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The draft was interesting for the Yankees. Everyone assumed the Yankees had an “all pitching” mentality but that doesn’t appear to be the case. I applaud the Yankees for not “reaching” for a position player just because they had already drafted many pitchers. The draft fell in a way where the most valuable thing on their board was pitching.
Will this cause a glut of pitching? Potentially, but that’s a concern for 2025 and beyond. As college arms, you want them to move up the chain quickly. However, not all of them will. A lot will happen between July 19, 2024, and the beginning of the 2025 season. I am not worrying about a logjam now.
As for my favorite pick, just based on what I am reading it is RHP Bryce Cunningham, their second-round pick. He seemingly can move fast with Keith Law claiming that he zoom up to Double-A next season. The arm that jumps out at you is RHP Greysen Carter, who has dialed it up to 103. An arm like his would be a no-doubt first-round pick if not for that thing called control. I like pitchers who come into the system with a plus pitch in their arsenal. Cunningham’s changeup and Carter’s fastball will play in professional ball, though Carter needs work.
Anyway, I will give more background as the players start filtering into levels and making their debuts. A reminder that they changed the FCL schedule in 2024. Instead of a month left in the season, there’s one week. Hence, there isn’t a “get your feet wet” spot. If players sign quickly, we could see them in Tampa this season. With many college pitchers selected, Low-A is not a daunting place to start. Times have changed and organizations have adjusted.
(For a full review of the draft, check out this article from VirginiaYankee1)
The Yankees have released Jose Rojas from his minor-league contract for the second time this season. Rojas is hitting .254/.359/.561 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI in 67 games. While I haven’t read anything to indicate why, the odds are good that Rojas negotiated an opt-out when he re-signed in June and exercised it. That is what happened the first time he was released.
The Yankees have signed 30-year-old LHP Thomas Pannone to a minor league deal. Pannone, released by the Cubs on July 17th, has appeared in 50 MLB games (13 starts), going 7-7 with a 5.46 ERA (5.06 FIP) over 118.2 innings. He owns a 19.6% K, 9.0% BB, and 33.8% GB. With the Iowa Cubs this season, he went 4-8 with a 4.37 ERA (4.78 FIP) in 19 starts. He spent time in Korea in 2022 and 2023. Recently, the Yankees signed fellow left-handers Chasen Shreve and Tim Mayza, but they are relievers. Pannone can give Scranton innings as a starter or long reliever.
As we enter the post-ASB portion of the season, none of the full-season leagues won their first-half titles (the “first half” ended a while ago, but I never noted that). As of now, it looks unlikely that a full-season affiliate will make the playoffs as the second-half standings aren’t favorable. There’s still time, though.
Scranton (49-42) (Lost to Buffalo, 1-0, in ten innings)
CF Brandon Lockridge: 0-for-5, 4 K
We all have bad days…
2B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-4, 2B (6), 2 K
It isn’t a complete loss (he spent three days on an MLB roster), but it still felt meaningless to bring him up if his playing time was going to be zero. It is interesting that Oswald Peraza didn’t play tonight in the first game after the All-Star Break.
C Agustin Ramirez: 1-for-3, BB
1B T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-4, K
Rumfield is 7-for-24 with four walks in July.
SS Jeter Downs: 0-for-4, 3 K
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
LF Taylor Trammell: 0-for-3, HBP, 2 K
3B Kevin Smith: 0-for-3, SB (11), HBP, K
DH Josh VanMeter: 0-for-4, 4 K
LHP Edgar Barclay: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
I have documented how he hasn’t done well in Triple-A. It is nice to see him have a strong outing here.
RHP Jack Neely: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
RHP Scott Effross: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
The Yankees luckily had options to use on Effross as he continues his rehab-that-technically-isn’t-a-rehab. I assume it won’t be long until he is up with the big club.
RHP Ron Marinaccio: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
LHP Victor Gonzalez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Duane Underwood Jr.: (L, 2-1) 0.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Hard to blame any reliever when a ghost runner scores!
Somerset (44-44) (Toss a 1-hitter against Altoona in a 2-0 win)
DH Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, RS, K
Has Jones’ trade value taken a hit? Maybe, but not as much as you think it has. Teams will still be interested in the crazy ceiling. Will the Yankees move him? I think it would have to be a special trade for them to give him up. Don’t expect him to be trade bait for a swing-and-miss reliever.
SS Ben Cowles: 1-for-3, RS, BB
.299/.380/.474 in 358 PA. Cowles has never spent a full season at one level. I would expect the 24-year-old to finish up in Scranton (he went there briefly in 2023 before being sent to the Arizona Fall League).
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4, K
C Rafael Flores: 3-for-4, RBI
On a night where pitching was the story, Flores stands out. He broke a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the 8th. Since his promotion: .229/.325/.400 in 80 PA. He had a pair of 3-hit efforts for Hudson Valley earlier this season.
RF Elijah Dunham: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 K
Dunham didn’t let the break cool him off. He is 20-for-48 (.417) in July (6 doubles, 4 HR, 13 RBI)
CF Grant Richardson: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Jared Wegner: 0-for-3, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-2, BB
3B Max Burt: 1-for-3, 2 K
RHP Trystan Vrieling: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Outstanding performance by Vrieling. It lowers his ERA to 5.21 (96.2 IP, 100 H, 59 R, 56 ER, 9 HR, 33 BB, 91 K). In July: 14 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 10 K.
RHP Carlos Gomez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP McKinley Moore: (W, 2-0) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Moore is a work in progress. If they unlock him, the dividends will be high. But he will be a tough one to unlock.
RHP Eric Reyzelman (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 2.84 ERA (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 10 K). He is a contender for the 2025 bullpen.
Hudson Valley (43-43) (No-hit Rome, 1-0)
2B Roc Riggio: 2-for-4, HR (7), RBI, RS, CS (4)
Riggio walks it off in the bottom of the 9th, earning the Renegades a combined no-hitter! He is hitting .222/.356/.393 in 307 PA and has homered in back-to-back games.
SS Jared Serna: 0-for-3
.252/.344/.437 in 369 PA. He is only 9-for-46 (.196) in July.
CF Jace Avina: 0-for-3, K
C Omar Martinez: 1-for-3, K
DH Antonio Gomez: 0-for-3, K
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-3, 2 K
RF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, SB (9)
Martin is 9-for-10 in the stolen base category.
LF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-3, 2 K
3B Brenny Escanio: 1-for-3, K
LHP Kyle Carr: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
A much-needed outing for last year’s 3rd round pick. It lowers his ERA to 6.04 (67 IP, 70 H, 54 R, 45 ER, 5 HR, 43 BB, 58 K). Last time out, he allowed 7 runs (6 earned) over 3 IP. Can he get into a second-half groove?
RHP Trent Sellers: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
2.94 ERA (53.2 IP, 33 H, 27 R, 19 ER, 2 HR, 32 BB, 65 K). He started his last time out, but they moved him back to the bullpen tonight. He tossed three innings, so is there a major difference?
RHP Huey Morrill: (W, 2-2) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3.52 ERA (30.2 IP, 28 H, 17 R, 12 ER, 6 HR, 9 BB, 33 K). The 24-year-old was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State in 2022. The plot twist? He played shortstop for Oklahoma State (though he did make 17 appearances on the hill in college).
Tampa (32-53) (Tied with Bradenton, 0-0, in the 5th. The game is in a delay. I will update this if they conclude the game tonight)
3B George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-2, K
SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-1, SB (25), BB
1B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-2, K
CF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-2
RF Willy Montero: 1-for-2
2B Hans Montero: 0-for-2, 2 K
DH Coby Morales: 0-for-1
C Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-1
LF Daury Arias: 0-for-1
RHP Chase Hampton: 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Hampton retired 11 of the 12 batters he faced (hit a batter) and averaged 92 MPH (94 max). He threw 45 pitches (30 strikes) and should be on his way to Somerset shortly.
RHP Aaron Nixon: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Nixon was used as a “bridge” between Hampton and Serna.
RHP Luis Serna: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
That bridge will be meaningless, as Serna will not return to this game.
FCL (33-20) (Lost to the Tigers, 4-0. With five games left, they own a 1.5-game lead over the Tigers. The two squads play a doubleheader tomorrow and have another matchup beyond that. There is a wild card in this league. The Tigers are currently in that position, but there’s a 3-team race in the South. The two teams that lose that race will be in the wild-card race. Those teams will undoubtedly play games against each other, so the Yankees are in good shape. The FCL squad and one of the DSL teams could be the only playoff representatives we get in 2024)
CF Brando Mayea: 1-for-4, K
Mayea is hitting .288 (good) though the power has yet to show up. At 18 years old, there’s time for the power to shine.
C Edgleen Perez: 1-for-3, BB
1B Engelth Urena: 2-for-3, K
His magical season continues (.308/.421/.575 in 145 PA with 7 homers and 29 RBI). In July, he is an incredible 23-for-49 (.469/.587/.959) with nine doubles and five home runs. Is the 19-year-old (20 on August 17th) ready for a full-season test?
RHP Chalniel Arias (L, 0-1): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
RHP Indigo Diaz: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
His rehab continues.
RHP Sabier Marte: 3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR
Marte is getting his work in (he leads the league with 49 IP). In those 49 IP, he owns a 2.76 ERA and 44/16 K/BB.
DSL Yankees (11-22) (Their game against the DSL Mets Orange was suspended. They own a 6-1 lead in the 5th)
So far, SS Dexters Peralta is 2-for-3, while CF Gabriel Lara (1 hit) and LF Isael Arias (2 hits, SB) have an RBI and run scored.
RHP Jorge Luna: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
DSL Bombers (20-14) (Defeated the DSL Giants Orange, 5-4)
CF Francisco Vilorio: 1-for-3, 2B (5), K
.200/.278/.325 in 90 PA (5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 13 RBI)
SS Christofer Reyes: 1-for-3, RS, SB (12)
2B Luis Escudero: 0-for-2, RS, BB
DH Angel Ventura: 1-for-3, 3B (1), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
I haven’t said much about Ventura, but the 18-year-old is hitting .276/.382/.328 in 68 PA.
LF Browm Martinez: 1-for-3, 2B (2), 2 RBI, RS, SB (16), K
.271/.369/.300 in 84 PA with 16 stolen bases in 20 tries.
RHP Jerson Alejandro: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
4.07 ERA (24.1 IP, 14 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 0 HR, 23 BB, 38 K). The eight strikeouts are a personal best.
LHP Jose Ledesma (S, 5): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K