Yankees MILB 7/20: Pitching Rules!

News

RHP Cody Morris cleared waivers and was outrighted to Scranton.

With Josh Maciejewski demoted to Scranton, my guess is that Yoendrys Gomez will get the call. That is a guess, but he is rested and conveniently on the 40-man roster. It appears the Yankees are not ready to promote Scott Effross.

Scranton (50-42) (Defeated Buffalo, 8-3, in 11 innings)

CF Brandon Lockridge2-for-5, 3 RBI, RS, BB
Yesterday, Lockridge went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. I love baseball. 
2B Jorbit Vivas1-for-5, RS, SB (9), HBP, K
C Agustin Ramirez1-for-6, RBI
Ramirez is 15-for-81 (.183) since his promotion. He is not ready to be a “savior,” and they don’t have a position for him anyway. If he played 3B, we would be having a discussion…
SS Oswald Peraza: 3-for-4, 2 2B (6), RBI, 2 RS, CS (4), 2 BB, K
Peraza reaches base five times. A few years ago, that would have created a buzz but much of his buzz is gone, and I am not sure who to blame for that. 
DH T.J. Rumfield0-for-5, RS
3B Jeter Downs1-for-3, SF, RBI, SAC
1B J.C. Escarra4-for-5, 2B (1), RBI, 2 RS
Escarra was promoted here from Somerset. He will serve as a backup to Agustin Ramirez in addition to his 1B/3B duties. While this is his Scranton debut, it wasn’t his Triple-A debut. He played in 58 games for Triple-A Norfolk in 2021 before heading to the independent/Mexican leagues for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
RF Oscar Gonzalez1-for-3, RS, BB, HBP
LF Taylor Trammell0-for-4, SB (10), BB, 2 K

RHP Will Warren5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
6.42 ERA (89.2 IP, 97 H, 70 R, 64 ER, 17 HR, 34 BB, 107 K). Two starts ago, he struck out 11 in six innings (1 R, 2 H). We’ll see if he is starting to find a groove. Left-handed batters have, to put it mildly, torched him this season (.315/.408/.566 entering today). 
RHP Art Warren1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Yerry De Los Santos1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Alex Mauricio1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
0.93 ERA (29 IP, 19 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 13 BB, 33 K). He has been masterful this season.
LHP Anthony Misiewicz: (W, 3-2)  1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Phil Bickford1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K


Somerset (45-44) (Squeaked past Altoona, 2-1)

CF Spencer Jones1-for-4, 2B (14), 2 K
.238/.316/.403 in 342 PA (14 doubles, 3 triples, 10 HR, 46 RBI, 48 R, 18-for-22 SB, 9.6% BB, 37.1% K).  Is he the CF version of Oneil Cruz? That isn’t a bad comparison on paper, but Cruz reached Double-A at 20 (to be fair, Jones was still in college!) and struck out 25.7% of the time. That remains the one thing I can’t get over. Striking out 37.1% of the time in Double-A is a massive red flag. So, I do think Cruz is a good comparison when you factor in size and athleticism. I don’t think Jones is progressing as well as Cruz did.
3B Ben Cowles0-for-4, 3 K
1B Tyler Hardman1-for-4, RS, K
C Rafael Flores: 1-for-4, RBI, 3 K
How do you fix an 0-for-3, 3 K night? By hitting a walk-off RBI single!
DH Elijah Dunham: 1-for-3, RS, K
Dunham has hit safely in 21 of his last 22 games. He is 21-for-51 (.412) in July. 
RF Grant Richardson1-for-3, 2B (19), K
2B Anthony Seigler0-for-3, RBI
LF Aaron Palensky0-for-3, 2 K
SS Alexander Vargas1-for-3, K

RHP Bailey Dees6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR
4.26 ERA (95 IP, 79 H, 50 R, 45 ER, 14 HR, 36 BB, 99 K). Due to the break, Dees hadn’t started since July 12th. I think he needed the time off and it paid dividends tonight.
RHP Danny Watson1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Watson’s overall numbers aren’t spectacular, but I think much of that was due to his return from injury. He has put together six scoreless outings in his last seven, lowering his ERA from 10.13 to 7.47. 
RHP Luis Velasquez: (W, 3-2)  1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
4.75 ERA (36 IP, 31 H, 27 R, 19 ER, 5 HR, 27 BB, 51 K)


Hudson Valley (43-44) (Lost, 4-3, in 11 innings)

2B Roc Riggio: 2-for-5, 3B (4), RS, 2 K
Riggio has two home runs and a triple in his last three games. 
SS Jared Serna1-for-4, SF, 2 RBI
.252/.342/.435 in 374 PA (23 doubles, 12 HR, 55 RBI, 49 R, 10.4% BB, 15.8% K, 10-for-17 SB). 
CF Jace Avina0-for-5, 3 K
.263/.347/.427 in 323 PA (22 doubles, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 38 R, 9.6% BB, 26.3% K, 4-for-5 SB). 
DH Omar Martinez1-for-4, 2B (10), BB
.242/.378/.404 in 296 PA. 
C Antonio Gomez0-for-5, 2 K
3B Josh Moylan1-for-4, 2B (9), RS, SB (2), BB
LF Christopher Familia1-for-3, 2B (3), RBI, HBP
  LF Cole Gabrielson0-for-0, BB
RF Anthony Hall0-for-5, 3 K
1B Kiko Romero2-for-4, RS, 2 SB (8)

RHP Blane Abeyta5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Cole Ayers2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
2.88 ERA (50 IP, 41 H, 20 R, 16 ER, 3 HR, 18 BB, 59 K)
RHP Mason Vinyard1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
3.56 ERA (30.1 IP, 24 H, 18 R, 12 ER, 2 HR, 19 BB, 43 K). 
RHP Matt Keating2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
4.73 ERA (51.1 IP, 39 H, 30 R, 27 ER, 7 HR, 22 BB, 62 K)
RHP Luis Arejula: (L, 3-4)  1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
3.05 ERA (38.1 IP, 33 H, 18 R, 13 ER, 2 HR, 21 BB, 36 K)


Tampa (34-53) (Won two games against Bradenton)

Game 1 (Won, 2-1, in the conclusion of yesterday’s game. This game went 10 innings and was won on a walk-off error)

3B George Lombard Jr.: 2-for-3, RS, SB (26), 2 BB, K
This is Lombard Jr.’s third straight 2-hit effort.
SS Roderick Arias0-for-2, SF, RBI, SB (25), 2 BB, K
Arias has nine walks in his last seven games. 
1B Dylan Jasso0-for-4, BB, K
CF Jackson Castillo0-for-4
RF Willy Montero1-for-4
2B Hans Montero0-for-4, 3 K
DH Coby Morales1-for-4, K
C Josue Gonzalez0-for-4, RS
LF Daury Arias0-for-4, K

RHP Chase Hampton3.2 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 coming to Somerset shortly.
RHP Aaron Nixon0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Nixon was used as a “bridge” between Hampton and Serna.
RHP Luis Serna1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
That bridge will be meaningless, as Serna did not return to this game.
RHP Ocean Gabonia2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
4.20 ERA (45 IP, 45 H, 24 R, 21 ER, 4 HR, 11 BB, 53 K). 
RHP Osiel Rodriguez (W, 1-2): 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR
2.42 ERA (44.2 IP, 22 H, 13 R, 12 ER, 6 HR, 22 BB, 53 K). 

Game 2 (Won, 7-0)

3B George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-3, 2B (16), RBI, RS, K
Lombard’s OPS is up to .717. He owns a .360 slugging percentage. On June 9th, his SLG was .268. His progress is one of the highlights this season.
SS Roderick Arias1-for-3, K
He leads the FSL in triples (7), is 4th in RBI (45), and third in stolen bases (25).
1B Dylan Jasso0-for-3, RBI
CF Jackson Castillo1-for-3, 2B (16), RBI, K
Castillo has a .811 OPS in 70 games. It is fair to say that he has been one of the system’s biggest surprises this year.
DH Willy Montero0-for-3, 2 K
2B Hans Montero1-for-3, RS, SB (9), 2 K
RF Coby Morales: 3-for-3, 2 HR (4), 3 RBI, 3 RS
Morales’ first career multi-HR game. 
C Diomedes Hernandez2-for-3, 2B (1), RBI, RS
The 19-year-old’s first Low-A extra-base hit.
LF Daury Arias0-for-3, RS

RHP Josh Grosz: (W, 3-5)  5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
Last three starts: 15.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 17 K. This stretch comes after a tough emergency outing for Somerset. He could have easily been discouraged by that, but he has instead turned it up a notch. Season (for Tampa): 4.64 ERA (66 IP, 65 H, 47 R, 34 ER, 26 BB, 85 K). This is his debut season.
RHP Jordy Luciano: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Luciano (22) can dial it up into the mid-90s.


FCL (34-21) (Split a doubleheader with the FCL Tigers, essentially chopping two games off the schedule. They own a 1.5-game lead with three games left. Note: They don’t “make up” games in the FCL. If the Yankees win the division by 0.5 games over the Tigers, the Tigers don’t get to make up a game)

Game 1 (Lost, 8-3)

CF Brando Mayea2-for-4, 2B (2), 2 K
DH Edgleen Perez0-for-1, 2 RS, 3 BB
C Engelth Urena: 3-for-4, HR (8), 2 RBI, RS, CS (2)
His 8th HR in 37 games.
LF Brian Sanchez1-for-3, BB
SS Juan Matheus1-for-4, RBI

RHP Sean Boyle1.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
The 27-year-old Boyle is down here on a rehab stint. He made only 9 starts for Scranton last year.
LHP Will Brian1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Their 10th-round pick in 2022 (Eastern Kentucky) makes his first rehab appearance.

Game 2 (Won, 17-5)

CF Brando Mayea2-for-6, 3B (2), 3 RBI, 2 RS
Mayea, who has five 2-hit games in July (8 games played), is hitting .297/.384/.344 in 146 PA with a 25.3% K. He has a pair of doubles and triples and is 16-for-19 stealing bases. In my opinion, the 18-year-old is doing enough to get to Low-A Tampa, whether that is to finish this year or to start 2025.
C Edgleen Perez1-for-4, RS, BB, K
.289/.452/.384 in 208 PA. Perez has more walks (44) than strikeouts (33).
1B Engelth Urena0-for-3, 2 RS, 2 BB
Urena is hitting .315/.429/.591 in 154 PA (11 doubles, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 32 R, 14.9% BB, 11.7% K). He is second in the league in OPS and third in home runs (he has played 15 fewer games than leader Jhonny Severino, who has 10 HR). He is a legitimate prospect with the bat. We’ll see what he is long-term with the glove.
LF Brian Sanchez1-for-3, 2 RS, 2 BB, K
.291/.384/.485 in 190 PA with 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
SS Juan Matheus3-for-5, 2 2B (9), 4 RBI, RS
.312/.418/.478 in 189 PA.  He is third in the league with 38 RBI.
DH Gabriel Terrero2-for-3, 3B (1), 2 RBI, 3 RS, SB (14), BB
2B Abrahan Ramirez3-for-4, 2B (14), RBI, 2 RS, BB
.351/.454/.519 in 184 PA. He has slowed down (.255/.321/.392 in July) but we didn’t expect him to hit .400 this season, right? He still ranks second in batting average.
RF Joel Mendez2-for-4, 3B (4), 2 RS, BB, 2 K
.301/.417/.569 after hitting .293/.363/.424 here last year. Likely not a top prospect, but he has done enough to get to Low-A.
3B Santiago Gomez2-for-4, HR (2), 5 RBI, 2 RS, BB, K
The 20-year-old ties his best for RBI in a game. He is hitting .333/.438/.440 in 89 PA. If you haven’t figured it out, the FCL Yankees are good offensively.

RHP Carlos Lagrange1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
He only has 6.2 innings during his rehab and the FCL season ends next week. If they don’t move him to Tampa, he will need to get some innings this fall/winter.
RHP Hansel Rosario (W, 2-0): 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, HR


DSL Yankees (11-22)

Scheduled day off.


DSL Bombers (20-14)

Scheduled day off.

Yankees MILB 7/12: Cam Schlittler Dazzles

News:

2B/3B Jorbit Vivas was promoted to the Yankees today as 1B/3B J.D. Davis went on the injured list.

How much will Vivas be used? Who knows? Because Davis’ IL stint is retroactive, he will be eligible to return right after the All-Star Break. Vivas may only be here for three games.

However, if he isn’t going to be used, they could have brought up Oswald Peraza to sit on the bench and pinch-run. This leads me to believe that Vivas will play.

See what is going on? The Yankees are leading me to a state of confusion. The good news? They face RHP Grayson Rodriguez tomorrow, so we’ll determine how committed they are to using him.

Scranton (48-41) (Lost to Syracuse, 4-3)

CF Brandon Lockridge1-for-4, 2 SB (30), BB, 2 K
Lockridge reaches 30+ stolen bases for the second straight season. Last year, he stole 40 bases and is well on his way to doing that again. I have used the name Tim Locastro many times and still think he can become that type of MLB player. The opportunity must come, however.
C Agustin Ramirez0-for-4, BB
Ramirez is in a little 1-for-13 slump after his extended hot streak. Baseball is a game of adjusting, re-adjusting, re-re-adjusting, etc.
2B Oswald Peraza1-for-4
DH Carlos Narvaez1-for-4
Narvaez has a 7-game hitting streak. He has one hit in all seven games and only one of them for extra-bases (double). 
1B Jose Rojas2-for-4, HR (17), RBI, 2 RS, 2 K
LF Taylor Trammell0-for-4, 3 K
RF Oscar Gonzalez1-for-4
SS Jeter Downs1-for-4, SB (15), K
I can guarantee you that Downs will get another MLB opportunity. That tends to happen with players who have “prospect pedigree”. He is still only 25 years old.
3B Kevin Smith3-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (10), CS (1)

LHP Edgar Barclay: (L, 3-8) 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR
Barclay has run into a wall in Triple-A. Between last year and this year, he owns a 7.09 ERA in 119.1 IP with a 117/73 K/BB and 31 HR allowed.
RHP Alex Mauricio0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
1.00 ERA (27 IP, 19 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 32 K). I will forever root for prospects like Mauricio to get to MLB. He is 27 years old and has consistently pitched well since entering the organization in 2017. Like every minor leaguer, he missed the 2020 season. On top of that, he missed the entire 2021 season, which put him behind the curve. 
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Duane Underwood Jr.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K


Somerset (42-43) (Lost to Erie, 7-1. A hitting clinic, this was not)

SS Ben Cowles1-for-4, RBI
.296/.375/.475 in 344 PA. His 23 doubles and 47 RBI are personal bests.
1B Tyler Hardman0-for-4, 3 K
C Rafael Flores1-for-4, 2 K
RF Elijah Dunham0-for-3, K
Dunham’s 17-game hitting streak is snapped.
DH J.C. Escarra0-for-3, K
CF Grant Richardson0-for-3
2B Anthony Seigler0-for-3, K
LF Aaron Palensky0-for-2, RS, BB
3B Max Burt1-for-3, 2B (4), K

RHP Bailey Dees: (L, 4-5) 4.1 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
Dees allowed a grand slam in the first inning and couldn’t get on track. This bumps his ERA to 4.45 in 89 IP (77 H, 49 R, 44 ER, 13 HR, 34 BB, 94 K). One thing you worry about is Dees hitting a wall. This is his first season starting, even though he was often asked to go multiple innings as a reliever.
RHP Colby White: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Danny Watson1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Watson has allowed zero runs in four of his last five outings as he continues his recovery from injury.
RHP Matt Sauer1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K


Hudson Valley (42-41) (Defeated Jersey Shore, 6-1. They scored 5 in the first and never looked back)

2B Roc Riggio1-for-5, RS, 2 K
SS Jared Serna0-for-5
Serna is 8-for-41 (.195) with three doubles in July. That said, he has struck out only four times. 
DH Jace Avina1-for-3, RS, 2 BB, K
C Antonio Gomez1-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, RS, BB, K
It is hard to give up on someone who had/has the potential of Gomez. It would be nice to see some signs of prospect life the rest of the season.
1B Josh Moylan1-for-5, RBI, RS, 2 K
RF Garrett Martin0-for-2, RS, BB, HBP
LF Christopher Familia1-for-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI, RS, K
CF Cole Gabrielson1-for-3, RBI, BB
Gabrielson has a 5-game hitting streak.
3B Brenny Escanio1-for-3, RBI, BB, K

RHP Cam Schlittler: (W, 4-3)  6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
2.84 ERA (69.2 IP, 45 H, 30 R, 22 ER, 6 HR, 33 BB, 89 K). He fell one strikeout short of tying his best.
RHP Huey Morrill2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
3.64 ERA (29.2 IP, 28 H, 17 R, 12 ER, 6 HR, 8 BB, 32 K)
RHP Yorlin Calderon1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Minor league baseball can be a numbers game, but I would not have demoted Calderon.


Tampa (30-53) (Lost to Dunedin, 3-0)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Roderick Arias0-for-2, CS (11), 2 BB
Arias has at least one walk in four straight games. In July, he is hitting .265/.390/.353 (9-for-34; 3 doubles, 7 BB, 8 K, 4-for-6 SB).
1B Dylan Jasso1-for-4, 2 K
Jasso’s single broke up a no-hitter in the 7th.
CF Jackson Castillo1-for-3
Castillo, who bats left-handed, has struggled against LHP (9-for-43) but is hitting .267/.405/.439 against RHP with all six home runs. He is 21, so there is time to figure it all out.
RF Willy Montero0-for-2, BB
3B Hans Montero0-for-2, BB, 2 K
C Josue Gonzalez0-for-3
DH Anthony Hall0-for-3
Hall’s rehab was moved here from the FCL.
LF Coby Morales0-for-3, K

RHP Chase Hampton: (L, 0-1)  2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
Hampton reached 91.7 MPH with his 4-seamer but averaged 90.1. Don’t be concerned about velocity yet. He has compiled only 5.2 innings during his rehab.
RHP Gabriel Barbosa5.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K
He stranded a runner for Hampton and dominated from there. He owns a 4.86 ERA in 83.1 IP (82 H, 47 R, 45 ER, 7 HR, 25 BB, 87 K). Drafted in the minor league phase of the Rule 5, Barbosa uses a wide arsenal that includes a slider, cutter, curve, 4-seam fastball, and changeup. According to Savant, he threw two sinkers as well. He is intriguing because organizations don’t target players in the Rule 5 draft for fun. While these players typically do not become MLB players, they can be useful. In 2017 for example, the Yankees traded Yefry Ramirez to the Orioles for international bonus pool money. Ramirez subsequently pitched in 31 MLB games.


FCL (30-17) (Defeated the FCL Tigers, 7-1. This increases their lead to 2 over the Tigers (3 in the loss column). They play the Phillies tomorrow. The Phillies are 3.5 back (4 in the loss column))

CF Brando Mayea2-for-3, RS
Mayea’s first game since June 24th. He was never placed on the Injured List. I wouldn’t worry that he was pulled – that is standard procedure for a returning player. The bonus baby is hitting .272/.370/.301 in 119 PA with a 10.9% BB and 26.9% K. Hopefully, the injuries are over with (he missed time at the beginning of the season as well) and he can play consistently over the final few weeks of the season.
  PH-RF Ramiro Altagracia1-for-2, 2B (1), RBI, RS
C Edgleen Perez1-for-3, RBI, RS, 2 BB
.301/.466/.414 in 176 PA (7 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 29 R, 21.6% BB, 16.5% K). An impressive season for Perez, who doesn’t turn 19 until May 2025.
1B Engelth Urena2-for-5, 2B (9), 2 RS, K
.294/.407/.559 in 123 PA (9 doubles, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 24 R, 13.8% BB, 13.8% K, 4-for-5 SB. Urena turns 20 on August 17th. He likely would be in Low-A now if he didn’t miss the entire 2023 season). He has a 7-game hitting streak and is hitting a ridiculous .516/.634/1.129 in July (16-for-31, 7 doubles, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 12 R, 9 BB, 4 K, 4-for-5 SB). He has passed the early test. Next up is a full-season league.
2B Abrahan Ramirez1-for-3, 3B (3), RBI, K
Unlike with Mayea, it is a little concerning that Ramirez was pulled. He is hitting .370/.470/.551 in 165 PA.
SS Juan Matheus1-for-4, 2 RBI
LF Brian Sanchez1-for-3, BB
.306/.398/.526 in 166 PA
DH Gabriel Terrero1-for-4, RS, SB (13)
Terrero is a perfect 13-for-13 stealing bases (14-for-20 in 2023).
RF-LF Joel Mendez: 1-for-2, RS, SB (2), 2 BB
3B-2B Santiago Gomez2-for-3, CS (5), BB

RHP Indigo Diaz1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
“Who did the Yankees acquire for Lucas Luetge?” Your first answer (Caleb Durbin) is obvious. The second answer is Diaz, a 25-year-old RHP who pitched to a 4.26 ERA in 31.2 IP between Hudson Valley/Somerset in 2023 (43/21 K/BB).
LHP Henry Lalane (W, 1-1): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
“Will Lalane get to Tampa once the FCL season ends?” He needs innings so I assume he will make his way there.
RHP Andrew Landry3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR
Being a 22-year-old draftee from last year, Landry should pitch well at this level. He didn’t start his season until June 22nd, which is why he is still here to begin with.
RHP Omar Gonzalez2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K


DSL Yankees (10-17) (Defeated the DSL Arizona Black, 11-4. They earned 7 hits while walking 6 times and being hit by 6 pitches. Arizona also had four errors. DSL baseball!)

DH Justin Capellan1-for-2, 2B (6), RBI, RS, SB (5), BB, 2 HBP, K
That is what you call an eventful day.
RF Estivenzon Montero: 3-for-4, 3B (1), 2 RBI, 2 RS
The 17-year-old is 8-for-36 with two doubles and a triple in his debut campaign.
LF Dilan Medina1-for-3, RBI, RS, HBP
There’s only so much playing time to distribute, even with two DSL teams. Medina is 7-for-23 with a double and 3 RBI. He is an 18-year-old right-handed bat.

RHP Emanuel Vargas2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Michell Chirinos3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
The 20-year-old owns a 28/13 K/BB over 18.2 IP.
RHP Jesus Mejia (W, 1-0): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Mejia earns his first professional win. He hasn’t allowed a run in 8.2 innings.


DSL Bombers (17-11) (Shut down the DSL Giants Orange, 1-0, in a 7-inning game)

DH Francisco Vilorio0-for-3, K
SS Christofer Reyes1-for-3, 2B (3)
The 16-year-old is hitting .216/.326/.257 with three doubles and 8 RBI.
C Carlos Villarroel: 1-for-3, RS, SB (1)
The 17-year-old picked a good time for his first career stolen base (bottom of the 7th)
LF Browm Martinez1-for-3, RBI
Walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 7th.

RHP Mariano Salomon5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K
0.98 ERA (27.1 IP, 15 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 32 K). He is 20 years old and this is his second season here, so take that into consideration. However, the only way to get off the island is by playing/pitching well.
RHP Enixon Sanchez (W, 2-0): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Sanchez turned 17 on July 7th. He owns a 2.57 ERA in 14 IP with a 12/11 K/BB.

Yankees MILB 7/9: George Lombard Jr. Goes Yard

News:

Brian Cashman said today that RHP Clayton Beeter could be out for the season with a shoulder injury. Beeter appeared in one game for the Yankees (second game of the season) before being sent down to Scranton. For Scranton, he pitched to a 2.53 ERA in 7 starts (32 IP) with a 32.8% K and 15.7% BB. He is on the minor league 7-day injured list. If the Yankees need a 40-man roster spot, a move to the MLB 60-day injured list will be a consideration. While he would rather pitch than do that, he would accrue MLB service time if the Yankees made that move.

Scranton (48-38)  (Defeated Syracuse, 8-6, in ten innings. They were down 4-0 entering the top of the 7th and 5-4 entering the top of the 9th).

SS Oswald Peraza: 2-for-5, 2B (4), RS, SB (9), BB, 2 K
Peraza smoked a leadoff double against the rehabbing Kodai Senga. He is hitting .217 with a .596 OPS.
3B Jorbit Vivas0-for-3, 2 BB, K
C Agustin Ramirez0-for-4, BB, K
1B Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-5, 2 RBI, RS, SB (7), 2 K
47 RBI and 45 runs scored in 69 games. I see him as a Kyle Higashioka-type backup, which would be a solid outcome. And perhaps there is more…
2B Brandon Lockridge1-for-5, RS, SB (28), K
Lockridge’s 4th start at second base (no games in the infield before 2024)
LF Jose Rojas: 3-for-5, 2B (14), 2 RBI, 2 RS, 2 K
CF Taylor Trammell: 2-for-4, RS, BB
RF Oscar Gonzalez1-for-5, 2B (10), 2 RBI, RS
DH Jeter Downs1-for-5, HR (10), RBI, RS, K
Downs’ HR in the 9th tied the game at 5-5. He once hit 24 home runs (2019).

RHP Yoendrys Gomez2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Gomez needed 60 pitches to complete two innings. He has a 4.21 ERA in 51.1 IP (35 H, 25 R, 24 ER, 6 HR, 33 BB, 59 K). He hasn’t pitched terribly but his season has been uneven. As for trade value, his uneven season + lack of options after 2024 will reduce his value.
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Alex Mauricio0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Chasen Shreve2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Shreve has tossed 6.1 scoreless innings since joining the organization.
RHP Scott Effross1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Effross has allowed 5 runs (4 earned) in 5.1 innings since joining Scranton. No need to be concerned. I expect him back shortly after the All-Star Break, as long as he is healthy.
RHP Cody Morris: (W, 6-0)  2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Duane Underwood Jr. (S, 3): 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K


Somerset (41-41) (Lost to Erie, 5-4)

CF Spencer Jones0-for-5
Jones made contact all night after a recent strikeout spree. We have to look at the little things to see if he can build off of them.
SS Ben Cowles1-for-4, RBI, BB, 2 K
Cowles has already set personal bests for doubles (22) and RBI (44).
3B Tyler Hardman1-for-4, BB, 3 K
C Rafael Flores1-for-5, K
RF Elijah Dunham1-for-5, RS, K
Dunham increases his hitting streak to 16.
1B J.C. Escarra1-for-4, HR (4), RBI, RS, K
.231/.326/.374 in 273 PA. The 29-year-old did some catching in college and the independent leagues but never in an affiliated league before the Yankees signed him last winter. He has caught 20 games this year in addition to his work at first base, third base, left field, and right field (1 game).
LF Grant Richardson: 2-for-4, HR (5), 2 RBI, RS, K
.260/.319/.407 in 254 PA. Richardson hit double digits in HR and SB in 2022 and 2023. He needs five more home runs to do it in 2024.
DH Jared Wegner1-for-4, 2 K
2B Anthony Seigler1-for-1, 2B (16), RS, SB (17), 3 BB
.226/.329/.404 in 240 PA. He set a new personal best for stolen bases in a season. In July, he is 8-for-18 with four doubles, six walks, and four stolen bases.

RHP Zach Messinger:  (L, 2-6) 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
The line doesn’t tell you how well he pitched. He allowed three runs in the first before putting up five zeroes. They let him start the 7th inning, he allowed a few baserunners, and both ended up scoring. This is a development setting – in an MLB game, they might pull him after the 6th inning. He owns a 3.86 ERA in 91 IP (75 H, 54 R, 39 ER, 6 HR, 30 BB, 97 K).
RHP Carlos Gomez1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K


Hudson Valley (41-39) (Lost a tough one to Jersey Shore, 3-2)

2B Roc Riggio0-for-5, RBI, K
His on-base streak ends at 21, but he did drive in a run.
SS Jared Serna2-for-5, K
Back-to-back multi-hit efforts. When Serna gets hot, it tends to last. 
CF Jace Avina0-for-4, K
C Omar Martinez0-for-4, 2 K
DH Antonio Gomez1-for-4, 2 K
1B Josh Moylan0-for-2, CS (3), HBP, BB
RF Garrett Martin2-for-3, 2B (10), RS, 2 SB (8), BB
.220/.324/.453 in 180 PA. 
LF Cole Gabrielson2-for-4, RBI, RS, K
3B Brenny Escanio1-for-3, SB (3), BB
The 21-year-old is 13-for-45 (.289) with 6 doubles at this level.

RHP Sebastian Keane1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
The dreaded “Injury Delay” followed by the pitcher being pulled. Let’s hope it is nothing serious.
RHP Trent Sellers3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
3.33 ERA (46 IP, 32 H, 25 R, 17 ER, 2 HR, 29 BB, 56 K). A nice job after being forced into duty earlier than he thought. 
RHP Luis Arejula: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Arejula followed up Sellers with a strong outing of his own. He owns a 3.22 ERA in 36.1 IP (32 H, 17 R, 13 ER, 2 HR, 19 BB, 34 K)
RHP Mason Vinyard (L, 2-2): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K


Tampa (29-51) (Lost to Dunedin, 5-4)

2B George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-3, HR (3), RBI, RS, BB, 2 K
Lombard Jr. crushed the homer (404 feet at 105.8 MPH).  He has three home runs in his last 16 games (0 HR in his first 59 professional games (62 if you include last year’s playoffs)). He had a .271 SLG in April, .288 in May, .370 in June, and .542 in July.
SS Roderick Arias0-for-3, CS (10), BB, 2 K
1B Dylan Jasso0-for-3, BB, 2 K
CF Jackson Castillo0-for-3, BB, K
RF Willy Montero0-for-4, 2 K
3B Hans Montero1-for-4, HR (6), RBI, RS
Montero has a triple and two home runs in his last three games. He set a new personal best for home runs in a season tonight.
C Josue Gonzalez1-for-4, 2B (1), RS, CS (1), K
Gonzalez has hit safely in all six games since his promotion (8-game hitting streak overall). “Is he a legitimate prospect?” Yes. Just like many catchers in this organization. Kids like Gonzalez aren’t package headliners, but don’t be surprised if teams ask about Yankees’ catching prospects as deal sweeteners.
DH Coby Morales0-for-2, BB, K
LF Daury Arias2-for-3, HR (2), 2 RBI, RS, CS (2)
Once an intriguing prospect in the DSL (he drove in 49 runs in 49 games in his debut season), Arias has struggled to get his footing since moving to a full-season league.

RHP Bryce Warrecker4 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR
The 6’8″ Warrecker will take some time to develop. Tonight, he featured a 4-pitch mix, throwing 66% 4-seamers and sinkers along with his slider (28%) and change (6%).
RHP Steven Fulgencio2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: (L, 0-2)  2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
2.43 ERA (40.2 IP, 20 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 5 HR, 21 BB, 48 K). His development is fascinating. Signed for $600,000 in 2018, Rodriguez features a 4-5 pitch mix but has yet to start a game (66 career appearances). As you may suspect, injuries are a part of his story.


FCL (29-17) (Knocked off the Blue Jays, 8-6. The FCL Tigers have won six in a row to pull within one game of the Yankees (2 in the loss column). The two teams square off on Thursday and Friday)

CF Brian Sanchez1-for-4, RBI, 2 RS, 2 SB (14), 2 K
.305/.395/.532 in 162 PA (14 doubles, 3 triples, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 33 R, 14-for-17 SB). It will be interesting to see who gets to Low-A once the FCL season ends. Sanchez has made his case.
C Engelth Urena1-for-2, HR (6), 2 RBI, 2 RS, SB (4), 2 BB, K
Urena has homered three times in the last two games and is 12-for-19 in his last six games (6 doubles, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R, 6 BB, 2 K). He has raised his triple slash from .205/.315/.308 to .289/.407/.557. I would say that is a hot streak.
RF Anthony Hall1-for-5, 2 RBI, 4 K
3B Abrahan Ramirez1-for-4, BB, K
A little downturn (8-for-28 in July, which most players would gladly take) has lowered his triple slash to .370/.472/.541. Ramirez is another Low-A possibility.
2B Gabriel Terrero2-for-4, 2B (5), HR (1), RBI, 2 RS, SB (12), K
The 18-year-old hit 7 HR in 37 games in the DSL last year
1B Luis Ogando1-for-2, RBI, RS, SB (10), BB


DSL Yankees (9-16) (Lead the DSL Nationals, 5-2, in the third inning. This game was suspended due to rain. There is no make-up date listed)


DSL Bombers (16-10) (They defeated the DSL Rangers Blue, 6-1, in the conclusion of their suspended game on Opening Day. Today’s regularly scheduled game was postponed. The Bombers hold a half-game lead over the 14-9 DSL Rangers Blue for the division lead. The DSL playoffs include 8 teams – 6 division winners + 2 wild cards)

Yankees MILB 7/4: Jorbit Vivas Doubles Twice

News:

Happy 4th of July!

LHP Henry Lalane made his 2024 debut today. Standing 6’7″, Lalane was born in the Bronx but moved to the Dominican Republic when he was four months old (which is why he was an international signing and not a draftee). What makes him interesting? A kid his size typically has control issues, which showed up in his 2022 debut season. However, last year, he compiled a 34/4 K/BB over 21.2 IP. Don’t expect instant gratification – he has to develop a third pitch to go with his fastball/change combination (for now, the third pitch is a slider) and has yet to make his full-season debut. His talent could be that of a unicorn, but we are years away from knowing what direction he will go in.

Scranton (46-37)  (Lost to Lehigh Valley, 7-5)

2B Jorbit Vivas2-for-4, 2 2B (5), RBI, 2 RS, HBP
Going back to 6/13: 18 games; 21-for-65 (.323; 5 doubles, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 13 R, 13 BB, 13 K). Yes, he has found his groove and it is impressive.
SS Oswald Peraza0-for-4, BB, K
C Agustin Ramirez: 1-for-4, K
Last 7 games: 6-for-22 (.273; 2 HR)
1B T.J. Rumfield0-for-3, BB
DH Carlos Narvaez1-for-4, 2 K
LF Jose Rojas2-for-4, RS
   PR-CF Brandon Lockridge: 0-for-0
RF Oscar Gonzalez0-for-4, K
CF-LF Taylor Trammell1-for-4, 2B (10), RS, K
3B Jeter Downs1-for-3, RBI, RS, BB, K
.277/.382/.524 in 234 PA (14 doubles, 3 triples, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 39 R, 14-for-20 SB)

LHP Edgar Barclay: (L, 3-7)  5 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 3 HR
After his promotion last year, Barclay has struggled in Triple-A. Would they consider moving him back into a bullpen/swingman role?
RHP Cody Morris1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Alex Mauricio1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
1.03 ERA (26.1 IP, 19 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 10 BB, 30 K). It may not be with the Yankees, but I expect to see the 27-year-old get a chance somewhere. He is a 4-seamer, slider type.
LHP Chasen Shreve1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Ron Marinaccio1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K


Somerset (39-39) (Their game against Reading was suspended due to unplayable playing conditions in the top of the 4th (Somerset has a 5-0 lead). They will resume it tomorrow. This happens sometimes in the minors: The field is unplayable even when the rain stops)

CF Spencer Jones0-for-1, RS, BB, K
SS Ben Cowles1-for-2, HR (7), 3 RBI, RS
This will be Cowles’ 4th 3-RBI game this season.
1B Tyler Hardman0-for-2, K
DH Rafael Flores1-for-1, HR (2), RBI, RS, HBP
Flores has three doubles and two home runs in 9 games since his promotion.
LF Elijah Dunham0-for-2
C J.C. Escarra0-for-1
RF Jared Wegner1-for-1, RS
2B Anthony Seigler1-for-1, 2B (15), RS
This is Seigler’s third double in four July games.
3B Max Burt0-for-0, SF, RBI

RHP Trystan Vrieling3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
At least he got three innings in before the rain started. Season: 5.67 ERA (85.2 IP, 94 H, 57 R, 54 ER, 9 HR, 27 BB, 83 K). His numbers were impacted greatly by his last two starts (8 IP, 22 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 4 BB, 9 K).


Hudson Valley (40-37) (Shut down Brooklyn, 6-0)

2B Roc Riggio1-for-4, 2B (16), RS, HBP
Riggio has a 20-game on-base streak and has doubled in seven of his last eight games.  He is hitting .229/.374/.402 in 265 PA with a 16.2% BB and 17.7% K. The walks have been there all year – it’s nice to see the rest of his offensive game start to heat up.
SS Jared Serna1-for-5, 2B (21), RS
Serna is tied for second in the Sally League in doubles and RBI (52). 
RF Jace Avina1-for-4, RS, 2 K
DH Omar Martinez2-for-4, HR (9), 3 RBI, RS, 2 K
.238/.381/.410 in 260 PA. For Tampa in 2023, he hit .251/.367/.445. 
C Antonio Gomez2-for-4, HR (2), RBI, RS, K
3B Josh Moylan1-for-3, SB (1), BB, K
Moylan’s first career stolen base.
LF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, BB, K
1B Kiko Romero: 2-for-4, HR (5), RBI, RS, SB (5)
.223/.357/.392 in 157 PA. 
CF Cole Gabrielson1-for-3, SB (8), BB, K

RHP Blane Abeyta: (W, 1-1)  6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
A solid start for the 25-year-old. He essentially is a minor-league innings eater for the Yankees, but there’s no shame in that.
RHP Matt Keating2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
4.20 ERA (45 IP, 34 H, 23 R, 21 ER, 7 HR, 18 BB, 56 K). Keating recently had rough outings (2 IP, 4 R; 1 IP, 5 R) but has been solid most of the season.
RHP Cole Ayers1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
2.45 ERA (44 IP, 33 H, 16 R, 12 ER, 2 HR, 15 BB, 54 K). Ayers (24) is up to 62 IP at this level. I assume he will make his way to Somerset sometime in the second half.


Tampa (27-49) (Lost a tough one to Lakeland, 1-0)

SS George Lombard Jr.: 2-for-4
Lombard Jr.’s OPS briefly went over .700 tonight but ended the night at .699. Going back to June 11th: 19 games; 21-for-72 (.292; 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 11 R, 9 BB, 16 K, 8-for-10 SB)
DH Enmanuel Tejeda1-for-4, SB (24)
Between here and the FCL (rehab stint), Tejeda has 26 stolen bases in 46 games.
2B Roderick Arias1-for-4, 2B (11), K
Arias’ first extra-base hit against an LHP this season.
1B Dylan Jasso0-for-3, HBP
  PR Coby Morales0-for-0
CF Jackson Castillo0-for-3, BB, K
3B Hans Montero0-for-3, BB, 2 K
LF Willy Montero0-for-4, K
C Tomas Frick1-for-4
RF Daury Arias1-for-3

RHP Bryce Warrecker: (L, 0-2)  1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Warrecker was pulled only because there was a long rain delay.
RHP Osiel Rodriguez3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
1.86 ERA (38.2 IP, 17 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 5 HR, 20 BB, 45 K). 
RHP Montana Semmel2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Ocean Gabonia1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Gabonia owns a 4.62 ERA with a 45/10 K/BB over 39 IP.


FCL (26-15) (Lost to the Tigers, 8-1)

CF Brian Sanchez0-for-3, SB (12), BB
1B Engelth Urena2-for-4, HR (3), RBI, RS, K
He has 5 doubles and 3 homers in 24 games.
3B Abrahan Ramirez2-for-4, 2 2B (12)
Ramirez is back to .400. Statistics at this level can be misleading, but .400/.507/.591 stands out. That is *not* normal at this level.

LHP Henry Lalane1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, HR
Results won’t matter for a while.
RHP Omar Gonzalez4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
The 18-year-old didn’t want to be overshadowed today! Standing 6’4″, walks have been an issue (18 in 18.2 IP this year).
RHP Chris Kean1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Kean likely needs his ticket to Low-A Tampa stamped.


DSL Yankees (9-13) (Lost to the DSL Cardinals, 2-1)

SS Dexters Peralta0-for-4, SB (8), K
3B Richard Matic: 0-for-3, BB, K
C Justin Capellan1-for-4, K
.255/.333/.340 in 54 PA for the 17-year-old.

RHP Luis Burgos: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K


DSL Bombers (12-9) (Lost to the DSL Mets Orange, 9-5)

CF Francisco Vilorio1-for-3, 2B (1), 2 RBI, RS, BB, K
He filled in the “triples” and “home runs” columns earlier this season. He is hitting .270/.357/.432 in 42 PA with 10 runs batted in.
2B Luis Escudero0-for-3, RS, 2 SB (14), BB, K
14-for-16 stealing bases in 16 games. 
LF Angel Ventura1-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, RS, SB (8), K
The 18-year-old is hitting .182/.308/.212 with 8 stolen bases in 9 attempts.

RHP Carlos Almonte: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K