Down on the Farm Archives - Page 3 of 252

DotF: Aguilar homers, Staten Island clinches playoff spot

September 3, 2016 by Mike Axisa Leave a Comment

Triple-A Scranton (5-3 win over Buffalo)

DH Mason Williams: 1-4, 1 R, 1 K
RF Cesar Puello: 1-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 HBP — that’s hit-by-pitch No. 18, easily the most in the system
3B Donovan Solano: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K — their primary No. 3 hitters this season have been Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge, Rob Refsnyder, and now Donovan Solano
1B Chris Parmelee: 0-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
C Kyle Higashioka: 0-4, 1 K
CF Jake Cave: 0-3, 2 K — unless the Yankees surprisingly add him to the 40-man roster after the season, these could be his final games in the organization
RHP Brady Lail: 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 9/6 GB/FB — 61 of 101 pitches were strikes (60%)
LHP James Pazos: 1 IP, zeroes, 3 K — 14 of 17 pitches were strikes (92%) … 12 strikeouts in 5.1 innings since returning from his injury
LHP Dietrich Enns: 1 IP, zeroes, 2 K, 0/1 GB/FB — eight strikes, ten pitches … Proven Closer™

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DotF: Sheffield strikes out nine in Double-A debut

September 2, 2016 by Mike Axisa Leave a Comment

Got some notes to pass along, including a bunch of chain reaction roster moves:

In case you missed it earlier, the Yankees called up RHP Luis Severino, RHP Nick Goody, RHP Kirby Yates, UTIL Rob Refsnyder, OF Eric Young Jr., and RHP Jonathan Holder earlier today as their first round of September call-ups.
RHP Matt Wotherspoon, RHP J.R. Graham, RHP Mark Montgomery, UTIL Jose Rosario, and OF Mark Payton were all bumped up from Double-A Trenton to Triple-A Scranton, reports Matt Kardos. They’ll fill-in for the September call-ups.
LHP Justus Sheffield, RHP Matt Marsh, and RHP Eric Ruth were promoted from High-A Tampa to Trenton, the team announced. The Sheffield move was reported Wednesday, but now it’s official.
RHP Domingo German was activated off the High-A DL and both OF Tito Polo and LHP Stephen Tarpley have officially been added to the Tampa roster, the team announced. Polo and Tarpley came over as the players to be named later in the Ivan Nova trade a few days ago.
Holder, meanwhile, claimed the top spot in the final Prospect Hot Sheet of the regular season. That’s what happens when you strike out 12 batters during a four-inning postseason-clinching save. Quite a week for Holder.
And finally, 2B Nick Solak made Baseball America’s Prospect Team of the Month for August, so congrats to him.

Triple-A Scranton (2-1 win over Buffalo, walk-off style) their season ends Monday … they’ve already clinched a postseason spot

CF Mason Williams: 0-3, 1 RBI — drove in the game-tying run with a sac fly in the eighth
RF Mark Payton: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 SB — threw a runner out at the plate in his Triple-A debut
3B Donovan Solano: 1-4, 2 K
1B Chris Parmelee: 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K — walk-off home run
C Kyle Higashioka: 0-3, 2 K
LF Jake Cave: 0-3, 1 K
RHP Bryan Mitchell: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HB, 7/2 GB/FB — 57 of 91 pitches were strikes (63%) … so does he make Chad Green‘s start in five days?
LHP James Pazos: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/0 GB/FB — seven pitches, four strikes
RHP Gio Gallegos: 2 IP, zeroes, 4 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 17 of 27 pitches were strikes (63%) … 103/17 K/B in 75.2 innings
RHP J.R. Graham: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 0/1 GB/FB — eight of ten pitches were strikes

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DotF: Florial triples and homers in Charleston debut

September 1, 2016 by Mike Axisa Leave a Comment

As always, we begin with the notes:

OF Zack Zehner was named to the High-A Florida State League end of season All-Star Team. Also, Pat Osborn was named the league’s Manager of the Year, so congrats to both. Zehner, last year’s 18th round pick, hit .282/.382/.379 (129 wRC+) with three homers in 107 games for Tampa.
OF Alex Palma was placed on the Low-A DL with a lower body injury, the team announced. His regular season is over but he could return for the postseason, depending on the severity of the injury. The 20-year-old hit .265/.292/.420 (101 wRC+) with six homers in 64 games this year.
OF Estevan Florial was bumped up from rookie Pulaski to replace Palma, the team announced. Pulaski’s season ends today, so Florial is getting a late-season cameo in full season ball. Neat.

Triple-A Scranton (6-1 win over Buffalo) the win clinches at least a tie of the division title

CF Mason Williams: 3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB — he’s locked in right now
RF Cesar Puello: 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP — another hit-by-pitch … he’s a magnet
3B Rob Refsnyder: 1-5, 1 RBI, 1 K
1B Chris Parmelee: 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 E (fielding) — ten homers in 61 games for the RailRiders
DH Kyle Higashioka: 1-5, 2 K
LF Jake Cave: 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB
LHP Phil Coke: 6 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 5/5 GB/FB — 68 of 93 pitches were strikes (73%)
LHP Tyler Webb: 2 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 4/0 GB/FB — 12 of 16 pitches were strikes
RHP Johnny Barbato: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GB/FB — eleven of 16 pitches were strikes (69%) … pitching tonight is a pretty good indication he won’t be called up tomorrow

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DotF: Solano and Higashioka have big games in AAA win

August 31, 2016 by Mike Axisa Leave a Comment

Got some notes to pass long, as usual:

In case you missed it earlier, the Yankees are sending SS Gleyber Torres, SS Tyler Wade, 3B Miguel Andujar, 1B Greg Bird, and RHP Brody Koerner to the Arizona Fall League. They still have three pitching spots to fill. Farm system head Gary Denbo told Chad Jennings that Torres will play some second base and Wade will play some outfield in the desert. Intrigue!
Another in case you missed it earlier: OF Ben Gamel was traded for the Mariners for teenage pitching prospects RHP Juan DePaula and RHP Jio Orozco. Gamel was named MVP of the Triple-A International League just yesterday. It was only a matter of time until the Yankees traded one of their upper level lefty hitting outfielders.
Some injury updates from Randy Miller: RHP James Kaprielian (flexor) is still on his throwing program and will get back on a mound soon. The Yankees want to send him to the AzFL but won’t push it. Also, RHP Drew Finley is out with elbow fatigue, but tests showed no structural damage.
LHP Justus Sheffield and LHP James Reeves have been promoted from High-A Tampa to Double-A Trenton, report Matt Kardos and Nick Flammia. Nice little late season promotions for those two. LHP Nestor Cortes, meanwhile, was sent from Triple-A to High-A, the team announced. He threw 5.2 hitless innings in his spot start with the RailRiders.
RHP Dillon Tate has been hitting 96 mph out of the bullpen with Low-A Charleston, reports Brendan Kuty. Tate’s velocity had been fluctuating all year with the Rangers, and it looks like it’s starting to come back. The next step is seeing whether he can hold that velocity as a starter.

Triple-A Scranton (14-2 win over Buffalo)

CF Mason Williams: 2-6, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 K — hitting .330/.333/.418 in his last 23 games … you’d like to see more walks, but the shoulder seems a-okay
LF Cesar Puello: 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 E (fielding) — that’s his 16th hit-by-pitch of the season and it’s not even close to a career high … he has seasons with 20, 21, and 22 hit-by-pitches, plus two others 16 … dude’s a pitch magnet
3B Rob Refsnyder: 1-6, 2 RBI, 3 K
1B Chris Parmelee: 1-6, 1 R, 1 K, 1 E (fielding)
DH Donovan Solano: 4-5, 5 R, 3 2B — hitting .317/.345/.434 on the season
C Kyle Higashioka: 3-4, 4 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB — that’s his 21st homer of the season … his previous career high was eight back in 2011
RF Jake Cave: 3-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
LHP Jordan Montgomery: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 6/4 GB/FB — 62 of 86 pitches were strikes (72%) … set a franchise record with a 29.2 innings scoreless streak
LHP Richard Bleier: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 4/1 GB/FB — 17 of 20 pitches were strikes (85%) … 20 pitches in three innings? huh … guessing this was a tune-up appearance ahead of a call-up Friday

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DotF: Molina homers twice in Pulaski’s win

August 30, 2016 by Mike Axisa Leave a Comment

Got a bunch of notes to pass along:

Congrats to OF Ben Gamel, who was named the Triple-A International League MVP. Al Pedrique was named the league’s Manager of the Year as well. Gamel, who was the IL Rookie of the Year last year, has hit .309/.366/.422 (126 wRC+) with six homers and 19 steals in 115 games for the Scranton this season. The RailRiders have the best record in all of Triple-A at 82-50.
Gamel, C Gary Sanchez, IF Donovan Solano, and OF Aaron Judge were all named to the IL end of season All-Star Team. Blue Jays DH Jesus Montero made it too. Meanwhile, 1B Chris Gittens was named to the Low-A South Atlantic League end of season All-Star Team. Congrats to those guys.
RHP Luis Severino was scratched from tonight’s scheduled Triple-A start. Jack Curry says the Yankees did that to make sure he’s fresh when he comes back up later this week. Rosters expand Thursday. Shane Hennigan says LHP Nestor Cortes was bumped up to make the spot start.
2B Nick Solak appeared in today’s Prospect Report and this week’s Prospect Ten Pack (subs. req’d). “(His) approach stands out as one of the more advanced I have seen in the NYPL this season. Quick hands, a line-drive stroke, and an efficient swing path result in a hit tool with plus potential,” said the Baseball Prospectus write-up.

Triple-A Scranton (4-0 win over Buffalo) that’s their 24th (!) shutout of the season, which is insane … the 1992 Braves were the last MLB team with 24 shutouts in a season

CF Ben Gamel: 1-4, 2 R, 1 K
RF Mason Williams: 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI — 28-for-85 (.329) in his last 22 games, so I guess the shoulder’s feeling good … I still think the Yankees are going to leave him down here through the Triple-A postseason so he can continue to play everyday and make up for all those lost at-bats … they did that with Slade Heathcott following his quad injury last year
DH Rob Refsnyder: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
1B Chris Parmelee: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI
LF Jake Cave: 0-4, 2 K
C Kyle Higashioka: 0-4, 1 K
LHP Nestor Cortes: 5.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HB, 5/2 GB/FB — 63 of 99 pitches were strikes (64%), plus he picked a runner off first … heck of a Triple-A debut … he’s pitched for all four full season affiliates this year, and they’re all going to the postseason, so I guess he has a chance to win four championship rings
RHP Luis Severino: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 21 of 34 pitches were strikes (62%) … safe to say he’s being prepped for relief work in September
LHP Dietrich Enns: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GB/FB — nine of 12 pitches were strikes … he’s in the bullpen right now to keep his innings in check … I wonder if they’ll put him back in the rotation for the postseason

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DotF: Bichette homers twice in Trenton’s win

August 29, 2016 by Mike Axisa Leave a Comment

The video above is RHP Jonathan Holder striking out eleven straight batters as part of his four-inning save yesterday. J.J. Cooper wrote about Holder’s incredible performance. Here are the day’s notes:

Holder, LHP Justus Sheffield, and OF Blake Rutherford were all included in today’s Prospect Report. Also, C Gary Sanchez made MLB.com’s Prospect Team of the Week for the second straight week. Sanchez is 44 at-bats away from losing rookie eligibility, so about two weeks.
Holder was also named the Triple-A International League Pitcher of the Week, so that’s cool. RHP Yefrey Ramirez took home High-A Florida State League honors. Congrats to those two guys.

Triple-A Scranton (6-2 loss to Rochester)

CF Mason Williams: 0-4, 1 K
RF Cesar Puello: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K
2B Rob Refsnyder: 1-4, 1 R — 22-for-58 (.379) in 16 games since being sent down
LF Jake Cave: 1-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K
C Kyle Higashioka: 0-2, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Brady Lail: 2.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 2/4 GB/FB — 47 of 91 pitches were strikes (52%) … he has a 5.09 ERA in 122.1 career Triple-A innings
RHP Johnny Barbato: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 0/2 GB/FB — 24 of 43 pitches were strikes (56%)
LHP James Pazos: 1.2 IP, zeroes, 5 K — 19 of 26 pitches were strikes (73%) … 44/20 K/BB in 29.1 innings
RHP Nick Goody: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K — 15 of 23 pitches were strikes (52%)

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DotF: Holder fans 12 in relief as Scranton clinches playoff spot

August 28, 2016 by Mike Axisa Leave a Comment

The minor league season is winding down, so let’s update the standings. But first, some notes:

OF Blake Rutherford is done for the season with a minor hamstring injury, reports Bryan Hoch. He should be good to go for Instructional League next month though. Pulaski’s season ends Thursday and there’s no reason to push it. Seems like the Pulaski social media person was sick of being asked about Rutherford’s status though. Rutherford finishes his pro debut with a .351/.415/.570 (169 wRC+) batting line and three homers in 33 games.
OF Clint Frazier has been placed on the 7-day DL with a hamstring strain, reports Kelsie Heneghan. That explains why he was lifted for a pinch-hitter last night. Hopefully it’s minor and Frazier can come back after the seven days and play in the postseason.
RHP Chance Adams has been shut down for the season, Double-A Trenton manager Bobby Mitchell told Matt Kardos. He reached his innings limit. Adams finishes the year with a 2.33 ERA (2.96 FIP) and a 29.1% strikeout rate in 127.1 total innings. He was a reliever before this season, remember. They don’t want to push him too far. Big loss for Trenton’s playoff rotation.
And finally, OF Jhalan Jackson made an appearance in today’s Prospect Report following last night’s five-hit performance, so make sure you check that out.

Triple-A Scranton (3-1 win over Rochester) the win clinches a postseason spot, which is cool … they’re 84-49 and have the best record in all of Triple-A … their regular season ends a week from tomorrow

LF Ben Gamel: 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI
2B Rob Refsnyder: 1-3, 1 BB
DH Chris Parmelee: 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI — tied the game with a solo homer, then gave them the lead with an RBI single
CF Mason Williams: 1-4
RF Jake Cave: 1-4, 1 K
RHP Bryan Mitchell: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1/0 GB/FB, 1 E (pickoff) — 53 of 84 pitches were strikes (63%) … I suppose he could come up when rosters expand on Thursday, though I’m guessing he’ll stay in Triple-A and pitch through the postseason to make up for all those innings he missed with the toe injury
LHP Tyler Webb: 1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GB/FB — 19 of 28 pitches were strikes (68%)
RHP Jonathan Holder: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K — 41 of 53 pitches were strikes (77%) … holy crap what a game … Holder struck out eleven straight batters at one point … the one hit was a pop-up that fell in because none of the infielders called for it too, so the one guy who did make contact (John Ryan Murphy!) didn’t square it up … the three pitchers combined for 22 strikeouts in nine innings

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