Double-A Trenton wins Eastern League title
Here’s a look at the top performances of the past week by Yankees prospects in the Minor Leagues:
Friday, Sept. 13: Trenton wins Eastern League championship
The Trenton Thunder are Eastern League champions. The Yankees’ Double-A affiliate clinched the Eastern League title with a 5-2 win over Bowie in Game 4 of the best-of-five series.
After splitting the first two games of the series in Trenton, the Thunder took care of business on the road with a pair of wins at Bowie to win the championship.
Trenton got off to a fast start in Game 4 as it scored four runs over the first three innings. Kellin Deglan put the first run on the board with a solo homer, while Rashad Crawford and Zack Zehner also drove in runs in the third. Chris Gittens drove in a run of his own in the fourth and from there the Thunder cruised to the title.
With the win, the Yankees have no Minor League affiliates still in action. Friday's prospect stats »
Thursday, Sept. 12: Thunder move closer to Eastern League title
Behind strong pitching performances from Clarke Schmidt and Michael King and Hoy Jun Park's late baserunning heroics, the Trenton Thunder edged Bowie, 2-1, to improve to 2-1 in the best-of-five Eastern League Championship Series.
Eastern League MVP Chris Gittens homered to right-center field to open the second inning and put Trenton on the board, and Park would score on a straight steal of home in the seventh for what proved to be the winning run.
Schmidt, the Yankees' No. 5 prospect, cruised through the first four innings but allowed a two-run single in the fifth before being lifted for a reliever.
King (No. 20) took over in the sixth inning and dominated the rest of the way, striking out five batters over four scoreless innings to earn the win. He issued two walks and allowed just one hit. Thursday's prospect stats »
Wednesday, Sept. 11: Severino rehabs in playoffs
Double-A Trenton defeated Bowie in Game 1 of the Eastern League Championship Series and appeared poised to take Game 2 on Wednesday with rehabbing big leaguer Luis Severino on the mound. But the right-hander struggled as he worked deeper into the game, and the Baysox eventually chased him after 3 2/3 innings en route to a 7-2 victory.
Altogether, Severino, who’s spent the entire season on the shelf with right shoulder issues, allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits. He struck out four and threw 47 of 64 pitches for strikes in the outing, sitting in the mid-90s and touching 98 mph with his fastball.
Catcher Kellin Deglan turned in Trenton’s only multihit performance, going 2-for-4 with an RBI after a 2-for-5, two-RBI showing in Game 1.
Tuesday, Sept. 10: Thunder up 1-0 in Eastern League Finals
The Trenton Thunder scored four unanswered runs after the fourth inning to pull away from Bowie and win Game 1 of the best-of-five Double-A Eastern League finals, 6-2. After giving up a pair of first-inning runs, Trenton rebounded to tie the game in the third inning via RBI singles from Kyle Holder and Brandon Wagern. Angel Aguilar delivered an RBI single in the fifth inning to break the tie, and Kellin Deglan (two-run triple) and Holder (sacrifice fly) padded the Thunder’s lead in the following frame.
Pacing Trenton on the mound were a trio of hurlers who could soon be logging meaningful innings for the Yankees. Starter Jordan Montgomery, currently working his way back from Tommy John surgery, threw 50 pitches (30 strikes) over three innings. He allowed one run on two hits in the outing, recording one strikeout and walk apiece.
Dellin Betances struck out a pair during a scoreless inning in relief. It marked the second rehab appearance for the 31-year-old right-hander, who’s yet to pitch for the Yankees this season due to a right shoulder impingement. Left-hander Stephen Tarpley (left elbow impingement) followed Betances out of the ‘pen and picked up the win, striking out two in a scoreless inning. Tuesday's prospect stats »