Month: May 2024

Texas placed RHP Dane Dunning on the IL with a shoulder issue. Texas also acquired OF Robbie Grossman from the White Sox for RHP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa. Jack Leiter and Owen White are up, Jonathan Ornelas down.

I’ll confess to reacting to the Grossman news with “I’m tired and in a lousy hotel and under the weather and not seeing things correctly.” This newsletter hardly ever ventures outside of G-rated content, so I can’t speak freely about his defense. But he did, and does, hit lefties, against whom the Ranges have a line of .231/.288/.343 this season. From whom he siphons at-bats could be tricky, but we’ll see. The abject White Sox gave him 14 starts against righties. If he gets 14 plate appearances against righties as a Ranger, that will be too many. This isn’t a pretty trade, but the marginal value of each additional win for the Rangers is huge, and the marginal value of Grossman’s bat against lefties might be worth the cost. It’s certainly a fine bit of business for the Sox, turning a recently signed placeholder into a prospect.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 6, Las Vegas (OAK) 4
Round Rock: 5 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 18-15, 4.5 GB

SP Aidan Anderson: 3 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 40 P / 31 S, 1.00 ERA
RP Antoine Kelly: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1.93 ERA
LF Dustin Harris: 2-3, 2B, SB (8), .266/.344/.404

I hate missing Round Rock’s one early weekday game of the season, but I’m in New Mexico. As to not calling up Dustin Harris instead of trading a legit relief prospect, 1) Harris bats left-handed, and 2) Harris unfortunately doesn’t hit as hard as you want out of just about anyone, much less a 1/3/L. Yesterday, however, he stung the ball twice in collecting a single and double. I need to dig deeper and see if there’s any trend.

AA: Frisco 4, San Antonio (SDP) 3
Frisco: 10 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts
Record: 18-10, tied for first

SP Ryan Garcia: 5.1 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 9 SO, 87 P / 58 S, 5.40 ERA
RP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
CF Kellen Strahm: 4-4, HR (2), .267/.359/.347
DH Aaron Zavala: 2-3, BB, .276/.409/.414

Bubba, aka Hoop, aka AHT (that’s what I called him in my head), leaves the Riders and Rangers with a 0.00 ERA and 34% strikeout rate. Is he Emmanuel Clase? No. Peter Fairbanks? Nope. A potential Major Leaguer, and potentially a good one? Yes. Hoopii-Tuionetoa wasn’t quite at the level for 40-man placement or Rule 5 selection last offseason, but his stuff and consistency have improved in 2024. Best wishes to him.

Hi-A: Hickory 1, @ Greenville (BOS) 9
Hickory: 7 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 10-17, 4.5 GB

SP DJ McCarty: 4 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 69 P / 44 S, 4.05 ERA
CF Alejandro Osuna: 3-5, 2B, HR (1), .391/.462/.609
LF Quincy Scott: 2-3, 2 BB, .176/.253/.247

Osuna missed all of April, but because the team-wide offensive malaise in the early going, he could catch up to several Crawdads in the hit column this week at his present rate.

Lo-A: Down East 5, Lynchburg (CLE) 7
Down East: 8 hits, 0 walks, 15 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 12-15, 7.5 GB

SP David Davallilo: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 58 P / 41 S, 2.11 ERA
3B Gleider Figuereo: 1-4, HR (6), .213/.345/.468
2B Chander Pollard: 2-3, 2B, .203/.253/.232

Figuereo shares the lead in homers in the organization (with Sam Huff and Derek Hill) and Carolina League.

Elsewhere
That would be former Texas Ranger Tyler Ferguson who made his MLB debut at the age of 30 for the A’s. The Rangers drafted him in 2016’s sixth round. He would have been picked higher, but his control collapsed in his draft year at Kentucky. Though he improved somewhat professionally, he always had a stiff, uncomfortable-looking delivery that seemed oppositional to success. Cut in March 2019, he spent that year in indy ball and the next on the shelf like everyone else. He returned to affiliated ball in 2021, and in 2024 he maintained control well enough to get a look with Oakland.

Also back is Kyle Cody. He signed with the Giants and threw three scoreless against Texas’s rookie squad Monday.

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBA
AA: B. Anderson
Hi-A: Bratt
Lo-A: B. Mendoza

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Low-A Hickory was scheduled to play 40 games in 40 days leading to the All-Star break. Times have changed.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 11, @ Albuquerque (COL) 1
Round Rock: 15 hits, 8 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 0 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 17-15, 5 GB

SP Shaun Anderson: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 10 SO, 89 P / 65 S, 2.12 ERA
RP Jimmy Robbins: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 9.00 ERA
DH Derek Hill: 1-3, HR (6), 3 BB, .337/.389/.643
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-4, 2B, BB, .256/.368/.436
SS Jax Biggers: 3-5, .260/.372/.338

In a six-game series at Albuquerque, an average number of runs to score or allow is 40. Round Rock allowed only 18, and 10 of those came in a single game. After throwing five solid innings on Tuesday, Shaun Anderson added seven more, missing 20 bats. Anderson threw 60 sliders and only seven (7) fastballs.

You’ve probably heard by now that Wyatt Langford is expected to be out 3-4 weeks. None among 40-man members Dustin Harris, Sam Huff, and Jonathan Ornelas played. Ornelas was listed before the game but not on the card handed to the umpire. Whoever gets the call probably won’t see much action.

AA: Frisco 5, @ Corpus Christi (HOU) 3
Frisco: 4 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 17-10, tied for first

SP Josh Stephan: 5 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 68 P / 43 S, 4.35 ERA

The Frisco offense was nearly silent until the 8th, when all five runs scored with the help of some Corpus miscues. Josh Stephan produced his first scoreless, walkless start of five innings in AA, joining four at lower levels.

Hi-A: Hickory 1, @ Rome (ATL) 11
Hickory: 6 hits, 5 walks, 14 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 10-16, 4.5 GB

SP Aidan Curry: 3 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 4 BB, 5 SO, 78 P / 49 S, 11.12 ERA
CF Alejandro Osuna: 2-5, 2B
DH Yeison Morrobel: 1-2, HR (1), BB, HBP, .195/.300/.287

Yeison Morrobel collected his first homer 24 games into the season. I swear there’s some power in there. I’ve seen it. Even less explicable is Aidan Curry’s high-A troubles. In 19 low-A starts last year, he allowed more than three runs only once. He’s had four starts of four or more runs already in 2024.

Lo-A: Down East 6, @ Fredericksburg (WAS) 4
Down East: 13 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 12 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 12-14, 6.5 GB

SP Kolton Curtis: 4.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 6 BB, 1 SO, 74 P / 36 S, 1.27 ERA
SS Echedry Vargas: 2-5, SB (3), .220/.250/.366
3B Gleider Figuereo: 2-5, HR (5), .211/.349/.444
DH Arturo Disla: 3-5, .276/.402/.355
LF Tommy Specht: 2-4, .246/.333/.277

Down East threw 177 pitches, walked 12, and issued three wild pitches and a balk. Somehow, that translated into only four runs. In repeating low-A, Gleider Figuereo is hitting about the same for average but producing about twice as many walks and extra bases.

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Catcher Brett Nicholas retired. Texas called him up to the Majors during his would-be walk year of 2016. He would hit .252/.300/.456 across two seasons, later traded for Emmanuel Clase. When contracts with Colorado and the White Sox didn’t work out as hoped, he called it a day.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 4, @ Albuquerque (COL) 1
Round Rock: 8 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 16-15, 5 GB

SP Gerson Garabito: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 75 P / 42 S, 2.81 ERA
1B Blaine Crim: 1-4, BB, .218/.339/.426
SS Jonathan Ornelas: 2-4, .278/.320/.400

Offseason signing Gerson Garabito earned whatever the Rangers are paying him in 2024 with six scoreless innings in Albuquerque. Garabito didn’t get many calls but compensated with 14 missed bats, eight of which were on pitches outside the zone.

Regarding Wyatt Langford’s hamstring injury, I’d expect his plate appearances to be apportioned to hitters already with the team. If bench reinforcement is needed, 40-man options are C Sam Huff, IF Jonathan Ornelas, and 1B/3B/LF Dustin Harris. Harris nominally fills the defensive role but hasn’t improved on last year’s low exit velocities. Ornelas hits as hard as anyone but is hindered by a very high grounder rate. He also hasn’t played outfield in 2024. Huff, you know about. On twitter yesterday, I tossed out the idea of giving him some DH at-bats. He’s 26 and on his fourth option. Non-40 OFs Derek Hill and Sandro Fabian would probably be serviceable fifth OFs.

Langford isn’t in today’s lineup as expected, but that’s the only news as of 10:30am local time.

AA: Frisco 11, @ Corpus Christi (HOU) 0
Frisco: 8 hits, 8 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 6 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 16-10, tied for first

SP Emiliano Teodo: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 75 P / 44 S, 2.91 ERA
RP Robby Ahlstrom: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 2.92 ERA
RP Steven Jennings: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.95 ERA
RF Aaron Zavala: 3-5, HR (2), SB (4), .272/.402/.420
3B Cody Freeman: 2-5, HR (4), SB (2), .279/.333/.465

Three weeks after plating six against Justin Verlander, the Riders put five on base and scored three against rehabbing Cristian Javier in 3.1 innings. I didn’t see any of the game and assume that Javier (like Verlander) was just getting in the work, but whatever. Getting licks in against a Major Leaguer is always a treat. Particularly for guys who end up not reaching the Majors, games like this create the lasting memories.

After five starts, Emiliano Teodo has a walk rate (11%) and strikeout rate (25%) right at the league averages. Expecting higher percentages of both was reasonable given the history, but instead Teodo has excelled by clamping down on extra-base hits, surrendering two all season, both doubles in his first appearance.

Hi-A: Hickory 1, @ Rome (ATL) 3
Hickory: 5 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 10-15, 3.5 GB

SP Winston Santos: 6.1 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 87 P / 65 S, 1.00 ERA
RP Jacob Maton: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.13 ERA
CF Alejandro Osuna: 2-4

Winston Santos lasted a season-high 6.1 innings on just 87 pitches, but he allowed his first homer of the season. Even with that, his opposing slugging percentage in 2024 is only .227 compared to an even .500 last year. Frisco beckons. I don’t necessarily mean next Saturday, but folks in north Texas should get ample opportunities to see him.

Lo-A: Down East 1, @ Fredericksburg (WAS) 3
Down East: 1 hit, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 11-14, 7 GB

SP Alejandro Rosario: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 69 P / 48 S, 2.38 ERA
RP Wilian Bormie: 4 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 1 R, 4 BB, 3 SO, 2.04 ERA

Echedry Vargas’s 5th-inning double was the only hit.

Arizona Complex League
The Baby Rangers won the opener 10-8 with a six-run 9th following the Reds’ six-run 8th. RF Braylin Morel was 3-3 with a double, triple, and two walks. 1B Pablo Guererro, son of Vlad, went 3-5. 3B Esteban Mejia also had three hits including his first homer, and Yeremi Cabrera homered as well, adding a single, two walks, and two steals. DH Max Martin, last year’s 11th-round pick, singled twice, walked, and stole a base.

DJ Peters struck out four and walked none in two innings, notable because his control last year was woeful. Buddy Reed, who I mentioned had converted to the mound, tossed the last 1.1 innings, allowing a hit and three walks while striking out three. Starter Thomas Ireland, a 2021 13th-rounder who spent much of last year in Down East, surrendered a run and fanned five in three innings. 2023 15th-round lefty Michael Trausch tossed two scoreless with four strikeouts in his pro debut.

Today’s Starters
AAA: S. Anderson
AA: Stephan
Hi-A: Curry
Lo-A: TBA

Five Years Ago Yesterday
I’d mentioned Nashville’s 8-20 start, worst by a Texas AAA team in at least 15 years. The Sounds were rained out yesterday, but wins by all the others improved Frisco to 18-11, Down East to 22-8, and Hickory to 20-8. Sam Huff hit his 14th homer. I double-checked, because my initial thought was “I’ve messed up, the season is a month old at most, Huff doesn’t have 14 homers,” but yes, he did. He was batting .327/.365/.806 with six walks and 35 strikeouts in 104 trips to the plate, so he was hitting .508 and slugging 1.254 on contact. He’d move up to high-A in a few days.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 13, @ Albuquerque (COL) 1
Round Rock: 13 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 15-15, 5.5 GB

SP Adrian Sampson: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 99 P / 60 S, 4.83 ERA
RP Antoine Kelly: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.45 ERA
RP Jesus Tinoco: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 4.30 ERA
CF Jose Barrero: 2-5, 2B, HBP
DH Andrew Knapp: 1-3, 3 BB, .324/.418/.527
C Sam Huff: 3-5, 2 HR (6), .276/.364/.563
1B Blaine Crim: 3-6, 2 2B, .216/.336/.433
RF Trevor Hauver: 2-3, 2B, HR (3), BB, .243/.356/.419

The Express scored early and often. Trevor Hauver’s 1st-inning grand slam was only the 29th hardest-hit ball of the night (a still-solid 95.4), but he angled it perfectly into a strong tailwind.

Antoine Kelly is back and no worse for wear. His eighth and final pitch of the night was 99.3 MPH, his fastest ever in AAA, and he averaged 98.5 during an all-fastball 7th.

Jose Barrero manned center after two nights at shortstop. He’s usually shredded AAA pitching, so a gaudy slash line might not be indicative of much. (The gap between his MLB and AAA performance is gargantuan.) Maybe the underlying data will have some insight.

AA: Frisco 0, @ Corpus Christi (HOU) 7
Frisco: 2 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 7 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 15-10, tied for first

SP Dane Acker: 4.2 IP, 6 H (2 HR), 6 R, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 8 SO, 88 P / 49 S, 3.52 ERA

Not Dane Acker’s night. Consensus top Houston prospect Jacob Melton was 3-5 with his fourth homer.

Hi-A: Hickory 9, @ Rome (ATL) 8 (12)
Hickory: 9 hits, 7 walks, 18 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 8 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 10-14, 2.5 GB

SP Joseph Montalvo: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 83 P / 52 S, 4.80 ERA
RP Adrian Rodriguez: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 2.61 ERA
CF Jayce Easley: 1-2, 3 BB, .122/.294/.122
SS Sebastian Walcott: 1-4, 2B, 2 BB, .188/.301/.325
DH Quincy Scott: 3-5, 2B, BB, .178/.247/.260

Not to say the teams weren’t trying, but I think everyone was happy just to get this finished. An opening rain delay, ongoing drizzle, and three extra innings extended the proceedings to well past 11pm. Rome had a position player on the mound in the 12th, and Hickory might have joined the fun in the 13th. In extras, the teams combined for nine runs and stranded seven runners.

Lo-A: Down East 2, @ Fredericksburg (WAS) 7
Down East: 6 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 11-13, 6.5 GB

SP Jose Gonzalez: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 66 P / 37 S, 1.93 ERA
RP Luke Savage: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.60 ERA
DH Arturo Disla: 1-3, 2B, BB, .265/.405/.353

The Nats scored five off Kyle Larsen, who caught my eye in Surprise but has been wild out east, walking or hitting 14 batters in 11 innings.

Arizona Complex League
New names began to appear late Friday night in advance of today’s opener. Among them:
— 38-year-old Johnny Cueto.
— Converted OFs DJ Peters and Michael “Buddy” Reed. Peters switched last year. I didn’t see Reed in Surprise, but he was listed as a pitcher in an intersquad.
— RHP Brock Porter.
— RHP Izack Tiger, a hard-throwing 2023 pick delayed by injury this spring.
— Other 2023 selections RHP Caden Scarborough (6th round) OF Maxton Martin (11th), LHP Michael Trausch (15th), RHP Kamdyn Perry (17th), and RHP Brendan Morse (18th)
— Rehabbing IF Cam Cauley
— 2023 International signings OF Braylin Morel, OF Pablo Guerrero and C Juan Sulbaran. Morel received some favorable attention along with a portion of the international budget Texas didn’t spend on Sebastian Walcott. Pablo is Vlad’s son.

I’m never going to pretend my list is definitive, but I count the maximum-allowed 165 domestic minor leaguers in the organization, and the rookie squad still lacks a complete set of infielders. Another 15, all pitchers, are on either the 60-day or full-season injured list.

Today’s Starters
AAA: Garabito
AA: Teodo
Hi-A: Santos
Lo-A: TBA

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Lefty Joe Palumbo fanned ten of 18 batters for Frisco, but Emmanuel Clase was stung for five runs and took the loss in a 7-4 defeat to Arkansas. Nashville’s 8-20 start was the worst by a Texas AAA team since at least 2005, the earliest year for which records are readily available. The Sounds would rebound to finish a mundane 66-72

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 9, @ Albuquerque (COL) 10
Round Rock: 11 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 15 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 14-15, 5.5 GB

SP Jack Leiter: 5 IP, 3 H (2 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 78 P / 46 S, 2.84 ERA
SS Jose Barrero: 2-5, 3B, HR (1)
RF Trevor Hauver: 1-5, HR (2), .225/.337/.352

In what could be a prelude to his next MLB start, Jack Leiter handled the conditions of Albuquerque well, allowing five runners in five innings despite (for him) relatively few strikeouts. Leiter missed 14 bats, 10 with the fastball. He surrendered two solo homers that would have left any park: 106.5 and 110 MPH off the bat at 24 degrees. But we’ve established that Leiter will give up his share of hard flies, so the operative word is “solo.” Leiter’s cutter, change, and curve weren’t of much consequence. He threw a combined 20, 17 of which were ignored for balls, mostly inside to lefties. Another was foul, and two were hit into play for outs.

Otherwise, Albuquerque (the city) finally played to expectations after two low-scoring contests. The Express plated five in the 9th to tie the game at nine, but the ‘Topes scored the winner on a double off Grant Wolfram, who’d also surrendered four runs in the 8th. Like last year, the gap in Wolfram’s effectiveness at Frisco vs. Round Rock has been extreme.

Texas moved reliever Marc Church (shoulder) to the 60-day IL.

Texas released reliever Chasen Shreve, who I assume had an out. Shreve hadn’t thrown a pitch harder thn 91.3 MPH but had a 2.61 ERA and nine strikeouts in 10 innings, aided by a flaky-low .130 opposing average on contact.

AA: Frisco 5, @ Corpus Christi (HOU) 1
Frisco: 5 hits, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 15-9, 1 G up

SP Nick Krauth: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 6 SO, 89 P / 55 S, 6.53 ERA
RP Seth Clark: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2.25 ERA
RP Andy Rodriguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2.57 ERA
2B Max Acosta: 2-4, BB, SB (6), .247/.323/.318
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 1-3, HR (1), BB

Frisco took advantage of a wild Carlos Betancourt with three runs on only two singles in the 8th. Keyber Rodriguez drove in the go-ahead run on a walk, adding to his 2nd-inning homer.

Liam Hicks (0-4, BB) dropped to .230/.330/.318. Per usual, he’s not striking out much, and he’s elevating, but all those flies and landing in gloves. He’s hitting only .276 on contact compared to the league rate of .335.

Frisco walked five last night but has shown much better control over the past week, recently ceding the league “lead” in combined walks and HBPs to rival Corpus Christi. Astros affiliates have trended “stuff now, control later” for several years, so I’m sure the Hooks don’t mind.

Hi-A: Hickory 4, @ Rome (ATL) 8
Hickory: 10 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 9 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 9-14, 3.5 GB

SP Leandro Lopez: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 SO, 32 P / 13 S, 6.75 ERA
CF Alejandro Osuna: 2-4, BB, SB (1)

The reverse of Frisco, as Rome scored four on two singles in the 5th against Hickory. Two scored on Luis Ramirez on those hits and two walks, and Josh Gessner brought in two more on a wild pitch and balk. Earlier, Leandro Lopez couldn’t escape the 1st, issuing a bases-loaded walk to his final batter.

Lo-A: Down East 5, @ Fredericksburg (WAS) 8
Down East: 14 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts
Record: 11-12, 6.5 GB

SP Kohl Drake: 1.2 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 6 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 44 P / 30 S, 6.30 ERA
RP Kai Wynyard: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 3.00 ERA
RP Paul Bonzagni: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 2.45 ERA
SS Echedry Vargas: 3-5, .214/.258/.393
3B Gleider Figuereo: 2-4, 2B, BB, .215/.354/.443
CF Marcos Torres: 2-4, 2B, BB, .133/.232/.200

Kohl Drake didn’t have any control issues but ran into to many forceful bats. He’d only allowed two runs in two previous low-A starts while striking out 13.

Arizona Complex League
The season commences tomorrow, well over a month earlier than ever before. Today’s MiLB transaction wire is clogged with players officially transitioning from Dominican Summer League rosters (which don’t count against the 165-man limit) to the complex rosters (which do). As of lunchtime Friday, the Rangers haven’t joined the fun.

Mexico
Some former Rangers in the Mexican League, which seems to be a much more popular destination these days:
Neftali Feliz, Keone Kela, Roman Mendez, Spencer Patton, CD Pelham, Jake Thompson,
Engel Beltre, Jose Cardona, Andretty Cordero, Leonys Martin, Nomar Mazara, Luis Sardinas, Christian Villanueva

Today’s Starters
AAA: Sampson
AA: Acker
Hi-A: Montalvo
Lo-A: TBA

Five Years Ago Yesterday
OF Craig Gentry retired. 1B Curtis Terry hit his 13th double, best in the minors.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 3, @ Albuquerque (COL) 2
Round Rock: 9 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts
Record: 14-14, 4.5 GB

SP Owen White: 6 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 74 P / 52 S, 5.70 ERA
RP Aidan Anderson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-3, BB, .227/.346/.318
3B Dustin Harris: 1-2, 2 BB, .269/.358/.419
2B Jonathan Ornelas: 2-3, HR (2), BB, .284/.330/.420

In the 8th with two on and two out, experienced MLB reliever John Curtiss hung a full-count slider that Jonathan Ornelas took for a ride.

In one of America’s most pitcher-hostile locations, Owen White missed eight bats with his cutter out of 13 swings and mostly avoided hard contact. An elevated two-strike change was sent 403′ the other direction by Sam Hilliard, who became the Isotopes’s all-time homer leader with 67.

Texas released OF Elier Hernandez. He was hitting .290/.386/.474, so certainly performance wasn’t an issue. Usually, this means an opportunity elsewhere, probably overseas, but I don’t know anything yet. Hernandez reached the Majors with Texas in 2022, hitting .182/.200/.242 in 14 games. He’d been one of Round Rock’s best hitters over the past two-plus seasons but wasn’t in a position to return to Arlington absent one or more injuries.

AA: Frisco 3, @ Corpus Christi (HOU) 1
Frisco: 4 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 14-9, tied for first

SP Ben Anderson: 6 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 73 P / 51 S, 2.18 ERA
RP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Reid Birlingmair: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 4.26 ERA
RF Josh Hatcher: 1-3, 3B, BB, .371/.409/.597

Frisco didn’t hit much but made them count. Aaron Zavala and Abi Ortiz would score after tripling, and Catcher Cooper Johnson hit a solo shot. Ben Anderson is 6’4″ but keeps his long limbs coordinated and throws plenty of strikes with a clean, compact delivery.

Hi-A: Hickory 4, @ Rome (ATL) 1
Hickory: 5 hits, 6 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Record: 9-13, 3.5 GB

SP Mitch Bratt: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 80 P / 54 S, 5.40 ERA
RP Jacob Maton: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.45 ERA
RP Jackson Kelley: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 2.08 ERA
C Konnor Piotto: 2-4, HR (1), SB (2), .269/.412/.500
DH Yeison Morrobel: 2-4, 2B, .197/.305/.338

After watching his offensive teammates scores two 1st-inning runs, matching their total in 36 previous innings against Rome, Mitch Bratt made sure two would be plenty. Bratt was pasted in his first start but has surrendered just four runs in three subsequent outings.

Hickory did enjoy some good fortune. In the 8th, Rome had a runner on third with one out when the plate ump ruled a Nick Clarno chopper foul even though it clearly bounced off the left field line. The runner or 3B marco Soto might have obstructed his view. Clarno would later fly out. Instead of a 3-2 score and a runner on second with one out, Rome still trailed by two with two out. Jacob Maton would strand the runner on third.

Lo-A: Down East 6, @ Fredericksburg (WAS) 3
Down East: 11 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 11-11, 5.5 GB

SP Ryan Lobus: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 69 P / 45 S, 1.32 ERA
RP Brayan Mendoza: 5 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 3 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 2.79 ERA
C Jesus Lopez: 4-5, .328/.387/.463
2B Chander Pollard: 3-4, 2 SB (10), .200/.250/.218
LF Jojo Blackmon: 2-4, HR (1), .170/.184/.277

Ryan Lobus faced one over the minimum in four innings, aided by picking off Everett Cooper III, who began the 1st with an infield single. Lobus deals from a very low slot, and in the part of the game I saw, he offered an upper-80s fastball (per the Fredericksburg gun) and breakers ranging from 70 to 84.

IF Echedry Vargas is back after missing some time following a hit-by-pitch. He was 0-for-4 with a walk and steal, plus his fifth error in six games.

Today’s Starters
AAA: Leiter
AA: Krauth
Hi-A: Lopez
Lo-A: TBA

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Owen White underwent Tommy John surgery, a month after teammate and fellow 2018 draftee Mason Englert. As I wrote at the time: “Neither will pitch in a real game until well into his third professional season.” Please revisit this space next summer when I recap their exciting 2020 pro debuts. 

AAA: Round Rock 6, @ Albuquerque (COL) 3
Round Rock: 9 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 13-14, 5.5 GB

SP Shaun Anderson: 5 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 60 P / 41 S, 2.70 ERA
CF Derek Hill: 2-5, 2 HR, (5), .358/.402/.667
C Sam Huff: 1-4, HR (4), BB, .269/.360/.513

Albuquerque had allowed 11.1 runs per game at home entering the night. Yes, park factors, but that’s just awful. It’s Albuquerque, not the moon. The Express won despite plating “only” six, five on homers by Hill, Hill again, and Huff. Gerson Garabito, newcomer Kolton Ingram, and Yerry Rodriguez posted scoreless innings.

Huff slugged .548 last year but was weirdly grounder-prone. In 2024, he’s slugging a lesser .513 despite elevating more, but if one sharp fly three weeks ago had five more feet of carry, he’d be slugging .564. Huff’s 90th-percentile exit velocity exceeds every Ranger save Adolis Garcia.

IF/OF Jose Barrero, claimed off waivers from Cincy and then successfully outrighted near the end of Spring Training, is now active for Round Rock.

AA: Frisco 4, @ Corpus Christi (HOU) 0
Frisco: 9 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 13-9, 2 GB

SP Ryan Garcia: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 89 P / 58 S, 6.00 ERA
RP Steven Jennings: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 4.35 ERA
CF Kellen Strahm: 1-2, BB, .265/.354/.325
1B Abimelec Ortiz: 2-4, HR (2), .260/.333/.455
DH Josh Hatcher: 3-4, SB (3), .373/.403/.576
SS Max Acosta: 2-3, 2B, BB, .247/.322/.325

Abi Ortiz smacked a three-run homer to the opposite alley in the 1st. Ortiz’s homer rate is down 70% from last year, but of course we’re not even a month into a the season. While Ortiz’s AA assignment was a given, immediate success was not. Among the top 100 in the league in plate appearances, Ortiz is tenth youngest. Also, lower production compared to last year is not due to swinging strikes. His K rate so far is only 15%.

Hi-A: Hickory 1, @ Rome (ATL) 3
Hickory: 3 hits, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 8-13, 4.5 GB

SP DJ McCarty: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 SO, 53 P / 27 S, 2.89 ERA
RP Bryan Chi: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0.00 ERA
SS Sebastian Walcott: 1-4, HR (2), .191/.295/.338

Sebastian Walcott drove a full-count breaker into the opposing bullpen in left-center for his second homer. Unfortunately, that would conclude Hickory’s scoring, extending the team’s troubles against Rome, which outscored the Crawdads 11-1 in the season-opening three-game series. On the flip side, Walcott committed two throwing errors on routine plays (one more a fielding miscue that devolved into a wild throw) that contributed heavily to Rome’s second and third runs. His arm strength for the left side of the infield is inarguable, but the execution is a work in progress.

OF Alejandro Osuna was activated in Hickory, and OF Daniel Mateo was bumped to Frisco.

Lo-A: Down East 7, @ Fredericksburg (WAS) 8
Down East: 10 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 7 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 10-11, 5.5 GB

SP David Davallilo: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 2 SO, 70 P / 37 S, 2.75 ERA
3B Gleider Figuereo: 1-4, 2B, BB, .200/.349/.443
DH Jesus Lopez: 2-4, .290/.357/.435
CF Marcus Smith: 3-4, 2B, HR (2), BB, .254/.392/.475
1B Arturo Disla: 2-4, 2B, BB, .274/.408/.355

14 of Down East’s 21 games have been decided by one or two runs, with the Woodies losing nine of them. OF Marcus Smith is off to a nice start. Smith was half of the return for Mike Minor from the A’s back in 2020, and notably the half listed ahead of Dustin Harris, who has since advanced to AAA. Smith, however, was injured most of 2021, and the next year he struck out in 42% of his plate appearances, the highest in the organization since at least 2007 (my first year on the beat) and possibly ever. Injuries once again swamped his 2023. Now in 2024, while still in low-A as a 23-year-old, Smith is fanning at a 28% rate, above the league average but far below his previous seasons.

Today’s Starters
AAA: White
AA:B. Anderson
Hi-A: Bratt
Lo-A: TBD

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Hickory’s Sam Huff hit his minors-leading 12th homer.