Texas’s top 17 picks have signed. Unsigned are #18 RHP Kadyn Leon, #19 Iowa LHP Cade Obermuller, and #20 C Mac Rose. The Rangers went well over slot to signed 5th-rounder Devin Fitz-Gerald and also spent $350,000 on 11th-round LHP Dalton Pence. As best as I can tell, they have very little extra money to entice Obermuller, who was ranked much higher on prospect boards than where he was eventually picked.
I had an idea that Kumar Rocker might reach AA this season after working his way through Down East and then Hickory, where he was stationed before the injury. Texas’s idea is to put him in AA now. Interesting timing. He’s scheduled to pitch Friday, joined by rehabbing 3B Josh Jung. Probably as good a day as any to go see a game if you’re in the neighborhood.
I also had an idea that Dane Dunning wouldn’t need more than one rehab appearance after I saw him on Saturday. He’s been activated, and Gerson Garabito was optioned.
Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 7, @ Albuquerque (COL) 6
Round Rock: 14 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
Record: 12-10, 2 GB, 49-47 overall
SP Tim Brennan: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 55 P / 34 S, 3.48 ERA
3B Ezequiel Duran: 2-4, HR (2), BB, SB (5), .209/.243/.373
CF Dustin Harris: 2-4, BB, .277/.363/.385
C Sam Huff: 3-5, 2B, .250/.324/.439
1B Davis Wendzel: 2-4, BB, .295/.391/.500
DH Blaine Crim: 2-5, 2B, .252/.359/.396
I mentioned yesterday that Ezequiel Duran’s exit velocities were slightly down in AAA. Last night’s 111.5 MPH, 441′ homer will help.
Six liners, five flies, just one one grounder, and one strikeout in Albuquerque from Tim Brennan. A recipe for disaster? Actually no, as the hardest-hit ball was the grounder, and the rest was a mix of singles and outs. The Express have closed the division gap from six games to two in four days.
AA: Frisco 5, Tulsa (LAD) 4
Frisco: 10 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 14-9, 1 GB, 58-34 overall
SP Dane Acker: 5 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 1 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 79 P / 44 S, 3.72 ERA
RP Robby Ahlstrom: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2.01 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 1-3, HR (11), BB, .273/.328/.455
RF Abimelec Ortiz: 2-4, HR (6), .211/.282/.341
C Scott Kapers: 1-4, HR (2), .121/.167/.333
Abimelec Ortiz snapped a 23-game homerless streak. Obviously, power largely defines his prospect status, but he did bat a reasonable .269/.348/.333 in that dry spell.
Hi-A: suspended
They’ll finish today. Greenville leads 5-4 in the 8th. Sebastian Walcott is 3-4 with his ninth homer and 13th steal.
Lo-A: Down East 3, Fayetteville (HOU) 6
Down East: 7 hits, 5 walks, 18 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 10-15, 6.5 GB, 45-45 overall
SP Izack Tiger: 4 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 69 P / 43 S, 2.41 ERA
RP Alberto Mota: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.21 ERA
C Julian Brock: 1-4, 2B, BB, .214/.299/.317
1B Arturo Disla: 2-2, HR (10), BB, .279/.358/.429
Adonis Villavicencio entered the 9th with a one-run lead, but his first four opponents reached safely, and all would score. Arturo Disla is the fifth Ranger to reach ten homers, following Gleider Figuereo (18), Sandro Fabian (12), Alejandro Osuna (12), and Cody Freeman (11).
Today’s Starters
AAA: White
AA: Garcia
Hi-A: Bratt
Lo-A: TBA
Five Years Ago Yesterday
“FanGraphs and Baseball America re-ranked teamfarm systems. FanGraphs placed the Rangers an optimistic 12th, while the venerable BA has them all the way down at 28th. That’s a two with an eight after it.”