AAA: Round Rock 2, Las Vegas (OAK) 4
Round Rock: 9 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 13 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 18-16, 4.5 GB
SP Kyle Barraclough: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 3 SO, 73 P / 37 S, 4.91 ERA
RP Grant Wolfram: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 SO, 9.00 ERA
RP Daniel Robert: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.26 ERA
Texas signed 33-year-old righty Kyle Barraclough to more-or-less replace Danny Duffy, who was given his release. Barraclough has pitched in the Majors in every year since 2015 save 2020, but not much since 2019. In the last three years, he’s wandered a path between the Majors, AAA, and indy ball, and he’d been pitching for the Atlantic League’s High Point. I suppose a strong showing (and more injuries at the parent club) could get him a look in Texas, but I’d guess he’s mostly to shore up Round Rock.
As for Duffy, I loved the signing back in 2023 and was glad he returned, but unfortunately he’s just been unable to recover the form preceding his shoulder troubles. Duffy had walked 17 in 18 AAA innings.
After yesterday’s comment about Dustin Harris not fulfilling Texas’s need for a righty bat, an intrepid reader asked if I’d seen his splits. I’d seen the page containing them, but I must have misread it, because it didn’t catch my eye. I blame the headache. The left-swinging Harris is hitting .333/.379/.500 against lefties and .247/.330/.371 against righties. That giant reverse split isn’t a six-week fluke; the previous two years are similar. So, what gives?
First I checked the balls in play (2024 stats only).
vs.L: 26% hard-hit rate, exit velo median 84.8, 90th percentile 101.2
vs.R: 30% hard-hit rate, exit velo median 88.5, 90th percentile 99.8
He’s had better top-end performance against lefties but more consistency against righties. Probably a wash. One thing I’ll note is that while his hard-hit rate is well below average, when he does hit hard, he nearly always hits at a worthy angle, hardly ever driving the ball downward or too high.
Next, contact:
vs.L: 6% swinging strike rate (misses / all pitches), 13% whiff rate (misses / swings)
vs.R: 11% swinging strike rate, 25% whiff rate
Now we’re getting somewhere. Finally, contact against non-fastballs:
vs. L: 6% swinging strike, 12% whiff
vs.R: 18% swinging strike, 38% whiff
I think we have a winner. Harris makes very good contact overall, particularly against fastballs, but bendy stuff and changes from righties give him the most trouble.
AA: Frisco 0, San Antonio (SDP) 7
Frisco: 4 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts
Record: 18-11, 1 GB
SP Ben Anderson: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 0 SO, 82 P / 50 S, 3.81 ERA
RP Ricky DeVito: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 7.00 ERA
Ben Anderson was knocked around for the first time this season, and Frisco didn’t have a hit until the 5th. Liam Hicks (0-3, BB) reached safely in his first ten games but is .125/.230/.188 since. He’s struck out only seven times in those 17 games. He had a similar stretch last June in what was still a productive season.
Hi-A: suspended
Rain in the bottom of the 1st. They’ll resume today. IF Cam Cauley is off the IL but wasn’t in the lineup. RHP Skylar Hales is also active after a short IL stint.
Lo-A: Down East 2, Lynchburg (CLE) 5
Down East: 3 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 17 hits, 1 walk, 13 strikeouts
Record: 12-16, 7.5 GB
SP Brayan Mendoza: 4 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 SO, 69 P / 47 S, 3.09 ERA
RP Ryan Lobus: 4 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1.53 ERA
3B Gleider Figuereo: 1-4, HR (7), .214/.342/.490
Gleider Figuereo now leads the organization and Carolina League in homers all by himself.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Sampson
AA: Krauth
Hi-A: Ramirez
Lo-A: TBA
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Infielder Chris Seise would miss the rest of the year with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. In 2017-2019, he played 72 games.