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Ben Gamel is having one of the best seasons of any Scranton/Wilkes-Barre player in recent years.
The RailRiders’ outfielder, in the midst of a triple-double campaign reaching double figures in doubles, triples and home runs, was a strong International League Most Valuable Player candidate on the first-place club.
The 23-year-old will have to settle for IL Rookie of the Year honors. The league released its postseason All-Star Team and award winners on Tuesday morning with Buffalo’s Matt Hague edging Gamel for the league’s top honor.
Hague leads the circuit in batting average (.347), hits (172), RBI (88), slugging percentage (.483), on-base percentage (.425), total bases (239), OPS (.908). The only stat working against him is that Buffalo has been eliminated from playoff contention and wasn’t a first-place team for most of the season.
Meanwhile, Gamel is the entire minor leagues’ co-leader in triples with 14 and leads the IL in outfield assists with 13. He’s also second in the league in a number of categories including total bases (229), OPS (.835) and slugging percentage (.476), while ranking third in several other categories including batting average (.304), runs scored (74), hits (146) and extra-base hits (49). The Neptune Beach, Fla. native also leads the team in RBI (61) and at bats (481), while being second on the team in doubles (25), home runs (10) and stolen bases (11).
In his entire career entering this season, Gamel tallied only 10 career home runs in five seasons. Earlier in the week, he hit his 10h of the season for the RailRiders. He is the franchise’s first Rookie of the Year recipient since Austin Jackson claimed the award in 2009.
The SWB franchise has only dressed two MVP winners in its 26-year history with Shane Victorino claiming the award in 2005 for the Red Barons and Shelley Duncan picking up the hardware in 2009 for the Yankees.
Gamel was the only RailRider selected to the league’s postseason list as 10 of the league’s 14 teams are represented. Charlotte’s Erik Johnson was picked as the league’s Most Valuable Pitcher, and Norfolk’s Ron Johnson claimed Manager of the Year.
Roster overhaul
As promised, the Yankees made several call-ups on Tuesday as every team in the Major Leagues was allowed to expand rosters up to 40.
Getting the call to the show from the RailRiders were second baseman Rob Refsnyder, utility player Jose Pirela, speedy outfielder Rico Noel, catcher Austin Rome and relievers Caleb Cotham, Andrew Bailey and James Pazos.The rehabbing Dustin Ackley was also activated from New York’s disabled list and recalled.
While those names were expected to get the call, a few who didn’t might affect the team’s play in the near future even more. Outfielder Tyler Austin and infielder Cole Figueroa were both designated for assignment to make room on the Yankees’ 40-man roster for the players who were not on it.
Austin, who started the season with the RailRiders and was currently playing for Double-A Trenton, was likely a player who would have been an option to be promoted back to Triple-A with the call-ups. Figueroa is second on the team in batting average (.299), hits (130), to go along with 19 doubles, three homers, 44 RBI, a .361 on base percentage and striking out just 26 times all season in 435 at-bats.
It doesn’t mean both of these players are gone from the organization, but they have to clear waivers in order to return.
More moves are expected soon with relievers Nick Rumbelow, Nick Goody and Chris Martin also being in line to get a call-up. Goody and Rumbelow were optioned just last week and aren’t eligible for a recall until Sept. 6 due to baseball’s 10-day rule, while Martin pitched in 18 games for the Yankees this season. All three are on New York’s 40-man roster.
One pitcher not on the 40-man, but who could get his contract purchased is left-handed starter Chris Capuano, who has been designated for assignment four times this season.
Catcher Gary Sanchez, currently on the SWB disabled list, and outfielder Slade Heathcott are the only other two players on the 40-man roster.
Familiar faces return
To take the places of those who were promoted on Tuesday, the RailRiders received roster reinforcements who have previously seen time with the team this season.
Of the eight players who were promoted to SWB on Tuesday, six have had previous Triple-A experience which is a positive since the RailRiders will be starting the postseason, barring a historical collapse.
Right-handers Mark Montgomery and Cesar Vargas have each tossed for SWB out of the bullpen this season, while infielders Ali Castillo, Cito Culver and Rob Segedin have the experience with Segedin seeing the most action playing in 61 games over the last two seasons at Triple-A. Catcher Kyle Higashioka started the season with the RailRiders, but was moved to other parts of the organization shortly after.
The biggest name of those promoted is outfielder Jake Cave, who is rated as one of the organization’s top prospects by many publications, while righty Connor Mulle has never pitched above Double-A.