Cave & Bird help River Dogs to a win

July 30, 2013 by Mike Axisa 27 Comments

If you’re looking for tonight’s Yankees-Dodgers game thread, then either scroll down or click here. Otherwise, here are some minor league notes:

The Yankees have signed RHP Jaron Long for just under $100k as an undrafted free agent, reports Mark Feinsand. He is hitting coach Kevin Long’s son. Jaron, a 21-year-old junior from Ohio State, dominated the Cape Cod League this season (0.30 ERA, 25/6 K/BB in 30 innings). He’s headed to Short Season Staten Island.
New York also signed IF Brady Steiger as an undrafted free agent, according to an announcement from Lewis-Clark State. The 22-year-old junior hit .430/.543/.618 with five homers, 36 walks, 21 hit-by-pitches (!), and and 23. Steiger is headed to one of the two GCL Yanks teams.
Yankees farmhands will suit up for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League this year, reports Adam Rubin. They’ll be on a team with Mets, Braves, Pirates, and Giants prospects.

Triple-A Scranton (3-2 loss to Indianapolis)

CF Adonis Garcia: 2-4, 1 R
LF Ronnie Mustelier: 0-4, 2 K
1B David Adams: 0-3, 1 BB
RHP Brett Marshall: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 7/3 GB/FB — 70 of 100 pitches were strikes … one earned run allowed in three straight starts
RHP Mark Montgomery: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1/0 GB/FB — 11 of 18 pitches were strikes (61%)

Double-A Trenton (11-3 win over Harrisburg)

RF Ramon Flores: 2-4, 2 R, 1 K —
LF Curtis Granderson: 1-3, 1 3B, 1 BB — had a little more on him earlier
CF Slade Heathcott: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 BB
RHP David Phelps: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 4/0 GB/FB — 50 of 76 pitches were strikes (66%) … had more on him earlier as well

High-A Tampa (4-1 win over St. Lucie)

CF Mason Williams: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 SB — 36 walks in 87 games this year after 24 walks in 91 games last year
2B Rob Refsnyder: 0-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB
C Peter O’Brien: 0-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HBP
DH Gary Sanchez: 1-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB — just his second stolen base of the year after swiping 15 (!) last season
RHP Rafael DePaula: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, 1 WP, 1 HB, 2/1 GB/FB — 127/36 K/BB in 92 innings now … I wonder how many more innings he has left, maybe 125-130 for the season? 135-140?
RHP Diego Moreno: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 2/1 GB/FB — 23/10 K/BB in 26.2 innings … he was part of the A.J. Burnett trade and is coming back from Tommy John surgery, if you remember

Low-A Charleston (3-1 win over Hickory)

CF Jake Cave: 2-3, 2 R, 1 HBP — 15 hits in his last 33 at-bats (.455) with three doubles and a homer
SS Cito Culver: 0-4, 2 K
1B Greg Bird: 0-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K — 21 walks in his last 86 plate appearances (24.4%)
LHP Evan Rutckyj: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 WP, 1 HB, 5/3 GB/FB — 59 of 94 pitches were strikes (63%) … career-high tying eight strikeouts, done twice before (including once earlier this year)

Short Season Staten Island (5-3 loss to Jamestown) they struck out 14 times as a team

CF Michael O’Neill: 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 E (throwing) — 50/7 K/BB in 36 pro games … yikes
3B Eric Jagielo: 0-4, 1 RBI, 2 K — three hits in his last 30 at-bats
LF Brandon Thomas: 0-3, 2 K, 1 HBP
LHP Caleb Smith: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 7/0 GB/FB — 35/8 K/BB in 29.2 innings

Rookie GCL Yanks1 (9-5 win over GCL Blue Jays)

SS Tyler Wade: 2-3, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 E (fielding) — 21/22 K/BB in 26 games
2B Bryan Cuevas: 3-5, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI
DH Gosuke Katoh: 1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K — 20/17 K/BB in 27 games
RF Dustin Fowler: 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, RBI, 1 SB
3B Chris Tamarez: 2-5, 1 RBI
RHP Erick Canela: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 6/2 GB/FB — 20/8 K/BB in 23 innings for the 22-year-old

Rookie GCL Yanks2 (6-3 loss to GCL Astros)

3B Miguel Andujar: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
C Luis Torrens: 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 E (missed catch) — five hits in his last 32 at-bats (.156)
DH Brady Steiger: 1-5, 2 K — see? told you they signed him
SS Thairo Estrada: 0-4, 1 BB, 1 E (fielding)
RHP Jordan Cote: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 9/1 GB/FB — 38/9 K/BB in 47.2 innings since being the team’s third round pick in 2011

http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

Have you seen an Aaron Judge anywhere? APB.
- Tyler
  
  I was wondering this as well has there been any word on his debut?
YankeeGrunt

Their 10th rounder in 2011 was Jonathan Gray. Jordan Cote was a third rounder.
Laz

In regards DePaula, minors only have like 5 weeks left of the season. Gives him 7 starts or so. He only has been going about 5 innings each time out, so that gives him around 127 ip. I really doubt he goes any higher than that.
- Bo Knows
  
  Which means they are setting him up to move quick next season. If he throws 125-130 innings this year, that sets him up for 150-160 innings next year most likely starting the year in Tampa with a quick promotion to Trenton; if he’s pitching well; and a shot to finish in AAA.
nycsportzfan

How about that Brett Marshall! Hes got a nice little hot streak going!
sangreal

Interesting. YES had a piece on Jaron Long, I think back during the first Cleveland series
Neil

So let me get this straight, Aaron Judge signed 2 and half weeks ago, 1st round pick making close to 2 million dollars and he is NOT playing. ( not 1 game yet ) This kid , Brady Steiger signed 24 hours ago and played is 1st game already. Only in Yankee country.
BTW …….the other 1st round pick I. Clark MIA
- Andy In Sunny Daytona
  
  In Judge’s defense, he hasn’t been playing at all this summer. Steiger had been playing in a league.
- Coolerking101
  
  I believe it was reported both have minor injuries that have prevented them from playing.
- pat
  
  Clark sprained his ankle. Stop bitching if you don’t actually know what’s going on.
Csonk

I appreciate the run down of the minor league affiliates (sincerely), but please get them right if doing them Mike. Last night’s ‘report’ here for the Charleston line-up was ALL wrong looking at the actual boxscore. Every hitter’s line was incorrectly noted here.
Generally you do a GREAT job but I watch Cito’s #’s daily hoping for some sign of progress (coached against him in Little League and then HS, my son played against him through HS – from the same town East/West). He’s a really good young man & we’re pullin’ for the kid.
- YankeeGrunt
  
  MiLB.com wasn’t updating the stats, just the scores. The boxes were jacked up all night. No need to get your knickers in a twist.
  - Rick
    
    But, but, but he needed to make it a point that he knows Cito for validation!!!! If the minor league box scores aren’t correct, he’ll never know how Cito does!!!!!!!!
    - Bo Knows
      
      Don’t be an asshole…..guess I was too late
      
      All he said is that he’s rooting for someone he knows to succeed. I am sure you know nothing about how that feels.
      - Csonk
        
        Waaay later….thanks Bo, geezus, tough crowd. We don’t get many kids get a shot from up here. He really is a good kid (had some real tough sh*t to deal with growin’ up) & he worked through it & is very humble. Just hope he can get it goin’. Really wasn’t tryin’ to be a dick.
        
        Cool Lester Smooth
        
        You didn’t do anything wrong. Rick was just being an asshole.
Brian in MA

Actually…not a bad night for starters down on the farm. Lots of K’s
- nycsportzfan
  
  Marshall has a 3.28ERA over his last 10starts. Hes figuring it out. Thats why sometimes overall numbers aren’t as important.
  - YankeeGrunt
    
    If Marshall can keep his strikeout and groundball totals up he can be a good big-league starter. He fell on the sword in that long relief outing during his call-up and it took him some time to get back on track. If he can finish the season strong he could get a shot next ST.
nycsportzfan

With are very diassapointing farm system, i’d move Katoh up to SI, and see if we can get some excitement back down there. Katoh is exciting!
- rehobie
  
  YES. Move Kasuke(?) and WADE. Wade OBP is .500. That’s incredible.
  - Cool Lester Smooth
    
    It’s “Gosuke.”
YankeeGrunt

Caleb Smith has had the best debut of our pitching prospects so far. His first three innings were perfect, he left up his first walk in the fourth and his first hit in the fifth. He’s an intriguing kid, he had a strong 2012 and a bad 2013 as a collegian with a 68:60 K:BB over 89 innings. As a pro that ratio is 35:8 in 29.2 IP (as Mike writes). Whatever adjustments he has made, or the Yankees have made, seem to be working.
I’m not the droids you’re looking for…

Would someone please explain to me the lines that say like 22/21 K/BB in 26 AB’s?
Mike

This not a prospect question, but has anyone seen any scouting reports on Sam Demel? His peripherals look very good in AAA, and anectdotally, Donnie Collins twitter feed indicates that he is one of, if not the most, trusted reliever for Scranton. He is 27 and was drafted in the third round, so his age and pedigree alone would not evidence that he is a write-off AAAA player. I realize that Betances would likely replace Joba when/if Joba is jettisoned from the Bronx, but Demel’s stats show he may be just as worthy of that spot. Because MiLB stats alone don’t correlate to future MLB success I am curious if anyone here has read any scouting report on Demel that might temper my impression of him?
- Cool Lester Smooth
  
  Dude’s 27 and has never had success in the MLB. That should probably temper your expectations.