The Yankees’ roster for Arizona is headlined by a guy who may be just as comfortable a little ways away at Area 51.
That is, of course, “The Martian,” as No. 2 organizational prospect and No. 42 overall MLB prospect Jasson Dominguez is the biggest name of seven the Yankees are sending to this year’s Arizona Fall League, which runs October 3 through November 12.
The rest of the group includes first baseman T.J. Rumfield, corner infielder Tyler Hardman, and RHPs Nelson Alvarez, Yorlin Calderon, Shaine McNeely, and Leam Mendez. High-A Hudson Valley defensive coach Jose Javier and Class-A Tampa trainer Brandon Rodriguez will also be part of the coaching staff for the Mesa Solar Sox.
Dominguez, still just 19, will finish a big season that saw him start at Tampa, move up to Hudson Valley shortly after participating in his second straight MLB Futures Game, and end in Arizona after a stint at Double-A Somerset. He is one of 16 members of MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects headed to Arizona, three of which will be part of the Mesa roster.
The top prospect slashed .306/.397/.510 with six homers, 211 RBI, and 17 steals in just 40 games at Hudson Valley after posting a .266/.374/.440 slash line with nine homers, 36 RBI, and 19 steals in 79 games with Tampa. He went 0-for-10 with a run scored in his first two games at Double-A.
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Rumfield, a 10th-round pick of the Phillies in 2021, was acquired last winter in the deal that sent Nick Nelson and Donny Sands to Philly. He was limited to just 52 games in Hudson Valley this season due to injury, but slashed 284/.381/.411 with four home runs and 34 RBI.
Hardman, the Yankees’ fifth-round pick in 2021, just moved up to Somerset this week after hitting .262/.329/.479 with 22 homers, 79 RBI, and 14 steals in 109 games at Hudson Valley. He has played mostly third base this season (100 games), but has played a little first as well.
Alvarez, the Yankees’ 13th-round pick in 2019, was a stalwart in the Hudson Valley bullpen, going 5-22 with a 2.85 ERA in a team-high 35 games. He also struck out 65 in 52 1/3 innings.
Calderon, a former international free agent signing, spent the entire season in Florida, going 6-1 with a 3.88 ERA in 14 games (six starts) between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Tampa. The 21-year-old struck out 75 and walked 16 in 58 innings.
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McNeely, the Yankees’ 16th-round pick in 2019, also split this season between the FCL and Low-A, going 2-2 with a 5.28 ERA in 15 1/3 innings over 13 games. He struck out 25 and walked four.
Mendez, 22, also split his first pro season between the two Yankees teams in Tampa, going 2-3 with a 4.30 ERA and four saves in 21 games.
He tossed 29 1/3 innings, striking out 37 against 10 walks.
There are a handful of former Yankees prospects who they will see in competition, as well, including now-Royals LHP T.J. Sikkema (dealt to KC in the Andrew Benintendi deal), Rangers outfielder Trevor Hauver (dealt to Texas for Joey Gallo), and Mariners RHP Juan Then, who was sent back to Seattle in the 2019 deal for Edwin Encarnacion.
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