We’re two weeks down in the annual pilgrimage to the desert, and it’s been an up-and-down experience for the Yankees’ contingent and the rest of the Salt River Rafters. A very strong opening week shifted to a more challenging second week, one that saw several prospects struggle. As a reminder, if you want a quick rundown on who’s in the desert this month, check here.
October 9 (Rafters 13, Desert Dogs 9): Salt River started a rough week with a high-scoring win over Glendale, one where they led 7-1 after two innings. Only one Yankee got into a game, as Core Jackson walked thrice, hit a 100 mph single, and stole a base. He hasn’t had a great time in the desert through two weeks, but he’s shown flashes.
October 10 (Rafters 2, Scorpions 10): The pitching didn’t have a good week across the Salt River roster, but the main difference on Saturday was the lack of offense. It wasn’t really the fault of any Yankee, as Kyle West was the only one to play, and he walked in all three at-bats. The issues we saw with the pitching, though, involved Antonio Gomez. He started the sixth with a strikeout, but would allow three hits and two walks before being pulled with two outs. In the end, all five runners he allowed would score. Mack Estrada got the last three outs of the blowout loss in a solid outing.
October 13 (Rafters 6, Desert Dogs 5): The Rafters were off on Sunday and saw their game rained out on Monday, an extreme rarity out in Arizona. When they returned on Tuesday, three Yankees got into the game. Dax Kilby made his first appearance of the week, but went 0-for-4, albeit with a pair of stolen bases. Jackson went 1-for-4 with a couple of hard-hit balls, a walk, and two stolen bases. Chris Veach made his first appearance of the series, allowing one run in two innings.
October 14 (Rafters 3, Solar Sox 7): On Wednesday, the Rafters put themselves in an early four-run hole and never bounced back. Kilby went 0-for-3 with a walk on a quiet night, albeit with a 108.7 mph groundout. West went 0-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, while Anthony Mena made his lone appearance of the week with a choppy 1.2 innings.
October 15 (Rafters 9, Solar Sox 14): It was a light-night barnburner on Thursday night, as the Rafters led 9-8 in the ninth before a game-tying two-out infield single against Gomez tied the game. A five spot in the 10th after a small army of walks doomed them. Jackson went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, a stolen base, and a run scored. West entered as a late defensive replacement and hit a 103 mph groundout in the ninth. Estrada got two of the three batters he faced out, and while Gomez allowed two hits and had a blown save, he struck out a batter in a “scoreless” inning. He also tried out a new curveball.
Gomez, who’s exclusively a fastball/cutter guy, threw this one curveball yesterday. https://t.co/bY7gSQ2SJApic.twitter.com/6hbSuI15bV
— Yankees Prospect Watch (@NYY_Prospects) October 16, 2026
October 16 (Rafters 0, Javelinas 10): What a crummy way to end the week. You can’t completely blame the Yankees for this one, though. Kilby went 2-for-4 with a 105 mph double, Jackson went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, and West went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. On the pitching side, we saw JT Etheridge strike out six in an up-and-down 3.1-inning start, while Veach struck out the side in order in the seventh.
AFL totals thus far
Dax Kilby: 7-24, HR, 6 RBI, 4 2B, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 SB
Core Jackson: 3-22, 2B, 5 BB, 9 K, 6 SB
Kyle West: 5-23, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 6 K, SB
JT Etheridge: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 9 K
Mack Estrada: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 K
Chris Veach: 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 8 K
Anthony Mena: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 6 K
Antonio Gomez: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 3 K