The List

RHP: Jason Hirsh (AAA), Ronny Marte (Hi A), Jonathan Ortiz (Hi A), Zack Segovia (AAA), John Van Benschoten (AAA)
LHP: Wilkin de la Rosa (AA), Jose Quintana (Lo A)
C: Ronny Calderon (R), Jose Gil (Hi A), Robby Hammock+ (AAA), P.J. Pilittere+ (AAA), Rene Rivera (AA)
1B: Brian Baisley++ (AA), Myron Leslie (Hi A)
3B: Marcos Vechionacci (AA)
SS: Eric Bruntlett (AAA)
OF: Justin Christian (AAA), Edwar Gonzalez (AAA), Reid Gorecki (AAA), Rudy Guillen+ (Hi A)

My thoughts: A lot of these are interesting. Eight of the 20 played in Trenton in 2010. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jose Gil back and doing the catching for the Thunder next season. Marcos Vechionacci finally started to show some potential with his bat, but it would seem that Brad Suttle is ripe for a promotion to Double-A. If they re-up with Vechionacci, I imagine he either would play first with Trenton or third in Scranton.

Given what happened with De La Rosa toward the end of the season -- losing his 40-man spot, allegations of illegal injections -- combined with a really bad year, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Yankees cut their ties with him.

A return for Edwar Gonzalez also wouldn't shock me.

What did surprise me was Jonathan Ortiz's free agency. I did not realize he'd been around long enough to be eligible. Hard to imagine him not being a big part of the Thunder bullpen next year, but I've been wrong before.

Kevin Whelan was called up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre yesterday, leaving the team a pitcher short as it heads to the stretch run -- for now.

As most everybody who follows the Yankees system knows, there are quite a few arms in Tampa that are deserving of a call to Double-A, and not just starters. Two relievers immediately jump out as guys who needed a promotion -- yesterday.

The first is obvious: Pat Venditte. The nationally known switch pitcher has been mowing down the competition all year for the T-Yanks and, at 25, is a bit old for the level. With 78 strikeouts and just 42 hits allowed in 64 2/3 innings, it's clear High-A is no longer a challenge.

Want more proof? How about a .181 batting average against? How about a 1.81 ERA? How about two home runs allowed? How about 12 walks? No matter how you slice it, the kid deserves a call to Trenton.

The other, almost equally deserving, pitcher is Jonathan Ortiz, who has racked up 19 saves and a tidy .197 average against. Of course, that number is higher than Venditte's. Same goes for his ERA.

Both pitchers are deserving, but Venditte has done just slightly better.