After an organizational sweep on Tuesday, the four Yankees affiliates are back in action tonight and it will feature two of the top pitching prospects in the organization, Luis Gil and Luis Medina, making their debuts at their new affiliates after being promoted on Tuesday. Find out who else is pitching in the Yankees organization in today’s Pinstriped Previews:
Luis Gil. Photo by Matt Kardos.
Triple-A
Syracuse Mets (11-26) vs. Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (24-11)
PNC Field I 7:05 PM ET
LHP Thomas Szapucki (0-2, 3.51 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Gil (Triple-A debut)
Before the RailRiders even got a chance to come to the plate Tuesday night, they found themselves down 5-0. However, they were able to find a way to rally to a 12-6 win due in part to scoring seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. The RailRiders have won three in a row and coming into today, they lead Worcester by one game in the Triple-A Northeast division.
It will be an eventful night at PNC Field as Luis Gil makes his Triple-A debut. Gil was dominant at Double-A Somerset to begin the season. In seven starts, he went 1-1 with a 2.64 ERA and had 50 strikeouts to 13 walks over 30.2 innings pitched. He ended his time with the Patriots having struck out seven or more in five consecutive starts. With Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto both rehabbing with Syracuse, it will be a good test for Gil to face some major league hitting.
The Mets will send one of their own top pitching prospects to the mound in Thomas Szapucki. The 25-year-old southpaw was the Mets’ 5th Round pick back in 2015. He underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2017. But he is still ranked as the 10th best prospect in the organization according to MLB Pipeline.
Szapucki’s last start came against Worcester on June 9. He went 3.2 innings, allowed five runs on six hits, walked three, and struck out three on 88 pitches (53 strikes) in a loss. He has allowed four home runs in his last two starts, so that is something to keep an eye on tonight. Back on May 7, he pitched against the RailRiders out of the bullpen and threw 3.2 scoreless innings. He allowed four hits, walked three, and struck out five in that outing.
The top of the lineup was the story for Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Estevan Florial was 3-for-5 with four runs scored, two doubles, a leadoff home run in the first, and three RBIs. Hoy Park had a great night as well as he went 4-for-4 with two runs scored, a walk, a triple, and three RBIs of his own.
Luis Medina (Robert M. Pimpsner)
Double-A
Richmond Flying Squirrels (21-16) vs. Somerset Patriots (23-13)
TD Bank Ballpark I 7:05 PM
RHP Caleb Kilian (1-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Medina (Double-A debut)
The Patriots began their series against the Flying Squirrels with a dominating 10-1 victory. With Luke Voit playing in a rehab game for Somerset, the offense had 16 hits and Oswald Peraza went 3-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored in his Double-A debut. On the mound, Glenn Otto struck out 14 batters for the second time this year and allowed one run on three hits over seven strong innings in a win.
With Gil moving up to Triple-A, it means Luis Medina gets a chance to make his Double-A debut tonight. Medina was fooling opposing hitters while he was at High-A Hudson Valley. In seven starts, the 22-year-old right-hander went 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA and had 50 strikeouts to 19 walks in 32.2 innings while holding the opposition to a .162 batting average.
Medina did have two starts in which he struck out 11 batters and he has the ability to put up strikeouts in high amounts with a fastball that can reach triple-digits. The key is going to be his command as he had four starts in which he walked three or more batters.
Richmond will go with Kilian, who was selected in the 8th Round by the Giants back in 2019. The 24-year-old right-hander, who was promoted from High-A Eugene to Richmond in late May, has had 59 strikeouts to 6 walks in his professional career (14 outings – 53.2 innings pitched).
Kilian’s last start came on June 10 against Harrisburg when he threw a complete game during a doubleheader. He allowed one run on five hits, walked two batters, and struck out three on 85 pitches (58 strikes). According to MLB Pipeline, Kilian is ranked as the 30th best prospect in the Giants organization.
High-A
Jersey Shore BlueClaws (15-20) vs. Hudson Valley Renegades (21-14)
Dutchess Stadium I 7:05 PM
RHP Dominic Pipken (1-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. TBD
The Renegades won their series opener in dramatic fashion on a Josh Breaux walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. With that win, Hudson Valley has now won five games in a row and have a one-game lead in the High-A North Division over Aberdeen. Plus, they are 8-3 in the 11 games they have played against Jersey Shore this season.
Hudson Valley’s offense will go up against Dominic Pipken in this game. The 21-year-old is coming off of an outing in which he struck out a season-high six batters. Against Wimington on June 10, he went 3.2 innings, allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and walked a batter in addition to the six strikeouts on 64 pitches (43 strikes).
The Renegades are very familiar with Pipkin as this will be the fourth time will face him this season. However, despite the familiarity, Hudson Valley’s offense has managed just one run in seven innings against him and have struck out eight times. The one run was a solo home run.
Jhonatan Munoz (Photo by John Brophy/Pinstriped Prospects)
Low-A
Bradenton Marauders (23-14) vs. Tampa Tarpons (27-10)
George M Steinbrenner Field I 6:30 PM
RHP Santiago Florez (2-1, 1.17 ERA) vs. RHP Jhonatan Munoz (2-1, 6.75 ERA)
In what can be described as a matchup between two of the best teams in the Florida State League, the Tampa Tarpons were able to rise to the occasion on Tuesday night as they picked up a 10-5 victory. Jake Sanford went 4-for-4 with a double, a home run, and two RBIs and Austin Wells was 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI. In terms of pitching, five pitchers combined to strikeout 19 Marauders.
Tonight, Jhonatan Munoz will take the ball for the Tarpons. Munoz’s last appearance came as a reliever for Anderson Munoz on June 9 against Clearwater. In that outing, he went 3.1 innings, allowed an unearned run on three hits, walked two batters, and struck out two on 59 pitches (38 strikes).
It is a small sample size, but in three starts this year, the 21-year-old right-hander has a 9.53 ERA and has more walks (7) than strikeouts (6), so tonight will be a good test for him against a strong Bradenton offense.
The Marauders will counter with Santiago Florez. The 21-year-old right-hander was signed as an international free agent out of Colombia in 2016 and he has been one of the better pitchers in the Florida State League. In his six outings (five starts), he has 45 strikeouts to only 7 walks in 30.2 innings and has allowed just four runs.
Florez last pitched on June 9 against Daytona and ended up throwing a complete game due to it being a seven-inning game. He allowed no runs on five hits and struck out eight on 88 pitches (62 strikes). He has struck out at least six hitters in each of his six outings and has allowed one run or fewer in five of them. The Tarpons will have a tough challenge ahead of them tonight.
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