Yankees prospects: Final week of the regular season review

The minor league regular season have wrapped up at every level except for the Dominican Summer League. The Yankees top-four affiliates won three division titles and Triple-A Scranton finished second in their division. Due to the modified playoff format that was put in place due to COVID concerns, only Triple-A Scranton and Low-A Tampa will play in the playoffs. That does not diminish the great seasons had across the system by numerous individual prospects and the minor league teams as a whole.

Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders

Record: 68-49, 2nd Place in the Triple-A (Northeast); 3.0 GB

Past Week: 4-2 vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI)

Upcoming: Home vs. Syracuse Mets (5-game series, Wed.-Sun.); 47-69

After a nine-game losing streak in early September, the RailRiders won 9 of 12 to finish the regular season strong heading into the Final Stretch. A pair of lefties in Matt Krook and JP Sears pitched extremely well down the stretch, helping the RailRiders to their second place finish. They will have 10 more games to their season as they seek to secure the top record among all Triple-A teams.

Players of Note:

Matt Krook 5 G; 0.64 ERA, 28 IP, 16 H, 10 BB, 2 ER, 30 K

Estevan Florial: 9 G; .303/.425/.667, 3 HR, 3 2B

JP Sears: 23 G; 3.62 ERA, 92 IP, 78 H, 27 BB, 122 K (Double-A and Triple-A Combined)

Chris Gittens: 41 G; .316/.456/.692, 14 HR, 8 2B

Double-A Somerset Patriots

Record: 72-47, 1st place in the Double-A (Northeast); 2.5 GA (Division Champs)

Past Week: 3-3 vs. Akron Rubber Ducks (CLE)

In a heartbreaking loss to end the season, the Patriots hit two home runs off a rehabbing Shane Bieber as Luis Medina carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of a season-deciding game. The bullpen faltered late, and at the very same moment, the Bowie Baysox rallied to secure the other available Double-A East playoff spot. The Double-A format this season called for the two best teams regardless of division to make the league championship series, so despite a first-place finish, Somerset missed out. Tough break.

Overall, the Patriots finished 12-5 in September after waking up to images of a flooded home stadium that included many of the players’ personal possessions. Numerous Yankees prospects took big steps forward and the organization put on a strong showing in its first season as a Yankees affiliate.

Players of Note:

Hayden Wesneski: 8 G; 1.86 ERA, 48.1 IP, 33 H, 9 BB, 62 K

Oswald Peraza: 79 G; .294/.348/.466, 12 HR, 2 3B, 16 2B

Brandon Lockridge: 43 G; .328/.382/.557, 10 HR, 10 2B, 13 SB

Luis Medina: 4 G; 1.59 ERA, 22.2 IP, 17 H, 9 BB, 25 K

Dermis Garcia: 109 G; .210/.307/.486, 31 HR, 1 3B, 11 2B

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades

Record: 71-49, 1st place in the High-A East (Northern); 12.5 GA (Division Champs)

Past Week: 3-3 vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers (PIT)

Heading into the week, the Renegades knew it would take a near miracle to reach the High-A playoffs, as they faced their closest rival for the spot and needed to go 5-1 to overtake them in the standings. High-A used the same playoff rules as Double-A, so the Renegades ended up out of luck. The best they could manage was a split, putting an end to the season for the talented corps of players led by Anthony Volpe and Everson Pereira.

Players of Note:

Anthony Volpe: 55 G; .286/.391/.587, 15 HR, 17 2B, 12 SB

Everson Pereira: 27 G; .259/.354/.676, 14 HR, 3 2B, 5 SB (20 HR in 188 ABs across three levels this season)

Austin Wells: 38 G; .274/.376/.473, 7 HR, 1 3B, 6 2B

Josh Maciejewski: 2 G; 0.66 ERA, 13.2 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 18 K

Low-A Tampa Tarpons

Record: 73-43, 1st place in the Low-A Southeast (West Coast); 3.5 GA (Division Champs)

Past Week: 1-3 vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (MIN)

Upcoming: Low-A Southeast Championship Series (best-of-5) vs. Bradenton Marauders (PIT): Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday*, Sunday*
*if necessary

The Tarpons wrapped up a playoff spot earlier this month, and the only thing left to be decided this last week was home-field advantage. While the team did not have the best week, they did secure home field and will meet the Bradenton Marauders starting today. This week, they battled the weather — much as they have for the majority of 2021.

Players of Note:

Jasson Dominguez: 49 G; .258/.346/.398, 5 HR, 1 3B, 9 2B

Anthony Garcia: 16 G; .291/.426/.655, 6 HR, 2 2B, 5 SB

Trey Sweeney: 29 G; .245/.357/.518, 6 HR, 4 3B, 4 2B

Jhonatan Munoz: 8 G; 1.50 ERA, 18 IP, 23 K

Florida Complex League Yankees:

Record: 36-16; 2nd place in the Florida Complex League, 3.5 GB (season over; no playoffs)

Dominican Summer League Yankees 1: L, 11-9 vs. DSL Cardinals Blue

SS Hans Montero 0-4, 2 BB, 2 Errors (both Fielding)
CF Fidel Montero 0-5, 5 K
3B Enger Castellano 2-4, BB, 2 K
LF Felix Negueis 0-2, 2 BB, 2 K
DH Alan Mejia 2-5, HR, K
C Manuel Palencia 2-5
RF Christopher Familia 1-4, BB, K
1B Jesus Rodriguez 2-5, 2B
2B Jared Serna 1-3, BB, K, Error (Fielding)

Daniel Guerrero 2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Geralmi Santana 3.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Diego Cordero 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB,
Lester Beltran 1.0 IP, 0 H , 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

DSL Yankees 2: L, 6-0 vs. DSL Brewers

SS Dayro Perez 1-4, 3B, 3 K
LF Joel Mendez 1-4, 2 K, Error (Fielding)
DH Daury Arias 2-3, 1 BB
SS Brenny Escanio 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K
CF Ramiro Altagracia 0-4, 4 K
C Omar Martinez 1-4, 2B, 2 K
3B Ronny Rojas 0-3, 1 BB, Error (dropped foul)
RF Kelvin Espino 0-4, Error (Fielding)
1B Edinson Duran 0-3 K

Luis Arejula 5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 2 HBP
Ernesto Borges 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K