Welcome to Week 17 of the Yankees minor league recap! As the trade deadline quickly approaches, we must say goodbye to some prospects who have departed the organization and found a new home. Griffin Herring, Josh Grosz, Clayton Beeter, and Browm Martinez have been shipped out already, and in all likelihood more minor-leaguers will be joining that list as the week goes on. Here’s how the Yankees’ minor-league affiliates performed last week amidst the rumors and chaos:
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre
RailRiders
Record: 59-39; Second place in International League (East), 1 GB
Past Week: 4-2 @ Rochester Red Wings (Nationals)
Coming Up: Home vs Nashville Sounds (Brewers)
The RailRiders kept their momentum alive with a series win in Rochester, improving their record to a blistering 16-4 in the month of July. The hot stretch has them just one game out of first place in the International League, with three other teams battling for the top spot. With just under two months remaining in the regular season, the battle for the playoffs should be fun to watch.
Scranton’s series in Rochester started on a sour note, with a 7-1 loss on Tuesday. Starter Sean Boyle got hit hard, allowing six runs (five earned) across 3.2 innings. The RailRiders recorded just four hits, with the highlight being Rafael Flores’s first home run at the level since being promoted. They got back on track Wednesday, picking up an exciting 8-6 win in 12 innings. It was a shaky rehab start for Luis Gil, who allowed five earned runs in just over three innings and will likely need to make another start in the minors before returning to the Bronx for his season debut. Seven relievers combined to shut down the Red Wings offense after Gil’s departure, allowing the offense to get the job done. Everson Pereira was the star at the plate, hitting a two-run homer in the first inning and driving in three runs in the win.
A disastrous outing for Brendan Beck (4 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) dug a hole that Scranton couldn't climb out of, as they lost 10-8 on Thursday. The biggest story of the day though was Spencer Jones, who blasted three home runs to bring his Triple-A total to 13 in just his 19th game at the level. Jones would miss the rest of the week with back spasms, but his 29 home runs this season lead all minor-league hitters.
Scranton won three straight over the weekend to end the series with momentum on their side. A 7-5 victory on Friday was led by five scoreless innings for Erick Leal, three hits including a triple for Jesus Rodriguez, and a 4-4 performance for Duke Ellis who doubled three times in the win. A dominant seven-inning start from Carlos Carrasco (his last as a Yankee, as he was traded to the Braves on Monday) set the tone for a 6-2 win on Saturday, with Rodriguez, T.J. Rumfield, Nicky Lopez, and Andrew Velazquez picking up two hits apiece. Rodriguez also stole the show on Sunday, hitting two three-run homers in back-to-back innings as Scranton closed the week with an 8-7 victory. They’ll look to overtake first place with a strong showing at home against Nashville.
Players of Note:
Spencer Jones: 94 PA; .400/.457/.950, 13 HR, 25 RBI, 6 SB, 10.6 BB%, 25.5 K%, 247 wRC+
Jesus Rodriguez: 353 PA; .320/.414/.437, 5 HR, 41 RBI, 16 SB, 13.0 BB%, 15.3 K%, 132 wRC+
T.J. Rumfield: 388 PA; .309/.392/.497, 11 HR, 68 RBI, 4 SB, 11.3 BB%, 17.5 K%, 135 wRC+
Everson Pereira: 305 PA; .253/.354/.510, 19 HR, 52 RBI, 9 SB, 12.1 BB%, 29.5 K%, 126 wRC+
Double-A Somerset Patriots
Record: 51-45; Second place in Eastern League (Northeast), 14 GB
Past Week: 3-3 @ Erie SeaWolves (Tigers)
Coming Up: Home vs Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants)
Somerset split a road series in Erie three games apiece, and they now have sole possession of second place in the Eastern League. The division is almost certainly out of reach as the Binghamton Mets are 64-30 with a 14-game lead over the Patriots, but it’s been a respectable summer for a team that looked mediocre at the start of the season.
The series in Erie began with a 4-3 loss in extra innings, despite seven strong innings from the recently-promoted Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, who allowed two runs and struck out seven. Jace Avina hit a two-run homer for the Patriots, his second at the level. Somerset won 3-1 on Wednesday, as Trystan Vrieling was dominant in a short outing with seven strikeouts in 4.2 shutout innings. Brendan Jones homered in the win, his fourth at Double-A. They won another close one by a score of 4-3 on Thursday, behind Carlos Lagrange who struggled a bit with four walks but ultimately held his own with five innings of one-run ball against a dangerous lineup that includes top prospects Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle, and Josue Briceno.
They were on the other end of a one-run game on Friday, losing a tough one 5-4 on a walk-off single from Max Anderson. The power was on full display from the Patriots as Omar Martinez, Roc Riggio, and Tyler Hardman all homered, but it wasn’t enough to secure the victory. The offense showed up again on Saturday in a 9-6 win, with George Lombard Jr, Riggio, and Dylan Jasso each recording three hits, including another home run for Riggio. The bats were quickly silenced on Sunday, as they dropped the last game of the series 7-0. Jasso and Martinez combined for all five of the team’s hits in the loss. Somerset will take on Richmond in a home series this week.
Players of Note:
George Lombard Jr: 287 PA; .212/.328/.336, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 14 SB, 12.9 BB%, 24.4 K%, 103 wRC+
Dylan Jasso: 371 PA; .275/.342/.458, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 0 SB, 7.5 BB%, 21.0 K%, 136 wRC+
Roc Riggio: 163 PA; .265/.337/.558, 11 HR, 28 RBI, 7 SB, 7.4 BB%, 22.7 K%, 161 wRC+
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades
Record: 57-36; Third Place in South Atlantic League (North), 9 GB
Past Week: 5-1 vs Rome Emperors (Braves)
Coming Up: Away @ Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals)
Much like Scranton, Hudson Valley has been on fire during the month of July with a 15-5 record. That momentum carried into their series against Rome, in which they won five of six games to bring their record to 57-36 on the season. Despite the dominance they’ve displayed for most of the year, they also have next to no chance at the division due to an unbelievable 67-28 season for the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
The series against the Emperors began with a 4-3 victory, as Kyle Carr continued his strong season with 6.2 shutout innings and seven strikeouts. The bullpen blew a three-run lead in the top of the eighth, but a clutch RBI single from Manuel Palencia served as the game-winning hit for the Renegades. Their only loss of the week came on Wednesday in a 6-1 defeat, as Garrett Baumann shut down Hudson Valley’s offense over seven shutout innings and Josh Grosz took the loss in his final start as a member of the Yankees organization.
The Renegades got back on track with an 8-1 victory on Thursday in a well-rounded offensive performance. Jose Colmenares led the charge with two hits (including a home run), two walks, and three RBI. Dillon Lewis and Kiko Romero picked up two hits of their own. Colmenares homered again on Friday, as his three-run shot proved to be the only offense in a 3-0 Hudson Valley win. No pitcher went more than three innings for the Renegades, but Sebastian Keane, Hueston Morrill, Ocean Gabonia, and Geoffrey Gilbert combined for a shutout. They won again 5-1 on Saturday, as Ben Hess and Gage Ziehl combined to shut down Rome’s offense for the entire game (Bryce Warrecker recorded one out as well). Romero and Jackson Castillo homered in the win. The week ended with another victory by a score of 6-3, as Hudson Valley put the finishing touches on another excellent series. They’ll look to keep it up in Wilmington this week.
Players of Note:
Jackson Castillo: 372 PA; .245/.344/.345, 5 HR, 43 RBI, 19 SB, 12.4 BB%, 19.9 K%, 107 wRC+
Kyle Carr: 87.1 IP; 2.16 ERA, 21.5 K%, 10.7 BB%, .188 BAA, 1.11 WHIP
Ben Hess: 61.2 IP; 3.65 ERA, 34.5 K%, 12.4 BB%, .179 BAA, 1.17 WHIP
Low-A Tampa Tarpons
Record: 45-47; Third place in Florida State League (West), 14 GB
Past Week: 0-1 @ Dunedin Blue Jays, 0-3 Clearwater Threshers
Coming Up: Home vs Clearwater (3 games), Away @ Lakeland Flying Tigers (3 games)
Oh no. The Tampa Tarpons would have preferred if the last week didn’t happen at all, as the only two games they didn’t lose were the ones that got rained out. After clawing their way back in the standings during late May and most of June, they’ve lost all momentum and are now on a ten-game losing streak with their record back below .500 on the season.
The disastrous week began with a 6-3 home loss against Dunedin, as starter Andrew Landry gave up five earned runs in 4.1 innings on the mound. Juan Matheus and Willy Montero combined for five of the team’s seven hits, but all seven were singles. The next two games were mercifully rained out, before the Tarpons travelled to Clearwater for three more brutal games.
They lost 5-0 on Friday, with a single from Roderick Arias serving as the team’s only hit. They lost again 5-3 on Saturday, scoring two runs in the ninth but ultimately falling short of a comeback. Their only extra-base hit in the game was a double from Josue Gonzalez, and Montero picked up two singles in the losing effort. They lost yet again on Sunday by a score of 4-2, as starter Xavier Rivas surrendered four runs in the first inning and the team was unable to crawl out of the hole. Again, they recorded no extra-base hits as a team. The lone bright spot was the plate discipline on display from Roderick Arias, who drew four walks in the loss. Tampa would be wise to try and flush this week entirely. They’ll hope for better results this week at home against Clearwater, before three road games in Lakeland.
Players of Note:
Marshall Toole: 254 PA; .300/.409/.479, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 27 SB, 15.4 BB%, 20.1 K%, 151 wRC+
Brian Sanchez: 286 PA; .281/.373/.438, 4 HR, 36 RBI, 24 SB, 12.3 BB%, 23.4 K%, 130 wRC+
Roderick Arias: 316 PA; .192/.317/.294, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 22 SB, 14.9 BB%, 28.8 K%, 83 wRC+
FCL Yankees
Record: 27-29; Third Place in Florida Complex League (North), 8.5 GB
It’s time to say goodbye to the FCL Yankees, who missed the playoffs with a 28-30 record. It was not a particularly noteworthy season for this affiliate, as no key members of the team’s farm system spent an extended period of time here. They did not have any young players break out and truly put their name on the map. MLB Pipeline updated their Top 30 Yankees prospects list recently, and the only player listed from this level was Brando Mayea, who missed time with injuries and only had 84 plate appearances. He did play well when healthy, hitting .297/.373/.500 with three home runs and a 140 wRC+.
DSL Yankees and DSL Bombers
Records: 14-21; 18-17
The Yankee affiliates in the Dominican Summer League had been in a race to the middle with each other for a while, but things have changed over the past couple weeks. The DSL Yankees sit at just 16-24, while the Bombers have maintained respectability at 22-18. The purpose of the DSL is to pinpoint young breakout talent who could become the top prospects of tomorrow, and all signs point toward Richard Matic being that player. The 17-year-old is currently slashing .358/.493/.575 with a 20 percent walk rate and a 170 wRC+. Matic has huge raw power from the right side of the plate, and unlocking that power in games will be a crucial step in turning him into a valuable asset.
Browm Martinez had been the Bombers best hitter by a wide margin, but the Yankees moved him to Washington in the Amed Rosario deal. This leaves us searching for the next under-the-radar player, and that may be Juan Torres, a 17-year-old with a 126 wRC+ at this level with just a 12.4 percent strikeout rate. For now, if you’re looking for the next breakout Yankee prospect, Matic has the best chance. We will probably see him at this level for the rest of the season, since the Complex league has ended and he’s too young to send to Low-A just yet.
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