DotF: Dermis Garcia homers again in Pulaski’s win

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Here are the day’s notes:

  • Baseball America (no subs. req’d) posted their trade analyses of the Jaime Garcia trade and Sonny Gray trade. It has their latest scouting reports on OF Dustin Fowler, LHP Dietrich Enns, RHP James Kaprielian, RHP Zack Littell, and SS/OF Jorge Mateo, if you’re interested in such things.
  • MLB.com updated their top 30 Yankees prospects list now that Fowler, Kaprielian, and Mateo have been traded away. RHP Luis Medina, OF Everson Pereira, and RHP Gio Gallegos all jumped into the top 30. Not sure about putting the teenagers in there, but okay.
  • The Yankees made another trade today in addition to the Gray trade. They acquired more international bonus money from the Orioles for RHP Yefry Ramirez. Turning a minor league Rule 5 Draft pick into a tradeable commodity was a neat move.
  • OF Billy McKinney was named the Triple-A International League Offensive Player of the Week while RHP Brian Keller was named the High-A Florida State League Pitcher of the Week. McKinney went 11-for-25 (.400) with two doubles, two triples, and two homers last week.
  • Remember that random “RHP Dillon McNamara to the Giants” trade a few weeks ago? The Yankees received cash in that deal, reports Matt Eddy. No surprise there. Fringe bullpen prospects aren’t exactly in high demand.
  • And finally, make sure you check out Josh Norris’ feature on OF Estevan Florial, who was not traded today. That surprised me a bit. Anyway, make sure you check it out. Really great stuff.

Both Triple-A Scranton and Double-A Trenton had scheduled off-days.

High-A Tampa (1-0 loss to Daytona, walk-off style)

  • SS Kyle Holder & 2B Nick Solak: both 0-3 — Solak drew two walks and stole two bases
  • LF Trey Amburgey: 1-4, 1 BB
  • RHP Dillon Tate: 7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 8/3 GB/FB — 76 of 109 pitches were strikes (70%) … 2.68 ERA with 44/14 K/BB in 50.1 innings since coming back from his shoulder issue

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2017 Trade Deadline Open Thread: Monday

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(Presswire)
(Presswire)

The 2017 non-waiver trade deadline is now only hours away, not days. The Yankees addressed their fifth starter’s spot yesterday by acquiring Jaime Garcia from the Twins, two weeks after addressing their bullpen by acquiring David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from the White Sox. They also added a stray Todd Frazier along the way. My hunch is the Yankees are not done.

Over the last few days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) we learned the Yankees are still looking to add another starting pitcher even after picking up Garcia yesterday. A first baseman and a left-on-left matchup reliever are also on the shopping list, though they aren’t top priorities. We’re going to keep track of the day’s Yankees-related rumors right up until the 4pm ET trade deadline, so keep it locked right here. All timestamps are ET.

  • 3:10pm: Sonny Gray will be a Yankee. It’s Gray and $1.5M in international bonus money for James Kaprielian, Jorge Mateo, and Dustin Fowler, per reports.
  • 2:46pm: A trade! But a small one. The Yankees traded Yefry Ramirez to the Orioles for more international bonus money, the team announced. The deal clears a 40-man roster spot, which could be useful soon.
  • 2:40pm: The latest non-update: the Yankees and A’s are still talking about Gray. [Sherman]
  • 12:11pm: The Athletics are said to be “infatuated” with Mateo, for what it’s worth. [Sherman]
  • 11:55am: Apparently the A’s want 3-4 players beyond the Torres/Frazier tier for Gray. The two sides have agreed to some names but are still haggling about the others. [Heyman]
  • 11:48am: The Yankees and Athletics are gaining traction for a Gray trade, and it now seems more likely than less to happen. [Sherman]
  • 11:42am: The A’s initially wanted a Gleyber Torres/Clint Frazier package for Gray and backed away from that. They then wanted a Jorge Mateo/Estevan Florial package, but the Yankees won’t do that either. Huh. [Sweeny Murti]
  • 11:31am: The Braves’ interest in Gray has cooled, which is good news for the Yankees. One fewer suitor. Right now it seems the Yankees and Dodgers are the only teams on Gray, and the Dodgers seem to be focusing on Darvish. [Sherman]
  • 10:44am: The Yankees checked in with the Padres about Brad Hand yesterday, though it seems it was due diligence more than anything. Plenty of clubs are in on Hand. [Sherman]
  • 10:11am: The Yankees and A’s are “close enough to get over the hump” and complete a Gray trade today. The two sides still need to work some things out first. [Jerry Crasnick]
  • 10:00am: The Yankees and Athletics made “zero progress” yesterday during Sonny Gray trade talks. Apparently the A’s have set their price and the Yankees have made their offer, and that’s where things stand. [Bob Klapisch]
  • 10:00am: The Yankees are still in touch with the Rangers about Yu Darvish, though they’re not making a hard push for him. The Yankees are not included in Darvish’s ten-team no-trade list, for what it’s worth. [Joel Sherman, Jon Heyman]

Reminder: Your trade proposal sucks.

DotF: Estrada and Andujar lead Trenton to a win

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A few notes to pass along:

  • RHP Ernesto Frieri is still with Triple-A Scranton. He has used his opt-out, but according to D.J. Eberle, the Yankees have two days to add him to the roster before he becomes a free agent. Frieri can pitch for the RailRiders in the meantime.
  • OF Jake Cave (concussion) was activated off he Double-A Trenton disabled list while RHP Yefry Ramirez was placed on it, reports Matt Kardos. Ramirez has a relatively minor fingernail issue and the Yankees are playing it safe. There was some thought he’d made his next start.
  • RHP Erik Swanson was placed on the High-A Tampa disabled list, the team announced. Not sure what’s wrong with him. Swanson left last night’s start after only 2.1 innings and 46 pitches. He missed most of the 2015 season with a flexor strain.

Triple-A Scranton (2-0 loss to Toledo)

  • SS Tyler Wade: 1-2, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB, 1 CS — hitting .297/.372/.446 on the season
  • RF Dustin Fowler & DH Tyler Austin: both 0-4, 2 K
  • 3B Gleyber Torres: 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K — now 7-for-36 (.194) with 13 strikeouts in eleven Triple-A games, though he also has eight walks, which works out to a .356 OBP
  • LF Clint Frazier: 0-2, 1 BB, 2 K
  • CF Mason Williams: 0-3, 1 K
  • RHP Luis Cessa: 8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 9/3 GB/FB — 62 of 99 pitches were strikes … no more than two earned runs in seven of his ten Triple-A games this year

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DotF: Andujar extends hitting streak, Sheffield takes tough luck loss for Trenton

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Here are the day’s notes:

  • So long, RHP Ernesto Frieri. He has indeed opted out of his contract. There was some confusion about that. Frieri told D.J. Eberle he’s opting out because the Yankees have too much young pitching, and he thinks he has a better chance to get back to MLB with another team.
  • Another goodbye: LHP Jason Gurka has been released, the team announced. The Yankees signed him to a minor league contract over the winter, and with all the young arms moving up, they need the roster spots. The journeyman gets the axe.
  • RHP Yefry Ramirez left last night’s start after throwing his warm-up pitches in the fourth inning, and Matt Kardos says he had a problem with his thumbnail. It’s not a big concern and he’s expected to make his next start.
  • RHP Chance Adams (fourth) and 3B Miguel Andujar (ninth) both made this week’s Prospect Hot Sheet. Adams struck out a career-high 12 the other day. Andujar has an 11-game hitting streak.

Triple-A Scranton (7-5 win over Toledo)

  • SS Tyler Wade: 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K — leadoff home run against the formerly good at baseball Anibal Sanchez
  • CF Dustin Fowler: 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K
  • 3B Gleyber Torres: 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 E (fielding) — now 8-for-33 (.242) in ten Triple-A games … he also has four errors in those ten games
  • 1B Tyler Austin: 1-4 — this is day 15 of his 20-day rehab assignment … I assume he’ll be activated off the disabled list for the start of the homestand Monday
  • RF Clint Frazier: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
  • LF Mason Williams: 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI,  SB
  • RHP Brady Lail: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 7/6 GB/FB — 59 of 100 pitches were strikes
  • LHP Tyler Webb: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 21 of 36 pitches were strikes (58%) … first walk of the season! … now has a 39/1 K/BB in 27.1 innings
  • RHP Ben Heller: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 22 of 39 pitches were strikes (56%)

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Yankees make no picks, lose Jake Cave and Evan Rutckyj in Rule 5 Draft

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Cave. (AP)
Cave. (AP)

The 2015 Winter Meetings came to an unofficial end Thursday morning with the Rule 5 Draft. Everyone usually heads home afterward. The Yankees did not make a pick in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft today even though there were rumblings they were considering it. They haven’t made a Rule 5 pick since taking Cesar Cabral and Brad Meyers in 2011. Here are the Rule 5 Draft results.

The Yankees did, however, lose two players in the Rule 5 Draft. Outfielder Jake Cave was selected by the Reds with the No. 2 pick, and left-hander Evan Rutckyj was selected by the Braves with the No. 3. Atlanta really seems to love their ex-Yankees, huh? This is getting kinda creepy. Anyway, by rule, Cave and Rutckyj must remain on the 25-man active roster all season in 2016, or pass through waivers and be offered back to New York.

Cave, 23, was the Yankees’ sixth round pick in the 2011 draft. I ranked him as the No. 19 prospect in the organization prior to the season. Cave hit .276/.337/.356 (102 wRC+) with 25 doubles and two home runs in 134 games at Double-A and Triple-A this summer. He’s a lefty hitting fourth outfielder type — not enough power for a corner and just enough defense for center. The Reds have little outfield depth, which bodes well for Cave. He might stick next year.

The 23-year-old Rutckyj (pronounced root-ski) was the Yankees’ 16th round pick in 2010. He’s a surprise Rule 5 Draft pick for sure. Even Rutckyj seems surprised. The southpaw had a 2.63 ERA (2.59 FIP) with a 31.5% strikeout rate in 61.2 innings with High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton this past season. Rutckyj’s a low-to-mid-90s fastball guy with shaky command. The Braves have a disasterpen, though it still would be a surprise if Rutckyj stuck all season.

The Yankees did select three (!) players in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft: righty Yefrey Ramirez (Diamondbacks), righty Julian Aybar (Cubs), and catcher Santiago Nessy (Royals). I can’t remember the last time the Yankees took even one player in the Triple-A phase, though I could be forgetting someone obvious. The minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft works differently than the Major League phase. These players are Yankees now, no strings attached. There are no roster hoops to jump through.

Ramirez, 22, had a 5.35 ERA (5.78 FIP) in 69 rookie ball innings with the D’Backs in 2015. Aybar, 23, had a 1.82 ERA (2.33 FIP) in 39.2 rookie ball innings for the Cubs this summer. The 23-year-old Nessy hit .220/.287/.340 (82 wRC+) in 62 games split between two levels of Single-A with Kansas City this past season. He’s the guy the Blue Jays traded to the Royals for righty reliever Liam Hendriks last offseason.

The Yankees also lost four players in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft: righty Luis Niebla (Rockies), outfielder Danny Oh (Athletics), catcher Eduardo de Oleo (D’Backs), and righty Yoel Espinal (Rays). As with the three guys the Yankees picked up, none of these four are prospects. They’re all organizational player types. The Yankees lost two righties and a catcher so they took two righties and a catcher to replace the depth. That’s all.

So, all told, the Yankees selected three players in the minor league phase while losing six players total, two in the Major League phase and four in the minor league phase. Rutckyj is probably coming back at some point. Cave might stick though, and even if he does get offered back, the Yankees might opt to work out a trade to let him stay with the Reds. The Yankees have a lot of Triple-A outfield depth and there are only so many at-bats to go around.