The four major affiliates had their own version of an all-star break this week, so in lieu of a regular recap about the last few games, we’re going to take stock of the system, the names you should know ahead of the trade deadline, and the storylines as the season moves into the home stretch.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Record: 13-6 (50-43), 2 GB in the International League East after a 2-0 week against the Worcester Red Sox (Red Sox)
Run differential: +38 (+41)
Coming up: Home vs. Syracuse Mets (Mets)
Scranton won both games it played this weekend, with Saturday’s game rained out. They’re in a decent spot as we enter the fourth week of the second half in terms of the playoff race, but the harsh International League format will require them to be nearly perfect.
In terms of prospect billing, it starts with George Lombard Jr., who’s acclimating nicely to Triple-A pitching and hasn’t missed a beat since returning from a finger sprain. He’s the gem of this farm system and quickly become a consensus top-20 prospect in baseball. He’s MLB-ready when it comes to hitting left-handed pitching and his incredible defense, but the Yankees might need to see more consistent contact and hitting against righties to make the call to add him for the playoff push.
After Lombard on the hitting side, Spencer Jones is a big name, but his value is likely diminished after his first big league returns weren’t that positive. Add to the fact that he’s nearing his 25th birthday, and you wonder what teams think of his chances of figuring it out. There are some older guys out there too who are raking in Tyler Hardman and Garrett Martin (when healthy) who could be trade chips in smaller deals. If they do stay, they’d be intriguing Rule 5 decisions in the offseason.
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The rotation only has one true trade candidate in Elmer Rodríguez, who is likely the best pitching prospect in the organization. Out of the team’s core group of prospects, he seems likeliest to be dealt, but he remains the next man up in a rotation depth chart that’s holding on by a thread due to injuries and recent performance. That factor might keep him in the organization.
Brendan Beck and Kyle Carr are the other two prospects starting in Triple-A, but neither has ever had their prospect stock approach their minor league performance due to stuff concerns. Beck has struggled in his big league cameos, while Carr is adjusting after solving Double-A last year. Minor league depth is important, and they’re both in that category.
The bullpen has some guys. Yovanny Cruz is a guy that the Yankees are high on, and many believe could contribute in the major league bullpen. They might’ve found something in recently selected Bradley Hanner, who’s had a terrific year. Eric Reyzelman’s Triple-A stats aren’t there yet, but he’s been ferocious this season with near triple-digit heat.
Players of Note:
George Lombard Jr.: .244/.388/.415, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 18 XBH, 8 SB, 116 wRC+
Spencer Jones: .276/.384/.568, 14 HR, 51 RBI, 10 SB, 30.3 K%, 143 wRC+
Tyler Hardman: .265/.364/.488, 9 HR, 26 RBI, 18 XBH, 120 wRC+
Brendan Beck: 7-2, 3.09 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 1.04 WHIP, 17.3 K-BB% (93 IP)
Elmer Rodríguez: 5-3, 2.85 ERA, 4.17 FIP, 1.30 WHIP, 11.9 K-BB% (66.1 IP)
Double-A Somerset Patriots
Record: 8-13 (45-45), 4 GB in the Eastern League Northeast after a 1-2 week against the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox)
Run differential: -13 (+23)
Coming up: Away @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays)
Somerset’s struggles continued this weekend by losing two out of three to Portland, as their offense has just not been able to get back to the level they were at earlier in the season. It’s a place that’s currently full of guys on the prospect periphery with stocks that wax and wane with every hot and cold streak.
The big bat continues to be Jace Avina, a pull-side power outfielder with hit tool concerns. The former Brewers draft pick is another Rule 5 eligible guy, and he could see Triple-A soon, but his inability to make consistent contact dampens his profile. After him, there aren’t many prospects on any radars, but Coby Morales’ evolution into finding the power in his bat makes him someone to keep an eye on.
The rotation has name-brand value, but it’s a room full of guys with falling stocks. Chase Hampton is finally healthy, but is struggling mightily in his first year back from multiple elbow injuries; Ben Hess has spent much of the season building up from an undisclosed early-season ailment, Jack Cebert has endured growing pains, and Cade Smith has struggled to adjust to the level. Xavier Rivas has been a stud in recent weeks with some tremendous stuff and is a pitcher whose stock is rising.
Hayden Merda has been very good and will need to be considered in the Rule 5 discussions in the offseason, but the bullpen discussion centers around Ben Grable, a 2025 11th-round pick out of Indiana who is flying up the minor leagues. He has a truly alien fastball, and he was picked as a Futures Game replacement because of it. It would not be surprising if he found a way to debut this September.
Players of Note:
Jace Avina: .264/.349/.524, 17 HR, 49 RBI, 39 XBH, 27.5 K%, 134 wRC+
Jackson Castillo: .256/.347/.390, 7 HR, 35 RBI, 8 SB, 103 wRC+
Coby Morales: .274/.356/.494, 16 HR, 64 RBI, 13 SB, 127 wRC+
Xavier Rivas: 4-4, 4.20 ERA, 4.58 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 23.4 K-BB% (64.1 IP)
Ben Grable (A+/AA): 3-1, 2.48 ERA, 1.85 FIP, 0.77 WHIP, 33.6 K-BB% (32.2 IP)
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades
Record: 13-11 (44-45), 2 GB in the South Atlantic League North Second Half after a 2-1 week against the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets)
Run differential: +30 (+39)
Coming up: Away @ Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals)
The Renegades are trying to get back on track after some shoddy play of late, recently winning two of three against Brooklyn. Their prospect outlook is full of interesting guys with fallen stocks who are on the road to redemption, while some other recent draftees make first impressions.
The injury to Kaeden Kent, a contact-first son of a Hall of Famer, has hurt the lineup, but it’s been nicely supplemented by the solid hitting of 2025 fifth-rounder Core Jackson, who’s due for a promotion to Somerset soon. The emergence of Wilson Rodriguez of late has been encouraging, but has been overshadowed by the complete revival of former top prospect Roderick Arias, who looked dead in the water as a prospect as recently as early June before a startling turnaround that suddenly makes the 21-year-old a candidate to see Somerset soon.
Some names in the rotation pique interest. Luis Serna is someone whose stock fell apart due to injuries over the last two years, but has looked healthy and effective this year. Henry Lalane falls in that bucket too, suddenly looking like the hotshot prospect he was in the D.R. a few years ago. Allen Facundo has some big fans for his strikeout ability, but his command woes likely have him ticketed to the bullpen. 2024 draftee Bryce Cunningham is the highest-ranked guy here, but has not looked the same after missing the end of 2025 with injury.
Players of Note:
Kaeden Kent: .302/.359/.433, 6 HR, 43 RBI, 28 XBH, 20 SB, 107 wRC+ (injured)
Core Jackson: .250/.356/.452, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 27 SB, 112 wRC+
Roderick Arias: .270/.358/.446, 11 HR, 58 RBI, 27 SB, 110 wRC+
Luis Serna: 4-4, 4.06 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 18.5 K-BB% (82 IP)
Bryce Cunningham: 2-5, 4.10 ERA, 5.06 FIP, 1.33 WHIP, 9.2 K-BB% (52.2 IP)
Single-A Tampa Tarpons
Record: 18-6 (53-37), 5.5 GA in the Florida State League West after a 3-0 week against the Bradenton Marauders (Pirates)
Run differential: +42 (+65)
Coming up: Home vs. Bradenton Marauders (Pirates)
Tampa has been an absolute juggernaut. They’re destroying teams across the Florida State League, making an example out of Bradenton over the weekend with three big wins. They’re doing it with guys who, entering this season, weren’t on many radars, but they’re all pushing for promotions with the new crop of guys from the 2026 class likely to debut in August.
The heart and soul of the offense is Jackson Lovich, a 2025 16th-rounder who has utterly torched Single-A pitching with some light-tower power. Why hasn’t he been promoted with several months of sample? He has major, Spencer Jones-esque contact issues. I’d bet on a promotion soon to test him, but it’s something to watch.
The other hitters, Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, Hans Montero, Willy Montero, and JoJo Jackson (who’s now out for the season), come from all walks of life and are contributing. There are a few FCL call-ups making names for themselves, with the most notable being Luis Escudero. He missed three weeks with injury, but when he’s been healthy, he’s got some Ruthian numbers in a small sample.
The pitching staff has lost Facundo and Lalane as the season has progressed, but still has a few interesting guys. Thatcher Hurd missed his first professional season but has returned with some great stuff, and Tyler Boudreau is turning heads as an undrafted free agent, putting up great numbers, but the rest is thinned out. Recent injuries to Brennan Stuprich and Mac Heuer have really thinned out the back.
Players of Note:
Jackson Lovich: .282/.351/.534, 18 HR, 60 RBI, 37 XBH, 21 SB, 128 wRC+
Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: .258/.372/.408, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 31 SB, 111 wRC+
Hans Montero: .247/.374/.432, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 30 XBH, 30 SB, 118 wRC+
Tyler Boudreau: 5-2, 3.16 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 18.9 K-BB% (74 IP)
Thatcher Hurd: 1-3, 4.34 ERA, 5.10 FIP, 1.14 WHIP, 18.7 K-BB% (29 IP)
FCL Yankees
Record: 29-26, 7.5 GB in the FCL North after a 2-1 week.
Run differential: +14
There are only three games left in the FCL Yankees’ season. By the end of the day on Thursday, they’ll be all done. Wilberson De Pena has broken the FCL home run, RBIs, and total bases records in his terrific season, while Dexters Peralta is tapping into the game power that eluded him early in his career but still has major whiff concerns.
Why do the Yankees hold some of these prospects down longer than you’d expect? FCL to Tampa used to be a lot bigger of a jump, but the contraction of the minor leagues has congested the system and led to a lot of players stalling out in Single-A across baseball. I’m sure some of these guys, especially De Pena, will get a chance in Tampa down the stretch, but with how the minors are structured now, don’t be surprised if a lot of them are done for the year to make room for the 2026 draftees.
One note I want to make here is that 2025 first-round pick Dax Kilby has finally returned from a second hamstring ailment. He missed the first two months with a hamstring issue, re-injured it in late May in his first rehab game, and missed another two months before returning on Friday. We’ll see how much he pushes it in the next few weeks.
Players of Note:
Wilberson De Pena: .352/.409/.685, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 37 XBH, 22 SB, 153 wRC+
Jose Castro: .296/.468/.522, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 29 SB, 147 wRC+
Richard Matic: .286/.402/.443, 22 XBH, 28 RBI, 14 SB, 112 wRC+
Dexters Peralta: .220/.352/.492, 12 HR, 42 RBI, 20 XBH, 98 wRC+
Edinzo Marquez: 25.2 IP, 1.40 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 1.17 WHIP, 16.5 K-BB%
DSL Yankees & Bombers
DSL Yankees:
Record: 22-12, 1.5 GA in DSL East after a 3-2 week
Run differential: +110
DSL Bombers:
Record: 15-20, 7.5 GB in DSL Southeast after a 2-2 week
Run differential: -14
The DSL Yankees remain the best team at the level with the most outstanding offense. The DSL Bombers remain at the bottom. Isaias Castillo is the first DSL player to hit 10 home runs, but wasn’t selected as one of the team’s three all-stars at the DSL All-Star Game on Sunday.
The interesting part of the two DSL teams is that players can go back and forth between them. Emerging catcher Poly Ojeda is one who has moved from the Bombers to the Yankees, seemingly making it clear that the Yankees are the team with all the offensive talent.
Players of Note:
Isaias Castillo: .319/.430/.664, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 21 XBH, 11 SB, 145 wRC+
Juan Torres: .398/.463/.695, 5 HR, 36 RBI, 23 XBH, 13 SB, 163 wRC+
Stiven Marinez: .304/.435/.545, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 24 SB, 130 wRC+
Fredy Penuelas: 30.2 IP, 0.88 ERA, 3.54 FIP, 1.04 WHIP, 22.9 K-BB%
Yunior Jerez: 25.2 IP, 2.45 ERA, 3.78 FIP, 0.90 WHIP, 16.5 K-BB%
Prospect of the Week: George Lombard Jr.
Weekly Stats: 5-for-9, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2B, 2 K (FCL/AAA)
Season Stats (Triple-A): .244/.388/.415, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 18 XBH, 8 SB, 116 wRC+
Is this it?
George Lombard Jr. is very close to making his major league debut. All the elements are there. There’s a need with a struggling infield. He’s starting to hit the absolute cover off the ball, particularly against left-handed pitching. There’s enough runway if they think he can be a viable option come playoff time.
In my mind, we’ve reached a pivotal two weeks. How the Yankees address the infield at the deadline will decide if they view Lombard as ready to seize a starting role on a playoff team. If they aggressively get one or two guys, he’ll likely stay and work on his craft. If they don’t? He might be up in very early August.
In the brief week, he hit two home runs on rehab in the FCL before homering in his first at-bat back in Scranton. He had two hits on Sunday, including a double. It’s a matter of time for the Yankees’ top prospect; it just depends on what Brian Cashman and company do in the coming weeks.
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