
Renegades Game Notes
April 25, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release
Hudson Valley Renegades (12-6) at Asheville Tourists (8-9)
RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (1-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. LHP Nick Swiney (0-0, 4.91 ERA)
| Game 19 | Road Game 10 | Friday, April 25, 2025 | McCormick Field | Asheville, N.C. | First Pitch 6:35 p.m. |
Radio: The Beacon - WBPM 96.5 FM - Beacon, WGHQ 92.5 FM/920 AM Kingston, W232DQ 94.3 FM Peekskill, WBNR 1260 AM - Beacon, WLNA 1420 AM - Peekskill
Internet Radio: www.hvrenegades.com/broadcast & www.renegadesonair.com
TV: MiLB.tv & Bally Live App
Next Theme Night: Mental Health Awareness Night
Day of Week Promotion: Ballpark Bingo presented by People USA
MISSING HOME: While being the best team at home in MiLB last season, the Renegades struggled on the road. They have started 4-5 in 2025 following a 9-5 win over Asheville on Thursday night. The Renegades finished 26-39 away from Heritage Financial Park, the third-most road losses in the South Atlantic League.
CAROLINA SHOWERS: Hudson Valley played their second doubleheader of the season in Asheville on Wednesday, dropping both games. In doubleheader contests, the Renegades are now 1-3. Half of their six total defeats in 2025 have come in these situations. This was the second doubleheader of the season for the Renegades, after a game was postponed in Brooklyn on April 11th.
MUSIC CITY POP: Brendan Jones has caught fire at the plate over the last week, piling up the stat sheet. During a current seven-game hitting streak, the longest of any Renegade this season, Jones is 9-for-26 (.346) with 10 runs scored, two doubles, three HRs, six RBIs, and a 1.254 OPS. On Wednesday, the Yankees No. 30 prospect was 2-for-4 with three RBIs in game one of the doubleheader. The speedster has also stolen seven bases during that stretch, and his 10 stolen bases overall this season are tied for second in the South Atlantic League.
CONSISTENCY: The Renegades swept the Wilmington Blue Rocks last week, securing another series victory. Hudson Valley has still not lost a series since July 2024, when they dropped four of six to the Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium. Since then, the Renegades have won seven series and split three, including a seven-game sweep of Wilmington last August.
STARTING STRONG: Starting pitching was excellent down the stretch in 2024 for the Renegades, and a new crew of pitchers is off to a outstanding start in 2025. Last week against Wilmington, Renegades starters combined for a 1.35 ERA in 33.1 IP, allowing just five earned runs and striking out 48 batters. In 18 games, Hudson Valley starters have 116 punchouts in 85 innings, good for a 12.3 K/9 clip. Those 116 strikeouts are the most in MiLB among all non-AAA teams and are tied for the third-highest tally overall, despite AAA teams playing six more games. The staff has also issued just 37 walks during that stretch, a BB rate of 3.9%.
DOMINICAN FLAMETHROWER: Hard-throwing right-hander Carlos Lagrange was excellent again on Wednesday night in Asheville. The Yankees No. 18 prospect allowed one run across five frames while striking out eight. After a leadoff homer in the first, Asheville went scoreless the rest of Lagrange's start. He has struck out seven or more batters in each of his first three starts, punching out 24 batters in 14 innings (15.4 K/9). In his prior start last week in his home debut, Lagrange allowed just two hits in six innings while striking out a career-high nine batters. After issuing a leadoff walk in the first, Lagrange retired 11 in a row.
A NEW FRONTIER: For the first time in franchise history, the Renegades travel to historic McCormick Field this week to face the Asheville Tourists in a six-game series. Despite the Renegades and Tourists being in the same league since 2021, this will be only the second time these two teams have ever faced off. The High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros traveled to Heritage Financial Park for the first time in the final week of the 2024 season, with Hudson Valley taking four of six games. McCormick Field is one of the oldest ballparks in MiLB, having been built in 1924. It has been home to the Tourists during that entire timespan. Asheville features six of the top 30 prospects in the Astros organization, including No. 4 prospect and 2024 first round pick Walker Janek.
TEENAGE SPARK: George Lombard Jr. is off to a tremendous start in his first full season in High-A. The Yankees No. 1 prospect has reached base safely in 15 of 16 games he has played this season. In the early season, Lombard has a .472 on-base percentage and .884 OPS, drawing 17 walks in 72 plate appearances and stealing nine bases. The .472 on-base percentage currently ranks second in the South Atlantic League. During his 12-game on-base streak that was snapped Sunday, the 19-year-old hit .333 with a .500 on-base percentage, .987 OPS, 11 runs scored, and seven stolen bases.
SWEEPERS: The Renegades swept their series with the Blue Rocks on Sunday, which is Hudson Valley's third series sweep of six-or-more games since 7/30/24. The Renegades swept Jersey Shore in a six-game set from 7/30/24-8/4/24, and Wilmington in a seven-game series from 8/20-25/24, both at home. Prior to this run, the Renegades only had one six-game sweep in franchise history, from 7/4-10/22 at Jersey Shore.
HOME BODIES: Hudson Valley has started 8-1at home in 2025, having won eight straight at Heritage Financial Park following a season-opening loss. With three series victories at home in 2025, the 'Gades have not lost a series at home since September 2023. During that time span of 16 home series, the Renegades have won 13 and split just three of them. The Renegades are 55-20 (.733) at home since the start of the 2024 season, the best record in MiLB.
HEAD-TO-HEAD DOMINANCE: Last week, Josh Moylan continued his excellent hitting against the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The Renegades infielder drove in seven runs in the series, notching three doubles and a home run. In 31 games over the last two seasons against Wilmington, Moylan has driven in 20 runs, recorded 14 extra-base hits, and reached base safely 45 times. During that span, Moylan is slashing 287/.352/.504 with an .856 OPS.
ENEMY TURNED FRIEND: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz turned in arguably the best performance of any Renegades starter this season on Friday, tossing 6.2 frames while allowing just three hits and one run. The Yankees No. 7 prospect retired 14 in a row from the first inning until the leadoff batter in the sixth. Rodriguez-Cruz became the fourth consecutive Hudson Valley pitcher to record nine strikeouts, and the first to pitch into the seventh inning this season. The former Boston prospect was the second Renegade to record a quality start this season.
THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER: Hudson Valley's bullpen looks sharp early this season, recording a 2.82 ERA through 18 games, the best mark in High-A and seventh-best in MILB. The closest competitor in High-A is Quad Cities (A+, KC), who has a 2.96 ERA. Renegades relievers are holding opponents to a .198 opposing average, while striking out 82 batters in 67 innings. On Sunday, Hueston Morrill, Hayden Merda, and Cole Ayers combined for 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and issuing only one walk. Over the final four games of the series last week, the pitching staff as a whole allowed just three total earned runs in 36 innings of work.
VANDY POWER: Bryce Cunningham, the Yankees 2nd round pick in 2024, was tremendous on Saturday night. The right-hander threw seven scoreless innings while allowing just four hits, becoming the first Renegades starter this season to complete seven innings. WIth his nine strikeouts, Cunningham became the fifth consecutive Renegades starter to record nine strikeouts. In recording a quality start, he also became the third Hudson Valley starter to do this season and the second in two nights. The Alabama native struck out 96 batters in 84.2 innings as a junior at Vanderbilt in 2024.
RBI MACHINE: Jackson Castillo continues to swing the bat well in High-A after joining the Renegades last season. He has reached base safely in 12 of 13 games this season. On Thursday, Castillo was 2-for-5 with two runs, a double, and an RBI. The Renegades outfielder has a .404 on-base percentage.
STAR-STUDDED: To begin the 2025 season, the Renegades have SEVEN of the top 30 prospects in the New York Yankees system, which includes five pitchers. Yankees No. 1 prospect and 98th-ranked MLB prospect George Lombard Jr. is back with the Renegades, and No. 19 Yankees prospect Kyle Carr is on Hudson Valley's Opening Day roster for the second straight year. He made his first career Opening Day start on April 4th. The Renegades also welcome the Yankees' top two picks from the 2025 Draft in pitchers Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham, making their professional debuts. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, the Yankees No. 7 prospect who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Boston Red Sox, starts his New York career with the Gades'. Dominican Carlos Lagrange (Yankees No. 18 prospect) also makes his High-A debut. OF Brendan Jones recently joined the Yankees Top 30 (#30) after the graduation of Yoendrys Gomez.
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