Tag: Grant Richardson

Yankees MILB 4/26: Agustin Ramirez’s Big Night

News:

2B Jorbit Vivas, who played in two games since returning from his eye injury, was placed on the 7-day injured list today.

RHP Brian Hendry, receiving buzz in prospect circles, was placed on the 7-day IL today for Hudson Valley. His outing yesterday was short. It is often hard to know if a short outing is a part of a plan or injury. In this case, it was injury.

Scranton (16-8) (Defeated Durham, 6-2)

3B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-4, RS, CS (1), HBP, K
DH Everson Pereira: 2-for-5, 2B (6), 2 RS
.256/.340/.593 in 97 PA (6 doubles, 1 triple, 7 HR, 18 RBI, 17 R, 9 BB, 33 K, 2-for-4 SB)
1B T.J. Rumfield: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 RS, BB, K
Since promotion: 9-for-34 (.265/.316/.353). He has yet to homer in 17 games after hitting 17 HR in 86 games last year (that was the outlier season in his short career)
C Carlos Narvaez: 2-for-4, SF, 2 RBI, RS
2B Luis Torrens: 1-for-4, HBP, K
LF Josh VanMeter: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, K
SS Jeter Downs: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 K
.281/.364/.491 in 67 PA. 
RF Luis Gonzalez: 1-for-4, K
CF Brandon Lockridge: 0-for-4, 2 K

LHP Edgar Barclay: (W, 2-1) 5.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
2.70 ERA (23.1 IP, 19 H, 11 R, 7 ER, 2 HR, 13 BB, 26 K)
LHP Josh Maciejewski: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
LHP Anthony Misiewicz: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Somerset (8-11) (Crushed Reading, 13-2)

CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-4, 2 2B (3), RBI, RS, CS (3), BB, K
Jones is 14-for-40 (3 doubles, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 9 R, 4 BB, 12 K, 3-for-6 SB)
1B Agustin Ramirez: 3-for-4, 2B (1), HR (8), 2 RBI, 2 RS, 2 BB, K
I find it funny that Ramirez had no extra-base hits other than home runs entering tonight. He is hitting .246 with a 1.011 OPS (1 double, 8 HR, 17 RBI, 13 R, 12 BB (15.2%), 13 K (16.5%))
C Ben Rice: 2-for-4, 2B (2), 2 RS, 2 BB, 2 K
Rice is hitting .254 with a .862 OPS (2 doubles, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 15 R, 11 BB (13.1%), 21 K (25%))
3B Ben Cowles: 1-for-5, RBI, 2 RS, BB, K
Cowles is at .344 with a 1.020 OPS (8 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 12 R, 11 BB, 14 K, 3-for-3 SB)
DH J.C. Escarra: 2-for-6, 3B (2), 2 RBI, 2 RS
RF Jared Wegner: 1-for-5, RBI, RS, BB
LF Grant Richardson: 3-for-6, 2B (6), HR (2), 3 RBI, RS
Richardson is at .281 with an .835 OPS (6 doubles, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R, 4 BB, 15 K). He has hit safely in seven of his last eight games.
2B Anthony Seigler: 1-for-5, 2B (4), RBI, RS, BB, K
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-5, 2B (1), RBI, RS, 2 K

RHP Blane Abeyta: (W, 1-3) 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Abeyta struck out ten and 11 in games last year.
RHP Tanner Myatt: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Hudson Valley (11-7) (Defeated Bowling Green, 5-1)

CF Jace Avina: 1-for-3, RBI, HBP, K
Avina is 9-for-25 with a double, home run, and 3 RBI.
SS Jared Serna: 0-for-4, SB (1), 2 K
Serna hasn’t been able to get on base enough to show off his speed. He stole 29 bases in 37 attempts in 2023.
DH Omar Martinez: 1-for-4, 2B (1), RS, 2 K
.296/.415/.519 in 65 PA. 
2B Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-3, 3B (1), RBI, RS, BB
.306/.377/.419 in 69 PA. He continues to hit while playing all over the field.
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-3, SF, RBI, 2 K
.225/.385/.300 in 52 PA with a home run, ten walks, and 16 strikeouts.
C Rafael Flores: 1-for-3, 2B (5), RS, BB, K
3B Kiko Romero: 1-for-3, HR (2), 2 RBI, RS
RF Nelson Medina: 0-for-3, 3 K
LF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-2, 2B (1), RS, HBP

RHP Sebastian Keane: (W, 1-2) 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Keane sets a personal best for strikeouts in a game. Season: 5.63 ERA (16 IP, 19 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 0 HR, 9 BB, 19 K). He has two strong starts and two not-so-great starts. They are building up his innings load.
RHP Matt Keating: (S, 2) 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
11.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 6 BB, 14 K

Tampa (4-15) (Lost to Lakeland, 6-4, in 10 innings)

2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-5, RBI,K
Tejeda has a 7-game hitting streak. He is at .316/.365/.355 in 85 PA with three doubles, six walks, and 18 strikeouts.
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 2-for-5, 2B (1), 2 RBI, K
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-4, BB, 3 K
Arias has drawn exactly one walk in seven straight games. He is hitting .208/.329/.361 in 85 PA with 12 walks and 34 strikeouts (40%)
3B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-5, 2 K
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-5, RS, 2 K
LF Jackson Castillo: 2-for-3, SB (2)
  LF Tayler Aguilar: 0-for-1
CF Willy Montero: 0-for-3, RBI, RS, BB, K
DH Tomas Frick: 1-for-3, RS, HBP
Frick is 7-for-24 with five walks and five strikeouts.
C Edinson Duran: 2-for-4, RS, K

LHP Allen Facundo: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
2.31 ERA (11.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 9 BB, 7 K). The 6’0″ 21-year-old reached 96.5 MPH with his 4-seamer, though none of his fastballs resulted in whiffs. Just someone to put somewhere on your “watch” list.
RHP Kris Bow: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Montana Semmel: (L, 1-2) 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 1 K

FCL (0-0)

The season starts on 5/4.

DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!

Yankees MILB 4/5: Roderick Arias Homers in Tampa Debut

News:

OF Spencer Jones was scratched from tonight’s lineup in Somerset due to a stiff neck.

The Yankees signed veteran infielder Rougned Odor to a minor league deal with a July 1st opt-out.  Odor hit .202/.286/.379 in 102 games for the 2021 Yankees. I never thought I would need to relive those days.

His calling card is the home run (178 home runs in 4,424 plate appearances) but his MLB value is limited. I am not a fan, but minor-league depth is always welcome. I doubt he is going to take time away from Caleb Durbin. He will likely rotate with the other non-prospect veterans.

Scranton (3-2) (Doubled up Syracuse, 8-4)

LF Greg Allen: 0-for-3, RS, 2 BB, K
2B Caleb Durbin: 2-for-2, HR (1), 3 RBI, 3 RS, 2 SB (4), 3 BB
If Durbin adds extra-base hit power to his profile, he could become more than a hypothetical to start the 2024 season as the Yankees’ second baseman. It is too early to go that far, but he is off to an incredible start (10-for-19, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R, 5 BB, 1 K, 4-for-4 SB)
C Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-2, RBI, RS, 3 BB, K
CF Everson Pereira: 0-for-4, HBP, 2 K
1B Jose Rojas: 1-for-4, HR (2), 4 RBI, RS, BB, K
3B Luis Torrens: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
I have nothing against Torrens (who is typically a catcher), but this is why Odor has room to get some playing time without upsetting the apple cart. 
SS Kevin Smith: 0-for-3, 2 SB (2), 2 BB, 2 K
DH Jordan Groshans: 1-for-3, RS, BB, K
RF Brandon Lockridge: 0-for-2, RS, 2 BB, K

RHP Yoendrys Gomez: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR
This is a big season for Gomez, who is out of options in 2025. Unless they trade him, we should see him in MLB this year.
RHP Phil Bickford: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR
Bickford was recently signed to add more pitching depth.
RHP Cody Morris: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
LHP Josh Maciejewski: (W, 1-0) 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
RHP Ron Marinaccio: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Marinaccio is on the 40-man, but the Yankees chose to bring up Dennis Santana instead. Some of the shine may be off, but he can still work his way back.

Somerset (1-0) (Defeated Richmond, 5-4)

DH Ben Rice: 1-for-5, HR (1), RBI, RS, 3 K
Rice homers in his first at-bat of the season. While he is in Double-A (for now), there is a possibility that he will make his debut this season. He is eligible for the Rule 5 this winter.
C Agustin Ramirez: 2-for-5, HR (1), RBI, RS
Ramirez, who jumped from Tampa to Hudson Valley to Somerset last season (impressive for anyone, but especially for a catcher) went back-to-back with Rice to start the game. 
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-3, BB
Rumfield underwent a power spike in 2023.
SS Ben Cowles: 1-for-4, 2B (1), RS, K
Cowles received some playing time in the Arizona Fall League. He hit .290/.405/.551 in 20 games with four homers.
CF Grant Richardson: 3-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, RS, K
Richardson’s ability to play CF adds to his value. He went 18-for-53 with five home runs and five stolen bases in his first taste of Double-A in 2023.
LF Aaron Palensky: 1-for-4, RS, 2 K
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-2, 2 BB
Seigler, once a promising catching prospect, makes his 14th career start at second base.
RF Jared Wegner: 1-for-3, BB
3B Max Burt: 1-for-2, 2B (1), RBI, 2 BB
The 27-year-old Burt has served as a utility player for Somerset over the last four seasons (he played some for Trenton in 2019, as well!). Sometimes when a player hangs around this long, you feel that the Yankees see something beyond just playing ability. 

RHP Zach Messinger:  5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR
Messinger, who is better than his career record, has a solid 2024 debut. His main issue is walks, something that can be fixed. He is relatively new to starting games.
RHP Luis Velasquez (W, 1-0): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
In 2023, Velasquez pitched to a 1.74 ERA in 62 innings with a 77/33 K/BB. He pitched for Tampa and Hudson Valley.
RHP Jack Neely (S, 1): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Neely is tall (6’8″) and has an opportunity to make his MLB debut in 2024.

Hudson Valley (0-1) (Lost to Bowling Green, 6-1)

2B Roc Riggio: 0-for-4, 2 K
Riggio (left-handed bat drafted in the 4th round last year) is an emotional gamer. He is the type of player you love if he is on your side but may annoy fans on the other side. 
SS Jared Serna: 1-for-4, K
Serna isn’t big but has shown pop in his minor-league career. He is still looking for his first High-A homer (123 plate appearances). He hit 19 while in Tampa last season.
DH Omar Martinez: 1-for-4
C Jesus Rodriguez: 2-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS
Rodriguez was my favorite under-the-radar prospect to follow last year. He played C/1B/3B/LF and maintained solid offense (.310/.399/.450 in 460 plate appearances). He was the only player in the system to hit over .300 (amongst those with 350+ PA). Ben Rice and Everson Pereira also hit over .300 if I drop that to 300+ plate appearances.
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-4, 2 K
Moylan, out of East Carolina, was a highly sought-after undrafted free agent last year.
LF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, HBP, K
RF Anthony Hall: 0-for-4, 4 K
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-3, 2 K
3B Kiko Romero: 1-for-3, 2 K

RHP Sebastian Keane: (L, 0-1) 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Keane has a rough first outing, but no big deal. Move on to the next one!
RHP Yorlin Calderon: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
His stint in Scranton was a “we need an arm” thing.
RHP Matt Keating: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Cole Ayers: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

Tampa (1-0) (Defeated Fort Myers, 4-2)

2B George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 RS, SB (1), BB, 2 K
Lombard was their first-round pick in the 2023 draft. This is not his Low-A debut (.273/.415/.303 in a small sample size last year). 
SS Roderick Arias: 2-for-5, HR (1), 2 RBI, RS, 3 K
Arias, who has superstar potential (we’ll see) struck out in his first two Low-A plate appearances before turning his night around in a hurry. His homer broke a 2-2 tie in the 7th.
3B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-4, RBI, CS (1), 3 K
Like Lombard and Arias, Tejeda can play shortstop. In the FCL, he hit .307/.465/.458 in 50 games.
LF Coby Morales: 1-for-4, SB (1), 3 K
1B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-2, BB, HBP
CF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-4, 3B (1), 2 K
Castillo is a 20-year-old who went undrafted last year. 
RF Willy Montero: 2-for-4, 2B (1), K
Montero drove in 43 runs in 47 games in the FCL last season.
DH Brenny Escanio: 0-for-4
C Edinson Duran: 0-for-3, RS, BB
The 21-year-old Duran hit .314/.405/.457 in 32 FCL games last year. This is not his full-season debut as he went 0-for-2 in a random game for Scranton. 

RHP Cade Smith: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Smith is a 21-year-old drafted in the 6th round in the 2023 draft out of Mississippi State. This was his professional debut, so it is understandable if he was amped. I don’t even care about the walks – I like those strikeouts. BaseballSavant registered six pitches (4-seam, slider, curve, sinker, change, cutter). However, the cutter only registered once, which might be an error. Impressively, he generated six whiffs on his 18 sliders (ten swings). 
RHP Cade Austin: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Austin is a 22-year-old drafted out of South Carolina in the 19th round of the 2023 draft. This was his professional debut, as well. The Yankees tend to develop these types of pitchers so I wouldn’t dismiss him based on draft position.
RHP Hueston Morrill (Huey Morrill on baseball reference): (W, 1-0) 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Morrill was signed in 2022 out of Oklahoma State. He was a two-way player for the Cowboys (SS was his other position),
RHP Aaron Nixon: (S, 1) 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
You guessed it – this is the 22-year-old’s professional debut. He went undrafted out of Mississippi State.

FCL (0-0)

The season starts on 5/4.

DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!

Yankees MILB 9/16: Grant Richardson Homers

News:

I have nothing interesting to report.

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

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

LHP Edgar Barclay: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
At this level: 6.23 ERA (39 IP, 39 H, 30 R, 27 ER, 11 HR, 29 BB, 41 K).
Other than two curveballs, Barclay was a two-pitch pitcher today. He threw 54% changeups and 43% 4-seamers. He averaged 89.6 with that pitch, topping out at 92.5. It is not about velocity with Barclay – and the fact remains that talent evaluation is tough at Triple-A. Has MLB considered fixing this issue? While some of the ballparks in Triple-A are going to produce more offense because of where they are located, there is no reason for the entire league to be souped up. 
LHP Josh Maciejewski: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Matt Krook: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
0.84 ERA (32 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 23 BB, 53 K). His BABIP is .167 – frankly, I thought it may even be lower than that. 
RHP Ron Marinaccio: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo (L, 0-2): 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

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

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

RHP Yoendrys Gomez: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Gomez finishes the regular season with a 3.58 ERA in 65.1 IP (47 H, 27 R, 25 ER, 6 HR, 37 BB, 78 K). Gomez has been on the 40-man roster for a while now but might be out of minor league options next spring (sometimes, a player “earns” an extra option so we’ll see if that applies to Gomez). If the clock has run out, the Yankees have a talented arm with an injury history to make a decision on. Unlike Estevan Florial last spring, Gomez will not pass through waivers if the Yankees attempted to do that. 
RHP Carlos Gomez (W, 2-1): 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER,, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
At this level: 3.86 ERA in 14 IP (8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 17 K). Overall, the 25-year-old owns an 81/40 K/BB over 63 IP. He was signed all the way back in 2018.
RHP Anderson Munoz: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Bailey Dees: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Since promotion: 21 IP, 17 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 12 BB, 18 K

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

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

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half) 

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over, as they missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/13: Trey Sweeney: 3 Hits

News:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3B Jake Lamb: 1-for-3, BB
Jake Lamb leading off games in mid-September. That is what happens when the prospects are either in MLB or injured.
C Carlos Narvaez: 2-for-4, 2 K
Narvaez is 9-for-29 (.310) in September with three doubles and a homer.
1B Andres Chaparro: 0-for-3, BB
RF Franchy Cordero: 0-for-4, 3 K
DH-2B Jamie Westbrook: 0-for-3, BB, K
LF Michael Hermosillo: 1-for-3, BB, K, SB (8), CS (2)
SS-P Jesus Bastidas: 1-for-4, HR (10), RBI, RS, 2 K
Bastidas has 13 HR in 109 games between here and Somerset. 
2B-SS Wilmer Difo: 0-for-3, 2 K
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-2, BB, K, SB (1)
Medina’s first Triple-A start. He was 8-for-11 stealing bases down in Tampa.

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

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

SS Trey Sweeney: 3-for-5, 2B (19), SB (18)
Sweeney has seven 3-hit games this season. He is hitting .249 with a .773 OPS in 457 PA (19 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 64 R, 62 BB, 87 K, 18-for-25 SB). I would assume he was on his way to Scranton at some point before his injury – maybe they still get his feet wet, but it really is not a big deal. May as well just let him play here through the playoffs.
C Ben Rice: 0-for-4, RS, BB, 3 K
LF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-5, 3 K
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-5, K, SB (6)
Jones’ 41st stolen base between here and Hudson Valley. Unless Lockridge gets back, Jones is going to lead the organization in stolen bases this season.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K
RF Jeisson Rosario: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K
2B Mickey Gasper: 0-for-4, K
DH Grant Richardson: 2-for-3, 2B (1), BB, K, SB (5)
Richardson has 16 homers and 19 stolen bases between here and Hudson Valley. He is now 15-for-41 since his promotion.
3B Max Burt: 0-for-4, K

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

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

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

Tampa (61-69; 30-34 in the second half) 

Their season is over.

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-2 in the playoffs)

They lost to the Braves in the championship series. Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over, as they missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 8/25: Drew Thorpe Dominates Again

News:

Nothing new.

Scranton (60-61; 26-21 in the second half) (Walked it off over Lehigh Valley, 6-5)

This is a big series against Lehigh Valley, the team they are chasing for the second-half title.

LF Estevan Florial: 0-for-4, 2 RS, BB, 2 K, SB (20)
The challenge system played a huge role in this game. They challenged a strike 3 call to Florial in the 9th and won it. He ended up walking and eventually scoring the winning run.
CF Jasson Dominguez: 2-for-5, RBI, K, SB (1)
Since promotion: 5-for-13, 1 double, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K. Dominguez has 38 stolen bases between here and Somerset.
C Austin Wells: 0-for-3, 2 BB, K
Wells is at .255/.352/.445 at this level. Good to see him taking his walks.
DH Andres Chaparro: 1-for-3, RS, HBP, K
RF Franchy Cordero: 1-for-2, RBI, RS, 2 BB
Cordero with the walk-off single in the 9th.
1B Carlos Narvaez: 2-for-3, RS, BB
3B Jake Lamb: 2-for-3, RBI, RS, BB
2B Jamie Westbrook: 0-for-4, K
SS Wilmer Difo: 0-for-4, RBI, K

LHP Edgar Barclay: 4 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, 3 HR
Barclay continues to struggle at this level. After allowing one home run for Somerset, he has allowed eight in 19.2 innings here. The ball is lively here so that is probably a part of it. I hate to blame all struggles on the ball (just like I hate to credit all successes by hitters to the ball)
RHP Zach Greene: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
RHP Aaron McGarity: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Bowman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Greg Weissert: (W, 5-3) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Somerset (70-47; 28-21 in the second half) (Defeated Hartford, 8-1)

2B Caleb Durbin: 2-for-5, 2B (6), RBI, 2 RS
Durbin is one of those kids who can become an instant fan favorite. He makes a lot of contact, can steal bases, etc. He has played SS in the past but the Yankees have not asked him to do it in 2023, instead giving him time at 2B and 3B. It makes you wonder if he can be a future DJ LeMahieu with some added speed. It’s a fascinating profile because the Yankees aren’t known for carrying kids with his profile (remember, he wasn’t drafted by the organization – he was a part of the Lucas Luetge trade with Atlanta)
DH Ben Rice: 2-for-4, 2B (7), RS, BB
The one knock on Rice right now is that he isn’t great against LHP. It is a legitimate concern, as he is 7-for-39 against LHP in 2023 (12-for-60 in 2022; 1-for-12 in 2021). Combined, that is 20-for-111 (.180) with three extra-base hits (one double, 2 HR), 14 walks, and 27 strikeouts.. One thing you notice in that profile is the sample size – it isn’t much. Without enough reps, it is hard to develop the skill.
C Agustin Ramirez: 1-for-4, RBI, RS, BB, K
Ramirez is hitting .194 (13-for-67) since his promotion with six runs batted in and ten runs scored. An encouraging sign is that the strikeout rate isn’t spiking much – he is at 17.6%. (17.7% in Tampa, 14% in Hudson Valley).
CF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-2, 2B (10), 2 RBI, 2 RS, 3 BB, K
Even in the offensive environment up in Triple-A, Dunham had issues there this year. Since being sent to Somerset, he seems to have figured things out. I will continue to push for him to get back up to Scranton to close out the season. There is room there, as Franchy Cordero continues to receive consistent playing time after Everson Pereira‘s promotion.
1B Josh Breaux: 2-for-5, RBI
RF Grant Richardson: 3-for-5, HR (1), 3 RBI, RS, K
Richardson puts together a big effort in his second Double-A game. Between here and Hudson Valley, he has 14 homers in 79 games after launching 16 homers in 90 games last season. Power has never been the concern…
LF Aaron Palensky: 0-for-4, BB, K
SS Max Burt: 0-for-4, 2 K
3B Eduardo Torrealba: 1-for-4, RS, K

RHP Drew Thorpe: (W, 3-0) 6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Since promotion: 1.29 ERA in 21 IP (9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 30 K). Overall: 13-2 with a 2.56 ERA in 130 IP (93 H, 41 R, 37 ER, 12 HR, 35 BB, 168 K). The 13 wins and (more importantly) 168 strikeouts are the top numbers in all of minor-league baseball. There is nothing to dislike in his profile. They can give him a taste of the offensively souped-up International League (Triple-A) before the season comes to a close.
LHP Josh Maciejewski: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Alex Mauricio: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
3.16 ERA (42.2 IP, 38 H, 16 R, 15 ER, 4 HR, 13 BB, 41 K). He hasn’t allowed a run in 8.2 August innings.

Hudson Valley (65-53; 26-26 in the second half) (Held off Aberdeen, 6-5)

SS Jared Serna: 2-for-5, RBI, RS, SB (6)
Serna now has a 6-game hitting streak and has 34 multi-hit games in 110 games played this season. He is still looking for that elusive first High-A home run, which could give him a 20/20/20 season (doubles, homers, stolen bases)
CF Anthony Hall: 0-for-3, 2 BB, K, SB (1)
DH Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-3, RS, BB
2B Alexander Vargas: 0-for-3, RS, BB
C Antonio Gomez: 2-for-4, 3B (1), 2 RBI, RS, K
.233/.289/.325 in 321 PA. The 32.1% K rate remains troublesome as well.
1B Rafael Flores: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Christopher Familia: 2-for-4, RBI
Familia is up to 57 RBI in 58 games between here and Tampa. I think he is answering the challenge at this level just fine.
RF Jared Wegner: 1-for-3, 2 RS, BB, SB (1)
Wegner’s first professional stolen base – congrats! He is 7-for-27 at this level.
3B Marcos Cabrera: 2-for-3, RBI, BB, SB (5)

RHP Leonardo Pestana: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
LHP Joel Valdez: (W, 3-6) 2.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
RHP Shane Gray: 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Mason Vinyard (S, 1): 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Old school save!

Tampa (57-62; 26-27 in the second half) (Swept by Palm Beach in a low-scoring doubleheader)

Game 1 (Lost, 3-0)

3B Kiko Romero: 0-for-3, K
.194/.318/.306 in 85 PA.
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-3, K
Moylan increases his hitting streak to five (8-for-22)
C Omar Martinez: 1-for-3
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-2, K
Medina’s first game since June 6th. The 22-year-old is hitting .275/.373/.443 in 153 PA with four home runs and a 7-for-8 SB rate. 
   CF Tayler Aguilar: 0-for-1, K
DH Brenny Escanio: 1-for-3, SB (19)
LF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, K
RF Daury Arias: 1-for-3, K
SS Jose Colmenares: 0-for-3, K
2B Beau Brewer: 0-for-2, K

RHP Ryan Harvey: (L, 1-2) 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR
At this level: 4.26 ERA (25.1 IP, 20 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 4 HR, 13 BB, 18 K)
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 5.40 ERA (15 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 HR, 13 BB, 20 K)

Game 2 (Lost, 2-1)

SS Brenny Escanio: 0-for-3, K
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-3, K
His hitting streak is snapped. Moylan is hitting .281/.400/.333 in 70 PA with 12 walks and 16 strikeouts.
DH Omar Martinez: 0-for-3, 3 K
CF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-3, K
RF Daury Arias: 1-for-2, RS, BB, K
LF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, 2B (5), RBI
Five of Martin’s ten hits are doubles.
3B Jose Colmenares: 1-for-2, 2B (4), BB, K
2B Beau Brewer: 1-for-2, BB
C Manuel Palencia: 0-for-3

RHP Yorlin Calderon: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
3.07 ERA (73.1 IP, 64 H, 28 R, 25 ER, 5 HR, 23 BB, 91 K). Most of the top performers have received promotions this year – two Tampa players (Martinez, Calderon) stand out a bit as players who have stuck to one level. In the case of Calderon, it can be justified as they built him up to return to the rotation.
RHP Matt Keating: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: (L, 5-3) 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

FCL Yankees (35-22; 1-1 in the playoffs) (Lost to the Braves, 3-2, in Game 1 of the championship series. They must win the next two to claim back-to-back titles. The last time that happened was in 2014-2015 when the Red Sox accomplished the feat. The Yankees, who have the most league titles with 13, last won back-to-back crowns in 2004-2005)

SS Keiner Delgado: 1-for-4, 2B (2), RS, 2 K, SB (1), CS (1)
Including the regular season, Delgado has 14 doubles and 37 stolen bases in 51 games.
DH George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-3, BB, K, CS (1)
Delgado and Lombard Jr. were both caught stealing in the top of the 6th, a key moment in the contest.
1B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-3, SF, RBI, RS, K
CF Willy Montero: 1-for-4
LF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-4
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
RF John Cruz: 0-for-2, BB
3B Hans Montero: 0-for-2, K
  PH Joel Mendez: 0-for-1, K
In the regular season, you rarely see “strategic” pinch-hitting. Even in the rookie leagues, managers are a little more strategic in the playoffs.
  3B Dayro Perez: 0-for-0
C Edinson Duran: 0-for-3, K

LHP Henry Lalane (L, 0-1): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR
Lalane, who recently signed with Scott Boras, pitched to a 4.57 ERA in 21.1 IP during the regular season (17 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 3 HR, 4 BB, 34 K). The fact that he is 6’7″ and is able to keep the walks at bay is encouraging. 
RHP Jordarlin Mendoza: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 5 K
RHP Sebastian Keane: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Keane is a 22-year-old drafted in the 18th round in 2022. He predictably pitched well this year and hopefully will get a taste of Low-A next week.

DSL Yankees (33-19)

Their season is over, as they missed the playoffs by a half-game.

DSL Bombers (27-26)

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 6/6: Roderick Arias Hits a Slam

News:

The FCL Yankees and the two DSL squads started their seasons on Monday. I will report on them below, but I don’t typically type up full lineups or anything for those games.

Scranton (27-30)

Their game against Norfolk was postponed due to air quality concerns (due to the fires in Quebec).

Somerset (30-21) (Shut down Hartford, 4-0)

SS Trey Sweeney: 1-for-3, 2B (9), RS, BB, K, SB (9)
CF Jasson Dominguez: 0-for-4, K
C Austin Wells: 1-for-3, 2B (6), BB, K
Wells is 6-for-19 in June with a pair of doubles and 6 RBI.
3B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-4, HR (7), RBI, RS
Rumfield has already blown past his personal best for home runs in a season. If he is tapping into some power, there can be something to watch here.
2B Caleb Durbin: 0-for-3, RS, BB
DH Anthony Seigler: 2-for-4, 2B (4), K, CS (3)
Seigler has a 5-game hitting streak going (6-for-16)
LF Jeisson Rosario: 1-for-2, SF, RBI, BB
RF Aaron Palensky: 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, RS, K
Palensky hit 12 home runs for Hudson Valley earlier this season. He leads the organization in homers.

RHP Clayton Beeter: (W, 4-2) 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 11 K
Beeter has two 11-K games this season. Stats: 2.34 ERA (50 IP, 37 H, 13 R, 13 ER, 3 HR, 28 BB, 63 K)
RHP Alex Mauricio: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
4.40 ERA (14.1 IP, 14 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 HR, 4 BB, 14 K)
RHP Steven Jennings: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Hudson Valley (30-22) (Crushed Jersey Shore, 13-1)

CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-5, RBI, RS, BB, 2 K
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-5, 2B (7), 2 RBI, RS, BB, K
DH Josh Breaux: 0-for-5, BB
1B Rafael Flores: 2-for-6, RBI, RS, 3 K
Flores is hitting .315. He has 12 multi-hit games.
RF Anthony Garcia: 2-for-4, 2 RS, 2 BB
C Antonio Gomez: 1-for-4, 2 RS, HBP, 2 K
Gomez increases his hitting streak to 6 (9-for-21)
2B Ben Cowles: 3-for-4, HR (6), SF, 2 RBI, 2 RS, K
Cowles started the season 4-for-29. He is 33-for-105 (.314) since. This is his first 3-hit game this year.
LF Grant Richardson: 4-for-4, 3 RS, HBP
Richardson is bound to go through a hot streak, given his .200 BABIP entering tonight. This is his second career 4-hit game (6/16/2022)
3B Marcos Cabrera: 2-for-4, 2 2B (6), 5 RBI, RS, BB, 2 K
Bottom of the order thunder! Cabrera sets a new personal best for RBI in a game. He hasn’t done much hitting since his rookie league days. 

LHP Joel Valdez: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 2 K, 5 HB (yes, FIVE)
LHP Josh Maciejewski: (W, 1-0)  1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Maciejewski stranded the bases loaded for Valdez in the 5th.
RHP Mason Vinyard: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
LHP Clay Aguilar: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
3.38 ERA (13.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 9 BB, 20 K)
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Tampa (22-30) (Defeated Lakeland, 7-6, in 11 innings)

2B Jared Serna: 0-for-6, 2 K
I bet Serna doesn’t have many 0-for-6s on his lifetime resume, going back to when he was 4-5 years old.
RF Anthony Hall: 1-for-5, K, SB (3)
Hall now has a 7-game hitting streak.
C Agustin Ramirez: 1-for-2, 2 RS, 3 BB, 2 SB (6)
Ramirez has drawn 12 walks in his last six games (including a 5-walk performance)
SS Brenny Escanio: 2-for-5, 3B (2), RBI, RS, K
Escanio can draw walks but hasn’t yet shown that he can hit consistently. This is a nice game for him.
CF Nelson Medina: 0-for-5, 2 K
DH Christopher Familia: 2-for-5, 2B (1), HR (3), 2 RBI, 3 RS
Familia has three home runs in five games this season.
LF Tayler Aguilar: 1-for-5, 2B (9), RBI, 2 K
Doubles account for 50% of Aguilar’s hits this season. You do the math.
3B Jesus Rodriguez: 2-for-5, RBI
Rodriguez drove home the winning run in the 11th.
1B Omar Martinez: 1-for-5, HR (5), RBI, RS, 2 K

RHP Hayden Merda: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, HR
Last three starts: 17.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 8 BB, 16 K
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Manny Ramirez: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Cole Ayers: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Yorlin Calderon: (W, 2-1) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
This is what you want to do if you are pitching with the ghost runner on base. Season: 1.95 ERA (27.2 IP, 21 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 35 K). A very impressive stat line. He is 21 years old.

FCL Yankees (1-1) (Defeated the Tigers, 8-6)

SS Roderick Arias: 2-for-6, HR (1), 5 RBI, RS
The home run was a grand slam and the RBI are a new personal best for Arias. The 18-year-old bonus baby ($4 million) put up a .194/.379/.370 line in 140 plate appearances in the DSL last season.
2B Keiner Delgado: 2-for-3, 2B (1), 2 RS, 3 BB, K
While Arias had a much-publicized signing bonus, it is much harder to find information on Delgado. He emerged on radars last season when he hit .310/.504/.506 with 34 stolen bases in 52 games in the DSL. Like Jared Serna, Delgado has a short stature which will inevitably lead to Jose Altuve comparisons. I would try to avoid those kinds of comparisons.
DH Enmanuel Tejeda: 2-for-2, RS, 2 BB, SB (1)
Tejeda homered on Opening Day yesterday. Listed as a SS (he may not play there too much with Arias around), the 18-year-old hit .289/.463/.493 with 41 walks and 25 strikeouts in 46 games for the DSL squad last season.
C Edinson Duran: 1-for-2, HR (1), 2 RBI, RS, BB
Duran is a smallish 20-year-old catcher who hit .341/.437/.647 in 29 DSL games last season. If you aren’t yet catching on, DSL statistics can get a little wacky.
RF-CF Jake Palmer: 0-for-3, RS, 2 BB, KK
Palmer was signed as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA last year. He is already 24 years old.

RHP Carlos Lagrange: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Lagrange is a tall kid (6’7″) who struck out 43 batters in 33 innings for the DSL last season while only allowing ten hits. As you may suspect with a pitcher of his size, he needs to work a bit on control (19 BB last season)
RHP Osiel Rodriguez (S, 1): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Seemingly here forever, Rodriguez is still only 21 years old. After starting four games in 2019, he hasn’t made a start since. Rodriguez had a cup of coffee with Low-A Tampa in 2022.

I have nothing of note to mention about the DSL squads today.

Yesterday, bonus baby Brando Mayea ($4.35 million) doubled in his first at-bat and promptly left the game. He did not play today.