DotF: Scranton clinches division title, Pulaski takes Game One

Got some links and notes to pass along:

• LHP Ian Clarkin has faced hitters in live batting practice, assistant GM Billy Eppler told Chad Jennings. Clarkin has not pitched at all this year after suffering some kind of elbow injury in Spring Training. The minor league season ends early next week, so it’s unlikely he’ll get into a game.
• IF Cole Figueroa has been outrighted to Triple-A Scranton, the Yankees announced. He was designated for assignment earlier this week to make room for September call-ups. No word on OF Tyler Austin yet. I’m guessing they’re trying to trade him before putting him on waivers.
• Chad Jennings put together a really great breakdown of how the various minor league lineups have evolved this season. There’s been a ton of turnover since Opening Day, which is normal, but most of it is positive turnover. Guys getting promoted, etc.
• Low-A Charleston will have a slightly new logo and new uniforms beginning next season, reports Josh Leventhal. They added “wrought-iron accents native to the Charleston area” to their classic chomping dog logo. Pretty slick.
• And finally, SS Tyler Wade was named to the High-A Florida State League end-of-season All-Star Team, so congrats to him.

Triple-A Scranton (12-2 win over Buffalo) they have officially clinched the division title for the first time since 2010

• CF Slade Heathcott: 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 K — that’s his third homer of the season and his first since the one he hit in the big leagues before his injury
• 2B Ali Castillo: 3-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB
• DH Ben Gamel: 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K — leads the system with 50 extra-base hits
• RF Aaron Judge: 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB — 6-for-16 (.375) in his last four games … he’s second in the system with 49 extra-base hits
• LF Jake Cave: 1-4, 1 R, 1 HBP
• 3B Cito Culver: 4-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K — you know the offense is clicking when Cito has four hits
• LHP Eric Wooten: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 3/9 GB/FB — 60 of 88 pitches were strikes (68%)
• RHP Johnny Barbato: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Mark Montgomery: 2 IP, zeroes, 2 K, 3/1 GB/FB — 12 of 18 pitches were strikes (67%)
• RHP Nick Goody: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 0/1 GB/FB — ten of 15 pitches were strikes … 84/21 K/BB in 62.1 minor league innings

Double-A Trenton (8-6 loss to New Britain) their season ends Monday and they’ve already been eliminated from postseason contention

• SS Tyler Wade: 0-5, 2 K
• DH Tony Renda: 1-5
• CF Mark Payton: 1-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB — 39/28 K/BB in his first 58 games and 49/18 K/BB in his last 59 games
• RHP Eric Ruth: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 7/4 GB/FB — 50 of 83 pitches were strikes (60%)

High-A Tampa (3-2 loss to Lakeland in ten innings, walk-off style) their regular season ends Sunday and they didn’t qualify for the postseason

• SS Abi Avelino & 3B Miguel Andujar: both 1-4 — Avelino walked and got caught stealing … Andujar struck out twice
• CF Dustin Fowler: 1-5, 1 R, 1 K
• LHP Jordan Montgomery: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 11/1 GB/FB, 1 E (throwing) — last year’s fourth rounder finishes his first pro season with a 2.95 ERA, 36 walks, and a farm system leading 132 strikeouts in 134.1 innings
• RHP Chance Adams: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 2/3 GB/FB — this year’s fifth rounder has a 45/9 K/BB in 35.1 innings … there are a lot of bullpen arms ahead of him on the depth chart, but there’s a decent chance he’ll be part of the shuttle as soon as next season

Low-A Charleston (7-2 loss to Augusta) they managed to allow a run on a “detached equipment violation,” which occurred when the catcher used his face mask to pick up a live ball … the penalty? each runner advances one base

• 2B Vince Conde: 0-4, 2 K
• SS Angel Aguilar: 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K — 11-for-30 (.367) in his last eight games
• 3B Donny Sands: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 E (throwing) — 2-for-12 (.167) in three games at this level for this year’s eighth rounder
• DH Austin Aune: 0-4, 2 K
• CF Alex Palma: 1-4, 1 K, 1 SB
• RHP David Palladino: 4 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 1 HBP, 5/5 GB/FB — he finishes the season with a 4.43 ERA and a 99/49 K/BB in 113.2 innings

Short Season Staten Island (6-1 loss to Tri-City in ten innings) their season ends Monday and they currently have a half-game lead in the division

• CF Jeff Hendrix: 0-3, 1 RBI, 1 K
• DH Trey Amburgey: 0-4 — suddenly in a little 2-for-19 (.105) rut
• 2B Thairo Estrada: 1-4, 1 K
• SS Kyle Holder: 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B — 12-for-35 (.343) in ten games since coming off the DL
• RHP James Kaprielian: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 5/0 GB/FB — 46 of 64 pitches were strikes (72%) … mmhmm
• LHP Jeff Degano: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 0/4 GB/FB — 24 of 47 pitches were strikes (51%)

Rookie Pulaski (9-8 win over Princeton in ten innings) they now lead the first round postseason matchup one game to none (best-of-three)

• CF Carlos Vidal: 3-6, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 SB — drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the top of the tenth
• SS Hyo-Jun Park: 1-5, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
• 2B Gosuke Katoh: 1-5, 1 R, 3 K
• LF Nathan Mikolas: 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB — game-tying grand slam in the eighth inning
• RHP Adonis Rosa: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/5 GB/FB — it’s not what you want
• RHP David Sosebee: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

The season is over for both Rookie GCL Yanks affiliates. Neither qualified for the postseason.