DotF: Bird reaches base three times in first rehab game

Got some notes to pass along:

• According to Randy Miller, the Yankees are grooming SS Gleyber Torres to take over at third base later this season. That isn’t a surprise. The writing has been on the wall since he started played third base and was quickly bumped up to Triple-A Scranton.
• Welcome back, RHP Nick Rumbelow. He was activated off the Triple-A disabled list and sent down to Double-A Trenton, the team announced. Rumbelow had Tommy John surgery last April.
• According to Matt Eddy, the Yankees have signed SS Luis Santos, who I assume is an international free agent and part of the 2016-17 signing class. Also, they’ve released RHP Kolton Mahoney.
• Voting is open for the Triple-A International League All-Stars. Here’s the ballot. Lehigh Valley fans are voting like crazy. Their players are the leading vote-getters at six of the nine positions. Here’s the latest voting update.

Triple-A Scranton (6-3 loss to Columbus)

• SS Tyler Wade: 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB
• CF Dustin Fowler: 1-5, 1 2B, 2 K — 14-for-35 (.400) with five doubles and two homers in his last eight games
• 1B Tyler Austin: 3-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI — first home run of his rehab assignment … here’s video of the homer
  
• LF Clint Frazier: 1-2, 2 BB — 12.1% walk rate and 20.6% walk rate … had a 6.5% walk rate and a 27.8% strikeout rate during his 25 games with the RailRiders last year
• RF Mason Williams: 0-4
• LHP Caleb Smith: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 5/3 GB/FB — 63 of 104 pitches were strikes (61%)
• RHP J.P. Feyereisen: 2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 4/2 GB/FB — 20 of 39 pitches were strikes (51%) … Triple-A debut for the fourth piece in the Andrew Miller trade

Double-A Trenton (6-3 win over Bimghamton)

• SS Thairo Estrada: 2-5, 1 R, 1 3B
• 3B Miguel Andujar: 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI — his doubles streak ends at five games, but his hitting streak has reached eleven games
• RF Billy McKinney: 0-3, 1 RBI, 2 K
• 2B Abi Avelino: 0-2, 1 R, 2 BB
• RHP Yefry Ramirez: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/6 GB/FB — 31 of 52 pitches were strikes (60%) … left the game after throwing his warm-up pitches in the fourth inning, according to Matt Kardos … apparently they were looking at his hand in the dugout, so maybe a blister or a cracked fingernail?
• LHP Nestor Cortes: 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 Balk, 8/5 GB/FB — 53 of 74 pitches were strikes (72%)

High-A Tampa (6-4 loss to Charlotte)

• SS Jorge Mateo: 0-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
• 1B Greg Bird: 1-1, 2 BB, 1 E (fielding) — played six innings in his first rehab game, as scheduled
• CF Tito Polo: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP
• LF Trey Amburgey: 1-5, 1 R, 1 K
• 2B Nick Solak: 1-2, 2 BB — got picked off first
• RF Austin Aune: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 E (fielding)
• 3B Gosuke Katoh: 0-1, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
• RHP Brody Koerner: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 10/4 GB/FB — 51 of 81 pitches were strikes (63%)

Low-A Charleston (3-2 loss to Greenville)

• RF Estevan Florial: 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 CS — threw a runner out at third
• 3B Angel Aguilar: 2-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 K
• CF Blake Rutherford: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 SB
• C Donny Sands & SS Diego Castillo: both 1-4 — Sands allowed a passed ball … Castillo struck out
• 2B Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-3, 1 K
• RHP Nick Green: 7.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 10/1 GB/FB — 59 of 91 pitches were strikes (65%), plus he picked a runner off first … 62.7% ground ball rate this year

Now that we’re in June, we’re only a few weeks away from the start of the short season leagues. Short Season Staten Island begins their season on Monday, June 19th. Rookie Pulaski starts a few days later on Thursday, June 22nd. The two Rookie GCL Yankees affiliated then begin play on Monday, June 26th.