Yankees Prospects: Week 20 minor league review

The big league club is a mess, but there are plenty of prospects playing well in the minor leagues for the Yankees.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

Record: 20-17 (second half) and 3.5 games back in the International League East after winning four out of six games with the Syracuse Mets

Run Differential: +7

Coming up: On the road for six games against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies) starting Tuesday, August 15th

Mitch Spence has been overlooked for most of this season, as better-known prospects have been promoted both to and from Scranton, but perhaps the Yankees have reached a point where we are about to get to know Spence a little better. He’s been the most consistent starter for the RailRiders in that he’s posted for all 22 of his starts, and he’s reached the mark of 120 innings pitched because of it. With the big league rotation in shambles, would they be willing to use a roster spot on the starting pitcher who really should be next in line? If they do, they’ll be getting Spence off of a very good outing. The right-hander beat the Mets with seven strong innings in which he allowed two runs on five hits while striking out eight.

It seems less likely, but perhaps Edgar Barclay gets tapped on the shoulder at some point this year. Seen as a reliever until recently, Barclay has now made three starts in Triple-A, including two last week, and the Yankees may have more of a long-term plan for him. He will need to be placed on the 40-man roster this winter or be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft, so the Yankees may push up his timeline in their desperation for innings. Barclay got off to a late start this year because of injury and has thrown only 46.2 frames, so it’s not inconceivable he will be called upon in the month of September.

Players of note (stats are season totals for the level):

3B Andrés Chaparro: .801 OPS, 20 HR, 71 RBI, 19 2B, 65 R, 54 BB

OF Estevan Florial: .978 OPS, 23 HR, 59 RBI, 63 R, 51 BB, 19 SB (injured list)

OF Everson Pereira: .901 OPS, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 7 2B, 22 R (30 games)

C Austin Wells: .721 OPS, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, 8 2B, 10 BB (20 games)

SS Oswald Peraza: .824 OPS, 13 HR, 33 RBI, 8 2B, 42 R, 12 SB (57 games)

SP Will Warren: 5.24 ERA, 55.0 IP, 55 H, 29 BB, 57 K

SP Mitch Spence: 4.86 ERA, 120.1 IP, 123 H, 41 BB, 109 K

SP Randy Vásquez: 4.76 ERA, 75.2 IP, 76 H, 40 BB, 91 K

SP Clayton Beeter: 6.25 ERA, 31.2 IP, 32 H, 16 BB, 37 K

Double-A Somerset Patriots

Record: 21-17 and two games up in the Eastern League Northeast after splitting six games with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets)

Run Differential: +73

Coming up: On the road for six games against the Reading Fightin Phils starting Tuesday, August 15th

The Patriots swept the league awards last week, with Ben Rice taking home Player of the Week and newly-promoted Drew Thorpe named Pitcher of the Week. Rice’s line of .522/.577/.957 in six games against Binghamton also came with six extra-base hits, and the left-handed hitter continues to blister Double-A pitching since his arrival. Thorpe’s start against the Rumble Ponies looked like any number of outings he had as a member of the Hudson Valley Renegades this season. He threw eight shutout innings, gave up only two hits, and rang up nine K’s. It’s tough to beat that for your first appearance in the upper minors.

Players of note:

OF Jasson Domínguez: .743 OPS, 13 HR, 58 RBI, 74 BB, 36 SB, 74 R

SS Trey Sweeney: .785 OPS, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 18 2B, 62 R, 16 SB (injured list)

1B T.J. Rumfield: .785 OPS, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 11 2B, 40 R (injured list)

3B Tyler Hardman: .890 OPS, 26 HR, 56 RBI, 56 R, 9 2B, 9 SB (injured list)

SP Chase Hampton: 4.99 ERA, 48.2 IP, 44 H, 56 K, 20 BB

SP Richard Fitts: 3.38 ERA, 119.2 IP, 101 H, 130 K, 30 BB

SP Yoendrys Gómez: 3.26 ERA, 38.2 IP, 26 H, 40 K, 24 BB

RP Danny Watson: 1.33 ERA, 27.0 IP, 12 H, 31 K, 11 BB

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades

Record: 20-22 and six games back in the South Atlantic League North after losing five out of six with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies)

Run Differential: +25

Coming up: On the road for six games against the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) beginning Tuesday, August 15th

Speculation that Spencer Jones was ticketed for Somerset once a wave of promotions came through last week ended up being unfounded. With Jones remaining in Hudson Valley, the Renegades nonetheless have a new look once again. Agustin Ramirez moved up to Double-A, Anthony Garcia and Aldenis Sanchez were unfortunately released, and Jared Serna, Jesus Rodriguez, and Anthony Hall got the call up from Tampa.

Jones, Serna, Rodriguez, Hall, and the previously promoted Christopher Familia now form the top of Hudson Valley’s regular lineup, and considering Familia is the only one of those players to have seen even one pitch in long-season ball last year, the organization has to feel good about the development of that group in 2023.

Players of note:

OF Spencer Jones: .782 OPS, 12 HR, 52 RBI, 26 2B, 4 3B, 55 R, 30 SB

C Jesus Rodriguez: .993 OPS, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 3 R (5 games)

OF Christopher Familia: .828 OPS, 8 HR, 21 RBI, 4 2B, 22 R (29 games)

2B Jared Serna: .782 OPS, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 1 2B, 4 R, 4 SB (6 games)

SP Zach Messinger: 4.09 ERA, 83.2 IP, 73 H, 101 K, 42 BB

SP Brendan Beck: 1.71 ERA, 26.1 IP, 22 H, 29 K, 7 BB

SP Brock Selvidge: 2.66 ERA, 23.2 IP, 16 H, 22 K, 6 BB

RP Harrison Cohen: 3.48 ERA, 33.2 IP, 25 H, 40 K, 15 BB

Low-A Tampa Tarpons

Record: 21-21 and seven games back in the Florida State League West after losing four out of six games with the Clearwater Threshers (Phillies)

Run Differential: -17

Coming up: On the road for six games with the Daytona Tortugas (Reds) beginning Tuesday, August 15th

When the Yankees promoted that small group of players from Tampa to Hudson Valley, the subsequent move by the organization ended up being on the conservative side. With a large group of players coming in through the draft and post-draft free agency, there is a challenge to find places for people to play. Some of that was alleviated by fourth-rounder Roc Riggio being brought in to take Serna’s spot and undrafted signee Cole Gabrielson coming in to take Hall’s place. The lineup for the Tarpons in the last game of their series with Clearwater featured seven players who weren’t with the team at the beginning of the season.

One of the holdovers, infielder Brenny Escanio, has been stepping up his production during all the personnel movement. Over the last two weeks his slash line of .314/.415/.400 has been a boon to the Tarpons, and the 20-year-old switch-hitter should see the bulk of the innings at shortstop the rest of the way.

Players of note:

2B Roc Riggio: .720 OPS, 2 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 4 BB (4 games)

OF Coby Morales: .886 OPS, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R, 6 2B (9 games)

C/1B Omar Martinez: .867 OPS, 16 HR, 59 RBI, 55 R, 14 2B, 8 SB

SP Justin Lange: 4.58 ERA, 72.2 IP, 50 H, 115 K, 55 BB

SP Ryan Harvey: 3.38 ERA, 16.0 IP, 10 H, 12 K, 8 BB

RP Yorlin Calderon: 3.45 ERA, 62.2 IP, 57 H, 77 K, 18 BB

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Prospect of the week: Ben Rice

The Eastern League Player of the Week gave the Rumble Ponies all they could handle. He was 12-for-23 with two homers, four doubles, nine RBI, seven scored, and a couple of stolen bases as well. The 24-year-old has sandwiched great offensive performance around a lengthy injury absence this year, and, at the very least, he’s becoming one of the more intriguing hitters in the Yankees’ system.

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Monday’s games

FCL Yankees (30-19): Won vs. FCL Tigers 12-7

SS Keiner Delgado 0-3, R, BB, K, 2 SB, HBP
CF Jackson Castillo 0-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, HBP
RF Willy Montero 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, K
1B Dylan Jasso 2-5, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B — 16-for-37 with 9 walks so far
LF John Cruz 3-4, 2 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR — 17-year-old putting up some big numbers, 10 dingers
2B Enmanuel Tejeda 1-3, RBI, BB
3B Hans Montero 1-3, R, BB, K
DH Wilson Rodriguez 0-3, BB, K
C Edinson Duran 0-3, R, BB, K

Carlos Lagrange 3.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR, 3 HBP
Miguel Pozo 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (win)
Steven Fulgencio 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 WP, 2 HBP
Luis Arejula 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

*Also: Completion of August 7th game; win vs. FCL Tigers 14-11

DSL Bombers (22-25): Won vs. DSL Mets Blue 9-4

2B Gabriel Terrero 1-5, 2 R, 3 K
C Edgleen Perez 3-4, RBI, BB
CF Gabriel Lara 1-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K, SB
RF Ramiro Altagracia 1-4, R, RBI, 3B, HBP
3B Kevin Verde 1-5, R, 2 RBI, HR
SS Ovandy Frias 1-4, R, SB
1B Johan Contreras 0-2, R, BB, HBP
LF Geyber Blanco 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, K
DH Adrian Gonzalez 1-3, RBI, BB, K

Sunyaro Martina 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR
Hansel Rosario 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K (win)
Christopher Medina 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Michael Peres 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

DSL Yankees (12-3): Win vs. DSL Miami 12-10

CF Brando Mayea 0-3, 2 BB, K, picked off twice
RF Jose Castro 0-4, R, 2 K, SB
C Josue Gonzalez 2-3, 4 R, 2 BB
SS Santiago Gomez 2-3, 2 R, RBI, 2 E
3B Luis Ogando 3-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 SB
2B Luis Escudero 0-2, R, 2 RBI, SF, E
1B Jhon Imbert 2-4, R, 3 RBI, BB, 2B, HR, 2 K
DH Edison Vivas 0-5, 3 K
LF Andres Lacruz 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2B

Jorge Luna 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 K, HR allowed, HBP
Orvis Fernandez 2.2 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, WP, HBP
Jesus Castellanos 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 2 WP (win)
Jose Rodriguez 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K, WP (save)