DotF: Avelino and Rogers have big games in Scranton’s win

A few quick notes and links:

• RHP Dillon Tate told Mark Sanchez he changed his offseason workout routine in an effort to stay healthy. He missed the first few weeks of last season with a shoulder injury. Tate said he’s doing more stretching and mobility exercises to improve flexibility.
• C Kyle Higashioka is on a 2-1-2-1 schedule, Triple-A Scranton manager Bobby Mitchell told Conor Foley. That means two days at catcher, one day at DH, two days at catcher, one day off. Higashioka has had a ton of injury problems over the years and the Yankees are trying to keep him on the field, so he won’t catch three days in a row.
• Sam Dykstra has a good piece on RHP Glenn Otto, the latest college reliever the Yankees are turning into a starter. “He’s got the stuff. He’s got three really nice pitches … He’s a horse with his size. He’ll be able to handle the innings, I think. But mainly, it’s the stuff. The more reps he gets, the better he’ll be as a starter,” said Low-A Charleston pitching coach Justin Pope. Otto was New York’s fifth round pick last year. Here’s our Prospect Profile.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barres RailRiders (11-1 win over Charlotte)

• 3B Gleyber Torres: 2-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K — got picked off first … 10-for-25 (.400) in his last six games
• C Kyle Higashioka: 1-5, 3 K
• DH Mike Ford: 2-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI
• CF Rashad Crawford: 2-5, 2 R, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 1 K
• SS Abi Avelino: 3-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB — 8-for-24 (.333) in the super early going … the Thairo Estrada injury created an opening and this might be Avelino’s last chance to show the organization he can have some value at the next level
• LHP Josh Rogers: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K,8/3 GB/FB — 64 of 86 pitches were strikes (74%) … Rogers had some prospect shine before needing elbow surgery last year … sure would be nice to see him regain some of that luster and give the Yankees a second legitimate left-handed pitching prospect
• Jonathan Holder: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 2/3 GB/FB — 14 of 26 pitches were strikes (54%)

Double-A Trenton Thunder had a scheduled off-day.

High-A Tampa Tarpons (8-4 loss to St. Lucie)

• SS Diego Castillo: 0-5 — in a 2-for-25 (.080) slump
• CF Estevan Florial: 2-4, 1 R, 1 BB — five walks in his last four games
• RF Isiah Gilliam: 2-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K — 5-for-14 (.357) in his last three games after a 2-for-14 (.143) start to the season
• 2B Hoy Jun Park: 1-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 SB
• LF Pablo Olivares: 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K
• RHP Freicer Perez: 4 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 1 HR, 7/1 GB/FB — 53 of 86 pitches were strikes (62%) … tough start to the season … nine runs allowed in 8.1 innings with a 7/6 K/BB in two starts so far (yes, it’s only two starts)
  

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs (6-4 win over Kannapolis)

• 2B Oswaldo Cabrera: 1-4, 1 RBI
• SS Wilkerman Garcia: 1-4, 1 K
• DH Steven Sensley: 0-4, 1 K — in a 4-for-21 (.190) rut
• RF Leonardo Molina: 1-2, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB — signs of life!
• RHP Rony Garcia: 5 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 5/3 GB/FB — 53 of 74 pitches were strikes (72%) … figured the Extended Spring Training stint wouldn’t be long