Yankees Prospects: Week 16 minor league review

Two of the Yankees’ full season affiliates have jumped out in the second half of the season to lead their divisions for the second half playoff spot. After a tough first half, both High-A Hudson Valley and Low-A Tampa have found their footing and are starting strong. The pitching has remained strong across the system, while the bats have picked up steam as the season has entered late July.

Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders

Record: 45-48; Seventh place in the International League (East), 6.0 GB

Past Week: 1-2 vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies)

Coming Up: Away vs. Rochester Red Wings (Nationals)

The RailRiders saw their hot streak get slightly disrupted out of the break as they lost their abbreviated series to Lehigh Valley. The RailRiders’ hot streak has largely coincided with Oswald Peraza’s incredible play dating back to mid-June. He appears to have cracked the code on Triple-A pitching and has been putting up big numbers for over a month now. It is not a one man show as Miguel Andújar, Estevan Florial, and Oswaldo Cabrera have also made significant contributions.

Players of Note:

Oswald Peraza: 26 G; .362/.424/.638, 7 HR, 8 2B, 12 SB

Miguel Andújar: 28 G; .315/.364/.523, 5 HR, 8 2B

Hayden Wesneski: 3 G; 0.51 ERA, 17.2 IP, 13 H, 5 BB, 16 K

Greg Weissert: 31 G; 2.17 ERA, 37.1 IP, 19 H, 18 BB, 59 K

Double-A Somerset Patriots

Second Half Record: 12-9; Third place in the Eastern League (Northeast), 2.0 GB

Overall Record: 56-34 First half Champion in the Eastern League (Northeast)

Past Week: 3-0 vs. Reading Fighting Phils

Coming Up: Away vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants)

After a slow start to the second half of the season, Somerset picked it up in their most recent three game series. On Saturday night, Anthony Volpe tied the game with a three-run home run in the eighth inning and Jesus Bastidas finished with game with a walk off home run in the ninth for the win. Recent additions Austin Wells and Everson Pereira both had their first Double-A home runs on Sunday and seem to be finding their stride at the Double-A level.

Players of Note:

Anthony Volpe: 51 G; .299/.380/.537, 8 HR, 21 2B, 21 SB

Jesus Bastidas: 28 G; .290/.384/.514, 5 HR, 1 3B, 7 2B

Sean Boyle: 8 G; 1.61 ERA, 50.1 IP, 33 H, 12 BB, 46 K – Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for July 11-17

Mickey Gasper: 42 G; .302/.429/.519, 7 HR, 7 2B

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades

Second Half Record: 14-9; First place in the South Atlantic League (North), 0.5 GA

Overall Record: 48-41

Past Week: 1-2 vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nats)

Coming Up: Home vs. Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets)

Jasson Domínguez has arrived in the Northeast and is playing the best baseball of his professional career by far. His arrival at High-A is matched with 2021 first round pick Trey Sweeney’s recent hot streak that has seen his strikeout rate crater, while he is hitting for more power and getting on base at a consistent rate. T.J. Sikkema continues to impress — he recently tossed 11 straight hitless innings across three outings, and after giving up two hits to lose the streak, he rebounded with five hitless innings to start the next game. Now that he is routinely working into the fifth and sixth inning, he is a strong candidate to be moved up to the next level in the near future.

Players of Note:

Trey Sweeney: 18 G; .343/.463/.612, 2 HR, 2 3B, 8 2B, 6 SB

Jasson Domínguez: 49 G; .296/.442/.494, 7 HR, 2 3B, 7 2B, 21.8% K, 19.9% BB, 170 wRC+

Beck Way: 10 G; 2.45 ERA, 51.1 IP, 33 H, 19 BB, 52 K

T.J. Sikkema: 11 G; 2.48 ERA, 36.1 IP, 21 H, 9 BB, 54 K

Low-A Tampa Tarpons

Second Half Record: 14-7; First place in the Florida State League (West Coast), 0.5 GA

Overall Record: 41-46

Past Week: 1-1 vs. Lakeland Flying Tigers

Coming Up: Away vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Twins)

Ben Cowles was a late riser in college but put together a big season during his last year at the University of Maryland, leading the Big-10 in home runs before being selected by the Yankees in 2021. After a bit of a slow start to his professional career, Cowles seems to have found his stroke and has been an offensive force for over a month. His production over the last 29 games is good for a 188 wRC+. Juan Carela continues to make a strong case for promotion to High-A as he has been the Tarpons most consistent pitcher for most of the season. With a number of the Yankees draft picks officially signing their professional contracts this week, it is likely that the Tarpons will see a few of those players join the team in the next week or two.

Players of Note:

Ben Cowles: 29 G; .333/.434/.578, 3 HR, 2 3B, 9 2B, 8 SB

Antonio Gomez: 16 G; .385/.459/.577, 2 HR, 3B, 2 2B

Juan Carela: 15 G; 2.89 ERA, 74.2 IP, 47 H, 32 BB

Ben Rice: 30 G; .291/.374/.477, 4 HR, 4 2B

FCL Yankees: W, 3-2 (8) vs. FCL Phillies GM 1

SS Dayro Perez 2-2, 2 BB, R, CS, PO
DH Andres Chaparro 1-4, RBI, 2 K
C Omar Martinez 0-3, BB, RBI, K
RF Alan Mejia 0-3, RBI, SF
1B Alex Guerrero 0-4, 3 K, E
CF Nelson Medina 2-3, 2B, K, E
3B Sincere Smith 0-3, E
LF Mauro Bonifacio 0-3, 2 K
2B Alex Garcia 01-, 2 BB, 2 R, K

Luis Serna 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP
Montana Semmel 3.0 IP, 0 H 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Leam Mendez 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (win)

FCL Yankees: vs. FCL Phillies GM 2, Suspended due to weather tied 1-1 in the sixth inning.

DSL Yankees: L, 1-10 vs. DSL Pirates Gold

SS Roderick Arias 2-4, 2B, BB, 2 K
CF Willy Montero 1-4, BB, SB
RF Ramiro Altagracia 0-4, BB, K
C Manuel Palencia 0-4
RF David Beckles 2-3, CS, PO
1B Johan Ferreira 0-1
2B Santiago Gomez 2-4, K
3B Juan Matheus 0-4, 2 K
1B-RF Jhon Imbert 0-3, BB, 2 K
LF Andres Lacruz 1-4, 3B, R, K

Sabier Marte 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR (loss)
Alejandro Gomez 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Domingo Feliz 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Ernesto Disla 0.1 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 HR

DSL Bombers: L, 2-3 (10) vs. DSL Astros Orange

DH Fidel Montero 0-2, 3 BB, 2 SB, K
CF John Cruz 0-4, BB, 3 K
1B Enger Castellano 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, 2 R, K
LF Joel Mendez 0-3, 2 BB, 3 K
SS Enmanuel Tejeda 2-3, 2 BB, 2B, CS, PO
3B Luis Ogando 1-4, BB, K
LF Juan Rosa 0-5, 5 K
C Oscar Silverio 0-5, K, PB
2B Andry Javier 0-4

Edwar Polimir 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Gerardo Abrego 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Ruben Castillo 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K