Yankees Minor League Report 5/30/14: Pete O'Brien Hits 20th HR; Robert Refsnyder Continues to Rake; Luis Severino Pitches Well for Charleston

Scranton (Lost to Indianapolis, 11-6.  Scranton continues their hitting ways, but tonight, they sure as heck couldn't pitch)

2B Jose Pirela: 3-for-5, 2B (8), RBI, RS, BB, K

Back over .300 (.306).  36-for-100 in May.

1B/OF Ramon Flores:  1-for-4, 2B (16), RS, 2 BB, K

When Flores is at his best, this is what he does:   Hits for gap power with a high number of walks.  

IF Corban Joseph: 2-for-4, RBI, BB

Hitting well as of late (12-for-36 in last ten games)

UTIL Zelous Wheeler: 2-for-4, 2B (12), BB

OF Antoan Richardson:  3-for-5, 2B (2), RBI, 2 RS, K

C Austin Romine: 0-for-4, BB, K

1B Kyle Roller:  1-for-5, 2B (5), RBI, RS, 3 K

27 K in 70 AB for Scranton.

OF Adonis Garcia:  1-for-3, SF, RBI, K, HBP

IF Scott Sizemore: 0-for-4, HBP, K

RHP Joel De La Cruz:  4 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, WP, 7/3 GO/AO

3.03 ERA; 32.2 IP, 27 H, 15 R, 11 ER, 7 BB, 18 K since joining level.  I have stated it a million times:  He is a GB machine, but doesn't really have a strikeout pitch.  

RHP Diego Moreno:  1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

Do I need to add anything?

Switch Pat Venditte:  2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

29.2 IP, 15 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB, 36 K

RHP Robert Coello:  1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

0.47 ERA; 19 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 11 BB, 26 K

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Trenton (Lost to Portland, 4-3)

C/RF Pete O'Brien:  1-for-3, HR (10), RBI, RS, BB, 2 K

His 20th home run of the season in 192 AB.  He actually has a three game walk streak, which is significant for him.  

2B Robert Refsnyder:  2-for-4, 2 2B (14), RS, CS (4)

Eight multi-hit games in his last ten games played.    He has risen his slugging percentage over the .500 mark, which is quite significant for a legitimate middle infield prospect.  He is becoming very, very interesting.

C Gary Sanchez:  1-for-5, 2B (11), RBI, K

OF Ben Gamel:  2-for-5, RS, K

Up to .291.  Recently turned 22 years old.  His ability to play some center field only increases his potential value to the franchise.

OF Taylor Dugas:  1-for-4, BB

1B/3B/OF Tyler Austin:  0-for-4, BB, K

Played third base again tonight.  If he can prove that he can at least handle the position, it obviously increases his value to the Yankees.  Of course, he does have to start hitting.

RHP Bryan Mitchell:  3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

The Yankees have been a bit careful with him since suffering an arm injury earlier this season.  The results haven't been great, but we will see what happens as the season goes along.

RHP Manny Barreda:  3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K

2.48 ERA; 32.2 IP, 24 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 3 HR, 17 BB, 33 K

If it feels like I have been writing about Barreda for a while, good observation:  He was originally drafted out of high school in 2007 and has been pretty steady, if not spectacular, statistically.

LHP Ty Webb (L, 1-2):  1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

14.2 IP, 16 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 HR, 8 BB, 19 K since joining level.

LHP Aaron Dott: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

1.96 ERA in 18.1 IP with 13/7 K/BB ratio.  If he was a RHP, I would probably rarely (if ever) mention him.

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Tampa (Defeated Bradenton, 3-2 on a Dante Bichette 2-run HR in the Top of the 9th)

3B Dante Bichette:  1-for-4, HR (7), 2 RBI, RS, K

13-for-34 in last ten games with four home runs and 18 runs batted in.

1B Greg Bird:  1-for-4

Bird rarely puts up a night that simply says "1-for-4" with nothing else.

SS Cito Culver: 0-for-4, RS, K

OF Zach Wilson:  1-for-4, HR (4), RBI, RS, K

Played here in 2012, was injured for most of 2013, played briefly in Trenton to start 2014, and is now back here.

1B Matt Snyder:  0-for-4

OF Danny Oh:  1-for-2, BB

LHP Dan Camarena:  5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

2.31 ERA; 58.1 IP, 52 H, 27 R, 15 ER, 3 HR, 20 BB, 43 K

Very intriguing "pitchability" prospect.  The walks are too high for the type of pitcher he is, but at 21, he will continue to evolve his game.

LHP Evan Rutckyj:  1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

First appearance since 5/9.

RHP Nick Goody (W, 2-0):  2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

10.1 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 16 K.

The Yankees will not rush him coming off of Tommy John, but they have slowly increased his workload and can still find himself in Trenton this season.

RHP Phil Wetherell (S, 3):  1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

21.1 IP, 17 H, 7 R, 1 ER, 8 BB, 18 K

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Charleston (Lost to Asheville, 4-3, to fall to 27-27)

OF Aaron Judge:  1-for-4, 2B (9), 2 RBI, K

.306/.402/.446 with 29 walks and 47 strikeouts.  The strikeouts are higher than you want to see, but there isn't too much to complain about here - Judge is doing what an advanced college hitter should be doing at this level.

2B Gosuke Katoh:  2-for-3, 2 3B (5), RS, K

.179/.306/.306 in 134 AB.   Katoh has been doing some things right - takes walks and has shown flashes of gap power.  Unless he continues to have games like these for the next few weeks, I still expect him to potentially end up in Staten Island.

SS Tyler Wade:  0-for-3, RBI, K, SF
.266/.333/.335 in 188 AB.  Has 20 walks and 52 strikeouts.  Like Katoh, he has been a bit overmatched at times.  I think he may stick here, but there may also be opinions in the organization that he should play full-time at SS in Staten Island over splitting time at SS with Avelino when he returns from injury.

1B Mike Ford:  1-for-4, K

.307/.409/.494 in 176 AB

3B Miguel Andujar:  0-for-3, BB

5-for-37 slide

OF Michael O'Neill:  0-for-3, HBP, 3 K

Well, at least his body can make contact with the ball.  64 strikeouts in 50 games.   The favorite for the annual Estee Harris Award.

RHP Luis Severino:  6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K

2.68 ERA; 50.1 IP, 46 H, 18 R, 15 ER, 2 HR, 10 BB, 52 K.   Definitely a chip that other teams will ask about in trade talks.

LHP Omar Luis:   2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HR

Damn that Cashman for leaving him exposed in the Rule 5!

RHP Philip Walby:  1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

4.42 ERA; 18.1 IP, 7 H, 11 R, 9 ER, 0 HR, 15 BB, 31 K

As you may be able to figure out, Walby is a tough pitcher to hit - when he can actually get the ball near the plate.  Drafted out of San Diego State last year, he is a hard-throwing RHP with a slider that is still developing.   If there is any organization that can find gold with a pitcher like this, it is this one.