The New York Yankees announced that six Minor League players and one coach will participate in the 2024 Arizona Fall League.
The six players include RHP Harrison Cohen, INF Caleb Durbin, C Rafael Flores, RHP Jackson Fristoe, RHP Ryan Harvey and OF Garrett Martin. Additionally, 2024 High-A Hudson Valley defensive coach Derek Woodley will serve as an “Extra Coach.” All seven members of the Yankees organization will join the Salt River Rafters.
Of the six players, two were drafted by the Yankees in the First-Year Player Draft (Fristoe, Harvey), three were signed as non-drafted free agents (Cohen, Flores, Martin) and one was acquired via trade (Durbin).
As of Sept. 25, 2024, 15 members of the Yankees’ current 28-man roster and 18 members of the 40-man roster (including players on the 60-day injured list) played in the Arizona Fall League, including five while in the Yankees Minor League system: LHP Nestor Cortes (Scottsdale, 2016), OF Jasson Domínguez (Mesa, 2022), OF Aaron Judge (Scottsdale, 2014), INF Gleyber Torres (Scottsdale, 2016) and C Austin Wells (Surprise, 2021).
Cohen, 25, split the 2024 season between the FCL Yankees, Single-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley, going 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA (26.2IP, 15H, 5R/4ER, 9BB, 29K, 1HR) in 18 games (one start). Over two Minor League seasons in the Yankees organization (2023-24), the right-handed pitcher has gone 8-3 with a 2.85 ERA (79.0IP, 55H, 28R/25ER, 35BB, 96K, 6HR) in 54 career games (one start). The New Hyde Park, N.Y., native was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on Aug. 15, 2022, out of George Washington University.
Durbin, 24, combined to hit .275/.388/.451 (92-for-335) with 61R, 25 doubles, two triples, 10HR, 60RBI, 53BB and 31SB in 90 games with High-A Hudson Valley, Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season. His 31SB ranked fifth among Yankees farmhands. Durbin spent the majority of the season with the RailRiders, batting .287/.396/.471 (89-for-310) with 57R, 23 doubles, two triples, 10HR, 60RBI, 47BB and 29SB in 82 games. Among Scranton/Wilkes-Barre batters this season, he ranked second in hits, doubles and stolen bases, third in extra-base hits (35) and total bases (146), tied for third in RBI, fourth in walks and tied for fourth in runs scored.
This will mark the second time he has played in the Arizona Fall League (Mesa, 2023). The infielder hit .353/.456/.588 (30-for-85) with 18R, nine doubles, one triple, three HR, 12RBI, 14BB and an AFL-leading 21SB in 23 games, later being named to the AFL Fall Stars Game.
Durbin has hit .269 (276-for-1,026) with 187R, 64 doubles, six triples, 22HR, 153RBI, 134BB and 110SB in 281 career games over four seasons in the Minor League seasons in the Braves (2021-22) and Yankees (2023-24) organizations. The Evanston, Ill., native was originally selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of the Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.). He was then acquired by the Yankees from the Braves along with RHP Indigo Diaz in exchange for LHP Lucas Luetge on Dec. 28, 2022.
Flores, 23, combined to hit .279/.379/.495 (121-for-434) with 67R, 31 doubles, 21HR, 68RBI, 66BB and 8SB in 122 games with High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2024. Among Yankees farmhands this season, he ranked second in doubles, home runs, extra-base hits (52) and total bases (215), third in hits, tied for fourth in walks, and fifth in RBI, slugging percentage and OPS (.874). Following the season, Flores was tabbed by Baseball America as the Yankees’ Minor League “Player of the Year.”
The right-handed batter has hit .272 (226-for-830) with 120R, 47 doubles, one triple, 31HR, 115RBI, 115BB and 11SB in 231 games over three Minor League seasons in the Yankees organization (2022-24). The Anaheim, Calif., native was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on July 25, 2022, out of Rio Hondo College (Calif.).
Fristoe, 23, spent the 2024 season with High-A Hudson Valley, going 1-3 with a 3.79 ERA (38.0IP, 27H, 18R/16ER, 28BB, 40K, 2HR) in 12 starts. He has spent two Minor League seasons in the Yankees organization (2023-24), going 2-7 with a 4.34 ERA (74.2IP, 52H, 38R/36ER, 56BB, 85K, 5HR) in 25 career games (23 starts). The Paducah, Ky., native was selected by the Yankees in the 12th round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of Mississippi State University.
Harvey, 23, went 2-4 with a 6.03 ERA (31.1IP, 26H, 23R/21ER, 19BB, 35K, 1HR) in 11 games (10 starts) with Single-A Tampa during the 2024 season. The right-handed pitcher has spent two Minor League seasons in the Yankees organization (2023-24), going 3-7 with a 4.79 ERA (77.0IP, 69H, 45R/41ER, 41BB, 83K, 7HR) in 24 career games (22 starts). The Palo Alto, Calif., native was selected by the Yankees in the 11th round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of UC Santa Barbara (Calif.).
Martin, 24, spent the entire 2024 season with High-A Hudson Valley, batting .216 (62-for-287) with 50R, 17 doubles, 3 triples, 12HR, 43RBI, 34BB and 17SB in 87 games. The outfielder has hit .213 (75-352) with 55R, 23 doubles, three triples, 12HR, 50RBI, 42BB and 17SB in 105 career games over two Minor League seasons in the Yankees organization (2023-24). The Arlington, Texas, native was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on July 14, 2023, out of Austin Peay State University (Tenn.).
Woodley, 53, concluded his second season in the Yankees organization and second as the Defensive Coach for High-A Hudson Valley (2023-24). This past season, Renegades fielders recorded a .970 fielding percentage.