4 days Ago By Nolan Rabine
Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images Spencer Jones, Cam Schlittler, and a rehabbing Clarke Schmidt were among the standout prospects this week as most Yankee affiliates split their weekly series. Welcome to the second installment of the 2025 weekly report for the Yankees’ minor-league affiliates. Baseball at every level was affected by inclement weather this past week as it rained almost every day, so even the games that were played suffered from conditions that were less-than-ideal.
Most of the Yankees’ affiliates were able to hold their own despite this, and it didn’t stop some of the top prospects in the system from impressing over the last seven days. Here’s how the farm system performed last week:Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRidersRecord: 9-5; Third place in International League (East), 2.5 GBPast Week: 4-1 vs Rochester Red Wings (Nationals)Coming Up: Away @ Durham Bulls (Rays)Scranton’s home series against the Rochester Red Wings was ravaged by rain, with three cancellations, two double-headers, and one game still yet to be played after being postponed until May 7th, but that didn’t stop the RailRiders from winning four of five games in a dominant display against the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate.
The two teams split a double-header on Wednesday, with Scranton falling in the first game 7-4 despite a three-run homer from Alex Jackson in the first inning. Starter Erick Leal gave up five runs in four innings, but Tyler Matzek was effective in two scoreless relief innings. Matzek is expected to join the big league bullpen at some point this season.
The RailRiders won the second game of the day 4-3 behind a strong five innings from Brandon Leibrandt, who struck out six and allowed two runs on one hit and two walks. After a rainout on Thursday, Scranton won again on Friday — this time in 11 innings by a score of 8-7. Alex Jackson homered again to continue his hot start to the season, and T.
J. Rumfield recorded two hits including a double and an RBI single. Ronaldo Hernández hit a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th to win the game for the RailRiders.
After yet another rainout on Saturday, Scranton ended the week by sweeping a double-header on Sunday, 3-2 in the first game and 8-0 in the second. Jose Rojas hit his second homer of the year in the first game, and the offense cruised to victory in the second behind two hits and three runs from Ismael Munguia, a 3-for-4 game from Jorbit Vivas including a two-run double, and another two-run double from T.J.
Rumfield. The RailRiders have started the season hot, and will look to keep gaining momentum in a road series against the Durham Bulls.Players of Note:Jorbit Vivas: 62 PA; .
306/.410/.490, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 14.
5/6.5 BB/K%, .184 ISO, 146 wRC+T.
J. Rumfield: 62 PA; .300/.
435/.580, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 16.1/11.
3 BB/K%, .280 ISO, 179 wRC+Brandon Leibrandt: 14 IP; 1.93 ERA, 28.
1 K%, 14.0 BB%, .163 BAA, 1.
14 WHIPTyler Matzek: 3 IP; 0.00 ERA, 30.8 K%, 7.
7 BB%, .273 BAA, 1.33 WHIPDouble-A Somerset PatriotsRecord: 4-5; Fourth place in Eastern League (Northeast), 2 GBPast Week: 3-3 vs Reading Fighting Phils (Phillies)Coming Up: Away @ Altoona Curve (Pirates)The Somerset Patriots dropped the first two games of their home series against the Reading Fighting Phils, but rebounded over the weekend and swept both games of a double-header on Saturday to split the series at three games a piece.
Brendan Beck pitched well on Tuesday, striking out five across four scoreless innings while only allowing one hit and one walk, but Jordany Ventura imploded in the ninth and allowed four runs, resulting in a 5-4 loss. Spencer Jones reached base three times in the game, homering in the eighth inning and recording two walks (with no strikeouts).The Patriots lost again on Wednesday 2-1, but Luis Pacheco was a bright spot with three strikeouts across 2.
1 unblemished innings out of the bullpen. The Patriots got back in the win column on Thursday, with a tandem of Cam Schlittler and the rehabbing Clarke Schmidt making headlines as the two combined to shut down the Fighting Phils offense all game. Schmidt threw four scoreless innings, and Schlittler only allowed one run over the next five.
Schmidt should be ready to rejoin the Yankees rotation in a little over a week, and his return can’t come soon enough.Friday’s game was rained out, but Somerset won both games on Saturday, 10-5 and 4-1. Cole Gabrielson, Tyler Hardman, and Jared Wegner led the charge in the first game, combining for five hits and seven RBI.
Jake Gatewood was the star of the second game, recording two doubles and two RBI. The Patriots ended the week by losing a back-and-forth 8-7 contest on Sunday, but the main story was Spencer Jones, who homered twice in the game and drove in four runs. Jones’ 36.
8 strikeout percentage is still firmly in the danger zone, but his 195 wRC+ and 1.034 OPS are both massive improvements over last year. A promotion to Scranton could be in the cards for him sooner rather than later.
Somerset will head to Altoona this upcoming week.Players of Note:Spencer Jones: 38 PA; .290/.
421/.613, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 3 SB, 15.8/36.
8 BB/K%, .323 ISO, 195 wRC+Alexander Vargas: 20 PA; .289/.
450/.556, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 5.0/10.
0 BB/K%, .167 ISO, 193 wRC+Cam Schlittler: 10.2 IP; 1.
69 ERA, 32.4 K%, 5.4 BB%, .
143 BAA, 0.66 WHIPClarke Schmidt: 7.1 IP; 0.
00 ERA, 40.7 K%, 3.7 BB%, .
154 BAA, 0.68 WHIPHigh-A Hudson Valley RenegadesRecord: 5-4; T-Third place in South Atlantic League (North), 2 GBPast Week: 3-3 @ Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets)Coming Up: Home vs Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals)The Renegades split a series with the Brooklyn Cyclones this past week as they continue to hover right around a .500 record.
Hudson Valley fell 7-3 on Tuesday as starter Carlos LaGrange got rocked, giving up five runs in three innings. The Renegades won the next two games of the series on Wednesday and Thursday, as 2024 first-rounder Ben Hess dazzled in his professional debut with nine strike outs across 4.2 scoreless innings.
Brenny Escanio and Antonio Gomez each contributed a home run on the offensive side of things.Jackson Castillo was the star on Thursday as he went 3-for-5 at the plate with two doubles and drove in six runs. The two teams split a low-scoring double-header on Saturday after a rainout on Friday, with Hudson Valley winning the first game 2-0 and Brooklyn winning the second 2-1 in just seven innings.
Kyle Carr threw four shutout innings in the first game, and George Lombard Jr. and Brendan Jones each went 2-for-4 at the plate with two doubles apiece. The Renegades lost the final game of the week 8-1, as 2024 second-rounder Bryce Cunningham got tagged for seven hits and five earned runs in a six-inning outing.
Hudson Valley will host the Wilmington Blue Rocks this upcoming week.Players of Note:George Lombard Jr: 36 PA; .242/.
342/.303, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 16.7/25.
0 BB/K%, 128 wRC+Bryce Cunningham: 11.0 IP; 5.73 ERA (3.
48 FIP), 28.9 K%, 2.2 BB%, .
279 BAA, 1.18 WHIPBen Hess: 4.2 IP; 0.
00 ERA, 52.9 K%, 5.9 BB%, .
125 BAA, 0.64 WHIPLow-A Tampa TarponsRecord: 5-4; Second place in Florida State League (West), 1 GBPast Week: 3-3 @ Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Twins)Coming Up: Away @ St. Lucie MetsMuch like the Double-A and High-A affiliates, the Tarpons split their series three games a piece this past week and have been right around league average to start the season.
Tampa won 5-3 on Monday as Brian Sanchez continues his hot start with a triple and Roderick Arias laced his first double of the year. Their offense was effectively shut down on Wednesday in a 5-1 loss, though Sanchez did record two more hits. Parks Harber hit a two-run homer in a 4-1 win on Thursday, and Arias went 2-for-4 with a walk.
Griffin Herring was effective on the mound, throwing 4.2 innings with six strikeouts and allowing just one (unearned) run. The Tarpons dropped the next two games on Friday and Saturday, but won the final game of the week 4-2 on Sunday behind a strong performance from Gage Ziehl in his pro debut.
Ziehl thew 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out two. The Tarpons will travel to St.
Lucie this week for a series against the Mets.Players of Note:Roderick Arias: 40 PA; .147/.
275/.206, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 3 SB, 15.0/30.
0 BB/K%, 46 wRC+Brian Sanchez: 36 PA; .281/.361/.
500, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 SB, 11.1/19.4 BB/K%, 131 wRC+Parks Harber: 39 PA; .
250/.385/.531, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 SB, 15.
4/35.9 BB/K%, 146 wRC+Griffin Herring: 10.1 IP; 0.
00 ERA, 30.2 K%, 7.0 BB%, .
179 BAA, 0.97 WHIP.
