AAA: Round Rock 9, at Salt Lake (LAA) 3
Round Rock: 13 hits, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 35-26, 8 GB
SP Cody Bradford: 8 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 3 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 99 P / 75 S, 1.82 ERA
RP Marc Church: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 5.68 ERA
3B Davis Wendzel: 1-3, HR (13), .266/.383/.554
RF JP Martinez: 2-4, 2 2B, .344/.470/.516
LF Elier Hernandez: 4-5, 3 HR (9), .335/.410/.558
Cody Bradford threw an organization-high 99 pitches. Nobody in either A league has been allowed to touch 90 yet. Bradford’s old-fashioned near-complete game is especially impressive given the location.
Elier Hernandez is about 40 points of average and 50 points of OBP above last year’s slash line when he was called up last year. Should an opportunity for an OF arise, I think Texas would be more inclined to add the more speedy and CF-oriented JP Martinez. Hernandez batted .182/.200/.242 in 35 plate appearances for Texas last year. He’s probably better than that, but also, MLB pitchers are really good! And the Rangers are better. Much easier to get a cup of coffee (or in Elier’s case, a mug) on a bad team.
AA: Frisco 3, at Corpus Christi (HOU) 8
Frisco: 6 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 24-30, tied for first
SP Seth Nordlin: 3 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 2 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 42 P / 32 S, 5.70 ERA
RF Trevor Hauver: 1-3, HR (5), BB, .242/.358/.403
CF Kellen Strahm: 2-3, 2B, .208/.335/.298
Texas lost Seth Nordlin in the minor league phase of last year’s Rule 5 draft to the Twins. Nordlin found little success in AA Wichita (5.67 ERA with commensurate peripherals) and was released. The Rangers quickly re-signed him and he’s back with Frisco. He was a solid swingman with the Riders last year.
Hi-A: Hickory 4, at Rome (ATL) 2
Hickory: 12 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 20-31, tied for first
SP Winston Santos: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 79 P / 54 S, 4.66 ERA
RP Robbie Ahlstrom: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 5.82 ERA
DH Alejandro Osuna: 3-5, 2 SB (13), .269/.394/.378
C Liam Mitchell: 2-4, HBP, .311/.446/.400
1B Josh Hatcher: 2-4, 2B, .245/.297/.423
Winston Santos had his best start since Opening Day.
Lo-A: Down East 14, at Delmarva (BAL) 6
Down East: 13 hits, 7 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 7 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 31-20, tied for first
SP Brock Porter: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 0 SO, 29 P / 12 S, 1.45 ERA
RP Jacob Maton: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 3.38 ERA
RF Tommy Specht: 1-3, 3 BB, .361/.511/.444
3B Gleider Figuereo: 1-4, 2 BB, .226/.330/.355
LF Yosy Galan: 2-5, HR (8), .232/.326/.450
SS Cam Cauley: 1-5, HR (6), .258/.316/.428
Brock Porter had his worst start since Opening Day, lasting two-thirds of an inning. Pitching coach Julio Valdez was ejected during Porter’s outing, so perhaps the strike zone was in dispute. I’m still semi-out-of-pocket and haven’t been able to check the video.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Dugger
AA: Garcia
Hi-A: TBD
Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Per Kate Morrison, RHP Jonathan Hernandez was promoted to Frisco, and Elvis Andrus was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment there.