonio Gomez: 1-for-4, RBI
Gomez is 9-for-60 since joining Hudson Valley.
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-4, HR (5), RBI, RS, K
Moylan has an impressive 14.4% BB rate and has homered in two of his last three games. If the power starts to show up, the Yankees could have an interesting prospect who has played both infield corners.
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, BB, K
3B Kiko Romero: 0-for-3, K
LF Anthony Hall: 0-for-3, K
2B Brenny Escanio: 0-for-3

RHP Blane Abeyta: (L, 1-2)  5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HR
LHP Joel Valdez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
3.02 ERA (44.2 IP, 29 H, 19 R, 15 ER, 2 HR, 21 BB, 53 K). 
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Tampa (37-54) (Defeated Clearwater, 7-6)

2B George Lombard Jr.: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, RS, 2 SB (28), K
One of his hits was a “Little League home run.” He is 28-for-32 stealing bases.
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-4, 3 K
1B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-4, K
CF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-1, 2 RS, 3 SB (16), 3 BB, K
Castillo’s first career multi-stolen base game. He is 16-for-20 in that category this season and has an .800 OPS/17.5% BB.
RF Willy Montero: 1-for-3, RS, BB, K
3B Hans Montero: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, RS, BB
C Josue Gonzalez: 1-for-3, RS
LF Coby Morales: 0-for-2, RBI, RS, BB
DH Tomas Frick: 0-for-2, SF, RBI, 2 K

RHP Chase Hampton: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Hampton topped out at 93.9 MPH (averaged 91.7) as he mixed in all his pitches. I doubt he will be in Tampa much longer.
RHP Yoljeldriz Diaz: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Diaz was promoted today from the FCL (he had an earlier stint with Tampa this year)
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
2.51 ERA (46.2 IP, 24 H, 14 R, 13 ER, 7 HR, 24 BB, 56 K). The home run ball has haunted him this year.
RHP Jordy Luciano (W, 2-3): 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Luis Pacheco (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
The Yankees signed the 25-year-old on June 11th (he made 6 appearances in the FCL before being promoted). He hadn’t pitched in an affiliated league since his 2019 stint with the Phillies’ GCL squad. Over the last several years, he has toiled in the Independent/Mexican/Winter leagues. According to Savant, he dialed it up to 96.4 with the 4-seamer and 96.1 with his sinker.

FCL (35-22)

The playoffs begin tomorrow against the Pirates. It’s been rainy/stormy lately, so I hope they can get these playoffs in without interruption.

DSL Yankees (12-25) (Split two games with DSL Mets Orange)

Game 1 (Won, 9-2. This was the conclusion of a game started on 7/19)

SS Dexters Peralta: 3-for-5, HR (1), 2 RBI, RS, CS (2)
The 17-year-old’s (he started the season as a 16-year-old) first professional home run.
CF Gabriel Lara: 2-for-3, RBI, 2 RS, BB, SB (10)
LF Isael Arias: 2-for-3, RBI, RS, SB (7), HBP
DH Louis Pierre: 0-for-1, RBI, BB
  PH-DH Niurby Asigen: 1-for-1, RS, 2 SB (6)

RHP Jorge Luna: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
1.59 ERA (28.1 IP, 18 H, 10 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 14 BB, 31 K)
RHP Oscar Vasquez (W, 2-1): 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Rafael Arias: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Game 2 (Lost, 7-4)

SS Dexters Peralta: 0-for-3, RS, BB, K
He is hitting .214/.290/.277 in 124 PA with 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
CF Gabriel Lara: 0-for-2, RS, SB (11), BB, 2 K
.202/.316/.274 in 98 PA (11-for-14 SB)
2B Geyber Blanco: 2-for-4, 2B (5), 2 RBI, K

RHP Emanuel Vargas: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR

DSL Bombers (22-16) (Lost to the DSL Rockies, 9-1)

CF Francisco Vilorio: 1-for-4, K
.204/.286/.323 in 105 PA in his debut season.
3B Luis Suarez: 3-for-4, 2B (2), RBI, SB (3)

RHP Mariano Salomon (L, 2-1): 3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR

 

Yankees MILB 7/19: Hudson Valley’s No-Hitter

News

The draft was interesting for the Yankees. Everyone assumed the Yankees had an “all pitching” mentality but that doesn’t appear to be the case. I applaud the Yankees for not “reaching” for a position player just because they had already drafted many pitchers. The draft fell in a way where the most valuable thing on their board was pitching.

Will this cause a glut of pitching? Potentially, but that’s a concern for 2025 and beyond. As college arms, you want them to move up the chain quickly. However, not all of them will. A lot will happen between July 19, 2024, and the beginning of the 2025 season. I am not worrying about a logjam now.

As for my favorite pick, just based on what I am reading it is RHP Bryce Cunningham, their second-round pick. He seemingly can move fast with Keith Law claiming that he zoom up to Double-A next season. The arm that jumps out at you is RHP Greysen Carter, who has dialed it up to 103. An arm like his would be a no-doubt first-round pick if not for that thing called control. I like pitchers who come into the system with a plus pitch in their arsenal. Cunningham’s changeup and Carter’s fastball will play in professional ball, though Carter needs work.

Anyway, I will give more background as the players start filtering into levels and making their debuts. A reminder that they changed the FCL schedule in 2024. Instead of a month left in the season, there’s one week. Hence, there isn’t a “get your feet wet” spot. If players sign quickly, we could see them in Tampa this season. With many college pitchers selected, Low-A is not a daunting place to start. Times have changed and organizations have adjusted.

(For a full review of the draft, check out this article from VirginiaYankee1)

The Yankees have released Jose Rojas from his minor-league contract for the second time this season. Rojas is hitting .254/.359/.561 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI in 67 games. While I haven’t read anything to indicate why, the odds are good that Rojas negotiated an opt-out when he re-signed in June and exercised it. That is what happened the first time he was released.

The Yankees have signed 30-year-old LHP Thomas Pannone to a minor league deal. Pannone, released by the Cubs on July 17th, has appeared in 50 MLB games (13 starts), going 7-7 with a 5.46 ERA (5.06 FIP) over 118.2 innings. He owns a 19.6% K, 9.0% BB, and 33.8% GB. With the Iowa Cubs this season, he went 4-8 with a 4.37 ERA (4.78 FIP) in 19 starts. He spent time in Korea in 2022 and 2023. Recently, the Yankees signed fellow left-handers Chasen Shreve and Tim Mayza, but they are relievers. Pannone can give Scranton innings as a starter or long reliever.

As we enter the post-ASB portion of the season, none of the full-season leagues won their first-half titles (the “first half” ended a while ago, but I never noted that). As of now, it looks unlikely that a full-season affiliate will make the playoffs as the second-half standings aren’t favorable. There’s still time, though.

Scranton (49-42) (Lost to Buffalo, 1-0, in ten innings)

CF Brandon Lockridge: 0-for-5, 4 K
We all have bad days…
2B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-4, 2B (6), 2 K
It isn’t a complete loss (he spent three days on an MLB roster), but it still felt meaningless to bring him up if his playing time was going to be zero. It is interesting that Oswald Peraza didn’t play tonight in the first game after the All-Star Break.
C Agustin Ramirez: 1-for-3, BB
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-4, K
Rumfield is 7-for-24 with four walks in July.
SS Jeter Downs: 0-for-4, 3 K
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
LF Taylor Trammell: 0-for-3, HBP, 2 K
3B Kevin Smith: 0-for-3, SB (11), HBP, K
DH Josh VanMeter: 0-for-4, 4 K

LHP Edgar Barclay:  5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
I have documented how he hasn’t done well in Triple-A. It is nice to see him have a strong outing here.
RHP Jack Neely:  1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
RHP Scott Effross: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
The Yankees luckily had options to use on Effross as he continues his rehab-that-technically-isn’t-a-rehab. I assume it won’t be long until he is up with the big club.
RHP Ron Marinaccio: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
LHP Victor Gonzalez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Duane Underwood Jr.: (L, 2-1)  0.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Hard to blame any reliever when a ghost runner scores!

Somerset (44-44) (Toss a 1-hitter against Altoona in a 2-0 win)

DH Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, RS, K
Has Jones’ trade value taken a hit? Maybe, but not as much as you think it has. Teams will still be interested in the crazy ceiling. Will the Yankees move him? I think it would have to be a special trade for them to give him up. Don’t expect him to be trade bait for a swing-and-miss reliever. 
SS Ben Cowles: 1-for-3, RS, BB
.299/.380/.474 in 358 PA. Cowles has never spent a full season at one level. I would expect the 24-year-old to finish up in Scranton (he went there briefly in 2023 before being sent to the Arizona Fall League).
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4, K
C Rafael Flores: 3-for-4, RBI
On a night where pitching was the story, Flores stands out. He broke a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the 8th.  Since his promotion: .229/.325/.400 in 80 PA. He had a pair of 3-hit efforts for Hudson Valley earlier this season.
RF Elijah Dunham: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 K
Dunham didn’t let the break cool him off. He is 20-for-48 (.417) in July (6 doubles, 4 HR, 13 RBI)
CF Grant Richardson: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Jared Wegner: 0-for-3, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-2, BB
3B Max Burt: 1-for-3, 2 K

RHP Trystan Vrieling: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Outstanding performance by Vrieling. It lowers his ERA to 5.21 (96.2 IP, 100 H, 59 R, 56 ER, 9 HR, 33 BB, 91 K). In July: 14 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 10 K. 
RHP Carlos Gomez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP McKinley Moore: (W, 2-0) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Moore is a work in progress. If they unlock him, the dividends will be high. But he will be a tough one to unlock.
RHP Eric Reyzelman (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 2.84 ERA (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 10 K). He is a contender for the 2025 bullpen. 

Hudson Valley (43-43) (No-hit Rome, 1-0)

2B Roc Riggio: 2-for-4, HR (7), RBI, RS, CS (4)
Riggio walks it off in the bottom of the 9th, earning the Renegades a combined no-hitter!  He is hitting .222/.356/.393 in 307 PA and has homered in back-to-back games.
SS Jared Serna: 0-for-3
.252/.344/.437 in 369 PA. He is only 9-for-46 (.196) in July.
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-3, K
C Omar Martinez: 1-for-3, K
DH Antonio Gomez: 0-for-3, K
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-3, 2 K
RF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, SB (9)
Martin is 9-for-10 in the stolen base category.
LF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-3, 2 K
3B Brenny Escanio: 1-for-3, K

LHP Kyle Carr: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
A much-needed outing for last year’s 3rd round pick. It lowers his ERA to 6.04 (67 IP, 70 H, 54 R, 45 ER, 5 HR, 43 BB, 58 K). Last time out, he allowed 7 runs (6 earned) over 3 IP. Can he get into a second-half groove?
RHP Trent Sellers: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
2.94 ERA (53.2 IP, 33 H, 27 R, 19 ER, 2 HR, 32 BB, 65 K). He started his last time out, but they moved him back to the bullpen tonight. He tossed three innings, so is there a major difference?
RHP Huey Morrill: (W, 2-2)  1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3.52 ERA (30.2 IP, 28 H, 17 R, 12 ER, 6 HR, 9 BB, 33 K). The 24-year-old was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State in 2022. The plot twist? He played shortstop for Oklahoma State (though he did make 17 appearances on the hill in college). 

Tampa (32-53) (Tied with Bradenton, 0-0, in the 5th. The game is in a delay. I will update this if they conclude the game tonight)

3B George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-2, K
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-1, SB (25), BB
1B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-2, K
CF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-2
RF Willy Montero: 1-for-2
2B Hans Montero: 0-for-2, 2 K
DH Coby Morales: 0-for-1
C Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-1
LF Daury Arias: 0-for-1

RHP Chase Hampton: 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Hampton retired 11 of the 12 batters he faced (hit a batter) and averaged 92 MPH (94 max). He threw 45 pitches (30 strikes) and should be on his way to Somerset shortly.
RHP Aaron Nixon: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Nixon was used as a “bridge” between Hampton and Serna.
RHP Luis Serna: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
That bridge will be meaningless, as Serna will not return to this game.

FCL (33-20) (Lost to the Tigers, 4-0. With five games left, they own a 1.5-game lead over the Tigers. The two squads play a doubleheader tomorrow and have another matchup beyond that. There is a wild card in this league. The Tigers are currently in that position, but there’s a 3-team race in the South. The two teams that lose that race will be in the wild-card race. Those teams will undoubtedly play games against each other, so the Yankees are in good shape. The FCL squad and one of the DSL teams could be the only playoff representatives we get in 2024)

CF Brando Mayea: 1-for-4, K
Mayea is hitting .288 (good) though the power has yet to show up. At 18 years old, there’s time for the power to shine.
C Edgleen Perez: 1-for-3, BB
1B Engelth Urena: 2-for-3, K
His magical season continues (.308/.421/.575 in 145 PA with 7 homers and 29 RBI). In July, he is an incredible 23-for-49 (.469/.587/.959) with nine doubles and five home runs. Is the 19-year-old (20 on August 17th) ready for a full-season test?

RHP Chalniel Arias (L, 0-1): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
RHP Indigo Diaz: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
His rehab continues.
RHP Sabier Marte: 3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR
Marte is getting his work in (he leads the league with 49 IP). In those 49 IP, he owns a 2.76 ERA and 44/16 K/BB.

DSL Yankees (11-22) (Their game against the DSL Mets Orange was suspended. They own a 6-1 lead in the 5th)

So far, SS Dexters Peralta is 2-for-3, while CF Gabriel Lara (1 hit) and LF Isael Arias (2 hits, SB) have an RBI and run scored.

RHP Jorge Luna: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

DSL Bombers (20-14) (Defeated the DSL Giants Orange, 5-4)

CF Francisco Vilorio: 1-for-3, 2B (5), K
.200/.278/.325 in 90 PA (5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 13 RBI)
SS Christofer Reyes: 1-for-3, RS, SB (12)
2B Luis Escudero: 0-for-2, RS, BB
DH Angel Ventura: 1-for-3, 3B (1), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
I haven’t said much about Ventura, but the 18-year-old is hitting .276/.382/.328 in 68 PA.
LF Browm Martinez: 1-for-3, 2B (2), 2 RBI, RS, SB (16), K
.271/.369/.300 in 84 PA with 16 stolen bases in 20 tries.

RHP Jerson Alejandro: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
4.07 ERA (24.1 IP, 14 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 0 HR, 23 BB, 38 K). The eight strikeouts are a personal best.
LHP Jose Ledesma (S, 5): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Yankees MILB 7/6: Agustin Ramirez Homers Again

News:

There’s some time off coming up for the system. First, they are off on Sunday and Monday. Then, after a full week of games Tuesday-Sunday, they take four days off for the MLB All-Star Break (they don’t play minor league All-Star games anymore, other than the Futures Game). This only applies to full-season leagues.

Scranton (47-38)  (Lost to Lehigh Valley, 5-3)

CF Brandon Lockridge: 0-for-3, SB (27), 2 BB, K
Lockridge is 67-for-75 stealing bases between 2023-2024 (149 games).
2B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-4, BB, 2 K
Vivas is 7-for-21 with three doubles and a homer in July. He has at least one hit in 12 of his last 13 games and 15 of his last 17 games. Yes, he is a legitimate prospect. 
SS Oswald Peraza: 2-for-3, 2B (3), RS, BB, K
We have seen some signs of life lately (10-for-30 in his last eight games). The power game remains a mystery (his double tonight was his first extra-base hit in July)
C Agustin Ramirez: 2-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI, RS
Season (including Somerset): .270/.358/.539 in 324 PA (14 doubles, 1 triple, 20 HR, 58 RBI, 54 R, 16-for-17 SB). For Scranton: He has homered in back-to-back games and four of his last eight games. He is also on a 5-game hitting streak. After starting 1-for-24, he is 9-for-30 with four home runs and 8 RBI. I understand there are questions about his future position, but how can you keep this kid out of your Top 100? 
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-4, HR (9), RBI, RS, K
Since promotion: .292/.352/.470 in 261 PA (15 doubles, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 40 R)
DH Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-4, K
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 1-for-4, K
LF Taylor Trammell: 0-for-4, K
3B Jeter Downs: 0-for-4

RHP Will Warren: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K, HR
Warren sets a new best for strikeouts in a game. Season: 6.64 ERA (80 IP, 87 H, 63 R, 59 ER, 17 HR, 29 BB, 96 K).
RHP Yerry De Los Santos: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR
RHP Art Warren: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Phil Bickford: (L, 2-3)  0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 2 HR
RHP Ron Marinaccio: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (41-40) (Lost to Reading, 5-2)

DH Spencer Jones: 0-for-4, 3 K
Last 3 games: 0-for-12, 1 BB, 11 K.  This has spiked his K% to 37.2%. If you are feeling a little concerned, it is justified. He had that 2-HR, 7 RBI performance on June 30th and an extended streak of solid hitting but has started to slump again. There is reason to be optimistic, because of the incredible tools. It’s going to be a process.
SS Ben Cowles: 0-for-4, K
I guess he was tired after yesterday’s 7-hit effort. He is hitting .301 with a .863 OPS.
1B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-2, HR (4), RBI, RS, 2 BB
Hardman has 30 home runs in 99 games at this level. 
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-4, K
LF Elijah Dunham: 2-for-4, 2B (14), HR (8), RBI, RS
Dunham has a 15-game hitting streak. He has seven doubles and five home runs during the streak.
CF Grant Richardson: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-3, BB
RF Jared Wegner: 1-for-4, K
3B Max Burt: 0-for-4, 3 K

LHP Brock Selvidge: (L, 7-6)  5 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
Ex-Yankees prospect Josh Breaux hit a 2-run HR off of Selvidge. That wasn’t very nice. Season: 4.25 ERA (84.2 IP, 78 H, 50 R, 40 ER, 6 HR, 40 BB, 83 K). This is only the third time in his career (50th start) where he allowed multiple home runs.
RHP Danny Watson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
It has been a struggle since coming back from injury, but let’s see what happens in the second half of the season. He has only 12 innings pitched this season.
RHP Matt Sauer: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP McKinley Moore: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
At this level: 8 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Hudson Valley (41-37) (Defeated Brooklyn, 5-4)

2B Roc Riggio: 0-for-3, 2 RS, SB (15), 2 BB, K
Riggio has a 21-game on-base streak and has 6 stolen bases and walks in five July games. He hasn’t been caught stealing since May 10th (10 straight successful attempts)
SS Jared Serna: 2-for-4, 2B (22), K
Serna’s 19th multi-hit effort. He has 50 doubles in 197 games over the last two seasons.
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-2, RS, 2 BB
1B Omar Martinez: 2-for-3, 2 2B (9), 2 RBI, RS, BB
Martinez has six RBI in his last three games
C Antonio Gomez: 0-for-2, RBI, CI, BB, K
RF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, 2B (9), RS, BB, K
3B Brenny Escanio: 1-for-4, 2B (6), 2 RBI, SB (2), K
DH Beau Brewer: 0-for-4
LF Nelson Medina: 0-for-4, 2 K

RHP Baron Stuart: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
3.36 ERA (61.2 IP, 53 H, 24 R, 23 ER, 2 HR, 25 BB, 54 K). This follows up a strong start last time out (6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K)
RHP Cole Ayers: (W, 3-3)  1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
3.00 ERA (45 IP, 36 H, 19 R, 15 ER, 3 HR, 17 BB, 55 K)
RHP Matt Keating: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
4.11 ERA (46 IP, 34 H, 23 R, 21 ER, 7 HR, 18 BB, 58 K)
RHP Huey Morrill: (S, 2) 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Tampa (29-50) (Lost to Lakeland, 9-2)

2B George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-4
Lombard Jr. is 6-for-21 with a triple and homer in July. He has struck out only three times this month, lowering his K% to 21.5%. 
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-4, K
.210/.303/.353 in 343 PA. Unlike Lombard Jr., Arias has struggled in the strikeout department (34.7%). 
1B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-4
DH Jackson Castillo: 0-for-2, RS, SB (12), 2 BB, K
.254/.381/.416 in 257 PA. A trip to Hudson Valley seems inevitable.
3B Hans Montero: 2-for-3, 3B (4), RBI, BB
.221/.302/.378 in 192 PA (4 doubles, 4 triples, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 26 R, 6-for-8 SB). He is 6-for-18 with two triples and a home run in July.
CF Willy Montero: 0-for-3, BB, K
C Josue Gonzalez: 1-for-4
Gonzalez is 6-for-14 since his promotion.
RF Coby Morales: 1-for-4, 2B (9), RS, K
LF Daury Arias: 1-for-4, 2B (7), RBI, 2 K

RHP Danny Flatt: (L, 0-1)  2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
Flatt’s Low-A debut after pitching to a 2.90 ERA in 31 FCL innings. The Yankees drafted him in the 14th round of the 2023 draft out of P27 Academy. P27 is a baseball academy located in South Carolina. To date, he is one of three players (first pitcher) drafted out of the academy, joining Logan Wagner (Dodgers, 2022; SS) and Alfonsin Rosario (Cubs, 2023; OF). His 4-seam fastball topped out at 92.4 and he mixed in a change and curve.
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Cohen’s rehab stint continues.
LHP Rafelin Nivar: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
RHP Ocean Gabonia: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

FCL (27-17) (Lost two big games (for playoff purposes!) to the FCL Phillies)

Game 1 (Lost, 3-2, in 8 innings)

1B Engelth Urena: 1-for-2, 2B (6), RS, 2 SB (3), 2 BB
I don’t see “speedster” in his profile.
C Edgleen Perez: 0-for-3, RS, SB (4), BB
DH Anthony Hall: 1-for-3, SB (2), BB, K
3B Abrahan Ramirez: 0-for-4, 3 K
His season has been so strong that he deserves an update even on bad days.
SS Juan Matheus: 1-for-3, CS (6), BB
2B Gabriel Terrero: 1-for-2, 2B (2), 2 BB

RHP Chase Hampton: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
I assume he will make his way to Somerset after the All-Star Break.
RHP Carlos Lagrange: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Just like Hampton, Lagrange is coming back from injury. The results don’t yet matter.
RHP Chalniel Arias: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Today was rehab day in the FCL, as Arias made his first appearance in 2024. The 20-year-old pitched to a 3.09 ERA in 11 starts between the DSL/FCL in 2023 with a 61/17 K/BB over 46.2 innings.
RHP Luis Pacheco: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Pacheco (who is 25) signed a minor-league contract on June 11th. In the Mexican League this season, he pitched to a 2.78 ERA in 22.2 IP with a 14/5 K/BB.  He spent the 2017-2019 seasons in the Phillies organizations (never above the FCL level) and resurfaced in the independent/winter leagues in 2022.

Game 2 (Lost, 16-3)

CF Brian Sanchez: 2-for-3, RS
.303/.395/.538 in 152 PA with 12 stolen bases in 14 attempts. 
DH Edgleen Perez: 1-for-2, RS, BB
The 18-year-old has 50 RBI and 49 runs in 77 career games. Additionally, he has more walks (66) than strikeouts (56).
C Engelth Urena: 2-for-3, 2B (7), 2 RBI, RS
Urena has five doubles in his last four games. He is a bat to watch. Season: .253/.361/.429 in 108 PA (7 doubles, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 17 R, 3-for-4 SB, 14 BB, 15 K)
3B Abrahan Ramirez: 1-for-3
Today’s performance leaves his triple slash at .381/.483/.563 in 152 PA (13 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 28 R, 6-for-7 SB, 25 BB, 20 K)

RHP Brian Arias: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Yet another pitcher making his 2024 debut. In 36.2 innings for the DSL squads between 2021-2023, the 20-year-old pitched to a 4.91 ERA in 36.2 IP with a 41/26 K/BB.

DSL Yankees (9-15) (Lost to the Rangers Red, 3-2)

3B Richard Matic: 1-for-5, 3 K
C Justin Capellan: 1-for-4, 2B (5), RS, BB
.255/.339/.353 in 59 PA. This is the 17-year-old’s debut season.
CF Louis Pierre: 0-for-3, 2 SB (5), 2 BB
DH Luis Puello: 2-for-5, RS
18-for-42 (.429) with a pair of homers and 11 RBI.
RF Fidel Montero: 1-for-2, 2B (2), SB (3), 2 BB
LF Yael Zapata: 0-for-4, 3 K
Zapata (18) is looking for that elusive first career hit.

RHP Jesus Mejia: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Mejia has yet to give up a run in his career (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 5 K)
LHP Ronald Tejada: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K
13.2 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 11 K.
RHP Rafael Arias: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Arias (20) has an 8/1 K/BB over 3.1 innings in his debut campaign.

DSL Bombers (14-10) (Split two games against the DSL Tigers 1)

Game 1 (Won, 5-2. This was the completion of a game started on July 2nd)

DH Francisco Vilorio: 0-for-5, RBI, SB (5), 3 K
SS Christofer Reyes: 1-for-4, RBI, CS (6), K
LF David Carrera: 1-for-1, RS, 3 BB
C Carlos Rondon: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, RS, BB

RHP Jerson Alejandro (W, 1-3): 4.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Alejandro is 6’6″ and has the control issues that often come with that. At 18, he has time to work through them.
RHP Joshua Leito: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
The 19-year-old “shortstop” may not be any longer. He hasn’t played one game in the field this season while making three relief appearances. For someone with zero pitching experience, he has done well for himself: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
LHP Jose Ledesma (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K

Game 2 (Lost, 5-3)

DH Carlos Villarroel: 1-for-4, RS, K
RF Browm Martinez: 1-for-3
CF Angel Ventura: 2-for-2, RBI, RS, BB
The 18-year-old is 8-for-35 (.229) in his debut season (8-for-9 SB)
3B Luis Suarez: 1-for-3, 2B (1), RS
2B Juan Araujo: 1-for-3, RBI, K
The 17-year-old has played in only three games (2-for-5)

RHP Enixon Sanchez: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Your reminder that Sanchez is only 16 years old (12 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 10 BB, 10 K)

Yankees MILB 7/1: Roc Riggio Continues Hot Streak

News:

Typically speaking, full-season leagues have Monday off. Not this week. Rather, they will play a Monday – Saturday schedule with Sunday off. That means they will get both Sunday and Monday off next week.

RHP Chase Hampton, who I assumed may not pitch in 2024, threw a rehab game for the FCL today.  I don’t think Hampton will impact the 2024 Yankees. However, it gives potential trade partners a chance to take a look at him.

C Josh Breaux, released by the Yankees on June 29th, found a job quickly. The Phillies signed him to a minor league deal and he was in tonight’s lineup for Double-A Reading against the Somerset Patriots. Organizations are always looking for catching depth, so it isn’t a shock that Breaux landed on his feet quickly.

Scranton (45-34)

The Railriders are rebels this week. They were off on Monday and will play two games on Wednesday instead.

Somerset (38-38) (Defeated Reading, 7-6, walk-off style)

CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, 2B (13), RS, SB (18), HBP, 3 K
Jones has doubled in five straight games. The power spike is encouraging (5 doubles, 3 HR in last 7 games) though the strikeouts keep piling up. I find his potential outcomes to be widely spread out. 
SS Ben Cowles: 0-for-5
DH Tyler Hardman: 1-for-4, RS, 2 SB (4), BB, 2 K
Not known for his speed, Hardman did steal 14 bases in 18 attempts in 2022.
C Rafael Flores: 2-for-5, 2B (3), 2 RS, SB (2), K
In his first six Double-A games: 7-for-25 (3 doubles, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R). Overall, he has 20 doubles and 7 home runs in 63 games.
RF Elijah Dunham: 2-for-5, 2B (11), 3 RBI
Dunham walks it off with an RBI double in the bottom of the 9th.
1B J.C. Escarra: 2-for-4, RS
2B Anthony Seigler: 3-for-4, 2B (13), 2 RS, 2 SB (15)
Seigler has his OPS over .700 (.701). In his last 9 games, he is 11-for-31 (.355) with 4 doubles, a homer, 10 RBI, 10 runs, and 4 stolen bases.
LF Aaron Palensky: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (13), CS (4)
3B Max Burt: 0-for-4, K

LHP Brock Selvidge: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
Selvidge cruised through four innings but allowed five runs in the 5th and 6th. Season: 3.95 ERA (79.2 IP, 69 H, 45 R, 35 ER, 4 HR, 39 BB, 80 K). I love that he keeps the ball in the ballpark. The walk rate is something he’ll continue to work on. 
RHP Colby White: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Luis Velasquez: (W, 2-2)  2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Hudson Valley (39-35) (Shut down Brooklyn, 5-0)

2B Roc Riggio: 2-for-3, 2B (15), 2 RBI, SB (10), 2 BB
Riggio has a 19-game on-base streak, a 7-game hitting streak, and a 6-game doubles streak. His OPS is .781.
SS Jared Serna: 1-for-5, SB (10), K
Serna reaches double digits in homers and stolen bases for the second straight season.
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-1, K
I am not sure why Avina left the game early. This will end his 8-game hitting streak.
   CF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-4
C Omar Martinez: 0-for-3, RS, BB, K
3B Josh Moylan: 2-for-4, 2B (8), RS
Moylan has a 9-game hitting streak (15-for-34 (.441)). He is hitting .259 with a .733 OPS.
DH Garrett Martin: 1-for-2, HR (7), RBI, RS, 2 BB, K
Martin has 5 HR in his last 8 games.
LF Christopher Familia: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
1B Kiko Romero: 0-for-4, RS, K
RF Nelson Medina: 0-for-4, 2 K

RHP Baron Stuart: (W, 5-2) 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Including his solid emergency start with Scranton, Stuart owns a 3.36 ERA (61.2 IP, 51 H, 25 R, 23 ER, 2 HR, 29 BB, 51 K). Stuart is a ground ball pitcher (52.6% entering tonight) who is pitching well. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Pittsburgh last year.
LHP Joel Valdez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
3.28 ERA (35.2 IP, 24 H, 16 R, 13 ER, 2 HR, 18 BB, 42 K)
RHP Cole Ayers: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
2.51 ERA (43 IP, 32 H, 16 R, 12 ER, 2 HR, 15 BB, 52 K)

Tampa (27-47) (Lost to Lakewood, 7-1)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-3, RS, SB (23), BB, K
Lombard Jr. has six stolen bases in his last seven games. 
LF Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-4
Tejeda’s first career outfield start. Given his profile, it makes sense that they are trying to increase his versatility.
2B Roderick Arias: 1-for-3, BB
vs. RHP: .213/.323/.396. vs. LHP: .192/.218/.192. Correct: All 23 extra-base hits have come against RHP. Will the Yankees have to eventually think about asking him to bat left-handed against everyone? Who knows?
3B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-4
CF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-4
DH Hans Montero: 0-for-3
C Josue Gonzalez: 1-for-3
Gonzalez’s Low-A debut after hitting .233/.395/.433 in 152 PA for the FCL squad. He is 20 years old.
1B Coby Morales: 0-for-3, 2 K
RF Daury Arias: 0-for-3

RHP Steven Fulgencio: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K
Fulgencio’s first career start (43 relief appearances)
LHP Rafelin Nivar: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Jordy Luciano: (L, 0-3)  2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Montana Semmel: 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Ocean Gabonia: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR

FCL (25-13) (Knocked off the 9-32 (what?) Blue Jays, 9-6)

CF Brian Sanchez: 1-for-5, RBI, RS, 2 K
.321/.413/.569 in 126 PA with 24 runs batted in.
C Edgleen Perez: 2-for-3, HR (2), RBI, RS
.287/.475/.426 in 139 PA with more walks (33) than strikeouts (24). This is a nice follow-up to the 18-year-old’s 2023 DSL campaign (.259/.389/.317).
RF Anthony Hall: 2-for-4, 2B (1), RS, BB, K
Hall was placed here on a rehab stint last week. The 23-year-old started 3-for-33 in Hudson Valley before being placed on the IL on April 26th. He was their 4th round pick in 2022 out of Oregon.
DH-1B Engelth Urena: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, RS, CS (1), BB
After missing the 2023 season, Urena is off to a .208/.301/.319 start here (83 plate appearances)
3B Abrahan Ramirez: 2-for-5, RS, CS (1), K
Imagine going 2-for-5 and having it not help your batting average. That happens when you hit .404/.516/.577 in 129 PA. He has six consecutive multi-hit games (10 multi-hit efforts in his last 11 games. That is nuts)
SS Juan Matheus: 1-for-1, RBI, RS, SB (8), 3 BB
The 20-year-old is hitting .330/.443/.500 in 122 PA with three homers and 22 RBI.
1B Luis Ogando: 1-for-3, HR (3, grand slam), 4 RBI, RS, BB
.293/.373/.500 in 67 PA. It’s his second grand slam this season (May 28th, also against the Blue Jays)

RHP Chase Hampton: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
It will be a while before the results begin to matter. Last year, in his professional debut season, he pitched to a 3.63 ERA in 106.2 IP with a 145/37 K/BB. He pitched for Hudson Valley and Somerset.
RHP Danny Flatt (W, 2-0): 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, HR
2.90 ERA (31 IP, 26 H, 12 R, 10 ER, 2 HR, 18 BB, 35 K).  He should make it to Tampa in 2024.

DSL Yankees (9-12) (Defeated the DSL Phillies White, 9-2)

SS Dexters Peralta: 2-for-5, 2B (3), 2 RBI, RS, K
LF Gabriel Lara: 1-for-5, RBI, RS
CF Isael Arias: 2-for-3, 3B (1), 2 RS, SB (4), 2 BB
The 18-year-old is in his debut season. He has more walks (11) than strikeouts (9) and is hitting .200/.411/.275 with a double, triple, and a 4-for-5 SB rate.
C Luis Puello: 0-for-2, 3 BB
A perfectly normal .441/.568/.706 line in 44 PA (2 HR, 11 RBI)

RHP Edinzo Marquez: 4.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
A huge effort by Marquez, who owns a 1.47 ERA in 18.1 IP (12 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 8 BB, 24 K

DSL Bombers (12-8) (Defeated the DSL Phillies Red, 6-3)

CF Francisco Vilorio: 2-for-5, HR (1), 3 RBI, RS, CS (2), 2 K
The bonus baby’s first professional home run (he also has a triple). He is hitting .265/.342/.412 in 38 PA.
C Queni Pineda: 2-for-3, 2B (4), RBI, RS, BB, K
4 doubles and 2 homers in 16 games for the 17-year-old.
SS Christofer Reyes: 2-for-4, RBI, CS (5)
I always say that speedsters should run as often as possible in the minors. Reyes (16) is 9-for-14 stealing bases in 16 games.
3B Luis Suarez: 2-for-3, 2 RS, SB (2), BB

RHP Joshawn Lampson: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
RHP Enixon Sanchez (W, 1-0): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
The 16-year-old’s first career win. In 9.2 innings, he has allowed 6 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits with an 8/6 K/BB.

Yankees MILB: Top 30 Prospects

Notes:

  1. I tend to rank prospects who have yet to make it to a full-season league lower than most. The attrition rate is too high, and that is true even for the best of the best.
  2. I try to keep the list simple. Other publications that are readily available will get into in-depth discussion. I don’t feel that repeating a scouting report adds much to my writing.
  3. I am constantly reading about prospects and looking at lists. That said, I rank based on how I feel about a prospect while recognizing the bias in knowing where others rank them.

With that said, here is my list of 30:

1. Jasson Dominguez, 22, CF
When you play as well as he did at Double-A, you can’t ignore it. He isn’t the blend of every HOF player that some were making him out to be – but that isn’t his fault.
2. Spencer Jones, 22, CF
Is he the lefty version of Aaron Judge? Is he a more athletic, lefty version of Richie Sexson? One should be satisfied with either outcome as his prospect volatility is high and neither outcome is guaranteed.
3. Chase Hampton, 22, RHP
The Yankees hung onto Hampton as they depleted their depth. Hampton is more about the total package than radar gun readings, but that package includes the potential for four plus MLB pitches. He wasn’t as dominant in Double-A as he was in High-A, so that should be monitored.
4. Austin Wells, 24, C
Were the Yankees right in keeping him behind the plate? He likely isn’t filling his trophy case with Gold Gloves, but he has Silver Slugger finalist potential.
5. Will Warren, 24, RHP
He is more about polish than upside at this point – but what’s wrong with that? He will make some starts for the Yankees in 2024.
6. Everson Pereira, 22, OF
Even his biggest supporters likely weren’t surprised by his less-than-stellar MLB debut. He screams of a prospect who needs time to marinate.
7. Roderick Arias, 19, SS
Questions about the hit tool have arisen, which scares you given what has happened with Alexander Vargas. That said, are we just going to ignore the 10.6% reduction in his K% between the DSL and FCL?
8. George Lombard Jr, 18, SS
His small sample in Low-A Tampa was encouraging. How far can he leap in 2024?
9. Agustin Ramirez, 22, C
He stalled in Double-A but moved through the system quickly for a catcher. Earned his 40-man roster slot.
10. Jared Serna, 21, 2B
I will keep him at 2B rather than labeling him as a UTIL, but the Yankees are starting to move him around. Serna has surprising pop in a smaller package but didn’t homer in 27 games after his promotion to High-A.
11. Brock Selvidge, 21, LHP
There could be some Jordan Montgomery in Selvidge once he puts the entire package together. He reduced his BB rate in 2023.
12. Jorbit Vivas, 23, 2B
Acquired in a deal with the Dodgers, the possibility exists that he will be in the 2B mix in 2025 if Gleyber Torres isn’t retained. One way to keep Juan Soto is by going with cheap youth elsewhere on the field. 2B may offer that opportunity in 2025.
13. Brando Mayea, 18, OF
Bonus baby OF hit well in his first taste of professional ball in 2023. All you ask for in a rookie league prospect is that they do enough to deserve a chance in a full-season league down the line.
14. Henry Lalane, 19, LHP
Unusual hype for a pitcher who hasn’t reached a full-season league yet. That both scares and intrigues me. My skepticism over rookie league pitchers deflates my ranking.
15. Luis Gil, 25, RHP
His arm is gold when he is healthy. I am being bullish here because I think his ceiling as an overpowering relief pitcher is still attainable.
16. Yoendrys Gomez, 24, RHP
The Yankees love Gomez so much that they have him on the 40-man despite a long injury history. His mileage is low and his upside remains tantalizing. This is his prove-it year.
17. Ben Rice, 25, C/1B/DH
Rice will have to hit as his future position is in question. I find myself constantly wondering where he fits in the Yankees’ puzzle despite his sweet left-handed power swing. With Anthony Rizzo, a potential free agent (the Yankees hold an option), can Rice factor into the 2025 lineup equation? Could that be another opportunity to go cheaper at one position to help retain Soto?
18. Carlos Lagrange, 20, RHP
He doesn’t get the hype Lalane does but don’t sleep on him. He is no longer a teenager, so it’s time to start moving.
19. Clayton Beeter, 25, RHP
My viewpoint that he is a mid-to-late inning reliever over a starter pulls his ranking down. Not as bullish as I am with Gil.
20. Roc Riggio, 21, 2B
If you want a prospect with some swagger, Riggio has it in spades. He’s going to be fun to watch as he marches up the system. His draft day story is a fun read for anyone who wishes to dig into it: The Yankees called him, offered him a slot bonus, he said “No,” and the Yankees drafted him anyway. He ended up getting an overslot bonus. That’s confidence, folks.
21. Kyle Carr, 21, LHP
Yankees fans have a weak spot for left-handed pitching prospects. I know this because I am included on that list. Supposedly has touched as high as 97 on the radar gun – and that was before entering the Yankees Pitching Factory.
22. Keiner Delgado, 20, 2B
Delgado should be done with posting video game numbers in the rookie leagues. In 101 rookie league games, he has 70 stolen bases, 104 runs scored, and a higher BB% than K%.
23. Enmanuel Tejeda, 19, 2B/SS
Raked in the DSL in 2022. Followed that up by raking in the FCL in 2023. How will he do in his first taste of a full-season league?
24. Brendan Beck, 25, RHP
If you want my “who isn’t being talked about that can make his debut in 2024?” candidate, it is Beck. He has to prove his polish is still there, however, as he is already Rule 5 eligible after 2024. Pitching injuries suck.
25. Luis Serna, 19, RHP
It’s harder for a Serna-type prospect to get noticed, as he isn’t going to overwhelm you on the radar gun. His floor intrigues me, even without the extreme ceiling. Essentially, he is a younger version of Beck.
26. Caleb Durbin, 24, 2B
A sneaky pickup from Atlanta in the Lucas Luetge deal, Durbin is all about contact and his ability to steal some bags. He seemed to be on his way to 50+ SB before his injury. Another kid to potentially put into the future 2B mix, though he isn’t your prototypical Yankees prospect.
27. Danny Watson/Jack Neely, 23, RHP
I figured I would lump these two tall relievers together. Either of them can make their big league debut in 2024, though Watson intrigues the most. He doesn’t throw hard, but his funky motion and size seem to befuddle minor-league bats. They weren’t on the spring training invite list, but they could still make spring training appearances, especially early on.
28. Christopher Familia, 23, OF
Familia has developed a cult following due to his 22 HR performance in only 68 games. Can he keep it up as he gets to Double-A?
29. Zach Messinger, 24, RHP
A product of the Yankees’ pitching factory, Messinger is a tall (6’6″) converted reliever with good strikeout results.
30. Jesus Rodriguez, 21, C/1B/3B/LF
One of my favorite 2023 prospects, Rodriguez was the only player in the system (amongst players with at least 300 plate appearances) to hit .300+ (.310/.399/.450; 134 wRC+). He struck out only 15.2% of the time. Most impressively to me is that he was able to sustain this performance despite being asked to play several positions, including catcher.

“Who isn’t here?”

Catchers:

Antonio Gomez was once, in my opinion, the best overall catching prospect in the system. His stock has fallen.
The Yankees added C Carlos Narvaez to the 40-man roster to prevent him from leaving as he was scheduled to be a minor league free agent. Never ignore when an organization does that, but I still don’t think he is quite Top 30 material. He could elevate to the important role as the third catcher, though Ben Rortvedt is currently in that spot.
Rafael Flores may be our next Kyle Higashioka. He needs plenty of time and will need to overachieve, but it’s not out of the question that he will someday carve out a career as an MLB backup.
Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux look like fillers at this point. Seigler, a switch-hitter with athleticism, has a slightly higher upside. However, staying healthy has been a major issue.
Omar Martinez is a lost-in-the-shuffle prospect who put up impressive numbers in Low-A. The 22-year-old surprisingly wasn’t promoted at any point last season, but there was a logjam in front of him.
Edgleen Perez has enough prospect shine where Fangraphs has him ranked 14th in the system. He wasn’t even mentioned on the Prospects 1500 Top 50 list. So, where do I stand with him? Nowhere. You may expect someone who writes about an organization’s prospects to know everything, but I do not. I will just monitor him as he may not even make it to a full-season league until 2025.

Other position players

Double-A sluggers Tyler Hardman and T.J. Rumfield have MLB upside, but aren’t the types of prospects I would typically rank. I don’t think they have the tantalizing bat that Rice possesses, which is why Rice makes it and they don’t. Hardman strikes out too much but has 52 home runs and a .491 slugging percentage in 916 career plate appearances. Rumfield had a power surge in 2023.
SS Alexander Vargas is a frustrating prospect. He won’t need to be moved off of shortstop, but the bat is not developing.
SS Hans Montero bounced back in 2023, but he gets lost in the shuffle in this system. He may have to add some versatility to his game.
IF Ben Cowles was sent to the Arizona Fall League in 2023 and performed well. He should find himself in Somerset/Scranton for all of 2024.
OF John Cruz and Willy Montero finished 1-2 in the FCL in runs batted in. Cruz generated some buzz by being one of only three FCL players to hit double-digit home runs.
OF Anthony Hall played well in Tampa after he came back from his injury. His stint in Hudson Valley didn’t go well.
OF Jace Avina is a right-handed bat acquired from the Brewers in a trade for Jake Bauers this winter. I don’t know much about him, but his 2023 season suggests he has power to tap into though he needs to cut down on the strikeouts. He hit .233/.373/.442 in 99 games with 14 home runs, a 14% BB, and 29.6% K.
OF Elijah Dunham may be kicking himself. As the Yankees struggled to find outfielders in 2023, the door was open for Dunham to make his case for some at-bats. He had trouble getting anything going, however, and will once again look the part of a depth outfielder.
OF Brandon Lockridge has a 4th/5th outfielder profile, given his speed and ability to play defense. While he has shown off a little pop in his minor league career, one doesn’t expect the bat to carry him to become an MLB regular. He has been invited to spring training.
OF Aaron Palensky couldn’t sustain his insane numbers once he reached the upper minors. That said, he still drew plenty of walks and hit ten home runs in 71 Double-A/Triple-A games.
OF Gabriel Lara is light years away but I think he deserves a shoutout. One of the fastest players in professional baseball, Lara’s bat was better than I expected in his first professional season: .267/.401/.411 with a 15.4% BB and 16.5% K. He is a deep-deep-deep sleeper.

Pitchers

The next wave of pitchers down in the rookie leagues is promising, but it is still the rookie leagues. Included on that list are Jerson Alejandro (who, at 17, is 6’6″/255 pounds), Chalniel Arias, Sabier Marte, Jordarlin Mendoza, Angel Benitez, and Joshawn Lampson. It’s a fascinating array of arms, but please remember that if one of them becomes an MLB starter, that’s a win. That is how attrition works at the lowest levels in the minors. I tend to pay closer attention to pitchers like these once they get to a full-season league – that is if they get there.

RHP Justin Lange shows flashes of brilliance and flashes of frustration. Many pitchers wish they had his arm talent – but wouldn’t want to inherit his command. I would be intrigued to see what he can do as an “air it out” reliever.
LHP Edgar Barclay has a chance to make his MLB debut in 2024. I expected a team to grab him in the Rule 5 to at least give him a long spring training look. His ability to go multiple innings gives him value as a 27th man during a doubleheader or as someone you bring up when the bullpen is exhausted.
LHP Matt Krook continues to hang onto his 40-man roster spot. If he continues to stick through spring training, you will see him in 2024. Matt Blake loves his sinker ballers, and Krook generates a lot of ground balls. His first MLB audition didn’t go as planned.
RHP Bailey Dees could have been lumped in with Watson/Neely above, but I think they have more upside.
RHP Sean Hermann is only 20 and has a game of High-A experience. His 57.2% GB rate ranked 6th amongst all minor leaguers with 100+ IP.
RHP Trystan Vrieling has yet to make his organizational debut but was able to start five games (only 10.2 IP) in the Arizona Fall League.
RHP Sean Boyle is 27 years old. His 2023 season was a lost one, as he made only nine starts. He could factor in as depth if he is good in 2024. I have no idea.

Other relief-type prospects to watch include LHP Lisandro Santos, RHP Harrison Cohen, LHP Ryan Anderson, RHP Alex Mauricio, RHP Luis Velasquez, LHP Clay Aguilar, and RHP Justin Wilson

“Where are X, Y, Z?”

I try to be comprehensive with my minor league reporting but that doesn’t mean I am perfect (far from it, if you want me to be honest). If a favorite prospect of yours isn’t listed, you can chalk it up to me not being able to write about everyone. Feel free to bookmark this and call me a fool if a pitcher I didn’t list strikes out 35% of the batters he faces this year or a position player swats 25 home runs.

The Bottom Line

The Yankees are consistently amongst the top ten minor league systems in baseball according to the “experts,” despite trading away a load of upper-level depth in recent times.

“It’s the Yankees, so of course they will be overhyped!” Maybe there is some truth to this at some level. However, where is the incentive to do that? Why would Keith Law, who doesn’t even have Spencer Jones in his Top 100, place the Yankees in his top ten for hype reasons alone? It makes no sense. I would argue that it is equally appealing to rank the Yankees low on a list, as that will drive major discussion and engagement. In other words, stop overanalyzing everything and accept that you are a fan of an organization that has a desirable farm system.

Yankees: A Look at the Non-Roster Invitees

A quick look at the players invited to spring training.

Quick reminder: Players on the 40-man roster will not be included in spring training invites. One doesn’t need to ask where Agustin Ramirez is, for example.

RHP Nick Burdi – The 31-year-old Burdi has 19 games of MLB experience with the Pirates and Cubs, pitching to a 9.39 ERA (3.34 FIP). His very small sample size shows an incredible strikeout rate (36%) to go along with an elevated walk (13.3%) and flyball rate (55.3%).
RHP Yerry De Los Santos – Out of the Pirates organization, the 26-year-old pitched to a 3.33 ERA (4.04 FIP) in 22 games in 2023. The Yankees will love his groundball rate (54.9%/0.37 HR/9) though he doesn’t miss many bats. He throws his 95 MPH sinker often, but I bet Matt Blake will ask him to throw it even more.
RHP Joey Gerber – An 8th round pick out of Illinois back in 2018, Gerber has dealt with various injuries and has pitched in only one organized game since making his MLB debut in 2020. The Yankees signed Gerber to a 3-year minor league deal in 2022, as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery.
RHP Chase Hampton – Likely the top pitching prospect in the system, Hampton dazzled in High-A Hudson Valley in 2023 (2.68 ERA (2.86 FIP) with a 40.5% K rate). His numbers predictably dipped for Somerset (4.37 ERA/3.80 FIP/27.4% K). He won’t make the team this spring, but a mid-season debut shouldn’t be ruled out.
RHP Dennis Santana – Santana has made MLB appearances in each of the last six seasons, most recently with the Mets in 2023. His velocity is what allows him to keep cashing paychecks, but the results are far from spectacular (5.17 career ERA/4.26 FIP). I wouldn’t be surprised if people are dazzled by him in spring training, but his best role will be as Triple-A emergency depth.
RHP Duane Underwood Jr. – Like Santana, Underwood has appeared in games from 2018-2023. Between 2021-2022, he appeared in 94 games with the Pirates, compiling a 4.36 ERA (3.68 FIP), 45.7% GB, and 21.1% K. He was a second round pick in 2012 and had some prospect pedigree once upon a time.
RHP Art Warren – Like Gerber, Warren was signed to a multi-year minor league deal as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. He appeared in 39 games for the 2022 Reds, compiling a 6.50 ERA (5.06 FIP) over 36 innings.
RHP Will Warren – The more familiar Warren should make his MLB debut in 2024, perhaps as early as Opening Day (though I wouldn’t count on that). The 8th round pick in 2021 surged down the stretch for Triple-A Scranton to finish with a 3.61 ERA over 99.2 innings with a 25.6% K and 52.7% GB. If there was ever a modern Yankees pitcher profile, that would be it.
LHP Anthony Misiewicz – Misiewicz pitched for three teams in 2023, ending his season with the Yankees. He re-signed this winter to a minor league deal and figures to provide Triple-A depth.
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda – Mosqueda (Bob Sheppard would have had a blast pronouncing his name) has yet to appear in an MLB game. A long-time Red Sox prospect, he pitched in 196 games as a member of the organization, compiling a 4.21 ERA over 331.2 IP with a 410/167 K/BB. He will be the left-handed Garrett Whitlock. OK, maybe not.
LHP Tanner Tully – Tully figures to have the same role he had last year. He made 19 starts for Scranton, compiling a 5.64 ERA over 91 innings. Every minor league system needs a veteran to eat some innings. Tully did fulfill his MLB dream when he had a cup of coffee for the 2022 Guardians.
C Josh Breaux – The power prospect has 67 homers and a .461 SLG in 315 minor league games. The rest of his game has not developed, however.
C J.C. Escarra – The 28-year-old hasn’t played an inning of affiliated ball since 2021. The long-time Orioles prospect toiled around in the Independent leagues in 2023, hitting .267/.362/.422 in 93 games.
C Ben Rice – Rice has certainly turned heads with his left-handed power swing that appears to be perfect for Yankee Stadium. His future position is the big question mark. For those who have been around for a while, there could be some Brian Daubach in his profile. Daubach didn’t break into the big leagues until he was 26. From 1999-2002 (ages 27-30), he hit .266/.342/.492 (111 OPS+) as a first baseman for the Boston Red Sox.
C Luis Torrens – Welcome back! Torrens was a hot catching prospect years ago for the Yankees, until a shoulder injury knocked him out of commission for a year. In 2016, he returned to hit .230/.348/.317 in 40 High-A games. The Yankees felt safe in not protecting him in the Rule 5, only for the Padres to gobble him up. His best MLB season was back in 2021, when he hit .243/.299/.431 (101 wRC+) with 15 home runs for the Seattle Mariners. Depending on further transactions, Torrens could be as high as the #3 catcher on the depth chart, though Ben Rortvedt and Carlos Narvaez both occupy 40-man roster spots.
INF Jeter Downs – A story made for Hollywood (or at least an afterschool special), Downs was one of the prospects sent to the Red Sox in the Mookie Betts trade. Once a Top 100 prospect in all of baseball, Downs has not lived up to his potential and figures to only be depth for the 2024 Yankees.
IF Caleb Durbin – Acquired from the Braves for Lucas Luetge, Durbin became a bit of a prospect celebrity early in 2023 (before an injury robbed him of several weeks of playing time). His ability to make contact (6.2% K) and steal bases (36) likely appealed to old men like me who once watched a sport that was once abundant in low strikeout rates and base stealers. Not your prototypical Yankees prospect (there is not going to be power to tap into), Durbin has the ability to make it to MLB in 2024.
IF Jose Rojas – And you thought the Yankees didn’t sign KBO players! Rojas spent 2023 in Korea, where he hit .253/.345/.474 (126 wRC+) over 464 plate appearances. The 30-year-old has 83 games of MLB experience, all with the Dodgers in 2021-2022. He has experience at every position other than catcher, shortstop, and center field (the three most important ones!)
IF T.J. Rumfield – Acquired from the Phillies before the 2022 season, Rumfield experienced a power surge in 2023 for Somerset. Before 2023, he hit four home runs in 84 career games. In 2023, he hit 17 in 82 games while in Somerset. As a left-handed bat, that grabs the attention of Yankees fans.
IF Kevin Smith – If you want playing time, signing with Oakland is not a bad idea. Smith appeared in 96 games for the 2022-2023 Athletics, hitting a meager .182/.218/.314 with seven homers. He plays shortstop and third base.
IF Josh VanMeter – VanMeter has a decent MLB sample size, appearing in 300 games with three different teams between 2019-2022. In those games, he has compiled a .206/.293/.347 line with 19 homers, 79 RBI, and 17 stolen bases. Positional versatility is where he shines, though he doesn’t play shortstop or center field.
OF Greg Allen – The Yankees seemingly love Allen. He made MLB appearances for them in 2022 and 2023. The Yankees went as far as sending a prospect to the Red Sox last year to reacquire his services. Allen’s entire game revolves around speed and his ability to play CF, which is why he will continue to sign contracts.
OF Luis Gonzalez – No, not that Luis Gonzalez. This Luis Gonzalez is a 28-year-old lefthanded bat with 107 games of MLB experience (Giants, White Sox). His MLB stat line isn’t so bad for a backup: .255/.328/.363 (99 wRC+) and  he can handle all three outfield positions though you likely wouldn’t want to overexpose him in center field.
OF Oscar Gonzalez – Claimed off waivers, earlier this winter, Gonzalez was sent back through waivers by the Yankees only to be unclaimed. Gonzalez looked like a legitimate MLB outfielder in 2022, when he hit .296/.327/.461 in 91 games for the Guardians. He didn’t come close to repeating that in 2023 (49 wRC+ in 54 games!). The Yankees are hoping for some magic.
OF Spencer Jones – Jones is one of the Yankees most highly-regarded prospects – a few sites even have him ranked first overall in the system. A big kid with big potential power, Jones will need to tap into that power while continuing to reduce his strikeout rates. Simply put, there is a lot of volatility in his profile. One can see a future All-Star while others may see someone who won’t be able to put the entire package together. His 2024 season will be fascinating.
OF Brandon Lockridge – If it feels as if Lockridge has been around forever, you aren’t wrong. He has appeared in 422 minor league games for the Yankees, sporting a .263/.334/.420 line with 43 homers and 101 stolen bases. Known for his speed and ability to play center field, I think Lockridge has some Tim Locastro in his profile. If that makes you laugh, remember that Locastro has played in 290 major league games.

Yankees MILB 8/22: Jasson Dominguez Crushes His Triple-A Debut

News:

Nothing new.

Scranton (58-60; 24-20 in the second half) (Destroyed Lehigh Valley, 14-1)

This is a big series against Lehigh Valley, the team they are chasing for the second-half title. It is a logjam, however, as four teams are between Lehigh Valley and Scranton in the standings.

LF Estevan Florial: 1-for-4, 2B (17), 3 RBI, RS, 2 BB, 2 K
Florial is at .291 with 17 doubles, 4 triples, 23 HR, 62 RBI, and 66 runs scored.
CF Jasson Dominguez: 3-for-6, 2B (1), 3 RBI, RS, CS (1)
Dominguez hit balls 109.2, 107.4, and 103.9 MPH in his Triple-A debut.
C Austin Wells: 0-for-4, HBP, 2 K
3B Andres Chaparro: 2-for-4, 2 RS, BB
DH Franchy Cordero: 2-for-4, 2B (12), RBI, 3 RS, BB
2B Jamie Westbrook: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 RS, BB
1B Jake Lamb: 2-for-4, HR (3), 3 RBI, 2 RS, BB
RF Brandon Lockridge: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 RS, BB
Lockridge is hitting .303 at this level in 46 games.
SS Wilmer Difo: 0-for-3, RS, 2 BB, K

RHP Clayton Beeter: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 8 K
At this level: 5.85 ERA (40 IP, 38 H, 27 R, 26 ER, 10 HR, 24 BB, 50 K). Overall Beeter has 126 strikeouts in 100.2 innings. 
LHP Josh Maciejewski: (W, 3-0) 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Maciejewski entered the game with the bases loaded and one out. He allowed only one of the runners to score.
RHP Zac Houston: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Aaron McGarity: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Somerset (68-46; 26-20 in the second half) (Walked it off against Hartford, 4-1, in ten innings)

2B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-4
  2B Eduardo Torrealba: 0-for-1
C Ben Rice: 2-for-4, HR (10), 4 RBI, RS
Walk-off grand slam! Rice is hitting .324 since his promotion with ten home runs and 33 RBI in 27 games. Overall, Rice has 14 homers and 53 RBI in 52 games. His bat has been off-the-charts awesome this year. I can only imagine where he would be if he didn’t have a long-term injury.
DH Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-3, BB
CF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-4, K
LF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-3, HBP, K
RF Jeisson Rosario: 1-for-3, RS, BB, K
SS Jesus Bastidas: 1-for-3, 2B (3), RS, BB
1B Mickey Gasper: 0-for-3, RS, BB
3B Max Burt: 1-for-4, K

RHP Chase Hampton: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K
Since promotion: 4.37 ERA (59.2 IP, 54 H, 33 R, 29 ER, 8 HR, 21 BB, 68 K). Overall, Hampton has a 145/37 K/BB in 106.2 innings.
RHP Tanner Myatt: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Jack Neely: (W, 1-1)  3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Forget about that run, as it was the ghost runner. Since promotion: 2.53 ERA (10.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 13 K). Overall, Neely owns an 87/19 K/BB over 59.1 innings.

Hudson Valley (63-52; 24-25 in the second half) (Lost to Aberdeen, 3-1)

CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, RBI
.268/.339/.454 in 451 PA (28 doubles, 4 triples, 13 HR, 56 RBI, 61 R, 42 BB (9.3%), 131 K (29.0%), 35-for-43 SB). I am being truthful when I say I didn’t expect him to do much more than this. I think his season has been a successful one.
RF Anthony Hall: 0-for-4, 2 K
Hall is 9-for-45 (.200) since his promotion.
2B Jared Serna: 1-for-4
Serna is 13-for-49 (.265) since his promotion with three doubles, four walks, and only seven strikeouts (12.7%).
LF Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-4, K
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-4, K
C Antonio Gomez: 0-for-3
3B Ben Cowles: 0-for-2, BB, K
DH Christopher Familia: 1-for-2, RS, BB
Since promotion: .259/.342/.489 in 152 PA. He started 3-for-22 at this level.
1B Rafael Flores: 0-for-2, BB, K

RHP Baron Stuart: (L, 2-2) 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
This is a hard-luck loss. At this level: 3.52 ERA (23 IP, 18 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 HR, 13 BB, 15 K)
RHP Mason Vinyard: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Shane Gray: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Tampa (55-60; 24-25 in the second half) (Lost to Palm Beach, 8-4)

SS Roc Riggio: 1-for-4, 2 RS, BB
8-for-37 with 16 walks (nice) and 14 strikeouts. He has eight runs scored.
1B Kiko Romero: 2-for-5, 2B (3), RS, 2 K
13-for-61 with three doubles and 13 walks. 
C Omar Martinez: 2-for-4, 2B (16), 2 RBI, RS, BB
.264/.376/.475 in 388 PA with 17 homers and 66 RBI. We’ll see if they give him some High-A time.
DH Josh Moylan: 3-for-5, RBI
.292/.407/.354 in 59 PA. This is his first career 3-hit game.
CF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-5, RBI, 3 K
LF Tayler Aguilar: 0-for-3, BB, K
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
3B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-4, K
2B Beau Brewer: 2-for-4
Brewer has a 6-game hitting streak and is 18-for-43 (.419) in August.

RHP Cam Schlittler: (L, 0-1)  4 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, HR, 0 BB, 7 K
A mixed bag, but when you are dealing with a young pitcher in his debut season, it is important to see the positives. In this case, 7 strikeouts and no walks in four innings is a positive!
RHP Matt Keating: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
3.47 ERA (57 IP, 54 H, 28 R, 22 ER, 5 HR, 30 BB, 83 K). He is certainly getting a lot of work in this season.
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 13.1 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 12 BB, 18 K. He allowed four of those runs (without recording an out) in one of his outings.

FCL Yankees (35-22) (Lost the season finale to the Tigers, 7-6. They are in the playoffs, which start on Thursday and continue into the weekend. If anyone is going to be promoted, it would happen next week)

SS Keiner Delgado: 1-for-4, RS, BB, K
.293/.414/.485 in 239 PA with eight home runs and 36 stolen bases. Last year, in the DSL, he hit .310/.504/.506 in 238 PA with three home runs and 34 stolen bases. You can’t complain about either season and I hope they give him a taste of Low-A to close out the season.
DH George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-4, RBI, RS, BB, K, SB (3)
Lombard (5-for-12, 5 BB, 2 K) hit safely in all four of his games.
LF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-3, 2 RS, 2 BB, K, SB (1)
Castillo’s first career SB. He is 8-for-29 (11 walks, 10 strikeouts) in nine games
1B Dylan Jasso: 3-for-5, 4 RBI
.377/.486/.574 (23-for-61, 7 doubles, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 15 R, 11 BB, 5 K). The 20-year-old definitely earned a chance to move up to Tampa.
RF John Cruz: 1-for-5, K, CS (4)
.294/.376/.531 in 202 PA (6 doubles, 3 triples, 10 HR, 47 RBI, 28 R, 22 BB, 44 K, 9-for-13 SB). Cruz is only 17 (18 on 8/29) so I don’t know if they will move him to Tampa.
3B Enmanuel Tejeda: 3-for-4, RBI, BB, SB (24)
.307/.465/.458 in 217 PA (4 doubles, 3 triples, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 37 R, 44 BB, 44 K, 24-for-30 SB). While Delgado is 19, Tejeda is 18. I have no problem moving any prospect up to Tampa if they have earned it, regardless of age.
3B Hans Montero: 0-for-5, 2 K, SB (17)
.257/.419/.404 in 234 PA (6 doubles, 3 triples, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 41 R, 44 BB, 48 K, 17-for-18 SB). The bonus baby from a few years ago started hot in 2023 but cooled off. The overall stat line is solid and encouraging, however.
CF Wilson Rodriguez: 0-for-2, RS, BB, 2 K
.220/.360/.439 (9-for-41, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 5 R, 8 BB, 13 K). The left-handed bat is 18, drafted in the 17th round in this year’s draft. There is no chance they are sending him to Tampa – this season was all about getting his feet wet.
C Peter Serruto: 0-for-2
The Yankees signed the 23-year-old Indiana graduate (he also went to Rutgers) on August 2nd. This is his debut.
  PH-C Diomedes Hernandez: 0-for-0, RS, 2 BB
The 18-year-old didn’t play much in 2023 (3 games; 1-for-5). 

LHP Edwar Polimir (L, 4-1): 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, HR
RHP Yoljeldriz Diaz: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
10.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 17 K. Diaz is 22 and has been in the system since 2019. That said, he has barely pitched (this was only his 26th career game)
LHP Pablo Mujica: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Sebastian Keane: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
1.71 ERA (26.1 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 16 BB, 35 K). The 22-year-old predictably pitched well here and should make his way to Tampa.
LHP Miguel Pozo: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their game against Mets Orange was canceled due to a tropical storm. The game won’t be made up, and their season is over. They missed out on the division title by 0.5 games and a wild-card spot by one game in the loss column.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their game against the DSL Marlins was canceled due to a tropical storm. The game won’t be made up, and their season is over.

Yankees MILB 8/15: Austin Wells Hits First Triple-A Homer

News:

RHP Justin Lange was promoted from Tampa to Hudson Valley today.

The 21-year-old, acquired from the Padres for Luke Voit, pitched to a 4.58 ERA (4.80 FIP) over 72.2 innings for Tampa. He struck out a whopping 34.3% of hitters but walked 16.4%. Lange is the ultimate lottery ticket as the stuff is there for him to be a top pitching prospect. However, harnessing that stuff is a challenge.

I see Lange as a future power reliever, as I can see him taking a Dellin Betances path over the next several years. This isn’t me predicting he will be as good as Betances, who was among the top relievers in baseball during his prime.

Scranton (55-57; 21-17 in the second half) (Used a 4-run 9th to shock Worcester, 6-5)

SS Oswald Peraza: 2-for-5, 2B (9), RBI, 2 K, SB (13)
Peraza’s RBI double with two outs in the top of the 9th was the game-winning hit. 
C Austin Wells: 1-for-5, HR (1), RBI, RS, 2 K
Wells hits his first Triple-A home run (13th overall). 
LF Everson Pereira: 1-for-4, RS, 2 K
Pereira is at .311/.368/.533 here and .300/.364/.540 overall. 
3B Andres Chaparro: 0-for-2, BB, 2 K
I am not sure why Chaparro left the game.
  3B Wilmer Difo: 1-for-1, RS
RF Franchy Cordero: 1-for-4, HR (13), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
Cordero’s 2-run home run started the rally in the 9th as it brought Scranton within one run.
DH Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-4, 2B (7), RBI, 2 K
2B Jamie Westbrook: 1-for-4
1B Jake Lamb: 1-for-4, HR (2), RBI, RS, K
Lamb’s solo HR with two outs in the 9th tied the game.
CF Brandon Lockridge: 2-for-4, 2B (6), RS, K, SB (16)
Lockridge has 33 stolen bases in 37 attempts between here and Somerset. This stolen base was especially important as it preceded Peraza’s ground rule double. 

RHP Will Warren: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, HR
Warren tossed five scoreless innings before allowing a 3-run HR in the 6th. At this level: 5.10 ERA (60 IP, 59 H, 44 R, 34 ER, 12 HR, 33 BB, 65 K)
RHP Zac Houston: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Zach McAllister: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Since signing: 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
RHP Greg Weissert: (W, 4-3) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Ron Marinaccio (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Somerset (64-44; 22-18 in the second half) (Split two games against Reading)

Game 1 (Lost, 6-5, in ten innings.  This game was the conclusion of a game that started on July 9th (suspended in the 9th inning) – that is why you see all the substitutions below. I am not going to make any notes because the vast majority of the stats are over a month old)

SS Trey Sweeney: 1-for-4, RS
  PH Ben Rice: 0-for-1, K
LF Jasson Dominguez: 0-for-5, RS, 2 K
C Austin Wells: 1-for-3, 2B (14)
   C Mickey Gasper: 1-for-2
3B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
  3B Eduardo Torrealba: 0-for-0, SF, RBI
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-3, HBP
  SS Max Burt: 0-for-1
CF Elijah Dunham: 3-for-5, HR (1), RBI, RS, K
RF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-4, K
DH Josh Breaux: 2-for-4, RS
2B Matt Pita: 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 RBI, RS, K
  PH-2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-1, K

RHP Richard Fitts: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Lisandro Santos: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Bailey Dees: (L, 0-1)  1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Game 2 (Won, 4-3)

CF Jasson Dominguez: 1-for-3, SF, RBI, RS, BB, K
.240/.358/.383 in 480 PA (14 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 59 RBI, 76 R, 75 BB, 123 K, 36-for-43 SB)
1B Ben Rice: 1-for-5, HR (8), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
Rice has 8 HR (and five doubles) in 22 games since his promotion and 12 HR in 47 games overall. He is on a mini five-game hitting streak.
C Agustin Ramirez: 2-for-4, RS, HBP
Ramirez was 4-for-25 since his promotion entering tonight, so it is nice to see him compile a multi-hit game. This is not an easy jump, so we’ll see how he adjusts over the next month.
LF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-5, 2 K
2B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-2, 2B (5), RBI, HBP
Durbin’s first game since June 17th. He was amongst the minor league stolen base leaders (with 29) at the time of his injury. That number held up in this organization until Jasson Dominguez and Brandon Lockridge recently surpassed it.
  2B Max Burt: 0-for-2
No worries – Durbin was not going to play a full game on his first day back. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is the designated hitter tomorrow.
DH Anthony Seigler: 0-for-4, K
SS Jesus Bastidas: 0-for-3, HBP
RF Jeisson Rosario: 1-for-1, 2B (15), RS, 3 BB
Rosario leads the organization (amongst those in full-season leagues) in BB% (18.1%). He has four 3+ walk games this season.
3B Eduardo Torrealba: 0-for-2, SAC, 2 K

RHP Chase Hampton: (W, 2-2) 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, HR
Since promotion: 4.77 ERA (54.2 IP, 50 H, 33 R, 29 ER, 8 HR, 20 BB, 62 K). For those worried about him “struggling” since his promotion: This level will humble you. I don’t think it is anything to be concerned about, especially since this is his first professional season.
RHP Jack Neely: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Since promotion: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 6 K. Neely has 80 strikeouts in 53.2 innings between here and Hudson Valley.
RHP Danny Watson (S, 5): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 1.29 ERA (28 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 HR, 13 BB, 32 K). Watson has allowed 72 hits in 113.1 career innings.

Hudson Valley (60-49; 21-22 in the second half) (Defeated Brooklyn, 4-2)

CF Spencer Jones: 0-for-4, CI, 2 K
RF Anthony Hall: 2-for-4, 2 2B (3), RS, K
Hall is 5-for-15 after starting 0-for-10 at this level.
2B Jared Serna: 1-for-4, K
Serna now has a 10-game hitting streak (7 games here, 3 games for Tampa). He is 9-for-28 since his promotion with three walks and three strikeouts. 
LF Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 RBI, RS, HBP
Rodriguez is hitting .303 between Tampa and Hudson Valley and is 8-for-20 with six RBI since his promotion.
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-4, RS, 3 K
C Antonio Gomez: 1-for-4, K
3B Ben Cowles: 2-for-4, HR (10), 2 RBI, RS, K
I don’t think Cowles belongs at this level any longer. He is 23 (drafted in the 10th round out of Maryland in 2021). Cowles played 23 games here in 2022 and is up to 87 games in 2023.
DH Christopher Familia: 0-for-4, K
1B Rafael Flores: 0-for-4, K

RHP Baron Stuart: (W, 2-1)  5 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 1 K
The ultimate bend-don’t-break.
RHP Mason Vinyard: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Vinyard strands two Stuart runners in the 6th. He drops his ERA at this level to 3.00 (24 IP, 17 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 15 BB, 27 K)
RHP Carlos Gomez: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, HR
LHP Joel Valdez (S, 1): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Tampa (52-57; 21-22 in the second half) (Lost a tough one to Daytona Beach, 8-7. They had a 7-2 lead entering the bottom of the 8th)

SS Roc Riggio: 1-for-3, 2 RS, BB, 2 K
Riggio is 4-for-16 at this level.
1B Kiko Romero: 1-for-3, 3B (1), RBI, 2 BB
Romero’s first professional triple.
C Omar Martinez: 1-for-5, HR (17), RBI, 2 RS
Martinez’s first bomb since hitting five in three games back in late July/early August. Baseball is such a funny game. That said, he is 6-for-16 with three doubles, a home run, and six runs scored in his last four games.
LF Coby Morales: 3-for-5, 2B (7), RBI, K, CS (1)
Morales has seven doubles and a homer in ten games (12-for-41)
DH Josh Moylan: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 BB, K
Moylan is 8-for-29 with nine walks and 11 strikeouts.
RF Tayler Aguilar: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 2 K, CS (2)
CF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-5, RS, 2 K
2B Beau Brewer: 2-for-4, RS, K
Brewer is up to .260 thanks to a 12-for-33 August.
3B Jose Colmenares: 2-for-4, 2 2B (3), 2 RBI, RS, K, SB (1)
In his small sample size, he is hitting .237 – but it comes with a 1.040 OPS.

RHP Yorlin Calderon: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
3.46 ERA (65 IP, 62 H, 28 R, 25 ER, 5 HR, 21 BB, 82 K). Calderon has starting experience (including throwing a no-hitter last year), but this was his first start this season.
RHP Alex Bustamante: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
RHP Matt Keating: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, HR
RHP Huey Morrill: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: (L, 5-2)  0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Gilbert’s first appearance since 7/27. 

FCL Yankees (30-20) (Lost to the Tigers, 3-2)

DH Keiner Delgado: 2-for-4, HR (7), RBI, RS
In 2022, the league leader in home runs hit six. In other words, hitting seven in 44 games is no small feat. Delgado is hitting .287/.400/.481 with 28 stolen bases in 33 attempts. He is 19 years old, so I think a trip to Tampa before the season ends would be wise.
CF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-4, RS, 2 K
RF Willy Montero: 1-for-4, RBI
Montero is hitting .345/.395/.458 and his 41 RBI (43 games) rank him second in the FCL.
3B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-4, K
This snaps Jasso’s 6-game hitting streak. He is searching for that first professional home run but does have seven doubles in 12 games.
LF John Cruz: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K, SB (8)
.289/.367/.535 in 180 PA (5 doubles, 2 triples, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 27 R, 18 BB, 41 K, 8-for-11 SB). Cruz leads the league in RBI and is second in home runs (to a kid who is old enough to be his grandfather – OK, I am exaggerating). Cruz was signed for $75,000 in 2022 and thus far is making the Yankees look wise for that investment.
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K, SB (22)
.311/.470/.477 in 198 PA. The one thing I like about the 18-year-old is that he is mostly hitting just like he did in the DSL, while doubling his stolen base total.
SS Hans Montero: 0-for-3, BB, K
.256/.410/.405 in 212 PA with a perfect 15-for-15 stolen base rate. After a red-hot start, he has fallen down. The overall line remains encouraging and I hope he can close his season on a hot streak.
C Juan Sanchez: 1-for-4, 2B (2), K
1B Enger Castellano: 0-for-4, K

RHP Luis Serna (L, 0-1): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
4.19 ERA (19.1 IP, 17 H, 11 R, 9 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 23 K)
LHP Edwar Polimir: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Kris Bow: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Bow was having trouble up in Low-A. Sometimes, a prospect just needs a reset.
RHP Yoljeldriz Diaz: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

DSL Yankees (31-15) (Shut down the Cardinals, 6-0)

CF Jose Castro: 1-for-4, K, SB (18), CS (2)
DH Josue Gonzalez: 1-for-3, 2 RS, BB, SB (7)
.360/.553/.584 in a crazy 132 PA sample (he has 12 doubles, 36 walks, and 19 strikeouts)
SS Luis Suarez: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, RS, BB, K, SB (19)
3B Santiago Gomez: 1-for-1, RS, BB, 2 HBP, SB (15)
.298/.473/.427 in 169 PA with 31 RBI and 35 runs scored. The 19-year-old is repeating the level.
C Gabriel Bersing: 1-for-4, HR (4), RBI, RS, 3 K

RHP Christian Zazueta (W, 3-2): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
3.47 ERA (46.2 IP, 37 H, 20 R, 18 ER, 6 HR, 15 BB, 47 K)
LHP Pedro Rodriguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
RHP Yordanny Sosa: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

DSL Bombers (23-25) (Knocked off Mets Blue, 13-6)

CF Gabriel Lara: 2-for-5, RBI, 3 RS, BB
.271/.399/.421 in 173 PA (7 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 32 R, 26 BB, 30 K, 16-for-22 SB). A disruptive force.
C Edgleen Perez: 0-for-4, 3 RBI, BB
How often does a player go 0-for-4 with three RBI and zero sac flies?
SS Kevin Verde: 1-for-4, RBI, RS
LF Abrahan Ramirez: 1-for-4, RS, BB, SB (11)
.305/.464/.379 in 125 PA. He performed well at this level as a 17-year-old in 2022, so he is likely earning his way to the FCL.
RF David Beckles: 1-for-2, RBI, 2 RS, 3 BB
DH Luis Puello: 1-for-4, 2B (3), 2 RBI, RS
2B Rafael Martinez: 1-for-2, RBI, 2 RS, 2 BB
The 17-year-old is hitting .227/.327/.284 in 104 PA. This is his debut season.

LHP Rafelin Nivar (W, 2-0): 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
When a pitcher is in his 20s and down at this level, almost impossible to get a true read.  He definitely strikes out his share of hitters (65 in 45.1 career innings)
RHP Angel Sanchez: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Sanchez is 22, but this is his debut season. He has yet to allow a run in 7.2 innings.
RHP Keninson Diaz: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
The 19-year-old has shown impressive improvement from 2022 (8.68 ERA in 18.2 IP) to 2023 (2.83 ERA in 28.2 IP)
LHP Luis Urbano: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Yankees MILB 7/26: Agustin Ramirez is on Fire

News:

Nothing to report.

Scranton (45-50; 11-9 in the second half) (Lost to Buffalo, 14-2)

LF Estevan Florial: 1-for-5, HR (22), RBI, RS, 2 K
His leadoff blast put the Railriders up 1-0 – it was downhill from there. He is on a 6-game hitting streak and is hitting .327/.424/.571 in July.
SS Oswaldo Cabrera: 1-for-4, K
CF Everson Pereira: 0-for-4, 3 K
DH Austin Wells: 1-for-3, 2B (2), RS, BB, K
Overall season: .233/.323/.431 in 303 PA (16 doubles, 12 HR, 53 RBI, 32 R, 34 BB, 71 K, 5-for-5 SB)
RF Franchy Cordero: 2-for-4, K
C Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-2, SF, RBI, BB
Narvaez now has a 10-game hitting streak (12-for-36; .333)
1B Jake Lamb: 1-for-4
2B Jesus Bastidas: 0-for-4, 2 K
.255/.318/.412 in 296 PA. Starts: 35 at SS; 30 at 2B; 8 at 3B.
3B Wilmer Difo: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K

LHP Tanner Tully (L, 5-5): 2.2 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
RHP Aaron McGarity: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Deivi Garcia: 2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
4.97 ERA (41.2 IP, 43 H, 25 R, 23 ER, 7 HR, 29 BB, 41 K)
RHP Zac Houston: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR

Somerset (54-36; 12-10 in the second half) (Lost to Bowie, 6-5)

SS Trey Sweeney: 1-for-5, 2 K
Sweeney now has a 9-game hitting streak.
DH Willie Calhoun: 1-for-5
LF Jasson Dominguez: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
3B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-2, RS, 2 BB, 2 K
I am not sure if Hardman will ever have a low strikeout rate – so adding in some value through walks will be imperative if he wants to reach his big-league potential. 
CF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-4, K
C Ben Rice: 0-for-3, RS, BB, K
Since promotion: 10-for-20 (1 double, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K)
1B Mickey Gasper: 2-for-4, 2B (4), RBI, RS, K
2B Max Burt: 3-for-3, 2 2B (7), 2 RBI, 2 RS, BB
Burt has four doubles in his last five games.
RF Jeisson Rosario: 2-for-4, 2B (9), 2 RBI, K

RHP Chase Hampton: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 8 K, HR
4.54 ERA since his promotion (39.2 IP, 35 H, 21 R, 20 ER, 6 HR, 14 BB, 48 K). Overall, he owns a 125/30 K/BB over 86.2 IP. It is easy to forget that this is Hampton’s first professional season.
RHP Tanner Myatt: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
RHP Alex Mauricio: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
4.09 ERA (33 IP, 34 H, 16 R, 15 ER, 4 HR, 12 BB, 34 K)
LHP Josh Maciejewski: (L, 0-2) 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR

Hudson Valley (52-39; 13-12 in the second half) (Shut down Hickory, 7-0)

CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-5, 2B (23), RS, K, SB (23)
Jones now has a 7-game hitting streak that features three doubles and a pair of home runs. He is hitting .275/.345/.484 in 357 PA with a 29.97% K rate. 
2B Ben Cowles: 1-for-4, RS, HBP, 2 K, SB (12)
DH Agustin Ramirez: 2-for-4, HR (6), RBI, 2 RS, BB, K
Ramirez has homered in three straight games and in four of his last five contests. He has ten multi-hit games in 19 games since his promotion. Just pure dominant play and I can see him getting his feet wet in Somerset this year if he keeps this up. He is what you would call an exploding prospect at 21 years old.
LF Christopher Familia: 1-for-4, HR (4), 4 RBI, RS
Familia has homered in three straight games and has 15 home runs and 44 RBI in 39 games between here and Tampa. 
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-4, K
1B Spencer Henson: 1-for-3, HR (11), RBI, RS, BB
Henson sets a new personal best for HR in a season (he has 21 HR in 134 games over the last two seasons)
C Antonio Gomez: 3-for-4, K
I know following prospects can often turn into a “flavor of the month” but Ramirez has moved ahead of Gomez on the catching depth chart, I assume. That said, Gomez is a no-doubt-about-it catcher who still has time to grow. He is hitting .243/.307/.343. While he is Rule 5 eligible, it is highly doubtful anyone will touch him.
RF Aldenis Sanchez: 1-for-4, HR (2), RBI, RS
3B Marcos Cabrera: 0-for-3, BB, K

RHP Brendan Beck: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Beck loaded the bases with nobody out at one point…struck out the next two hitters before inducing a popup. At this level: 0.60 ERA in 15 IP (13 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 16 K)
RHP Luis Velasquez (W, 1-1): 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Since promotion: 3.63 ERA (17.1 IP, 14 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 HR, 13 BB, 20 K)
RHP Jack Neely: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
With Danny Watson and Bailey Dees up in Somerset, Neely must be wondering when it will be his turn. He owns a 2.28 ERA in 43.1 IP (24 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 4 HR, 16 BB, 67 K)

Tampa (44-48; 13-13 in the second half) (Knocked out Dunedin, 8-2)

2B Jared Serna: 0-for-3, RS, 2 BB
.287/.356/.493 in 399 PA. 
C Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-5, SB (14)
.296/.368/.434 in 311 PA. His offensive production has been consistent throughout 2023. As for the catching thing, I am not sure what the Yankees think of him behind the plate. They move him around the field, though 3B has been his other primary position.
1B Omar Martinez: 2-for-5, 2B (10), HR (11), 2 RBI, 2 RS
.250/.367/.438 in 286 PA (10 doubles, 1 triple, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 38 R, 42 BB, 80 K). 
SS Brenny Escanio: 1-for-3, RS, 2 BB, K
CF Daury Arias: 1-for-3, 2 RS, BB, K
LF Jake Palmer: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, RS, K
Palmer has three 3-hit games in July. 
DH Ronny Rojas: 1-for-3, SF, 2 RBI
RF Felix Negueis: 0-for-2, RS, BB, HBP
3B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K, CS (1)

RHP Justin Lange: (W, 1-3) 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
This is the kind of line you dream of with Lange – because if he ever unlocks himself, this is his potential. Anyway, he now owns a 4.92 ERA in 64 IP (44 H, 39 R, 35 ER, 7 HR, 51 BB, 102 K)
RHP Montana Semmel: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Semmel hit 95.6 on the gun tonight.
RHP Cole Ayers: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
3.98 ERA (40.2 IP, 40 H, 21 R, 18 ER, 3 HR, 14 BB, 56 K). Ayers threw five different pitches in his short outing (sinker, 4-seam, cutter, slider, change). 

FCL Yankees (19-14) 

Day off.

DSL Yankees (22-13) (Lost the completion of a suspended game to the Blue Jays, 7-2. The game ended after only five innings)

I am not going to dig too much into the box score from this game – most of what happened occurred days ago.

CF Brando Mayea: 0-for-3, K
C Josue Gonzalez: 2-for-2, RS, SB (5)
.393/.571/.689 in 91 PA (10 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 20 R, 24 BB, 11 K, 5-for-7 SB)

DSL Bombers (17-18) (Trail Arizona Red, 4-3, in the third inning. The game was suspended due to lightning)

Again, not going to focus much on what has happened thus far in this one.

CF Richard Meran: 2-for-2, RS
3B Gabriel Terrero: 1-for-1, RS, BB
LF David Beckles: 1-for-1, 2B (6), 3 RBI, BB

Yankees MILB 7/20: Everson Pereira Goes Boom!

News:

Both Jake Bauers (Scranton) and Willie Calhoun (Somerset) started their rehab assignments, meaning the Yankees have three mediocre left fielders (along with Greg Allen) who are nearing their return. Yay us!

RHP Matt Bowman opted out of his minor league contract the other day. Today, the Yankees signed him to a major league contract and optioned him to Scranton. To make room for Bowman on the 40-man roster, 3B Josh Donaldson was transferred to the 60-day injured list, effectively ending his season.

Scranton (43-47; 9-6 in the second half) (Lost a marathon to Worcester, 10-8)

LF Jake Bauers: 2-for-3, 2B (6), HR (10), 2 RBI, 2 RS, BB, SB (6)
Welcome back!
   LF Michael Hermosillo: 0-for-0, SF, RBI
CF Everson Pereira: 2-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 RS, BB, K
Pereira has hit safely in all ten games since his promotion (.372 (16-for-43; 3 doubles, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 11 R)). Overall, he has 12 home runs and 42 RBI in 56 games between Somerset and Scranton.
C Ben Rortvedt: 0-for-2
  PH-C Rodolfo Duran: 0-for-2, BB, K
1B Andres Chaparro: 2-for-5, 2B (18), 2 RBI, 2 K
Chaparro has 18 RBI in 13 July games and is hitting .253/.340/.485 in 377 PA with 18 doubles, 18 HR, and 67 RBI.
3B Jake Lamb: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
2B Jamie Westbrook: 1-for-2, RS, 3 BB
SS Jesus Bastidas: 1-for-5, RS, 3 K
RF Brandon Lockridge: 1-for-4, 2 RS, BB, K
DH Wilmer Difo: 0-for-5, 2 K

RHP Randy Vasquez: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Vasquez has a 5.21 ERA at this level, but does it really matter? He has impressed at the level that matters most.
RHP Zach Greene: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Aaron McGarity: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Bowman: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 2 HR
This is not how one wishes to celebrate their addition to the 40-man roster.
RHP Greg Weissert: (L, 3-3)  1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR

Somerset (50-35; 8-9 in the second half) (Defeated Hartford, 6-4, in 11 innings)

SS Trey Sweeney: 2-for-5, 2B (17), K
Sweeney has two doubles and a triple in his last three games. 
DH Willie Calhoun: 0-for-3, K
  PH Josh Breaux: 0-for-1
  PR-DH Aaron Palensky: 0-for-1, RS
CF Jasson Dominguez: 1-for-5, RBI, RS, 2 K
C Austin Wells: 0-for-4, HBP, K
His July struggles continue. My question is: Would Wells’ offense be better if they told him to not worry about catching anymore? That’s not an excuse for a slump – that is me saying that it isn’t easy to put in all the work behind the plate while maintaining what you can do at the plate. 
3B Tyler Hardman: 3-for-5, 2 HR (22), 4 RBI, 2 RS, K
Hardman, who has four multi-HR games this season, is your new organizational HR leader, taking the spot away from Estevan Florial. He is hitting .227 with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 22 HR, 45 RBI, and 46 runs scored. 
RF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-5, HR (2), RBI, RS, K
Dunham is hitting .293 (12-for-41) since his demotion. His home run tonight was his 8th overall between here and Scranton.
1B Eric Wagaman: 1-for-3, HBP, CS (3)
  PH-1B Mickey Gasper: 0-for-1, K
2B Max Burt: 1-for-4, 2B (4), K
LF Jeisson Rosario: 0-for-3, RS, BB, K

RHP Chase Hampton: 7 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 3 HR
A bit of a mixed bag by Hampton, who allowed a pair of home runs during a tough 6th inning. Since his promotion: 4.15 ERA (34.2 IP, 31 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 5 HR, 9 BB, 40 K). Overall, he now has 117 strikeouts in 81.2 innings.
LHP Ryan Anderson: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Danny Watson: (W, 3-0)  2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Since promotion: 1.47 ERA (18.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, 7 BB, 19 K). In his first seven innings at this level, he struck out only three hitters. He has 16 K in 11.1 IP since.
RHP Zac Houston (S, 2): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Hudson Valley (49-37; 10-10 in the second half) (Defeated Brooklyn, 6-4)

CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, RBI, BB
Jones is now 12-for-38 in July with nine walks. 
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-4, K
C Agustin Ramirez: 3-for-4, 2B (10), HR (3), RBI, RS
Since his promotion: .426 in 15 games (10 doubles, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R, 3 BB, 8 K). He is on an 8-game hitting streak (14-for-31). Overall, he is hitting .290/.401/.482 in 297 PA (17 doubles, 10 HR, 46 RBI, 44 R, 46 BB, 49 K). Is he the organization’s top catching prospect? I guess that depends on what you think of Austin Wells, but Ramirez must be in the conversation.
DH Christopher Familia: 0-for-4, K
1B Spencer Henson: 1-for-3, 2B (13), BB, K, CS (2)
LF Grant Richardson: 1-for-2, HR (9), RBI, RS, 2 BB, K
RF Aldenis Sanchez: 0-for-4, 2 K
3B Eduardo Torrealba: 1-for-4, RS, K, SB (7)
2B Luis Santos: 0-for-2, 2 BB, SB (5), CS (3)

RHP Zach Messinger: (L, 1-8)  4.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
4.04 ERA (78 IP, 69 H, 46 R, 35 ER, 11 HR, 40 BB, 95 K)
RHP Mason Vinyard: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 3.24 ERA (16.2 IP, 15 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 12 BB, 17 K)
RHP Bailey Dees: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
1.83 ERA (39.1 IP, 20 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 14 BB, 58 K). He allowed seven of those earned runs through May 16th and one since (23.1 IP)

Tampa (42-45; 11-10 in the second half) (Lost a pitching duel to Clearwater, 1-0)

SS Jared Serna: 2-for-4, K
Serna is now 20-for-65 (.308) in July. He is up to 100 hits this season (.292/.355/.509)
3B Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-4, K
Rodriguez now has a 6-game hitting streak (10-for-27; .370). He is hitting .296/.374/.439 in 290 impressive plate appearances.
C Omar Martinez: 2-for-4
Martinez has three multi-hit games in his last four games. He is 16-for-51 (.314) in July with four home runs and 16 runs batted in. 
CF Daury Arias: 1-for-3, BB
DH Brett Barrera: 0-for-3, BB, K
LF Jake Palmer: 0-for-4, K
1B Ronny Rojas: 0-for-4, 3 K
RF Felix Negueis: 2-for-4, 2B (3)
2B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-3, 2 K

RHP Baron Stuart: (L, 2-6) 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
4.26 ERA (57 IP, 52 H, 34 R, 27 ER, 7 HR, 24 BB, 51 K). In July: 18.1 IP, 13 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 12 K
RHP Kris Bow: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Bow needed a clean outing. Last year’s 14th-round pick has struggled with the move to Tampa.

FCL Yankees (18-12) (Swept a doubleheader against the Tigers)

Game 1 (Won, 2-1)

2B Keiner Delgado: 1-for-3, 3B (1), RBI, RS, BB, K
.280/.397/.508 in 141 PA. If you loved Delgado after 2022, you should still love him now. One thing to watch: He owned a 50.5% ground ball rate entering today (it was 28.8% in 2022)
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 SB (16), CS (6)
DH Hans Montero: 0-for-1, 2 BB, K, SB (14)
3B Enmanuel Tejeda: 0-for-2, BB, K, CS (4)
.319/.492/.479 in 128 PA (2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 26 R, 28 BB, 28 K, 17-for-21 SB)
RF Willy Montero: 0-for-2, BB
LF Dayro Perez: 0-for-1, RS, HBP, SB (7)

RHP Carlos Lagrange: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, HR
2.92 ERA (24.2 IP, 14 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 16 BB, 33 K)
RHP Eric Reyzelman (W, 1-0): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
2023 debut for the 5th-round pick in the 2022 draft out of LSU (he tossed four innings at this level in 2022). He supposedly can get it up to 100 MPH – and that was before entering the Yankees Pitching Factory.
RHP Jordy Luciano (S, 1): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
His first career save. Congrats!

Game 2 (Won, 9-4)

DH Roderick Arias: 1-for-4, RBI, RS, 2 K, SB (17)
Arias only went 1-for-6 today, but it was still a productive afternoon. He is hitting .267/.423/.505 in 130 PA (2 doubles, 2 triples, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 32 R, 27 BB (20.8%), 29 K (22.3%), 17-for-23 SB)
SS Hans Montero: 0-for-3, RS, HBP
.294/.478/.500 in 138 PA. In 140 PA down in the DSL last year, he hit only .180/.345/.261. Something has clicked.
CF Willy Montero: 3-for-4, 2B (7), 2 RBI, RS, SB (2), CS (3)
.318/.374/.455 in 123 PA. He didn’t fare well in his 2021 debut season but started earning a little buzz in 2022. This year, he is building off that.

RHP Cam Schlittler: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
2.89 ERA (18.2 IP, 16 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 22 K
RHP Hueston Morrill (W, 1-0): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
This is the 22-year-old’s professional debut. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State in June 2022.

DSL Yankees (20-10) (Knocked off Mets Blue, 7-6)

DH Brando Mayea: 2-for-4, RS, BB, K, SB (14)
Mayea’s .267/.396/.387 triple slash has to be considered a success in his debut season. Entering today, he had a 60% ground ball rate – which he has plenty of time to grow out of.
LF Jose Castro: 1-for-5, 2B (3), 2 RBI, RS, K, SB (7)
C Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-4, RBI, RS, K
3B Luis Ogando: 1-for-5, RS, 2 K, SB (9)
.346/.446/.556 in 101 PA. This is after hitting .300/.417/.440 in 121 PA at this same level last year.
SS Anthony Pena: 2-for-4, 2B (4), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
.318/.412/.545 in 51 PA.
LF Andry Javier: 1-for-3, 2 RS, BB

RHP Sabier Marte: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

DSL Bombers (14-17) (Defeated the Marlins, 9-7)

CF Richard Meran: 2-for-5, HR (1), 2 RBI, RS, K
Meran homers in his second career game.
2B Gabriel Terrero: 1-for-4, RS, SB (11)
LF-CF Gabriel Lara: 3-for-5, HR (4), 2 RBI, 2 RS
The fact that the 17-year-old speedster is flashing some early pop can make one very excited.
SS Kevin Verde: 3-for-5, 2B (6), RS, K
Verde also had a 3-hit game on 7/17.

RHP Joshawn Lampson: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR