- Turns out IF Thairo Estrada had surgery this summer to remove the bullet from his hip, reports Lindsey Adler (subs. req’d). Estrada was shot during a robbery last offseason. Adler says the initial emergency surgery was botched. Estrada was on the disabled list with a back injury when he decided to have another procedure to remove the bullet in June, this time with the Yankees overseeing things. Huh. It was successful. Thairo is recovered now and played in the AzFL.
- Triple-A Scranton manager Bobby Mitchell will not be back next season. DJ Eberle reports the Yankees decided not to renew his contract. “I’m not really sure why or whatever. It happens. I was a little surprised, obviously. I’m not really sure. I didn’t get much of an explanation. I enjoyed my time there. So I was disappointed,” said Mitchell. Mitchell had been with the Yankees since 2016. No word on the new Triple-A manager yet. Might be a few weeks.
- Matt Eddy has the full list of minor league free agents. Nine Yankees’ prospects hit the open market: IF Daniel Barrios, LHP Havid Burgos, IF Bruce Caldwell, C Wilkin Castillo, LHP Chaz Hebert, IF Rey Navarro, C Chace Numata, IF Victor Rey, and C Jorge Saez. Hebert, who’s been limited by injuries the last few years, is by far the most notable of the bunch. The Yankees have re-signed minor league free agents IF Gio Urshela and C Francisco Diaz, reports Eddy.
- The Yankees released OF Quintin Berry, reports Eddy. They acquired him in a cash trade in August and it seemed the Yankees would call him up to be their designated September pinch-runner, but that never happened. On Twitter, Berry announced he’s retiring as a player and has taken a minor league coaching role with the Brewers.
Arizona Fall League
- IF Thairo Estrada: 19 G, 19-for-80 (.238), 9 R, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 15 K, 1 CS, 1 HBP (.238/.282/.263) — not a good showing at all, but I’m inclined to give him a pass after the whole “he got shot in January and didn’t have the bullet removed until June” thing … hopefully Thairo has a good, shooting-free offseason and can pick up where he left off last year in 2019
- OF Estevan Florial: 21 G, 13-for-73 (.178), 10 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 8 RBI, 12 BB, 29 K, 2 SB, 1 CS (.178/.294/.260) — he went 1-for-1 with a triple and a walk in the Fall Stars game … video of the triple is at the top of the post … otherwise a pretty crummy AzFL season for Florial
- 1B Steven Sensley: 21 G, 15-for-76 (.197), 4 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 26 K, 1 CS, 2 HBP (.197/.256/.263) — he played 15 games at first base and six at DH in the AzFL after playing only one of his final 34 regular season games in the outfield, so it seems he’s a full-time first baseman now … Sensley was an okay prospect as a corner outfielder and he’s a fringe prospect at first base … the offensive potential bar is awfully high to be a legitimate prospect at first base
- RHP Jordan Foley: 7 G, 7 GS, 19.2 IP, 20 H, 20 R, 20 ER, 19 BB, 20 K, 2 HR, 1 HB, 2 WP (9.15 ERA and 1.98 WHIP) — the good news? he didn’t have the worst numbers among Yankees pitchers in the AzFL
- RHP Hobie Harris: 9 G, 15 IP, 14 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 16 K, 1 HR, 2 WP (4.20 ERA and 1.40 WHIP)
- RHP Matt Wivinis: 11 G, 12 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 14 K, 1 HB, 1 WP (1.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP) — two of the six AzFL parks are equipped with Statcast and somehow he managed to pitch in neither this year … he’s supposed to be a big spin rate guy and I was hoping to get some numbers, but alas … bummer
- RHP Kyle Zurak: 9 G, 9.1 IP, 16 H, 15 R, 12 ER, 10 BB, 3 K, 3 HR, 3 WP (11.57 ERA and 2.79 WHIP) — about as bad an AzFL performance as I can remember … what a crap year AzFL season for the Yankees
Dominican Winter League
- IF Hanser Alberto: 24 G, 34-for-98 (.347), 12 R, 8 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 8 BB, 10 K, 1 SB (.347/.396/.459) — the Yankees recently claimed the slick-fielding infielder off waivers from the Rangers
- IF Gio Urshela: 15 G, 17-for-58 (.293), 7 R, 7 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 0 BB, 8 K (.293/.293/.466)
- RHP Albert Abreu: 4 G, 4 GS, 12.2 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 HB, 2 WP (2.13 ERA and 1.26 WHIP) — he’s been on a pitch limit in his four starts … the good news is he’s healthy … next year will be an important one for Abreu, who has tremendous raw stuff but has been unable to stay on the field
- LHP Nestor Cortes: 7 G, 7 GS, 38.1 IP, 24 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 8 BB, 43 K, 3 HR, 2 WP (1.64 ERA and 0.83 WHIP) — this hadn’t dawned on me until just now, but he might get picked in the Rule 5 Draft again … he’s essentially a junkballer, but lefties who consistently put up excellent numbers at the upper levels of the minors have a way of getting chance after chance after chance
- RHP Carlos Espinal: 6 G, 8 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 WP (3.38 ERA and 1.63 WHIP)
- RHP Raynel Espinal: 7 G, 10.2 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K (1.69 ERA and 0.94 WHIP)
- RHP Joe Harvey: 4 G, 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (0.00 ERA and 0.55 WHIP) — soon-to-be 27-year-old had a pretty big year as Triple-A Scranton’s closer … I wonder if some team will give him a look in Spring Training as a Rule 5 Draft pick
- RHP Adonis Rosa: 6 G, 11 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 8 K (0.82 ERA and 1.09 WHIP)
- LHP Anderson Severino: 1 G, 0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HB — an infinity ERA and an infinity WHIP is never good
Mexican Pacific League
- 1B Ryan McBroom: 28 G, 24-for-106 (.226), 8 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 10 BB, 28 K, 3 SB, 1 HBP (.226/.294/.321) — that’s no way for a player on the 40-man roster bubble to get himself picked in the Rule 5 Draft
Venezuelan Winter League
- IF Angel Aguilar: 20 G, 16-for-53 (.302), 5 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 3 BB, 13 K, 4 SB (.302/.328/.491) — two or three years ago it looked like he had a chance to be a legit prospect, but it hasn’t really worked out, and now he’s 23 with only four games of experience above High-A
- C Francisco Diaz: 22 G, 19-for-69 (.275), 4 RBI, 12 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP (.275/.386/.275) — interesting stat line
- IF Wilkerman Garcia: 9 G, 7-for-19 (.368), 5 R, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 CS (.368/.400/.526)
- C Jerry Seitz: 3 G, 0-for-6 (.000), 1 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K (.000/.125/.000) — 24-year-old organizational catcher is a career .261/.327/.368 (106 wRC+) hitter in 144 games from 2014-18
- RHP Daniel Alvarez: 8 G, 9.1 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 12 K, 2 HR, 1 WP (3.86 ERA and 1.61 WHIP)
- RHP Anderson Munoz: 9 G, 10.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 11 K, 1 WP (2.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP)
The Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico) season started this past Thursday. There are no Yankees on any rosters at the moment but that is subject to change.