Scott Lucas

We knew the day would come when Texas would need bullpen reinforcements, so I’ve made that a focus of my early reports. The Express are 5-11 but not because of the relievers, who have an aggregate 3.70 ERA, .218/.308/.258 opposing line and 37% K rate. Problem is, management can’t call down to Round Rock and say “send us one bullpen unit, please… actually make it two.” They have to make specific and complicated choices.

Alexis Diaz, Josh Sborz, Michael Otanez, Gavin Collyer and Peyton Gray pitched in yesterday’s noon game in Round Rock. The Rangers obviously wouldn’t have chosen that quintet had they known what would transpire late that evening. I’m mostly going to ignore this usage while running down the options because I want to offer my opinions on them even if they couldn’t pitch tonight, but it’s worth keeping it in mind.The three relievers already on the 40 are Otanez, Marc Church and Emiliano Teodo. I suppose one could suffice in a pinch, but I don’t trust any of them right now. They’re generating strikeouts but are deeply worrying in other ways, usually control. I think Schumaker would have to be getting a potential replacement loose before any of them finished their jog to the mound, unless they were entering a blowout.

Among non-40 candidates, the obvious choice is Josh Sborz. He’d be comfortable with the logistics of two nights in two cities two time-zones apart. He also has a deadline of today for addition to the roster or letting him go if another club showed interest. (He could also simply agree to stay, I believe.) His basic line is solid if walk-heavy. He’s been effective, if not electric. On the downside, Sborz isn’t throwing a great percentage of strikes including on opening pitches. Opposing contact has leaned solid, pulled and airborne. I don’t want to come across as overly critical. He’s been fine, just not in such a way that I think sets himself above all his peers or insists on a call-up under ordinary circumstances. 

Sborz did pitch Tuesday, and I wonder about the effect on his already slightly attenuated velocity if he had to pitch tonight. Per local reports, the idea is for him to get that back-to-back outing tonight in Round Rock. Another problem, the same problem since 2023, is that he can’t be optioned. If he’s brought to the Rangers and doesn’t perform well, that might end his relationship with Texas. But then, it might be time. We’ll always have late 2023. 

Ryan Brasier has settled down after a shaky spring, although his most recent outing wasn’t pretty. Like Sborz, zipping out to Sacto on short notice wouldn’t be an issue, plus he’s rested. If the Rangers bring him up and he has to be outrighted two weeks later and then leaves, it’s almost certainly not an event that would lead to long-term regret.

Alexis Diaz has been better lately and threw only two pitches yesterday in something akin to a Spring Training just-in-case role, replacing starer Trey Supak with runners aboard and two out in the 4th. Better, yes, but with some of the same worries as the trio on the 40. He’s regained some of his velocity and has a monstrous 80% whiff rate on sliders, but his overall strike rate is still quite poor thanks to an inability to catch the zone much, and his results could decay against batters with better plate discipline. 

Gavin Collyer has looked best to me, and assuming he maintains this recent performance, he’ll see the bigs before too long. In addition to the usual upper-90s fastball, cutter and sweeper, he’s vastly improved the poor control that kept him off the 40 over the winter. His overall strike rate is 75% including a comical 85% on first pitches. Collyer has a 42% call-strike rate with his cutter, of all things, compared to the league rate of 16. None of that will persist AAA, much less in the Majors, but it doesn’t need to. The point is the change from previous times when he couldn’t throw strikes with any consistency (and batters weren’t chasing at all). 

Gray is pitching like the guy who caught your attention during March, but he wouldn’t be my first choice right now, and he threw two innings Tuesday. 

I also had a crazy idea, and as I typed it out I became convinced it was stupid, but here it is anyway. Cody Bradford hasn’t pitched since April 2. Per a local report five days ago, his next rehab outing has been delayed because he didn’t feel quite right afterwards. Is he better now, and scheduled to pitch soon? If so, why not let him do it in Sacramento, and then option him to AAA for the rest of his rehab. He has two options, so burning one isn’t a big deal, and it wouldn’t even count if he’s in AAA fewer than 20 days. The problems are 1) the stress of pitching in MLB versus AAA, where results are essentially irrelevant, 2) the difference between the stable, regimented warmup preceding a Triple A start versus a situation-dependent and potentially hasty warmup in MLB. 

The better idea for Bradford might be transfer to the 60-day IL, given his outlook. I’d also be curious to know more of Cody Freeman’s situation. I’m assuming Texas won’t know enough of Curvelo’s or Martin’s prognoses to make an immediate 60-day decision. As for casualties if a 40 spot is needed in the traditional manner, Otanez might top the list.

Incidentally, my Statcast tables for Round Rock are up and running. Pitchers are here, hitters here. As with the Spring Training tables, my idea was to condense as much useful info as possible onto a single page. They includes some color gradients for quality in various statistics, but basically they’re just big tables. Please don’t look at them on your phone. It will explode. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 6, El Paso (SDP) 4
Round Rock: 10 hits, 7 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 5-11, 5.5 GB

SP Trey Supak: 3.2 IP, 6 H (2 HR), 4 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 83 P / 53 S, 6.91 ERA
RP Alexis Diaz: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 1.13 ERA
RP Michel Otañez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 8.44 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2.70 ERA
RP Peyton Gray: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
1B Justin Foscue: 3-5, 2B, HR (2), .343/.389/.537
DH Alejandro Osuna: 1-2, 2 BB, SB (3), .294/.362/.412
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-4, 2B, BB, .293/.397/.379
SS Cameron Cauley: 1-3, 2 BB, .189/.323/.264

I more-or-less covered the game in my bullpen writeup. Foscue pulled a first-pitch outer-half slider from Misael Tamarez into the seats. He was at the plate and had seen four Tamarez offerings when Tyler Wade was picked off first for the final out of the previous inning. 


AA: Frisco 15, at Amarillo (ARI) 11
Frisco: 20 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 16 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 6-4, 2 GB

SP Josh Trentadue: 2.2 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 71 P / 42 S, 7.04 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 3-6, 2B, 3B, .375/.390/.525
RF Orlando Martinez: 5-6, 2B, 2 HR (2), .333/.429/.528
LF Marcus Lee Sang: 4-6, 3 2B, SB (3), .278/.297/.361

Amarillo is the Texas League’s equivalent of the PCL’s ABQ, El Paso, Reno or Salt Lake, and in that environment, Frisco transformed a three-run deficit into a four-run lead in the 9th. Keith Jones drew three walks, and 3B Frainyer Chavez, catcher Ian Moller, 1B John Taylor and 2B Theo Hardy had two hits apiece. 


Hi-A: Hub City 6, at Wilmington (WAS) 4
Hub City: 8 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 4-5, 2.5 GB

SP Aidan Curry: 5 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 71 P / 47 S, 1.00 ERA
CF Paxton Kling: 3-4, 2 SB (6), .333/.471/.481
C Malcolm Moore: 1-4, HR (1), .115/.207/.269
DH Chandler Pollard: 2-4, SB (1), .235/.235/.235

Aidan Curry stretched out to five innings and has 13 strikeouts and a lone walk in nine innings. We’ve got ourselves a story here.

Malcolm Moore hit hit first homer to provide a boost to a slow start. Moore is making contact at a solid rate despite an aggressive approach, but the contact is foul-heavy and not adding to much so far. Like last year, the contact in play is mostly airborne (good) but leaning toward the opposite field (no, unless everyone’s pitching him away all the time, which I doubt). 

Wilmington leadoff hitter and shortstop Devin Fitz-Gerald was 1-for-5 with a double. He’s hitting a salty .314/.415/.486 eight games into an aggressive high-A assignment. 

The opposing homer off Curry was by Elijah Green, whom you might recall as the putative top pick in the ’22 draft even before that start of his senior season in high school. Green would eventually fall to fifth and quite frankly been a complete bust, batting .204/.299/.328 with a 43% strikeout rate in 252 games at the A levels. Texas picked Kumar Rocker third overall. I’ve mentioned this before: Rocker was a shocking pick at the time, and his ultimate evaluation is pending, but nearly everyone else connected to the Rangers in that draft hasn’t panned out. 

Wilmington LF Cristhian Vaquero came up the loser in an ugly collision with Hub City 1B Arturo Disla on a grounder. Vaquero is listed at 6’3″ and 180 pounds, while Disla is 6’2″ and charitably listed at 240. Vaquero did walk away under his own power, but to the dugout, while Disla stayed in. 


Lo-A: Hickory 7, Salem (BOS) 5
Hickory: 9 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 8-2, 2 G up

SP Frank Martinez: 4 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 4 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 58 P / 38 S, 8.22 ERA
RP Aneudis Mejia: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 14.40 ERA
RP JD McReynolds: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
DH Deward Tovar: 1-4, HR (2), .250/.341/.528
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-4, .243/.349/.324
2B Daniel Flames: 3-3, BB

Hickory was down 5-2 at the midpoint but took the lead in the 7th. Luke Savage is Texas’s recent low-A save leader with six in 2024 and 2025. JD McReynolds and Louis Marinaro both have three after just ten team games. 

Salem still affiliates with Boston but is no longer team-owned and changed the mascot from the long-standing Red Sox to RidgeYaks. Your first guess at who bought Salem will be correct. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Stephan
AA: Townsend
Hi-A: Segura
Lo-A: Deakins

Fangraphs published their Texas prospect list today, much earlier in the season than usual. This year’s addition was written by Brendan Gawlowski, an Acquaintance of The Report who spent several years scouting for the Bucs and patrolling the back fields in Surprise among other duties. I’d already written enough (too much) last night, so I’ll leave thoughts on the new list for later. 

Jake Burger had a nice start to the season, but I noticed yesterday that his slash stats are all below his 2025 levels. His walk and strikeout rates are worse as well. He’s swinging the usual amount but less frequently at heart-of-zone pitches and more at out-of-zone offerings. 38% of pitches have resulted in a called or swinging strike, the highest in MLB. He’s hitting the ball very hard when he makes contact, but that’s being swamped by other issues. I guess the question is whether 2026 is a small sample to be judged cautiously or instead a continuation of 2025 to be judged as a whole. (Note: Baseball Reference gives him an inoffensive 98 OPS+, but that’s a function of what I think is a cattywampus park adjustment that is grossly overstating Globe Life’s pitcher-friendliness.) 

Meanwhile, Justin Foscue is doing what he does in AAA, swinging judiciously (albeit with few walks so far), making consistent and firm contact with results dampened by a slight excess of pops and grounders. Foscue is 27, his MLB results to date have been painful, and I’m not willing to say he’d be any better now. Hopefully so, because surely he’s better than that, but enough to hang around? Management’s actions over the years have always implied he’s never had a spot waiting for him, but at the same time, he’s never quite forced the issue. 

I’m not sure where I’m going with this, to be honest, other than to wonder aloud how much time Burger will be given and who might replace him. (This could also be applied to Pederson, but that’s for a another day.) 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 11, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 12
Round Rock: 9 hits, 11 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 4-11, 6 GB

SP Austin Gomber: 1.1 IP, 6 H (2 HR), 8 R, 2 BB, 0 SO, 41 P / 25 S, 16.39 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 5.40 ERA
1B Justin Foscue: 2-5, BB, .323/.373/.468
CF Michael Helman: 2-3, 2B, HR (1), 2 BB, .167/.255/.286
DH Cooper Johnson: 1-4, HR (), BB, .233/.324/.267

Austin Gomber’s three starts have totaled 8.1 innings, and not because he’s on a leash. His strikeout rate is 9%, and while he’s getting plenty of grounders, there’s just so much contact. 

Michael Helman frequently pulling the ball into the air with force is a potentially useful Major Leaguer. Delete the words “with force” and he’s not. Helman became a pull artist in 2023, always ranking near the top of leaderboards in that category. Entering Sunday, a third of his balls hit into play were pulled and airborne, but not a single one was hit above 92 MPH. The results: one single in eight at-bats. Yesterday, Helman smacked a pitch to left center at 100 MPH for his first homer. 

Marc Church is throwing strikes and getting misses. His opposing contact velocity is acceptable. He’s been fly prone, but more of those flies have been pops than the type to leave the yard. So how are opponents hitting .391/.500/.739 with four walks (and a hit batter) in 4.1 innings? First, his perfectly fine strike rate of 63% has veered between extremes of throwing strikes at will and being unable to find the zone. Second, his strikes have landed middle-middle about 60% more often than the average. At this early stage stage of the season, that’s literally just an extra four pitches, but they add up. Church has thrown 12 centered pitches. Opponents have swung at ten and hit six into play, resulting in three singles and a homer. A third reason might be bad luck, and I do expect improvement, but I’d be very reluctant to attribute his current results to luck. 


AA: Frisco 1, Midland (ATH) 5
Frisco: 2 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 14 hits, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 5-4, 2 GB

SP David Davalillo: 5 IP, 8 H (1 HR), 3 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 78 P / 52 S, 1.74 ERA

Davalillo was unusually touchable yesterday. He didn’t allow more than seven hits in any 2025 appearance. He has two walks versus 14 strikeouts in his first 10.1 innings, so I’ve got no complaints. 


Hi-A: Hub City 6, Greenville (BOS) 5
Hub City: 7 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts
Record: 3-5, 2.5 GB

SP DJ McCarty: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 61 P / 32 S, 5.40 ERA
RP Cole Stasio: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
CF Paxton Kling: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, .261/.433/.435
1B Rafe Perich: 2-4, 3B, .100/.143/.200
C Cal Stark: 1-4, HR (1), .111/.200/.444

Joey Danielson has four perfect one-inning, one-strikeout appearances, all in the 9th and all with medium-to-high leverage. He spent several weeks in AA last year, albeit with problematic control, so I wouldn’t expect him to stay in Hub City too long. DJ McCarty is back from a short IL stint.


Lo-A: Hickory 7, at Kannapolis (CHW) 1
Hickory: 11 hits, 2 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 7-2, 2 G up

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 SO, 69 P / 37 S, 0.00 ERA
RP Wily Villar: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO, 0.00 ERA
1B Marcos Torres: 3-5, 2 3B, HR (1), .257/.333/.543
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-5, 2B, SB (3), .212/.333/.303
LF Deward Tovar: 2-4, 2B, .250/.351/.469

27-year-old flamethrower Wily Villar has yet to walk a batter. His control ranged from mediocre to frightening in 2025, so even a 15-batter stretch without a walk is newsworthy. 

I’d mentioned that Hickory was last in the league in homers (still true), but they’re third in combined doubles and triples with 20. Yolfran Castillo hit his third yesterday. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 9, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 10
Round Rock: 12 hits, 7 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 10 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 4-10, 5.5 GB

SP Ben Anderson: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 1 SO, 69 P / 36 S, 7.71 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1.29 ERA
2B Justin Foscue: 2-6, 2B, .316/.361/.474
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-5, 2B, .278/.381/.352
DH Willie MacIver: 2-2, 2B, 2 BB, HBP, .185/.436/.333
RF Aaron Zavala: 2-4, 2B, BB, .242/.366/.333

The sturdy Express bullpen crumpled last night. Down two runs with two out in the 9th, Ryan Ward smacked a three-run homer off a 3-0 centered sinker from Michael Otanez. Earlier, Ryan Brasier had to be pulled with two out after a walk and three sharp singles. Another single off Josh Sborz would result in three runs on Brasier’s ledger. 


AA: Frisco 6, Midland (ATH) 7 (11)
Frisco: 9 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 5-3, 1 GB

SP Dylan MacLean: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 74 P / 45 S
RP Jonathan Brand: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
RP Austin Roberts: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
CF Dylan Dreiling: 3-4, SB (1)
2B John Taylor: 2-5, HR (1)
DH Ian Moller: 1-4, HR (2)

Frisco recovered from an early four-run deficit and tied the game in the 9th with a solo shot from John Taylor. The teams traded runs on gift-runners until the bottom of the 11th when Frisco couldn’t bring Orlando Martinez home from third. 

Ian Moller has two homers in four games after last night’s entry. I believe the idea was he’d grow into more power after being picked out of high school in 2021’s fourth round, but he’d averaged one homer per 65 trips to the plate entering the season. Maybe 2026 is the growth spurt. 


Hi-A: Hub City 1, Greenville (BOS) 6
Hub City: 1 hit, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 2-5, 3.5 GB

SP Ismael Agreda: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 SO, 71 P / 46 S
RP Luke Savage: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO
RP Anthony Susac: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO

Hub City has several hitters who began 2025 in Spartanburg and several others with a decent level of experience in high-A hoping to make the case for promotion. We’re off to a slow start, as Hub City ranks last in runs (2.3 per game) and OPS (.457). 1B Arturo Disla, OF Paxton Kling, OF Maxton Martin and UT Antonis Macias are the only hitters with an OPS above .342. The other 11 are a combined .064/.140/.097 with a 37% strikeout rate. That’s hard to believe. It’s early, though. 

Offseason signing Paxton Thompson has allowed 11 runs across a couple of 1.2-inning outings. 


Lo-A: Hickory 6, at Kannapolis (CHW) 5
Hickory: 8 hits, 11 walks, 15 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 3 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 6-2, 1 G up

SP AJ Russell: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 34 P / 18 S
RP Geury Rodriguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
RP Moises Morales: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 5 SO
RP Louis Marinaro: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO
SS Yolfran Castillo: 1-3, 2 BB, SB (2)
C Josh Springer: 1-3, 2 BB

The undrafted Marinaro and 2025 10th-rounder and senior-sign JD McReynolds are the trusted high-leverage relievers in the early going. They already have combined for five saves. 

Russell exited after the 1st, and I’m honestly surprised he was given a chance to face a seventh batter in the 1st with a pitch count at 29. A new rule in the complex leagues will permit pitchers to leave and re-enter as they can in Spring Training. If the rule had been extended to this level, Russell could have been replaced after his fifth or sixth batter (assuming someone else was ready) and returned in the 2nd. All that aside, he’s on a lower pitch count in general as he’s returning from injury. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Gomber
AA: Davalillo
Hi-A: TBD
Lo-A: Lafalaise

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 6, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 5
Round Rock: 13 hits, 8 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 3 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 4-8, 4 GB

SP Josh Stephan: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 7 SO, 76 P / 53 S, 5.79 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 6.00 ERA
RP Peyton Gray: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.18 ERA
CF Tyler Wade: 3-5, BB, .289/.356/.316
2B Justin Foscue: 3-6, 2B, .319/.373/.468
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-4, BB, .289/.407/.356
DH Willie MacIver: 1-3, HR (1), 2 BB, .120/.353/.240
RF Aaron Zavala: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, .231/.344/.308

Shaky early but ultimately effective, Emiliano Teodo pounded the zone with a slider while mostly missing wide or low with a a sinker that topped at 99.7. Teodo missed on his first six pitches and needed a challenge to avoid a seventh (on a pitch that caught about three microns of the zone). After the initial walk, he threw four sliders on subsequent three-ball counts, all for strikes. 

Marc Church lasted an uncommonly low 13 pitches, giving up four consecutive hits, none of them what I’d call lucky but also not especially hard. 

Cam Cauley has started six games at short, two at second, two at third and once in center. Michael Helman has started three of the last four games at short after a week in center. Alejandro Osuna has mostly manned right and center, while Aaron Zavala has split between the outfield corners. 

Cam Cauley is 2-for-21 with three walks and seven strikeouts in his last five games after starting .273/.407/.455. Willie MacIver is 3-for-7 with a homer and two walks after going hitless in his first six games. This is why I don’t publish slash stats and ERAs until at least ten games have been played. Long season. 

AA: Frisco 6, Midland (ATH) 7
Frisco: 13 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 4-2, 1 GB

SP Winston Santos: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 53 P / 35 S
RP Eric Loomis: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
RP Zack Bryant: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
2B Frainyer Chavez: 4-5
DH Julian Brock: 2-5, HR (1)
CF Dylan Dreiling: 2-4, 2B, HR (2), BB

Dylan Dreiling homered, to the opposite field, again. He later was given permission to pull and banged a sharp fly off the right-center wall for a double. He’s at .360/.448/.640 in his first six games, not quite the best of his career over such a stretch but pretty close, and he’s doing it at a higher level. 

Winston Santos made his first appearance. He’s on a limited diet after suffering a broken wrist fielding a comebacker. The runners who scored reached on fairly soft contact. He missed nine bats with his fastball/slider/change combo. 

Zack Bryant? Zack Bryant! I offered an admittedly perfunctory review of the offseason righty signing over the winter; he’ll be 28 in June and had 109 less-than-enthralling AA innings on his ledger. During his 1-2-3 6th, announcers Zach Bigley and Jack Smith mostly discussed ex-Rider/current-Marlin Liam Hicks, as one does. In the 7th, Bryant didn’t allow them time to mention much at all, because he accomplished an immaculate inning (video). Fastball in the 97-98 range, slider, maybe a cutter. 

Hi-A: Hub City 0, Greenville (BOS) 2
Hub City: 3 hits, 5 walks, 17 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 1-4, 2.5 GB

SP J’Briell Easley: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 18 P / 14 S
RP Joe Adametz: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO
RP Cole Stasio: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO
SS Luke Hanson: 1-2, BB, SB (1)

26-year-old LHP Joe Adametz was a 2022 14th-rounder released by Detroit in January and signed by Texas just as Spring Training began. 

Bad news: That injury to OF Anthony Gutierrez in the second inning of Opening Day will cost him the season. He suffered a torn ligament in his knee per local media. Gutierrez has never played more than 89 games in a season, and even that was diminished by an arm injury that prevented him from playing in the outfield for three months. 

Lo-A: Hickory 3, at Kannapolis (CHW) 0
Hickory: 7 hits, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 4-2, 1 GB

SP Alejandro Chiquillo: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 45 P / 30 S
RP Jormy Nivar: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO
RP Louis Marinaro: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO
CF Marcos Torres: 2-4, 2B

Alejandro Chiquillo: 23 swings against, 11 misses
Jormy Nivar: 27 swings, 13 misses
Louis Marinaro: 8 swings, 3 misses

When I first saw the name “Louis Marinaro” I said “Jersey or Staten Island,” but in fact he was born about 30 miles north of the NJ border and north of the Bronx in Somers, NY. What a disappointment. The undrafted St. John’s lefty deals a low-slot, low-90s fastball and a tight slider that should play well at the level barring control issues. 

The Crawdads have a winning record but are slugging .284 and still seeking their first homer. Among the busier players, OF Paulino Santana is leading with a .364/.440/.500 line including three of the team’s nine doubles. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Quantrill
AA: Lopez
Hi-A: Pence
Lo-A: Siary

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 6, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 2
Round Rock: 12 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 3-8, 4 GB

SP Trey Supak: 4.1 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 84 P / 49 S, 5.91 ERA
RP Michel Otañez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 4.91 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.59 ERA
RP Ryan Brasier: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 0 SO, 2.08 ERA
RF Alejandro Osuna: 2-4, .289/.340/.422
LF Trevor Hauver: 3-5, SB (1), .268/.388/.341
CF Cameron Cauley: 2-4, BB, SB (4), .211/.348/.316
DH Willie MacIver: 2-4, SB (1), .091/.310/.091

Josh Sborz was effective again, if a little less strike-prone than usual. To be more accurate, the fish weren’t biting outside the zone as much. I’ve discussed the velocity at length, probably too much. His did reach a new peak a few days ago, but for at least the short run, he probably is who he is. The question is whether that’s enough. 

Sborz has allowed a single run and five runners in 5.2 innings. Super. His walk rate is 9%, the strikeout rate 22%. Swell. On the other hand, most of Sborz’s Statcast and other markers are at or near the PCL averages. With the caveat that samples are small, opponents have chosen to swing at pitches inside and outside the zone at league-average rates, and miss rates are similar. His hard-hit rate is average, although he’s been able to ward off the hardest contact. On the downside, he’s been quite fly-prone, and his first-pitch strike rate is just 36%.  

So, the basic stats are great, and the underlying data is… fine. Despite the 3-8 team record, the Express bullpen has been quite strong, so Sborz doesn’t stand out from most of the rest in terms of a potential call-up. The situation is complicated by the situation in Arlington. Who would he replace? Pure relievers with options are Luis Curvelo and Robert Garcia. (Whatever his role, Jacob Latz is as safe as they come right now.) Curvelo was just recalled and pitched well. Garcia has been annoying, but demoting him now seems a bit hasty, and Sborz hasn’t made a definitive case as a better choice. 

Sborz can (but doesn’t have to) opt out of his deal on the 15th. We’ll see.

AA: Frisco 4, Midland (ATH) 5
Frisco: 10 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 4-1

SP Blake Townsend: 3.2 IP, 5 H (4 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 67 P / 41 S
RP Bryan Magdaleno: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
RP Jonathan Brand: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO
CF Dylan Dreiling: 3-4
C Julian Brock: 2-4, 2B

Frisco will not finish the season 138-0. The lefty-swinging Dylan Dreiling has been extraordinarily oppo-oriented so far, collecting last night’s three singles, last week’s homer and probably more on shots to left. 

Hi-A: Hub City 4, Greenville (BOS) 1
Hub City: 8 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 1 hit, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 1-3

SP Enrique Segura: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 46 P / 25 S
RP Brock Porter: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO
RP Thomas Ireland: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
3B Gleider Figuereo: 1-4, HR (1)
1B Arturo Disla: 3-4, 2 2B
2B Antonis Macias: 1-3, HR (1)

In relief of Enrique Segura, Brock Porter walked his first opponent and hit the next, but he more-or-less recovered afterwards, sometimes dealing some nifty sliders. The lone hit was dubious, a fly down the line to right that apparently was believed foul by everyone (even the Greenville batter and runner on 1st) except the plate ump. (The stands prevented a definitive view from the camera.)

21-year-old Antonis Macias hit his third professional homer in 201 games. He’s resumed duty at second, where he played frequently at low-A Hickory but not once in 16 high-A games last summer. 

Catcher Malcolm Moore (1-4) doubled sharply to right-center.

Lo-A: Hickory 0, at Kannapolis (CHW) 4
Hickory: 2 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 3-2

SP Aidan Deakins: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 59 P / 36 S
RP Geury Rodriguez: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO

2024 13th-round LHP Aidan Deakins had a nice start. The lone walk and HBP are noteworthy. Deakins walked only eight in 38 complex-level innings in 2025, but his stints at Hickory last summer (19 IP, 12 BB+HBP), Wabash Valley College and summer leagues didn’t indicate great control. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: 
AA: 
Hi-A: 
Lo-A: 

Five Years Ago Yesterday
I reported on two “alternate site” minor league games between the Rangers and Astros in Round Rock. These were equivalent to extended spring training but involved mostly AAA players. In late February, AAA teams announced their schedules that were to begin at the usual time in early April, but the other leagues wouldn’t commence until May. For various reasons, reaction within and outside the industry was skeptical, and MLB rescinded the AAA schedules just eight days later. Instead, all levels would begin in May with a reduced 120 games on the slate (and several teams would lose more than ten games to widespread covid outbreaks).

In the early afternoon before the game listed above, I’d driven to Killeen to get my covid booster because I couldn’t get an appointment in Austin. My wife got her second shot in Rockdale, of all places. Such were the times. 

As for the games, IF Anderson Tejeda homered once and struck out several times. He would soon be in Arlington, batting second and playing third base, but before long he would return to Round Rock and then Frisco as his contact rate collapsed. Remarkably, a mid-September game at the complex would be his last as a professional at the age of 23.  Korean righty Hyeon-jong Yang threw two scoreless innings, but my view was askance: “I don’t believe his repertoire on Wednesday would fare well against an MLB lineup.” He, too would be in Arlington in a couple of weeks and post a 5.60 ERA in 35 innings. (He returned to Korea and is still active at the age of 38.)

The 2021 Rangers were not very good. 

Adolis Garcia didn’t do anything of consequence in Round Rock but had a great spring overall and had his contract purchased by the Rangers a few days later. Lefty Brett Martin pitched well in a warmup before joining the Rangers. I liked what I saw of Spencer Patton despite a homer allowed, and by June he’d return to the Majors for the first time since 2016 (He’d spent four seasons in Japan.) RHP Cole Uvila looked like a Major Leaguer but didn’t quite make it. Unfortunately, Mike Matuella’s fastball velocity had dwindled from the occasional triple digits of 2018 to the 89-92 range. He didn’t receive an assignment and would be released in mid-May. (I still think he was a good pick.) The revelation was RHP Jake Lemoine, whose fastball improved from the low 90s in early 2017 (coming off nearly two years lost to injury) to 93-95 in 2019, and 95-99 in front of me in April 2021. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 3, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 4
Round Rock: 7 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 2-8, 5 GB

SP Austin Gomber: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO, 79 P / 53 S, 10.13 ERA
RP Patrick Murphy: 2.2 IP, 1 H (1 HR), 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 2.84 ERA
RP Alexis Diaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.86 ERA
RF Alejandro Osuna: 2-4, .268/.333/.415

Gomber’s opposing hit quality isn’t too alarming, but the combination of quantity and (possible) bad luck is killing him. His 6% swinging strike rate is the lowest on the team. Four swings at Patrick Murphy’s slider resulted in three whiffs and one weak groundout, although Nick Senzel did send a fastball to the seats. 

Gavin Collyer threw nine strikes in a ten-pitch 9th. Contra last year’s frequent control issues, his strike rate in 2026 is… 78%?! Wait a minute… (looks over data and formulas in spreadsheet, checks against other sources)… Yes, 78%. That won’t last and doesn’t even need to. I was just hoping for the low sixties, and anywhere in the mid-sixties would be great. 

AA: Frisco 9, Midland (ATH) 1
Frisco: 10 hits, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 4-0

SP Josh Trentadue: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 61 P / 44 S
RP Wilian Bormie: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
RP Ryan Lobus: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
C Ian Moller: 2-4, HR (1)

In the spring, Josh Trentadue reminded that his most pressing short-term issue was declining control upon reaching the upper minors, but last night he had no trouble finding the plate. Wilian Bormie has mimicked Collyer strike prowess. Last year, he walked or hit 15% of opposing batters, although he did close the season in AA with four straight clean outings. 

Frisco has allowed one run per game, the best mark in the minors. The Riders are also scoring 6.25 runs per game. When rosters were announced two weeks ago, I didn’t have a glowing review of the position players in terms of prospect status, but they’re a relatively older and experienced group that could cause some damage. 3B Frainyer Chavez doubled, walked twice and stole a base, and SS Keyber Rodriguez and 1B Tucker Mitchell collected two hits apiece. 

Texas released IF Jack Blomgren from Frisco. He’d signed in February after six years in the Colorado and Houston systems. Danyer Cueva has replaced him. 

Hi-A: Hub City 2, Greenville (BOS) 7
Hub City: 5 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 3 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 0-3

SP Aidan Curry: 4 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 68 P / 52 S
RP Luke Savage: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
CF Paxton Kling: 2-3, BB
1B Arturo Disla: 1-4, HR (1)

For the first time in 26 full-season appearances, Aidan Curry issued no walks in an outing of at least four innings. (He did accomplish the feat last summer in rookie ball.) Undrafted out of high school in 2020, Curry chose the pros over college and was one of Texas’s better (if not top tier) pitching prospects entering 2024, but that year was plagued by homers, and 2025 included a month in Arizona. He’s still here and still starting, an indication of Texas’s regard for the 23-year-old. 

OF Quincy Scott has been IL’ed and replaced by Wady Mendez.

Lo-A: Hickory 4, at Kannapolis (CHW) 3
Hickory: 11 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 3-1

SP Aneudis Mejia: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 31 P / 15 S
RP Wily Villar: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
RP Frank Martinez: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
RP JD McReynolds: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO
3B Angel Arredondo: 1-3, BB, HBP
CF Deward Tovar: 1-4, 2B, BB, SB (2)
C Josh Springer: 2-4, SB (1)

Aneudis Mejia’s start is an exemplar of the “too many pitches” situation I described in the Report Primer. Kannapolis drew air on ten on 17 swings against JD McReynolds, the 2025 10th-rounder from Central Missouri. The Cannon Ballers mostly stared at his low-90s fastball and found themselves helpless against his slider and change. 

Down 3-1 in the 8th, Hickory scored on a balk and sac fly aided by a double from Tovar and singles from Paulino Santana (2-4) and Springer. In the 9th, CF Marcos Torres (1-4, walk), singled, stole second and scored on a single from SS Yolfran Catillo (1-4, walk). 

Elsewhere
Righty Zak Kent appeared in a couple of games for Minnesota, allowing nine runners and five runs (two earned) in 3.2 innings before being optioned. Texas had claimed and then lost Kent on waivers over the winter. 

The White Sox purchased the contract of OF Dustin Harris to replace the injured Austin Hays. Harris was hitting .304/.385/.348 for AAA Charlotte. 

Colorado optioned 1B Blaine Crim to AAA Albuquerque. He’d been on rehab after an spring oblique injury. 

Righties Hans Crouse (Baltimore) and Yerry Rodriguez (Yankees) are rehabbing in their respective systems while on minor league deals. 

Toronto recalled RHP Patrick Corbin from low-A Dunedin. Corbin had voluntarily agreed to an assignment to the minors to get some work in after signing last week. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Supak
AA: Townsend
Hi-A: Segura
Lo-A: Deakins

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 0, Gwinnett (ATL) 1
Round Rock: 3 hits, 6 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 2-7, 5 GB

SP Dane Acker: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 41 P / 28 S, 0.00 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 9.00 ERA
RP Ryan Brasier: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Marc Church: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1.93 ERA
CF Alejandro Osuna: 1-4, SB (2), .243/.317/.405
DH Justin Foscue: 1-4, 2B, .333/.389/.515

It’s early, but after Emiliano Teodo’s first two outings, I was wondering how many more of similar fashion would result in reassignment to Arizona. He’s been around a while, so Frisco seems less likely. He should either be facing top-level competition or rebooting at the complex. 
Out of the blue, yesterday brought the return of the early-2025 version of Teodo who was on the cusp of his MLB debut. (Maybe no call-up was imminent, but he was pitching at that level.) Teodo fanned the side swinging in order on 15 pitches, 11 for strikes. Teodo emphasized the slider, picking up four calls, two misses and two fouls. He also missed a bat with his lone 89 MPH changeup. 

In a clean 9th, Josh Sborz peaked at 95.5 MPH, throwing two pitches faster than anything else this spring and eight above his previous regular-season high of 93.8. He missed three bats on five swings against that heater. 

Round Rock’s 2-7 mark is the worst by Texas’s AAA squad after nine games since 2018. The current version has been outscored by 16 runs, while the elder team had a -42 differential. 

Albuquerque scored a total of 11 runs in a six-game home series against Reno, losing four. The Isotopes scored 11 or more runs in 16 individual games in 2025, and 19 the season before. 

AA: off

Hi-A: wet

Rescheduled for a later road trip.

Lo-A: off

Today’s Starters
No games on Mondays.

Late news: RHP Luis Curvelo is up from Round Rock to replace RHP Carter Baumler, who has been placed on the IL with an intracostal strain. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 5, Gwinnett (ATL) 2
Round Rock: 9 hits, 7 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 2-6, 4 GB

SP Cal Quantrill: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 76 P / 49 S
RP Robby Ahlstrom: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO
RP Peyton Gray: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-3, 2 BB
C Jose Herrera: 1-3, HR (1), BB
DH Cooper Johnson: 2-3, 2B, BB

Cal Quantrill lowered Gwinnett’s previous average of one run per inning against Round Rock’s starters. Not only did Peyton Gray not miss any bats with his changeup, all three swings resulted in a ball in play, one for a hit. He was otherwise effective. 

The umpire called a generous zone, but the hitters weren’t having it, challenging nine called strikes and getting six overturned. This system is new to MLB vets, but upcoming umps will have years of familiarity and training. 

AA: Frisco 1, at Corpus Christi (HOU) 0
Frisco: 8 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 3-0

SP David Davalillo: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 71 P / 56 S
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 3-4, 2B

I’ve mentioned the lack of suitable options if Texas needs a starter from AAA. I wasn’t including Cody Bradford on the depth chart when writing about that, but in any case, the answer might involve bypassing Round Rock for David Davalillo. I’m sure Texas wouldn’t want him up so soon, but he might be the best available. He generally runs low 90s and lacks a monster pitch, but he can comfortably lean on anything in a broad repertoire. He missed a relatively low six bats but threw well-located strikes in abundance. 

OF Keith Jones II, who’d DH’ed the last two days, was placed on the Injured List. 

Hi-A: Hub City 6, Frederick (BAL) 7
Hub City: 8 hits, 7 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 0-2

SP Ismael Agreda: 4 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 5 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 67 P / 37 S
RP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
RF Maxton Martin: 3-4, 2 2B, BB
CF Paxton Kling: 2-4, BB

Maxton Martin singled in the 1st on Friday. Hub City didn’t collect another hit until Martin’s 3rd-inning double, and after 12 innings his teammates were 0-for-33 with 15 strikeouts. The offense finally awakened in the 4th with two hits (but no runs) and then a five-run 5th on three walks and another two hits capped by Paxton Kling’s homer. 

Will I need to pin “Ismael Agreda missed X bats but lacked control” to my Windows clipboard? We’ll see. Last night, X = 12. 

OF Anthony Gutierrez was placed on the IL after Friday’s injury. RHP DJ McCarty was also IL’ed without making an appearance. 

The Frederick Keys were Baltimore’s high-A affiliate from 1989 through 2019. After the lost 2020 and MiLB’s reorganization, Baltimore shifted to Aberdeen while Frederick became a Draft League squad. In 2026, Aberdeen and Frederick switched roles.

Lo-A: Hickory 5, Columbia (KAN) 2
Hickory: 9 hits, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 2-1

SP AJ Russell: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 31 P / 22 S
RP Alejandro Chiquillo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
RP Moises Morales: 4 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 5 SO
RP Louis Marinaro: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
CF Marcos Torres: 1-3, 3B, BB, SB (1)
LF Paulino Santana: 3-4, SB (2)
C Josh Springer: 1-2, 2 BB

AJ Russell made a successful pro debut, retiring six straight batters, three swinging on fastballs, and missing four other bats. Per longtime observer and Friend of The Report Mark Parker, Russell’s fastball ran 95-96 in the 1st and 93-94 in the 2nd, and he mixed in some sliders and a curve. Following Russell was 23-year-old righty Alejandro Chiquillo, who threw at similar velocity. Chiquillo, signed at the age of 21 out of Venezuela, struck out 37 in 29 complex innings last year but was hittable. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD 
AA: off
Hi-A: Curry
Lo-A: off

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 1, Gwinnett (ATL) 8
Round Rock: 4 hits, 2 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 1-6, 5 GB

SP Josh Stephan: 4 IP, 7 H (2 HR), 4 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 82 P / 52 S
RP Gavin Collyer: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
RP Alexis Diaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO

I wasn’t thinking “worst team in the league” when I saw the initial roster, and I don’t now, but here we are for the moment. Among the pitchers, I will say my focus was on the relievers because more of them are under consideration for helping in Arlington. So far, as a group, they’ve performed well. The difference between starters (including Trey Supak’s 4-inning tandem with the rehabbing Cody Bradford) and relievers is vast:

Starters: 28 IP, 29 R, 8 HR, 15 BB, 22 SO
Relievers: 35 IP, 13 R, 4 HR, 16 BB, 44 SO

The Express are hitting .211/.322/.315. The good news is the three best are Justin Foscue (.345/.406/.517), Cam Cauley (.273/.407/.455) and Alejandro Osuna (.250/.344/.464). Unfortunately, catcher Willie MacIver is off to one of the dire starts I mentioned in the “luck” section of my Primer: 0-for-16 with four walks and a hit-by-pitch. Aaron Zavala had a great spring, but my uneasiness about his miss rate has borne out so far: .222/.286/.278 with 10 strikeouts in 18 plate appearances. 

As for last night, Alexis Diaz regained the slider that was otherwise the only drawback to a strong performance earlier in the week. Five thrown, four swings, four misses. The fastball lacked the earlier velocity, though, maxing at 94.6 instead of 97. 

AA: Frisco 10, at Corpus Christi (HOU) 2
Frisco: 12 hits, 5 walks, 15 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 2-0

SP Dylan MacLean: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 73 P / 48 S
RP Josh Trentadue: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
CF Dylan Dreiling: 2-4, HR (1)
1B Tucker Mitchell: 2-4, 2 2B, BB

Frisco sent 15 to the plate and scored ten in the 5th. Dylan Dreiling swatted his first AA homer the opposite way. I didn’t see it that way off the bat, but neither did LF James Nelson, who stood still before making a belated rush to the wall. At game time, the wind was blowing right-to-left at 19 MPH. Later in the inning he grounded past short for a single. 

In his AA debut, Dylan MacLean missed 11 bats, well toward the upper end if not the most he accomplished in 2025. MacLean is in his seventh  in the organization, being drafted in 2020’s fourth round. 

Hi-A: Hub City 0, Frederick (BAL) 6
Hub City: 1 hit, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 7 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 0-1

SP Dalton Pence: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 SO, 74 P / 51 S

Dalton Pence missed 16 bats, one shy of a career-best and probably more impressive given the limited pitch count this early in the season. 

CF Anthony Gutierrez had to be carted off the field in the 2nd. He, LF Paxton Kling and SS Luke Hanson had converged on a short fly, and while there was no apparent collision, Gutierrez appeared to injure his right leg avoiding Kling. (Hub City was having video and audio trouble at the time, and the view was limited to a very wide shot, so I don’t have a great description.) Gutierrez missed a portion of 2025 with an arm injury and was limited almost entirely to DH thereafter. 

Frederick attempted eight steals off catcher Malcolm Moore and various hurlers. Moore nabbed two, slightly above the typical league average.

Max Martin’s 1st-inning soft infield single was the only hit, and only six balls reached the outfield. 

RHP DJ McCarty is on the IL.

Lo-A: Hickory 2, Columbia (KAN) 5
Hickory: 4 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
Record: 1-1

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 51 P / 34 S
RP Luimy Munoz: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO
RP Angel Anazco: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
1B Deward Tovar: 1-3, BB
3B Angel Arredondo: 1-3, BB

Columbia strung together six hits (including two homers) and all five runs off Aneudis Mejia and Jake Jekielek in the 5th. Now 23, righty Luimy Munoz was a relatively old signing and reached the complex in 2024, where he posted an 8.42 ERA despite decent peripherals. He missed last year. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Quantrill
AA: Davalillo
Hi-A: Agreda
Lo-A: Russell

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 7, Gwinnett (ATL) 8
Round Rock: 8 hits, 9 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 1-5, 3 GB

SP Cody Bradford: 2 IP, 3 H (2 HR), 2 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 27 P / 17 S
RP Luis Curvelo: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SO
RP Josh Sborz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
RP Ryan Brasier: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
RF Alejandro Osuna: 1-5, HR (1)
2B Cameron Cauley: 1-3, HR (1), 2 BB
LF Trevor Hauver: 1-3, 2 BB

The cryptic “could be an interesting game” I appended to yesterday’s AAA report was actually only the front half of the sentence. If you’d printed the report and dipped it in a weak citric acid solution, the full sentence would read “could be an interesting game because Cody Bradford is going to make a rehab appearance.” 

Bradford threw about 50% fastballs averaging 90.5 in the 1st and 89.3 in the second. That’s quite a drop, but he’s rehabbing from elbow surgery. Next in line were nine change in the low 80s, a few sliders at the same speed and one 75 curve. He missed five bats. Bradford allowed two towering if not especially hard-hit homers to left and a harder fly from Rowdy Tellez that died a little short. 

A one out walk and hard double would both come around to score against Luis Curvelo. Josh Sborz had his standard 2026 outing, effective if not reminiscent of peak form. Ryan Brasier missed five bats on eight swings. 

I did not see Bradford’s performance in person, as I’d already committed to staying home with my daughter while my wife socialized with some friends, plus all my World’s Greatest Husband And Father trophies aren’t going to polish themselves.

AA: Frisco 5, at Corpus Christi (HOU) 1
Frisco: 14 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 1-0, tied for first

SP Leandro Lopez: 4.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 SO, 73 P / 40 S
RP Ryan Lobus: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
RP Eric Loomis: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
RP Wilian Bormie: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
CF Dylan Dreiling: 1-4, BB, SB (1)
2B John Taylor: 2-5, 2B
DH Keith Jones II: 2-4
1B Tucker Mitchell: 3-3

Last year, Leandro Lopez’s control was above average for the first time in his career. After Opening Night, he’s already matched least year’s number of four-walk starts. Other than that, he was as dominant as ever, fanning six of 17 batters and generating 12 swinging strikes. 

2024 2nd-rounder Dylan Dreiling had a successful AA debut. He laced a single in his first plate appearance and would later walk, steal second and advance to third and home on successive outs. 

Last year at this time, John Taylor was waiting for the Atlantic League’s Southern Maryland squad to start the season. Now, he’s hitting .400 in AA. 

Wilian Bormie reached 100 last night but emphasized the slider, starting his first opponent with one and freezing the second on a called strike three. 

Just a reminder: I’ll list ERAs and slash stats for players once a few more games have occurred. 

Hi-A: off

Hub City opens tonight.

Lo-A: Hickory 5, Columbia (KAN) 4
Hickory: 10 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 3 walks, 16 strikeouts
Record: 1-0, tied for first

SP Evan Siary: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 SO, 60 P / 48 S, 0.00 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Geury Rodriguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP J.D. McReynolds: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
CF Marcos Torres: 1-3, BB
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-3, 2B, HBP
LF Paulino Santana: 1-3, 2B, BB, SB (1)
C Josh Springer: 2-4

Siary is last year’s 8th-round pick out of Mississippi state. In last year’s draft report, I wrote that he used “an 89-91 fastball that touches 93 and is tough to pick up, an 83ish slider, a diving mid-80s change, and a 71-78 curve that he can move around and bend into a semi-sweeper.” 

Yolfran Castillo lined a double to the wall left of center and softly lined a single to right. The latter was common in 2025, as he actually hit more the opposite way than pulled. I’d love to see more of the former this year. Castillo turned 19 just two months ago.

Your batting hero was Angel Arredondo, also 19, who with two outs in the 7th took three balls after an 0-2 count and then lined to left to plate the tying and go-ahead runs. 

Assignments For Last Year’s Traded Prospects
LHP Kohl Drake — AAA Reno (ARI)
RHP Mitch Bratt — AAA Reno (ARO)
RHP David Hagaman — High-A Hillsboro (ARI)
RHP Skylar Hales — AAA Memphis (STL) 
RHP Garrett Horn — High-A Cedar Rapids (MIN), on IL
RHP Mason Molina — AA Springfield (STL), a promotion

Today’s Starters
AAA: Stephan
AA: MacLean
Hi-A: Pence
Lo-A: Stephan