If Kyle Higashioka is out for a very short period, Cody Freeman might suffice as emergency catcher. He last played there in 2023. Otherwise, Texas might get by with Cooper Johnson, currently Round Rock’s top catcher. Johnson is 27, drafted in 2019’s sixth round by Detroit, eventually released and a Ranger since 2023. He hit well at Frisco and received a deserved promotion to AAA, where he started very slowly but has improved lately. He’s hitting .211/.342/.308 with three homers and plenty of walks. The underlying metrics are tolerable. Mainly, he doesn’t chase. Johnson was coincidentally out of yesterday’s game that started at noon.
“Wait, Cooper Johnson? There has to be some boring but functional AAA vet with the Express,” you say. Well, there isn’t. Chad Wallach was released some time ago, and Tucker Barnhart retired (on the second day of my week-long vacation in Mexico, so my coverage of that event was lacking, shall we say.)
If Higgy is out for longer, the stopgap might be a deal for some non-contender’s boring but functional AAA vet. Andrew Knizner, Austin Nola, and the like. Beyond that, we’re talking higher-rated prospects and real money.
Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 7, at Tacoma (SEA) 12
Round Rock: 13 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 8 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 11-8, 2.5 GB, 45-49 overall
SP Trey Supak: 2.1 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 66 P / 37 S, 7.36 ERA
CF Dustin Harris: 2-4, 2B, .260/.346/.398
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-5, HR (6), .272/.385/.426
Tacoma’s Tyler Locklear was 4-4 with two homers, four runs and six batted in. Leody Taveras homered as well.
AA: Frisco 5, at Wichita (MIN) 12
Frisco: 6 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 18 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 8-14, 4 GB, 46-44 overall
SP Mitch Bratt: 5 IP, 11 H (4 HR), 7 R, 1 BB, 2 HBP, 4 SO, 72 P / 52 S, 3.28 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.38 ERA
CF Alejandro Osuna: 2-3, 2 SB (9), .292/.373/.415
Mitch Bratt’s opposing OPS increased from .669 to .743 in the span of about 90 minutes. Wichita hit four homers, four doubles and three singles.
So, a fair question: Why in the world was he allowed to stay in so long? Bratt faced eight batters in a three-run 1st but recorded the first two outs on just 11 pitches and threw only 26 pitches in the frame. He then permitted one run in each of the next four innings but never faced more than five batters. Wichita’s average plate appearances lasted only 2.8 pitches. Since a single inning never went completely awry and his pitch count was low, Bratt just kept working. As far as any psychic damage, he survived the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he can survive this.
Larson Kindreich followed with three homers in a four-run 6th. Wichita slugged 1.080 for the night.
Texas released RHP Nick Krauth, an undrafted covid-year signing who spent most of the last three seasons in Frisco.
As you can see, Alejandro Osuna’s option was transferred to Frisco.
Hi-A: Hub City 3, at Greenville (BOS) 4
Hub City: 2 hits, 9 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 15-10, 1 G up, 46-44 overall
SP Mason Molina: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 SO, 65 P / 46 S, 3.38 ERA
RP Dalton Pence: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1.20 ERA
1B Arturo Disla: 1-4, HR (8), .235/.304/.374
Normally reliable relievers Eric Loomis and Joey Danielson were less so. Up 3-1, Loomis allowed a run on a walk-steal-single in the 8th. In the 9th, Danielson surrendered a double and game-ending homer. In fairness, the double was a deep but catchable fly that CF Dyaln Dreiling slipped trying to get under. The homer, on the next pitch, was not cheap.
Lo-A: Hickory 1, Augusta (ATL) 6
Hickory: 3 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 17-8, 1.5 GB, 50-40 overall
SP Caden Scarborough: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO, 48 P / 32 S, 3.51 ERA
LF Maxton Martin: 1-3, 2B, BB, .264/.335/.438
Caden Scarborough’s outing was mundane by recent standards, as was the game in general.
Rookie
Losers of two straight, the Rangers (32-26) lead their division by 0.5 games with two to play. They own the tiebreaker over the trailing White Sox, who play only once more, so a Sox loss or single Rangers win would be sufficient.
Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Stephan
Hi-A: Segura
Lo-A: Trentadue
Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The second-best Texas rookie squad played in 2012, the preview for the record-setting 2013 group in Hickory.
Actual record: 34-22 (.607)
Run-differential record: 35-21 (.639)
Component record: 36-20 (.651)
The top six in plate appearances would reach the Majors: Lewis Brinson, Nomar Mazara, Ronald Guzman, Nick Williams, Joey Gallo and Luis Marte. Five pitchers would reach: Alex Claudio, Carl Edwards Jr., Keone Kela, Jon Edwards and Collin Wiles.
Brinson, Williams, Gallo and Kela had just been drafted. Back then, the rookie season began after the draft and served as an immediate intro to pro ball. Now, the regular season concludes less than two weeks after the draft. Maybe the current format is better for player development, I don’t know, but the original system was unquestionably more fun. Wouldn’t you love some instant feedback on Gavin Fien?
Gallo set an all-time league record with 18 homers before graduating to Spokane. Brinson batted .283/.345/.523 with 36 extra-base hits and 14 steals. Claudio, repeating the level, posted a 1.79 ERA and struck out 54 in 45 innings.
After winning the division, the Rangers claimed the championship with two one-and-done series. Their outfield in those two games was Williams/Brinson/Mazara. Ridiculous.