As the dog days of summer near their conclusion and MLB’s contenders prepare for their most intense stretches of competition, the lowest levels of the minor leagues pack it up and call it a season. The Florida Complex League ended weeks ago, and this week the Dominican Summer League wrapped up its season as well, leaving organizations and prospect enthusiasts with a complete set of data points as they try and find the breakout prospects of tomorrow. Let’s look back at the short season leagues, and try to identify
the standout performers and notable names from the Yankees affiliates at these levels.
FCL Yankees
It was an underwhelming season in the Complex league for the FCL Yankees, who failed to make much noise in the standings, but more importantly were unsuccessful in identifying new teenage prospects worth mentioning in an organizational context. The team went 28-30, missing the playoffs, and their main contributors don’t project to become crucial prospects anytime soon. Here are a couple names worth mentioning:
Brando Mayea
The 19-year-old Mayea is the only member of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Yankees prospects to spend a considerable amount of time in the FCL this season. He was the top name in the team’s 2023 IFA class, and he repeated the level after a mediocre performance at the Complex in 2024. Mayea is a speed-first player who the Yankees hope will develop more power at the plate as he ages, so his three home runs in 84 plate appearances this season were a step in the right direction after not hitting any last year. Injuries have been a concern for Mayea in his young career, and he missed a significant number of games this season. Mayea cut his strikeout rate down from 27.9 percent to 22.6 percent, his ISO went up from .044 to .203, and his wRC+ jumped from 98 to 136. He’s showing the amount of progress needed to keep his name on the fringes of organizational prospect rankings, but don’t expect him to be a household name anytime soon.
Gabriel Terrero
Age-to-level is one of the most important indicators of potential at these levels, and most of the top offensive performers on the FCL Yankees were several years older than the cutoff for who can be considered an asset in rookie ball. This leaves Gabriel Terrero, the only other 19-year-old with above average production at the level, as the second standout from the season. Terrero posted a .277/.333/.436 slash line with 7.2/23.4 BB/K% and a 111 wRC+ in total. Like Mayea, he repeated the Complex league this year, but Terrero produced at a near-identical rate in 2025 as he did in 2024. He’s a fringe prospect for now, but being a switch-hitter is an advantage and he has solid tools across the board that will need further development in stateside play.
DSL Yankees / Bombers
Neither of the Yankees’ DSL affiliates made it to the postseason, with the Bombers (31-25) showing out a little more than the Yankees (24-32). However, the DSL Yankees were the affiliate which housed most of the noteworthy names at the level (especially following the trade which sent Browm Martinez to the Nationals), including the prospect who made the biggest leap this season. Here are a few names to watch going forward:
Richard Matic
Matic was a relatively unknown name heading into this season, but that shouldn’t be the case after 2025. He was far and away the best player for either DSL affiliate, and at just 17-years-old has the makings of a player to watch closely. Matic slashed .336/.487/.566 with five home runs and 11 steals, and displayed an advanced plate approach with a 20.9% walk rate. He’s a third baseman with huge raw power, and saw his contact rate skyrocket from 55% in 2024 to 69.6% in 2025. He was left off MLB Pipeline’s most recent update to their Top 30, but Matic has the skills to make that look like an oversight come next year. He’s the most exciting player in rookie ball for the Yankees right now.
Mani Cedeno
Cedeno was the top international free-agent signing for the Yankees in this year’s class, and as a 16-year-old shortstop with a sweet right-handed swing and tools across the board, he’s an easy one to dream on. However, his first taste of the DSL this season was underwhelming. He hit just .183 at the plate and struck out 35% of the time. There were some strong signs, as he managed a 20.2% walk rate, stole 21 bases, and homered three times at such a young age before his game power should be anywhere close to developed. He ranks #22 in the organization thanks to his upside, but this wasn’t the season fans were hoping to see from Cedeno. He should still be one of the top names to follow at the lower levels.
Francisco Vilorio
Vilorio earned the highest signing bonus in the 2024 IFA class, but he wasn’t all that impressive in his first season of Rookie ball (70 wRC+) and repeated the level in 2025. He’s yet to tap into the raw power he was known for upon signing, and actually saw his power numbers trend in the wrong direction with zero homers this year after hitting four in 2024. An improved plate approach could go a long way towards helping him access it and start hitting the ball out of the park, and he does appear to be making strides in that regard as his walk rate went from 9.4% to 13.7% and his strikeout rate dropped from 32.9% to 24.9%. The 18-year-old is still a work in progress.
Stiven Marinez
Following the departure of Browm Martinez, the most promising prospect on the DSL Bombers roster is arguably Marinez, a lefty-hitting shortstop who also displayed an advanced plate approached at the DSL in his young career. He just turned 18 on August 20th, but he spent the full season as a 17-year-old and recorded a remarkable 20% walk rate. He slashed .275/.424/.375 and though he hit just one home run, it would be a perfectly normal timeline for his power to develop considerably over the next few years. With a baseline profile featuring a strong hit tool, mature plate approach, and considerable speed (he stole 22 bases this season), Marinez is a top candidate to continue developing in stateside competition next year.
