What a strange season. I’ve almost thought of the Rangers and their farm system as disconnected entities in 2024. The Major League squad is (bordering on was) contending for another title. Aside from ever-present bullpen churn and surviving the first third of the season with an attenuated rotation, that squad was fairly well set. Under current circumstances, a question is whether the farm could be of assistance. Honestly, other than at the margins, I think not. Any meaningful short-term improvement will have to be generated by the existing squad and additions from the IL (and acquisitions, I suppose, but does trading more prospects make sense right now?). Nobody on the farm is going to save this season.
Since opening last season at 40-20, the Rangers are 87-96 during the regular season, with an intermission that just so happened to be the most glorious month in franchise history.
Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 3, El Paso (SDP) 1
Round Rock: 11 hits, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 1-2, 38-39 overall
SP Gerson Garabito: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 84 P / 54 S, 2.50 ERA
2B Justin Foscue: 1-3, 2 BB, .214/.463/.321
3B Jonathan Ornelas: 3-5, SB (7), .252/.320/.354
CF Dustin Harris: 2-4, .255/.347/.368
1B Blaine Crim: 3-4, .213/.318/.354
Justin Foscue has a 32% BB/HBP rate. His strategy is commendable: Don’t ever swing at pitches outside the zone, don’t ever swing through pitches inside it.
Foscue has spent the majority of his games in Round Rock at second base. All well and good, but I see the Rangers have a starting first baseman with a .348 slugging percentage making $7.5 million in the second of his four arbitration seasons. Something to watch.
AA: Frisco 9, Corpus Christi (HOU) 4
Frisco: 12 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 2-1, 46-26 overall
SP Nick Krauth: 6 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 4 R, 0 BB, 2 HBP, 6 SO, 93 P / 61 S, 4.86 ERA
CF Kellen Strahm: 2-4, HR (4), BB, .276/.359/.382
RF Josh Hatcher: 2-4, BB, .296/.339/.440
DH Liam Hicks: 2-4, 2B, .274/.386/.377
1B Abi Ortiz: 1-2, BB, .182/.250/.311
C Cooper Johnson: 1-4, HR (6), .221/.331/.433
Josh Hatcher continues to hit pretty well; I suppose a move to AAA is possible at some point. In terms of prospect status, I think you can mostly just follow the slash stats (and additional statcast info if he reaches AAA).
Hi-A: Hickory 1, @ Greenville (BOS) 2
Hickory: 2 hits, 2 walks, 17 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Record: 2-4, 30-42 overall
SP Mitch Bratt: 7 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 84 P / 65 S, 3.81 ERA
Mitch Bratt has a full year of high-A service spread between 2023 and 2024. This year, the walk percentage is slightly improved with a marginal decrease in strikeout and a few more extra-base hits. He might see Frisco this season. Texas doesn’t have to worry about his 40 status until 2025
Lo-A: Down East 1, @ Delmarva (BAL) 5 (7)
Down East: 2 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 2-4, 37-34 overall
SP Jose Gonzalez: 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 76 P / 56 S, 2.35 ERA
1B Arturo Disla: 1-2, HR (5), HBP, .266/.352/.391
22-year-old Jose Gonzalez allowed a season-high five runs but continued to accrue strikeouts without any walks. He has 75 of the former versus only nine of the latter in 54 innings.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Sampson
AA: Santos
Hi-A: TBA
Lo-A: TBA
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Frisco’s Jonathan Hernandez had one of those starts that gave you hope he’d dispense of the “future reliever” tag around his neck: 7 IP, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 SO