Lots of news to share tonight.
The FSL has canceled the remaining of their schedule (including the playoffs) due to Hurricane Dorian. Here is hoping that everyone stays safe and gets out of harm's way. The Tarpons had a decent season prospect-wise, especially on the hill. Deivi Garcia, Miguel Yajure, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, Trevor Stephan, Luis Medina, and Alexander Vizcaino are among the best pitching prospects in the system, and all of them at least passed by this level at one point. At the plate, Estevan Florial was obviously the star attraction (though his season was uneven, at best) while Oswaldo Cabrera and Isiah Gilliam also played here. Gilliam was eventually shipped up to Trenton.
Before the FSL shut off the lights on the season, they named their Post-Season All-Star Team. Two members of the Yankees' organization made the team (courtesy of the Tarpons' official Twitter): Yajure (duh) and DH Dermis Garcia, who hit 17 home runs in 78 games prior to going down to injury. He was well on his way to a big power season and he should make his way to Trenton in 2020 as well.
The players above who haven't been promoted yet all have a shot to start 2020 in Trenton. They would probably hold Medina back for at least a little while but Trenton is going to have themselves some fun prospects for us to follow.
As I speculated about, Matt Kardos reports that the Yankees did re-sign Domingo Acevedo to a minor league deal. Acevedo has lost a lot of prospect shine but you can never have too many arms. He has been placed on the IL for Scranton.
As of this writing, RHP Glenn Otto, RHP Daniel Bies, C Donny Sands, IF Brandon Wagner, and OF Josh Stowers are headed to the Arizona Fall League. The Yankees have a couple of spots open, which could go to someone like Jordan Montgomery if they feel he needs more work. The same goes for Mike King. Offensively, there aren't many candidates. They could send Thairo Estrada there to get some at-bats. Someone on Twitter mentioned Josh Breaux. I think he would be a perfect candidate if he was able to catch. However, he has only caught a few innings since his injury so they may just be shutting him down. These lists are fun to look at but they aren't always telling. Otto didn't get in as much work as they would like due to injury. Bies threw a fair number of innings but perhaps they feel he needs more (he switched back and forth between starting and piggybacking most of the season). He is a big kid so it is also possible they have him working on mechanical adjustments. Sands has lost a lot of development time over the past few years. Wagner had a bad year in Trenton. Stowers played a lot this year and has been hot lately.
1B Chris Gittens has been named the Eastern League Most Valuable Player. Gittens won this award based on his big offensive season. He is hitting .279/.392/.497 in 111 games with 16 doubles, 22 home runs, 75 runs batted in, 55 runs and 69 walks. If you have read enough of these reports, you know by now that the Eastern League is not a friendly league for hitters. Beyond that, Trenton plays in a home park that takes that hate for hitters even further. I think there is an MLB future for Gittens as a right-handed three outcomes type. I don't know if he will hit for a big average at the highest level, but I think he has power to burn and enough patience to support a low batting average.
The Tampa Bay Rays have signed Jhon Diaz. Diaz has been linked to the Yankees during the entire international signing process, but the Yankees threw most of their bonus pool cash at Jasson Dominguez. They didn't acquire any money at the trade deadline, so Diaz went elsewhere. Dominguez is the biggest fish in this pond, but ask any organization and they would tell you that there is safety in numbers. You want to secure as many of these talents as possible.
Finally, I jumped the gun yesterday. The GCL did not end their season – they actually ended it today. The East didn't play anyway, but the West lost a 5-1 contest to the Tigers. None of the prospects I have been following closely this summer played today, though RHP Denny Larrondo pitched. He went three innings, allowing three runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Scranton (72-63) (Played DH against Pawtucket. They lost Game 1, so Game 2 (currently tied in the 9th) is HUGE. Syracuse won tonight to improve to 73-63. Scranton needs to win to tie the division back up. As for the Wild Card, Charlotte has lost five straight to drop to 74-61. Durham has won three straight and is 73-62)
Game 1 (Lost, 9-5, in eight innings on a walk-off grand slam. Yikes)
LF Clint Frazier: 1-for-3, HR (8), 2 RBI, RS, BB
SS Breyvic Valera: 1-for-4, RS
RF Trey Amburgey: 1-for-3, RBI
C Erik Kratz: 1-for-2, RBI
1B Ryan McBroom: 0-for-3, BB, K
3B Mandy Alvarez: 0-for-4, K
2B Gosuke Katoh: 0-for-3, BB, K
DH Wendell Rijo: 2-for-4, HR (7), RBI, 2 RS
CF Terrance Gore: 0-for-4, RS
RHP Adonis Rosa: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
4.03 ERA in 102.2 IP between here and Trenton. There is no in-between with Rosa: I think he either gets called up as a middle relief arm on Sunday or he is taken off the 40-man roster so someone else can.
LHP Joe Mantiply: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 2 HR
RHP David Hernandez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
RHP Chance Adams (L, 3-3): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR
Allowed a single and two hit batters to set up the game-winning bomb.
Game 2 (Tied 4-4 in the 9th)
LF Clint Frazier: 2-for-4, 2B (20), 2 RS, K
He hears he is going to be called up and decides he better get that bat moving before Sunday!
DH Ryan McBroom: 2-for-2, 2 HR (25), 3 RBI, 2 RS, 2 BB
It took forever, but finally, someone has passed Mike Ford for the minors' home run lead! McBroom's competition this weekend for the crown is Chris Gittens, though he has moved ahead by three.
SS Breyvic Valera: 0-for-3, SAC, K
C Kyle Higashioka: 0-for-3, BB
RF Trey Amburgey: 1-for-4, RBI
3B Mandy Alvarez: 1-for-4, 2B (17), K
1B Gosuke Katoh: 0-for-4, 4 K
2B Wendell Rijo: 0-for-3
CF Billy Burns: 0-for-2, BB, K, SB (14)
RHP Brian Keller: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, HR
LHP Rex Brothers: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
RHP Ryan Dull: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Trenton (74-60) (Lost to New Hampshire, 8-2)
LF Ben Ruta: 2-for-3, HR (7), 2 RBI, RS, BB, K
.254/.326/.386 in 425 AB with seven HR, 53 RBI, 54 runs and 25 stolen bases.
RF Zack Zehner: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Hoy Jun Park: 1-for-4, 2 K
1B Chris Gittens: 0-for-4, 3 K
That is one way to celebrate winning a big award!
C Kellin Deglan: 0-for-4, 4 K
SS Kyle Holder: 0-for-4, K
His average is at .273 with a .761 OPS.
DH Brandon Wagner: 1-for-2, RS, HBP
CF Rashad Crawford: 0-for-3
3B Max Burt: 1-for-3
RHP Nick Green: (L, 3-4) 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
6.99 ERA in 65.2 IP with 83 hits allowed and a 48/32 K/BB ratio.
RHP Albert Abreu: 3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR
4.42 ERA in 93.2 IP with 101 hits allowed and an 89/52 K/BB ratio. He has allowed nine home runs. You don't have to even calculate the WHIP to come to the conclusion that he has allowed way too many baserunners.
LHP Trevor Lane: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
1.99 ERA in 68 IP with 43 hits allowed and a 66/24 K/BB ratio
Tampa (64-71) (Closed out their season with a 7-1 win over Jupiter)
CF Estevan Florial: 3-for-5, 2B (10), 2 RBI, 3 RS, 2 K
He really should go to Trenton to close out his 2020 campaign. They have a few more regular-season games followed by the playoffs.
3B Wilkerman Garcia: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, RS, K, SB (5)
Finishes off at a decent .271, but with a low walk total and not much power.
1B Mickey Gasper: 1-for-4, 2B (5), SF, RBI
25-for-78 (.321) at this level.
DH Alexander Palma: 2-for-5, RBI
Finishes here at .260 with a .775 OPS in 104 AB
RF Steven Sensley: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
SS Diego Castillo: 0-for-5
He was hot for a good portion of the season after a dreadful start…but finishes with a thud. He drops to .248.
LF Leonardo Molina: 1-for-4, RS
2B Kyle Gray: 2-for-3, 2B (5), RS, BB
Finishes with a .216 BA at this level in 97 AB with 11 walks and 21 strikeouts.
C Hemmanuel Rosario: 1-for-4, RS, 2 K
RHP Glenn Otto: (W, 3-3) 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 K
3.20 ERA in 56.1 IP with 54 hits allowed and a 68/33 K/BB ratio. He will be fun to watch in Arizona before going up to Trenton in 2020.
RHP Aaron McGarity: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
He finishes with a 69/12 K/BB ratio over 57.2 IP between here, Charleston, and Staten Island. 24 years old.
RHP Kyle Zurak: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Braden Bristo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Charleston (70-66) (Defeated Asheville, 10-6. They are back to .500 in the second half (33-33). They made a run at the playoffs but will ultimately come up short)
CF Brandon Lockridge: 2-for-5, RS, BB, 2 K, SB (22), CS (9)
Caught stealing home in the 9th inning with two on, two outs and Canaan Smith at the plate! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
SS Oswald Peraza: 4-for-5, 2B (4), RS, BB, SB (18)
2nd career four-hit game (also did it last year) for the 19-year SS. He could have taken a shot at five but decided to be team-oriented by taking a walk in the 9th. I have said it throughout the season: He isn't showing much power or anything, but he has held his own at the plate while showing off his speed.
C Josh Breaux: 1-for-6, HR (12), 2 RBI, RS
Nice to see him get a full game behind the plate. Even nicer is that he continues to show off the power. Not all prospects can turn raw power into game power. So far, he is.
DH Canaan Smith: 1-for-3, SF, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
The average is at .307. He will need a surge to get the OPS to .900 (it is at .873). These are just the things I love to follow as the season comes to an end – can someone maintain a .300 season? Can someone reach some random round OPS number? Etc. etc.
RF Josh Stowers: 1-for-4, BB, SB (34)
34-for-49 stealing bases. The Yankees could be sending him to Arizona partially to work on his ability to steal bases efficiently. If a player is dedicated, they can get a LOT out of playing in Arizona.
1B Eric Wagaman: 1-for-5
3B Welfrin Mateo: 1-for-3, 2 RS, 2 BB, K
LF Frederick Cuevas: 1-for-5, 2B (19), RS, 3 K
2B Eduardo Torrealba: 3-for-5, 2 2B (11), 3 RBI, 3 RS
RHP Charlie Ruegger: (W, 3-3): 7 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 2 HR
The lack of walks kept the pitch count down (91 pitches)
LHP Tim Hardy (S, 2): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K, HR
3.24 ERA in 25 IP since promotion with 17 hits allowed and a 26/9 K/BB ratio. I can't imagine that this big kid is an easy AB…especially down at these levels.
Staten Island (39-33) (Lost a 6-5 heartbreaker to Hudson Valley. They battled back from deficits all night but just couldn't get over the hump. They really could have used a sweep of this series. Hudson Valley is now 41-30)
DH Josh Smith: 0-for-3, BB
SS David Metzgar: 2-for-4, RS, K
2B Ezequiel Duran: 0-for-4, RS, K
3B Andres Chaparro: 1-for-4, K
RF/CF Jake Sanford: 2-for-4, 2 HR (7), 4 RBI, 2 RS
Second multi-HR game of the season for this year's third-round pick. There is raw talent to tap into here. That raw talent shows up in the strikeouts (74 in 216 AB) but has also shown up in the power (13 doubles, 3 triples, 7 home runs)
1B Mitchell Robinson: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
C Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-4, 2B (6), RS
CF/LF Isaiah Pasteur: 0-for-4, 2 K
LF Pat DeMarco: 1-for-1, SF, RBI
Left game early
RF Juan De Leon: 0-for-2, K
RHP Nelvin Correa: (L, 2-2) 3.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Rare tough start. Since joining level: 28.1 IP, 23 hits, 8 R, 6 ER, 8 BB, 26 K
RHP Bryan Blanton: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Derek Craft: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
4.50 ERA (18 IP, 16 hits, 6 BB, 23 K)
RHP Zach Greene: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Staten Island debut. He tossed 16 innings down in the GCL, allowing five runs (three earned) on 11 hits with four walks and 22 strikeouts. 8th round pick in this year's draft.
Pulaski (42-26) had the night off.
The Bronx View 