Yankees MILB 7/29: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz Tosses 6 Scoreless Innings

Notes:

In case you missed them, here is my article on the Ryan McMahon transaction and my analysis of the Amed Rosario transaction.

Antonio Gomez was assigned to Tampa today. The catcher-turned-pitcher was on the Development List. He made his first appearance on the hill tonight, maxing out at 99.9 MPH.

LHP Henry Lalane‘s rehab assignment is over, which makes sense since the FCL season is over. The system’s #13 prospect (Pipeline) is officially with Tampa. Essentially, he is resuming his rehab, but it won’t be called that.

Spencer Jones was back in the lineup after missing three games due to back spasms.

The Yankees traded RHP Carlos Carrasco to the Braves for cash or a player to be named (I would place strong odds on it being money). Carrasco pitched to a 5.91 ERA (5.31 FIP; 69 ERA+) in 32 innings for the Yankees. For Scranton, he was a valuable innings-eating veteran.

Injury Log


Scranton (59-40; 21-6 in second half) (Lost to Nashville, 7-3)

DH Jesus Rodriguez1-for-5, K
Rodriguez increases his hitting streak to 16 in his last at-bat of the evening.
2B Jorbit Vivas0-for-4, BB
CF Everson Pereira1-for-5, 2B (9)
RF Spencer Jones2-for-4, 2B (6), R, K
Jones hits as if his back never spasmed.  He is hitting .405/.459/.940 (again, that’s his SLG, not his OPS!) in 98 PA since his promotion and .317/.412/.707 (LOL) overall.
C Rafael Flores1-for-4, RBI
Since promotion: 8-for-36 (.222) with a homer and four RBI.
1B T.J. Rumfield2-for-3, 2B (28), R, HBP, K
.312/.395/.502 in 392 PA for the doubles machine (he has 11 in 21 July games)
3B Jeimer Candelario1-for-4, 2B (7), RBI, R, K
LF Bryan De La Cruz1-for-4, K
SS Braden Shewmake: 1-for-3, SF, RBI

RHP Luis Gil4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, HR
Gil threw 75 pitches (50 strikes) and reached 98.4 MPH (averaged 95.8). He threw 40% 4-seamers, 37% sliders, and 23% changeups, generating 15 whiffs. I don’t like “rushing” players coming off injury, but everything looks good with Gil – he is using his entire mix, throwing as hard as you would expect, and generating whiffs.  I have no problem with him pitching for the MLB club this weekend.
RHP Zach Messinger1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Kervin Castro2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
1.52 ERA (29.2 IP, 14 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 13 BB, 40 K)
RHP Scott Effross (L, 1-3): 0.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
At this point, Effross is a shuttle arm for the Yankees. Is he in danger of being cut from the 40-man roster? Perhaps not yet, but the likelihood that he will return to form seems low.
RHP Leonardo Pestana0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K


Somerset (52-45; 17-11 in second half) (Outpitched Richmond, 1-0)

SS George Lombard Jr.1-for-4, HR (5), RBI, R
Lombard Jr.’s home run in the 6th was all that was needed tonight.  Since promotion: .212/.326/.347 in 291 PA. He has a .411 SLG in July and has eight doubles and three home runs in his last 24 games. 
RF Jace Avina1-for-3
2B Roc Riggio1-for-3
Riggio is 19-for-66 (.288/.382/.561) in July.
3B Dylan Jasso1-for-3, 2 K
Jasso has a 7-game hitting streak and is hitting .308/.349/.449 in July. Like every hitter at every level in baseball history, he’s had his share of struggles, but he has been pretty consistent all year. 
CF Brendan Jones0-for-2, CS (2), BB
C Omar Martinez0-for-3, 2 K
1B Tyler Hardman0-for-2, BB, K
LF Cole Gabrielson0-for-3, K
DH Jared Wegner0-for-2, HBP

RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: (W, 1-1)  6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K
Rodriguez-Cruz is likely going to be asked about a lot over the next few days. Since promotion: 2.37 ERA (19 IP, 15 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 15 K). Overall: 2.28 ERA (102.2 IP, 67 H, 35 R, 26 ER, 2 HR, 41 BB, 114 K).  Is he untouchable? Of course not. However, the 21-year-old has impressed with his ability to miss bats and keep the ball in the ballpark. He owned a 53.1% GB entering tonight.
RHP Hayden Merda1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Merda’s 5th straight scoreless outing (5.2 IP). It’s lowered his ERA (since his promotion) from 14.54 to 6.30.
RHP Danny Watson (S, 4): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
6.25 ERA (36 IP, 45 H, 26 R, 25 ER, 6 HR, 7 BB, 38 K). He owns a 2.08 ERA in 8.2 July innings and hasn’t walked a batter in 17 straight appearances (23.2 innings).


Hudson Valley (58-36; 21-10 second half) (Defeated Wilmington, 13-6)

LF Jackson Castillo1-for-6, RBI, R, 2 K
CF Dillon Lewis3-for-5, 2B (7), SF, 3 RBI, 2 R
He is on an impressive 10-game hitting streak that has increased his triple slash from .183/.243/.357 to .244/.306/.439 since his promotion. 
RF Coby Morales: 3-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB
2B Jose Colmenares2-for-6, 3B (3), 2 RBI, R, 2 K
Colmenares has a 6-game hitting streak (9-for-24; 4 doubles, 2 HR, 10 RBI)
DH Josh Moylan1-for-6, RBI, 2 K
3B Alexander Vargas0-for-3, 2 BB
C Manuel Palencia: 4-for-5, 2 2B (3), 2 RBI, 2 R, K
Palencia’s 4th career 4-hit effort (including one in the FCL this year). 
1B Kiko Romero2-for-4, 2 R, BB
Romero is 8-for-32 (.250/.390/.438) since coming back from injury.
SS Brenny Escanio2-for-4, 2B (6), RBI, 2 R, CS (7), BB

RHP Andrew Landry: (W, 1-1)  5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, HR
Landry was promoted from Tampa for the second time in three weeks. With trades and injuries, Hudson Valley needs arms.
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
RHP Jordany Ventura1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Bryce Warrecker1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
Rare misstep for Warrecker, but at least it happened during a blowout. He owns a 1.70 ERA in 42.1 IP (24 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 HR, 9 BB, 45 K)


Tampa (45-48; 9-19 in the second half)  (Lost to Clearwater, 11-8, in ten innings)

3B Juan Matheus1-for-5, K
C Edgleen Perez1-for-4, RBI, R, BB, K
SS Roderick Arias1-for-5, HR (6), 2 RBI, 2 R, 3 K
Nice to see Arias go yard during an otherwise disappointing campaign.
DH Engelth Urena1-for-5, R
RF Wilson Rodriguez1-for-2, 3B (1), RBI, R, 3 BB, K
Since promotion: 12-for-48 (.250; 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 9 R, 9 BB, 9 K)
CF Willy Montero2-for-5, RBI, R, K
Montero is hitting .304 (17-for-56) at this level.
1B Tyler Wilson0-for-3, R, 2 BB, K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda2-for-4, 2B (1), 2 RBI, R, K
Tejeda is versatile and speedy enough with excellent bat-to-ball skills. Power? Not likely to be a part of his profile. His ceiling is likely in the Ronald Torreyes area. And there is nothing wrong with that ceiling.
LF Marshall Toole1-for-4, SB (28), 3 K
Toole has 28 stolen bases in 31 attempts. His K% was 20.0% entering tonight, and this was the first time he struck out three times this season (once last season).

LHP Henry Lalane2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
As stated above, don’t expect extended outings for a while.  The big lefty wasn’t throwing hard tonight (low-90s), but that can be attributed to his time off.  
RHP Sunayro Martina: 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
The 21-year-old Martina makes his Tampa debut. His rookie league resume isn’t great (5.45 ERA; 79.1 IP, 67 H, 63 R, 48 ER, 5 HR, 59 BB, 84 K). We don’t have full StatCast data tonight, but I do see that he reached 96.8 MPH.
RHP Cade Austin1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Antonio Gomez: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Gomez threw 19 pitches (11 strikes) in his pitching debut. One of the runs allowed scored after he left the game. This is a fun story to follow.
RHP Chris Veach1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
LHP Tanner Bauman: (L, 2-7)  2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K


FCL (28-30)

Their season is over.


DSL Yankees (17-24) (Outlasted the DSL Twins, 11-10, in ten innings. This game was a DSL Special, as the Yankees scored 11 runs on 15 hits and nine walks. They scored seven runs between the 8th and 10th innings. They tied the game in the 10th on a walk and “walked it off” with a hit-by-pitch.)

CF Francisco Vilorio0-for-5, R, BB, K
SS Mani Cedeno2-for-6, 2 R, 2 SB (14), 3 K
.183/.360/.238 in 161 PA (3 doubles, 2 triples, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 30 R, 14-for-15 SB, 18.0% BB, 37.3% K)
2B Carlos Bello0-for-4, 2 R, CS (3), HBP, BB, K
The 17-year-old got off to a strong start but is 3-for-35 in his last ten games. He has drawn six walks.
3B Richard Matic3-for-4, 3B (3), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB (7), 2 BB, K
Matic has certainly adjusted in 2025, hitting .368/.500/.614 in 150 PA (10 doubles, 3 triples, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 32 R, 7-for-12 SB, 20% BB, 22.7% K). The crazy thing is that a .500 OBP ranks him only 6th in this league (he is 4th in SLG and OPS). He turned 18 on July 26th.
DH Justin Capellan: 2-for-6, 2 K
LF Estivenzon Montero2-for-4, 3B (1), HR (8), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (8), 2 BB, K
.302/.393/.569 in 135 PA (5 doubles, 1 triple, 8 HR, 27 RBI, 18 R, 8-for-11 SB, 12.6% BB, 27.4% K). The 18-year-old has 14 extra-base hits in 33 games (8 in 31 games in 2024).
C Edgar Jimenez2-for-3, R, SB (5), CS (1), 2 BB, K
   PR Alfiery Matos0-for-0, SB (9)
RF Angel Ventura2-for-4, RBI, R, BB, K
1B-C Diego Flores2-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (1)

RHP Enixon Sanchez4 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, HR
4.11 ERA (35 IP, 38 H, 21 R, 16 ER, 2 HR, 23 BB, 39 K)
RHP Emanuel Vargas3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
LHP Fredy Penuelas0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Rafael Arias (W, 5-0): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K


DSL Bombers (21-19) (Lost to the DSL Phillies White, 4-3)

SS Stiven Marinez1-for-5, SB (20), K
.230/.404/.286 in 166 PA. Marinez is in a 2-for-23 slump.
CF Ruben Castillo1-for-3, 2B (8), R, SB (19), CS (7), HBP, BB
Castillo is on a 5-game hitting streak and has hit safely in eight of his last nine games.
DH Juan Torres2-for-4, RBI
Of all the Yankees’ debuting talents in the DSL, I think Torres has impressed the most. The 17-year-old is at .339/.393/.495 in 122 PA and is on an 11-game hitting streak. The funniest part is that, in a sea of huge signing bonuses, he received $50,000.  Yes, I realize that one DSL season doesn’t make or break a prospect.
2B Christofer Reyes2-for-4, 2 R, SB (21)
3B Leni Done1-for-4, K
LF David Carrera1-for-2, SF, 2 RBI, BB

LHP Junior Tavera: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
LHP Ronald Tejada (L, 1-3): 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
The 18-year-old is missing more bats in 2025, but the overall numbers have tumbled (1.75 ERA in 25.2 IP in 2024; 7.08 ERA in 20.1 IP in 2025).
RHP Alexis Gonzalez0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Yankees MILB 7/24: Spencer Jones Launches 3 Home Runs

Notes:

RHP Cade Smith is off the injured list as he pitched for Hudson Valley tonight. Smith was ranked 18th in the recent Pipeline update (again, it wasn’t a full update – but rather a reshuffle for the Trade Deadline). He was drafted in the 6th round in 2023 after spending 2022 and 2023 as the ace of the Mississippi State squad. He was a key cog out of their bullpen as a freshman during their 2021 College World Series championship run. Known for the spin on his breaking pitches, we will see if his ultimate destination is that of a starter or reliever. For now, you keep a talent like this in the rotation for as long as possible.

Injury Log


Scranton (56-39; 18-5 in second half) (Lost to Rochester, 10-8)

DH Jesus Rodriguez1-for-5
Rodriguez’s hitting streak reaches 12.  He is hitting .311/.408/.406 in 338 PA at this level. By the way, ever since they traded Alex Jackson and signed Jeimer Candelario, Rodriguez has stopped playing third base (no games since July 5th).
CF Spencer Jones3-for-5, 3 HR (13), 4 RBI, 3 R, K
All three home runs traveled over 400 feet, with two to left-center and one to center. He is hitting .400/.457/.950 (that’s his SLG – not his OPS!) in 94 PA since his promotion (5 doubles, 13 HR, 25 RBI, 27 R, 6-for-6 SB, 10.6% BB, 25.5% K). Overall, he is hitting .314/.411/.706 (my goodness) in 302 PA (13 doubles, 29 HR, 57 RBI, 69 R, 16-for-18 SB, 13.9% BB, 31.1% K). So, what does one make of this?  This is one of the most interesting dilemmas I have encountered in a while. In the spirit of full disclosure, he hit all three home runs off a 30-year-old who has yet to make it to MLB. However, you can’t dismiss his day based on only that fact. Last winter, I was for trading him. Now? Like most of you (probably), I would love to see how this plays out, even if there is still an element of high risk in his game. Tough, tough, tough (did I say TOUGH) call.  By the way, while I don’t know what the Yankees’ minor league record is for homers (believe it or not, Tony Lazzeri hit 60 home runs in 197 PCL games in 1925), I have found some for Jones to chase if he isn’t called up: Shane Spencer (32 in 1996; 30 in 1997);  Shelley Duncan (34 in 2005; 30 in 2009), Jorge Vazquez (32, 2011), and Dermis Garcia (31, 2021).
RF Everson Pereira1-for-3, 3 R, 2 BB, K
.257/.356/.522 in 295 PA (8 doubles, 1 triple, 19 HR, 52 RBI, 66 R, 8-for-9 SB, 11.9% BB, 29.8% K)
1B T.J. Rumfield1-for-4, 2B (25), BB
C Rafael Flores0-for-4, RBI, BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 4-for-20 (1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 6 BB, 7 K)
3B Jeimer Candelario2-for-5, 2 RBI, K
2B Jose Rojas1-for-5, HR (18), RBI, R, K
SS Nick Lopez0-for-4, K
LF Duke Ellis3-for-4, 2B (4), R, SB (14), K

RHP Brendan Beck (L, 2-1): 4 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 4 HR
Beck, who has pitched well this season, had a tough time this morning. This spikes his Triple-A ERA to 5.93 (27.1 IP, 26 H, 18 R, 18 ER, 8 HR, 7 BB, 24 K). He allowed two home runs in 54.2 Double-A innings.
RHP Bailey Dees1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Zach Messinger3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, HR
As a reliever: 2.96 ERA (27.1 IP, 22 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 16 BB, 29 K)


Somerset (50-43; 15-9 in second half) (Won a dramatic game over Erie, 4-3)

RF Brendan Jones: 2-for-5, HR (5), 3 RBI, R, SB (10), K
With one out in the top of the 9th, Jones launched a 3-run home run to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead. He is catching on to this level, including home runs in back-to-back games and four total in July. Additionally, he is 8-for-8 stealing bases this month and is 33-for-38 in 82 games between here and Hudson Valley.  He was ranked 29th on the Pipeline list, and they were complimentary towards his ability to play all three outfield positions and “sneaky” pull pop. Can he enter the picture as a #4 outfielder at some point in 2026? Certainly. 
2B George Lombard Jr.1-for-4, BB, K
Lombard Jr. has a 7-game hitting streak. It’s not one of those “Wow, he’s insanely hot!” kind of streaks (6 one-hit games), but it is still an encouraging stretch.
DH Roc Riggio1-for-5, 2B (10), K
Riggio is up to 19 extra-base hits (10 doubles, 9 HR) in 35 games since his promotion.
3B Dylan Jasso2-for-5, R, K
Jasso, a 23-year-old who has spent his entire campaign in Somerset, has back-to-back multi-hit efforts (three in his last six games). He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games.
CF Jace Avina2-for-4, 2 K
So far, Avina has held his own since his promotion (8-for-31; 1 double, 2 HR, 8 BB, 9 K).
C Omar Martinez0-for-3, BB
1B Tyler Hardman1-for-4, R
LF Cole Gabrielson1-for-2, 2B (7), RBI, R, SB (13), CI, BB, K
SS Max Burt0-for-3, SAC

RHP Carlos Lagrange5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
Ranked #2 on Pipeline (and in the Top 100 overall), Lagrange owns a 3.54 ERA since his promotion (40.2 IP, 24 H, 16 R, 16 ER, 3 HR, 26 BB, 55 K). As I have said previously, the walks have spiked since his promotion (I can even claim I predicted this possibility – hey, give me a win in a sea of losses.).  Overall, he owns a 119/38 K/BB over 82.1 innings and will be one of the most talked about prospects by other organizations at the deadline. Arms like his will cause drooling.
RHP Luis Pacheco: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Michael Arias0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Kelly Austin: (W, 3-1)  1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Hayden Merda (S, 1): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
It’s been a tough road for the 6’6″ Merda since his promotion. However, he does have four consecutive scoreless outings to build from.


Hudson Valley (53-36; 16-10 second half) (Defeated Rome, 8-1)

CF Jackson Castillo1-for-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K
Jackson breaks his 0-for-15. He is now 16-for-57 (.281) with nine walks in July.
DH Dillon Lewis2-for-3, 2B (5), RBI, 3 R, BB
It would be so much fun if Lewis could end the season on a strong note. 
LF Coby Morales1-for-5, RBI, R, 2 K
2B Jose Colmenares: 2-for-3, HR (5), 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB (12), 2 BB
3B Josh Moylan0-for-4, RBI, SB (6), BB, K
C Manuel Palencia0-for-4, 2 K
1B Kiko Romero2-for-3, SF, RBI, 2 SB (2)
SS Brenny Escanio0-for-2, SB (10), 2 BB, 2 K
RF Anthony Hall1-for-4, R, K

RHP Cade Smith2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Smith is unlikely to ramp up fully for a while.
RHP Matt Keating: (W, 2-1) 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Keating did a nice job as a multi-inning reliever today, as I guess they didn’t have anyone available to piggyback. He owns a 3.03 ERA in 32.2 IP (25 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 1 HR, 14 BB, 37 K). 
RHP Chris Kean: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Jordany Ventura1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Tony Rossi1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 1.90 ERA (23.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 HR, 15 BB, 30 K)


Tampa (45-44; 9-15 in the second half) (Tied with Dunedin, 0-0, in the 5th. This game was suspended due to rain)

Lineup below without notes – not that there would be anything exciting to add.

C Edgleen Perez0-for-1, BB
SS Roderick Arias0-for-2
DH Engelth Urena0-for-2
3B Juan Matheus0-for-2
CF Willy Montero0-for-2, K
LF Wilson Rodriguez0-for-1
RF Marshall Toole0-for-1, K
2B Owen Cobb0-for-1, K
1B Josue Gonzalez1-for-1, 2B (7)

RHP Brandon Decker4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
At least he was able to get in four innings of work before the rain ruined the night. Once this game becomes official, he will own a 3.10 ERA in 49.1 IP (43 H, 24 R, 17 ER, 2 HR, 22 BB, 49 K)


FCL (28-30) (Ended their season with a 9-2 loss to the FCL Tigers. The FCL Yankees are typically good enough to make the playoffs, but it isn’t the case in 2025.)

Since this is it for 2025, I will post the full lineup:

SS Dexters Peralta0-for-3, BB, K
.157/.253/.221 in 162 PA. As stated many times this season, Peralta got off to a miserable start. He had no chance to fully recover from it, but he did hit .255/.328/.412 in July.
RF Joe Delossantos0-for-2, BB, K
The 24-year-old was their 10th-round pick in 2024. He hit .286/.419/.371 in 86 plate appearances for Low-A Tampa last season but this was his first appearance in 2025. Since their season is over, he’s likely going to Tampa tomorrow.
   1B Johan Contreras: 0-for-1
CF Isael Arias0-for-4, 2 K
DH Ediel Rivera0-for-3, SB (12), BB
Rivera, a 19-year-old catcher signed as an undrafted free agent, finishes at .229/.346/.346 in 185 PA. All of his defensive games were at catcher. He started 13 games at designated hitter. 
2B Luis Escudero1-for-3, SB (13), BB, K
1B-LF Santiago Gomez0-for-3, CS (4), HBP, K
LF-RF Gabriel Lara1-for-4, R, K
.277/.312/.486 in 109 PA. Known for his speed, Lara only went 4-for-9 stealing bases. 
3B Kevin Verde0-for-3, K
C Luis Puello1-for-3, 2B (7), RBI, R, K
Like Rivera, he is also 19 years old. Unlike Rivera, he wasn’t asked to do much catching (only two starts). Most of his starts were in RF (14 starts). He hit .227/.290/.361 in 131 plate appearances (3 HR, 19 RBI).

RHP Jose M Rodriguez (L, 1-5): 3.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
RHP Josh Tiedemann0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Injuries have been an issue for the 13th-round pick in 2023. He has appeared in only seven games, with not-so-good results. The positive is 18 strikeouts in ten innings. The biggest negative is…ten career innings.
RHP Chance Nolan1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
The quarterback-turned-pitcher (a shot for every time I said that this year) finishes his season with a 1.50 ERA in 18 IP (13 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 13 BB, 12 K).
LHP Franyer Herrera1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Stanly Alcantara1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K


DSL Yankees (14-23) (Lost to the DSL Rockies, 11-2. The Rockies are 28-9.)

CF Francisco Vilorio: 2-for-4, CS (2)
.291/.408/.350 in 142 PA (5 doubles, 1 triple, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 28 R, 5-for-7 SB, 14.8% BB, 27.5% K)
SS Mani Cedeno0-for-3, BB, K
2B Carlos Bello0-for-3, R, BB, K
3B Richard Matic2-for-3, 2B (10), RBI, BB
The team is having a rough season, but Matic isn’t. He is hitting .356/.489/.564 in 133 PA (10 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 27 R, 5-for-10 SB, 19.5% BB, 23.3% K). Negative: He is repeating the level. Positive: He was 16 years old last year, so the negative isn’t too negative.
DH Estivenzon Montero0-for-2, SF, RBI, BB
1B Edgar Jimenez1-for-4

RHP Jhosneyker Colina (L, 1-2): 3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
The 17-year-old owns a 4.02 ERA (31.1 IP, 27 H, 19 R, 14 ER, 0 HR, 16 BB, 23 K


DSL Bombers (20-17) (Outslugged the DSL Cardinals, 10-8)

SS Stiven Marinez0-for-5, K
It is always annoying when you see that a team scored ten runs, but one of the top prospects at the level didn’t contribute to it.
CF Ruben Castillo1-for-4, 2 R, SB (15), BB, K
.211/.322/.382 in 143 PA
2B Juan Torres1-for-4, CS (6), BB
Torres has a 7-game hitting streak and is 15-for-39 (.385/.422/.487) in July.
LF Jose Castro0-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB
C Carlos Villarroel2-for-3, HR (6), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, K
.245/.374/.468 in 115 PA (3 doubles, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 21 R). The 18-year-old has eight homers in 64 career games.
   
C Carlos Rondon:  1-for-1, 2B (4), RBI
DH Christofer Reyes2-for-5, RBI, R, 2 K
3B Leni Done0-for-1, 3 R, SB (9), 3 HBP
Interesting day for Done. His teammates took full advantage by converting the three HBP into runs.
1B Remy Veldhuisen1-for-3, 2B (6), 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
.321/.455/.395 in 101 PA (4-for-5 SB)

RHP Cesar Acosta (W, 1-3): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
I don’t get to see too many “wins” for starters at this level, so this was a pleasant surprise. The 18-year-old (debut season) owns a 6.20 ERA in 24.2 IP. Like many pitchers down here, control has failed him. It didn’t today.
LHP Kevin Centeno (S, 2): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K

Yankees MILB 7/16: Jasson Dominguez: Heating Up

News:

Veteran RHP Matt Bowman has opted out of his minor league deal. The Yankees have 72 hours to add him to the MLB roster or lose him. The 32-year-old has a 3.29 ERA in 38.1 innings for Scranton with a 36/18 K/BB. He hasn’t pitched in MLB since 2019.

OF Anthony Hall, who is hitting .271/.387/.452 (131 wRC+) for Tampa, is currently on the injured list (was placed there on 7/5). Hall, who only received one plate appearance before going down to injury in 2022, was likely in line for a promotion.

The Yankees have recalled IF Oswald Peraza. You likely have read about his slump (I highlighted it myself) and his less-than-ideal metrics. While that isn’t meaningless, I think that Peraza has established that he can play in Triple-A over the last two seasons. If you don’t give him a chance now, when are you going to give him one?

Scranton (42-45; 8-5 in the second half) (Lost to Norfolk, 4-3)

DH Estevan Florial1-for-3, RBI, 2 K
Florial is 10-for-34 (.294) in July with seven walks. 
CF Everson Pereira1-for-4, 2B (3), RS
Pereira has at least one hit in all seven games since his promotion. Going back to his days in Somerset, he has a 9-game hitting streak. Between here and Somerset, he is hitting a gaudy .308/.373/.554 in 217 PA (13 doubles, 1 triple 11 HR, 40 RBI, 32 R, 20 BB, 61 K). The 28.1% K has to come down – that’s the one thing in his profile that gives you a little pause. For what it is worth, in the small Triple-A sample size, it sits at 21.9%.
C Carlos Narvaez1-for-4, 2B (3)
Since promotion: .272/.414/.464 in 157 PA.
3B Andres Chaparro: 2-for-4, 2B (17), RBI, RS, K
Chaparro is 13-for-39 (.333) in July with four doubles and 14 runs batted in. He is hitting .248/.336/.476 in 363 PA with 63 runs batted in.
1B Jake Lamb1-for-3, RBI, BB, K
RF Brandon Lockridge0-for-4
2B Jamie Westbrook0-for-3, BB
LF Michael Hermosillo1-for-4, 2B (2), RS, K

RHP Mitch Spence: (L, 7-5)  5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 3 HR
4.56 ERA (96.2 IP, 97 H, 55 R, 49 ER, 20 HR, 35 BB, 81 K)
RHP Michael Feliz1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
3.38 ERA (13.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 5 BB, 15 K). Don’t be surprised if the Yankees use him at some point.
LHP Anthony Misiewicz0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Michael Gomez0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Somerset (49-33; 7-7 in the second half) (Defeated Binghamton, 9-4)

SS Trey Sweeney3-for-5, 2 RBI, RS
Entering this game, he was drawing some walks in July (eight) but was only 6-for-30. Hopefully, this will get him back on track. This is his 5th 3-hit game this season. He is hitting .246/.366/.422 in 361 PA.
CF Jasson Dominguez2-for-4, 3B (2), 2 RBI, RS, BB
Dominguez has three straight multi-hit efforts and five in his last six games. He is hitting .217/.358/.372 in 258 PA (8 doubles, 2 triples, 11 HR, 43 RBI, 57 R, 64 BB, 98 K, 25-for-29 SB)
C Austin Wells0-for-3, SF, RBI, BB
9-for-45 (.200) in July with four walks and ten strikeouts. He does have 12 RBI, so there’s that.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 2-for-5, 2B (10), RBI, RS, K
Rumfield has back-to-back multi-hit games and has doubled in three straight games.
3B Tyler Hardman0-for-5, 3 K
RF Elijah Dunham1-for-4, 2B (2), RS, BB
DH Mickey Gasper: 2-for-4, RBI, RS, HBP
2B Max Burt1-for-3, HR (8), RBI, 2 RS, 2 BB
LF Jeisson Rosario0-for-3, RBI, 2 RS, 2 BB, K

RHP Richard Fitts: (W, 5-5)  5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
3.72 ERA (94.1 IP, 87 H, 40 R, 39 ER, 13 HR, 23 BB, 101 K). Today was a grind, but he has pitched very well for a while now (16 ER in his last 61 innings (2.36 ERA))
RHP Zac Houston1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Alex Mauricio1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
3.41 ERA ( 29 IP, 25 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 3 HR, 10 BB, 30 K)
RHP Danny Watson1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 16.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB, 16 K

Hudson Valley (48-36; 9-9 in the second half) (Lost to Bowling Green, 8-2)

DH Spencer Jones0-for-2, 2 BB, K, CS (8)
Jones has ten walks in his last ten games. He is hitting .264/.340/.465 in 324 PA. The strikeout today was his 100th this season. He is going to strike out – the key for him is to limit them as much as possible to make himself a viable MLB player. 
SS Ben Cowles0-for-3, RS, BB, 2 K
C Agustin Ramirez: 2-for-4, 2B (9), RBI, RS
Since his promotion: .420/.453/.720 in 53 PA with seven multi-hit games (three consecutive). Overall, he is hitting .282/.396/.466 in 285 PA (16 doubles, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 42 R, 45 BB (15.8%), 47 K (16.5%), 7-for-11 SB)
1B Rafael Flores2-for-4, 2B (11), RBI
.291/.363/.369 in 273 PA
LF Christopher Familia1-for-4, 2 K
.196/.212/.294 in 52 plate appearances since his promotion. We’ll see how he adjusts.
CF Grant Richardson0-for-3, K
  PH Juan Crisp0-for-1
RF Anthony Garcia0-for-4, K
3B Marcos Cabrera0-for-3, 2 K
2B Luis Santos0-for-3, 2 K

RHP Juan Carela: (L, 2-4)  4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 3 HR
As I said last night, Bowling Green can hit. Drew Thorpe was able to navigate their lineup – Carela was not. Take it as a learning opportunity. His ERA is now 3.51 (77 IP, 62 H, 36 R, 30 ER, 6 HR, 29 BB, 98 K).
LHP Clay Aguilar1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
3.38 ERA (18.2 IP, 13 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 1 HR, 10 BB, 29 K)
RHP Mason Vinyard2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 3.77 ERA (14.1 IP, 14 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 15 K). 
RHP Luis Velasquez1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 4.38 ERA (12.1 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 11 BB, 17 K)

Tampa (41-43; 10-8 in the second half) (Knocked out Lakeland, 11-5)

SS Jared Serna0-for-4, RS, BB, 2 K
.288/.348/.503 in 362 PA (18 doubles, 1 triple, 17 HR, 61 RBI, 59 R, 29 BB (8%), 61 K (16.9%), 16-for-21 SB). Serna has been one of the better performers in the FSL this season. 
RF Greg Allen1-for-3, 3 RS, BB, K, 2 SB (2)
  RF Felix Negueis0-for-1, K
C Ben Rice1-for-4, RBI, 2 RS, HBP, 2 K
3B Jesus Rodriguez2-for-4, 2 2B (13), 3 RBI, 2 RS, BB, K, 2 SB (13)
.293/.372/.439 in 275 PA (13 doubles, 2 triples, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 40 R, 30 BB (10.9%), 42 K (15.3%), 13-for-15 SB). 
1B Omar Martinez2-for-3, HR (8), 4 RBI, RS, BB, SB (6)
.238/.363/.395 in 251 PA (7 doubles, 1 triple, 8 HR, 34 RBI, 31 R, 38 BB, 72 K, 6-for-7 SB). Martinez has homered in three of his last four games. He is a left-handed bat who plays catcher and first base.
DH Brett Barrera1-for-4
CF Daury Arias1-for-4, 2B (11)
.232/.323/.339 in 288 PA (11 doubles, 2 triples, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 32 R, 32 BB, 54 K, 9-for-10 SB)
LF Jake Palmer0-for-4
2B Jose Colmenares2-for-4, 2 HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 RS
This is his second game of 2023 and 59th game going back to his debut in 2019 (where he played 46 of those games). In other words, Colmenares has not played much since signing

RHP Hayden Merda: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, HR
5.32 ERA (69.1 IP, 67 H, 47 R, 41 ER, 5 HR, 33 BB, 69 K)
RHP Ocean Gabonia (W, 4-0): 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Cole Ayers2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

FCL Yankees (16-11) 

Day off.

DSL Yankees (19-9) 

Day off.

DSL Bombers (12-16) 

Day off.