“When it rains, it pours” – a saying that aptly describes the New York Yankees’ recent rollercoaster week. Tuesday and Wednesday saw the Bronx Bombers unleash an offensive onslaught, hitting 14 home runs in 25 hours in Tampa, Florida, after a nearly two-hour rain/lightning delay. This power surge seemed to signal an offensive resurgence, but the celebratory mood was quickly extinguished on Thursday when they returned home to face the Red Sox, who delivered a harsh dose of reality.
The contrast in the Yankees’ performance between the two-game set in Tampa and their home stand against Boston was stark and, honestly, perplexing. It’s one thing to see a developing player, such as a Yankees prospect on the GMS Field back field – affectionately known as “The Tank” – commit numerous errors in a season; their performance is still under development, and mistakes are part of the learning process. However, the same leniency cannot be extended to seasoned Yankees players in the Majors. The defensive lapses have become a concerning trend. Jazz Chisholm, Jr., for instance, recorded his 14th error of the year last night, while Anthony Volpe has accumulated an alarming 16 errors this season, just as he has the previous two years. These figures are not mere blips; they highlight a fundamental issue that needs immediate attention.
Yankees 3B Jose Caballero commits a fielding error with a missed catch on August 19, 2025, in Tampa, FL (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
This week alone, the Yankees have committed a staggering seven errors in just four games. The defensive struggles began on Sunday with two errors in St. Louis, followed by one on Tuesday in Tampa, and a frustrating four errors last night in The Bronx. Of these, Jazz Chisholm, Jr. is responsible for two, both being throwing errors, further underscoring the team’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Jazz Chisholm says the four errors tonight don't concern him:
"I feel like we have great fielders on the team, we've got a bunch of Gold Glovers in the infield" pic.twitter.com/5z18DyckFu
The Yankees’ internal narrative, championed by manager Aaron Boone, dismisses any fundamental issues despite glaring on-field inconsistencies. The media struggles to challenge Boone’s strategic decisions, facing significant pushback when questioning the team’s performance. This resistance to scrutiny raises concerns among fans and analysts, who doubt the team’s self-assessment aligns with reality.
Boone said they liked the matchup with Jazz vs. Matz. That’s why they didn’t pinch hit. Asked why, Boone repeated he liked the matchup.
What seems more mind-boggling is how the Yankees’ offensive performance has been so wildly inconsistent. On Wednesday in Tampa, the Yankees managed 2 runs over 6 innings against Rasmussen, a pitcher who boasted a career ERA against the Yankees under 1 going into that game. The ultimate outcome was particularly frustrating, especially considering the near-perfect game bid by Schlittler on the Yankees’ side. The relief pitching left a lot to be desired, particularly that from the newly acquired David Bednar, who consequently blew the game but earned the win.
Aaron Judge gets the scoring started in Tampa on August 19, 2025, with a home run (40) to center field (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
The Yankees’ dominant offensive performance against Baz on Tuesday, despite a rain delay, was somewhat expected. Baz had been struggling, allowing 23 runs in his previous 25 innings (an 8.28 ERA). However, the extent of the Yankees’ offensive explosion, 16-for-42, hitting .381, was unanticipated. This makes their subsequent struggle against Boston even more frustrating. The stark contrast is jarring: against the Red Sox, the Yankees regressed significantly, going a mere 8-for-35 for a paltry .229 batting average. The question remains: why can’t the Yankees find a consistent rhythm at the plate? This inconsistency, showcasing both offensive brilliance and perplexing futility within days, is a constant source of bewilderment for fans.
Aaron Boone addresses the media ahead of the game versus the Rays at Steinbrenner Field on August 20, 2025 (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
The New York Yankees are at a critical point. Despite internal reassurances, their current performance is unacceptable, stemming from issues in the front office, analytics, or player execution. Fan patience is wearing thin after a disappointing 2023 season, plus there is a 15-plus year championship drought that is lingering. Two theories exist: either the Yankees know what adjustments are needed but fail to implement them, or they are actively experimenting to maximize the roster’s potential (my bet is on the latter). Individual successes like Trent Grisham’s and Giancarlo Stanton’s strong offensive performances this season suggest some positive analytical or coaching impacts, but these haven’t translated to overall consistent team performance. The organization’s future depends on identifying and solving these core issues before fan apathy takes hold.
The similarities between the Yankees’ owned-and-operated Tampa Tarpons and the Major League Club have been very apparent in August, after the Tarpons won the 4-game set in Fort Myers (Twins), and they had an incredibly lopsided win versus Bradenton (Pirates) to open their last home stand of the season on Tuesday night. A significant part of Tampa’s recent success has been on the back of 2025 1st round selection Dax Kilby, who since recording his first pro hit on August 14, has gone 12-for-30, hitting .400/.471/.500/.971 in the past 7 games with 2 doubles, a triple, and 6 RBI, including a 4-for-5 night with 3 RBI and a triple on August 26. .400/.471/.500/.971
Kilby’s late season performance is similar to that of which the Major League Yankees are experiencing with Giancarlo Stanton. In the last 15 games, Stanton is hitting 17-for-37, good for a .459/.535/1.108/1.643 and has driven in 18 RBI. Obviously, they’re two totally different hitters, and I’d be plenty happy to see consistent contact from Kilby if it’s not the insane kind of power that Stanton provides the Yankees, but both have been having an incredible past few weeks.
The Yankees have done incredibly well drafting shortstops the past few years, with their #1 prospect as their 2023 1st round pick, George Lombard Jr, doing decently well in Double-A Somerset (.208/.330/.339/.669). Then we get to Volpe, who did decently well in the Minors, like Lombard, but is one of the worst hitters in baseball, currently.
Anthony Volpe’s story was one that tugged on your heartstrings. The kid that grew up in Manhattan with Derek Jeter as his idol, then in a borough just outside where the Somerset Patriots play, was selected as a 1st round pick in 2019 by the Yankees. He debuted with (then) Short Season Pulaski in the Appalachian League in 2019, hitting .215 in 34 games. Draftees don’t typically do well their first year as they adapt to pro ball, so that’s a stat that one could usually toss aside.
He made his full-season debut in 2021, splitting exactly half the season with Low-A Tampa for the first 54 games and 55 games with High-A Hudson Valley.
In 2021, he slashed .294/.423/.604/.1.027. His performance that season got both scouts and fans excited about the potential that Volpe had. He was completing plays efficiently, but still recorded 13 errors that season between Tampa (6) and HV (7). He would duplicate that in 2022, recording 13 errors between Somerset (11) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (2). Both his offensive and defensive performances have only worsened since his Minor League career, though, with Volpe recording 17 errors in 2023, 16 in 2024 and 17 to date in 2025. While Volpe only spent 22 games in AAA, he hit similarly there to what he did last year: .236/.313/.404/.717 in 22 G, 24.7 K% in AAA; .243/.274/.400/.674, 26.7 K% in MLB, 2024.
However, while this season by Volpe seems worse than any others on the surface, in many respects, it is still better than that of his rookie campaign. It’s definitely fair to say that that’s a low bar. While the batting average is similar (.204 to date versus .209 in 2023), he has more doubles (26 vs 23), more RBI (65 vs 60), and is striking out at a better rate (26.8% vs. 30.9%). While obviously those numbers aren’t spectacular, and he’s most definitely in a slump of some kind of late, hitting 18-for-106 in his last 30 games (.170/.207/.368/.575), it’s possible that the changes to his swing mechanics are what’s causing the decline in offensive performance.
Returning to the Tarpons and Yankees, both teams have not had a spectacular last few weeks in the standings, with Tampa sitting at 2nd from last in their division at 9.5 GB, despite going 6-4 in their last 10 games, and have been a .500 team in August (11-11). The Yankees, having played one more game than Tampa, are at an incredibly similar 12-11 (.522). Where things start to differ is when you look at the run differential. The Yankees have a positive run differential of over 100, while the Tarpons are +30 on the season.
Both the Yankees and Tarpons have unreliable bullpens. Case in point: On August 28, Allen Facundo threw 4 shutout innings, only allowing 2 hits and 5 walks, but reliever (and former two-way player) Josh Tiedemann came in to relieve Facundo, and gave up 3 runs in 2 IP, blowing any chances of the Tarpons winning since they only scored one run.
Where does that sound familiar? Maybe you can refer to Luis Gil’s game on August 21 vs. Boston where he went 5 IP, allowed 1 ER (2 R) on 4 H and 5 BB with 3 K but got no run support. Further, Camilo Doval came in behind him, and recorded a blown save (his 6th!) by allowing 1 run (earned) on 2 H and a BB. Like the Tarpons’ situation, the Yankees failed to provide their pitching any run support.
While it’s fair to criticize a minor league team in certain respects (the Tarpons have been frustrating to watch at times), one needs to remember that the farm teams exist purely to develop young men into potential Major League talent. It’s a gamble. I don’t think anyone predicted that Ben Rice would be performing as well as he is in the Majors when he took his first few ABs in the Yankees system in 2021. He looked impressive while he was in Tampa, but not this impressive. On the flip side, considering Volpe was named Florida State League Player of the Month for June 2021 on his last month in Tampa, he looked every bit the superstar he was touted to be.
Do we, both fans and media, need to give Volpe a little more time to figure things out? I think that time has ended. His stats are consistent, and this is who he is. The Yankees can possibly unlock something, since, after all, they have 5+ years of video and analytics to look at. There truly is no good option here, especially when you look at possibly sending him down to AAA or even AA, other than sitting him for a while as they possibly work on things in the background, and they play Jose Caballero instead.
Where do the Tarpons fit in here? They have a similar shortstop situation. They also have a shortstop/2B that’s been very inconsistent the past two seasons, and that’s likely why he’s been passed up on promotions over others like Lombard, named Roderick Arias. In July, he slashed .213/.330/.375/.705 and drove in 13 RBI in 80 AB. In August so far, he’s slashing .298/.392/.429/.821 with 14 RBI in 84 AB. Compare that to the .155/.302/.254/.556 slash he had in April. It’s just like last season, too.
The Yankees need to take a hard look at their team and the organization as a whole, as there are too many consistencies between the Tarpons and Yankees, plus their shortstop situation with the two teams is rather ironic. On behalf of both fans and media, this needs to happen soon, because too much talent is going to waste in the Bronx and too many of those guys deserve a ring.
I was fortunate to have been able to get a brief first look in the first half of a doubleheader in Tampa recently at some of the kids drafted by the Yankees in the 2025 MLB Draft. This isn’t the full class, of course; pitchers won’t make their professional debut until the 2026 season at the earliest (barring any potential injury or surgery), and a handful of position players like Kaeden Kent, Core Jackson and Robbie Burnett went straight to High-A Hudson Valley. Regardless, it was good to finally put faces with names, and see what some of them were capable of. Additionally, I was even more fortunate to have been able to see 1st rounder, Dax Kilby, record his first professional hit. It should be noted that I did not have access to batting practice, so I cannot comment on any power potentials.
I will grade Kilby, since he was who I paid the most attention to, but will have blurbs for the others that I saw. I will also include videos of the respective players (if available) from a YouTube video I have uploaded to the YS channel.
Kilby has a tall, thin frame with long levers and lots of room to grow. He stands with a very slight crouch at the plate, in the center-rear of the left-handed batter’s box, holding the bat at a nearly directly vertical angle with moderate bat waggle. Kilby has a quick, compact-ish swing given his frame, and has a small leg kick, only enough to pick up his foot an inch or so off the ground.
There is a lot to like here, and I can see why the Yankees chose Kilby as their first round selection. His speed was the initial thing to impress: he nearly beat out a dribbler that ultimately went 6-3 by running from HP to 1B in 4.01 seconds. While it took him until his 4th game and 9th professional at-bat to record his first hit, Kilby hit it over second base at 96.7 MPH as a line drive into shallow center field. Kilby obviously has a good sense for swing decisions, considering that despite that hitless deficit he had yet to record a strikeout, and It’s difficult to gauge true power without having access to batting practice, so he earned an “average” there just to seem neutral. Kilby was quick on his feet to field balls hit to him and did not hesitate to quickly discard balls over to the first baseman.
OF Richie Bonomolo, Jr.
DOB: 10/30/2003 (21)
HT: 5-11
WT: 190
H/T: R/R
Acquired: 2025 7th Round (Alabama)
Highest Level: Low-A
ETA: 2029
2025 Rank: Unranked / 50 OFP
Yankees OF prospect Richie Bonomolo Jr. (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
Bonomolo has a compact but muscular frame, similar to that of Brett Gardner (also 5-11, 195). He stands in the back corner of the right-handed batter’s box. Bonomolo has a high and prolonged leg kick, placing a lot of his weight on his back leg ahead of the swing. He also has the quickest swing speed of the group I saw, reminding me of when I saw Clint Frazier in Tampa.
Bonomolo put up solid power numbers with Alabama, but has yet to go yard professionally. Considering how high his leg kick is and his upper-body musculature, expectations are high for Bonomolo to put up 20+ HR/season. I didn’t get a spectacular look at Bonomolo, offensively speaking, but he’s mechanically sound and there is nothing of immediate concern to me with his game play. He ran good routes, but were not incredibly efficient and will need some work. Regardless, he executed plays well, and has an average arm. If the Yankees get even a significant fraction of the output that Gardner had as a 7th round pick, Bonomolo will become a solid prospect. He is unranked currently as there are other prospects more deserving of Top 30 placement, but I can see him landing on a list before too long.
1B Kyle West
DOB: 11/02/2002 (22)
HT: 6-4
WT: 195
H/T: L/R
Acquired: 2025 13th Round (West Virginia)
Highest Level: Low-A
ETA: 2029
2025 Rank: Unranked / 50 OFP
Yankees INF prospect Kyle West (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
Like Kilby, West has a tall, thin frame (taller than Kilby at 6-4 vs 6-2) with long levers and room to grow in the torso. West’s frame reminds me of that of what Spencer Jones looked like shortly after he was drafted from Vanderbilt. I think that kind of musculature should be something that can be expected of West. West has a rather open, erect stance in the back of the batter’s box, holding his bat above his shoulder nearly parallel with the ground. He also has a moderate leg kick with what appears to be average swing speed.
The most impressive part of West’s game is his defense, and he made a difficult pick off of a very off-line throw to first base in one situation. West went 0-for-3 in this game, but the swing mechanics are sound, even if the swing decisions may not be just yet. It’s still incredibly early to offer offensive predictions, but he does appear to be a streaky hitter. However, he suffered an ankle injury in Saturday’s game and has since been placed on the 7-day injured list.
Martin-Grudzielanek has a tall, athletic build with room to grow, with a frame reminiscent of Derek Jeter (6-3, 195). Considering he has been playing 3B, I don’t know if building a lot more muscle is the way to go. Martin-Grudzielanek has an open stance with a slight crouch, standing at the back of the batter’s box. He has a very minor, and quick, leg kick with average bat speed.
Martin-Grudzielanek has been the most impressive of the group drafted considering the Yankees selected him at the end of the draft in the 20th round, and a lot of that may be attributed to the bloodline with his father, Mark. Martin-Grudzielanek has a good feel for the game at 3B, and his athleticism and ability to read plays is above-average. His arm is average to above-average, and he has good range, but he did make an off-line throw to 1B where the 1B had to really stretch to make the play. Despite this, Martin-Grudzielanek has well-below-average speed running down the line. Martin-Grudzielanek’s bat is average to above-average, and on the day of the game, he had the highest batting average (8-for-23, .348) of the team, and the second-highest OPS (.878) behind Marshall Toole (2024, 15th round).
“Cash-god” made LOTS of moves at the deadline. It was without a doubt one of the biggest trade deadlines we’ve seen in a while across all of baseball (unless your team is named the Braves) in what we were told was going to be one of the quietest years because “no one was available”.
The Yankees completed 10 trades ahead of the deadline, with the majority coming on deadline day. The team experiences big improvements in both talent and depth overall, and many can see this as a Brian Cashman masterclass.
However, looking at the moves made at the trade deadline from the perspective of a prospect hugger, I’m heartbroken as I am every year, despite knowing that many of these guys will get better opportunities with their respective new organizations. Below, I’ll discuss the prospects, something that you won’t necessarily read about. You’ll see countless articles about what the Yankees gained, but not necessarily what they lost in exchange.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired infielder Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league pitchers Josh Grosz and Griffin Herring.
Herring carried most of the weight in this trade as he’s shown so far this season that he could be a potential #2/#3 starter in the Majors. Herring threw 89.1 innings, permitting a 1.71 ERA while with the Yankees’ Low-A (Tampa) and High-A (Hudson Valley), plus a 10.28 K/9, a 3.63 BB/9 and a 0.30 HR/9.
Grosz had 15 starts with High-A Hudson Valley, where he threw a 4.14 ERA in 87 innings. He had a 9.72 K/9, a 3.62 BB/9 and a 0.52 HR/9. Grosz didn’t impress me nearly as much in his time in Tampa last season when compared to Herring, but he provides more starting pitching depth for the Rockies farm system.
This trade can be graded an A, because while the Yankees gave up one of their most-promising newly acquired arms in Herring, Colorado is taking on the full contract of McMahon.
Two days later, the Yankees acquired INF/OF Amed Rosario from the Nationals for RHP Clayton Beeter and OF Browm Martínez.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired infielder/outfielder Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals in exchange for right-handed pitcher Clayton Beeter and outfielder Browm Martínez.
Beeter was easily the one name that most fans knew because of some time spent in the Bronx, but fans were very much in the dark on Martinez, who is an outfielder in the Dominican Summer League.
Martinez spent 2024 & 2025 with the DSL NYY Bombers, hitting a combined .320/.426/.419/.845 in 56 games, including 3 HR this season and 35 total RBI. There’s not much video out there in the wild (in fact none I could find unless I actively watch a broadcast game and cut something myself), but I understand he was one of the better hitters on the DSL Bombers, especially this year. Martinez held a .404 batting average with a 1.139 OPS; something definitely clicked this year.
This trade can be graded a B-, because Rosario is a free agent at the end of this season (a “rental”) and there is so much potential with Martinez given how he’s performed in the DSL. However, players can fall apart that early in their careers, and I’ve seen it happen a handful of times where making the move to the States and playing in the FCL or in Low-A Tampa was too much for a prospect.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have traded right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations.
The return for Carrasco has yet to have been announced, and may not be for a while, but Carrasco provided solid depth, plus veteran experience, to the Triple-A RailRiders.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired outfielder Austin Slater from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league pitcher Gage Ziehl.
Ziehl was a 4th round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Miami (FL) and had been doing well this season (4.17 ERA in 82-⅓ IP), recently earning himself a promotion. In fact, Ziehl only made one appearance with High-A Hudson Valley, where he allowed 1 run (earned) on 3 hits, no walks and struck out 3.
This trade can be graded an A-, because the Yankees had to make a move with the potential that Judge is out for the rest of the season. Slater is a “rental”, but he’s also a minimal hit to the salary cap at $564,540, so the one-for-one deal is solid.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor league catchers Rafael Flores and Edgleen Pérez, and minor league outfielder Brian Sánchez.
While I completely understand the level of talent the Yankees acquired with this deal, this trade hurt the most. I had liked what I had seen of all of these prospects, especially Flores, but even Pérez and Sánchez had shown a lot of promise in Tampa this season.
The way I view this move is that they were making room for other talent to shine within the system. Flores is an easy fit for Pittsburgh with their former #1 overall pick, Henry Davis, really struggling at the plate, but it’s kind of crazy to think that a JuCo kid that went undrafted has the potential to be the #1 backstop ahead of a top pick in the prior draft. A lot of that speaks to the quality of talent that Flores is, but also is kudos to the Yankees scouting team under Damon Oppenheimer. A lot of this trade deadline is, to be fair.
Pérez and Sánchez have the potential to be very good pieces in the future, but I struggle to project Sánchez favorably given what I have seen. Sánchez had a relatively high K rate (23.4%) but also worked a lot of walks (12.6%). He also had a slash of .281/.373/.438/.811 in Low-A Tampa with a 129 wRC+.
Pérez had a lot of commonalities at the plate with Sánchez in that he also worked a lot of walks (17.9%) and had a moderately high K rate (19.5%), slashing .209/.369/.236/.604 with a 91 wRC+. He was by far a defense-first catcher, and that’s mostly what the Pirates are getting here.
For those not familiar with the headlining piece of the return, Rafael Flores was a 2022 undrafted free agent out of Rio Hondo Junior College in California. Between AA and AAA this season, Flores played in 97 games, batting a combined .279/.351/.475/.825 with a wRC+ of 141.
This trade can be graded a B-, because while Bednar will be a restricted free agent that will likely end up in arbitration, at the end of the day, he may end up being a “rental”. Most of what the Yankees are paying for in prospects was with Flores, and he seemed to be lined up to be Wells’ backup in the Bronx this September. It’s too early to properly project how the other two prospects in the deal will perform. The Yankees are only taking on $1.87M in contract responsibility in 2025.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired right-handed pitcher Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league infielder Roc Riggio and left-handed pitcher Ben Shields.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees have designated OF Bryan de…
Roc Riggio, aside from having an incredible baseball name, has been one of the most fun baseball players to watch in a while. Riggio was acquired in 2023 as a 4th round selection out of Oklahoma State. He struggled in his first few games with the org., spending 22 games between FCL and Tampa, batting under the Mendoza line. However, his grit while on defense was what caught my attention. Riggio’s MLB comparison is frequently Dustin Pedroia, and between the lefty bat and that aforementioned grit, I totally see it. 2025 has been his best season yet, despite starting the year on the IL because of a wrist injury. Riggio has spent the bulk of the season in AA Somerset, where he batted .261/.335/.542/.877.
Shields was a teammate of Riggio’s in AA Somerset and was one of their more consistent starters. The lefty thrower held a 3 ERA throughout much of 2025, along with a 1.23 WHIP, and he’s roughly held the same kind of stats throughout his career. Shields was originally an undrafted free agent in 2021 out of UMass, as he is a Boston native.
This trade can be graded an A, given Riggio will likely land a starting second-baseman role with the Rockies since he currently has no path considering the performance that Jazz Chisholm, Jr. has been producing in the Bronx. Shields is more minor league depth and may end up as a back-end starter or long reliever type.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired minor league outfielder Wilberson De Peña and international bonus pool money from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for INF Oswald Peraza.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired minor league outfielder Wilberson De Peña and international bonus pool money from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for INF Oswald Peraza.
I think it’s safe to say that everyone reading this knows very well who Peraza is, so let’s discuss the return in this trade.
— MiLB Angels HR Video (@MiLBAngelsHR) July 29, 2025
The 18-year-old prospect played for the DSL Angels in both 2024 and 2025 with exceptionally consistent stats: 226/.340/.394/.734. De Peña hit his first professional home run, plus 3 more, this season as he appears to have discovered some pop in his bat, while reducing his walk rate. De Peña hit 6 doubles and a triple this year in addition to those 4 homers, compared to a double and a triple and no home runs last season.
This trade can be graded as an A+ because Peraza truly had no home in the Bronx, as awful as that may be to write. He proved that he was more qualified than Volpe for the starting shortstop role in 2023, but they went with the kid from Jersey over the Venezuelan for reasons we may never know. Peraza may be more bench depth with Zach Neto at SS and Yoan Moncada at third, but that’s for the Angels to decide.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired infielder/outfielder José Caballero from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for outfielder Everson Pereira and a player to be named later or cash considerations.
This is also a pretty cut-and-dry trade as no prospects were dealt.
This trade feels like an A+ in the respect that Pereira has the opportunity to play every day with the Rays and will be closer to home if he’s assigned to the big league club, and Caballero will be an upgrade over what they already have with Oswaldo being on the IL considering the utility and speed.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired RHP Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for minor leaguers C Jesús Rodríguez, RHP Trystan Vrieling, INF Parks Harber and LHP Carlos de la Rosa.
This trade was quite a haul, as one would expect, considering what Doval can potentially bring to the table. With the bullpen completely gassed, Doval can potentially be inserted in as set-up man, closer, etc. Truly however Aaron Boone sees fit.
Jesús Rodríguez and Trystan Vrieling were the headliners in this trade, and in my opinion, more the former than the latter. Rodríguez has become quite the utility player over the past few years with the Yankees, as he has developed into another Oswaldo Cabrera of sorts. Rodríguez can play every position on the diamond except for second base and pitcher, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he could end up in either spot in a pinch. In 78 games with AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Rodríguez slashed .317/.409/.430/.839 with 14 doubles, 3 triples and 5 home runs.
Yankees C prospect Jesus Rodriguez has been red-hot lately. Last 20 AAA games: .301/.414/.494, 4 HR (2 on Sunday), 7 XBH.
Scrappy player, great bat to ball. Throwing out 36% of attempted base stealers. Still just 23 years old. pic.twitter.com/LQ7tT7erYu
Vrieling has had a number of struggles a bit lately in AA Somerset and his stats reflect that. Originally drafted as a 3rd round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, he missed all of 2023 due to injury, and made his professional debut in Double-A in 2024, throwing a 4.58 ERA. This season, he started the season late due to injury, but in Somerset, threw in 46 innings, recording a 4.50 ERA, an 8.22 K/9 and a 3.52 BB/9. There is definite potential, though, and especially of late, and hopefully the Giants can unlock it.
Must see T-V! 📺
Trystan Vrieling (@Yankees No. 21 prospect) continues to shove in July with five innings, allowing three runs on four strikeouts.
Parks Harber was a 2024 UDFA signing out of North Carolina, but has been one of the more impressive undrafted bats of his class. Harber was promoted at the end of April to High-A Hudson Valley after recording a .304/.422/.551/.973 slash in Tampa but has kept up that performance, hitting over .300 in HV. I mostly saw Harber play first base, but he’s listed as a third baseman in his MiLB profile, and has better stats at 1B (.992 fpct vs .943 fpct at 3B).
17-year-old left-handed pitcher Carlos de la Rosa spent the entire season in the Dominican Summer League, appearing in only 7 games and 22 innings of work. He recorded a 5.32 ERA and has never truly had a quality start with the DSL NYY Yankees, allowing at least 1 run with a handful of hits in an average of 3 IP. That said, he’s striking batters out at an insane rate of 14.73 K/9, with a remarkably low 2.05 BB/9. There’s definitely talent there, but he needs to control his pitches a teeny bit better to truly take advantage of that K/9 and BB/9.
This trade can be graded an A, considering the talent acquired and what was sent to the Giants in return. I think the true headlining prospect in this exchange was Rodríguez, with Harber being a close second. As noted previously, it’s difficult to project future potential in guys like Harber and de la Rosa, especially with the latter, because you don’t know how they will handle the more advanced levels as they progress through the respective team’s system.
Overall, Cashman did exceptionally well in this trade deadline. His work, and that of the scouting team and the player development team deserve kudos by Yankees fans and prospect fans alike. I think no one got “fleeced” too much, per se, and the Yankees didn’t give up any significant names like Jones, Lombard or Lagrange. This all deserves an A-.
What would have made it a little better was to secure players with a little more control and have the sending teams absorb the salary hit, like that of McMahon.
The MLB trade deadline is less than a week away, and teams are typically scurrying around to various Minor League affiliates of the organizations they want to make deals with. In regard to the upcoming trade deadline, teams may seek to flip prospects they’ll have to protect by adding to the 40-man roster instead of losing them for essentially nothing in December. What tends to happen is that teams are more likely to part with Minor League Players that they’re hesitant to protect in potential trade talks with other teams in exchange for a Major Leaguer that can help the team now. It’s typically a huge risk for both the team sending the prospect away and the one taking on the responsibility of developing that prospect into a quality talent that can one day help the Major League team.
With rumors swirling as always this time of year, the Yankees have a number of decisions to make when dealing with other teams. In addition to the 32 players already “Rule 5” eligible, the Yankees have a number of other players soon to be eligible, as seen in the chart below. In regard to the upcoming Rule 5 draft, the Yankees have to urgently decide on 30 prospects, as we’ll get into below.
Of the 30 players that are Rule 5 eligible this December, a handful are recognizable among those who follow the system, and have the potential of getting called up when rosters expand in September.
Spencer Jones
OF Spencer Jones (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
If there’s anyone with household name recognition of the prospects listed, it’s likely Spencer Jones. “The lefty Judge” has been demolishing baseballs (they have a mother, you know) in Triple-A. In Triple-A, he’s on such an insane home run hitting pace, that in a 162-game season, he would hit 110 home runs. I had to check my math a few times, but he has hit 13 homers in 19 games, which works out to .68 HR/game. While his K% is still high (25.8%), it’s the lowest since his very abridged time in Tampa.
Regardless, it feels fair to expect that either the Yankees flip him for a significant name that they can retain for a few years, or he gets protected by getting added to the 40-man around the beginning of December.
Rafael Flores
C Rafael Flores (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
An undrafted free agent in 2022, the same year that Jones was signed, out of a junior college southeast of LA, Flores broke into pro baseball with a literal bang. While he only spent 4 regular season games in the Florida Complex League (Rookie-level), he slashed .429/.429/.929/1.358 with 6 RBI, then in 3 postseason games where the FCL Yankees won the League Championship, he slashed .545/.583/1.182/1.765 with 3 RBI. The Yankees apparently liked that performance enough that he skipped Low-A Tampa entirely and started 2023 in High-A Hudson Valley.
The Yankees have been playing Flores like a lot of their other catchers in the system (think Ben Rice) in that he also plays 1B in addition to catcher, but he has nearly 5x the time behind the plate compared to at 1B this season. Of the group listed, Flores is the most likely candidate to get traded unless the Yankees trade Escarra, then he may be protected and possibly called up in 2026 (they would likely defer to calling up Jesus Rodriguez first since he’s already on the 40-man).
Chase Hampton
RHP Chase Hampton (Courtesy: Somerset Patriots)
It’s a little difficult to predict what the Yankees may do with Hampton or how they value him considering the injuries he’s dealt with in the past 18 months. Hampton missed significant time last season, only pitching in 18-2/3 innings in 2024, with 13 of those innings on rehab. It was then announced this March that he would have to have season-ending Tommy John surgery, so likely we won’t see him until around April. However, Hampton has still put up decent numbers in his time with the organization, throwing a combined 3.63 ERA, along with a 12.23 K/9 and 3.12 BB/9.
Hampton may be a part of trade discussions, but it’s unclear whether they may or may not protect him.
Jace Avina
OF Jace Avina (Courtesy: Somerset Patriots)
Avina was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in November 2023 as part of the trade that sent them Jake Bauers, and he’s done well since he’s been with the Yankees. Nothing particularly stands out about Avina other than he has solid bat-to-ball skills and has a good sense of his speed (which he has plenty of). Avina isn’t much of a power hitter, but in 61 games, he has already matched the amount of homers hit last season (10).
Avina may be a small part of trade discussions because of the consistency he’s provided to the Yankees, but otherwise don’t expect him to go anywhere.
Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz
Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (Courtesy: Hudson Valley Renegades/Dave Janosz)
Rodriguez-Cruz, or ERC as he’s affectionately called by many on social media, has been an outstanding return in exchange for C Carlos Narváez from the Red Sox. While he’s struggled early after getting promoted to Double-A, Rodriguez-Cruz posted a 2.26 ERA in High-A, along with a 10.65 K/9 and 3.98 BB/9 in 83-2/3 IP. He mostly throws a fastball/sinker combo that sits high-90s and reaches 97 MPH, along with a low-90s change-up and a high-70s 12-6 curveball, and has good command of the zone.
I would expect that if Rodriguez-Cruz is dealt, it’s likely as part of a package (like with Jones) for someone that the Yankees can hang on to for a few years, considering he seems like a sure bet to be a Major Leaguer some day. I would also expect that the Yankees protect him in whichever way possible.
Geoffrey Gilbert
Yankees LHP prospect Geoffrey Gilbert winds up to throw a pitch (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
Gilbert threw in only 7 IP last year before landing on the 60-day, then full-season, IL, but he only allowed a hit and two walks in that span. Fast-forward to this year, and while Gilbert doesn’t have that kind of quality, he’s still throwing exceptional, reliable relief innings as a setup man: 2.42 ERA, 13.15 K/9, 4.15 BB/9. In his heyday, Mariano Rivera wasn’t throwing strikes anywhere near that rate. Of note, Gilbert somehow isn’t on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 (he would be on my Top 30), so it’s unclear how the Yankees value him.
I would imagine, though, considering he was used in a relief inning this past February during Spring Training, that he’s valued at least somewhat high. At the same time, most prospects can be moved for the right price/player, and I suspect that’s the case here.
Allen Facundo
LHP Allen Facundo (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
Facundo is only just returning from a lengthy Tommy John recovery and rehab, but given the numbers he’s put up in the few outings since being back, it’s likely that he’s on someone’s radar. In his most recent outing in Dunedin, Facundo was averaging mid-90s on his heater, with velos nearly reaching triple digits (99.7), something new for him. He also threw a mid-80s slider, which I recall moving like a Wiffle Ball, along with one change-up which was thrown at 90 MPH.
Like Gilbert, I’m unsure how the Yankees value Facundo, as like Gilbert, he’s missed the last year so he’ll need some time to get re-ranked in the system. I suspect he stays put until at least next season, where he’ll be moved up and exposed to scouts in the Northeast.
Below you can find all (or most at least) players that are Rule 5 eligible, along with those having eligibility nearing, in PDF form. Data is courtesy Fangraphs.
Carsten Charles (CC) Sabathia Jr. is only a few days away from immortality, with his Baseball Hall of Fame induction only a little over a week away. The ceremony will be held on July 27, 2025, in Cooperstown, NY, a quiet hamlet a few hours west of Albany, tucked away in the Catskills.
Sabathia had an incredible career: A 6-time All-Star (3 consecutive years, 2010-2012, with the Yankees), Cy Young winner (2007, Cleveland), 2009 ALCS MVP, 2009 World Series champion, MLB wins leader in 2009 & 2010, over 3,000 strikeouts (3,093) and 251 career victories. Sabathia also ended his career with a career ERA of 3.74 and a win-loss record of 251-161 (61%)
Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia throws a pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics Monday, June 25, 2007, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. Sabathia was credited with his 11th win of the season in the Indians’ 5-2 victory. Photo Credit: Jeff Glidden/AP
Originally drafted by the (then) Cleveland Indians in 1998 as their first round selection (20th overall), Sabathia made his Major League debut on April 8, 2001, as the youngest player in the Majors at 20 years old, where he pitched in 5-2/3 innings versus the Orioles, allowing 3 hits and 3 earned runs while walking 2 batters and striking out 3. Later in 2001, he would end up 2nd voting for the AL Rookie of the Year behind fellow Class of 2025 Hall of Famer, and former fellow Yankee, Ichiro Suzuki.
Sabathia had an incredible career with the Indians over the course of the next 7 years, amassing an ERA of 3.83 and 1,265 strikeouts in 1528-2/3 innings of work over 237 games, including being named to the All-Star team 3 times (2003, 2004, 2007).
Sabathia spent one year in Milwaukee after being traded by the Indians on July 7, 2008, helping the Brewers clinch the NL Wild Card by pitching a complete-game against the Cubs, allowing only 4 hits, a walk and a run, while striking out 7 batters. He only pitched in one postseason game that year, allowing 5 runs (all earned) on 6 hits, 4 walks and a home run in 3-2/3 innings pitched. However, despite that poor postseason showing, Sabathia recorded a 2.70 ERA in 35 starts between both Cleveland and Milwaukee going into free agency.
The Yankees signed Sabathia to a seven-year, $161 million contract on December 18, 2008, the largest contract for a pitcher in MLB history (at the time). It’s probably fair to say that most readers here can remember where they were when the deal was announced, and again when Sabathia was introduced to the media while wearing the Yankee Pinstripes for the first time.
Sabathia was the starter for the 2009 season, where he went on to pitch 230 innings, and recorded 197 strikeouts (a figure he would also record two more times over the next three years), while ending the regular season with a 3.37 ERA. In 36-1/3 innings of work in the 2009 postseason, Sabathia threw a 1.98 ERA, allowing only 8 earned runs, while striking out 32 batters. This led him to be named the 2009 ALCS MVP.
Sabathia’s best season with the Yankees was in 2011, where he tossed a neat 3 ERA in 237-1/3 innings pitched, while striking out 230 batters, the most strikeouts he would record in pinstripes. However, he was one of the most consistent starters the Yankees had during the 2010s. In 1688 innings between 2010 and 2019, Sabathia threw an ERA of 3.87 (725 ER), while recording 1,503 strikeouts (8.01 K/9) and 509 walks (2.71 BB/9).
Sabathia may be best known by Yankees fans for his “bulldog” attitude, though. He was nearly always fired up on the mound, and the Yankees haven’t had that kind of presence out there since he retired at the end of the 2019 season. Probably most memorably for fans was the moment in 2018 where Sabathia forwent a $500,000 bonus as a result of hitting Jesus Sucre after the Rays zipped a fastball by Austin Romine’s ear.
An 11-0 margin in the final game between the @RaysBaseball and the Yankees this season. Sure, go ahead and intentionally hit a person. Today's game is live on FOX Sports Sun and FOX Sports Go. #RaysUppic.twitter.com/p4tPs06CHo
— FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun (@FanDuelSN_FL) September 27, 2018
Ironically, Sabathia’s 3,000th strikeout came on former Yankees prospect John Ryan Murphy on April 30, 2019, the final year of the career. The Baseball Hall of Fame have a fantastic interview conducted by the BBHOF after that moment to read for those interested.
Since being retired, Yankees fans most commonly see Sabathia as an invited guest to Spring Training, where this past year, he met with current Yankees starters Carlos Rodón and Max Fried, along with retired starters Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. Sabathia works with pitchers during bullpens and stands behind the netting the Yankees place behind the mound on the main field at Steinbrenner Field with other guests and Yankees coaches.
L tor R: Carlos Rodón, Roger Clemens, Steve Donohue, Andy Pettitte, Max Fried, and CC Sabathia (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
During Sabathia’s media availability earlier this afternoon, he noted that right after he was named an inductee as part of this year’s class, he had to keep reminding himself why people were congratulating him, saying “Every time I see somebody they, like, they say, congratulations. And I’m like, “for what?” So, you know, just, you know, having that, you know, since January to now, you know, it’s kind of been like a celebration, you know? Every time you see somebody, it’s you know, “Congratulations”, and “How’s the speech coming along?” And so, you know, you get the daily reminder every day.”
Sabathia also noted about how he’s looking forward to Hall of Fame Weekend: “Um, you know, for me, it’s, uh, just exciting to be able to have my family there. Have so many different people from my hometown, um. So, I’m just I’m ready to be, you know, up there and be present. And you know, I’m not, you know, I have a lot of anxiety about the speech, obviously. If anybody knows me, I don’t like to really talk in front of people. So, a 10-minute speech in front of a crowd is gonna be, uh, interesting, but I’m ready to be in the moment and be excited and be with my family, and, and, uh, and celebrate the moment.”
Sabathia also stated that other Hall of Famers have been in contact with him lately, offering congratulations and other words, from teammate Derek Jeter, to Chipper Jones, whom he met in Atlanta during the All-Star festivities, to Ferguson Jenkins, Ken Griffey Jr. and Eddie Murray.
Sabathia also discussed what it meant to him to be a black ace pitcher and the third Black pitcher with 3,000 strikeouts, and how he’s helping the next generation of Black pitchers through The Players’ Alliance. Sabathia named Rays pitcher Taj Bradley, and Reds pitchers Chase Burns and Hunter Green, saying that he doesn’t want to be the last Black pitcher to win 20 games or last Black pitcher Hall of Famer and that he was excited to help motivate the next generation of Black starting pitchers.
Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe asked about his most memorable Yankees vs. Red Sox game, to which Sabathia noted “probably the Tyler Austin fight”.
Sabathia: “I remember, I feel like my kind of, like, “Welcome to the Yankees”, when I became a Yankee moment happened against the Red Sox, um, late in 2009, I had to start against them early August. It’s a big series. I think we were kind of chasing. I don’t think we were in first place yet. And I went out, I got through eight innings, gave up one run, and um. That picture that I that, you know, Ari (Ariele Goldman Hecht) took the Yankee photographer. It’s kind of like, my favorite picture, um, that I’ve had as a Yankee, you know, walking off, like, kind of being hyped, and um, I feel like that was my like, “Welcome to the Yankees”. I became a Yankee in that moment, so that that’s the the biggest moment I think I’ll take away from the rivalry was being able to have a big game, and you know, pitch well.”
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge puts Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Joe Kelly in a headlock after Kelly hit Yankees’ Tyler Austin with a pitch during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (Charles Krupa/AP)
“But yeah, I mean, I’m serious about the Tyler Austin fight because in 2000… I think that was in 2017, um, we had that fight with Boston, and then we had a, another fight with the Tigers in Detroit. And I was, you know that team was young. That was a young Aaron Judge, that was a young Gary Sanchez, and you know, after, we kind of, you know, took up for each other in those moments, I’m like, “Oh yeah, this team has a chance to be really good.” And you know, that was a year we went off to the ALCS, so play in game seven. So, um, you know, you have those moments, and it kind of brings you together. And you know, that moment we had in Boston 2017 with that team was one of those.”
In June 2023, they played 23 games and went 11-12 (.478); this past June, they played 27 games and went 13-14 (.481).
The Yankees are very nearly playing like they did in 2023, the worst season they’d had since the early 90s. The only move the Yankees made at the trade deadline was that they acquired reliever Keynan Middleton for minor league pitching prospect Juan Carela. Nearly a month later, Middleton went on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation and would be out the rest of the season. However, Middleton did have a 1.88 ERA in 14.1 IP with the Yankees, but he hasn’t been in the Majors since and is currently a free agent.
The New York Yankees are acquiring right-handed reliever Keynan Middleton from the Chicago White Sox, sources tell ESPN.
With Boone saying that Clarke Schmidt is “likely” headed for UCL repair surgery (Tommy John surgery), the Yankees are reportedly calling up RHP Cam Schlittler to fill Schmidt’s place in the rotation. It’s possibly the best the rotation has looked in a little while.
It may be fair to say that the rotation, like a lot of the team, is in a shambles currently. Carlos Rodón looked awful in his latest start versus the Mets on Saturday afternoon, throwing in 5 innings, but allowed 7 runs (6 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks, including 2 homers. The bullpen is a mess currently, especially with the team not having a reliable reliever, including Luke Weaver, who has not looked the same since returning from the IL.
More and more fans on social media are starting to sound alarm bells on how the coaching staff (namely manager Aaron Boone), the players (namely Aaron Judge) and the front office have been deafeningly quiet regarding the recent performances on the field.
Aaron Boone on his level of frustration with the Yankees' losing streak:
"It's been a terrible week.. As corny as it sounds these are the moments that build character within a team" pic.twitter.com/yaNaFJTHcA
At this point, ownership needs to make some kind of move to make a statement to fans. Otherwise, the perception amongst fans will be that the team is placating fans for a cash grab. Fans are tired of the same nonsense and poor performance put up by this team from the past few seasons. “It’s right in front of us” isn’t good enough anymore.
Hypothetically speaking, what kind of moves are practical?
It doesn’t make sense to change the outfield. Overall, they’ve been the best performers compared to the rest of the team.
The infield could use a refresh, however. Including Saturday’s home run, Anthony Volpe is hitting 5-for-30 (.167/.194/.300/.494) in the past 7 games. The Yankees aren’t going to move him or demote him. That logic amongst fans needs to be dismissed. If anything, he needs to be sat for a few games to regroup, and in his place, either Oswald Peraza can play or they can call up Jorbit Vivas.
Regarding 2B/3B, the Yankees should move Jazz Chisholm over to his natural position (and where he wants to play), and they should call up Jesús Rodríguez from AAA. 3B isn’t Rodríguez’s natural position; that’s behind the plate. However, Rodríguez can still move well for a catcher, and plays 3B decently. More importantly, he may provide an offensive impact to the team that desperately needs it.
With that, what happens with DJ LeMahieu? His offensive performance of late has been solid, hitting 26-for-83 (.313/.380/.386/.766) in the last 30 games, but has only recorded 9 RBI in that span. LeMahieu should become the DH temporarily, interspersing Giancarlo Stanton at times (pinch hitter, etc.), considering Stanton has not been performing very well since returning from the IL. In 49 at-bats, Stanton has only recorded 11 hits for a slash of .224/.333/.306/.639 with 7 RBI.
As noted earlier, Weaver has not performed the same since returning from the injured list on June 20. Since then, he has a 13.50 ERA, allowing 8 earned runs on 8 hits in 5.1 IP. In the last 3 games, Weaver has a 32.40 ERA (7 runs, 6 earned on 5 hits, including 3 HR, plus 1 walk). Some say he should go back on the IL because possibly he didn’t recover properly. Maybe that’s true that he hadn’t, but an IL stint may not resolve his issues, unless he truly isn’t 100% recovered.
Most importantly, either Boone needs to put his foot down and manage strictly or the Yankees need to make a change. The favorite seems to be Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre manager Shelley Duncan, although Ausmus can probably “pinch hit” temporarily until they find someone externally.
Fans are calling for Brian Cashman to go, but things would likely have to be catastrophic for Cashman to be released from his contract, especially if he was retained after the 2023 season. At the very least, changes need to be made, and quickly. There’s still time to recover from this slide, but if they continue to be stagnant, the hole may be too significant to get out of, and we will indeed see another repeat of 2023.
Saturday’s Yankees versus Red Sox game came under scrutiny when DJ LeMahieu hit the chalk on the 1st base foul line, but the play was called “foul”. It’s a judgment call, initially. Yankees manager Aaron Boone later argued that that judgment call set a poor standard for the potential of the call getting overturned. After the game, Yankees beat writers mused that MLB should implement something like how tennis has done for the same kind of in/out-of-bounds kind of play.
Aaron Boone was ejected after the umpires didn't overturn this foul ball call pic.twitter.com/HtT3oCuZem
It’s not like the technology doesn’t exist. HawkEye is the same system used both in tennis as in baseball. It’s the system used for pitch placement with ABS, skeletal frames you may see replays of, plus lots of other data. Goodness, HawkEye has been upholding and overturning in/out calls since being implemented in 2001 with cricket.
In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader in Tampa, I saw the first check swing challenge. Home plate umpire called no swing, field ump confirmed; upheld.
Two pitches later, it happened again. Same swing: umpire said batter swung, no challenge because Clearwater ran out of challenges (you only get the one challenge). I spoke to two scouts about this yesterday, and they noted that they didn’t like the challenge because of the inconsistency.
Our mutual thought was, “why have the challenge if the rule is inconsistent? If it’s the same swing, you have to call them the same.” I think only having the one challenge to use is an issue, especially if an umpire is being inconsistent like this. Further, I think it’s frustrating for many parties with these judgment calls, whether it’s the check swing or other plays, when there’s only one umpire on the field in these Low-A and FCL games in Florida.
It seems that MLB is trying to create a firm rule for where there used to be a judgment call. I was surprised to learn that that wasn’t actually a rule but instead a judgment call by the umpires. The unwritten rule is that the bat can’t break the front plane of the plate. However, MLB/MiLB has it in the Florida State League where anything past a 45-degree angle from the front plane of the plate. They note in this article that “the previous wiggle room has led to some wide interpretations of a swing over the years. Every so often, online clips go viral from Game 7 of the 1965 World Series of Don Mincher nearly bringing the bat around his entire body on pitches from Sandy Koufax, only to be called as non-swings.”
The first test (seen above) was implemented in the 2024 Arizona Fall League season, and maybe it makes more sense if it’s visualized as the video shows. At “The Tank”, the Tarpons’ home field for 2025, there is no video scoreboard, only a primitive scoreboard like you’d see at a high school or D-III college. Perhaps at any of the other stadiums across the Florida State League where they also display pitch challenges it may make more sense, but without visuals it’s difficult to wrap your head around. Before ABS calls were shown on the scoreboard, you could still see the pitches come in via the Baseball Savant site.
LHP Brock Selvidge throws a pitch for the Tampa Tarpons (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
One of the tests that baseball has done the past few years is the “pie slice”, which prevents too much of a shift and puts a 45-degree angle around second base. It led, in a way, to the current shift rules implemented by Major League baseball where teams have to have two infielders on each side of second base, except for when an outfielder is brought in. It provides more defensive strategy, but the pie slice was supposed to encourage more offense so that if the batter were to hit a ball over the “pie slice”, there wouldn’t be a defender in the way to stop the ball.
In case you haven’t watched a Low-A game anytime recently, most batters cannot control the ball as well as a Major Leaguer, like say Aaron Judge, can, so the point of creating more offense is rather limited.
Some rules tested in the FSL, like the shift rule, have been implemented in the Majors. Most notably, the larger bases, increased to 18 inch squares from 15 inch squares, were a test in late 2022. Apparently both teams and players liked the change, especially in regard to player safety, and it was implemented in the Majors in 2023.
In 2021, alongside ABS testing, MLB/MiLB tested limiting pickoffs in the FSL like what we see now in the Majors where pitchers are limited to 2 pickoff attempts per at-bat with a third failed pickoff resulting in a balk. Also in 2021, the pitch timer was implemented, again like what is currently used in the Majors.
Revisiting the original discussion, I think most fans would agree that MLB should use the technology already installed in stadiums and actively used by the league and teams and have a system in place to be able to challenge calls like what we saw on Saturday. The video above that discussed HawkEye noted that it is accurate on dirt and clay, despite not being used at Roland Garros. And of course it is, since it’s been used in cricket for over two decades.
I should also add that the commentators on the Dodgers/Padres game on Monday night were discussing how awful of a check swing call they saw in the top of the 1st inning. As the inning went on, they kept griping about how it should have been strike 3, preventing a Padres run from coming in. They also mentioned that there should be a rule instead of being a judgment call.
I don’t necessarily agree that the “no swing” determination should be greater than 45-degrees past the front plane of home plate. I think it should go off of what is the unwritten rule of not going past that front plane. What happens when these players get promoted to High-A where they go back to the unwritten rule guidance? I suppose the same can be said with how the size and shape of the strike zone is different in the Florida State League compared to the “traditional” strike zone. The strike zone is 20 inches wide (1.5″ wider on each side of the plate) with a two-dimensional rectangle at the midpoint of the plate. The top and bottom of the strike zone is set at 53.5% and 27% of the batter’s height, respectively.
Do you like the changes that MLB has made lately, and do you agree with the various tests that are being done in the Minors?
I had the opportunity to catch up on Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Carson Coleman earlier today after a brief appearance in Tampa, FL on rehab.
To catch things up, Coleman was signed as a free agent during the pandemic in June 2020, and didn’t debut until May 5, 2021 with Low-A Tampa. He spent the full season there, struggling throughout, ending the 2021 season with an ERA of 6.11.
Coleman turned heads the following season after posting a 0.47 ERA in 19-1/3 innings with High-A Hudson Valley, then a 2.86 ERA with AA Somerset. He missed the 2023 season after having Tommy John surgery, then was selected by the Texas Rangers on December 6, 2023 during the Major League portion of the Rule 5 draft. Coleman told me, “It was great. I mean, I got to have the opportunity to be around a big league club. Obviously, injuries didn’t go the way I would like, but that was awesome. I mean, it was a great experience. Texas was an amazing organization, and I was thankful for the opportunity, but happy to be back with the Yankees too.
Coleman then missed all of 2024 with a right shoulder surgery via his MiLB profile, which Coleman said was a nerve transposition surgery, but that is actually a surgery that’s typically done in the elbow. It involves surgically relocating the ulnar nerve from a position where it’s compressed, typically behind the elbow, as a result of cubital tunnel syndrome.
Coleman noted that he was happy to be back in Tampa, where the Yankees have been “very welcoming”. He added that, “when you come back to a place [the Yankees] that loves and respects you, and, you know, looks at you in a good way. It’s nice to be back”
After missing two years due to injury, Coleman has thrown four perfect innings on rehab assignment, split evenly between Rookie-level Florida Complex League and Low-A Tampa. Coleman added, “I feel good getting back to it. It’s been nice to finally get back on a game mound for the first time in a long time.” Today, Coleman threw a mix of a sinker and a curveball, hitting 97 on the sinker while sitting in the upper 70s with the curveball.
RHP Carson Coleman (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
Coleman noted that the mound at “The Tank”, the field that the Tarpons are playing on this year, is similar to that of the main field at Steinbrenner Field. He noted that, “It’s always fun, especially having [Aaron] Bossi as a manager. One of my coaches in, uh, in Somerset. Bossi’s the man, so it’s always good to pitch for him.” Bossi was previously the Defensive & Baserunning Coach for Somerset.
Coleman was unsure what the next steps were, but said he expected to be going up to Hudson Valley in the next week or two to continue the rehab.
If he continues pitching how he did today, and has so far while on rehab assignment, he could very well be in line for a late-in-the-season call-up.
It was announced earlier today that LHP Griffin Herring and OF Tyler Wilson were both named (in a sweep!) the Florida State League Pitcher and Player of the Week, respectively.
#Yankees No. 25 prospect Griffin Herring spun six hitless innings, yielding a pair of walks while striking out 10 for @TampaTarpons.
It’s rare to see a prospect perform the same or better in the pros compared to his collegiate career, but that’s exactly what Tarpons LHP Griffin Herring has done in the first two months of his pro career with the Yankees. The LSU alum was recently named to MiLB’s Prospect Team of the Week after throwing 6 no-hit innings versus the Dunedin Blue Jays (Low-A Toronto). Dunedin only reached base twice on two walks, and the team’s batters were struck out 10 times in the 6 inning appearance.
Herring does it AGAIN 🔥 x2 Griffin Herring is your FSL Pitcher of the Week 5/19–25 👉 6 hitless innings, 10 K’s in Dunedin!💪
Herring has without a doubt been Tampa’s best pitcher, holding an ERA around or under 1 through 8 games. Surprisingly, Herring started 1 game with LSU out of the 39 he threw in for them, recording 8 saves between 2023 & 2024. That said, Herring has a lower opposing batting average (.153 vs. 209), lower WHIP (1.03 vs. 0.90), lower BABIP (.227 vs. .314) and the same K% (33.3%) compared to last season with LSU.
Herring doesn’t seem to fade like other pitchers do as they start to fatigue. He was pulled from the no-hitter after 6 innings because of a pitch limit, but I suspect that if he was in the Majors, or possibly a bit higher up in the system, he may have been able to pull off a full no-hit game. He was in line for over 100 pitches; he ended the day with 86 pitches and 53 strikes.
It should be noted as well that Herring held a 0.39 ERA in the month of April; 23.1 IP, 1 ER on 12 H, 1 HB, 10 BB, and 28 SO.
Tarpons playing better in May
The Tarpons look like a completely different team compared to the one I saw in the first few weeks of the season. There’s a lot more cohesion and, to be frank, more teamwork, instead of just playing for oneself’s benefit. The pitching has looked better, with Herring being the “ace” of the starting rotation, and the bullpen has also cleaned things up to. We haven’t seen this good of a team since this time in 2021, when players like Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells and Andres Chaparro were with the Tarpons.
Tyler Wilson, the Florida State League’s Player of the Week for May 19-25, batted 12-for-20 (.600) with 2 doubles, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 5 K and was 1-for 2 on stolen bases. Wilson also recorded 23 total bases.
OF Tyler Wilson (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
The Tarpons still have an uphill climb out of what was last place, but are only 2.5 games back of Lakeland and face Lakeland in a 3-game split week because of the schedule adjustments to accommodate the Rays (they’re home vs. Fort Myers this weekend). The possibility exists that Tampa can get up to first place in the West Division before the end of the week. Tampa’s record to date in May is 15-7 (.682) versus 9-14 (.391) in April. They have a combined record of 24-21 (.533).
Tampa had also increased their run differential to +34 from -22 on April 30. They went from 93-115 to 246-212, scoring 153 runs and allowing 97 runs for a run diff of +56 in May.
OF Dillon Lewis (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
A lot of that has to do with Tampa’s offense waking up. They’re making better swing decisions and are working more pitches until they get one they can hit. We’re getting to that point in the season where we’re going to start seeing movement throughout the system. Prospects like Dillon Lewis (2024,13th round) and Juan Matheus (IFA, Venezuela) are hitting .313/.389/.689 and .298/.354/.357, respectively in May. We’ve seen improvements throughout the offense as a whole for the most part, but those two stick out in particular, given their performances of late.
RHP Sean Hermann (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
The pitching is a lot more consistent as well, and the Tampa bullpen has improved significantly. Sean Hermann has looked even better than he did in 2023 with Tampa as he returns from Tommy John surgery (ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction surgery). They’ve also moved Hermann from starter to reliever, which may be the route the Yankees go in the long term; he’s improved from a 4.93 ERA in 22 games in 2023 to a 1.61 ERA in 12 games in 2025.
As noted previously, the Tarpons start the week tonight on the road versus the Lakeland Flying Tigers (Low-A Detroit), spending the next 3 nights there, and return home for a 3-game weekend series versus the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Low-A Minnesota). The rotation in Lakeland should be something like Kirtner, Flatt, Herring based on what they’ve had the past two weeks, but Brock Selvidge is rehabbing with Tampa so they may sneak him in there for an inning or two someplace.
Tampa usually doesn’t announce their starter until just prior to first pitch; Lakeland has rehabbing RHP Tyler Mattison starting tonight. Mattison missed all of 2024 to injury, but was last with AA Erie in 2023, throwing a 1.62 ERA in 33.1 IP.
