The days leading up to MiLB Opening Day is one of the most dynamic times of the year, marked by numerous transactions, moves, and promotions occurring simultaneously. Earlier this weekend, the SWB RailRiders roster was announced, revealing few unexpected changes. Spencer Jones is likely to remain in AA Somerset for at least the first few months due to ongoing contact issues experienced this Spring, making a quick jump to Triple-A likely improbable. Meanwhile, players such as Grant Richardson and Eric Reyzelman have been promoted to AAA and players like Brando Mayea, Willy Montero and Sabier Marte are presumably in Extended Spring, despite showing solid stuff last season.
There are lots of other players and teams to be concerned with, however, and it’s fun to watch the lesser-known guys really show what they’re made of. C/1B Ben Rice is an excellent example of that. The 2021 12th round draft pick gained significant attention in 2023 after an impressive performance in High-A Hudson Valley.
Position players drafted in 2024, including Tyler Wilson and Brendan Jones, have already made their professional debuts. However, none of the pitchers drafted have appeared professionally, except for brief appearances during the Spring Breakout a few weeks ago by Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham against the Orioles’ prospects.
With recent acquisitions, new players soon to be in the Florida Complex League promoted from the DSL, and pitchers drafted in 2024, the 2025 season promises excitement in the lower levels. Additionally, the Yankees are reviving their quarterback-turned-player approach by signing former Oregon State QB Chance Nolan, despite past attempts with Deion Sanders, Russell Wilson, and John Elway yielding unsatisfactory results.
The list and commentary below concerns with the Rookie-Level Florida Complex League Yankees to the Double-A Somerset Patriots. If we’re honest, a majority of Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is of off-season acquisitions and there aren’t many true homegrown players on the team. That will obviously change as time goes on, guys get hurt and promoted, etc.
Free Agent Signings
3/28/25 – RHP Jake Woodford signed
Woodford may be one of the more intriguing “project” signings so far this season in the regard that despite having what appear to some to be lackluster numbers may end up being one of the better arms in the system. Woodford split 2024 between the AAA affiliates of the Rockies (Albuquerque Isotopes) and the Pirates (Indianapolis Indians) and had a combined ERA of 3.93. That’s not terrible, but Woodford has been in baseball for 9 years and has only played in 89 Major League games. The stats that stick out, however, are the K% and BB% numbers, 22.9% & 6.8%, respectively.
This signing may read as potential “taxi squad” depth, but he has no options left. The Yankees would have to be mindful in how they choose to use him.
3/24/25 – C John Cristino signed
Cristino will likely start his season in Extended Spring, then FCL and will likely end the year in Low-A Tampa.
3/21/25 – 1B Jake Gatewood signed
Gatewood is starting the season with Double-A Somerset.
1/28/25 – RHP Chance Nolan signed
Signing a player who is new to a position, or even to the sport, involves many uncertainties. Nolan played college football for three seasons with the Oregon State Beavers (2020-2022) and was committed to Brigham Young University for 2023 after entering the transfer portal. However, he did not participate in the 2023 season, nor in the 2024 season, for any school. It’s interesting that the Yankees are taking a chance on what will essentially be a 25-year-old rookie.
FCL Yankees
The DSL teams were not spectacular last season, but they also had much more diverse sets of teams that they played (nearly all 30 teams played each other in some fashion), compared to the 4 teams in the FCL North West Division. Expectations should be set for a 2nd place finish, just barely missing the playoffs.
C Luis Puello
2B Luis Escudero
SS Kevin Verde
RHP Jerson Alejandro
RHP Jack Sokol
RHP Tony Rossi
Tampa Tarpons
The Tarpons have a few challenges headed their way, namely those handed to them by the displacement of the Tampa Bay Rays. That said, a number of the kids making the move from FCL to FSL haven’t played either a night game or in front of a significant crowd, so there may a bit of a learning curve in that regard.
The Tarpons may see some rehabs come through this season, especially with what seems like most of the Major League pitching staff on the Injured List, despite the Yankees not having full access to the new digs they opened almost 6 weeks ago.
The Tarpons have not been successful (regarding winning record) the past few seasons since Volpe, Wells, Dominguez and others were with the team in 2021. The Tarpons went to the Florida State League Championship that year and were swept by the Bradenton Marauders in 3 games.
RHP Alex Bustamante
RHP Danny Flatt
MIF Juan Matheus
OF Dillon Lewis
INF Roderick Arias
RHP Sean Hermann
Hudson Valley Renegades
The ‘Gades may be the team to watch in the first half, with 2024 1st rounder Ben Hess likely making his true pro debut there shortly and the duo of Arias and Lombard in the middle infield. OF Brendan Jones looked impressive this Spring with the Yankees, but we’ll have to see if he carries that momentum into the regular season and the colder weather of the Hudson Valley.
Expect to see pitchers Sean Hermann and Allen Facundo make their respective returns to baseball after both missed the 2024 season as a result of ulnar reconstruction (“Tommy John”) surgery. RHP Alex Bustamante should also spend significant time with the Renegades this year after also missing 2024 to injury.
OF Coby Morales
OF Brendan Jones
INF George Lombard Jr.
Somerset Patriots
Spencer Jones carried a majority of the focus and hype around the 2024 Patriots, and that will likely be the case as well going into 2025. Many were disappointed that Jones did not get the bump up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but with a 36.8% K rate in 2024 and 44.4% K rate this year in Spring Training, he needs the extra ABs before the jump to slightly more advanced pitching in Triple-A.
There’s still a lot of team to talk about, and there are lots of hidden gems within this team as well. RHRP Luis Pacheco dazzled last year in brief appearances with both Low-A Tampa and Somerset, but don’t be surprised if he starts in Hudson Valley.
LHRP Geoffrey Gilbert pitched on a few occasions in Spring Training with the Yankees (seen below) and he’s yet another arm coming back from surgery. RHSP Brendan Beck is back (I know, right?!) and will likely spend at least the first half with Somerset. Beck looked better than Fried and Williams in an intra-squad game in early March, so take that for what it’s worth.
RHP Geoffrey Gilbert
RHP Luis Pacheco
Pacheco has an interesting story in that he was signed by the Phillies org. in 2016, and made it as far as the (then) Gulf Coast League in 2019 before being released before the 2021 FCL season. Pacheco had a 4.45 ERA in 32.1 IP with the GCL Phillies West with 33 K (9.19 K/9) and allowed only 1 home run in that span. That’s actually pretty impressive for that level.
Pacheco then bounced around from 2022 through part of 2024 between a Frontier League team (Empire State Grays) to a few Venezuelan and Colombian Winter League teams (Aguilas del Zulia, Vaqueros de Monteria and Bravos de Margarita). The Yankees have done well signing guys out of Mexico, and that’s where they seem to have discovered Pacheco. He spent just shy of 2 months with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes.
RHP Danny Watson
RHP Brendan Beck
OF Spencer Jones
INF Alexander Vargas
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