Tag: Spencer Jones

Yankees MILB 4/10: Jackson Castillo: 2 Doubles, 6 RBI

Notes:

RHP McKinley Moore and OF Christopher Familia have been moved to the organization’s Development List.

The Development List was introduced in 2021, and its purpose is what you think it is. If a player has something to work on, and the organization wants them to do so outside of game competition, the Development List is there for them to use.

Scranton (6-5) 

Their game against Rochester was postponed.  Tomorrow’s weather doesn’t look promising.

Somerset (2-4) (Defeated Reading, 4-1)

3B Jesus Rodriguez: 1-for-4, RBI, CS (1), K
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-3, RBI, SB (2), BB, K
.263/.462/.474 in 26 PA (1 double, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R, 2-for-2 SB, 6 BB, 8 K)
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-2, SB (2), 2 BB, K
6-for-21 (2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, 2-for-2 SB, 4 BB, 8 K)
LF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, R, BB
RF Cole Gabrielson: 2-for-4, 2B (1), R, 2 K
1B Tyler Hardman: 1-for-4, RBI, K
DH Grant Richardson: 0-for-3, BB, 3 K
SS Alexander Vargas: 2-for-4, 2B (3), RBI, CS (1), K
6-for-12 (3 doubles, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K). This is a continuation of his strong spring training.
2B Max Burt: 0-for-2, R, SB (2), BB, K

RHP Clarke Schmidt: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Schmidt could be in an MLB rotation as soon as next week.
RHP Cam Schlittler: (W, 1-0): 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
10.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 12 K

Hudson Valley (4-2) (Defeated Brooklyn, 8-3)

CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-3, R, 2 SB (3), 2 BB, 2 K
2-for-21 (1 double, 1 triple, 3 RBI, 2 R, 3-for-3 SB, 4 BB, 10 K). Jones is 21-for-21 stealing bases in his short career.
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-2, 3 R, SB (2), 3 BB, K
Lombard had four 3+ BB games in 2024 (including one 4 BB game)
LF Jackson Castillo: 3-for-5, 2 2B (2), 6 RBI, SB (2), K
Castillo swats a pair of 3-run doubles. Interestingly, this is not a new best for him for RBI. He knocked in 7 runs on August 13, 2024.
C Omar Martinez: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 3 K
2B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-5, 4 K
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-4, R, 2 K
DH Antonio Gomez: 1-for-4, 2 K
RF Coby Morales: 1-for-3, R, BB, K
3B Brenny Escanio: 0-for-2, 2 R, SB (3), 2 BB

RHP Josh Grosz: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
The 6’4″ Grosz had a solid debut season in 2024 (24 games (23 starts), 7-8, 3.85 ERA; 121.2 IP, 101 H, 14 HR, 52 BB, 131 K). He had his best ERA in seven starts at this level (2.77). He was the Yankees’ 11th-round pick in 2023 (East Carolina).
LHP Will Brian: (W, 1-0)  2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Impressive outing for the 6’8″ Warrecker. Like many kids his size, he needs to work on his command/control.
RHP Hayden Merda: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Huey Morrill: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

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

SS Roderick Arias: 2-for-4, 2B (2), 2 SB (3), BB, K
Arias needed this night in a bad way.
LF Brian Sanchez: 0-for-2, SB (2), BB, 2 K
Sanchez left the game after striking out in the 5th inning.
  LF Dillon Lewis: 0-for-1, K
C Engelth Urena: 0-for-2, R, 2 HBP, 2 K
Urena is off to a 1-for-17 start, though he does have seven walks and two HBP.
3B Parks Harber: 1-for-4, HR (1), 2 RBI, R, K
Harber hit one homer in 23 games in last year’s debut season.
RF Tyler Wilson: 0-for-3, CS (2), BB, K
2B Austin Green: 0-for-3, R, HBP
1B Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
CF Marshall Toole: 1-for-4, K
DH Duncan Pastore: 1-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, R
Signed as an undrafted free agent last year, Pastore went 10-for-27 in ten games with four stolen bases. He is still looking for his first career extra-base hit.

LHP Griffin Herring: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
10.1 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 13 K. I’d say that’s a nice start to one’s professional career.
RHP Sean Hermann: (W, 1-0)  2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Chris Veach: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Tony Rossi (S, 1): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Rossi’s first career save. He was pumping mid-90s sinkers tonight.

FCL (0-0)

Their season starts on May 3rd.

DSL (0-0)

Their season starts in June.

Yankees MILB 4/8: Spencer Jones Homers

Notes:

Nothing to report

Scranton (5-4)

Their game against Rochester was postponed. They will try to play two tomorrow.

Somerset (1-3) (Lost a tough one to Reading, 5-4. Reading scored four runs in the top of the 9th to take the win)

3B Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-4, K
A tough 1-for-18 start to his campaign.
CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-2, HR (1), RBI, R, SB (1), 2 BB
4-for-13 (1 double, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 1 SB, 4 BB, 5 K)
C Rafael Flores: 1-for-4, 2 K
1B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-4, 2 K
RF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, R, HBP, K
Martin hit 12 HR in 87 games for Hudson Valley last year.
DH Tyler Hardman: 0-for-3, R, BB, K
SS Jake Gatewood: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Jared Wegner: 0-for-4, 3 K
2B Alexander Vargas: 2-for-4, 2B (2), RBI
4-for-8 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.

RHP Brendan Beck: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
The Yankees drafted the 26-year-old in the 2nd round in 2021 (Stanford). Considered a “fast track” type, injuries have slowed him considerably. His only action came in 2023, when he pitched 34 innings over ten starts for the FCL (one start)/Hudson Valley (9 starts). The road has been long, but we’ve seen successful pitchers start their careers in their mid-to-late 20s.
RHP Indigo Diaz: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Kelly Austin: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
RHP Jordany Ventura:  (L, 0-1) 0.1 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
Meltdown alert.
RHP Zach Greene: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Hudson Valley (2-2) (Lost to Brooklyn, 7-3)

CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
2-for-18 (2B, 3B, 3 RBI, R, 1-for-1 SB, 2 BB, 8 K)
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-3, R, SB (1), BB, K
3-for-13 (3B, RBI, 4 R, 1-for-2 SB, 3 BB, 5 K)
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-3, SB (1), BB, K
RF Jace Avina: 1-for-4, R, 2 K
C Omar Martinez: 0-for-4, RBI, 2 K
3B Josh Moylan: 1-for-3, 2B (1), RBI, R, BB, K
Moylan had buzz when the Yankees signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2023. His 2024 season (.246/.357/.381; 8 HR, 42 RBI) left room for improvement, so he is back at this level.
1B Coby Morales: 0-for-3, K
DH Antonio Gomez: 1-for-2, RBI, BB, K
2B Jose Colmenares: 0-for-3

RHP Carlos Lagrange: (L, 0-1)  3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, HR
Loaded with talent in his 6’7″ frame, the 21-year-old has dealt with injuries and wildness in his brief (98.2 IP) career.
RHP Cole Ayers: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
The 25-year-old pitched to a 3.09 ERA in 55.1 IP at this level in 2024.  He briefly made his way to Somerset, but is back here to begin 2025.
LHP Geoffrey Gilbert: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Ocean Gabonia: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K

Tampa (3-1) (Came back to defeat Fort Myers, 5-3. The Tarpons scored five times in the top of the 9th)

SS Roderick Arias: 1-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, R, SB (1), BB, 2 K
Arias finally collects that first hit of 2025 (1-for-16; 7 K). He doubled, scored a run, drove home a run, and walked in the 9th.
C Edgleen Perez: 0-for-3, 2 K
   PH-C Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-1, R, BB, K
CF Brian Sanchez: 1-for-4, 3B (2), K
Speed is a big part of the 20-year-old’s game. He should be able to stick in CF.
DH Engelth Urena: 0-for-3, RBI, BB, K
1B Parks Harber: 1-for-3, RBI, CS (1), BB, K
Harber’s RBI single in the top of the 9th tied the game.
RF Tyler Wilson: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Dillon Lewis: 1-for-3, R, BB, K
2B Austin Green: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, SB (1), K
Green’s 2-run single broke the 2-2 tie in the 9th.
3B Juan Matheus: 0-for-3, BB, K

RHP Andrew Landry: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
The 23-year-old was drafted in the 16th round in 2023 (Southeastern Louisiana). In 2024, he pitched in seven games at this level, posting a 6.98 ERA in 19.1 IP with 16 walks and 12 strikeouts.
RHP Cole Zaffiro: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
The Yankees signed the 22-year-old as an undrafted free agent last year (Wake Forest).
RHP Gus Hughes: (W, 1-0)  2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Hughes’ first career win. Congrats.
RHP Alex Bustamante (S, 1): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

FCL (0-0)

Their season starts on May 3rd.

DSL (0-0)

Their season starts in June.

Yankees MILB 4/5: Spencer Jones Singles, Doubles

Notes:

Nothing to report

Scranton (4-4) (Lost to Syracuse, 7-4)

1B Dominic Smith: 0-for-4, K
LF Everson Pereira: 1-for-4, K
7-for-25 with four RBI. He is looking for his first extra-base hit. Given that extra-base power is his “thing,” I am not worried.
2B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-4
DH T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-3, HR (3), RBI, R,  BB
.303/.395/.636 in 38 PA. 
C Ronaldo Hernandez: 0-for-4, K
3B Braden Shewmake: 0-for-3, R, BB
RF Grant Richardson: 1-for-4, HR (1), 2 RBI, R, 2 K
5-for-11 with a double, homer, 5 RBI, and 6 runs scored.
SS Andrew Velazquez: 1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, R, K
CF Duke Ellis: 0-for-3

RHP Sean Boyle (L, 0-2): 5 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, HR
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 8 K
RHP McKinley Moore: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

Somerset (1-1) (Defeated Hartford, 6-2)

2B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-3, 2 BB, K
Jasso’s first career game at second base.
CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, R, BB, 2 K
How many times in his career have I written “2-for-4, 2 K” in a Spencer Jones stat line? I will gladly take the hits.
1B Rafael Flores: 3-for-5, HR (1), 2 RBI, R
In 67 Double-A games: .280/.362/.528 (14 doubles, 16 HR, 35 RBI, 41 R, 7-for-7 SB, 28 BB (9.9%), 75 K (26.6%)
C Jesus Rodriguez: 0-for-5, 2 K
DH Tyler Hardman: 1-for-4, R, 2 K
Before his 2023 injury, Hardman was hitting .237/.332/.558 with 26 HR in only 77 games at this level. Since coming back, the power hasn’t returned (8 HR in 76 games at this level).
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, R, HBP, K
SS Jake Gatewood: 1-for-4, 2B (1), R, 3 K
LF Jared Wegner: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K
3B Max Burt: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, R, SB (1)
Burt is grinding it out. The Yankees drafted him in the 28th round in 2018 out of Northeastern. He re-signed as a minor league free agent in March to begin his 7th season with the organization.

RHP Clarke Schmidt: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
52 pitches/37 strikes. This is what you wanted to see in his first rehab appearance.
LHP Edgar Barclay (W, 1-0): 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
RHP Harrison Cohen: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Kelly Austin: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
The 24-year-old was acquired from the Houston Astros for Caleb Ferguson last July (the Yankees also received international bonus pool money in the transaction). 

Hudson Valley (1-1) (Walked it off against Jersey Shore, 8-7)

RF Brendan Jones: 2-for-5, 3B (1), 3 RBI, R, SB (1), BB, K
For now, Jones is credited with a 3-run game-winning single. We’ll see if that holds, or if some shenanigans occurred. Either way, exciting walk-off win! 
SS George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-4, 3B (1), SF, RBI, R, 2 K
If the extra-base power shows up this year (as many expect), watch out.
CF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-4, RBI, R, BB, 2 K
The top of this batting order is enviously athletic. 
LF Jace Avina: 2-for-4, 2B (1), R, BB
DH Omar Martinez: 1-for-4, RBI, BB, K
3B Josh Moylan: 1-for-4, BB, K
1B Coby Morales: 1-for-4, RBI, R, BB, K
C Antonio Gomez: 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, R
  C Tomas Frick: 2-for-2, 2B (1), R
Frick performed well for Tampa last year, hitting .250/.370/.368 in 173 plate appearances. It was his professional debut after being drafted in the 15th round in 2023.
2B Brenny Escanio: 1-for-3, R, 2 SB (2), 2 BB, K

RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Rodriguez-Cruz was acquired from the Red Sox in exchange for catcher Carlos Narvaez. He is the type of “lottery ticket” arm you should target for a 40-man roster guy. Only 21, he went 5-5 with a 2.91 ERA in 89.2 IP between Low-A and High-A last season with a 102/43 K/BB.
RHP Sebastian Keane: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Hayden Merda: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
The 6’6″ Merda missed the 2024 season. At this level in 2023, he went 3-6 with a 6.21 ERA in 21 games (20 starts), posting a 96/57 K/BB over 95.2 innings. The Yankees signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
RHP Tyrone Yulie: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Another pitcher who missed the 2024 season. In 2023, at this level, he posted a 4.56 ERA in 79 IP with a 90/43 K/BB.

Tampa (2-0) (Defeated Lakeland, 7-6, in ten innings)

SS Roderick Arias: 0-for-4, 2 BB, 2 K
Even as I talk about Arias being a “raw” talent, he sneakily puts up solid BB rates (12.3% last year). 
C Edgleen Perez: 1-for-2, 2 R, BB
Perez is only 18 years old. He easily conquered the DSL and FCL, earning himself this challenge.  He is amongst the youngest players in the Florida State League (he is not the youngest. Andrew Salas (Marlins) holds that distinction).
   C Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-2, R, BB
CF Brian Sanchez: 0-for-5, R, BB, K
DH Engelth Urena: 1-for-3, 2B (1), 2 RBI, R, 3 BB, K
Urena’s 2023 injury stalled his timetable, but he is still only 20 years old.  In 40 FCL games last year, he hit 11 doubles and 8 HR while driving home 31. The power potential he possesses is legitimate
1B Parks Harber: 2-for-5, 2B (1), 3 RBI, BB, 2 K
After being drafted last year, Harber was assigned here. He hit .269/.389/.449 in 23 games with a homer and 19 RBI.
RF Tyler Wilson: 2-for-4, RBI, CS (1), 2 BB, K
LF Dillon Lewis: 2-for-5, 2B (1), R
2B Hans Montero: 1-for-5, 2 K
3B Juan Matheus: 0-for-3, SF, RBI, R, CS (1), BB

LHP Tanner Bauman: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
A day after Griffin Herring dazzled in his professional debut, Bauman turns in a solid effort in his debut. The 6’5″ 22-year-old was drafted in the 9th round in the 2024 draft.  For Auburn last year, he went 3-2 with a 4.57 ERA in 20 appearances (6 starts) with a 47/16 K/BB over 41.1 IP.
RHP Alex Bustamante: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Bustamente spent the entire 2024 season on the injured list.
RHP Cade Austin: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Chris Veach: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
This is the professional debut for Veach, who the Yankees signed as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina. This is the first time I am saying this in 2025: Don’t let an “undrafted” status sour you on a prospect. The draft is shorter nowadays, leaving a lot of talent out there for teams to sign.
RHP Gus Hughes: (W, 1-0)  0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Hughes’ first professional appearance is a successful one. Drafted in the 18th round in 2024, the High Point graduate stands only 6’0″. Last season, as a starter, he went 6-4 with a 3.77 ERA in 102.2 IP with a 111/41 K/BB. A few High Point players have reached the big leagues, with reliever Cody Allen (Guardians, Angels) being the most successful.

 

FCL (0-0)

Their season starts on May 3rd.

DSL (0-0)

Their season starts in June.

Yankees MILB 9/22: Ben Rice: Grand Slam

News:

RHP Clayton Beeter is on his way up, while RHP Jake Cousins was placed on the injured list.

After returning from his injury, Beeter was exclusively a reliever. Over five games, he posted a 0.00 ERA in 7 innings (2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 12 K). He wasn’t asked to pitch on back-to-back days, though he did pitch in two games over three days once.

Can he make the postseason roster? I would consider it a long shot but you never know.

Scranton (89-60) (Defeated Buffalo, 8-4. A tremendous season for the Railriders, but the rules keep them out of the playoffs. Too bad.)

2B Caleb Durbin: 3-for-5, 2B (23), RBI, RS, SB (29), CS (3), K
Durbin found himself in a slump early in September but finished on a little 4-game hitting streak (doubled in his final three games). Overall, including his rehab time, Durbin hit .275/.388/.451 in 406 PA (25 doubles, 2 triples, 10 HR, 60 RBI, 61 R, 31-for-35 SB, 13.1% BB, 9.9% K). Where does he fit? I would put him in the competition for an infield spot in 2025. First things first, though: He is Rule 5 eligible, so they will need to add him to the 40-man roster this winter.
3B Jorbit Vivas: 0-for-4, RS, CI
Vivas hit .225/.347/.366 in 422 PA for Scranton (18 doubles, 2 triples, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 57 R, 20-for-25 SB, 13.7% BB, 16.6% K). He will forever be linked to Trey Sweeney in Yankees-land. Sweeney is a part of the Tigers’ late-season surge, hitting .247/.290/.430 with four homers in 100 plate appearances.
DH Ben Rice: 1-for-4, HR (12; grand slam), 4 RBI, RS, BB, K
If Rice was discouraged by his demotion, he didn’t play like it. In 19 September games, he hit 9 homers, drove home 23 runs, and walked more than he struck out (17-to-16). Overall, including his time in MLB, Rice swatted 31 home runs in 531 plate appearances.
SS Oswald Peraza: 2-for-4, HR (13), RBI, 2 RS, 2 SB (24)
Peraza ends his campaign with three home runs in the last two games. He still possesses a tantalizing combination of power, speed, and defense. I don’t know if he’ll hit for average in MLB but does he need to? He hit .246/.341/.394 in 406 PA at this level. His SLG dipped to .236 after the games of July 5th and was still under .300 as late as July 26th.
1B T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-4, K
Rumfield hit .294/.370/.454 in 508 PA between here and Somerset (27 doubles, 15 HR, 73 RBI, 77 R, 9.6% BB, 16.1% K). If the Yankees look for their future 1B from within, Rice has the edge. As well as Rumfield played this season, I am not sure if they will protect him.
RF J.C. Escarra: 1-for-1
With his 1-for-1 day, Escarra finishes his Triple-A campaign over .300 (.302; he was at .298 entering today). The Yankees used him at C/1B/3B/LF/RF this season.
  PH-RF Taylor Trammell: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 K
I hope this was just a situation where they wanted to give Trammell a few plate appearances in the final game instead of an injury.
C Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-4, K
Narvaez seemingly ran into a wall late (0-for-21 in his last five games). He finishes his minor league season at .254/.370/.412 in 403 PA.
LF Jahmai Jones: 1-for-2
   PR-LF Duke Ellis: 0-for-2, RS, SB (6), K
It remains possible that Ellis will sneak onto the postseason roster for pinch-running purposes. You would think his 57 minor-league stolen bases would place him near the top of minor-league baseball. Nope, though he is tied for 10th. The leader? Tampa Bay prospect Chandler Simpson stole 104 bases in 110 games this season.
CF Greg Allen: 1-for-3, 2B (9), RBI, 2 RS, BB
Allen always seems to find his way back, so I won’t call this his organizational swan song.

LHP Josh Maciejewski: (W, 2-3)  5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
The ultimate thrill for Maciejewski was making four appearances (7 innings) for the big club. The 10th-round pick in the 2018 draft worked hard to accomplish that (he was drafted in the 10th round partially for monetary reasons, as he only required a $7,500 bonus). His future? Figuring out minor league free agency is hard, so I don’t know if he is eligible this winter. If not, he will fill a similar role in 2025.
RHP Cody Morris: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP JT Brubaker: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
If the Yankees keep him around, he has one more control year before reaching free agency. It does require adding him to the 40-man (he is currently on the 60-day IL as this is a rehab stint) to retain him.
RHP Phil Bickford: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Mosqueda, signed as a minor league free agent over the winter, finishes with a 4.39 ERA (67.2 IP, 50 H, 38 R, 33 ER, 8 HR, 37 BB, 88 K). He held left-handed hitters to a .122 batting average (1 home run).

Somerset (2-1) (Lost to Erie, 9-5, to fall behind 1-0 in the best-of-3 championship series. The series moves to Somerset, starting on Tuesday)

CF Spencer Jones: 1-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, RS
Jones is 6-for-14 with a pair of home runs and only one strikeout in the playoffs. Additionally, he struck out once in his final four regular season contests.
C Rafael Flores: 1-for-4, HR (2), RBI, RS, 2 K
Flores’ 22nd HR between the regular season and the postseason. Only Ben Rice (24 minor-league homers) has more within the organization.
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-4, K
DH Elijah Dunham: 1-for-4, CS (1), K
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-3, BB, K
LF Grant Richardson: 3-for-4, HR (1), RBI, 2 RS, K
RF Jared Wegner: 0-for-3, 3 K
  PH Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-1
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, K
3B Max Burt: 1-for-3, RS
  PH Kiko Romero: 0-for-1

LHP Ben Shields: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
This concludes Shields’ encouraging debut campaign. In the regular season, he pitched to a 3.48 ERA (3.23 FIP) in 106 IP with a 31.1% K, 7.5% BB, and 47.8% GB. He will be 26 by the time we get to Opening Day 2025. That does not bother me.
RHP Sean Boyle: (L, 0-1)  1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Leonardo Pestana: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Danny Watson: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Reyzelman and Watson were reliable down the stretch. They didn’t have it tonight. It happens.

Hudson Valley (73-58 (regular season); 3-3 (playoffs))

Their season is over.

Tampa (54-74)

Their season is over.

FCL (35-22)

Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (17-36)

Their season is over.

DSL Bombers (30-25) 

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/19: Ben Rice Homers Again

News:

I have nothing to offer.

Scranton (86-60) (Defeated Buffalo, 4-1. I have been mistaken lately. Like most sane people, I thought divisions mattered in the International League, but they don’t. It’s first-half champion vs. second-half champion in the entire league, even though you don’t get to play everyone. Weird. Divisions don’t matter. Scranton is 86-60 (the second-best team to Omaha) and won’t make the playoffs. That needs to be fixed because it’s freaking stupid. Why do they do this? Time. They expanded the season, so the playoffs took a hit. Instead of a 2-series format, they go straight to a best-of-3 championship. After that concludes, the International League winner plays the Pacific Coast League winner in a 1-game “winner-take-all.” Interestingly, they came up with a format that I 100% hate. I like nothing about it. I don’t care about IL vs. PCL. I care more about deserving squads making it)

LF-3B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-5, RBI
Even during his slump, Durbin hasn’t been striking out (6 in 12 September games). He is hitting .284/.396/.466 in 360 PA at this level (12.8% BB, 9.7% K)
2B Jorbit Vivas: 0-for-3, RS, BB
1B Ben Rice: 1-for-4, HR (10), 2 RBI, RS
Rice has 7 HR in his last 14 games and is hitting .302/.444/.656 in 124 PA at this level. It is easy to forget how little Triple-A experience he had before his call-up.
SS Oswald Peraza: 0-for-3, BB, K
DH T.J. Rumfield: 1-for-3, HR (14), RBI, RS, BB
At this level: .293/.367/.458 in 466 PA (26 doubles, 14 HR, 70 RBI, 71 R, 9.2% BB, 16.5% K). He is talked about in online fan circles but I haven’t seen much about him beyond that. Is he a serious prospect? I wish I could answer that.
C Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-4
RF Taylor Trammell: 2-for-4, 2B (20), K
3B J.C. Escarra: 2-for-3, 2 2B (14), RS, BB
In addition to catching, Escarra can play the four corners (1B, 3B, LF, RF). He will turn 30 next April and has yet to make his MLB debut. He would be a fun story if he made it to MLB.  He is hitting .293/.398/.524 in 196 PA at this level.
   PR-LF Duke Ellis: 0-for-0, SB (4)
CF Cam Eden: 0-for-4, K

RHP Yoendrys Gomez: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Gomez is on the 40-man roster, but I doubt he would be Jake Cousins‘ replacement. He isn’t a short reliever + he won’t be available for several days.
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: (W, 7-1)  0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Cody Morris: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Morris’ first appearance since July 20th. If you don’t recall, he was acquired for Estevan Florial. After hitting poorly in MLB (.173/.264/.367), Florial hasn’t been his usual minor-league self (.221/.329/.376 in 213 plate appearances). 
RHP JT Brubaker:  1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Clayton Beeter: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Beeter threw eight 4-seamers (topped out at 97.6) and six sliders. Could he be an option if Cousins isn’t available? He would be an intriguing choice. Cody Poteet is another option (perhaps the most likely one).
RHP Yerry De Los Santos (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (2-0) (Defeated Hartford, 4-3, in ten innings to advance to the championship series. The series begins on Sunday against either Akron or Erie. Erie leads that series, 1-0. In tonight’s game, Akron has the lead in the 10th inning)

CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-5, RBI, K
Jones’ single in the top of the 10th provided the winning run. He is 5-for-10 in the playoffs.
C Rafael Flores: 2-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, BB, K
Flores’ power surge continues. He hit .279/.379/.495 in 506 PA between here and Hudson Valley in the regular season (31 doubles, 21 homers).
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-5, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-3, RS, SB (1), 2 BB
DH Elijah Dunham: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Grant Richardson: 1-for-4, RS, K
RF Jared Wegner: 0-for-3, BB, K
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-4, RBI, K
3B Max Burt: 0-for-4, RS, 2 K

RHP Zach Messinger: 6.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, HR
Messinger dominated through six and left the game with a 3-2 lead in the 7th. Unfortunately, the inherited runner scored. If this is his final start in 2024 (Game 2 of the championship series is next Tuesday, so it may not be), he can go into the offseason with his head held high. He is Rule 5 eligible but I would put him on the “definite” list for protection (or trade). 
LHP Ryan Anderson: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Leonardo Pestana: (W, 1-0)  1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

Hudson Valley (73-58 (regular season); 3-3 (playoffs))

Their season is over.

Tampa (54-74)

Their season is over.

FCL (35-22)

Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (17-36)

Their season is over.

DSL Bombers (30-25) 

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/17: Spencer Jones Homers, Collects 3 Hits

News:

The Yankees recently released LHP Victor Gonzalez, who was toiling in Triple-A after mediocre results in MLB earlier this season. Seen as a potential Wandy Peralta replacement, Gonzalez was never able to get into a consistent groove. The trade with the Dodgers comes down to how the two prospects (Trey Sweeney (now with Detroit) and Jorbit Vivas) perform.

Scranton (85-59) (Defeated Buffalo, 10-5, in 12 innings. Worcester won, so the two teams remain tied with five games to play. If they finish tied, Scranton wins the tiebreaker)

2B Caleb Durbin: 0-for-6, RS, K
Durbin has 19 games this season with 5+ AB. He earned at least one hit in the previous 18 games.
3B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-4, HR (8), RBI, 2 RS, SB (19), 2 BB, K
Vivas has 8 extra-base hits (5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR) in 14 September games. 
1B Ben Rice: 2-for-3, HR (9), 2 RBI, RS, HBP, 2 BB
Rice has 6 HR in 14 September games.
  PR-CF Cam Eden: 0-for-0, RS
SS Oswald Peraza: 1-for-4, RS, 2 SB (22), HBP, BB, K
Peraza, who will be out of options, will be a fun story to watch over the winter and into next spring (if he is still in the organization)
CF-LF Taylor Trammell: 1-for-5, 3B (2), 3 RBI, RS, HBP, 4 K
Trammell’s 3-run triple in the 12th was the big blow in the game.
DH Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-5, 2 K
   PR-DH Duke Ellis: 0-for-0, RS
   PH-DH T.J. Rumfield: 0-for-0, RS, BB
C J.C. Escarra: 2-for-6, 2B (12), K
Escarra has 30 doubles between here and Somerset.
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 2-for-6, HR (8), 3 RBI, RS, 2 K
Gonzalez’s 3-run HR in the 12th was the dagger that put the game out of reach.
LF-1B Jahmai Jones: 2-for-5, SF, RBI, K

RHP Cody Poteet: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
RHP Alex Mauricio: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Clayton Beeter: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Beeter topped out at 95.8 MPH (94.6 average)
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Yerry De Los Santos: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Joey Gerber : 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Phil Bickford: (W, 4-4)  1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Somerset (1-0) (Defeated Hartford, 3-2, to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 series. The series shifts to Hartford, starting on Thursday)

CF Spencer Jones: 3-for-5, HR (1), RBI, RS, SB (1)
Jones has eight 3+ hit efforts during the regular season.  A lot has been written about his 200-strikeout season. Nobody denies that the strikeout rate has to come down (if they are, they are in denial). However, there is (obviously) a lot of talent to tap into. Will the Yankees be patient or cash in one of their biggest chips?
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-3, BB, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 0-for-2, RS, 2 BB
RF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-4, RS, 2 K
1B Tyler Hardman: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
Hardman’s RBI single in the bottom of the 8th tied the game at 2.
LF Grant Richardson: 1-for-2, CS (1), BB, K
DH Jared Wegner: 0-for-2, BB, 2 K
SS Alexander Vargas: 2-for-4, RBI, CS (1), K
Vargas’ RBI single in the bottom of the 8th broke the 2-2 tie.
3B Max Burt: 1-for-4, K

RHP Bailey Dees: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, HR
Dees pitched strongly down the stretch and it continued into tonight’s playoff start. He could factor into the Yankees’ 2025 plans at some point, though he is Rule 5 eligible. It is either protect him or trade him. I cannot imagine them leaving him exposed.
RHP Danny Watson: (W, 1-0)  1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Watson also pitched well down the stretch (8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 K in his last seven appearances). Like Dees, he is Rule 5 eligible this winter.
RHP Eric Reyzelman (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
I can’t guarantee that the Yankees will hold onto Reyzelman, but he has high-leverage reliever potential.

Hudson Valley (3-2) (Defeated Bowling Green, 6-2, to tie the best-of-3 series at 1-1. They will play for the title tomorrow night)

2B Roc Riggio: 0-for-3, RS, BB, K
Riggio is 6-for-19 (.316) with a double and homer during the postseason.
SS George Lombard Jr.: 1-for-3, RS, BB, 2 K
Lombard is 5-for-18 (.278) with three doubles and three walks during the postseason.
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-4, 2 K
RF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, 2B (1), RS, HBP
DH Omar Martinez: 1-for-3, HR (1), 4 RBI, RS, BB, K
Martinez’s grand slam broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the 5th.
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-3, SF, RBI
3B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-4, K
CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-1, RS, 2 BB, K
C Antonio Gomez: 1-for-2, RBI, RS, BB, K

RHP Josh Grosz: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Grosz was one of the best pitchers in the minors from June 28th through the end of the season. Tonight, he was in “bend, don’t break” mode. He limited the damage nicely.
RHP Indigo Diaz: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Thomas Balboni Jr.: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K
RHP Kelly Austin: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Austin was impressive after being acquired for Caleb Ferguson. 

Tampa (54-74)

Their season is over.

FCL (35-22)

Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (17-36)

Their season is over.

DSL Bombers (30-25) 

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/15: Caleb Durbin, Spencer Jones, Roc Riggio: Leadoff Homers

News:

Nothing

Scranton (84-59) (Defeated Lehigh Valley, 5-4. Worcester won, so the two teams will enter the final week tied for first place in the second-half title chase)

SS Caleb Durbin: 1-for-2, HR (10), RBI, 3 RS, SB (28), HBP, BB, K
Durbin hits a leadoff home run (the beginning of a trend today?). Durbin’s first double-digit HR campaign. He is hitting .295/.409/.488 in 344 PA at this level (20 doubles, 2 triples, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 54 R, 28-for-30 SB, 13.1% BB, 9.9% K). He also has 11 HBP this season and 43 in 275 career games.
2B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-4, 2B (18), 2 RBI
.231/.354/.364 in 393 plate appearances. Vivas is 12-for-50 with seven extra-base hits (5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR) in September.
3B Oswald Peraza: 1-for-3, RBI, RS, BB, 2 K
1B Ben Rice: 2-for-4, RBI, K
Rice is hitting .294/.440/.612 in 109 Triple-A plate appearances. Triple-A isn’t a problem. So, we’ll see if he can be a productive MLB player.
CF Taylor Trammell: 1-for-4, K
DH Carlos Narvaez: 0-for-4, 2 K
C J.C. Escarra: 1-for-4, RS
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 0-for-3
LF Jahmai Jones: 0-for-3, 2 K

LHP Josh Maciejewski: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K
RHP JT Brubaker: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Brubaker will be a 2025 rotation/bullpen/swingman option – assuming he is healthy.
RHP Phil Bickford: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
LHP Anthony Misiewicz: 0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Scott Effross: (W, 6-1)  0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Effross will have an offseason to work on getting back to the pitcher he was before his injuries.
RHP Nick Burdi: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Ron Marinaccio (S, 8): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (75-62) (Defeated New Hampshire, 5-1, to win the second-half title. Portland lost, so they were covered both ways. The first round starts on Tuesday, when Hartford comes in for a visit. There is a tropical rainstorm that might impact the area that night)

CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-4, 2B (30), HR (17), RBI, 2 RS
Jones hits a leadoff home run (sense a trend?). Final stats: .259/.336/.452 in 544 PA (30 doubles, 6 triples, 17 HR, 78 RBI, 73 R, 25-for-34 SB (73.5%), 54 BB (9.9%), 200 K (36.8%)). I agree: 200 strikeouts at Double-A is not ideal and a .401 BABIP benefited him. However, he also displayed the power/speed combination that tantalizes scouts. He is one of the most interesting prospects I have ever covered. And that is saying something.
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-3, BB
Final Somerset numbers: .274/.359/.519 in 273 PA. Overall, he hit .279/.379/.495 in 506 PA with 31 doubles and 21 home runs. He is a breakout prospect in 2024.
1B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-4, RBI
2B Anthony Seigler: 1-for-3, RS, SB (29), HBP, K
.234/.350/.398 in 433 PA (24 doubles, 12 HR, 49 RBI, 61 R, 29-for-32 SB). I am happy that Seigler played in 118 games (his previous high was 97) and contributed to the team’s success. It’s been a grind for the kid.
DH Elijah Dunham: 2-for-4, HR (15), RBI, RS, SB (19)
Dunham played a big role this week. He has homered four times in his last five games.
LF Grant Richardson: 1-for-3, HR (9), RBI, RS, CS (6), BB
Last season, Richardson hit 7 doubles and 18 home runs. This season, he hit 25 doubles and 9 home runs. He just missed his third consecutive double-digit HR/SB campaign.
RF Jared Wegner: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-3, 2 K
Vargas hit .254/.293/.375 in 256 PA after his promotion.
3B Max Burt: 0-for-3, 2 K

RHP Trystan Vrieling (W, 13-7): 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
4.58 ERA (147.1 IP, 140 H, 79 R, 75 ER, 13 HR, 46 BB, 132 K). In his first professional season, the Yankees shipped Vrieling directly to Somerset which is highly unusual. He had ups and downs but finished very strongly (2.23 ERA in 40.1 August/September innings). He can be in the conversation for MLB innings as early as mid-2025.
RHP Sean Boyle: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Leonardo Pestana: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
At this level: 3.18 ERA (22.2 IP, 19 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 9 BB, 28 K). If Pestana can stay healthy, he has potential as a relief pitcher. However, health has been a concern.
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Since I talk him up often, it is fair to comment on a flaw: Reyzelman’s walk rate isn’t ideal (14 BB in 23.1 innings for Somerset). He doesn’t have to improve it by much if his ability to miss bats translates to MLB.

Hudson Valley (2-2) (Lost to Bowling Green, 5-1. They are down 1-0 in the best-of-3 series, which will continue on Tuesday in Hudson Valley)

2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, RS, BB, K
Riggio hits a lead-off homer (yes, there was a trend). However, this was Hudson Valley’s lone hit.
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-4, 3 K
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-4
DH Omar Martinez: 0-for-3, BB, K
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-3
3B Dylan Jasso: 0-for-3
CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-3, K
C Antonio Gomez: 0-for-2, 2 K
  PH Coby Morales: 0-for-1, K

RHP Baron Stuart: (L, 0-1)  2.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, HR
RHP Harrison Cohen: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Cohen continues to dominate High-A hitters.
LHP Joel Valdez: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Yorlin Calderon: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Blane Abeyta: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Tampa (54-74)

Their season is over.

FCL (35-22)

Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (17-36)

Their season is over.

DSL Bombers (30-25) 

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/10: George Lombard Jr.: 3 Doubles, 3 RBI

News:

Nothing

Scranton (79-58) (Lost to Lehigh Valley, 5-3. Worcester swept two games against Syracuse, so this was a bad night. Worcester is 38-26. Scranton is 36-27)

3B Jorbit Vivas: 0-for-2, RS, 2 BB, K
2B Caleb Durbin: 0-for-4
.298/.410/.481 in 318 PA at this level.
DH Ben Rice: 0-for-3, RS, BB, 3 K
SS Oswald Peraza: 0-for-4, K
CF Taylor Trammell: 0-for-4, 2 K
1B J.C. Escarra: 0-for-4, K
C Carlos Narvaez: 3-for-4, 2B (20), RS, K
.271/.387/.442 in 375 PA. 
  PR Cam Eden: 0-for-0
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
LF Jahmai Jones: 1-for-2, BB

LHP Josh Maciejewski: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 5 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Alex Mauricio: (L, 4-2)  1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
LHP Victor Gonzalez: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Lou Trivino: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
The rehab clock is closing in on zero…
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Somerset (71-61) (Defeated New Hampshire, 8-2. Portland lost, so the Patriots are 0.5 games out in the race for the second-half title with five games to play. No effort is made to ensure teams play an equal amount of games, so the half-game is important. By the way, New Hampshire is not having a good year. They are destined to finish in last place in both halves)

CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-3, 3B (6), RBI, SB (25), BB, K
Jones has a .786 OPS. Can he get to .800? It will take a strong week. That said, his OPS in 2024 is higher than 2023 (.780). In 117 games last year, Jones swatted 29 doubles, 4 triples and 16 home runs. In 117 games this year, he has compiled 29 doubles, 6 triples, and 16 home runs. Interesting.
C Rafael Flores: 0-for-4, 2 K
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-4, 3 K
DH Jared Wegner: 0-for-3, RS, HBP, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 2-for-3, 2 2B (24), RBI, 2 RS, BB
.234/.347/.405 in 413 PA. Seigler’s highest SLG prior to this season was .391 in 2021.
LF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-2, 2 RS, 2 BB, 2 K
RF Elijah Dunham: 2-for-4, 2 HR (13), 6 RBI, 2 RS, 2 K
Dunham picks a good night to set a personal best for RBI (he hit two 3-run home runs). It is his second multi-HR game in his career (first one was during his 2021 debut season)
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-3, RS, 2 SB (14), BB
Vargas is 12-for-34 in September
3B Max Burt: 0-for-4, 2 K

RHP Trystan Vrieling: (W, 12-7)  6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
4.76 ERA (141.2 IP, 138 H, 78 R, 75 ER, 13 HR, 44 BB, 126 K). Vrieling has been strong down the stretch (2.60 ERA in 34.2 innings over his last 6 starts). He could still start again on Sunday, so I am not labeling this as his final start.
RHP Luis Velasquez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Clayton Beeter: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Can Beeter be an MLB bullpen option this season? If he impresses, why not? It isn’t like the current MLB options are cementing their spots.

Hudson Valley (Defeated Greensboro, 6-0, to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 series. The final two games will be played in Greensboro (Thursday and Friday (if necessary)).

2B Roc Riggio: 2-for-5, 2B (1), RS
SS George Lombard Jr.: 3-for-5, 3 2B (3), 3 RBI, K
Including the regular season, Lombard Jr. has 11 doubles in his last 13 games. That is what I call “impressive.”
1B Josh Moylan: 0-for-4, BB, K
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-2, RS, 3 BB
DH Omar Martinez: 1-for-3, RS, 2 BB, K
LF Jackson Castillo: 0-for-4, BB, K
3B Dylan Jasso: 2-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, RS
Jasso’s 3-run homer in the 7th made a 1-0 game a 4-0 game.
CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-4, 2 K
C Antonio Gomez: 0-for-2, 2 RS, 2 BB, K

RHP Trent Sellers: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K
Sellers continues to dazzle. After allowing 5 runs in 1.2 innings on June 25th, he has allowed zero earned runs in 14 of his 15 appearances. The Yankees haven’t stetched him out beyond 4.2 innings, but that is an amazing footnote. The best part of his season is that his walk rate dipped considerably upon being placed in the rotation.
RHP Indigo Diaz: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Kelly Austin: (W, 1-0) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Blane Abeyta: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

Tampa (54-74)

Their season is over.

FCL (35-22)

Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (17-36)

Their season is over.

DSL Bombers (30-25) 

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/7: Spencer Jones Doubles, Homers

News:

RHP Nick Burdi, who showed promise early in the year, was designated for assignment. Burdi’s velocity was down during his rehab stint and his history of injuries and poor control didn’t help him.

If Burdi clears waivers, he has the right to refuse an outright assignment and elect free agency.

Scranton (78-56) (Mauled Syracuse, 19-0. Worcester beat Rochester. Worcester and Scranton are 35-26, while Rochester is 34-28 in the race for the second-half crown)

3B-LF Jon Berti: 2-for-4, 2B (1), HR (1), SF, 2 RBI, 3 RS, BB
I assume he will be up with the team after this weekend. While not a big deal, he has attempted only one stolen base in his 14 rehab games.
2B Caleb Durbin: 1-for-4, HR (8), 2 RBI, RS, SAC, K
Durbin returns with a bang, as he homered in his first plate appearance. He is hitting .302/.416/.492 in 308 PA at this level. He tied his personal best for HR tonight (8 in 76 games. He hit 8 in 105 games in 2022)
LF-CF Jasson Dominguez: 2-for-4, 3 RS, BB, 2 K
Dominguez has 12 multi-hit efforts in his last 20 games. He is at .314/.372/.488 at this level.
1B Ben Rice: 2-for-4, HR (6), 3 RBI, 3 RS, BB, 2 K
Rice has homered in three straight games.
SS Oswald Peraza: 2-for-5, 2B (11), 3 RBI, 2 RS
DH J.C. Escarra: 2-for-4, HR (7), SF, 2 RBI, 2 RS
Escarra has homered in four straight games (5 HR during the streak)
C Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-4, 2B (19), 2 RBI, RS, HBP, 2 K
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 2-for-5, 2 2B (20), 3 RBI, 2 RS, K
CF Greg Allen: 0-for-3
  3B Jahmai Jones: 2-for-2, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 RS
Not bad for a guy who entered the game late (nothing wrong with Allen – they wanted to give Berti a few innings in LF)

LHP Thomas Pannone: (W, 9-9)  7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Since signing with the Yankees: 1.99 ERA (49.2 IP, 46 H, 13 R, 11 ER, 5 HR, 4 BB, 42 K). Pannone has been a solid veteran addition to the Scranton roster.
RHP Lou Trivino: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Trivino’s rehab started on August 14th. A rehab stint lasts up to 30 days for pitchers. Once that clock runs out next week, a decision must be made.
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Funny that they needed to bring in Mosqueda to get an out in a 19-0 game. 

Somerset (70-60) (Defeated Binghamton, 4-1. Portland won to maintain their 0.5-game lead)

DH Spencer Jones: 2-for-5, 2B (29), HR (16), 2 RBI, RS, K
Jones was 0-for-9 with nine strikeouts on Thursday/Friday. In typical Jones fashion, he brushes that off to have a big game tonight. I have never quite seen a prospect like him. Maybe that is because many prospects with this offensive profile don’t survive in the lower minors (remember Anthony Garcia?). 
C Rafael Flores: 2-for-5, 2B (12), K
I honestly didn’t expect Flores to become an extra-base machine this season. He is hitting .280 with a .900 OPS since his promotion and has 50 extra-base hits (29 doubles, 21 HR) in 115 games between here and Hudson Valley.
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-5, 3 K
2B Anthony Seigler: 1-for-4, K
RF Grant Richardson: 1-for-3, RS, SB (16), BB, 2 K
CF Cole Gabrielson: 2-for-4, 2B (2), 3B (1), RS, K
LF Elijah Dunham: 1-for-3, RS, BB, K
SS Alexander Vargas: 1-for-3, SF, RBI, SB (12), K
For Somerset: .258/.297/.392 in 232 PA.
3B Kiko Romero: 0-for-4, K

RHP Zach Messinger: (W, 6-8)  6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, HR
3.19 ERA (144 IP, 112 H, 68 R, 51 ER, 9 HR, 50 BB, 132 K). Messinger has tossed 6+ innings in 9 of his 24 starts. This was his first start in September after posting a 1.52 ERA in 29.2 innings during August. He should be somewhere in the conversation for Organizational Pitcher of the Year. Some may consider him the favorite.
RHP Sean Boyle: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Clayton Beeter: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Beeter, who pitched in the season’s second game for the Yankees, makes his first rehab appearance.
RHP Leonardo Pestana (S, 2): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Since promotion: 2.66 ERA (20.1 IP, 16 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 HR, 9 BB, 23 K)

Hudson Valley (72-58) (Lost to Asheville, 8-4. The Renegades already clinched the second-half title)

2B Roc Riggio: 0-for-2, 3 BB
Riggio has a 14.8% BB and has four 3+ BB games this season. 
RF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-5, 3B (2), RS, K
3B Josh Moylan: 1-for-3, 2B (18), 2 RBI, RS, 2 BB
Moylan has doubled in four straight games (five doubles during the streak)
DH Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, HBP, CI, K
1B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-5, HR (2), 2 RBI, RS, 2 K
CF Brendan Jones: 0-for-3, SB (11), 2 BB
Jones started his professional career on fire but has (predictably) slowed down. He is still drawing walks (27 in 23 games) and stealing bases (16-for-16) so he is contributing.
C Antonio Gomez: 0-for-3, CI, K
LF Anthony Hall: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
SS Owen Cobb: 0-for-2, RS, SB (2), BB, K

RHP Baron Stuart: (L, 8-5)  4.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 12 K
That is an interesting stat line for Staurt, who set a new personal best for strikeouts. He owns a 3.63 ERA at this level with a 102/42 K/BB in 109 IP.
RHP Matt Keating: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
3.89 ERA (69.1 IP, 45 H, 33 R, 30 ER, 10 HR, 32 BB, 83 K)
RHP Indigo Diaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Kelly Austin: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Huey Morrill: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Tampa (54-73) (Lost to Dunedin, 5-4, in ten innings)

SS Roderick Arias: 1-for-5, RS, SB (37), K
Arias has converted 9 straight stolen base attempts. Yes, that is an important piece to his development.
DH Willy Montero: 0-for-3, SB (15), 2 BB
2B Hans Montero: 0-for-4, BB, K
RF Dillon Lewis: 1-for-5, 2B (4), 2 K
CF Marshall Toole: 1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, K
His first professional HR was a big one, as it tied the game in the bottom of the 9th.
LF Joe Delossantos: 1-for-4, CS (3), 2 K
2B Juan Matheus: 1-for-4, RS, SB (2)
Matheus earns his first Low-A hit.
1B Duncan Pastore: 1-for-3, SF, RBI
C Diomedes Hernandez: 1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, K
The 19-year-old launches his first professional home run (55th game)

RHP Carlos Lagrange: 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Lagrange hit 99.8 MPH tonight. Hopefully, you recognize his velocity is more important than the stats. He is showing that his arm strength is there. Lagrange has rough edges to work out – that is known.
RHP Ryan Harvey: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Harvey’s first appearance since June 12th. It’s nice when an injured player gets back on the field before the season closes.
RHP Matt Givin: 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Kristofer Bow: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Cade Austin: (L, 2-4)  1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

FCL (35-22)

Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (17-36)

Their season is over.

DSL Bombers (30-25) 

Their season is over.

Yankees MILB 9/4: Jasson Dominguez Homers

News:

Nothing.

Scranton (76-56) (Held off Syracuse, 10-8. Worcester defeated Rochester. In the second-half race, Scranton and Worcester are tied at 33-25 while Rochester is 33-26)

LF Jon Berti: 4-for-4, 2 RS, BB
Berti played a full game in the outfield, so his return is imminent.
CF Jasson Dominguez: 2-for-5, HR (6), 2 RBI, 2 RS, SB (15), K
Dominguez is hitting .302 with a .830 OPS at this level.  He is 15-for-16 in the stolen base department (16-for-17 if you include his rehab time at Somerset). Lanes remain blocked, I guess. Alex Verdugo‘s hustle in tonight’s game earns him more playing time.
1B Ben Rice: 0-for-3, SF, RBI, RS, BB
SS Oswald Peraza: 1-for-5, RBI, SB (19), K
2B Jorbit Vivas: 1-for-4, 2B (14), BB, K
DH T.J. Rumfield: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, K
Rumfield is hitting .296/.364/.458 at this level. He is 8-for-13 in his last three games.
RF Taylor Trammell: 2-for-5, 2 RS, K
  RF Cam Eden: 0-for-0
C J.C. Escarra: 3-for-5, 2 HR (5), 3 RBI, 2 RS
Escarra is hitting .303 with a .930 OPS this season. Today was his 453rd minor league game and his first multi-HR effort.
3B Jahmai Jones: 1-for-4, RS, K

LHP Tanner Tully: (W, 3-7)  5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
RHP Ian Hamilton: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Jesus Liranzo: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Lou Trivino: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Trivino’s rehab clock is likely coming close to ending. Remember, he is out of options.
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Alex Mauricio: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, HR
LHP Anthony Misiewicz (S, 8): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Somerset (68-59) (Swept a doubleheader against Binghamton. Portland lost, so Somerset takes a 0.5 game lead in the second-half title chase)

Game 1 (Won, 6-4)

CF Spencer Jones: 2-for-4, 2 2B (28), RBI, 2 RS, K
Jones increases his hitting streak to 10 (8 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR)
1B Tyler Hardman: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, 2 K
RF Grant Richardson: 2-for-4, RS, 2 K
2B Anthony Seigler: 2-for-4, 2B (22), HR (12), 2 RBI, 2 RS
Seigler has set personal bests in doubles, homers, and stolen bases. Staying relatively healthy has contributed to that.
DH Jared Wegner: 1-for-2, RBI, 2 BB, K
LF Elijah Dunham: 0-for-2, 2 BB
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-4, K
3B Max Burt: 0-for-3, RS, HBP, 2 K
C Juan Crisp: 0-for-3, K

RHP Trystan Vrieling (W, 11-7): 5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
4.84 ERA (135.2 IP, 133 H, 76 R, 73 ER, 13 HR, 43 BB, 122 K)
RHP Eric Reyzelman: (S, 5)  1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Since promotion: 2.25 ERA (20 IP, 14 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 11 BB, 31 K). Overall: 1.27 ERA (35.1 IP, 18 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 16 BB, 57 K). Reyzelman should be an MLB option next season (some would suggest giving him a try this season, but that’s not happening)

Game 2 (Won, 5-3)

DH Spencer Jones: 0-for-2, BB
Jones’ hitting streak ends at 10. He is hitting .261/.339/.448 in 502 PA (28 doubles, 5 triples, 15 HR, 74 RBI, 66 R, 24-for-32 SB, 9.96% BB, 36.9% K). 
C Rafael Flores: 1-for-3, HR (13), RBI, RS
Flores has 13 HR in 55 games since his promotion (.272/.351/.515 in 231 PA). Is he legitimate? Anyone who hits in Double-A needs to be considered legitimate in some way.
1B Tyler Hardman: 0-for-2, RS, BB, K
CF Grant Richardson: 0-for-3, K
2B Anthony Seigler: 1-for-2, 2 RS, BB, K
.231/.344/.404 in 393 PA (22 doubles, 12 HR, 45 RBI, 53 R, 25-for-28 SB, 14.5% BB, 17.8% K). I don’t know how he looks defensively after moving away from catching, but he has hit well enough.
RF Jared Wegner: 1-for-3, HR (7), 3 RBI, RS, SB (8), K
His 2-run HR in the bottom of the 6th provided the winning margin.
SS Alexander Vargas: 0-for-3, 3 K
LF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-2, 2 K
3B Max Burt: 1-for-2, K

LHP Ryan Anderson: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Somerset needed to go with a bullpen game in Game 2. Anderson hadn’t started a game since 2021.
RHP Colby White: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Leonardo Pestana: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
RHP Sean Boyle: (W, 3-0)  1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Danny Watson (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
5.61 ERA (33.2 IP, 33 H, 25 R, 21 ER, 5 HR, 13 BB, 21 K). I wouldn’t count out Watson as a future option.

Hudson Valley (70-57) (Shut down Asheville, 3-0. The Renegades need one more win to clinch the second-half title)

2B Roc Riggio: 1-for-4, 2B (26), K
Riggio is 5-for-12 with three doubles to begin September.
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-3, RS, BB, K
Lombard increases his on-base streak to 10.
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-4, 2B (14), RBI, K
RF Garrett Martin: 0-for-3, K
C Omar Martinez: 1-for-3, 2B (15), SB (3)
.236/.372/.407 in 417 PA (15 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 40 RBI, 50 R, 3-for-3 SB, 16.8% BB, 23.3% K). His numbers are down somewhat from his time in Tampa, but still acceptable for the 23-year-old.
CF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-3, RS, K
3B Dylan Jasso: 1-for-3, RS, K
DH Coby Morales: 1-for-2, RBI, BB
LF Anthony Hall: 0-for-3, K

RHP Trent Sellers: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
2.09 ERA (82 IP, 42 H, 27 R, 19 ER, 3 HR, 37 BB, 98 K). While he walked a pair tonight, his BB rate has decreased considerably as a starter. The 8 strikeouts are a new personal best. He has done enough to get to Somerset in 2025.
RHP Kelly Austin: (W, 5-0)  2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Since being acquired from the Astros (for Caleb Ferguson): 13 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 16 K. Overall, at this level, he owns a 1.82 ERA at this level (39.2 IP, 30 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 5 HR, 8 BB, 48 K)
RHP Indigo Diaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Huey Morrill: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Matt Keating (S, 4): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3.97 ERA (68 IP, 42 H, 33 R, 30 ER, 10 HR, 32 BB, 79 K)

Tampa (54-69) (Their game against Dunedin was postponed. They already have a doubleheader scheduled for tomorrow, so they either play two doubleheaders in four days to close out the season or this one could be canceled)

FCL (35-22)

Their season is over.

DSL Yankees (17-36)

Their season is over.

DSL Bombers (30-25) 

Their season is over.