Clayton Beeter Archives - Tom's Sports Blog

My Take: Yankees Acquire Amed Rosario

The details:

The Yankees acquire UTIL Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals for RHP Clayton Beeter and OF Browm Martinez.

The Yankees aren’t going for “flashy” lineup upgrades at the deadline, but any upgrade is still an update.

I was once a big fan of Oswald Peraza‘s. After an encouraging 18-game audition in 2022 (.306/.404/.429), he has crashed and burned to the point where you wonder if he is rosterable in the big leagues. Forced into the lineup this season, he is hitting .152/.212/.241 in 170 plate appearances with a 27.6% strikeout rate. No one’s defense or speed can make up for that level of a triple slash.

Enter Rosario, a bench player with the ability to hit left-handed pitching. Given the struggles of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon against southpaws, a lefty masher should come in handy. That is, if you trust Aaron Boone to utilize a player like Rosario properly.

This season, he is hitting .299/.333/.483 with three home runs in 93 plate appearances against southpaws, and he owns a career mark of .298/.337/.462 over a healthy 1,167 plate appearance sample size.

Once a top prospect in all of baseball for the Mets organization, Rosario never quite lived up to the hype. Cleveland valued him enough to take him as part of the package for Francisco Lindor, and he initially rewarded them by compiling a 103 wRC+ and 5.9 fWAR between 2021 and 2022. He provided solid offensive value (including strong baserunning metrics), though his defense was mediocre, if you want to be nice.

The defense has since eroded even more (while he has played a handful of games there over the last few seasons, it’s a stretch to say he can “play” shortstop), but his offense against left-handed pitching remains desirable. His baserunning metrics are still above average, though he has only attempted (and converted) one stolen base for Washington this year. If he doesn’t go on a running tear, it will break a streak of four straight seasons where he reached double-digit stolen bases (six straight if you ignore 2020).

The money is meaningless. They will pay Rosario a prorated portion of his $2 million salary, and he is a free agent at the end of the season.

If used properly, Rosario is a useful player. Not everyone needs to be a defensive wizard to be useful, especially bench players.

What the Yankees Gave Up:

Clayton Beeter throws hard. His fastball/slider combination is as traditional as you can get for a reliever. However, success has eluded him in his brief MLB tryouts. The 26-year-old (acquired from the Dodgers for Joey Gallo) owns a 9.82 ERA (7.08 FIP) in only 7.1 innings, allowing two homers and five walks while striking out eight. Additionally, injuries have held him back. For the Nationals, he brings an interesting arm. We all know that relievers can suddenly blossom into something with a tweak here or a tweak there. He has the velocity. Can he stay healthy and find consistency? He wasn’t going to get that chance in New York.

Browm Martinez is too far down the chain to worry about. Signed for $130,000 during the 2024 international signing period, the 18-year-old right-handed outfielder owns a career DSL triple slash of .320/.426/.419 in 209 plate appearances with 34 stolen bases in 41 attempts. That may make you drool, but it’s the DSL. The only thing we can say is that he has done enough to earn a shot in the FCL in 2026. He hasn’t played since July 3rd.

Bottom Line:

Even though the Yankees are desperate for relief pitching, there weren’t many indicators that Beeter was going to be helpful. At least not in 2025. The Nationals can throw him in the pen and hope something clicks. I will never worry about DSL-level prospects. The range of outcomes is as wide as you can get.

The Yankees will place Aaron Judge on the injured list and replace him with Rosario. That isn’t the perfect switch, but it works for now.

Rosario fills a need as a right-handed hitting 2B/3B with some experience in right field (the Rays used him there in 2024, but the Nationals have played him there only once in 2025). He is an upgrade over Peraza, which makes him worthwhile enough. The Yankees wanted to sign him before the 2024 season. However, he felt that Tampa offered him more playing time.

Now that the Yankees have him, it’s up to Boone to use him properly.

Yankees MILB 6/27: Spencer Jones Homers in First Scranton AB

Notes:

OF Everson Pereira, the top choice to come up when J.C. Escarra went on paternity leave, is also on the paternity list. The Yankees decided to go with a 25-man roster instead of calling up someone from the Jorbit Vivas, Jesus Rodriguez, CJ Alexander pool (all three are on the 40-man). Another player on the 40-man, Braden Shewmake, is injured. He reportedly was the second choice after Pereira.

OF Spencer Jones, as you likely know, was promoted to Scranton today. Typically speaking, top-top prospects don’t hang around in Triple-A for long. However, it seems probable that Jones will stay at Scranton for the remaining 2.5 months of the season. The promotion was earned, as Jones was red-hot and compiled 830 Double-A plate appearances.

Injury Log

Scranton (42-34) (Defeated Worcester, 4-2, to improve to 4-0 in the second half)

2B Jorbit Vivas: 0-for-3, 2 BB
3B Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-4, R, SB (10), BB, 2 K
Rodriguez’s slump continues, showing us that slumps are inevitable for everyone. He is still hitting .321/.409/.407 in 259 PA at this level.
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-5, HR (1), RBI, R, 2 K
Jones homered in his first Triple-A plate appearance (397 feet, 109.9 MPH). His 17th HR overall ties his personal best from last year in 72 fewer games. That’s crazy. Oh, and he keeps his streak of alternating home run days alive (he has 6 HR in his last 11 games – one every other day)
DH T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K
PR-DH Duke Ellis: 0-for-1, 2 SB (7), K
This is why I said I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the postseason. Aaron Boone used him only once in the postseason last year (pinch ran against Kansas City) before he was taken off the roster for the Guardians and Dodgers series.
RF Bryan De La Cruz: 2-for-2, R, 2 SB (6), 2 BB
LF CJ Alexander: 0-for-3, BB, 3 K
C Alex Jackson: 0-for-4, 3 K
1B Jose Rojas: 2-for-2, HR (12), 2 RBI, R, 2 BB
Rojas’ 125th career minor league homer (681 games)
SS Andrew Velazquez: 1-for-3, SAC

RHP Sean Boyle: (W, 6-5) 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, HR
4.46 ERA (74.2 IP, 68 H, 43 R, 37 ER, 9 HR, 25 BB, 72 K). Boyle (28) screams of a pitcher who will get a few MLB chances as he grinds out a professional career. The Yankees invited him to spring training this year, and he is a minor league free agent after the season (this is his 7th minor league campaign). This assumes the Yankees aren’t going to add him to the 40-man.
LHP Jayvien Sandridge: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
0.96 ERA (9.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 18 K). Overall, he owns a 25/7 K/BB over 14.1 innings.
RHP Clayton Beeter (S, 2): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Beeter maxed at 97.5 MPH. He owns a 1.02 ERA in 17.2 IP (9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 14 BB, 29 K)

Somerset (36-37) (Lost to Erie, 6-2)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-3, R, SB (14), 2 BB
Lombard Jr. has 55 walks and 25 stolen bases in 70 games. He is 20-for-88 (.227; 5 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 19 R, 7-for-8 SB) in June (started the month 3-for-21). That doesn’t suggest he is “hot” but the adjustments are showing up.
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-3, BB, 3 K
2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-2, R, HBP, BB, K
3B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-4, 2 K
DH Brendan Jones: 1-for-4, 2B (4), 2 RBI, K
Jones was heating up before a little 0-for-11 slump. There is talent here – he is just having a tough time early in his Double-A journey.
CF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, SB (14), CI
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-3, BB, K
RF Cam Eden: 0-for-4, K

RHP Trent Sellers: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Sellers needed 91 pitches to earn 14 outs, but the outing was impressive. Striking hitters out hasn’t been an issue for the 25-year-old, as he has 68 in 55.1 innings this year and 168 in 139 innings in his career. The walk rate needs work (26 this season; 66 in his career). It’s a mixed bag and one wonders if his future is in the bullpen.
RHP Cole Ayers: (L, 0-1) 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Hayden Merda: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
Merda struggled mightily in his Somerset debut – while not perfect, a better performance tonight.
RHP Kelly Austin: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Ryan Anderson: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Anderson allowed both of Austin’s baserunners to score.

Hudson Valley (42-29) (Split two games against Wilmington)

Game 1 (Won, 2-0, in the conclusion of last night’s game)

LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-4
CF Dillon Lewis: 2-for-4
RF Coby Morales: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Jose Colmenares: 2-for-4, R, SB (9), K
SS Alexander Vargas: 2-for-4, RBI, R
1B Josh Moylan: 2-for-4
3B Brenny Escanio: 0-for-4, K
C Tomas Frick: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 K
.231/.364/.385 in 132 PA. Frick does his job with his medium-sized usage (he has played in 37 of their 71 games)
DH Duncan Pastore: 0-for-2, BB, K

LHP Kyle Carr: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
2.86 ERA (63 IP, 44 H, 28 R, 20 ER, 5 HR, 32 BB, 50 K). There is good and not-so-good in that profile.
RHP Ocean Gabonia (W, 1-2): 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Huey Morrill: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
0.62 ERA (29 IP, 13 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 11 BB, 22 K)
RHP Bryce Warrecker (S, 2): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
0.85 ERA (31.2 IP, 14 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 37 K). Have I mentioned how dominant the 6’8″ right-hander has been?

Game 2 (Lost, 11-0)

CF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-4, K
The 0-for-8 doubleheader drops his triple slash to .221/.318/.303 in 283 PA. His .288/.345/.438 triple slash with RISP has allowed him to drive home 35 runs in 62 games.
DH Dillon Lewis: 1-for-3, 2B (3)
Since promotion: .200/.250/.411 in 96 PA. Nine of his 18 hits have gone for extra bases (3 doubles, 2 triples, 4 HR). He is a fun prospect to follow, since you can tell that the tools exist.
RF Coby Morales: 0-for-3, 2 K
2B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-3, K
3B Alexander Vargas: 1-for-2, BB
C Manuel Palencia: 0-for-3, 2 K
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-3, 2 K
Moylan hasn’t been able to get anything going (.162/.309/.263 in 243 PA). Last season, at this level, he showed some promise with his .246/.357/.381 line in 406 plate appearances.
SS Brenny Escanio: 1-for-2, BB, K
LF Luis Durango: 0-for-3, K

LHP Griffin Herring (L, 1-1): 3 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, HR
Proof that everyone has bad days. This spiked his combined ERA to 1.64 (71.1 IP, 45 H, 15 R, 13 ER, 3 HR, 27 BB, 83 K). He entered the night with the lowest ERA amongst all minor league pitchers (excluding those in the rookie leagues). It’s possible (probable) that he will wake up tomorrow nearly tied for first with…fellow Yankees’ farmhand Brendan Beck. Beck’s ERA is 1.6409 while Herring’s is 1.6402.
RHP Sebastian Keane: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Jordany Ventura: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Tampa (39-33) (Defeated Ft. Myers, 5-3)

C Edgleen Perez: 2-for-3, R, SB (5), 2 BB
Perez is hopefully heating up, as this is his third straight multi-hit effort. He is up to .216/.371/.242 in 286 plate appearances with an impressive 51 walks (17.8%).
RF Brian Sanchez: 1-for-4, R, SB (20), 3 K
SS Roderick Arias: 1-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 R, HBP
When the Yankees handed him a trillion dollars (give or take a few million), this is what they envisioned. It hasn’t happened consistently.
DH Engelth Urena: 0-for-4, BB, K
3B Juan Matheus: 2-for-4, 2 SB (26), BB, K
Matheus is feeling frisky on the basepaths lately. He is 12-for-14 in June and has at least one stolen base in five straight games. This surge has jumped him to first place in stolen bases within the organization.
LF Hans Montero: 1-for-3, 2B (6), RBI, SB (13), BB, K
CF Marshall Toole: 0-for-3, BB, K
1B Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-4, K
2B Santiago Gomez: 2-for-3, HR (1), RBI, 3 SB (6), BB, K
As I said the other day, Gomez can run. He just needs to consistently get on base to showcase it. He has 70 stolen bases in 156 career games. As for the power, that is not his forte. This was his 9th career homer.

LHP Xavier Rivas (W, 2-1): 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 13 K (previous personal best was 8)
Rivas allowed two runs in the sixth but was otherwise spectacular tonight. At this level: 3.47 ERA (23.1 IP, 17 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 28 K)
RHP Jack Sokol: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
2.84 ERA (25.1 IP, 23 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 19 K). He hasn’t allowed a run in 9.1 June innings.
RHP Cade Austin: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
2.86 ERA (28.1 IP, 27 H, 16 R, 9 ER, 3 HR, 11 BB, 31 K)
RHP Brady Kirtner: (S, 3) 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
2.41 ERA (37.1 IP, 23 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 2 HR, 17 BB, 42 K). Kirtner has been steady in his debut campaign, with very few hiccups.

FCL (19-21) (Defeated the Phillies, 2-0)

LF Wilson Rodriguez: 0-for-2, BB
C Ediel Rivera: 0-for-2, HBP
RF Luis Puello: 1-for-2, R
2B Gabriel Terrero: 1-for-2
1B John Cristino: 1-for-1, HR (2), 2 RBI, R, HBP
It’s his debut campaign, but he is doing what a 25-year-old should do in the FCL: 15-for-41 (.366) with a double and two home runs.

RHP Edinzo Marquez (W, 1-2): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
It counts as a CG in the record books! He owns a 3.00 ERA in eight starts (39 IP, 33 H, 18 R, 13 ER, 4 HR, 15 BB, 29 K). Can the 20-year-old get a taste of Low-A Tampa after the FCL season concludes? Certainly.

DSL Yankees (8-10) (Crushed DSL Phillies White, 11-2. This game went seven innings)

SS Mani Cedeno: 0-for-3, RBI, R, HBP, K
CF Isaias Castillo: 0-for-2, RBI, R, 2 BB
.333/.469/.590 in 49 PA (3 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R, 9-for-9 SB, 10 BB, 11 K). His career has started with a 12-game on-base streak.
3B Richard Matic: 2-for-3, RBI, 2 R, SB (3), BB
.326/.441/.630 in 59 PA (5 doubles, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 14 R, 11 BB, 16 K). Matic struggled here as a 16-year-old. The difference one year can make, even as a teenager.
DH Justin Capellan: 0-for-2, RBI, R, SB (6), 2 BB, K
2B Alfred Ciriaco: 1-for-3, R, BB
C Diego Flores: 0-for-3, RBI, R, BB
LF Angel Ventura: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 R, SB (4), BB
Ventura is 22-for-25 stealing bases in 44 career games.
RF Alfiery Matos: 0-for-3, R, SB (3), BB, 2 K
1B Jose Lavagnino: 2-for-3, 2B (1), 3 RBI, R, BB
The 18-year-old is 4-for-17 in his debut campaign.

LHP Carlos De La Rosa: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
4.38 ERA (12.1 IP, 14 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 22 K). What is the most impressive part of that stat line? If you need more than one guess, take up a new hobby.
RHP Rafael Arias (W, 2-0): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K

DSL Bombers (6-11) (Followed up their 20-19 loss to the DSL Mets Orange with a 15-10 loss to the DSL Cardinals. This game went nine innings. Note: In the rookie leagues, the two managers come to an agreement on whether a game will go seven or nine innings)

CF Browm Martinez: 2-for-4, 2 2B (3), 2 RBI, 3 R, SB (9), HBP
He’s making a mockery of this level at this point: .390/.490/.683 in 49 PA (3 doubles, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 17 R, 9-for-10 SB). The 18-year-old was pretty good in 38 games here last year as well. The problem is that time is running out on the FCL season, making a promotion unlikely.
SS Christofer Reyes: 2-for-2, 3 SB (13), CS (1), BB
The good news is the stolen bases. The bad news is that he was pinch-ran for late in the game, which likely means injury.
PR-SS Stiven Marinez: 0-for-1, RBI, R, BB
Adding to the “injury” theory is that they replaced him with one of their top DSL prospects. Usually, when a top prospect has a scheduled day off, he isn’t coming in to pinch-run.
DH David Carrera: 0-for-2, RBI, RS, SB (5), 3 BB, 2 K
3B Leni Done: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB
.244/.392/.366 in 51 PA.
2B Adrian Feliz: 2-for-5, R, CS (2)
.250/.276/.286 in 29 PA. Like many down here, Feliz is only 16.
C Carlos Rodon: 1-for-4, 2B (2), R, BB, 2 K
RF Eddinson Charles: 1-for-5, RBI, R
1B Edgar Jimenez: 2-for-5, 2 2B (3), RBI, 2 R, K
The 18-year-old is 6-for-15 with three doubles and four RBI.

For the second day in a row, there isn’t a pitching line worth mentioning.

Yankees MILB 6/20: Spencer Jones Continues Surge

Notes:

Utilityman Pablo Reyes rejected his outright assignment and is a free agent. The Yankees have enough veteran utility types, so no big deal. Reyes didn’t have enough service time (2.096 years – you must have three) to reject the assignment, but another part of the rule states that you can reject it if you have ever been outrighted in the past.

Injury Log

Scranton (36-34) (Lost to Louisville, 5-1. Only three hits for the Railriders tonight)

3B Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-4
Rodriguez is in a little 1-for-12 slump (for him, that stands out!). He is hitting .342/.424/.436 in 236 plate appearances.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-4
LF Brennen Davis: 1-for-4
For Scranton: .340/.407/.723 with three doubles and five home runs.
DH Jose Rojas: 1-for-3, K
RF Bryan De La Cruz: 1-for-3, HR (6), RBI, R
De La Cruz has six homers in 36 games. He also has 42 strikeouts (29.2%).
SS Braden Shewmake: 0-for-3, K
C Alex Jackson: 0-for-3
2B Andrew Velazquez: 0-for-3, K
CF Ismael Munguia: 0-for-3

RHP Carlos Carrasco: (L, 0-2) 4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Leonardo Pestana: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, HR
RHP Scott Effross: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Clayton Beeter: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
Beeter is humming. He maxed out at 98.9 MPH and is overpowering hitters with his fastball/slider combo (threw each pitch 50% of the time). For Scranton: 1.20 ERA (15 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 11 BB, 27 K). The walks are high, but he has shown improvement in June (15/3 K/BB over 7 IP). He has an injury history, and I hate when “ready” relievers waste their bullets in the minors. He has to be under consideration for a call-up.
RHP Harrison Cohen: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (33-34) (Defeated New Hampshire, 7-5. Somerset is closing in on .500!)

2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-5, 2B (4), RBI, R, K
SS George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-4, 2B (4), RBI, 2 R, BB, K
Lombard Jr. has two doubles, a triple, and a homer in his last five games. I keep pointing this out because power is what people have been waiting for. He is hitting .213/.339/.326 at this level, up from .207/.342/.281 on June 14th (yes, lower OBP – but we know he has patience. I like to see the increase in the SLG!)
LF Spencer Jones: 4-for-5, 2B (8), HR (14), 2 RBI, R, SB (10), K
Jones is up to .261/.386/.588 (.974 OPS; 8 doubles, 14 HR, 27 RBI, 36 R, 10-for-12 SB). Last 10 games: 14-for-34 (.412; 3 doubles, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 11 R, 3-for-3 SB, 7 BB, 10 K). Before this streak, he was hitting .218/.350/.513 (.863 OPS). He leads the Eastern League in homers (14) and is second in slugging (.588) and OPS (.974). The leader in those two categories is Max Anderson, a 23-year-old in the Tigers’ organization.
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-3, 2 BB
3B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-3, 2 BB, K
Jasso’s hitting streak ends, but he draws a pair of walks.
CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-5, K
DH Garrett Martin: 1-for-4, R, BB, K
RF Cam Eden: 1-for-5, R, SB (1), 2 K
1B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-4, 2B (11), 2 RBI, R, K

LHP Brock Selvidge: 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Selvidge tossed 69 pitches tonight. He is likely not far away from being allowed to stretch out. He owns a 3.55 ERA in 12.2 IP for Somerset (7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 12 K).
RHP Cole Ayers: (W, 3-1) 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Jordany Ventura: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
LHP Will Brian: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
2.53 ERA (21.1 IP, 17 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 10 BB, 29 K). Brian is an interesting left-handed relief prospect. Injuries have stalled him.
RHP Kelly Austin (S, 5): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Hudson Valley (39-26) (Destroyed Jersey Shore, 11-1)

RF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-4, R, BB
CF Dillon Lewis: 3-for-5, 2B (2), 3B (2), HR (4), 3 RBI, 3 R, 2 K
It stings to miss a cycle by a single, but I think he’ll take the nine total bases. Lewis has homered in back-to-back games and three of his last four games. He has 13 home runs in 61 games between Tampa and here and has a .221/.254/.489 triple slash in 15 games since his promotion (.242/.305/.480 in 266 PA overall). He has loud tools. Can he put the whole package together? We ask that question of many prospects.
1B Coby Morales: 0-for-4, SF, RBI, 2 K
LF Duke Ellis: 3-for-4, 2 HR (2), 3 RBI, 2 R, BB
Given he has only 17 career home runs, it should come as no surprise that this is his first career multi-HR game.
DH Omar Martinez: 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K
2B Jose Colmenares: 2-for-5, HR (4), 2 RBI, R, K
3B Alexander Vargas: 1-for-5
SS Brenny Escanio: 1-for-4, R
C Tomas Frick: 2-for-3, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, K
Frick doesn’t play much but he is productive when he does: .223/.369/.383 in 122 PA (3 HR, 17 RBI, 20 R).

LHP Ben Shields: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
During rehab stint: 12 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 16 K. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in seven innings for Hudson Valley.
RHP Sebastian Keane: (W, 4-0) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Keating: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
3.15 ERA (20 IP, 16 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 23 K)
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
0.91 ERA (29.2 IP, 13 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 6 BB, 36 K). Pure dominance. It’s time for me to say it: As long as “relief pitcher” is his thing from now on, get him to Somerset.

Tampa (36-30) (Lost to Bradenton, 5-3)

C Edgleen Perez: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Brian Sanchez: 0-for-3, BB, K
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-4, 2 K
DH Engelth Urena: 1-for-4, 2B (9), K
.212/.339/.332 in 274 PA (9 doubles, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 39 R, 5-for-6 SB, 13.9% BB, 18.6% K). The strikeout rate is encouraging and could be a sign that he isn’t being overwhelmed, even if the triple slash doesn’t jump out at you. Can he get that SLG up to .400 before the end of the season? I think that is a goal to strive for.
3B Juan Matheus: 0-for-4, K
RF Tyler Wilson: 1-for-3, 2B (8), R, BB
.305/.389/.395 in 252 PA (8 doubles, 4 HR, 33 RBI, 35 R, 15-for-22 SB, 12.3% BB, 23% K). He is now 24-for-54 (.444) with 12 walks in June.
1B Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-1
I am not sure why Wilson was pulled, but hopefully it is nothing serious.
1B-RF Hans Montero: 1-for-3, RBI, R, SB (12)
CF Marshall Toole: 1-for-3, R, SB (19), 2 K
.308/.407/.479 in 172 PA (9 doubles, 5 triples, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 34 R, 19-for-21 SB, 13.95% BB, 21.5% K). Toole is 16-for-47 (.340) with ten walks and a 9-for-10 stolen base rate in June.
2B Santiago Gomez: 1-for-3, 2 RBI
Gomez is 2-for-16 with three RBI since his promotion.

RHP J.T. Etheridge: (L, 2-2) 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
6.38 ERA (24 IP, 22 H, 23 R, 17 ER, 2 HR, 13 BB, 31 K). Despite his impressive 6’6″ frame, Etheridge doesn’t throw extremely hard (maxed out at 94.5 tonight). He generates enough swing-and-miss to be intriguing, but he will need time.
RHP Jackson Fristoe: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Fristoe tops out at 96.4 MPH.
LHP Tanner Bauman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

FCL (17-18) (Defeated the Blue Jays, 4-3)

LF Isael Arias: 2-for-3, SF, RBI, R, HBP
1B Manuel Palencia: 0-for-3, BB
C Ediel Rivera: 1-for-3, 2B (7), SF, RBI, SB (7), K
.267/.347/.407. The 19-year-old is showing off some pop and speed in his professional debut.
2B Gabriel Terrero: 2-for-4, 2B (4), K
Terrero has a 5-game hitting streak (6-for-19).
3B Luis Escudero: 2-for-3, R, K
DH Luis Puello: 2-for-3, 2B (6), RBI, R

RHP Edinzo Marquez: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
3.44 ERA (34 IP, 31 H, 18 R, 13 ER, 4 HR, 15 BB, 26 K). Marquez ranks third in the FCL in innings.
RHP Jose Martinez: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
10.2 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 1 BB, 15 K. A lot of rookie league pitchers have control issues – Martinez has never had an issue there.

DSL Yankees (5-8) (Lost to the DSL Rockies, 4-3)

SS Mani Cedeno: 0-for-3, R, SB (2), 2 BB, 2 K
.216/.383/.270 in 47 PA.
DH Isaias Castillo: 1-for-5, 3B (1), 3 K
Castillo has reached base safely in all eight of his games (at least one hit in seven of those games). He is hitting .370/.452/.667 with three doubles, one triple, one home run, and a 7-for-7 stolen base rate. If you don’t remember, he was a $750,000 signing.
2B Carlos Bello: 3-for-4, 2B (1), 3B (1), 2 R, SB (5), CS (1), BB
The 17-year-old compiles his first career multi-hit effort.
3B Richard Matic: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
Matic, who received $850,000, is bouncing back from his mediocre debut (.196/.333/.248). This year, he is hitting .313/.429/.625.
CF Angel Ventura: 1-for-3, SB (2), 2 BB, K

LHP Carlos De La Rosa: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
RHP Varis Villarreal: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
LHP Marco Manzano (L, 1-1): 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K

DSL Bombers (6-7) (Lost to DSL Mets Blue, 6-3)

CF Browm Martinez: 2-for-4, CS (1)
13-for-29 (.448/.529/.759; 3 HR, 9 RBI, 11 R, 7-for-8 SB). He has three straight multi-hit efforts.
SS Christofer Reyes: 0-for-2, R, SB (8), BB, K
3B Juan Torres: 1-for-3, R, SB (3), CS (2)
LF Richard Meran: 2-for-3, 3B (1), RBI, CS (2)
Still only 18, Meran is 7-for-16 with two doubles, a triple, and a home run.
RF Eddinson Charles: 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, R, 2 K
Charles, a $300,000 signing, launches his first professional home run.

RHP Cesar Acosta (L, 0-2): 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
LHP Andre Avila: 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

Yankees MILB 4/26: Jackson Castillo Drives Home 6

Notes:

I have nothing to offer you.

Injury Log

Scranton (12-13) (Lost to Charlotte, 8-7. The Railriders blew a 7-0 lead)

CF Ismael Munguia: 0-for-4, R, BB
.256/.362/.372 in 107 PA (4 doubles, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 15 R, 5-for-7 SB, 10.3% BB, 7.5% K)
3B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-3, CS (4), 2 BB
Vivas has ten starts at second base and 12 at third base.
C Jesus Rodriguez: 3-for-5, 2B (2), RBI, 2 R, SB (4)
Some websites (ahem…MLB Pipeline…ahem) refuse to rank Rodriguez in the Yankees’ Top 30. The Yankees disagree, as they added him to the 40-man roster, and he continues to hit. Since joining Scranton, he is 12-for-36 (.333/.468/.389) with a pair of doubles and more walks (9) than strikeouts (7). He is also 4-for-4 in the stolen base department. In his 300-game minor league career, the 23-year-old is hitting .306/.394/.464. When Alex Jackson returns (assuming the injury won’t keep him out forever), the Yankees may have a decision to make. One place Rodriguez struggled was Double-A (.196/.250/.339 in 30 games). Do they send him back? Do they use his versatility to their advantage and keep him in Scranton?
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K
Rumfield is down to .231/.341/.462 thanks to a 1-for-24 slump.
RF Dominic Smith: 2-for-4, 2 2B (4), RBI, R, BB
Smith has three doubles in his last two games (7-for-23 in his last six games).
LF Jose Rojas: 2-for-5, 3B (1), R
DH Ronaldo Hernandez: 1-for-3, SF, 3 RBI, R
SS Jake Gatewood: 2-for-4, 2 RBI
2B Andrew Velazquez: 0-for-3, BB, 3 K

RHP Erick Leal: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
4.81 ERA (24.1 IP, 24 H, 16 R, 13 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 31 K)
RHP Colten Brewer: 1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Eric Reyzelman (L, 1-2): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
3.38 ERA (10.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 7 BB, 13 K). Control, control, control.
RHP Geoff Hartlieb: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
2.61 ERA (10.1 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 2 BB, 11 K)

Somerset (9-11) (Defeated Hartford, 4-3)

1B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-4, 2B (4), RBI
Jasso continues to hit (.274 with a .864 OPS) while playing 1B, 2B, and 3B. Is he a legitimate prospect? If he continues to hit, you can start envisioning him as a utility piece.
2B DJ LeMahieu: 2-for-3, RBI, R, K
LeMahieu is 5-for-8 during his rehab stint.
2B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-1
CF Spencer Jones: 0-for-4, 2 K
DH Rafael Flores: 1-for-3, 2B (5), R, BB, K
Flores has hit safely in eight of his last nine games (10-for-35; 4 doubles, 1 HR)
LF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (8), K
C Antonio Gomez: 0-for-3, 2 K
3B Alexander Vargas: 0-for-2, SB (4), BB
SS Max Burt: 1-for-3, 2B (2), R
RF Christopher Familia: 1-for-3, 2B (2), R, 2 K
Familia is 3-for-9 with two doubles and a triple.

LHP Edgar Barclay: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR
RHP Clayton Beeter: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Beeter struggled in his first rehab appearance at this level. Not tonight.
LHP Will Brian (W, 1-0): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
An impressive Double-A debut after a strong start at Hudson Valley (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 12 K). Health has been an issue for the 26-year-old.
RHP Harrison Cohen (S, 1): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
2.25 ERA (8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 2 BB, 10 K)

Hudson Valley (14-6) (Continued their hot start with a 15-0 mauling of Asheville)

CF Brendan Jones: 3-for-6, 2B (4), RBI, 3 R, SB (11)
Jones has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, including three multi-hit efforts (12-for-36). With 11 stolen bases, he is second in the South Atlantic League (Duce Gourson has 12). He is hitting .235/.350/.456
SS George Lombard Jr.: 3-for-4, 2B (3), RBI, 2 R, BB
.305/.481/.441 in 81 PA (3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 16 R, 9-for-11 SB, 22.2% BB, 19.8% K). And he is still a teenager.
PR-2B Duncan Pastore: 0-for-1, R
Pastore pinch-run for Lombard in the 7th. I am hoping it was due to the score, not an injury.
LF Jackson Castillo: 3-for-5, 2B (6), HR (1, grand slam), SF, 6 RBI, R, K
Castillo has two 6-RBI games this season (3 RBI in his other 12 games). His personal best remains seven, which he did last August.
DH Jace Avina: 3-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Avina is on a 5-game hitting streak (9-for-18). His triple slash has climbed from .190/.364/.214 to .283/.436/.367.
C Omar Martinez: 1-for-6, R, 4 K
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-6, HR (2), RBI, R, K
If you are going to go 1-for-6, you may as well make the one a homer.
3B Josh Moylan: 1-for-5, 2 K
2B-SS Brenny Escanio: 2-for-4, RBI, R, BB, K
RF Anthony Hall: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, K

RHP Bryce Cunningham (W, 3-1): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
2.63 ERA (24 IP, 19 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 30 K). Cunningham has been brilliant in three of his four starts. In the other start, he allowed five runs in the first inning before settling in and providing the team with six innings. The 6’5″ 22-year-old is showing off impressive command/control thus far. He walked 71 batters in 160 college innings, so is this a hot stretch, or has something clicked in the Yankees Pitching Lab?
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Gilbert pulls off the 4 strikeout inning!
RHP Tyrone Yulie: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
4.32 ERA (8.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 5 BB, 13 K)
RHP Ocean Gabonia: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Tampa (8-12) (Lost to Dunedin, 5-1. Edgleen Perez remains out of the lineup but is not on the injured list.)

SS Roderick Arias: 1-for-3, SB (9), BB, K
I am not sure why Arias was pulled from the game.
3B Parks Harber: 0-for-0
DH Brian Sanchez: 1-for-4, CS (2), K
.250/.294/.406 in 68 PA. He owned an 11.6% BB last year (5.9% this year).
C Engelth Urena: 1-for-4, R
LF Dillon Lewis: 0-for-4, 2 K
1B Tyler Wilson: 2-for-2, CS (3), 2 BB
Wilson reaches base four times to improve his triple slash to .258/.364/.258. Correct: All 17 of his hits are singles. Last season, the 22-year-old compiled five doubles and a homer in 21 games.
RF Austin Green: 2-for-4, 2 2B (2), RBI
Green had one extra-base hit in his first 20 professional games. Naturally, he swats a pair tonight to jump that number to three. Baseball!
3B-2B Hans Montero: 1-for-4, K
2B-SS Juan Matheus: 0-for-4, 2 K
CF Marshall Toole: 0-for-4, K

RHP Greysen Carter (L, 0-2): 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
5.74 ERA (15.2 IP, 15 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 12 BB, 20 K). Even at the lower levels, throwing 98+ (and hitting triple digits at times) still requires command and solid secondary pitches. Carter will be a work-in-progress with a massive ceiling.
RHP Jonathan Loaisiga: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Could he get a crack at the closer role if he stays healthy? I prefer closers who miss more bats than Loaisiga does, but a healthy Loaisiga is a massive bullpen upgrade.
RHP Gus Hughes: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Brandon Decker: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
0.90 ERA (10 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 5 BB, 11 K)

FCL (0-0)

Their season starts on May 3rd.

DSL (0-0)

Their season starts in June.

Yankees MILB 9/19: Ben Rice Homers Again

News:

I have nothing to offer.

Scranton (86-60) (Defeated Buffalo, 4-1. I have been mistaken lately. Like most sane people, I thought divisions mattered in the International League, but they don’t. It’s first-half champion vs. second-half champion in the entire league, even though you don’t get to play everyone. Weird. Divisions don’t matter. Scranton is 86-60 (the second-best team to Omaha) and won’t make the playoffs. That needs to be fixed because it’s freaking stupid. Why do they do this? Time. They expanded the season, so the playoffs took a hit. Instead of a 2-series format, they go straight to a best-of-3 championship. After that concludes, the International League winner plays the Pacific Coast League winner in a 1-game “winner-take-all.” Interestingly, they came up with a format that I 100% hate. I like nothing about it. I don’t care about IL vs. PCL. I care more about deserving squads making it)

LF-3B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-5, RBI
Even during his slump, Durbin hasn’t been striking out (6 in 12 September games). He is hitting .284/.396/.466 in 360 PA at this level (12.8% BB, 9.7% K)
2B Jorbit Vivas: 0-for-3, RS, BB
1B Ben Rice: 1-for-4, HR (10), 2 RBI, RS
Rice has 7 HR in his last 14 games and is hitting .302/.444/.656 in 124 PA at this level. It is easy to forget how little Triple-A experience he had before his call-up.
SS Oswald Peraza: 0-for-3, BB, K
DH T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-3, HR (14), RBI, RS, BB
At this level: .293/.367/.458 in 466 PA (26 doubles, 14 HR, 70 RBI, 71 R, 9.2% BB, 16.5% K). He is talked about in online fan circles but I haven’t seen much about him beyond that. Is he a serious prospect? I wish I could answer that.
C Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-4
RF Taylor Trammell: 2-for-4, 2B (20), K
3B J.C. Escarra: 2-for-3, 2 2B (14), RS, BB
In addition to catching, Escarra can play the four corners (1B, 3B, LF, RF). He will turn 30 next April and has yet to make his MLB debut. He would be a fun story if he made it to MLB. He is hitting .293/.398/.524 in 196 PA at this level.
PR-LF Duke Ellis: 0-for-0, SB (4)
CF Cam Eden: 0-for-4, K

RHP Yoendrys Gomez: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Gomez is on the 40-man roster, but I doubt he would be Jake Cousins‘ replacement. He isn’t a short reliever + he won’t be available for several days.
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: (W, 7-1) 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Cody Morris: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Morris’ first appearance since July 20th. If you don’t recall, he was acquired for Estevan Florial. After hitting poorly in MLB (.173/.264/.367), Florial hasn’t been his usual minor-league self (.221/.329/.376 in 213 plate appearances).
RHP JT Brubaker: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Clayton Beeter: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Beeter threw eight 4-seamers (topped out at 97.6) and six sliders. Could he be an option if Cousins isn’t available? He would be an intriguing choice. Cody Poteet is another option (perhaps the most likely one).
RHP Yerry De Los Santos (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (2-0) (Defeated Hartford, 4-3, in ten innings to advance to the championship series. The series begins on Sunday against either Akron or Erie. Erie leads that series, 1-0. In tonight’s game, Akron has the lead in the 10th inning)

CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-5, RBI, K
Jones’ single in the top of the 10th provided the winning run. He is 5-for-10 in the playoffs.
C Rafael Flores: 2-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, BB, K
Flores’ power surge continues. He hit .279/.379/.495 in 506 PA between here and Hudson Valley in the regular season (31 doubles, 21 homers).
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-5, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-3, RS, SB (1), 2 BB
DH Elijah Dunham: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Grant Richardson: 1-for-4, RS, K
RF Jared Wegner: 0-for-3, BB, K
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-4, RBI, K
3B Max Burt: 0-for-4, RS, 2 K

RHP Zach Messinger: 6.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, HR
Messinger dominated through six and left the game with a 3-2 lead in the 7th. Unfortunately, the inherited runner scored. If this is his final start in 2024 (Game 2 of the championship series is next Tuesday, so it may not be), he can go into the offseason with his head held high. He is Rule 5 eligible but I would put him on the “definite” list for protection (or trade).
LHP Ryan Anderson: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Leonardo Pestana: (W, 1-0) 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Hudson Valley (73-58 (regular season); 3-3 (playoffs))

Their season is over.

Tampa (54-74)

Their season is over.

FCL (35-22)

Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (17-36)

Their season is over.

DSL Bombers (30-25)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 5/15: It’s Serna Day!

News:

I have nothing to offer you.

Scranton (28-12) (Squeaked past Worcester, 1-0)

3B Caleb Durbin: 0-for-4, SB (18), BB, K
Durbin is second in the International League in SB (Steward Berroa (Buffalo) has 20)
LF Everson Pereira: 0-for-4, BB, K
.259/.339/.524 (8.5% BB; 33.9% K) in 165 PA. It’s an interesting profile that shows off his power (7 doubles, 10 HR) and swing-and-miss.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-5, SB (2)
Rumfield has hit safely in 8 of his last 9 games (13-for-34; .382).
DH Taylor Trammell: 1-for-3, 2B (1), BB, K
Trammell is 4-for-16 with a double since joining the Railriders.
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 0-for-3, HBP, 2 K
C Luis Torrens: 0-for-3, BB, K
2B Josh VanMeter: 0-for-3, SB (2), BB, K
SS Kevin Smith: 2-for-4, 2 2B (4), RS, K
CF Brandon Lockridge: 1-for-2, RBI, CS (2), 2 BB
.229/.373/.325 in 102 PA (6 doubles, 1 triple, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 15-for-17 SB). Lockridge hit 39 HR between 2019-2022 (there wasn’t a season in 2020) but has only three in 2023-2024. I still think he can carve out an MLB career.

RHP Clayton Beeter: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 3 K
2.53 ERA (32 IP, 17 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 1 HR, 21 BB, 44 K). Is the wildness what makes him tough to hit? Or would he still be tough to hit if he curtailed the wildness?
RHP Cody Morris: (W, 2-0) 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
1.40 ERA (19.1 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, 11 BB, 26 K)
LHP Anthony Misiewicz: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Phil Bickford (S, 4): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
2.40 ERA (15 IP, 13 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 18 K). In MLB, Bickford has been a “meh” reliever with a high K rate (26.6%). This is mostly due to walks and fly balls. Whether the Yankees can find a way to work with this remains to be seen – but if you are a pitcher looking to find new ways to be effective, signing with the Yankees should be near the top of your list.

Somerset (17-17) (Win a pitching duel over Portland, 1-0. This follows a 11-10 loss last night. Baseball!)

CF Spencer Jones: 0-for-4, 4 K
.237/.306/.361 in 108 PA. There was a point early last year where people were wondering about Jasson Dominguez. We all know how that story ended up. So, we’ll see if Jones can build a similar story in 2024 (not that I expect him to march up to MLB regardless)
DH Oswald Peraza: 1-for-4, HR (2), RBI, RS, K
His home run in the 4th held up.
C Ben Rice: 0-for-3, 3 K
.246/.374/.467 in 148 PA (14.9% BB; 24.3% K). He is 9-for-41 (.220) in May (1 HR, 8 BB, 8 K).
1B Agustin Ramirez: 1-for-3, 2B (5), SB (8), K
.284/.403/.638 (15.8% BB; 18.7% K) in 139 PA. His BABIP, which I referenced last night, has normalized (.269). You can disparage “advanced” (not that BABIP is all that advanced) metrics all day – the data showed that a correction was coming for Ramirez and here it is. The Yankees need to decide whether his projected bat is too good to worry about catcher development, even if that development increases trade value.
SS Ben Cowles: 1-for-2, SB (5)
Cowles left the game after the stolen base.
PR-3B J.C. Escarra: 0-for-1, K
3B-SS Jordan Groshans: 0-for-3
LF Jared Wegner: 0-for-3
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-2, SB (4), BB, K
RF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-2, SB (5), BB, 2 K

RHP Blane Abeyta: (W,2-3) 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
4.86 ERA (37 IP, 45 H, 29 R, 20 ER, 4 HR, 8 BB, 28 K)
RHP Yorlin Calderon: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Between Scranton/Somerset/Hudson Valley: 2.18 ERA (20.2 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 19 K)
RHP Kevin Stevens (S, 2): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Hudson Valley (17-15) (Defeated Jersey Shore, 9-3)

2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-5, 2B (5), SB (6), K
.213/.343/.382 in 108 PA. Riggio is hitting .204 in his first 45 professional games, which is something to monitor. He makes a lot of contact and it is nice to see some extra-base hits in 2024.
SS Jared Serna: 0-for-1, 3 RS, 4 BB
Serna’s first career 4 BB game (not that it should be common). He is hitting .250/.375/.448 (15.97% BB; 13.9% K) in 144 PA. Going back to 4/28, he is 20-for-55 (.364) with 9 walks and 10 strikeouts. Interestingly, the only three homers he has during this streak were hit on the same day (5/1). Baseball!
CF Jace Avina: 1-for-3, 2B (9), RS, 2 BB, K
Avina now owns a 10-game hitting streak and is hitting .293/.404/.476 in 99 PA. This is the 20-year-old’s first taste of High-A, and he is holding his own. Last year, in A ball for the Brewers’ organization, he hit .233/.373/.442. Avina’s .440 BABIP will come down, so we’ll have to see where he settles in.
C Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-3, 3 RS, 2 BB
.322/.386/.517 (9.1% BB; 14.4% K) in 132 PA. He is second in the Sally League in average and 6th in slugging percentage. It is easy to see him in Somerset this season. Last year, the Yankees played him in 84 Low-A games before promoting him here. He is at 55 games at this level (his triple slash is a ridiculous .337/.422/.524).
DH Rafael Flores: 2-for-4, 2B (8), 3 RBI, RS, BB, K
Flores has three multi-hit games in his last four games played.
1B Josh Moylan: 2-for-5, 3 RBI, RS, K
There’s a hot streak in Moylan somewhere…it hasn’t come out yet.
LF Nelson Medina: 1-for-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
3B Beau Brewer: 0-for-4, K
RF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-3, BB, K

RHP Baron Stuart: (W, 1-1) 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
4.13 ERA (24 IP, 23 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 16 K)
RHP Matt Keating: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
3.60 ERA (20 IP, 12 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 24 K). Keating (23) struck out 93 in 65.1 IP for Low-A Tampa last year.
RHP Luis Arejula: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Tampa (11-24) (Defeated Bradenton, 5-0)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-4, K
DH Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4, K
Hardman started his rehab here, went to the FCL for one game, and is now back. It makes sense to somebody, and that is all that matters.
3B Roderick Arias: 1-for-3, 2B (5), 2 RS, 2 SB (9), BB, K
I am asked what my honest assessment of Arias is. The answer? I don’t have one. We have to see how he progresses as the season goes along. Earlier in 2024, he was generating some power without the walks. Now, he is walking more but the power has drifted away (only two extra-base hits in May after compiling eight in April). It’s all a part of a process that will take a while to play out.
1B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-4, RBI, RS, 2 K
Jasso has 16 RBI in 13 May games.
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-2, RS, 2 BB
Castillo is 10-for-36 with 14 walks in May. As is the case with Jasso, he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
CF Willy Montero: 1-for-2, RBI, RS, 2 BB, K
Montero has hit safely in eight of his last nine games.
2B Hans Montero: 2-for-3, 2B (2), 2 RBI, BB, K
13-for-37 (.351). Last 6 games: 9-for-19. He has four multi-hit games in his last five starts.
C Manuel Palencia: 1-for-4, K
RF Daury Arias: 0-for-3

RHP Luis Serna: (W, 2-2) 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K
Brilliance. Season: 5.40 ERA (26.2 IP, 23 H, 16 R, 16 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 31 K). Three May starts: 15.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 15 K. Don’t forget that Serna is only 19 years old.
RHP Jordy Luciano: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Aaron Nixon: (S, 2) 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
2.33 ERA (19.1 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 0 HR, 16 BB, 21 K)

FCL (4-4)

Scheduled day off.

DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!

Yankees MILB 5/8: Everson Pereira Walks it Off

News:

Nothing.

Scranton (24-10) (Walked it off against Rochester, 5-3. Scranton compiled ten walks but couldn’t do much with the baserunners. In the end, however, it didn’t matter)

2B Caleb Durbin: 2-for-5, 2B (13), RBI, 2 RS, K
His double in the 9th tied the game. Slugging percentage, by year: 2021: .304 (17 games); 2022: .372; 2023: .427; 2024: .461.
RF Everson Pereira: 1-for-4, HR (9), 2 RBI, RS, BB, K
Pereira hit a walk-off 2-run homer with one out in the 9th. He has 17 homers in 66 Triple-A games and 61 in 263 games from 2021-2024.
1B Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-0, 4 BB
Narvaez compiles his second career 4-BB game. Drawing walks is a part of his game (.362 career OBP)
DH Oscar Gonzalez: 0-for-2, K
PH-DH T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-2
It’s too early to tell, but maybe his 17 HR in 86 games last year will not be the norm. That said, he hit .222 while hitting those home runs while he is hitting .314 in 2024 – an interesting storyline to follow.
C Luis Torrens: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, 2 K
3B Jeter Downs: 0-for-3, RBI, BB
CF Greg Allen: 0-for-3, CS (1), BB, K
SS Kevin Smith: 0-for-3, BB
LF Brandon Lockridge: 1-for-3, 2 RS, SB (14), BB, K
.213/.352/.280 in 91 PA (5 doubles, 10 RBI, 15 R, 14-for-15 SB).

RHP Clayton Beeter: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, HR
2.89 ERA (28 IP, 17 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 1 HR, 16 BB, 41 K)
RHP Cody Morris: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
1.50 ERA (18 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 23 K)
RHP Phil Bickford (W, 2-0): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
2.92 ERA (12.1 IP, 13 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 16 K). With Nick Burdi and Tommy Kahnle on rehab stints, slots in the Yankees’ bullpen are about to become tight. They do have nice veteran depth to tap into whenever needed.

Somerset (13-15) (Fell asleep against Altoona, 3-0)

CF Spencer Jones: 0-for-4, 2 K
Jones is 2-for-26 with 11 strikeouts in May and his slugging percentage has dipped under .400 (.395). I am not concerned but, if you listened to some of the “experts,” they said Jones needs time. He’ll get it going again.
1B Ben Rice: 0-for-3, SB (5), BB
Rice has “sneaky” stolen base ability (21-for-25 in his career) but that won’t be his calling card!
DH Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-4, 2 K
SS Ben Cowles: 2-for-3, BB
.337/.414/.564 in 116 PA with an 11.2% BB and 16.4% K. His .388 BABIP is high, but his career mark is .368 in 1,046 PA.
C J.C. Escarra: 0-for-4, K
3B Jordan Groshans: 0-for-2, BB
LF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-2, CS (3), BB, 2 K
2B Anthony Seigler: 1-for-3, 2B (6), SB (3)
RF Aaron Palensky: 0-f0r-3, 2 K

RHP Trystan Vrieling: (L, 2-3): 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
3.34 ERA (35 IP, 26 H, 15 R, 13 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 35 K). This is your reminder that Vrieling was shipped straight to Double-A to make his professional debut. Sometimes, you want to give an advanced kid some time in the lower minors to get his feet wet. The Yankees didn’t deem that necessary. It seems like the correct call.
RHP Leonardo Pestana: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
In 14 innings between here and Hudson Valley, Pestana has allowed two hits with a 19/6 K/BB. Is the move to the bullpen unlocking something? So far, the results are encouraging.
RHP Luis Velasquez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Hudson Valley (14-12) (Lost to Aberdeen, 6-5)

2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-4, HR (2), RBI, 2 RS, BB
Riggio led off the game with a home run.
SS Jared Serna: 1-for-5, 2 RBI, K
Serna increases his hitting streak to 7.
RF Jace Avina: 1-for-4, 2B (6), RS, K
Avina has eight extra-base hits in 16 games. 76 of his 153 career hits have gone for extra bases. Having nearly 50% of your hits go for extra bases seems like a high rate, no?
3B Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-4, 2B (5), RBI
Rodriguez is hitting .328 with a .948 OPS. He is hitting .316 in 209 career games while playing several positions, including catcher. I will once again say that performance matters.
C Omar Martinez: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K
DH Josh Moylan: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-4, 3 K
1B Kiko Romero: 1-for-2, HR (3), RBI, 2 RS, 2 BB
LF Kyle Battle: 1-for-4, 2 K

RHP Baron Stuart: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
4.50 ERA (18 IP, 20 H, 10 R, 9 ER,0 HR, 10 BB, 12 K).
RHP Trent Sellers: (L, 3-1) 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R,0 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Keating: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR
4.32 ERA (16.2 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 20 K)
RHP Cole Ayers: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
1.69 ERA (16 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 6 BB, 21 K)

Tampa (10-20) (Outlasted Clearwater, 9-8)

2B-SS Roderick Arias: 1-for-3, RBI, RS, 2 SB (7), 2 BB
Arias has holes in his game but can impact games. Can we remember that he is only 19 and nobody knows exactly where his career is going?
SS Oswald Peraza: 0-for-2, RS, BB, K
I wouldn’t worry about him being pulled – it is his second rehab game (first in the field). It is how the Yankees typically do things.
2B Dayro Perez: 0-for-2, K
DH Tyler Hardman: 3-for-5, 2 2B (2), HR (1), 4 RBI, 2 RS, CS (1), K
If you kept Hardman down here for 50 games, he might just hit 35 home runs. That said, he is swinging the bat well in the early days of his rehab stint.
1B Dylan Jasso: 3-for-5, 2B (10), RBI, RS, 2 K
Jasso has 13 RBI in eight May games and is hitting .292 with a .911 OPS. Furthermore, he has a 5-game hitting streak that features three multi-hit efforts. Would they consider an early promotion to Hudson Valley? If he keeps this up, do they have a choice?
CF Willy Montero: 1-for-5, RS, K
3B Hans Montero: 2-for-4, 2B (1), 3B (1), RS, BB, 2 K
Montero’s first career multi-extra-base hit game.
RF Coby Morales: 3-for-5, RBI, RS, SB (7), K
Morales has five multi-hit games and 10 RBI in May (eight games played). During this stretch, he has improved his triple slash from .195/.333/.208 to .269/.375/.324.
C Tomas Frick: 2-for-4, 2 2B (5), 2 RBI, RS, K
Frick increases his season-long on-base streak to 14 (12 games feature at least one hit)
LF Tayler Aguilar: 0-for-3, BB, 3 K

RHP Tommy Kahnle: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Kahnle maxed out at 95.5 MPH. His signature changeup resulted in two whiffs (as did his slider)
RHP Cade Smith: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
I wonder if a starter being asked to follow a rehabbing pitcher throws them off. I have no data to support any theory, and Smith’s first inning of work was scoreless so it could just be a tough night. Season: 2.77 ERA (26 IP, 16 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 38 K)
RHP Aaron Nixon: (W, 1-0) 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Nixon’s first professional win – congrats!
RHP Ocean Gabonia: (S, 1) 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

FCL (1-2)

Scheduled day off.

DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!

Yankees MILB 5/1: Jared Serna Homers 3 Times

News:

IF Jon Berti‘s rehab is on pause due to a stiff back, according to Bryan Hoch.

Scranton (18-9) (Defeated Jacksonville, 5-0)

3B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-5, SB (13)
DH Everson Pereira: 2-for-4, 2 RS, SB (3), 2 K
Pereira has a 6-game hitting streak (10-for-29). He is hitting .270/.348/.560.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-3, BB
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 0-for-4, RBI, RS, SB (1), K
C Luis Torrens: 2-for-3, HR (2), 4 RBI, RS, BB
.254/.328/.424 in 67 PA.
2B Jeter Downs: 0-for-4, 2 K
SS Kevin Smith: 0-for-4, 3 K
CF Greg Allen: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K
LF Brandon Lockridge: 1-for-2, RS, SB (12), 2 BB

RHP Clayton Beeter: (W, 3-1) 5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 9 K
2.74 ERA (23 IP, 17 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 13 BB, 35 K). I advocate for Bullpen Beeter but the Yankees have their reasons for keeping him in the rotation. Is it easy to convert to the bullpen? Yes, but they wouldn’t be able to ask him to do the back-to-back days thing right away, for example. He would have to be moved carefully.
RHP Art Warren: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Cody Morris: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
1.42 ERA (12.2 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 7 BB, 15 K)
RHP Duane Underwood Jr.: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Somerset (10-13) (Lost to New Hampshire, 7-0)

C Ben Rice: 1-for-3, BB
Rice has a 5-game hitting streak going (6-for-17; 2 HR, 6 BB)
CF Spencer Jones: 0-for-3, BB, K
1B Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-4
3B Ben Cowles: 0-for-3, BB, K
Anytime you can hold Rice/Jones/Ramirez/Cowles to a 1-for-13 night, it deserves applause.
DH J.C. Escarra: 0-for-4
LF Grant Richardson: 0-for-3, K
RF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-3, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 2-for-3, 2B (5)
.241/.328/.333 in 61 PA. He has hit safely in seven of his last eight games (10-for-29)
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-3, K

RHP Trystan Vrieling: (L, 2-2) 5 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
He cruised until a 5-run fifth inning, where New Hampshire singled him to death. Season: 3.41 ERA (29 IP, 20 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 7 BB, 31 K)
RHP Leonardo Pestana: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Impressive Double-A debut for Pestana.
RHP Yorlin Calderon: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Hudson Valley (14-8) (Defeated Wilmington, 13-10, in a crazy 11-inning affair)

2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 RS, SB (3), 4 BB
Riggio has a pesky reputation and has shown some of that. His BB/K is currently over 1.0 (15/10).
SS Jared Serna: 3-for-7, 3 HR (5), 6 RBI, 3 RS
These are his first home runs since April 7th, but he is on fire: 9-for-16 with two doubles and three home runs in his last three games. He is up to .231 with a .825 OPS (4 doubles, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 17 R, 15.5% BB, 10.3% K, 1-for-3 SB). When he gets going, it can be a sight to see. This is not his best for RBI in a game (he drove home seven on 7/14/23, a day when he hit two home runs).
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-5, RS, HBP, 3 K
LF-C Jesus Rodriguez: 4-for-5, 2B (4), HR (3), RBI, RS, CS (3), BB
Rodriguez has a career average of over .300, but this is his first career 4-hit effort. He is up to .325 with a .899 OPS this season (4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 11 R, 7.95% BB, 14.8% K). You don’t see him near the top of Yankees prospect lists, but he performs. That should count for something.
C Omar Martinez: 2-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI, 2 RS, 2 BB, K
Martinez is hitting .246 with a .845 OPS (1 double, 1 triple, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R, 15 BB, 16 K)
PR-LF Kyle Battle: 0-for-0, RS
1B Josh Moylan: 2-for-6, 2B (1), RBI
Moylan has back-to-back multi-hit efforts.
DH Rafael Flores: 0-for-4, BB
PR-DH Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-0, RS, HBP
3B Kiko Romero: 2-for-5, 2B (2), RBI, BB, K
RF Nelson Medina: 0-for-5, RBI, RS, BB, 2 K

RHP Jackson Fristoe: 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
5.59 ERA (9.2 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 HR, 10 BB, 10 K).
RHP Trent Sellers: 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, HR
2.20 ERA (16.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 9 BB, 23 K).
RHP Matt Keating: 3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Steven Fulgencio: (W, 1-0) 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Fulgencio’s High-A debut.
RHP Huey Morrill (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K

Tampa (6-17) (Defeated Dunedin, 5-4)

2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 4-for-5, HR (1), 4 RBI, 2 RS, SB (8), CS (3)
Tejeda’s second career 4-hit game as he sets a new personal best for RBI. A night like this jumps his triple slash from .276/.330/.310 to .304/.353/.370.
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-5, 2B (2), 2 K
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
3B Dylan Jasso: 2-for-4, 2B (7), K
.253/.387/.413 in 93 PA. He is a 21-year-old corner infielder.
CF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K
LF Willy Montero: 0-for-4
DH Tomas Frick: 1-for-4, 2B (3), RS, 2 K
Frick has reached base safely in all ten of his games this season (9 feature at least one hit). He is at .353/.476/.441.
C Manuel Palencia: 1-for-4, RS
RF Daury Arias: 0-for-3, RS, BB, 3 K

RHP Luis Serna: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
8.62 ERA (15.2 IP, 17 H, 15 R, 15 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 21 K). A nice bounceback after his 2.2 IP/8 ER outing last time.
RHP Cade Austin: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
3.38 ERA (16 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 21 K)
RHP Montana Semmel (W, 2-2): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
1.93 ERA (14 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, 3 BB, 10 K)

FCL (0-0)

The season starts on 5/4.

DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!

Yankees MILB 4/25: Caleb Durbin: 2B, HR, 4 RBI

News:

The Yankees have claimed RHP Michael Tonkin off waivers from the Mets. To make room on the 40-man roster, they designated RHP McKinley Moore for assignment.

Tonkin has 192 games of MLB experience with the Twins, Braves, Twins (again), and Mets. He owns a 4.44 ERA (4.53 FIP) over 235.1 innings with a 23.1% K and 8.0% BB. Tonkin is out of options so he must go on the 26-man roster.

Moore, a hard-throwing reliever with no idea where the ball is going, is a major project. I am not sure if another organization will be willing to put him on their 40-man roster.

According to the Tampa roster page (and what better source is that?), SS George Lombard Jr. was placed on the 7-day injured list. He played a full game yesterday, so hopefully it isn’t a big deal. The 18-year-old is hitting .237/.438/.271 (130 wRC+) in 80 plate appearances with a 25% BB and 23.8% K.

Scranton (15-8) (Mauled Durham, 14-2)

2B Caleb Durbin: 2-for-5, 2B (9), HR (2), 4 RBI, RS, BB, K
Durbin’s second 4-RBI game this season. He is hitting .287/.417/.483 in 108 PA. The power numbers are encouraging.
CF Everson Pereira: 1-for-5, 2B (5), 3 RBI, RS, BB, K
The 3-run double was hit off of a 29-year-old infielder, so take it for what it is worth (we’ll forget this fact by tomorrow)
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-5, RS, BB, 3 K
7-for-30 since his promotion with a pair of walks and 11 strikeouts.
C Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-3, HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 RS, 2 BB
LF Jose Rojas: 1-for-4, 2B (6), RS, BB, K
3B Jeter Downs: 1-for-4, RS, CS (2), BB, K
.264/.355/.491 in 63 PA. Keep it up, Jeter!
DH Josh VanMeter: 2-for-4, 2B (4), 2 RBI, 3 RS, BB, 2 K
SS Kevin Smith: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 RS, SB (6), HBP, K
RF Luis Gonzalez: 1-for-4, RBI, RS, HBP, K

RHP Clayton Beeter: (W, 2-1) 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
3.63 ERA (17.1 IP, 13 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 HR, 9 BB, 26 K)
RHP Duane Underwood Jr.: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
LHP Tanner Tully: (S, 1) 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Somerset (7-11) (Lost to Reading, 5-0)

DH Spencer Jones: 1-for-5, 3 K
.333/.385/.528 in 39 PA with three walks and 11 strikeouts (28.2%)
1B Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-4, BB
Ramirez is down to .213/.342/.557 in 73 PA. He has 11 BB and 13 K, which are still solid during his little slide.
C Ben Rice: 0-for-3, BB
Since hitting homers in four straight games, Rice is 0-for-11, though he has four walks in his last two games.
3B Jordan Groshans: 2-for-4, K
CF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-3, BB
RF Grant Richardson: 2-for-3, BB
.255/.328/.412 in 58 PA. He can play all three outfield positions.
LF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-2, BB, HBP, 2 K
2B Anthony Seigler: 2-for-4, 2B (3)
.231/.333/.308 in 45 PA with six walks and eight strikeouts.
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-4, K

RHP Trystan Vrieling: (L, 2-1) 5.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 7 K
1.88 ERA (24 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 6 BB, 25 K). He had to battle through this one. The overall numbers are strong.
LHP Ryan Anderson: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Luis Velasquez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Hudson Valley (10-7) (Shut Down Bowling Green, 6-0)

SS Jared Serna: 2-for-4, RBI, 3 RS, HBP
Serna needed this game. He is making much contact, so the hits should start piling up.
C Jesus Rodriguez: 2-for-4, RBI, RS, BB, K
.305/.369/.390 in 65 PA. He has seven multi-hit games this season.
1B Omar Martinez: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 BB, K
.300/.426/.520 in 61 PA. He has 11 walks and 11 strikeouts.
LF Garrett Martin: 0-for-2, K
PR-LF Kyle Battle: 0-for-3, 3 K
3B Josh Moylan: 1-for-3, RS, BB, K
DH Rafael Flores: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, K
RF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-3, HBP
2B Beau Brewer: 1-for-4, RS, K

RHP Brian Hendry: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
He threw 46 pitches tonight. This season (his debut season): 11 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 6 BB, 15 K
RHP Trent Sellers: (W, 3-0) 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
1.35 ERA (13.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 5 BB, 22 K)
RHP Luis Arejula: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Tampa (4-14) (Lost to Lakeland, 5-4, in 12 innings)

DH Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-4, RS, BB, K
Tejeda increases his hitting streak to seven.
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-5, BB, 2 K
Arias has drawn one walk in six straight games.
3B Dylan Jasso: 2-for-6, 2B (4), RBI, RS, K
1B Coby Morales: 2-for-5, RS, SB (5), BB
CF Willy Montero: 2-for-6, RBI, SB (5), 3 K
The average is up to .188 (.188/.232/.234 in 69 PA). He got off to a miserable start, so it will take him a while to build up the stat line.
LF Tayler Aguilar: 0-for-5, BB, 4 K
C Tomas Frick: 2-for-5, 2B (2), 2 K
PR Dayro Perez: 0-for-0
C Manuel Palencia: 0-for-0, BB
RF Daury Arias: 1-for-4, 2B (2), SF, RBI, SB (3), BB, 2 K
2B Brenny Escanio: 2-for-4, 2B (3), RS, SB (2), 2 BB, 2 K

RHP Cade Smith: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
2.93 ERA (15.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 HR, 9 BB, 22 K)
RHP Aaron Nixon: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
2.61 ERA (10.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 11 BB, 12 K)
RHP Steven Fulgencio: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Cade Austin: (L, 0-1) 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 0 K

FCL (0-0)

The season starts on 5/4.

DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!

Yankees MILB 4/13: Agustin Ramirez: 6th HR in 7 Games

News:

LHP Josh Maciejewski was designated for assignment by the Yankees. He threw a scoreless inning in his MLB debut a few nights ago.

Unfortunately, this is how baseball works. However, it isn’t all bad for him. If someone claims him, he sticks to a 40-man roster. If not, he goes to Scranton for depth.

The Yankees added Kevin Smith to the MLB roster today. Smith, who replaces the injured Jon Berti, is a .173/.215/.301 career hitter in 333 plate appearances. He is mostly a shortstop/third baseman.

So far this season, the Yankees haven’t shown much faith in Oswaldo Cabrera against LHP. That will need to change as they can’t count on Smith or Jahmai Jones to provide anything offensively. While there is talk that DJ LeMahieu may be back soon, we’ll believe that when he is on the field.

Scranton (9-4) (Defeated Norfolk, 3-0. Even without Jackson Holliday, this lineup is dangerous. Scranton has held them to 12 runs in five games. The Railriders are 5-0 in those games)

CF Brandon Lockridge: 0-for-3, CS (1), BB, K
DH Caleb Durbin: 0-for-4
Durbin has run into a little slump (2-for-16). His strikeout rate has fallen below 5% (4.9).
LF Everson Pereira: 0-for-4, 4 K
Pereira has been hitting better lately but has an unsightly 36.2% K.
C Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, 2 RS, BB, K
Power and walks define his offensive game.
1B Jose Rojas: 1-for-2, 2 BB, K
SS Jeter Downs: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
11-for-34 (.324).
RF Luis Gonzalez: 1-for-4, 3 K
3B Jordan Groshans: 0-for-4
2B Josh VanMeter: 1-for-3, HR (2), RBI, RS, 2 K

RHP Clayton Beeter: (W, 1-0) 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K
An impressive night for Beeter. The Yankees could have gone with him over Cody Poteet but they likely want Beeter to work down here. There is nothing wrong with that. Once again, he was primarily 4-seam (66%)-slider (28%) while mixing in a handful of changeups. He peaked at 95.7 MPH.
RHP Matt Givin: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
The Yankees signed Givin to a minor league contract last August. This is the 24-year-old’s organizational debut (he never pitched above High-A while in the Marlins organization).
RHP Jake Cousins (S, 2): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Somerset (4-4) (Swept a doubleheader up in New Hampshire)

Game 1 (Won, 10-2)

DH Spencer Jones: 2-for-3, 2B (1), RBI, 3 RS, BB
Jones finally makes his 2024 debut. One of the Yankees’ top prospects (he could be #1 based on who you ask), Jones went 8-for-18 with two doubles and a homer during spring training.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 2-for-4, RBI, RS
7-for-23 (.304) with a double, six walks, and four strikeouts.
SS Ben Cowles: 0-for-2, RS, 2 BB, K
C J.C. Escarra: 0-for-2, SF, 2 RBI, BB
CF Grant Richardson: 0-for-4
RF Jared Wegner: 1-for-4, HR (2), 3 RBI, RS, K
Back-to-back games with a home run.
2B Anthony Seigler: 1-for-4, RS, K
LF Aaron Palensky: 2-for-3, 2 2B (3), RS, BB, K
5-for-17 with three doubles, five walks, and five strikeouts.
3B Max Burt: 1-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, 2 RS, SB (1), K
Burt reached double digits in home runs and stolen bases in 2022 and 2023.

RHP Bailey Dees: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 6 K
Bees tosses 81 pitches in his second start of the season. He is converting from the bullpen, so it’s a process.
RHP Kevin Stevens (W, 1-0): 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Game 2 (Won, 3-1)

DH Ben Rice: 1-for-4
.233/.324/.333 in 34 PA. He hit a leadoff HR on Opening Day and hasn’t homered since. Is that a problem? No. It’s the quirks of baseball.
C Agustin Ramirez: 2-for-4, HR (6), RBI, RS
He has homered in six of his seven games this season (and has a 7-game hitting streak that is eight if you go back to 2023). He is hitting .290/.333/.871 in 33 PA.
3B Ben Cowles: 2-for-3, 2B (4), 2 RS, HBP
Cowles is hitting .407/.500/.556 in 32 PA. He has hit safely in seven of his eight games.
RF J.C. Escarra: 1-for-4, 2B (2), RBI, K
Catcher in Game 1, RF in Game 2. That is how a player can keep himself employed.
CF Grant Richardson: 0-for-4, 4 K
2B Anthony Seigler: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 K
LF Jared Wegner: 1-for-3, SB (2)
Wegner had a solid senior season for Arkansas (.312/.457/.674 with 15 home runs), enough for the Yankees to draft him. While he did play a little CF in college, he likely sticks to the corner OF spots in the pros.
1B Spencer Henson: 0-for-3
Like Jones, this is Henson’s 2024 debut. Last season, for Hudson Valley, the 26-year-old hit .252/.327/.453 with 14 home runs in 339 plate appearances.
SS Max Burt: 0-for-2, BB, K

RHP Trystan Vrieling: (W, 2-0) 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
First two professional starts: 11 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 12 K. Is he this year’s Drew Thorpe? Way too early for that, but you have to be encouraged when a kid is thrown straight into the Double-A fire without any other minor league experience and performs.
RHP Carlos Gomez (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Hudson Valley (4-2) (Defeated Rome, 3-0)

2B Jared Serna: 1-for-5, RS, K
.263/.391/.579 in 23 PA with four walks and three strikeouts.
3B Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-4
I have mentioned his versatility in the past. In his six starts this year, he has played third base three times, catcher twice, and left field once. Last year, he played the same positions along with time at first base.
DH Omar Martinez: 1-for-4, 3B (1), RBI, K
7-for-21 with a triple, home run, two walks, and four strikeouts. There is nice catching depth in the system.
RF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, RS, SB (1), HBP
Martin’s first professional stolen base.
C Rafael Flores: 2-for-4, RS, K
7-for-20 with two doubles and a homer. He will split time between catching and first base.
1B Kiko Romero: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2K
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-4, RBI, K
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-4, 4 K
LF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-3, BB, K

RHP Sebastian Keane: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
Keane was used primarily as a reliever during his 2023 debut season. However, he had plenty of experience as a starter in college. They didn’t push him beyond 72 pitches, but this effort was impressive.
RHP Trent Sellers (W, 2-0): 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
6.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 12 K. I would consider this a nice start to his career.
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert (S, 2): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Tampa (2-6) (Defeated Dunedin, 8-7, in ten innings)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 SB (5), 2 BB, 3 K
Lombard Jr. has a silly 35% BB rate. Small sample sizes rule. The single was a 107.2 MPH bullet that brought in the winning run in the 10th.
DH Roderick Arias: 2-for-5, 2 2B (3), RS, CS (2), 2 K
Arias is hitting .212 with a .752 OPS. Five of his seven hits have gone for extra bases (3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR).
3B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-2, RS, 3 BB
7-for-21 with six walks. Many undrafted free agents are on the older side, but Jasso is only 21.
1B Coby Morales: 0-for-4, BB, K
CF Willy Montero: 1-for-5, RBI, 2 K
Montero was second to teammate John Cruz (no longer in the system) with his 43 RBI in the FCL last year. He is off to a slow start here (3-for-26).
RF Daury Arias: 0-for-4, RS, BB, 2 K
C Tomas Frick: 1-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, RS, BB, K
PR Enmanuel Tejeda: 0-for-0, RS
LF Tayler Aguilar: 1-for-2, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 RS, SB (2), 3 BB, K
It has been a frustrating few years for Aguilar, so it’s nice to see him put up this effort.
2B Brenny Escanio: 0-for-4, RS, BB, K

RHP Ryan Harvey: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Harvey spent time on the injured list late last season, so I assume they are bringing him back slowly.
RHP Kris Bow: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
The results aren’t what he wants, but he did touch 97 MPH (he averaged 94). He has control issues (understatement) that he will need to clean up.
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 HR, 1 BB, 4 K
You can work with someone who flashes mid-90s 4-seamers and sinkers (he featured a 5-pitch mix tonight).
RHP Aaron Nixon: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Huey Morrill: (W, 2-0) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

FCL (0-0)

The season starts on 5/4.

DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!