All the attention this week is on the New York Yankees series with the Texas Rangers and their hope to advance to first place in the AL East. Last night’s loss in the first game of the 4 game series did not advance that hope. The Yankees got off to a slow start this season but have been playing better recently, taking the last seven series, which has seen them rise from the bottom of the AL East to a tie for the third spot. The Yankees’ loss last night was without three key players; hopefully, that will resolve itself sooner than later.
As the minor league system is going into the third week of play, the Yankee affiliates are doing pretty well. In some cases showing that some of the players major league-ready or close to it. Some stats are pretty inspiring.
The Scranton Wilkes/Barre Rail Riders:
The Rail Riders are on a roll; they are 9-3 for first place in the Triple-A northeast. Chris Gittens continues to impress, is major league-ready; unfortunately, the Yankees have no place to put him now that Luke Voit is back. He, in nine games, is hitting .333/.556/.917. He has two doubles and four home runs while walking 11 times, showing his patience at the plate. Four home runs are pretty amazing in just nine games.
New York Yankee prospect Deivi Garcia is staying major league ready if there is an injury, and the Yankees need him. He has pitched 10 innings striking out 16Â while allowing just 5 hits and walking two in his first two games of the season. He has not allowed a run and was named the Triple-A East pitcher of the week. In other RR news, Estevan Florial was promoted to Scranton after the Hicks injury. In three games at AA and two at AAA, he is hitting just .095/.174/.190.
Yeah, you could say Deivi was on ? pic.twitter.com/dIOeI2jJOz
— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) May 17, 2021
Low-A Tampa Yankee Tarpons
The Tarpons to start the season have the same winning record as the Rail Riders; they are 9-3 and 1st place in the Low-A Southeast. The only difference here is that the player’s names are not as recognizable. Standouts are pitcher Nelvin Correa. In four games and across 9.2 innings striking out nine opponents and allowing only 4 hits without allowing a run.
Max Burt, the 24-year-old out of Northeastern University, is playing great this season and may be his time to break out. In eight games, he is hitting .364/.400/.545, with 3 home runs and 3 doubles. He was playing so well that he is no longer with the Tarpons; he has been promoted to AA Somerset Patriots.
Double-A Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots (the old Trenton Thunder) are 7-5 on the season and are tied for first place in the Double-A (Northeast) North. The Patriots’ next game is in Hartford, CT, with the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies affiliate).
The Patriots have some outstanding players, and Ron Marinaccio is one of them as he has quickly become a pitcher to watch, as he’s impressed out of the bullpen early this season. In 4 relief appearances and 7.2 innings pitched, he has struck out 12 while allowing just two hits and no runs. The Patriots’ star hitter is Oswaldo Cabrera. In 8 games, he is hitting .321/.441/with a homer and two double. He is a very patient hitter at the plate; he has walked six times.
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades
The Renegades are the only New York Yankees affiliate that doesn’t have a winning record; they are 6-6, Tied for 2nd place in the High-A East (Northern). That may improve this week as they play the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) that are 4-7.
The standout Renegade is a name many Yankee fans will recognize; Oswald Peraza, he has now hit as many home runs in the last eight games as he had in his minor league career entering the season. He is coming off four straight homers in as many plate appearances. He also leads the league in stolen bases. In eight games, he is hitting .484/.556/1.000, hitting 5 home runs with 2 double baggers and seven stolen bases, and was High-A East player of the week.
Pitcher Ken Waldichuk is starting to make a name for himself. In his first start, he went 3.1 innings striking out 10. He backed that up with a second start when he struck out 7 across four innings. In both starts, he has not allowed a run.
My picks for the best Yankees minor league prospects for the first two weeks are Chris Gittens, Deivi Garcias, and Oswald Peraza.