News:
Yes, I saw the quotes from OF Ben Ruta, a former Yankees farmhand who is exposing some of the inner workings down on the farm.
I am not someone who is going to go crazy over a former prospect lashing out. While I don’t think he is lying, there could be some exaggeration for effect. I would love to hear more stories from prospects who played in the system around the same timeframe to verify the claims.
Back in the old days, we would never just take one person’s word for it. You would interview multiple people to verify the claims being made. That is all I am asking for.
Ruta had a couple of solid seasons in the Yankees system but eventually faded away. He did play for the Padres’ system in 2021, hitting .178 in 76 games before being released. No word on who is blamed for that.
Scranton (55-58; 21-18 in the second half) (Lost to Worcester, 8-1)
RF Franchy Cordero: 0-for-4, K
SS Oswald Peraza: 0-for-4, K
LF Everson Pereira: 1-for-4, 2 K
Pereira is in a little 2-for-16 slump (8 K)
C Austin Wells: 1-for-4, K, SB (2)
Wells is now 39-for-39 stealing bases in his career. Since promotion: .253/.344/.386 in 96 PA (8 doubles, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R, 10 BB, 23 K, 2-for-2 SB)
1B Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
Since promotion: .258/.391/.421 in 235 PA. Narvaez is a Rule 5 eligible C/1B who is hitting well in the upper minors. There are only so many players you can protect and I would guess he is on the borderline.
2B Jamie Westbrook: 0-for-3, 2 K
DH Jake Lamb: 1-for-3, 2 K
CF Michael Hermosillo: 0-for-3
SS Wilmer Difo: 1-for-3, HR (4), RBI, RS, K
RHP Clayton Beeter (L, 1-4): 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, HR
Since promotion: 6.31 ERA (35.2 IP, 35 H, 26 R, 25 ER, 10 HR, 19 BB, 42 K)
RHP Aaron McGarity: 1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 2 HR
LHP Josh Maciejewski: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Between here, Somerset, and Hudson Valley: 2.57 ERA in 28 IP (27 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 32 K)
RHP Matt Bowman: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
LHP Nick Ramirez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Somerset (65-44; 23-18 in the second half) (Tripled up Reading, 9-3)
LF Jasson Dominguez: 3-for-5, 2B (15), HR (14), RBI, RS, 2 K
.244/.361/.395 in 485 PA (15 doubles, 2 triples, 14 HR, 60 RBI, 77 R, 75 BB (15.5%), 125 K (25.8%), 36-for-43 SB). Dominguez is 21-for-59 (.356) in August
C Ben Rice: 1-for-5, HR (9), RBI, RS, 2 K
Rice has homered in back-to-back games and in four of his last six games. He has 13 HR, 48 RBI, and 40 runs in 48 games across three levels (his ten games for Tampa were rehab games).
DH Agustin Ramirez: 0-for-5, 2 K
Jumping three levels in one year is tough. This is a great experience for Ramirez. I won’t tell you to ignore the numbers – I will tell you how valuable this experience is for him, regardless of where his Double-A numbers land at the end of the season.
CF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-5, 2 K
1B Josh Breaux: 1-for-4, 2B (4), 2 RS, BB, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 1-for-2, HR (3), 2 RBI, RS, 2 BB, HBP
.171/.335/.253 in 218 PA. For the second straight season, he has more walks (43) than strikeouts (40). That is impressive, but we need to see more of a hit tool.
3B Max Burt: 0-for-4, RS, HBP, 2 K
SS Jesus Bastidas: 1-for-3, 2B (1), 2 RBI, 2 RS, BB
RF Aaron Palensky: 2-for-3, 2B (10), HR (7), 3 RBI, RS, HBP, K
Palensky, who has topped the organization’s wRC+ leaderboard most of the year, has 19 doubles, 19 HR, 56 RBI, and 63 runs scored between here and Hudson Valley. He is trying to finish strong (8-for-26 in August with three doubles and two homers)
RHP Yoendrys Gomez: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
Gomez sets a new personal best for strikeouts in a game. He owns a 3.14 ERA in 43 IP (29 H, 17 R, 15 ER, 4 HR, 24 BB, 51 K). The Yankees have stored him on the 40-man roster for a few years now – more for his projection as he hasn’t stayed healthy. He is one to watch this winter.
RHP Tanner Myatt: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo: (W, 2-0) 2.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Alex Mauricio: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
3.24 ERA (41.2 IP, 37 H, 16 R, 15 ER, 4 HR, 13 BB, 41 K). He hasn’t allowed a run in five August appearances (6 IP)
Hudson Valley (61-49; 22-22 in the second half) (Knocked down Brooklyn, 7-1)
CF Spencer Jones: 3-for-4, 2B (27), 2 RBI, 2 RS, BB, K, 2 SB (32)
Jones has two 3-hit games in his last four games played and 13 such games in 2023 (including a 4-hit game). I get that some wish he had more than 12 HR in 94 games, but he is earning his extra-base hits and showing off his athleticism with the stolen bases. The home run stroke should come with maturity.
RF Anthony Hall: 1-for-3, 2B (4), 2 RBI, RS, 2 BB, K
Since promotion: 6-for-28. He has hit safely in four straight games after starting off 0-for-10 at this level.
SS Jared Serna: 0-for-4, HBP, K
Serna’s 10-game hitting streak is snapped. He is 9-for-32 (.281) since his promotion.
C Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-3, BB, HBP, K
Rodriguez is 8-for-23 with six walks since his promotion.
2B Alexander Vargas: 1-for-5, RBI, K
DH Antonio Gomez: 0-for-5, K
3B Ben Cowles: 0-for-1, RS, 3 BB, K, SB (17)
.261/.358/.414 in 371 PA (16 doubles, 1 triple, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 50 R, 44 BB, 104 K, 17-for-20 SB). He is 14-for-39 with 11 walks in August.
LF Christopher Familia: 0-for-2, 2 RS, 2 BB
1B Rafael Flores: 0-for-3, RS, BB
RHP Justin Lange: (W, 1-0) 5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K
A very impressive High-A debut for Lange, who has all the talent in the world. He just needs to harness it (I say that as if it is so easy). Between here and Tampa, he has 123 strikeouts in 78.1 innings. The issue is the 56 walks.
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Cole Ayers: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Tampa (53-57; 22-22 in the second half) (Held off Daytona Beach, 8-6)
DH Roc Riggio: 0-for-2, 2 RBI, 4 BB, K
A pair of RBI walks for Riggio, who is 4-for-18 with nine walks and seven strikeouts at this level.
1B Kiko Romero: 0-for-2, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K
Sheesh, the top of the order set the table tonight, eh? Yet, neither scored a run. Anyway, Romero (who also had a pair of RBI walks) has six walks in his last two games. We should see college kids adjust to Low-A pretty quickly.
C Omar Martinez: 1-for-5, 2 RBI
Martinez is up to 62 RBI, which ranks him second in the league (former teammate Jared Serna still leads the way at 71)
SS Brenny Escanio: 1-for-4, RS, 2 K
CF Daury Arias: 1-for-5, RS
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-4, RS, HBP, 3 K
LF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-4, RBI, RS, BB, 2 K, SB (1)
Gabrielson with his first career SB.
2B Beau Brewer: 1-for-2, 3 RS, 3 BB, K
August: 13-for-35 with eight walks and four strikeouts. Remember that Brewer is only 21 – it is easy to think that he is older as he was drafted out of college, but it was a JUCO.
3B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-2, RBI, RS, 3 BB, K
RHP Cam Schlittler: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR
At this level: 4.09 ERA (11 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 5 BB, 10 K). This is obvious a “get your feet wet” season for Schlittler.
RHP Osiel Rodriguez: (W, 2-0) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Since promotion: 10.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 15 K
RHP Adam Stone: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Stone’s first performance since July 19th.
RHP Anderson Munoz: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Ocean Gabonia: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Nolberto Henriquez: (S, 1) 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Henriguez loaded the bases with nobody out in the 9th, but got out of it.
FCL Yankees (30-20)
Day off.
DSL Yankees (31-16) (Lost to LAD Bautista, 9-8. This was the conclusion of a suspended game from 7/27)
I am not going to dig too deeply into the numbers.
CF Brando Mayea was 1-for-2. He was pulled for a pinch runner, but I believe that was back on 7/27, not today…DH Josue Gonzalez doubled, walked, and scored a pair of runs. He has 13 doubles in 30 games…LF Jhon Imbert compiled a double, swatted a sacrifice fly, and drove home three…
DSL Bombers (24-25) (Defeated Arizona Red, 7-4. This was the conclusion of a suspended game from 7/26)
3B Gabriel Terrero went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk…LF David Beckles drove home three and drew a pair of walks…
RHP Jose Julian Rodriguez: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K