AAA: Round Rock 3, Oklahoma City (LAD) 7
Round Rock: 6 hits, 7 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 20-24, 9 GB
SP Cory Abbott: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 66 P / 44 S, 7.56 ERA
RP Luis Curvelo: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.18 ERA
CF Dustin Harris: 2-4, BB, 2 SB (6), .186/.273/.186
Dustin Harris spent a month with the Rangers but is still trying to get on track with the Express. I’ve discussed his below-average exit velos at length, but he’s always hit for average and drawn plenty of walks.
AA: Frisco 4, Corpus Christi (HOU) 6
Frisco: 7 hits, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 22-16, tied for 1st
SP Mitch Bratt: 5 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 8 SO, 81 P / 56 S, 2.21 ERA
3B Sebastian Walcott: 1-5, HR (5), .241/.344/.387
C Ian Moller: 2-4, HR (2), .140/.283/.220
Sebastian Walcott has three homers in his last five games.
Last night’s three runs were the most allowed by Mitch Bratt this season. Like David Davalillo, Bratt said “hey, what if I get better at walks and strikeouts.”
2024: 8% BB/HBP, 26% SO
2025: 6% BB/HBP, 32% SO
Ian Moller is playing more frequently with Cooper Johnson’s advance to AAA. He’s always walked frequently but hasn’t shown as much with the bat, and the assignment to AA was aggressive given his past. He’s matched last year’s two homers in only one-fifth the plate appearances, so that’s something.
Hi-A: Hub City 6, @Greenville (BOS) 5
Hub City: 9 hits, 2 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 19-19, 2 GB
SP DJ McCarty: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 73 P / 41 S, 10.45 ERA
RP Anthony Susac: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 1.80 ERA
DH Keith Jones II: 2-5, 2B, HR (5), SB (7), .270/.418/.435
1B Arturo Disla: 2-4, 2B, .250/.304/.419
Hub City led early, trailed late and scored the tying and go-ahead runs on sac flies by Cal Stark (scoring Arturo Disla) and Quincy Scott (scoring Danyer Cueva).
The Rangers signed 14 draft picks from four-year schools last summer. Seven are already in high-A:
1. C Malcolm Moore (hurt)
2. OF Dylan Dreiling
3. IF Casey Cook
8. RHP Anthony Susac
9. OF Keith Jones II
16. RHP Eric Loomis
17. RHP Joey Danielson
Of the others, five are at low-A Hickory and two are recovering from injury.
Lo-A: Hickory 11, Kannapolis (CHW) 6
Hickory: 12 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 18-19, 3.5 GB
SP Mason Molina: 5.1 IP, 1 H (1 HR), 1 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 8 SO, 75 P / 50 S, 3.95 ERA
SS Chandler Pollard: 2-4, 2B, BB, .287/.369/.324
CF Yeremi Cabrera: 2-4, HR (1), HBP, .219/.349/.295
C Ben Hartl: 2-3, HBP, .197/.324/.246
3B Rafe Perich: 2-3, 2B, HR (4), BB, .209/.331/.355
Yeremi Cabrera hit his first full-season homer in 52 games. Cabrera isn’t exactly beefy but slugged .571 for the rookies last year and .559 in the Dominican Summer League in 2023. Mason Molina matched the season-high eight strikeouts in his Texas debut.
Transactions:
I’d written up some moves but neglected to actually place them in a report, so let’s get caught up. Texas released RHP Adrian Houser (presumably at his request/demand), but he could return. IF Justin Foscue is on the IL. C Jesus Lopez is back in Hickory. Righties Paul Bonzagni and Nick Lockhart were transferred to the 60-day IL. Bonzagni had come down with elbow inflammation last month. Lockhart missed all of 2024 and made only one appearance this season. I saw him throwing a 94-96 sinker with an 89 change and 82-83 slider in March.
Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Supak
Hi-A: Gonzalez
Lo-A: Pence
Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
17 Rangers have pitched at least 30 full-season innings in a season without allowing a homer, led by CJ Edwards’ 93.1 innings across 18 appearances. That is also Edwards’ career total as a Ranger, because he was traded that season with others for Matt Garza. The leader in homerless innings among relievers is the unheralded Ryan Turner, a soft-tossing late-round 2007 pick who pitched well for low-A Clinton in 2008 but was never heard from again. Zach Phillips began pitching in 2005 and is active today in Mexico; only once has he allowed more than one homer per nine innings while pitching at least 30 in a season.
HR+ is the index of homers per plate appearance relative to the league and park. Lower is better.
Best relative HR%, min. 90 IP season:
CJ Edwards — 93.1 IP, 0 HR, 0 HR+ (2013)
Reid Anderson — 117.1 IP, 2 HR, 19 HR+ (2018)
Andrew Faulkner — 94 IP, 2 HR, 22 HR+ (2012)
Ryan Tatusko — 100 IP, 2 HR, 24 HR+ (2010)
Derek Holland — 150.2 IP, 3 HR, 28 HR+ (2008)
Min. 30 IP, 0 HR, top five by innings:
Ryan Turner — 67.2 IP (2008)
Francisco Mendoza — 66.2 IP (2015)
Cody Buckel — 59.7 IP (2014)
Brady Feigl — 58.2 IP (2018)
Beau Jones — 52.2 IP (2010)
Best relative HR%, 400+ IP career:
Zach Phillips — 486 IP, 22 HR, 53 HR+
Andrew Faulkner — 486 IP, 26 HR, 64 HR+
Nick Martinez — 452 IP, 26 HR, 68 HR+
Best relative HR%, 300-399 IP career:
Robbie Ross Jr. — 368 IP, 19 R, 53 HR+
Chi Chi Gonzalez — 384 IP, 18 HR, 56 HR+
Sal Mendez — 368 IP, 21 HR, 63 HR+
Best relative HR%, 200-299 IP career:
Ben Rowen — 229 IP, 6 HR, 31 HR+
Demarcus Evans — 200 IP, 10 HR, 44 HR+
Phil Klein — 258 IP, 10 HR, 44 HR+
Best relative HR%, 100-199 IP career:
AJ Murray — 157 IP, 6 HR, 35 HR+
Kendy Batista — 128 IP, 5 HR, 38 HR+
Corey Young — 180 IP, 7 HR, 38 HR+