Minors Report 4/23/11 (Jesus Montero; Kevin Millwood; DJ Mitchell; Jorge Vazquez; Austin Romine; Slade Heathcott; Ramon Flores; Kelvin DeLeon; Nik Turley)

Scranton:

Two complete games for the Scranton Yankees today….but it still only resulted in a split of their double-header with Syracuse.

In Game 1, Kevin Millwood allowed two runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out three in a 4-2 Scranton win. In two starts (one for Trenton, one for Scranton), Millwood has thrown consecutive shortened complete games (7 innings each – minor league double-header rules).

Jesus Montero went 2-for-3 (.414/.407/.534 in 58 at-bats with four doubles and a home run). That is not a misprint – Montero’s OBP is less than his batting average as he has yet to walk but has hit a sacrifice fly. Jorge Vazquez added a 2-for-3 day of his own with two runs batted in while Greg Golson went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a solo home run to lead the charge.

The nightcap wasn’t quite as pleasant as Game 1.

DJ Mitchell threw a strong game, as he also completed what he started while giving up two runs on four hits while walking two and striking out six. However, Scranton’s bats didn’t show up as they were shut out, 2-0.

Jorge Vazquez added another hit (3-for-6 on the day; .348 with a double, seven home runs, and 21 RBI in 66 at-bats), while Daniel Brewer went 1-for-3 with a double and is now hitting .438 (7-for-16 with three extra base hits). One thing about Scranton this year: Too many outfielders. Brewer is healthy, but is a bench player right now as Greg Golson, Justin Maxwell, Chris Dickerson, and Jordan Parraz are taking up most of the at-bats at the OF/DH positions. It is a bit interesting as I think Brewer has some big-league potential, but is being beaten by a numbers game. Speaking of Parraz, he went 1-for-3 with a double in Game 2 and is hitting .362/.393/.603 in 58 at-bats with two doubles, three triples, two home runs, and eight runs batted in. He is a 26-year old who has bounced around a bit.

Mitchell is 0-2 with a 4.11 ERA in three starts (15.1 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 10 BB, 12 K, 1 HR). I have liked Mitchell since he joined the organization – but he is a crazy erratic pitcher who needs to figure out consistency.
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Trenton:

One of these days, the Trenton offense will break out.

But that day wasn’t tonight, as Steve Garrison had a rough outing in a 8-2 loss to Harrisburg.

Garrison went 3.2 innings, giving up five runs on five hits. He walked two, struck out two, and allowed a home run. He is now 0-2 with a 6.19 ERA in four starts (16 IP, 18 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 3 BB, 13 K). Garrison has alternated good starts and bad starts thus far…the two bad ones being very bad.

Austin Romine connected for his third home run of the season, which accounted for both Trenton runs. He also struck out three times. He is hitting .294 with 14 runs batted in. Bradley Suttle contributed two more hits, including a double (his seventh of the season)

Converted outfielder Brian Anderson gave up his first two runs of the season in the loss. The 28-year old has only thrown 4.2 innings this season, walking nobody while striking out five.
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Tampa:

Sean Black had a rough outing, and the Tampa bats did very little to try to overcome it in a 8-1 loss to Clearwater.

Black went six innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits. He walked one, struck out three, and allowed a home run. He is now 1-1 with a 3.91 ERA in four starts (23 IP, 23 H, 12 R, 10 ER, 6 BB, 13 K, 2 HR).

Ryan Pope made his first appearance of the year, throwing a scoreless inning. Pope, a 40-man roster reliever, is only in Tampa for a rehab stint. When he is good to go, he’ll be up in Scranton.

Francisco Cervelli, Robert Lylerly, Luke Murton, Zolio Almonte, and DeAngelo Mack contributed the five hits Tampa was able to muster today. Almonte’s hit produced the only run. Mack is hitting .268/.362/.317. The 24-year old outfielder has shown a bit of power in his three-year stint with the organization, but not so far this season. In Charleston last year, he put up a .252/.333/.408 line with 12 home runs.

Murton (24, 1B) is hitting .349/.440/.587 in 63 at-bats with seven doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 10 runs batted in. He has 10 walks and 15 strikeouts. The Yankees actually drafted Murton twice – in 2007, he was drafted in the 40th round; in 2009, he was drafted in the 19th round. Since entering the organization, he has hit pretty well.
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Charleston:

Slade Heathcott went 2-for-4 with a walk, stolen base, and three runs scored, while Ramon Flores and Kelvin DeLeon each homered as Charleston built a 7-2 lead heading into the 8th inning; however, a leaky bullpen and shoddy defense allowed Greenville to score five in the 8th and two in the ninth to steal a 9-8 victory.

Flores’ home run (a three-run job) was his second of the season. He also walked twice in the game, giving him 14 walks in 15 games. DeLeon’s home run was his third of the season. He had two hits overall and is now 16-for-58 on the season. He has walked four times, and has struck out an astounding 24 times.

JR Murphy contributed three hits and a run batted in (.339; 20-for-59; 2 walks, 6 strikeouts) while Gary Sanchez contributed a two-run single. Jose Toussen (21, SS) contributed three hits and three stolen bases.

Nik Turley started, and pitched well. The left-hander went six innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out seven to improve his ERA to 4.87 (20.1 IP, 22 H, 7 BB, 22 K). At 6’6″, 230 Turley is definitely not a small pitcher, and it is nice to see a 21-year old lefty striking out hitters at any level. He was a 50th round pick in the 2008 draft out of high school. Obviously, a big left-hander like this who has talent wouldn’t be drafted THIS late unless he was considered “unsignable” by some; and indeed, it cost the Yankees $100,000 to keep him away from Brigham Young. He has pitched well since entering the organization – showcasing good stuff that is sometimes erratic. Not unexpected. He was throwing in the upper 80s coming out of high school, and now reportedly has been able to get it up to 91-92. He throws a 4-seamer and a 2-seamer, though the Yankees have supposedly temporarily taken away his 2-seamer so that he can work on his other pitches……his two off-speed pitches are a curve and a changeup, both of which are still developing.

Minors Report 4/21/11 (Graham Stoneburner; Austin Romine; David Adams & Francisco Cervelli Return; Zach Nudding)

Scranton:

Four pitchers combined on a 5-hit shutout as Scranton pulled out a 3-0 victory over Lehigh Valley.

Kei Igawa got the start, throwing four scoreless innings. He was followed by George Kontos, who tossed 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing no runs on two hits. He walked one and struck out four. In 11 innings so far this year, he has allowed four runs on 10 hits. He has walked three and struck out 10.

At the plate, struggling Kevin Russo went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run batted in, while Jorge Vazquez contributed a pair of hits.

Outfielder Jordan Parraz went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a walk to raise his average to .365 (19-for-52; 1 double, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 8 RBI, 1 steal).

Jesus Montero went 0-for-3 with a sac fly.
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Trenton:

Graham Stoneburner threw five more impressive innings, but Trenton blew a 3-1 lead in the 8th on their way to a 4-3 loss in extra innings.

Stoneburner allowed one run on two hits, while walking two and striking out four. He is now 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in three starts (16 IP, 15 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 7 K).

Austin Romine doubled and drove in three runs, while Bradley Suttle collected a couple of hits in the loss. Melky Mesa contributed a triple, but has started the season at .173 (9-for-52, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 2-for-4 sb)
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Tampa:

Not much to write about down here tonight, as Dunedin defeated them, 5-1.

David Adams and Francisco Cervelli each made their returns tonight..and each collected a pair of hits in the loss. The only other hit in the game by the T-Yankees was by Luke Murton. All five hits were singles.

Scottie Allen rebounded from his putrid relief appearance a few days ago by tossing 2 scoreless innings tonight, walking one while striking out three (6.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 6 BB, 8 K).

The start went to Michael Solbach, who lasted only four innings. He gave up three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out four. He is 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five games. This was his first start of the season (13 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 15 K).
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Charleston:

Zach Nuding tossed five strong innings, while Rob Segedin contributed a pair of hits (including a triple) and a run batted in as Charleston defeated Greenville, 5-3. Nuding allowed two runs on two hits, while walking one and striking out eight. He lowered his ERA to 4.61 over three starts (13.2 IP, 12 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 5 BB, 19 K, 2 HR). Nuding was a 30th round pick in the 2010 draft. He is a HUGE pitcher (6’4″, 250 pounds). The Yankees drafted him as a draft-and-follow, and after he impressed them in a summer league, they gave him an overslot bonus ($265,000) to sign. He can supposedly hit the upper 90s with his heat, but as you may expect, he is a bit of a raw power guy right now. He is 21 years old.

Segedin is up to .340 on the season (17-for-50) with six extra base hits. He has 7 walks and 11 strikeouts.

Gary Sanchez contributed an RBI single, while Slade Heathcott went 1-for-3 with an RBI, run scored, and a walk. He is hitting .316 with 9 XBH, 5 walks, and 17 strikeouts. All five walks have come in his last six games.

Manny Burawa earned his second save with three scoreless innings of relief. He allowed two hits, walked nobody, and struck out five. He lowered his ERA to 2.84 (12.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 12 K, 1 HR)

Minors Report 4/19/11 (Manny Banuelos Returns; David Phelps; Justin Maxwell; Austin Romine; Josh Romanski; Mikey O’Brien; Thomas Kahlne)

Scranton:

David Phelps threw 6.1 impressive innings, while Justin Maxwell’s power surge continued as Scranton defeated Lehigh Valley, 5-2.

Phelps allowed two runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out six to lower his ERA to 5.51 in three starts (16.1 IP, 22 H, 5 BB, 12 K, 1 HR). Phelps had a terrible first start, a decent second start, and now a very good start. Let’s hope it continues.

Maxwell’s home run was his third of the season and third in his last four games. He is hitting .275 and has also drawn 10 walks in 12 games. (He has also struck out 20 times). Maxwell has also stolen four out of six.

Chris Dickerson had three hits, including a pair of doubles, scored twice, and drove in a run. After a slow start, he now has six hits in his last three games. Daniel Brewer contributed a pair of hits and a pair of stolen bases (he now has three) to the cause. The Yankees may not have top flight outfielders in AAA, but they do have outfielders that can be useful with Maxwell, Dickerson, Brewer, and Golson.

Jesus Montero had a rare off night, going 0-for-5 to lower his average to a more high school like .404.

Kevin Whelan pitched the ninth to earn his fifth save (1.42 ERA; 6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 6 K as he tries to salvage a career for himself). ———————— Trenton:

Manny Banuelos returned from the disabled list, pitching four strong innings while Austin Romine hit a game-winning single in the 10th inning to lead run-starved Trenton to a 2-1 victory.

Romine went 3-for-4 on the night and added a walk to raise his average to .263. (10-for-38, 7 BB, 5 K).

Melky Mesa contributed a triple and a stolen base to the victory, while Austin Krum had a pair of hits and a run batted in.

Banuelos allowed one unearned run on two hits, while walking two and striking out four. In 8 innings thus far in Trenton, he has yet to allow an earned run (he’s allowed one unearned run) on 6 hits. He has walked 3 and struck out 5.

Tim Norton threw two impressive innings in relief, allowing one hit while walking nobody and striking out four. In 5.2 innings, he has allowed no runs on one hit while walking 2 and striking out 11. He is 27 years old, so big prospect he is not. Just another right-handed arm in the system. ———————————- Tampa:

A close game became a blowout late as Scottie Allen allowed six runs in the 7th inning in a 7-0 loss to Brevard County.

The start went to Josh Romanski, who continues to throw very well. Romanski went six innings, allowing one run on nine hits. He walked nobody, struck out two, and allowed a home run. He is now 2-1 with a 1.06 ERA in three starts (17 IP, 14 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 8 K)

Tampa was only able to muster four hits. One of those hits was by Luke Murton (a double), who also stole his first base of the season. He now has 6 doubles in 13 games, and is hitting .375/.466/.667 in 48 at-bats. He is a 24-year old right-handed hitting first baseman. The ceiling obviously is not high, but he could become a useful player in a few years. —————————- Charleston:

A well-pitched game was not enough as they succumbed to Greenville, 2-1.

Mikey O’Brien started and went six innings, allowing one run on three hits. He walked nobody and struck out six. In three starts, O’Brien is 0-1 with a 2.16 ERA (16.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 3 BB, 19 K). O’Brien (21, RHP) was a 9th round pick in the 2008 draft. Last year in Staten Island, he made 11 starts going 6-2 with a 2.08 ERA in 60.2 innings.

Thomas Kahlne took the loss, but didn’t pitch poorly. He went three innings, giving up one run on two hits. He walked nobody and struck out five. Kahlne is now 1-1 with a 1.00 ERA (9 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 15 K). This kid seems to have a lot of power in him; he struck out 25 in 16 innings for Staten Island after being drafted in the 5th round of the 2010 draft.

At the plate, Ramon Flores had two hits and drove in the only run, while Slade Heathcott drew another walk, scored a run, and stole his second base of the season. (.320/.386/.620 in 50 at-bats).

Gary Sanchez returned to the lineup and went 0-for-3 as the designated hitter.

Minors Report 4/18/11 (Jorge Vazquez;Jesus Montero; Andrew Brackman; Prior Makes Scranton Debut; Steve Garrison; Zolio Almonte; Ron Segedin)

Scranton:

Andrew Brackman recovered from a shaky start, while Jorge Vazquez drilled his 7th home run of the season as Scranton took Game 1 of a double-header, 6-4.

Brackman allowed four runs in the first inning, but was able to settle down to throw four scoreless innings. He allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out four overall to improve to 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts (11 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 6 K).

Vazquez also doubled and has hit his 7 home runs in 43 at-bats.

Jesus Montero went 3-for-4 with a run scored to raise his average to .452 (19-for-42).

Justin Maxwell hit his second home run in two days, while Chris Dickerson contributed a pair of hits and a run batted in for the 6-4 Yankees. Kevin Whelan earned his fourth save.

Scranton lost the nightcap, 5-3.

Brandon Laird finally hit his first home run of the season in the second game. He is only hitting .128 on the season with two extra base hits to his credit. A far cry thus far from the guy who hit 25 home runs and drove in 102 last season. The “it is early” caveat applies to all players right now, obviously…good or bad.

Justin Maxwell drew three walks and stole his 4th base of the season in the nightcap. Chris Dickerson hit a triple and stole his third base.

Mark Prior, recently promoted to Scranton, threw a scoreless inning of relief. Josh Schmidt threw two scoreless innings of relief, allowing a hit while striking out two. —————————————- Trenton:

Steve Garrison threw five impressive innings, while Bradley Suttle contributed three hits and two runs scored as Trenton defeated Richmond, 4-2. Garrison allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out five. In three starts, he is 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA (12.1 IP, 13 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 11 K). Lefties are 3-for-15 against him.

Melky Mesa and Cody Johnson each went 1-for-3 with a double, run scored, run batted in, and walk in the victory.

Suttle is hitting .293/.370/.463 in 41 at-bats so far this season as he tries to reestablish himself as a major league prospect. ——————————————— Tampa:

The T-Yankees scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back as they cruised by Brevard County, 12-2.

Zolio Almonte doubled in three runs, while DeAngelo Mack had three hits, including a double, and two runs batted in to help lead the offense. Luke Murton went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and two RBI of his own. Murton is hitting .378/.463/.667 on the young season, while Almonte is at .256/.292/.535. Seven of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases.

Taylor Grote hit his second home run of the season.

On the hill, Sean Black continued his good pitching. He went 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out one. In three starts, he is now 1-0 with a 2.65 ERA (17 IP, 16 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 11 K). Chase Whitley shut the door on the game, throwing two scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, walked nobody and struck out two. He has a 4.70 ERA in four games thus far this year (7.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 2.00 GO/AO). —————————————————- Charleston:

More offense in Charleston tonight, as Rob Segedin went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in while Kelvin DeLeon contributed a home run and three RBI as Charleston knocked off Rome, 8-2.

Segedin is now at .317/.388/.488 on the young season.

JR Murphy had two hits, a run scored, and a run batted in, while Slade Heathcott walked, scored a run, stole a base, and was also caught stealing. Heathcott has now drawn a walk in each of his last three games. Previous to that, he hadn’t walked at all during the season. He is at .340/.396/.660 in 47 at-bats with 15 runs scored and 9 extra base hits.

Murphy is at .357/.378/.619 in 42 at-bats.

On the hill, Nik Turley went 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out six to lower his ERA to 5.65 (14.1 IP, 19 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 3 HR, 5 BB, 15 K for the 21-year old left-hander)

St. John’s alum Daniel Burawa earned the victory in relief with 2.1 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, walked nobody, and struck out one. He has thrown three scoreless innings out of four, but in the other outing he gave up four earned runs. He is 1-1 overall with a 3.72 ERA (9.2 IP 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 7 K)

Minors Report 4/17/11 (Jorge Vazquez; Kevin Millwood; Abraham Almonte; Zolio Almonte; Robert Lylerly; Luke Murton)

Scranton:

DJ Mitchell pitched poorly, and the offense wasn’t much better as Scranton took a 6-3 loss to Rochester. The offense was only able to produce four hits in the game.

Jorge Vazquez connected for his 6th home run of the season in the loss. He has done that in 40 at-bats (.325/.333/.775; 1 BB/11 K). Justin Maxwell hit his first home run as a member of the Yankees organization.

Jesus Montero went 0-for-4 to drop his average to .421.

Mitchell lasted only 4.2 innings, giving up five runs on six hits. He walked four, struck out two, and allowed a home run. In 2 starts, he is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA (8.1 IP, 8 H, 8 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 1.13 GO/AO).

28-year old organizational righty Josh Schmidt struck out two in his inning of work. He hasn’t allowed a run in three innings this season, allowing six baserunners while striking out five. Schmidt has been in the organization since 2005, and has really never pitched poorly wherever he has landed. Last year he was 4-3 in 49 games with a 3.02 ERA. (65. 2 IP, 47 H, 30 BB, 74 K, 3 HR). LIke with Lance Pendleton, he could be a nice story if he ever did get his shot at the majors. ————————————————————————– Trenton:

Kevin Millwood threw a complete game one-hit shutout, while Austin Romine drove in a pair of runs as Trenton took Game 1 of a doubleheader by the score of 8-0 over Harrisburg.

Millwood walked four and struck out three. Remember, they play 7-inning games when there is a doubleheader.

Bradley Suttle contributed a triple and three runs batted in, while Austin Krum doubled, scored two runs, and drove in three of his own to aid in the victory.

In Game 2, Trenton was back to their poor hitting ways, as they only mustered three hits in an 8-2 loss. Craig Heyer got the emergency start, pitching five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits. He walked nobody and struck out two. He is 1-1 on the season with a 1.54 ERA (3 games, 11.2 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 HR, 2.67 GO/AO). That’s the nature of how Heyer pitches – tons of ground balls, hardly any walks, but few strikeouts as well. Perhaps if he reaches his full potential he could be a Ramiro Mendoza type of pitcher. Pat Venditte allowed two runs in an inning of work to raise his ERA to 9.00 in three innings pitched thus far (6 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR).

As an interesting sidenote to Game 2, the catcher was Addison Maruszak. Catching is not his usual position – I don’t remember if I have ever seen “Catcher” next to his name before, actually. The 24-year old has never been able to put it all together since being drafted in 17th round of the 2008 draft. After a promising showing in Staten Island that year, he hasn’t really been able to hit much. —————————————————————————————– Tampa:

It was Almonte Day in Tampa. Zolio Almonte went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a home run (2 on the season), two runs batted in and a stolen base (3 on the season) while Abraham Almonte contributed a single, double, triple, and two runs scored as Tampa took a 11-3 decision over Brevard County.

Robert Lylerly continued his torrid start to the season, going 2-for-5 with a triple, four runs batted in, and two runs scored. Meanwhile, Luke Murton went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, three runs batted in and two runs scored.

Lyerly is up to .364 with two doubles, two triples, two home runs, 14 RBI, and six runs scored in 10 games.

Walter Ibarra had an interesting day: 1-for-1 with a run scored, an RBI, a walk, stolen base, a sac fly, and two sac bunts.

Brett Marshall made the start, tossing five decent innings. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits. He walked two and struck out four. His ERA sits at 7.07 through three starts (14 IP, 15 H, 4 BB, 9 K).

Michael Solbach contributed three innings of scoreless relief, allowing a hit while walking one and striking out three. In 9 innings so far this season, the 25-year old righty has allowed no runs on four hits. He has walked three while striking out 11. After being drafted (and signed) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007, his contract was voided. The Yankees snatched him up soon thereafter. —————————————————————————————————– Charleston:

Rob Segedin is finding hitting to be a much easier thing to do than fielding. Segedin went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, but also committed his 7th error of the season as Charelston succumbed to Rome, 6-1.

Segedin is now hitting .297 with four doubles in 37 at-bats. He has a home run, has walked four times, and struck out seven times. It is hard to really evaluate defense when a player is at this level – Derek Jeter played defense in Charleston that would probably make his current defense look like he was Ozzie Smith. As long as Segedin is hitting, the Yankees are happy for now. He is one of the better pure college bats they have taken in recent years of the draft.

Slade Heathcott went 1-for-3 with a walk, run scored, strike out, and caught stealing in the loss. Ramon Flores contributed a hit, a walk, and a run batted in to the home team’s boxscore.

Shane Green made the start, lasting six innings while giving up six runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked three, struck out three, and allowed a home run. His ERA sits at 5.40 through three starts. 20-year old right-hander Wilton Rodriguez, signed in 2008, threw three scoreless innings. There isn’t much information out there on Rodriguez. In 7.2 innings thus far for Charleston, he has allowed 10 hits and five walks. But he has also struck out 12. He hasn’t shown that kind of power before (41 Ks in 51.1 innings in 2010).

Minors Report 4/15/11 (Jesus Montero; Adam Warren; Graham Stoneburner; Slade Heathcott; JR Murphy; Rob Segedin)

Scranton:

Jesus Montero had three hits to raise his average to .471, while Adam Warren threw six strong innings as Scranton defeated Buffalo, 5-3.

Warren allowed three runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out five to lower his ERA to 5.06. Kevin Whelan earned his third save.

Montero is 16-for-34 with a 1.118 OPS. He has yet to walk, but has only struck out four times. At this moment, it is as of he is playing slow-pitch softball.

Justin Maxwell contributed a pair of doubles and Daniel Brewer hit a two-run triple to contribute to the victory. ————————— Trenton:

Graham Stoneburner threw six innings of one-run, four-hit ball while Trenton’s bats finally came to life in a 8-1 victory over Harrisburg.

Stoneburner walked one and struck out two. His ERA through two starts sits at 1.64 (11 IP, 13 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1.70 GO/AO). Not striking hitters out yet, but still – a nice start to his season.

Austin Romine went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs batted in, while Bradley Suttle contributed a pair of hits in the win.

2B Corban Joseph drew three walks and scored a run. ——————————— Tampa:

Luke Murton hit a solo home run in the ninth, one of three home runs Tampa hit in a 6-4 victory over Dunedin. Zolio Almonte connected for a three-run home run while Robert Lylery contributed his second home run of the season in the victory.

Almonte (21, OF) is hitting .258/.294/.516 with three doubles, a triple, a home run, and two steals in three attempts. Lylerly (23, 1B/3B) is hitting .359/.375/.615 in 39 at-bats with two doubles, a triple, and two home runs. Last year in Charleston, he showed off good doubles power (36 in 131 games. He hit 7 home runs). If he is starting to convert some of those doubles into home runs, the Yankees may be left with a nice corner infield prospect.

Jose Ramirez made the start, tossing four innings of two-run, six-hit ball. He walked three and struck out six. Ramirez is a 21-year old right-hander who went 6-5 with a 3.60 ERA for Charleston in 2010 (115 IP, 106 H, 42 BB, 105 K). In his two starts this year, he has walked five in eight innings..but has also struck out 12.

Scottie Allen, acquired in Juan Miranda deal, pitched three scoreless innings to earn the win. In 3.2 innings thus far this season, he has allowed no runs on two hits. The control has been an early issue (four walks, four strikeouts). Last year, he went 4-4 with a 4.73 ERA in 16 starts in Arizona’s system, striking out 79 and walking 22 in 78 innings. He is a 19-year old right-hander, so starting the ye in Tampa is an interesting challenge. ——————————————- Charleston:

Down 8-4 entering the ninth inning, Charleston scored four in the ninth and one in the tenth to take a 9-8 win. Rob Segedin crushed a solo home run in the ninth inning and also contributed a two-run single. Slade Heathcott went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, while JR Murphy went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs batted in. Heathcott is now hitting .395/.400/.789 in 38 at-bats (no walks, 13 Ks). Murphy is hitting .324/.354/.647 in 34 at-bats. He has walked twice and struck out only one time thus far. He is off to an impressive start, at least. Segedin is hitting .300/.378/.467 in 30 early season at-bats. He also committed two errors tonight, giving him six on the young season.

Kramer Sneed made the start, allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits in 5.1 innings. He walked nobody and struck out five.

Minors Report 4/14/11 (Jorge Vazquez; Josh Romanski)

Scranton:

Jorge Vazquez won’t let the Yankees take him off of their radar.

Vazquez connected for two home runs and drove in three as the pitching staff patched together nine innings in a 6-2 Scranton victory over Buffalo.

With Hector Noesi being called up to the majors, Scranton went with a committee tonight. Amaury Sanit, a 31-year old right-hander, started. He gave up one run on three hits over three innings, walking two and striking out five. Sanit is just an organizational guy who fills in the gaps when needed.

Vazquez is hitting .344 with five home runs and 14 runs batted in on the season.

Jordan Parraz contributed two hits and an RBI, while Justin Maxwell went 2-for-4 with his third stolen base of the season. ————————— Trenton:

The hitting woes continue in Trenton, as they lost a 4-2 decision to Harrisburg.

Austin Romine went 0-for-4 and is hitting .182. Bradley Suttle managed a double in 4 at-bats to raise his average to .240. Corban Joseph doubled and scored a run and is now 4-for-24.

All or nothing slugger Cody Johnson connected on his first home run of the season. This is the guy who struck out 151 times in 344 at-bats for Atlanta’s minor league system in 2010. He did launch 18 home runs as well.

On the hill, Shaeffer Hall was the tough-luck loser. Hall went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four. He lowered his ERA to 5.21.

Tim Norton threw 1.2 scoreless innings, striking out two. He has seven strikeouts in 3.2 scoreless innings, while allowing no hits and one walk.

Trenton has scored 18 runs total in 7 games this season. —————————————- Tampa:

Josh Romanski pitched five scoreless innings, as Tampa rode an unearned run to a 1-0 victory. Romanski allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out five. The 24-year old lefty is off to a nice start: 2 starts, 11 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

Luke Murton had two of Tampa’s hits, including a double, and scored the only run of the game. He is 10-for-29 on the young season.

Chase Whitley threw the final two innings to earn his first save of the season. He allowed four baserunners (3 hits, walk) while also striking out two. Michael Solbach set him up with two scoreless innings of his own, allowing a hit while striking out three. Solbach has started his season with six scoreless innings, striking out eight. —————————— Charleston:

The Riverdogs only managed three hits as they were shutout by Greenville, 3-0. I have no reports as to why, but Gary Sanchez hasn’t played in three games.

Mikey O’Brien made the start, and pitched decently. He went 4.2 innings, allowing all three runs (one earned) on two hits. He walked two and struck out seven. Charleston made three errors in the game.

The Yankees are testing Anderson Feliz at this level, and it hasn’t worked out just yet. Feliz (18, 2B) is 2-for-33 on the young season and has been caught both times he has tried to steal. Last year, playing mainly in the GCL, he put up a .274/.328/.439 line with 21 extra-base hits and 13 steals in 20 attempts.

Slade Heathcott is on Fire; Jesus Montero; Betances & Warren Struggle; Prior Works Back-to-Back Days

Charleston:

We will once again start in Charleston today, where Slade Heathcott kept up his early season power surge, knocking out two doubles amongst his three hits as Charleston lost to Lexington, 12-4. Heathcott is now 9-for-18 on the season with four doubles, one triple, and two home runs. That’s good for a 1.167 slugging percentage.

Gary Sanchez also doubled, and scored a run in the losing effort.

Rough debut for Kramer Sneed, a 32nd round pick in the 2010 draft. Sneed went 3.1 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits. He walked two and struck out two. The 22-year old left-hander out of Boston College went 1-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 10 games (7 starts) late in 2010. He walked 10 and struck out 51 in 39.1 innings.
—————————–

Scranton:

Jesus Montero went 2-for-5 with a run scored, while Jordan Parraz and Jorge Vazquez both homered in a 7-5 Scranton victory. Montero is 6-for-15 with one extra base hit (home run), no walks, and two strikeouts thus far in 2011.

The home run was Parraz’s second in the young season.

Adam Warren started and struggled with his control. The 23-year old right-hander only lasted 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He walked five and struck out only one. Guys like Warren, Phelps, and Brackman may have an opportunity to crack the Yankees rotation at some point this year, even if it is only for a start or two. So far, both Phelps & Warren had rough opening outings.

Andrew Sisco pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. With Feliciano still shut down, a guy like Sisco could earn his way up to the big club with a solid start. Kevin Whelan, who blew yesterday’s game, earned the save today.
——————————————

Trenton:

Dellin Betances and the offense both struggled today in a 5-0 loss to New Hampshire.

Betances went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits. He walked two and struck out only one hitter.

Austin Romine (.188) contributed a hit to the losing effort, as did Bradley Suttle (.133), who doubled. Hasn’t been a strong offensive start in Trenton – the highest batting average after today’s game belongs to Austin Krum at .214.

27-year old right-hander Tim Norton pitched a scoreless inning in relief, striking out two. He now has one walk and five strikeouts in two innings to start the season. Norton has pitched well in the organization, when he has been healthy. In four years prior to this one, he has yet to appear in more than 23 games. In 19 games last year, he struck out 47 and walked only 7 in 32.1 innings. His ERA was 1.39. In his minor league career, he has put up a 2.56 ERA in 168.2 innings, walking 38 while striking out 195. Even though he is obviously older, you never know – he may be able to help the big club yet.
——————————————

Tampa:

Abraham Almonte went 1-for-4 with a walk and his third stolen base, but it wasn’t enough in a 4-2 loss to Lakeland.

Mark Prior pitched again today, throwing a scoreless inning, walking one. Kind of interesting that they are already throwing him in back to back games. A good test, if his arm is ready for it.

Luke Murton went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. The 24-year old right-handed hitter is 5-for-14 with a double, triple, and three RBI thus far in 2011. In 2010, he put up a .282/.361/.463 line in Charleston with 32 doubles and 12 home runs.

Minors Report for 7/22/10 (Jorge Vazquez; Adam Warren; Daniel Brewer; Dellin Betances; Brandon Laird)

Scranton:

Jorge Vazquez blasted his 9th home run since being promoted to Scranton, but it lead to the only two runs Scranton would score in a 5-2 loss.

Jesus Montero went 1-for-4 with a double, while Eduardo Nunez went 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and 20th stolen base in 24 attempts.

Vazquez is hitting .272 with nine home runs in 32 RBI in 35 games for Scranton.   However, he has also walked only four times while striking out 40 times.

With all of the advancements he has made with his hitting, it gets easy to ignore Nunez’s value as a base-runner.  He is stealing bases at a very impressive clip, and has improved in that facet of the game.  Last year, he stole a total of 19 bases in 26 attempts.  In 2008, it was 14 steals in 24 attempts.

On the hill, Zach McAllister’s uneven season continues.  He threw 5.1 innings tonight, giving up four runs on ten hits.  He walked two and struck out three.
The 22-year old right-hander is now 7-7 with a 4.93 ERA in 19 starts (102.1 IP, 127 H, 25 BB, 61 K, 14 HR).
——————————
Trenton:

Adam Warren continued his strong pitching tonight, while Daniel Brewer had a big offensive night in a 8-3 victory.
Warren went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits.  He walked one and struck out five.     In his two starts with Trenton, he has allowed four runs (three earned) on ten hits.   He has walked five and struck out ten in 12 innings.

Brewer went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs batted in, and a walk.   The 22-year old outfielder hasn’t had a great time in Trenton, hitting only .233 with 23 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 47 RBI.  He has 20 steals in 28 attempts.  He hasn’t necessarily had a bad season, but he also has built on his very strong 2009 in Tampa.

Brandon Laird contributed his organization-leading 20th home run of the season, a solo shot in fifth inning.    After hitting nine home runs in June, this was his first July blast.
Shortstop Luis Nunez also had three hits, while Ryan Pope struck out the side in the 9th (with a walk and hit in between) to earn the save.    In 20 games as a reliever, he is 1-2 with a 3.28 ERA.  In 35.2 innings, he has allowed 31 hits while walking nine and striking out 40.
——————————
Tampa:

It wasn’t Dellin Betances’ best outing, but it was definitely enough as Tampa squeaked out a 4-3 victory.
Betances only lasted five innings, but avoided major damage by allowing only two runs on four hits.  He walked two and struck out five in improving his record to 5-1.    In nine starts, he has compiled a 1.60 ERA.  He has gone 45 innings, allowing only 26 hits while walking 12 and striking out 52.   The kid has been very, very good.

Zolio Almonte went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while Bradley Suttle contributed a solo home run (his fifth of the season).

Almonte is only hitting .237/.305/.269 in 93 at-bats since being promoted.  However, given that I think the plan was for him to be in Charleston all year, it’s a good sign just to see him in Tampa.  He’ll be back here to start 2011.
———————————
Charleston:

Not a pretty game in Charleston tonight as they got trampled, 10-1.
24-year old Luke Murton went 2-for-4 in the losing effort.    He is at .290/.370/.484 in 248 at-bats this season.    The right-handed hitting first baseman has a shot to make it someday as a hitter; but given his lack of versatility, it may be tough for him to stick if he doesn’t become a very good bat.    At the very least, he has been smoking lefties all season (.910 OPS) and if he can become great at doing that, his chances obviously will go up.

Slade Heathcott showed his batting eye, drawing a pair of walks.   He stole a base, but was also caught stealing on a pickoff.  Seems he has been picked off a few times this year.   He has 16 walks in 36 games, and has stolen nine bases…though he has been caught five times.

There must be something in the grass down in Charleston.   As I have stated previously, Jimmy Paredes has already broken the 30-error barrier.  Well, tonight, third baseman Robert Lyerly committed his 26th error, while shortstop Kelvin Castro committed his 24th error.    I guess this is why the Yankees are looking for power arms in the draft.

Lefty Josh Romanski was the latest to suffer at the hands of his defense, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits.  He walked two and struck out six and is now 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA in ten Charleston starts.    In 58.2 innings, he has allowed 57 hits while walking 13 and striking out 60.
—————————————–
Lower Minors:
Mikey O’Brien lost his first game of the season (5-1) with a poor performance tonight.  He went only four innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits.  He walked five and struck out only one…First baseman Reymond Nunez hit a three-run blast for the GCL squad today.    It was the 19-year old right-handed batter’s third home run of the season in 105 at-bats (.210/.252/.352)….Sam Elam, an 8th round pick in the 2009 draft, continues to struggle.  After allowing 15 walks in 9.1 innings for Staten Island this year, he was demoted to the GCL…where he has six walks in 4.2 innings.   In his career, he has 42 walks in 22 innings.   Oh, to be young and left-handed….Cito Culver went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk as the lead-off hitter.  He is at .235/.319/.309….

Minors Report for 6/22/10 (Zach McAllister; Austin Romine; Dellin Betances; Sally League All-Stars)

Scranton:

Zach McAllister pitched a solid game, but still took the loss as Scranton fell, 3-1. McAllister went seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He walked two, struck out one, and allowed a home run. McAllister is now 5-5 on the season with a 4.50 ERA (14 starts, 78 IP, 88 H, 19 BB, 47 K, 8 HR). The not so great home run rate coupled with a bad strikeout rate is concerning.

Marc Melancon pitched two innings of scoreless relief, walking two and striking out four.

At the plate, Jorge Vazquez hit his first AAA home run in the losing effort. Vazquez also doubled and is hitting .273 in 33 at-bats since his promotion.

Reegie Corona contributed three hits, his third consecutive multi-hit effort…raising his average to a still pedestrian .233. ———————————————————————————————————————————— Trenton:

Austin Romine hit his fourth home run of the season in the completion of a suspended game…then went 2-for-4 with a double (19) and run scored in the regularly scheduled game as Trenton earned the split. Romine is now hitting .286 on the season. He had a three-hit game a few days ago, so perhaps he is starting to break out of his slump.

Brandon Laird went 1-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and two RBI (now up to 67 on the season) in the victory.

Lance Pendleton earned the victory with six innings of three-run, four-hit ball. He walked one and struck out six. He is 6-3 with a 3.72 ERA (77.1 IP, 62 H, 31 BB, 65 K, 5 HR) on the season. As I have stated before, Pendleton is no longer a prospect – but he has done a solid job for Trenton this year.

Tampa:

It probably takes a special kind of talent to do what Dellin Betances is pulling off.

In his third start since coming back from his injury, Betances was dominating, pitching six innings of one-hit baseball to help Tampa to a 3-0 victory in game one of a double-header. Dunedin turned the tables in game 2, winning 4-0. Betances allowed one walk and struck out eight to get the victory. In those three starts, Betances is 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA (18 IP, 6 H, 0 HR, 2 BB, 21 K). It is very obvious want this kid to stay healthy.

A two-run double by 21-year old shortstop Jose Pirela was the big hit in the game. Pirela is at .227/.281/.340 on the season. He has a lot of speed (8 doubles, 8 triples, 9-for-12 stealing bases) and is another interesting middle infield prospect in an organization that suddenly is starting to show life at the two middle infield positions. Pirela put up a .295/.354/.381 seaon in Charleston last year, so he does have some hitting ability.

In the second game, Adam Warren didn’t fare quite as well as Betances. Warren lasted four innings, allowing all four runs on nine hits. He walked nobody and struck out two. He also allowed a home run. Warren (22) is now 6-5 with a 2.86 ERA on the season (63 IP, 60 H, 14 BB, 48 K, 2 HR). Rehabbing right-hander George Kontos pitched an inning of scoreless relief in the loss, as did Pat Venditte.

Corban Joseph was only able to go 1-for-7 in the two games, as his average fell below the .300 mark (.299). Melky Mesa picked up his 18th steal in the second game and had a hit in each game. ————————————————————————————————————————————- Charleston:

Charleston was off as the Sally League played their All-Star Game tonight.

There are quite a few promising prospects on this team right now….but only three guys made the team, one of which couldn’t make it due to injury.

Zolio Almonte is the most intriguting name on the list. The recently-turned-21 year old outfielder is hitting .278/.341/.485 on the season with 13 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, and 35 RBI. He has stolen seven bases (also caught six times), and has 21 walks to go along with 65 strikeouts in 227 at-bats. Obviously, there is room for growth here; but the 10 home runs jump out at you the most at this stage.

Luke Murton couldn’t make the game due to injury. The 24-year old corner player is hitting .291/.375/.498 on the season with 23 doubles, 8 home runs, and 37 RBI. Drafted in the 19th round of the 2009 draft, he is old for the league in terms of age…not quite so in terms of experience. However, at the age of 24, he’d need to move pretty quickly to get to the majors in his prime. he has a .927 OPS vs. lefties.

Ryan Flannery was the third player chosen. A 24-year old closer, Flannery is 5-2 with a 1.91 ERA and 7 saves for Charleston. In 37.2 innings, he has allowed 27 hits while walking 7 and striking out 27. In April, Flannery had an ERA of 6.75 in 9.1 innings. Since then, he has allowed two runs (one earned) in 28.1 innings. Wow. He has allowed 15 hits during that stretch with four walks and 20 strikeouts.

Charleston would likely have produced more All-Stars, but Graham Stoneburner and Shaeffer Hall were both promoted to Tampa earlier this season. I will assume Jimmy Paredes was on the radar for the team (.279/.309/.368 with 24 steals in 30 attempts for the shortstop), but he is far from an oversight. Third baseman Robert Lyerly (22) may have the biggest beef after a .314/.367/.411 first half.

Minors Report for 6/11/10 (Montero; Zolio Almonte; Slade Heathcott)

Tampa was off tonight.

Scranton: (34-28, 2nd place)
——————
Jesus Montero went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored but it wasn’t enough as Zack McAllister got crushed, 9-5. Montero is now on a mini 4-game hitting streak. This is a bit significant given that he is coming off perhaps the worst stretch of hitting in his professional career.

Eduardo Nunez went 2-for-5 with a double (.310), while Chad Huffman contributed 2 hits, a double, and 2 RBI to the effort (.279). After a bit of a slump, Huffman now has 3 consecutive 2-hit games, and has done it in 4 of his last 5 games.

McAllister (22) had his worst outing since May 4th, going 2.1 innings allowing 6 runs on 7 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 1. On the season, he is 5-3 with a 4.57 ERA (67 IP, 77 H, 15 BB, 43 K). It should be noted that he did miss his last start. —————- Trenton: (36-23, first place)

Brandon Laird went 2-for-5 with his 56th RBI of the season to help Trenton to a 5-2 victory.

Austin Romine went 0-for-3 with a walk, lowering his average below .300 for the first time in quite a while. He is at .299.

Lance Pendleton, who has done a nice job filling out the Trenton rotation, went 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. He walked 1 and struck out 9. Pendleton is far from a prospect at this stage, as he is now 26 years old. His overall line on the season: 4-3, 3.50 ERA, 64.1 IP, 51 H, 30 BB, 55 K.
—————–

Charleston: (29-32, 5th place)

Zolio Almonte had a night to remember, going 3-for-5 with 2 home runs, 3 RBI, and 3 runs scored as Charleston cruised to a 8-2 victory. Almonte (20) is now hitting .275 with 8 home runs and 27 RBI. He is one of the Yankees’ most intriguing, though still very much raw, prospects. His inexperience shines through in his base stealing (6-for-12) and high strikeout rate (60 in 49 games), but the raw talent is very evident.

Slade Heathcott pulled off a steal of home (and it wasn’t a part of a double steal, so I will assume it was a straight steal), while contributing 2 hits to raise his average to .351 (13-for-37). As Mark Newman stated in a recent chat, it is very possible that Heathcott will find himself in short-season ball when it starts up – but if he keeps playing like this, perhaps he’ll stick with Charleston for awhile.

Luke Murton hit his 23rd double of the season in the victory, while Jimmy Paredes (21, SS) went 2-for-5. JR Murphy, who also may find his way to short-season ball soon, contributed a hit and a walk. He is hitting .220/.273/.297 in his 91 at-bat tenure in Charleston.

Minors Report for 6/10/10: Dellin Betances Returns

Tampa:

Dellin Betances finally stood foot on a baseball mound tonight, and
pitched extremely well in a victory.

Betances (22) went 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits. He walked
nobody and struck out 6.

Betances is one of the biggest prospects in the organization (talent
wise and size was) when he is healthy – this was his first start since
coming off of Tommy John surgery.

At the plate, Melky Mesa went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk while
Jose Pirela went 2-for-4 with a triple and 3 RBI in the win.
—————————————————————————————————-
Scranton:

Ivan Nova pitched 6.2 strong innings to help Scranton to a victory.
Nova, who I think may be #1 on the callup list, allowed 7 hits while
walking 2 and striking out 3. He is 4-2 with a 3.71 ERA (63 IP, 68
H, 23 BB, 48 K, 5 HR).

Eduardo Nunez went 2-for-3 with 2 walks and a run scored, while Juan
Miranda went 2-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBI. Would have been nice
to have him around for PH duties in the 9th tonight.

Jesus Montero went 1-for-5 and has one hit in each of his last 3
games. Hey, it’s something.
—————————————————————————————————–
Trenton:

Brandon Laird went 1-for-5 with a home run (12) and 3 RBI in a 9-7
victory. Laird is at .307/.352/.541 on the season with 55 RBI. He
is at .302/.333/.605 in his last ten games. He’s been a hitting
machine.

Austin Romine has been slumping a bit, contributing a 1-for-5 night
tonight. He is still at .304/.366/.446, but only 5-for-his-last 28.

Jorge Vazquez had 2 more hits and is now hitting .441 since coming
back from injury, while Austin Krum went 2-for-5 with a run scored and
an RBI (.272/.365/.319, 11-for-16 sb)

Ryan Pope continued his hot bullpen pitching, earning the victory. He
went 2.2 innings, allowing 2 hits while striking out 2. In 7 games
out of the pen, he has pitched 15.2 innings, allowing 12 hits. He has
walked 2 and struck out 23.
———————————————————————————————————————
Charleston:

Luke Murton hit his 8th home run of the season in a 9-5 victory.
Murton (24) is at .293/.378/.500 on the season.

Slade Heathcott went 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI (.324/.385/.411 in
34 at-bats since being placed on the roster), while Deangelo Mack went
3-for-3 with 2 doubles, a run scored, and 3 RBI. Mack is at .
245/.329/.375. A horrendous May crushed his numbers.