REHAB MANIA: For the second time this season, the Thunder have received a Yankees shortstop for a rehab assignment. In July, it was Derek Jeter, and the zoo of adoring fans he brought through the turnstiles at Waterfront Park.

Tonight, and for the rest of the season, it seems, Trenton will get Ramiro Pena, a defensive wizard who has played 257 games in the Eastern League entering the evening. He's almost certainly the best gloveman at the position in franchise history.

Pena is working his way back from an appendectomy and will play five innings tonight and seven innings tomorrow before traveling with the club to New Britain for the year's final series.

He's an interesting addition for the stretch run, especially because of the solidarity he'll add in the middle of the infield, where the team has had a bucket of problems throughout the year.

GOLDEN VOICE: Ballpark Digest named Thunder Director of Broadcasting Jay Burnham its Broadcaster of the Year yesterday. Considering that award encompasses all of minor league baseball, that's some honor.

In a press release sent out by the team, the man of the hour had this to say about the honor:

"I am truly honored and humbled to be the recipient of this award, especially since there are any number of broadcasters at all levels that are deserving as well. I am fortunate to be a part of one of the best organizations in baseball.

"My broadcast partner Hank Fuerst and I have had an unforgettable season between the new radio station and visits from some of baseball's greatest players past and present, including Reggie Jackson, Derek Jeter and Shane Victorino."

PLAY (MORE) BALL: The Arizona Fall League announced its rosters yesterday, and (so far) four Yankees will play for this year's incarnation of the Phoenix Desert Dogs: Corban Joseph, Ronnier Mustelier, Rob Segedin and David Phelps.

All but Mustelier, a 27-year-old Cuban import, have spent time with the Thunder in the past.

RANK AND FILE: Spoke to a scout before the game who's seen the Yankees at every level but Staten Island this season and asked him to rank the team's position player prospects, non-Montero division. Here's what he said.

1. Gary Sanchez -- He looked excellent in the second half and projects to be a catcher long-term
2. Slade Heathcott -- Behind Sanchez, but not by much
3. Austin Romine

He also mentioned Jose Toussen as a guy who may start to open some eyes. Not a star, he said, but a guy who can play a little. Also really likes Dan Burawa, a reliever with Tampa out of St. John's.

JESUS MONTERO

- He can really hit, despite his unconventional style

- He's a little bit of a weight-shift hitter, has a little hand-hitch in his load

- Tremendous bat speed, power to all fields

- "It's not the prettiest swing in the world, but he can hit"

- "I'm convinced that he can't catch."

- He's going be a DH, but he's going to be a very productive major league hitter

- I think there's a chance that he can be a very productive five-hole hitter in the big leagues

- Lot of balls to the backstop, strong arm, doesn't coordinate his release, arm action is a little bit long. He stabs at balls and doesn't move to block really well.

Is he still the Yankees' most valuable trade chip: "I think, from their perspective, he would be. If I was another team looking for a player, he wouldn't be my first choice. I'd be more interested in some of the young arms, because in the long run I think some of those young arms might have a bigger impact."

ADAM WARREN

- Liked the way he battles, even without his good stuff

- Four average to solid-average major league pitches

- He could pitch in the MLB right now with the stuff

- Solid No. 4 starter

- A bulldog on the mound

ANDREW BRACKMAN

- An enigma: "He'll flash you really good stuff, but he can't repeat his delivery at all."

- Clear that he's lost his confidence and has no confidence in what he's doing

- Long levers make it tough to find a consistent release point, but stuff is there

- Bullpen guy in the long run, 7th/8th-inning guy if everything turns around

D.J. MITCHELL

- Live, loose arm

- Comped to Ramiro Mendoza in that he could be a versatile pen arm

- Loved the change-up -- "That's his weapon now."

- His niche is his versatility

BRANDON LAIRD

- He's got big juice, big power, big raw juice, but style/bat path don't allow him to get to it at game time

- Getting himself out a lot. Swings at a lot of bad pitches.

- When he squares it, it sounds really good coming off his bat

- Too many holes in the swing

- Slower, not real athletic body

- Range at third base is not good; hands are OK

Toward the beginning of the offseason, I spoke to a couple of scouts about some of the Yankees prospects at Scranton, Trenton and Tampa. I'm no talent evaluator, so I like to talk with scouts as often as possible to get a more professional opinion about what I'm seeing. Here are what a couple of them had to say about some of the pitchers in the system:

GRAHAM STONEBURNER

Arm strength. He can throw strikes with all his pitches, and can get ahead in the count. He lacks deception, and will have to really command his 90-94 (ed note: I've seen 95) mph fastball, which is really straight. Sees him as a back-end starter or a 6/7 inning reliever.

ADAM WARREN

Similar to Stoneburner in that he commands his fastball, which sits in the 90-94 mph range. Has good command of his fastball, which also has sneakiness. Someone else who has a sneaky fastball: David Robertson. His curve and slider are average major league pitches. Has the ability to go up the ladder to get the strikeout.

ANDREW BRACKMAN

Very good stuff. Starter in the big leagues with front-end stuff. Topped at 96 with cutting and tailing action. Big-time breaking stuff.

MANNY BANUELOS

He has a bright future. Sneaky fastball (topped at 94). Plus curve, plus change. Showed big ability. "Whitey Ford didn't have this kid's stuff." No concerns about size. Throw out size when you're talking about a left-hander.

DELLIN BETANCES

He made big strides, topping at 97 with the fastball. Two plus-plus pitches -- FB and CB. Delivery has gotten a lot better, but he still falls off to the first-base side. Top-of-the-rotation stuff.

DAVID PHELPS

Middle-of-the-rotation starter. Good life on his fastball. Pitches with moxie. The kid can pitch. Pitches at 89-94, sitting at 91-92. A lot of confidence.

Toward the beginning of the offseason, I spoke to a couple of scouts about some of the Yankees prospects at Scranton, Trenton and Tampa. I'm no talent evaluator, so I like to talk with scouts as often as possible to get a more professional opinion about what I'm seeing. Here are what a couple of them had to say about some of the hitters in the system:

MELKY MESA

He's got a lot of tools. He's a very good athlete with a lot of holes in his swing. The percentage of him making the big leagues is slim, but if he does, it will be as a starter. He's not going to be a fourth or fifth outfielder.

He's got the rare combination of power and speed. He swings and misses a lot and needs to cut down on his swing. He's susceptible to the breaking ball and gets himself out. If he can get pitchers to get him out, he has a chance to be good.

BRAD SUTTLE

He's a polished player, but not that good of an athlete. He's a slow-twitch muscle guy who knows how to play. His range is below average. He's not a Suttle guy.

CORBAN JOSEPH

He's going to hit. He makes good contact, and is going to play in the big leagues. Adequate defender. Just like Utley, his ticket to the MLB is going to be his bat. This is not to say he's as good a hitter as Utley.

AUSTIN ROMINE

He has real defensive abilities. He has the chance to be a plus defensive catcher in the MLB. Compared to Brad Ausmus who can hit.

Another scout said: Defensively, he still has to improve. When he saw him (late season), he looked worn out. Did a good job with higher velocity kids. Got a good report from the Arizona Fall League.

JESUS MONTERO

He's a gifted hitter, but is going to need to find a different position. Offense is so far ahead of the bat. If he were to be in the big leagues this year, he could survive, but you wouldn't see the real potential until the second year.

BRANDON LAIRD

Questionable defense. He'll make the big leagues, but he won't be anything special. He hits bad pitching, good pitching can get him.

A different scout said: Bat is ahead of his defense, where he seems to be limited to the corners. Not much in the run game. The bat is real. Threw out a Jeff Conine comp. His swing has strength and leverage. He takes good at-bats and is aggressive.

Earlier today, I spoke to a very good scout friend who attended both Phillies and Pirates Instructional League action this fall. He had a lot of great stuff to say about both clubs, especially the Phillies, who, despite their paltry returns in the Cliff Lee deal, boast one of the deepest and most talented farm systems in the game.

On Jarred Cosart, who missed most of the year with an elbow issue:

His fastball is back. His breaking ball looks good, but it still needs work.

On Nick Hernandez, a command artist who missed most of the year with a shoulder strain

I was disappointed. He was at 83-86 with the fastball and was all over the place. Something's not right. He walked the park when I saw him.

On Jonathan Singleton, the teenage slugger who is moving the outfield:

Looked very good in left field. Did not look out of place. He has enough of an arm and athleticism to stay at the position. ... The plate discipline impresses me the most, very rare to see that kind of command of the strike zone at such a young age.

On Jesse Biddle, the team's first-rounder from 2010:

Good body. He's got an average fastball, but the 12-to-6 curveball is his signature pitch. He's got a chance to be good, but not top-of-the rotation good.

On Cameron Rupp, a catcher the team took in the third round:

He's got a lot of raw power, but there are a lot of holes in his swing. He's a fringy prospect who can run into a fastball, but he's also very long to the ball.

On Mel Rojas Jr., the Pirates' third-rounder

I'm not really impressed. He's plenty athletic, but I'm not buying the bat.

On Jameson Taillon, Pittsburgh's first-rounder:

He has a chance to be special. If it weren't for Harper, he could have been the No. 1 pick.