Yankees Prospects: Week 14 minor league review

After a tough start to the season, both the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades and the Low-A Tampa Tarpons have jumped out to an early lead in the second half of their seasons. The wave of offensive production across the Yankees system is matching the pitching that has been strong from the start. With the MLB draft and trade deadline approaching it is clear that the makeup of many of these teams could change very soon. Let’s take a look at how the Yankees minor league system fared over the last week.

Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders

Record: 40-44; Eighth place in the International League (East), 5 GB

Past Week: 4-2 vs. Worcester Red Sox

Coming Up: Home vs. Louisville Bats (Reds)

After a slow start to the season, the RailRiders are now 21-8 in dating back to a June 9th win in Syracuse. The team has made up 10.5 games in the standings in just over a month, and while they remain in eighth place, they are back in the playoff hunt in a crowded International League Eastern Division. Estevan Florial continues to lead the way with his bat, and he has a 158 wRC+ dating back to April 27th.

Josh Breaux was 6-for-8 with a triple and a pair of walks in his first week of Triple-A action providing a future lift to the offense. Ken Waldichuk, the top pitching prospect on the team, hit a speed bump in his most recent start, but the team saw great performances from Hayden Wesneski and Jhony Brito. Brito worked in relief behind Domingo Germán, who is close to returning to the major league roster after tossing four innings of one hit, no run baseball.

Players of Note:

Estevan Florial: 53 G; .332/.413/.566, 9 HR, 3B, 19 2B, 23 SB

Oswald Peraza: 18 G; .366/.425/.648, 5 HR, 5 2B, 7 SB

Jhony Brito: 15 G; 2.44 ERA, 81 IP, 67 H, 24 BB, 61 K

Greg Weissert: 28 G; 2.43 ERA, 33.1 IP, 16 H, 18 BB, 53 K

Double-A Somerset Patriots

Second Half Record: 6-6, T-Third place in the Eastern League (Northeast); 4 GB

Overall Record: 50-31; Eastern League (Northeast) First-half Champions

Past Week: 3-3 vs. Bowie Baysox (Orioles)

Coming Up: Away vs. Portland SeaDogs (Red Sox)

When Jesus Bastidas was called up to Double-A Somerset in 2021 he excelled in limited playing time. After a slower start to this season, Bastidas has turned up the offense over the last month and has a 150 wRC+ over his last 20 games. He has tied his career high for home runs in a season with nine, and overall he has hit 14 home runs in his 81 career games at the Double-A level. Will Warren has also continued to excel as he won the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week award after throwing seven innings of three hit ball.

Players of Note:

Anthony Volpe: 45 G; .295/.380/.517, 7 HR, 18 2B, 21 SB

Jesus Bastidas: 20 G; .278/.373/.542, 4 HR, 1 3B, 5 2B

Will Warren: 6 G; 1.35 ERA, 33.1 IP, 23 H, 11 BB, 31 K – Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Tanner Myatt: 22 G, 1.64 ERA, 33 IP, 15 H, 19 BB, 44 K

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades

Second Half Record: 10-5; First place in the South Atlantic League (North), 1 GA

Overall Record: 44-37

Past Week: 6-0 vs. Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies)

Coming Up: Home vs. Greenville Drive (Red Sox)

Some of the big-name bats on the Hudson Valley Renegades have come alive over the last few weeks. Trey Sweeney has really picked things up, making a lot of contact and slugging .643 over this last two weeks of actions. On the pitching side, T.J. Sikkema recorded 11 straight hitless innings over the span of three outings as he continues to build up his workload after an early season injury. Another pitcher working his way back from injury is Yoendrys Gómez, and the talented right-hander has been extremely impressive so far this season as he gradually increases his workload.

Players of Note:

Trey Sweeney: 11 G; .333/.440/.643, 1 HR, 2 3B, 6 2B

Everson Pereira: 22 G; .340/.386/.681 6 HR, 3 3B, 8 2B

Yoendrys Gómez: 5 G; 1.38 ERA, 13 IP, 10 H, 2 BB, 12 K

Edgar Barclay: 15 G; 1.29 ERA, 35 IP, 23 H, 11 BB, 43 K

T.J. Sikkema: 10 G; 2.32 ERA, 31 IP, 20 H, 8 BB, 44 K

Low-A Tampa Tarpons

Second Half Record: 10-4; First place in the Florida State League (West Coast), 0.5 GA

Overall Record: 37-43

Past Week: 4-1 vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Twins)

Coming Up: Home vs. Daytona Tortugas (Reds)

Like the other Yankees affiliates, the Tarpons are playing their best baseball of the season right now. Jasson Dominguez has posted a 156 wRC+ over his last 60 games, with a 25 percent strikeout rate and 16 percent walk rate in that stretch. The Yankees are also seeing one of last season’s draft picks heat up, as Ben Cowles has crushed it over the last 23 games — the middle infielder who led the Big-10 conference in home runs during the 2021 season looks like he has found his stroke at the professional level. Antonio Gomez’s bat has come alive recently, and the catching prospect who has been known more for his elite throwing arm than his offense has been putting up bigger numbers over the last couple of series.

Players of Note:

Jasson Dominguez: 60 G; .277/.404/.479, 9 HR, 2 3B, 12 2B, 16 SB

Ben Cowles: 23 G; .333/.435/.583, 3 HR, 2 3B, 5 2B, 5 SB

Antonio Gomez: 10 G; .353/.425/.559, HR, 3B, 2 2B

Richard Fitts: 4 G; 1.93 ERA, 23.1 IP, 18 H, 3 BB, 29 K

Florida Complex League Yankees: Postponed vs. FCL Tigers; will make up game on Wednesday (was previously an off-day)

Jared Serna was the FCL Player of the Week – 4 G; .571/.667/1.214, 2 HR, 1 3B, 1 2B

Dominican Summer League Yankees: W, 8-7 (10) vs. DSL Angels

SS Roderick Arias 0-6, 2 K, 2 E
2B Keiner Delgado 2-2, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 CS
2B Santiago Gomez 0-1, 1 R, 1 K
CF Willy Montero 2-6, 1 R, 1 K
RF Ramiro Altagracia 0-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K
1B Johan Ferreira 1-1, 1 R
C Manuel Palencia 1-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, PB — walk-off single in 10th
2B Juan Matheus 3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, SB, 2 K, E
LF-RF David Beckles 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SB, 1 K
1B-LF Jhon Imbert 0-1, 4 BB, 1 K
DH Abrahan Ramirez 1-5, 2B, 1 RBI

Henry Lalane 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Sabier Marte 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Jordy Luciano 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (win)

Dominican Summer League Bombers: L, 0-13 vs. DSL Pirates Gold

SS Hans Montero 0-4, 2 K
CF Fidel Montero 0-4, 2 K
3B Enger Castellano 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
RF Joel Mendez 0-2, 2 BB, 1 K
CF John Cruz 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K, CS, PO
2B Enmanuel Tejeda 1-4
LF Juan Rosa 0-4, 3 K
C Oscar Silverio 1-3, 1 K
1B Edinson Duran 1-3, 1 K, 1 E

Edwar Polimir 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 1 HR (loss)
Gerardo Abrego 0 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 0 K
Keninson Diaz 0.1 IP, 0 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 0 K
Ruben Castillo 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Ronald Roman 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Pedro Rodriguez 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K