Renegades Game Notes

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SAL Hudson Valley Renegades

Renegades Game Notes

April 5, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release


Hudson Valley Renegades (0-1) vs. Jersey Shore BlueClaws (1-0)

RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (First Start) vs. RHP Alex McFarlane (First Start)

| Game 2 | Home Game 2 | Saturday, April 5, 2025 | Heritage Financial Park | Wappingers Falls, N.Y. | First Pitch 5:05 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

Game Information can be found on the Renegades Press Room:

2025 Hudson Valley Renegades Press Room

THERE'S ALWAYS THIS YEAR: The Hudson Valley Renegades have won the High-A East/South Atlantic League North Division Championship in three of the four years they have competed in the league ('21, '23 & '24), but are still looking for their first championship at the level. The 'Gades have advanced to the SAL Championship in the last two seasons, falling to the Greenville Drive in 2023, and the Bowling Green Hot Rods in 2024.

HISTORICALLY GOOD 2024: The 2024 Renegades season was one of the most successful in team history. Here is a short list of the accomplishments of last year's club:

Set franchise record with 73 wins during the regular season.

Led High-A with 3.25 ERA, the second-straight season the team has led High-A in ERA and third-straight season they have led the SAL.

Threw franchise-record 19 shutouts, most by a MiLB team in a season since 2019.

Franchise record 47-19 (.712) mark at home, the best of any MiLB team, and 18th-best in MiLB since 2005.

Had the fifth-known no-hitter in AL, NL and MiLB history to end in a walk-off on 7/19 vs Rome.

Threw two no-hitters (7/19 vs Rome, 8/22 (2) vs Wilmington).

Allowed the fewest hits of any MiLB team.

Set franchise record with 21 strikeouts on 9/7 vs Asheville.

Led High-A in doubles (254), 14 more than the second place team.

Had the SAL Pitcher of the Year (RHP Cam Schlittler) for the second straight season (RHP Drew Thorpe, 2023).

Completed the first seven-game sweep in South Atlantic League history vs Wilmington from 8/20-25 at Heritage Financial Park.

SOCAL SOUTHPAW: Kyle Carr looked sharp in his first career Opening Day start on Friday night, allowing just two hits and one run across 4.2 innings while striking out six. He's hoping to build off his late-season success in 2024. The lefty was part of a combined no-hitter on July 19th, the third in franchise history. From July 19th until the end of the regular season, Carr put together a 2.14 ERA in 42 innings across nine starts, recording a 0.84 WHIP and a .185 opposing average.

A RIVAL BECOMES AN ALLY: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz makes his Yankees organization debut on Saturday, after being traded from the Boston Red Sox in December for Carlos Narvaez. The No. 8 Yankees prospect spent some time in the South Atlantic League last season pitching for the Greenville Drive (A+, BOS). In 21 appearances across Single-A and High-A last season, Rodriguez Cruz had a 2.91 ERA in 89.2 innings while striking out 102 batters. He is one of five top 30 Yankees pitching prospects on the Renegades roster.

NEW TEACHERS: Hudson Valley welcomes an entirely new coaching staff to the team this season. James Cooper takes over as manager of the Renegades after spending last year at the helm for Single-A Tampa. Hitting coach Tom DeAngelis joins Cooper from Tampa, working for the third straight season with Cooper. Pitching coach Demetre Kokoris begins his first season in the Yankees organization, previously serving as bullpen coach for Triple-A Round Rock (AAA, TEX) the last two seasons.

THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER: The Renegades bullpen collectively sported a 3.06 ERA (186 ER/547.1 IP) in 2024, the best mark in High-A and second-best in the minors. They return six arms from that dominant bullpen in 2025, looking to continue their success.

FAMILIAR FACES: The Renegades' Opening Day roster features 21 returning players from the 2023 and 2024 SAL North Division Championship teams. This includes six pitchers from the 2024 Hudson Valley bullpen that had the best ERA (3.06) in High-A and second-best in all of MiLB. Among position players, Josh Moylan, Omar Martinez, Anthony Hall, and Kiko Romero were all in the 2024 Opening Day lineup last April. Jace Avina, a key part of the offense for much of the season, also joined the squad in mid-April. The Renegades also have late-season additions George Lombard Jr., Jackson Castillo, Brendan Jones, and Coby Morales back on the roster, all of whom played a key role in 2024's postseason run.

STAR-STUDDED: To begin the 2025 season, the Renegades have six of the top 20 prospects in the New York Yankees system, which includes five pitchers. Yankees No. 2 prospect and 100th-ranked MLB prospect George Lombard Jr. is back with the Renegades to play shortstop, and No. 20 Yankees prospect Kyle Carr is on Hudson Valley's Opening Day roster for the second straight year, and will make his first career Opening Day start on Friday. 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. 8 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. 19 prospect) will also make his High-A debut.

JERSEY BOYS: The Jersey Shore BlueClaws are a familar opponent for the Renegades, as the two squads played 24 games last year. Hudson Valley finished with a 14-10 record against their SAL North counterparts, including a 10-2 record at home and a 4-8 record on the road. In 2025, these two games again play 24 more games. The first nine games of the Renegades' 27 games will take place against Jersey Shore at Heritage Financial Park. They will then travel to ShoreTown Ballpark on three separate occasions to complete the season series with 15 games.

HOME BODIES: Hudson Valley completed their 2024 regular season with a 47-19 (.712) record at Heritage Financial Park this season, the best home record of any team in Minor League Baseball this season. The 'Gades home record was 12th-best among MiLB teams since 2005, with the 2011 San Antonio Missions (AA, SD) having set the standard with a 55-15 (.786) mark.

THIS GUY IS GROSZ: Josh Grosz was instrumental for the Renegades in the last two months of 2024, and starts the 2025 season with Hudson Valley. After a spot start in May where he struggled, Grosz was dominant n his second stint with the Renegades. In six starts, he allowed just seven earned runs in 35.2 frames, good for a 1.77 ERA. Opponents hit only .138 against him during the stretch.

YOUTH RULES: George Lombard came alive at the plate over the last three weeks of the 2024 season, and is looking to carry over that success into 2025. He already showed off his potential during spring training in big league camp, hitting home runs in back-to-back games in early March. In his final 13 regular season games with Hudson Valley in 2024, the Yankees No. 2 prospect slashed .333/.419/.481 with eight doubles and a .900 OPS. In Game 1 of the North Division Series against Greensboro, Lombard was 3-for-5 with three doubles and three RBIs, becoming the first Renegade to have three doubles in a game since 2022.

MISSING HOME: While being the best team at home in MiLB last season, the Renegades struggled mightily on the road last year. The Renegades finished 26-39 away from Heritage Financial Park in the regular season, the third-most road losses in the South Atlantic League. Last year, the Renegades played their first nine games on the road. This season, they begin with nine of 15 at Heritage Financial Park.

STARTING OFF RIGHT: Starting pitching was excellent down the stretch in 2024, and figures to be even better in 2025. The rotation will display as many as five top-20 Yankees prospects. Behind returners Kyle Carr and Josh Grosz as well as a series of newcomers, the Renegades will look to duplicate or improve on the success of last year's group. From July 28th through the end of the postseason, a Renegades starting pitcher allowed more than two earned runs in a start only three times, a stretch of 43 games. In that span, Hudson Valley starters had a 2.46 ERA in 175.1 IP with a 1.07 WHIP.

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