Notes:
I have nothing fun to report.
Scranton (9-5) (Swept a doubleheader over Rochester)
Game 1 (Walked it off in a 3-2 win)
DH Cooper Hummel: 0-for-2, BB, K
PH T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-0, R, BB
2B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
Vivas walked it off in the bottom of the 7th.
LF Everson Pereira: 0-for-3, 2 K
.250/.326/.350 in 46 PA (10.9% BB, 36.9% K).
RF Ismael Munguia: 0-for-2, R, BB
1B Dominic Smith: 0-for-3
3B Jose Rojas: 1-for-3, HR (2), RBI, R
C Ronaldo Hernandez: 1-for-2, BB
SS Andrew Velazquez: 1-for-3, 2B (2), RBI
CF Duke Ellis: 0-for-3, K
RHP Zach Messinger: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
4.63 ERA (11.2 IP, 13 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 9 K). One thing that Messinger limits is long balls (9 HR in 150 IP last season). He can work his way to MLB this season, but remember that A) the Yankees didn’t invite him to spring training and B) he was exposed in the Rule 5 draft and nobody took him, despite some upper-level success.
RHP Yerry De Los Santos: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
LHP Tyler Matzek: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Matzek topped out at 95.9 MPH. At 34 years old, he can still bring it.
RHP Geoff Hartlieb (W, 1-0): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Game 2 (Won, 8-0)
RF Ismael Munguia: 2-for-2, 3 R, SB (3), 2 BB
Munguia is hitting .314 with a .773 OPS (2 doubles, 3 RBI, 10 R, 5 BB, 5 K)
C Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-2, RBI, 2 R, HBP, BB
Rodriguez was promoted here today, but it is likely because they needed a body for the doubleheader. I imagine he will be back in an Uber to Somerset tonight.
3B Jorbit Vivas: 3-for-4, 2B (3), 3 RBI, R, CS (2)
Vivas is hitting .306 with a .900 OPS (3 doubles, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 9 R, 14.5% BB, 6.5% K). He had a 16.7% K last season.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-2, 2B (5), 3 RBI, HBP, BB
There certainly can come a time when Rumfield (5 doubles, 3 HR, 12 RBI in 14 games) asks what more he needs to do. The good news is that, eventually, the Yankees have to add him to the 40-man or risk losing him to minor league free agency.
LF Dominic Smith: 1-for-4
DH Jose Rojas: 0-for-3, SF, RBI, 2 K
2B Andrew Velazquez: 0-for-3
SS Braden Shewmake: 2-for-3, 2B (1), R
CF Duke Ellis: 1-for-3, R, 2 SB (2), K
RHP Sean Boyle: (W, 1-2) 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
The 28-year-old Boyle has toiled in the system since 2018. He would be a fun story if he made it to MLB, but he has to earn that. Due to injuries, he was limited to 56 total innings in 2023-2024 (155.1 innings in 2022).
RHP Wilking Rodriguez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
LHP Brent Headrick: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Somerset (4-5) (Lost to Reading, 8-7)
2B Dylan Jasso: 2-for-5, 3B (1), 2 RBI, 2 R
Jasso’s first professional game at 2B. Are they trying to add some utility to his profile (normally plays 1B/3B)?
CF Spencer Jones: 3-for-5, 2 HR (3), 4 RBI, 2 R, SB (3), 2 K
Jones has four career multi-HR games. He is hitting .290/.421/.613 (1 double, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 8 R, 3-for-3 SB, 15.8% BB, 36.8% K)
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-5, 2 K
.219/.324/.438 in 37 PA. He is in a little 1-for-15 slide.
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-4, K
1B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-4, 2B (4), SB (2), K
Hardman has doubled in three straight games.
LF Grant Richardson: 1-for-4, K
DH Jared Wegner: 0-for-4, 2 K
3B Jake Gatewood: 3-for-4, 2 2B (5), 3B (1), 2 R
Gatewood is turning on the extra-base hit machine (two doubles yesterday, two doubles and a triple today).
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-3, RBI, R, BB, K
RHP Trent Sellers: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Sellers had a strong first season in 2024. It will be interesting to see how he fares in Somerset.
RHP Jordany Ventura: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
RHP Luis Pacheco: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Danny Watson (L, 0-1): 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 2 HR
A rough day at the office – have to shake it off.
Hudson Valley (5-4) (Lost to Brooklyn, 8-1)
CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-4, 4 K
Toss this game out and move on to the next.
SS George Lombard Jr.: 2-for-4, K
Back-to-back multi-hit efforts. The power hasn’t shown up yet at this level (one extra-base hit in 8 games; 9 in 37 games going back to last year), but he is otherwise doing well for a teenager (.286/.417/.357).
LF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-3, BB, K
.276/.400/.379 in 35 PA.
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-3, HBP, K
C Omar Martinez: 0-for-4, K
2B Jose Colmenares: 1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, R
Colmenares (23) hit 7 HR in 26 games for Low-A Tampa last year.
1B Coby Morales: 0-for-3, BB
3B Brenny Escanio: 0-for-3, 2 K
DH Kiko Romero: 0-for-3
RHP Bryce Cunningham: 6 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, HR
Not as smooth as his professional debut, but to his credit, he allowed one run after a 5-run first inning. He owns a 13/1 K/BB in 11 innings.
RHP Huey Morrill: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Hayden Merda: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Tampa (5-4) (Use a 4-run first to knock off Fort Myers, 4-2)
C Edgleen Perez: 0-for-4, R, BB, K
CF Brian Sanchez: 2-for-5, 2B (3), 2 K
.281/.361/.500 in 36 PA (3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K). He’s only 20,
DH Engelth Urena: 1-for-3, R, SB (2), CS (1), 2 BB, K
A lot of excitement over this kid’s bat and he showed some of that potential in the FCL last year. Like everyone, he has to prove it in a full-season league. On the positive side, he is taking his walks (9 in eight games).
3B Parks Harber: 2-for-4, 3B (1), HR (2), 3 RBI, R, 2 K
Harber’s home run was crushed (399 feet/107.9 MPH). Four of Harber’s eight hits have gone for extra bases (1 double, 1 triple, 2 HR). He has ten RBI in nine games.
LF Tyler Wilson: 0-for-4, 4 K
RF Dillon Lewis: 2-for-4, HR (1), RBI, R, 2 K
Speaking of crushed homers, Lewis’s home run was hit 383 feet at 109.3 MPH.
2B Hans Montero: 1-for-4, K
SS Juan Matheus: 0-for-2, 2 SB (2), 2 BB
Matheus has five walks and two strikeouts in six games (94 BB, 84 K in 115 career games). He also has 40 career stolen bases (though he has been caught 18 times)
1B Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-3, SB (2), BB, K
RHP Gage Ziehl: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Professional debut for the 21-year-old drafted in the 4th round last year (Miami). He threw 50% cutters (maxed 92.7), 24% 4-seamers (maxed 94.4), 24% sliders, and one sinker. For Miami in 2024, he went 5-3 with a 3.87 ERA and 89/28 K/BB over 100 innings. The Yankees system, seen as mid-pack or lower by most, can take a significant step forward if their 2024 draft bears some pitching fruit. It is their specialty. While it is too early to conclude anything, their drafted arms are off to good starts.
RHP Brandon Decker (W, 1-0): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Decker’s first professional win. He relies more on an assortment of pitches than power, though he did top out at 93.3 with his sinker today.
RHP Tony Rossi: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Rossi is already 25 and will be fast-tracked if he shows anything. His sinker reached 93.6 MPH today.
RHP Chris Veach (S, 1): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR
Veach threw 71% change-ups and 14% curveballs. Pitchers who rely on breaking balls/changeups often can confuse batters at the lower levels, even if those pitchers aren’t elite, so we’ll see how it translates as he moves up.
FCL (0-0)
Their season starts on May 3rd.
DSL (0-0)
Their season starts in June.