AAA: Round Rock 13, at Albuquerque (COL) 6
Round Rock: 21 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 18-16, 5 GB, 52-57 overall
SP Kumar Rocker: 5.2 IP, 9 H (2 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 87 P / 58 S, 3.95 ERA
CF Dustin Harris: 4-5, 2B, .268/.358/.404
1B Jake Burger: 4-6, 2B, HR (3)
LF Cody Freeman: 3-5, HR (17), BB, .326/.375/.533
RF Abimelec Ortiz: 1-3, HR (4), 2 BB
Top exit velocities by Express hitters in 2025:
114.2, Jake Burger (out)
112.7, Abi Ortiz (home run)
112.7, Rowdy Tellez (single)
111.8, Blaine Crim (double)
111.4, Blaine Crim (single)
111.0, Marcus Smith (double)
110.6, Blaine Crim (single)
110.5, Jake Burger (out)
110.4, Blaine Crim (out)
100.3, Blaine Crim (single)
110.1, Jonathan Ornelas (out)
Of all of Round Rock’s 110+ MPH exits, only Ortiz’s had a homer angle. His shot traveled 433 feet. In Albuquerque, yes, but that’s a big-boy swing. I do need him to cool off a little because my story template isn’t designed to accommodate four-digit slugging percentages. He’s hitting .538/.600/1.462 in four games.
Cody Freeman made his third start in left, and if you’re wondering whether he has any natural aptitude for the position, let him show you.
Kumar Rocker actually was very good at avoiding hard hits (only five of 22 in play, 23%), but one left the park and three shot through the infield for hits. A slightly slower hit also escaped the premises. He missed five bats on eight swings against his slider.
Burger is back with the Rangers, and Alejandro Osuna was optioned.
AA: Frisco 2, at Arkansas (SEA) 1
Frisco: 6 hits, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 14-22, 8 GB, 52-52 overall
SP David Davalillo: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 72 P / 46 S, 1.99 ERA
RP Jackson Kelley: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.22 ERA
RP Larson Kindreich: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.53 ERA
David Davalillo no-hit the Travs for four innings, but the story is the bottom of the 3rd. A walk and error put runners in scoring position with none out. Davalillo responded with three straight strikeouts (slider, slider, change) to strand both. He’s at an even 100 strikeouts (with just 23 walks) in 82.2 innings and has a chance to overtake the departed Mitch Bratt’s org-leading 106 in his next start.
Hi-A: Hub City 1, at Jersey Shore (PHI) 2
Hub City: 4 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 21-18, tied for first, 52-52 overall
SP Dalton Pence: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 75 P / 51 S, 0.99 ERA
DH Rafe Perich: 1-3, BB, .182/.333/.258
LF Yeison Morrobel: 2-4, .188/.258/.314
Dalton Pence is stretched out to actual starting duty, setting career highs in innings and pitches in consecutive starts. In 12 previous starts, he’d last no longer than three innings.
Lo-A: Hickory 5, Columbia (KAN) 1 (7)
Hickory: 5 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
SP Caden Scarborough: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 64 P / 49 S, 3.09 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.63 ERA
LF Maxton Martin: 3-3, 2 HR (11), .263/.342/.449
SS Yolfran Castillo: 1-2, HBP, SB (1)
Caden Scarborough was efficient enough to reach a career-high six innings on only his seventh-higher pitch total.
Maxton Martin homered twice, the first an opposite-field shot made more impressive by what appeared to be contact well toward the end of the bat. Martin is the 11th Ranger and sixth outside of AAA to reach double digits. He also leads the organization with 24 doubles.
Yolfran Castillo grounded a 1-2 breaker through the hole for his first full-season hit.
Lo-A: Hickory 0, Columbia (KAN) 9 (7)
Hickory: 2 hits, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 22-16, 6 GB, 55-48 overall
SP Enrique Segura: 3 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 56 P / 40 S, 4.31 ERA
RP Wily Villar: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
An otherwise forgettable nightcap brought the full-season debut of Wily Villar. Villar spent most of the season in the Dominican Republic and reached the complex near the end of that season, allowing ten runners and five runs in four innings. Okay. So what? First, Villar offered a 98 MPH fastball and low-80s curve. Second, Villar didn’t sign until May of this year, had no previous professional experience, and is going to turn 27 in a few days. That’s quite the background.
Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Stephan
Hi-A: McCarty
Lo-A: Mejia