AAA: Round Rock 11, at Salt Lake (LAA) 12
Round Rock: 8 hits, 8 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 29-33, 8.5 GB
SP Ty Blach: 3.2 IP, 9 H (2 HR), 9 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 78 P / 48 S, 4.34 ERA
RP Codi Heuer: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 3.09 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, SB (4), .311/.358/.493
1B Blaine Crim: 3-4, 2B, HR (11), BB, SB (2), .287/.353/.528
(In exhausted high-elevation voice) “Wheee!” Round Rock trailed 9-2, led 11-9 and lost 12-11. Ty Blach spent three years in Colorado, so he’s probably as unperturbed by this type of game as anybody.
I neglected to write up recently called-up and optioned reliever Codi Heuer within a game report, but I added some notes here if interested.
AA: Frisco 12, Springfield (STL) 7
Frisco: 13 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 32-23, 0.5 G up
SP Mitch Bratt: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, HBP, 6 SO, 89 P / 57 S, 2.26 ERA
CF Cam Cauley: 2-5, 2B, SB (17), .254/.335/.402
SS Sebastian Walcott: 1-4, 2B, BB, .243/.346/.436
RF Abi Ortiz: 1-5, HR (9), .237/.333/.423
LF Josh Hatcher: 2-5, HR (7), .276/.295/.432
Frisco batted an even .500 with men in scoring position. Abi Ortiz’s stats are remarkably similar to last year. 2024 involved more than a half-season of much weaker performance followed by a tremendous finish. 2025 has been steadier, but in terms of a 40 spot or contemplation about the future, he’s not there yet.
Mitch Bratt wasn’t walk-prone and the Cards were swinging, but 25 fouls boosted his pitch count in a hurry.
Hi-A: Hub City 7, @ Greensboro (PIT) 4
Hub City: 7 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 31-25, 0.5 GB
SP DJ McCarty: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 4 SO, 64 P / 34 S, 6.49 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 1.17 ERA
RF Keith Jones II: 1-4, HR (7), BB, .247/.392/.408
DH Anthony Gutierrez: 1-3, 2 BB, SB (17), .248/.320/.298
SS Casey Cook: 2-4, BB, SB (14), .178/.270/.244
Hub City led Greensboro by six in the middle of the 8th when rain interrupted. Two hours later, by which time a crowd of 4,000 anticipating fireworks had dwindled to perhaps 30, they resumed. I’m not sure what principle we’re adhering to within a system in which makeups are shortened to seven innings and teams routinely fail to complete the full schedule due to rainouts. Just call it. Greensboro actually put the tying run at the plate with two out in the the 9th but finally succumbed.
Lo-A: Hickory 3, Columbia (KAN) 5
Hickory: 8 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 28-27, 1.5 GB
SP Mason Molina: 4 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 74 P / 50 S, 3.89 ERA
2B Antonis Macias: 2-3, 2B, BB, .247/.414/.318
Maxton Martin was held to a single, but his combined 21 doubles and triples lead the organization, followed by Cody Freeman (16), Sebastian Walcott (13), Arturo Disla (13) and Alejandro Osuna (13). Antonis Macias and Keith Jones II lead with 39 walks.
Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Supak
Hi-A: Gonzalez
Lo-A: TBD
Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The sixth-best offense during 2007-2024 belongs to the 2014 AA Frisco RoughRiders.
Runs: 4.6, 8% above park-adjusted league average
OPS+: 108
wRC+: 107
This offense led the league in average (.266) despite a sub-par strikeout rate and was second in doubles, triples and homers. A half-season was enough for Joey Gallo to lead with 21 homers. He didn’t hit for average, and Drew Robinson (.190) was getting pushback on his extremely patient approach, but they were offset by Odubel Herrera (.321), Tomas Telis (.303) and Ryan Rua (.300). I’ll be covering this squad again.