After an up-and-down first few years to his pro career, New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series alum Justin Lange finally seems to be on the right track.
Lange was promoted to the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades by the New York Yankees earlier last week, and dazzled in his debut at the level, allowing just one hit and one walk against the Brooklyn Cyclones on Wednesday, striking out eight batters along the way.
Want to see all eight K’s from @J_Lange22‘s #RepBX High-A Debut with the @HVRenegades?
Of course you do. pic.twitter.com/rF0eGRLRbq
— Mike Ashmore (@mashmore98) August 17, 2023
The 21-year-old righty, who popped up on the map of big league teams at International Week in 2019, was touching 95 miles per hour with fastball, but recorded most of those strikeouts via a wipeout slider, something the Yankees have been working on developing with him ever since they acquired him from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Luke Voit last year.
Taken with the No. 34 overall pick by San Diego back in 2020, Lange only ended up throwing in nine games in the Padres system before spending all of last season with the Yankees Florida Complex League team. Having graduated to full-season ball this year, Lange had pitched well for the Low-A Tampa Tarpons prior to his promotion, recording 123 strikeouts in just 78 1/3 innings of work.
Dylan Crews, OF — Washington Nationals (AA – Harrisburg Senators)
Speaking of promotions, it was only a matter of time before Crews received his, but it turns out he’ll be skipping a level entirely in doing so. The Nationals moved the former National Tournaments and International Week star directly to Double-A on Monday, which gets him out of having to go to a pitcher-friendly park in High-A Wilmington.
Crews earned the promotion by hitting .355 with five homers and 24 RBI in just 15 games at Low-A Fredericksburg, and it seems the No. 2 overall pick in the most recent MLB Draft could reach the big leagues much, much sooner rather than later.
Robby Snelling, LHSP — San Diego Padres (AA – San Antonio Missions)
Snelling is also the recipient of another reported call-up, headed to Double-A himself after an exceptional start to his pro career. Between Low-A Lake Elsniore and High-A Fort Wayne, the 19-year-old southpaw is 9-3 with a 1.88 ERA in his first 18 starts after being taken with the No. 39 overall pick by San Diego in the 2022 MLB Draft.
