Latest news with #EasternLeague
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Buzz grows in Yankees minor leagues with Spencer Jones back
Buzz grows in Yankees minor leagues with Spencer Jones back originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After missing nearly a month with a rib injury, Yankees prospect Spencer Jones has returned to Double-A Somerset and wasted no time making an impact. Out since May 4, Jones came back last Thursday and went 3-for-8 over three games, reminding everyone why he's one of the Eastern League's top power threats with nine home runs. Advertisement MINORS MATTERS Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Worth watching: Catcher Jesús Rodríguez lost 14 points on his batting average last week but still leads the IL with a .362 average. His .433 on-base percentage ranks third. Rodríguez is 9-for-13 in stolen base attempts. Third baseman José Rojas is tied for sixth in the league with 38 RBIs. He is one of four RailRiders with eight or more home runs. Allan Winans (4-0) threw 5⅓ scoreless innings Saturday against Worcester, lowering his ERA to 0.27 in eight games, including four starts. He has allowed 23 hits over 33⅓ innings. Winans has struck out 39 and walked 11. Advertisement Double-A Somerset Shortstop George Lombard Jr. is playing stellar defense but remains a work in progress offensively after 23 games at the Double-A level. His batting average is .195, but his .360 on-base percentage is encouraging. He has swiped seven bases in nine attempts. Cam Schlittler (4-5, Eastern League's fourth-best 2.38 ERA) gave up four hits and struck out six over five shutout innings against Akron on Sunday. He has 64 strikeouts (second in the EL) and 17 walks in 53 innings. New York Yankees center fielder Spencer JonesKim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Jones, out since May 4 with a rib injury, returned Thursday and went 3-for-8 in three games. He struck out four times over the three-game stretch and is tied for third with 45 strikeouts in 100 at-bats. Advertisement Class-A Hudson Valley Left-hander Griffin Herring allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts over six innings in his Hudson Valley debut Sunday against Wilmington. He earned a promotion last week after going 4-1 with a 1.21 ERA in eight starts with Single-A Tampa. Right-hander Bryce Cunningham (4-1, 2.14 ERA) was placed on the seven-day injured list. He was among the Sally League leaders at the time of his injury. Reliever Bryce Warrecker (0-0, 0.79 ERA) has allowed two runs on eight hits and struck out 29 in 22⅔ innings over 14 appearances. Class-A Tampa Left fielder Dillon Lewis leads the FSL with nine home runs. He is tied for sixth with 29 RBIs. Advertisement Third baseman-shortstop Owen Cobb, who doesn't qualify for the leaderboard with his .391 batting average, has played just once since May 25. He started the season on the Hudson Valley injured list before being sent to Tampa on April 29. Florida Complex League Yankees Third baseman Santiago Gomez is 9-for-10 in stolen bases with a .309 batting average. Left-hander Xavier Rivas earned a promotion to Tampa after going 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA over four games to start his pro career. The 22-year-old from Ole Miss, drafted in the 16th round of the 2024 draft, struck out 22 in 15⅔ innings. In his debut game with Tampa on Sunday against Fort Myers, he gave up one run on three hits in four innings. Advertisement Related: What Aaron Judge's Personal Story Reveals About His Focus and Fame Related: How Serious Is Jasson Dominguez's Thumb Injury and What's Next for Yankees? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
New York Yankees Prospect Rafael Flores Looking Like An Undrafted Gem
Rafael Flores has been a good hitter everywhere he has played. Yet no MLB team bothered to draft him. The New York Yankees were prepared to do so and passed. They eventually signed him and are delighted they did. Flores currently leads the Double-A Eastern League with 10 home runs. In 44 games this year for the Somerset Patriots, the 24-year-old has also hit .306 with 12 doubles and 36 RBI in 44 games. He has 13 multi-hit games, including six with three hits. SARASOTA, FL: Rafael Flores of the New York Yankees bats during a Spring Breakout game against the ... More Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) That's no surprise to the 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-handed slugger who divides his time between catcher and first base and was named the Yankees' 2024 Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. 'The hitting side of my game, there's no drastic changes anymore, I'm just trying to fine tune some things like my approach and my swing decisions,' Flores told Mike Ashmore of at the start of the 2025 season. 'This offseason, I'm just tried to feel the same things, feeling the same leg kick, feeling the same bat path. It's kind of just clicked, and it's been good so far, I love it.' Now in his fourth year in the minors, Flores has a ,278 career average with 59 doubles, 41 homers and 149 RBI in 277 games. He's working hard to remain at catcher, where he has thrown out only 17 percent (45 of 271) runners attempting to steal in 132 games behind the plate. That's why he has also played 103 games at first base. His hustle on defense does impress, however. Flores played baseball and basketball at Katella High School in Anaheim, then went off to nearby Cypress College for two years. In 49 games for the Chargers in 2018-20, he hit .342 (38-for-111) with 11 doubles, a triple and two homers. He had 24 walks to 14 strikeouts and drove in 28 runs. After sitting out 2021, it was off to Rio Hondo College in nearby Whittier. The Roadrunners have produced three MLB players: PITTSBURGH: John Urrea of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three ... More Rivers Stadium in 1977. (Photo by) ST. PETERSBURG, FL: Third baseman Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a home run in the second ... More inning against the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series at Tropicana Field on Oct. 2, 2008. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images) Flores was sensational at the school. He hit safely in his first 13 games, starting with a 4-for-5 debut featuring two homers and four RBI. After going 0-for-6, he hit safely in another 12 straight games. In 39 games overall, he batted .380 (63-for-166) with 16 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 41 runs and 36 RBI. He also had 19 walks to 19 strikeouts. After playing all his games close to home in southern California, Flores went to play in the Land of the Midnight Sun with the Alaska Goldpanners in the summer collegiate league. He hit .348 with 36 RBI in 28 games. The Yankees signed him for $75,000 one week after the draft on July 25, 2002. His coach at Rio Hondo, Mike Salazar, told reporters then that The Bronx Bombers had been watching Flores for some time and intended to draft him in the middle rounds. MLB Pipeline has him ranked 15th overall in the Yankees system and explains that Flores' career path is like that of current New York catcher-first baseman Ben Rice. Rice, 26, has 10 homers in 44 games for New York this year. He's built about the same as Flores but hits left-handed. Baseball America ranks Flores as the Yanks' 10th-best prospect. TAMPA, FL: Rafael Flores of the New York Yankees bats against the Pittsburgh Pirates at George M. ... More Steinbrenner Field on March 16, 2025. (Photo by Leah King/Diamond Images via Getty Images) 'That's about right from what I have seen,' said a scout for a rival AL team. 'He's got raw power to the pull side, for sure, and doesn't chase out of the zone. His strikeouts have come, from what I can tell, on pitch recognition, change of speeds. That gets the best of them. 'The best of them learn to adjust and become more selective. Flores has got to do that. 'Defensively, he's got an average arm for a catcher but pretty good footwork for such a big guy. He needs to play there and gain experience. 'I think he could be an average catcher with big power, probably off the bench as a backup or in a platoon and get some ABs at DH and first base.' The New York Yankees have the reputation of buying free agents. Shrewdly scouting players such as Rafael Flores at small schools sometimes pays off, too.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees top pick shifts positions in early Double-A action
It's too soon to project where George Lombard Jr. might ultimately land on the diamond, but the Yankees are already testing out his versatility. The 2023 first-round pick has started games at shortstop, second base, and third in the two weeks since his promotion to Double-A Somerset. The move mirrors the Yankees' broader trend across their system—developing young hitters while stretching their defensive value early. Here's a look at how the Yankees' prospects did last week. Advertisement MINORS MATTERS Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Record: 21-22 (Fifth in the International League East) Up next: Six-game series vs. Nashville begins Tuesday night. Worth watching: Third baseman Jose Rojas became the first RailRiders player in team history to hit three grand slams in a season, each one coming this month. He's hitting .258 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in 37 games. Catcher Jesus Rodriguez has reached base in 26 straight games. He was a late scratch Sunday against Toledo but is batting .385 with one homer, 13 RBIs, and 24 runs in 26 games. Veteran catcher Alex Jackson, a .132 hitter in 124 MLB games, is batting .323 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 18 games. New York Yankees top prospect George Lombard, Jr. takes a swing.© Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Double-A Somerset Record: 17-21 (Fourth in the Eastern League Northeast) Up next: Six-game road series at New Hampshire begins Tuesday. Advertisement Worth watching: Center fielder Spencer Jones, out since May 4 with a rib muscle injury, has resumed hitting in the indoor cage and doing on-field defensive drills. He remains day to day. Shortstop George Lombard Jr. has started games at second and third base in recent days while continuing to get reps at short. Since his promotion from High-A Hudson Valley, he's hitting .182 and is 3-for-4 in stolen base attempts through 11 games. Catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores homered in his third straight game Sunday, tying Jones for the Eastern League lead with nine. Flores is batting .304 with 30 RBIs in 38 games. Class-A Hudson Valley Record: 26-12 (Tied for second in South Atlantic League North) Up next: Six-game series at Winston-Salem begins Tuesday. Advertisement Worth watching: Third baseman Parks Harber is hitting .339 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 15 games since his promotion from Single-A Tampa. Right-hander Bryce Cunningham (5-2) owns the league's fifth-lowest ERA at 2.14. Carlos Lagrange leads the circuit with 50 strikeouts. Four Hudson Valley starters have ERAs of 3.45 or better. Class-A Tampa Record: 19-20 (Fifth in Florida State League West) Up next: Six-game series at Dunedin begins Tuesday. Worth watching: Tampa's offense broke out last week, winning five of six against Palm Beach and outscoring the Cardinals 47-16. Third baseman/shortstop Owen Cobb is hitting .447 with three homers and 14 RBIs through his first 14 games. He began the season on Hudson Valley's injured list and was reassigned to Tampa on April 29. Advertisement Left-hander Griffin Herring is 3-1 with a 1.40 ERA in seven starts. He's struck out 48 and walked 14 over 38 2/3 innings, ranking second in the league in ERA and strikeouts. Florida Complex League Yankees Record: 5-6 (Third in FCL North) Up next: Home Monday vs. FCL Blue Jays. Worth watching: Right-hander Sunayro Martina is 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA across three games. He's allowed one unearned run and five hits in 9 2/3 innings. Left fielder Isael Arias is hitting .310 with one homer and six RBIs in 10 games. Related: Subway Series Star Backs Out, Leaves Mic and Questions Behind Related: Yankees Players Fill In for Cabrera, Give Bronx Kids a Day to Remember
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees Push Top Prospect But Not Too Hard
George Lombard Jr. is expected to join Double-A Somerset for Tuesday night's game at Akron. It's the latest promotion for the Yankees' 2023 first-round pick, who could be in position to challenge Anthony Volpe for the starting shortstop role in the Bronx. But not for a couple of years. Advertisement Lombard had a strong season at Class A Hudson Valley, where he hit .329 with a .495 on-base percentage over 24 games. He was 11-for-13 in stolen base attempts and committed just one error (.986 fielding percentage) in 22 games at shortstop. New York Yankees center fielder Spencer JonesKim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images REHABBING DJ DJ LeMahieu played two games at second base for Somerset this weekend after missing three games with a hip injury. He appeared in four games last week after starting the season on the injured list due to a calf injury. Through six rehab games, LeMahieu is hitting .438 (7-for-16) with a home run and three RBIs. His on-base percentage is .500. Jonathan Loáisiga has appeared in three games for Single-A Tampa. The reliever has given up one run and two hits while striking out seven over 3 1/3 innings. Advertisement TRIPLE-A SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE The RailRiders are 16–16, good for fourth place in the International League's East Division. They open a seven-game homestand Tuesday night against Rochester. WORTH WATCHING Considered a light-hitting catcher, Alex Jackson has put together a solid offensive start. He is hitting .289 with two home runs and 11 RBIs in 11 games. Jake Woodford appears to be rounding into form after going a season-high 5 2/3 innings Sunday against Syracuse, allowing one run on four hits with seven strikeouts. He is 1–1 with a 3.63 ERA over six starts. DOUBLE-A SOMERSET The Patriots are 12–15 and in fourth place in the Eastern League's Northeast Division. Somerset visits Akron for six games beginning Tuesday night. Advertisement WORTH WATCHING Spencer Jones hit his Eastern League-leading ninth home run — an opposite-field shot at 112.8 mph — on Friday night against Richmond. Jones is batting just .228, due in part to 41 strikeouts in 92 at-bats. However, his 20 walks in 26 games have helped lift his on-base percentage to .372. He's also 6-for-7 in stolen base attempts. Catcher Rafael Flores leads the Eastern League with 26 RBIs. He is hitting .292 with six home runs but has struggled at times throwing out baserunners. Brendan Beck is 2–0 with a 0.93 ERA in four starts. He has 19 strikeouts and just three walks over 19 1/3 innings. Advertisement CLASS A HUDSON VALLEY The Renegades are 18–8 and in second place in the North Division of the South Atlantic League. They open a six-game series Tuesday night at Wilmington. WORTH WATCHING Parks Harber was promoted from Single-A Tampa this week and went 6-for-21 (.286) with a home run and three RBIs in his first five games. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (2.25 ERA) and Bryce Cunningham (2.10 ERA) are both 3–1 through five starts. Rodriguez-Cruz has 35 strikeouts in 28 innings, while Cunningham has 34 in 30 innings. CLASS A TAMPA The Tarpons are 11–16 and tied for fifth in the Florida State League's West Division. They begin a six-game series at Daytona on Tuesday night. Advertisement WORTH WATCHING Griffin Herring was named Florida State League Pitcher of the Week for April 21–27. The left-hander is 3–1 with a 0.60 ERA over five starts, with 39 strikeouts in 30 innings. Reliever Brady Kirtner is 1–0 with a 1.69 ERA in nine appearances covering 16 innings. FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE YANKEES The rookie-league FCL Yankees lost their season opener 3–1 to the FCL Tigers on Saturday. They play five games this week, beginning Monday against the Tigers, followed by two games each against the FCL Phillies and FCL Blue Jays. Trystan Vrieling struck out seven while allowing one run and three hits in 3 2/3 innings Saturday. Reliever Sunayro Martina added six strikeouts over 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Vrieling is on a rehab assignment after going 13–7 with a 4.58 ERA last season for Somerset. Let me know if you'd like this formatted for publication (web/print) or adapted for team notes or social media.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Prep baseball roundup: Sylmar pulls into first-place tie with Poly
Sylmar got back into the Valley Mission League baseball title hunt Monday by handing Sun Valley Poly its first defeat 2-0. Sylmar is 8-1 in league and Poly 9-1. Alex Martinez struck out nine and Luis Mendoza hit a two-run home run. Sophomore Tim Sepulveda had three hits. Bell 2, Garfield 0: Defending City champion Bell is starting to find its pitching just in time to win the battle for first place in the Eastern League. Adolfo Esquivel threw the shutout, striking out seven. Jayden Rojas had an RBI single. Read more: Prep talk: Venice baseball is 21-1 and rising in City Section Corona 8, Eastvale Roosevelt 0: The Panthers recorded their 13th shutout of the season. Jason Gerfers struck out eight and walked none. Billy Carlson homered and Ethin Bingaman had two hits and three RBIs. Norco 6, Corona Santiago 0: Landon Hovermale threw the shutout, delivering a 10th win in the last 11 games for Norco. Ryan Frias had a two-run triple. Vista Murrieta 9, Murrieta Mesa 4: Jaylen Adams had two hits and two RBIs. Villa Park 5, Ocean View 2: Aidan Young hit two home runs and finished with four hits. Austin Park added three hits. San Clemente 2, El Toro 0: The Tritons clinched the league championship behind Stanford commit Mike Erspamer, who struck out 10, walked one and gave up four hits. Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
