Month: May 2026

Rangers Farm Report: Games of Saturday 30 May
Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 7, Salt Lake (LAA) 4
Round Rock: 7 hits, 6 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 23-33, 10 GB

SP Trey Supak: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 83 P / 55 S, 5.47 ERA
RP Luis Curvelo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 5.63 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4.68 ERA
CF Cameron Cauley: 2-4, SB (18), .252/.364/.371
DH Wyatt Langford: 0-2, 2 BB
1B Blaine Crim: 1-4, HR (9)
2B Cody Freeman: 2-3, 2B, HR (1), BB

Wyatt Langford struck out, popped up and walked twice rehabbing for the Express. 

Emiliano Teodo pitched on consecutive nights for the first time in his career. After a strikeout and ten-pitch popup, he finished with a walk and was pulled at 18 pitches. Velocity was no issue. If anything, he was probably overthrowing to the final batter, as he unleashed a couple of offline sinkers and concluded with a 93.6 MPH slider, his fastest this season. Regardless, this is noteworthy, partly because he began the year in such poor form, partly because he has a history of frequent and lingering injuries. His time might soon be at hand. 


AA: Frisco 3, at Arkansas (SEA) 7
Frisco: 2 hits, 1 walk, 15 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 25-23, 0.5 GB

SP Austin Bergner: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 50 P / 25 S, 13.50 ERA
RP Josh Trentadue: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 8.68 ERA

Elite prospect Ryan Sloan retired 18 consecutive Riders, 11 by strikeout. He’s good. Incidentally, Frisco’s doubleheader-opening 4-0 loss the day before was at the hand of even more highly regarded Kade Anderson. Per usual, Seattle has some pitchers. 


Hi-A: Hub City 4, at Greensboro (PIT) 8
Hub City: 7 hits, 6 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 25-24, 11 GB

SP Ismael Agreda: 5 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 6 R, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 80 P / 45 S, 5.87 ERA
C Malcolm Moore: 2-4, .324/.410/.579
SS Luke Hanson: 1-4, HR (9), .248/.319/.483

Malcolm Moore lined singles to right and left. Luke Hanson punished a soft two-strike slider. 


Lo-A: Hickory 1, at Salem (BOS) 5
Hickory: 6 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 28-20, 1 G up

SP AJ Russell: 2.1 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 52 P / 27 S, 4.67 ERA
DH Josh Springer: 3-4, .294/.368/.330

Russell pitched on five days rest for the first time. He’s slowwwwwly ramping up to typical use. 

Texas assigned 19-year-old IF Curley Martha to Hickory. He received some attention during the 2024 signing period and for a solid DSL debut, but he spent most of 2025 on the shelf and was hitting .160/.333/.200 with a 31% strikeout rate at the complex in 16 games this season. He’s replacing Esteban Mejia (bumped to Hub City), who was serving as a fairly busy utility infielder. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Corniell
AA: MacLean
Hi-A: McCarty
Lo-A: Siary

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Curtis Terry’s seventh homer placed him second in the PCl behind the 11 from Jo Adell. Notoriously slow starter Sherten Apostel clubbed his first for Frisco, while teammate AJ Alexy fanned six and walked non in four scoreless innings. Hickory’s Ronny Henriquez threw six scoreless, walk-free innings with eight strikeouts. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 5, Salt Lake (LAA) 7
Round Rock: 8 hits, 10 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 22-33, 11 GB

SP Nolan Kingham: 3.1 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 75 P / 44 S, 13.50 ERA
RP Joe Ross: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 4.73 ERA
RP Ryan Brasier: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 2.91 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 4.81 ERA
CF Cameron Cauley: 2-3, 2 BB, SB (17), .247/.362/.369
RF Aaron Zavala: 1-2, 3 BB, .264/.368/.426

Texas signed 29-year-old righty and Nolan Kingham and gave him last night’s start. He dominated for three innings, fanning five and allowing a lone single. He unraveled in the 4th, though, as some slight mechanical difficulty (to my eyes) led to more erratic location followed by some unlucky hits and then some scarier shots culminating in a night-ending homer from Omar Martinez. Kingham’s fastball-heavy repertoire included a mid-90s four-seamer and sinker, an effective low-80s slider and some mid-80s split-changes. The Texas-Ex Kingham was drafted in 2018’s 12th round but released in the spring of 2024, and he’d worked for Mexico’s Monterrey squad ever since. 

Up to Round Rock are infielders John Taylor and Keyber Rodriguez. The 25-year-old Taylor was undrafted and in indy ball just 11 months ago, so he’s already a successful signing come what may. Taylor batted .322/.454/.517 in Frsico, tripling last year’s two homers in 50 fewer plate appearances. He’s spent most of his 2026 on the corners (and once in left) versus last year’s heavy dose of short followed by second. Taylor went 1-for-5 at second last night, curling a hard grounder inside the line for a triple. He also had two three-pitch strikeouts, because many AAA pitchers have weapons-grade breakers. 

The 25-year-old K-Rod is a little stockier than I recall, which might explain the shocking .503 slugging percentage in AA versus his career mark of .359.He’s in his ninth year in the organization and spent a few days in AAA last year. Assuming he’s a regular, I expect he’ll be the primary shortstop. 

Texas released OF Dairon Blanco, who’d been claimed off waivers from KC. Righty Marc Church hit the IL. 1B Nick Pratto and IF Richie Martin are on the development list. 


AA: Frisco 0, at Arkansas (SEA) 4 (7)
Frisco: 4 hits, 0 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts

SP Winston Santos: 5.2 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 3 R, 3 BB, 8 SO, 82 P / 52 S, 8.26 ERA
1B Arturo Disla: 3-3, .400/.492/.660

Santos’s line took a beating when reliever Eric Loomis couldn’t stranded either of two bequeathed runners with two out in the 6th. His control wasn’t great, but the eight strikeouts were his most since the 2024 playoffs, and in a rough season to date, last night was most reminiscent of what brought his name to our attention. 

AA: Frisco 8, at Arkansas (SEA) 0 (7)
Frisco: 9 hits, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 25-22, tied for 1st

SP Dalton Pence: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 68 P / 51 S, 2.20 ERA
RP Austin Roberts: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4.64 ERA
CF Dylan Dreiling: 1-4, HR (7), .298/.393/.475
C Ian Moller: 2-3, HR (4), BB, .239/.369/.424
SS Frainyer Chavez: 2-5, 2B, HR (7), .263/.366/.447

The Riders returned Arkansas’s disfavor with a shutout of their own. Pence’s first five strikeouts came on his rising fastball, the last on a nifty split. 

Texas promoted 3B/1B Rafe Perich to AA, and he was 0-3 with a walk in the second game as the third baseman. Perich stood out to me in March 2025, and my thought at the time was that we could wait until Frisco to really learn about him. Unfortunately, his regular season was underwhelming, and in the first few weeks of 2026 he was sitting twice a week, playing first twice as often as third, and still not hitting much. He caught fire in May, though, hitting .345/.448/.747 with ten homers (including seven outside Asheville). Perich should see more time at third in Frisco. 


Hi-A: Hub City 0, at Greensboro (PIT) 4
Hub City: 0 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 25-23, 10 GB

SP Caden Scarborough: 4 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 49 P / 32 S, 2.25 ERA

After a couple of Arizona outings, Scarborough made his first full-season start of 2026 nearly two months into the season. He’d been diagnosed with and treated for melanoma last in the offseason, and he pitched yesterday with a long-sleeve turtleneck under his jersey. Scarborough completed three strikeouts on angry sweepers. He also dealt his usual fastball, split, and also what looked to me like a cutter. Irrespective of results, it’s great to have him back. 

As for the game, well, three Hoppers combined on a no-hitter and flirted with perfection. 2023 4th-rounder Carlson Reed, entering with a 5.91 ERA, retired 21 straight, seven via strikeout. He departed with only 79 pitches, not even his season high. (Welcome to minor league ball in the mid-2020s.) 

In the 8th, Paxton Kling ruined perfection by fouling off four two-strike pitches to draw a ten-pitch walk. Quincy Scott and Carter Garate would walk as well, but the game ended when Malcolm Moore took called second and third strikes that (arguably) grazed the zone.


Lo-A: Hickory 9, at Salem (BOS) 3
Hickory: 6 hits, 9 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 28-19, 1 G up

SP Aidan Deakins: 4.1 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 3 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 80 P / 50 S, 1.83 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.13 ERA
RP Geury Rodriguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0.59 ERA
CF Hector Osorio: 0-1, 2 BB, HBP, .301/.431/.564
SS Yolfran Castillo: 3-4, BB, SB (22), .302/.390/.430

A very low-A kind of night: Hickory reached base ten times via walk or hit batter, six scored. Castillo’s 22 steals are fifth-most in the league, eighth in low-A and 22nd in all of minor league ball. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Supak
AA: TBD
Hi-A: Agreda 
Lo-A: Russell

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Catcher Yohel Pozo went 3-5 with a homer for Round Rock to improve to .388/.388/.796. Zero walks and four strikeouts (despite a crazy 69% swing rate) in 49 trips to the plate. Pozo wouldn’t take a free base for another couple of weeks, but he would hit well enough (and Texas would be bad enough) to reach MLB in mid-August. 

Apologies for no report yesterday. My real job was too much of an intrusion. I’ve covered the last two days below.

Box Scores

Wed. AAA: Round Rock 5, Salt Lake (LAA) 4
Round Rock: 9 hits, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 7 walks, 11 strikeouts

SP David Davalillo: 4 IP, 3 H (2 HR), 4 R, 4 BB, 4 SO, 83 P / 48 S, 8.10 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 7.43 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 5.01 ERA
CF Cameron Cauley: 1-5, 2B, .241/.352/.364
3B Jonah Bride: 1-2, HR (5), 2 BB, .264/.389/.399

For a third straight start, Davalillo had trouble finding the zone to an extent virtually unprecedented in his career. He’s walked or hit 27% of opposing batters in AAA. Last night, the sweeper was especially unwieldy, consistently spiraling well beneath the zone to be ignored by hitters. I can’t imagine this is anything particular to AAA, as he’s handled prior in-season promotions with aplomb. 

Emiliano Teodo has been getting and succeeding in late/close situations lately. He topped at 100.5 late night, making me even more skeptical of last week’s 103 MPH sinkers in El Paso, but what matters is that his slider finally has some help. 

Thu. AAA: Round Rock 16, Salt Lake (LAA) 11
Round Rock: 17 hits, 7 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 22-32, 11 GB

SP Josh Stephan: 6 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 7 SO, 85 P / 58 S, 5.82 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 3-5, BB
1B Blaine Crim: 5-5, 2B, 3B, HR (1), BB
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-4, BB, .242/.390/.306

Blaine Crim hit for the cycle (plus an extra single and walk) in his second game back with the Express. The triple was a fly to the fence that LF Christian Moore never spotted in the twilight, and the ball landed before Moore budged from his spot. The  homer came off an 8th-inning 54 MPH lob from a catcher. None of that matters. Just enjoy it. Here’s video. 

Cody Freeman switched from injury rehab to optional assignment and is staying in Round Rock. 


AA: wet x 2

They’ll make up one tonight and the other next month in Frisco. Righty Leandro Lopez was placed on the IL. 


Wed. Hi-A: Hub City 5, at Greensboro (PIT) 6
Hub City: 6 hits, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 8 walks, 11 strikeouts

SP J’Briell Easley: 3 IP, 3 H (2 HR), 2 R, 3 BB, 3 SO, 55 P / 30 S, 4.57 ERA
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.49 ERA
LF Paxton Kling: 0-2, BB, HBP, 2 SB (11), .250/.399/.399
C Ben Hartl: 1-3, HR (2), BB, .204/.322/.327

I note below that Malcolm Moore is hitting well outside of Asheville, but the same doesn’t apply to Paxton Kling, unfortunately. Outside of western NC, where he hit four homers and two doubles in five games, Kling is batting .242/.398/.305, drawing walks at a terrific rate but with only eight extra bases on hits in 36 games. 

Thu. Hi-A: Hub City 9, at Greensboro (PIT) 2
Hub City: 10 hits, 8 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 25-22, 9 GB

SP Kamdyn Perry: 4.1 IP, 4 H (2 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 73 P / 48 S, 4.15 ERA
RP Cole Roland: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Case Matter: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
3B Rafe Perich: 2-5, HR (11), .303/.394/.606
C Malcolm Moore: 2-4, BB, .328/.418/.599

Moore’s non-Asheville line improved to .286/.385/.473, and he’s hitting .370/.452/.704 since the conclusion of that loopy series. (The Tourists, incidentally have fallen to 9-38, losing eight more in a row after taking just one of six against Hub City.) 


Wed. Lo-A: Hickory 4, at Salem (BOS) 2
Hickory: 7 hits, 7 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts

SP Moises Morales: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 49 P / 36 S, 4.69 ERA
RP Owen Proksch: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.75 ERA
RP Frank Martinez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.41 ERA
CF Hector Osorio: 1-3, 2 BB

Owen Proksch finally condescended to allowing a Carolina League hitter to cross the plate with him on the mound. Between a two-run double from Devin Fitzgerald in a one-off high-A appearance on the 10th and last night, Proksch retired 25 of 26 batters, 15 via strikeout, and the only blemish was a hit batter. 

Thu. Lo-A: Hickory 7, at Salem (BOS) 3
Hickory: 11 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 27-19, 1 G up

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 80 P / 51 S, 5.50 ERA
LF Paulino Santana: 1-5, HR (4), .265/.405/.422
RF Hector Osorio: 2-5, HR (10), .302/.427/.568
CF Marcos Torres: 1-3, HR (7), BB, SB (19), .244/.333/.476

Osorio is the second Ranger to reach ten homers, and he’s tied for the league lead in that category plus is seventh in OBP and fourth in homers. Osorio was an on-base machine in Hickory last year (.251/.393/.339) but hadn’t displayed much power until this season. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do at the next level. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Bergner
AA: Santos / Pence
Hi-A: TBD
Lo-A: Deakins

Five Years Ago Yesterday (And The Day Before)
Frisco’s Cole Winn no-hit Midland for six innings. High-A Hickory’s Cody Bradford shut out the Dash for six innings on two hits and no walks. Low-A Down East’s TK Roby fanned nine in four innings and teammate Dustin Harris hit his first homer, a walk-off. 

Reports will be on a tape delay today and probably a couple of additional days this week due to my real-life job. The Andrew McCutchen DFA is a shame but not surprising. It just wasn’t working out. I daydreamed about Texas signing him prior to 2025, although I doubt he would have improved the team’s fortune much. Replacement Nicky Lopez had a fine season with KC in 2021 but has batted .228/.298/.281 in 1,220 plate appearances since. He still has a positive WAR over this period, but it’s all fielding, particularly range. To be indelicate, his contributory value might come in the form of not being Justin Foscue in the field. (Foscue actually rates quite well in the advanced defensive metrics, but not so much in the eye test.) 

Incidentally, Mark Canha might have made the Opening Day squad if not for McCutchen’s signing and strong spring, but he hasn’t found a home since getting his release from the Rangers in mid-April. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 1, Salt Lake (LAA) 7
Round Rock: 3 hits, 7 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 6 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 20-32, 11 GB

SP Jose Corniell: 4 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 71 P / 44 S, 9.00 ERA
RP Thomas Ireland: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 2.33 ERA

Corniell didn’t have a fun day at the office. He missed a respectable ten bats but fanned only one, and his fastball velocity had shrunk to an average of 92.4 MPH in the 4th.


AA: Frisco 8, at Arkansas (SEA) 7
Frisco: 11 hits, 10 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 9 walks, 15 strikeouts
Record: 24-21, tied for first

SP Aidan Curry: 3 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 7 R, 4 BB, 4 SO, 67 P / 39 S, 21.00 ERA
RP Josh Trentadue: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 9.00 ERA
RP Jonathan Brand: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.04 ERA
RP Wilian Bormie: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1.96 ERA
1B Frainyer Chavez: 2-5, 2 2B, BB, .262/.369/.430
3B John Taylor: 3-6, .322/.454/.517
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 3-5, 2B, BB, SB (5), .318/.354/.503

23-year-old Aidan Curry is a Rider. His promotion reminds of Josh Stephan, who is eight months older and also an undrafted 2020 signing. Like Stephan (now in Round Rock), Curry didn’t quite dominate the previous level, but it’s time to find out if he can hack it. Last night went poorly, but we’ll see. Stephan, for his part, has been typically homer-prone but maintained both good control and a solid K rate. 


Hi-A: Hub City 13, at Greensboro (PIT) 19
Hub City: 16 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 14 hits, 9 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 24-21, 10 GB

SP Enrique Segura: 0.2 IP, 1 H (1 HR), 6 R, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 0 SO, 31 P / 13 S, 8.64 ERA
RP Anthony Susac: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 4.94 ERA
LF Yeison Morrobel: 4-6, 2B, 3B, HR (5), .295/.358/.473
1B Rafe Perich: 4-5, 2B, 2 HR (10), BB, .299/.394/.591
C Malcolm Moore: 2-5, HBP, .323/.412/.602
SS Luke Hanson: 3-5, HR (8), .259/.325/.489

This game was not played in Asheville. Rafe Perich is the first Texas minor leaguer to club ten homers, surpassing the trio of Arturo Disla, Hector Osorio and Deward Tovar. Yeison Morrobel hit for the cycle. 


Lo-A: Hickory 1, at Salem (BOS) 3 (5)
Hickory: 4 hits, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 25-19, 1 G up

SP Alejandro Chiquillo: 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 62 P / 43 S, 0.90 ERA

Chiquillo had been rehabbing in Arizona. Mother Nature drenched this one a few minutes after Salem scored twice to grab the lead. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Davalillo
AA: postponed
Hi-A: Easley 
Lo-A: Morales

Five Years Ago Yesterday
High-A lefty Cole Ragans carried a perfect game into the 5th and departed with one run through five. Low-A SS Luisangel Acuna went 3-3 with a homer, two walks and a steal. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 8, at El Paso (SDP) 7
Round Rock: 13 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 20-31, 10 GB

SP Trey Supak: 4 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 2 HBP, 1 SO, 77 P / 49 S, 5.66 ERA
RP Marc Church: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 6.39 ERA
RP Luis Curvelo: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 6.00 ERA
RF Gilberto Celestino: 4-5, 2B, .267/.354/.349
2B Diego Castillo: 3-4, 2 2B, BB, .300/.398/.400
DH Dairon Blanco: 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, 2 SB (7), .241/.338/.310
SS Richie Martin: 2-3, HR (4), BB, SB (12), .231/.340/.366

Round Rock took four of six on the road. Several vets had a strong day at the plate, but I point them out to reiterate that the Express offense is largely composed of such players, and nobody is coming to save the Texas offense*. The most highly regarded prospect is Cam Cauley, and much of his value is contained in defense, speed and versatility. 

Marc Church had an ultimately productive outing, although all five balls in play were in excess of 95 MPH off the bat. He also reached 98.5 MPH and had three pitches faster than anything he’d thrown entering the week. Good for him, but as with Emiliano Teodo’s pair of 103 MPH pitches, I’m wondering if the radar in El Paso is a little generous. 

* I would still point out, much to my own annoyance, that the offense isn’t actually bad in the context of the extreme park conditions. Globe Life in 2025-2026 is the inverse of the go-go days of The Ballpark. 


AA: Frisco 8, San Antonio (SDP) 1
Frisco: 10 hits, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 23-21, 0.5 GB

SP Dylan MacLean: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 83 P / 55 S, 4.46 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Ryan Lobus: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.91 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 1-3
LF Keith Jones II: 1-2, 2B, 3 BB, .274/.384/.484
DH Arturo Disla: 1-3, HR (3), BB, .421/.522/.763

Dylan MacLean reminded everyone that San Antonio has a bad offense that should be kept in its place. Arturo Disla continues to lord over Texas League pitchers. 


Hi-A: Hub City 4, Rome (ATL) 0
Hub City: 7 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 24-20, 8 GB 

SP D.J. McCarty: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 SO, 88 P / 56 S, 5.40 ERA
C Malcolm Moore: 2-4, 2B, HR (8), .320/.408/.609

Malcolm Moore had a good day, and that’s important. He’s received plenty of deserved attention for his breakout, but I want to put his stats in context. The Burgers scored 79 runs and hit 23 homers during that insane week in Asheville, and they’re a different team otherwise:

Hub City In Asheville: .361/.455/.744, 12.8 R/G
Hub City, elsewhere: .232/.330/.374, 4.9 R/G

Even during 2015-2016, when Texas’s high-A affiliate played in the most notoriously bat-oriented minor league park in the US, the offense never exceeded 66 runs in any six-game stretch. Asheville’s a hitter’s haven, as I’ve mentioned, but that’s not all. Even accounting for that, Asheville might be the worst pitching squad any Texas-affiliated full-season offense has faced since at least 2007, when I began keeping records. (We’ve got two-thirds of a season to find out.) Hub City’s week there was a genuinely unique experience that forces a skeptical look at any Hub City batter’s line.

Compared to last year, Moore is swinging slightly more often and missing more as well, but he’s taking fewer called strikes. The larger differences are more pulled balls in play (44% in 2026 vs. 37% last year), more outfield flies (39% vs. 31%) and more first-pitch balls (62% vs. 49%). That final stat hasn’t resulted in more walks but does appear to be creating better pitches to hit later in the count.

To return to Asheville: Moore batted a ridiculous .520/.571/1.160 that week. Just five games account for more than a third of his total bases on hits in 2026. Drop those, and Moore falls from .320/.408/.609 to .272/.370/.476, and that’s… actually pretty good. A 128 OPS+ by my count. Hopefully, that’s a pace he can maintain, and we can soon compare him favorably to the Moore we heard about when he was drafted. 


Lo-A: Hickory 4, Charleston (TAM) 0 (7)
Hickory: 6 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts

SP AJ Russell: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 59 P / 38 S, 4.20 ERA
RP Owen Proksch: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0.00 ERA
1B Esteban Mejia: 2-3, HR (3), .231/.383/.369
LF Paulino Santana: 1-2, 2B, BB, .276/.415/.423

Lo-A: Hickory 1, Charleston (TAM) 0 (7)
Hickory: 4 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
Record: 25-18, 1 G up

SP Evan Siary: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 77 P / 55 S, 3.26 ERA
RP Jormy Nivar: 1 IP, 0 H (2.28 HR), 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA

Hickory took five of six and regained first place on the “homestand” in Winston-Salem. AJ Russell ramped up to a season-high 3.2 innings and 59 pitches. He also missed 14 bats, easily a career-high. Owen Proksch had yet another scoreless, hitless two innings. In the second game, former MSU Bulldog Evan Siary pitched like someone who had survived and even thrived in the SEC. 

Five Years Ago Yesterday
I wondered whether Round Rock Curtis Terry (.351/.403/.737) was ready for MLB. My immediate current-day reaction was “I tend to be cautious, why am I speculating on  Curtis Terry after just three weeks of AAA games,” but the Rangers were already 6.5 games back in the division and seven in the wild card, plus they had Khris Davis (.172/.219/.276 at the time) and David Dahl (.213/.247/.348) occupying a significant chunk of the DH at-bats. Regardless, I concluded that Terry needed to be judged on his own merits, not just against Davis. Terry would eventually debut in July. 

1B Blaine Crim is a Ranger again. Texas claimed him off waivers from Colorado, where his efforts to regain MLB status was thwarted by an oblique injury during Spring Training and underwhelming production in AAA Albuquerque. He was hitting .265/.339/.449 with seven homers in 36 games, not bad but a little light for a mountain venue in the PCL. At the least, Crim will help an Express club badly lacking in power. He’s also right-handed batting depth, although there’s a decent overlap between his and Justin Foscue’s skill sets, and the Rangers themselves might try to sneak Crim through waivers when a 40 spot is needed. 

Texas placed Rule 5 reliever Carter Baumler on the 60-day IL to accommodate Crim. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 7, at El Paso (SDP) 5
Round Rock: 9 hits, 8 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 19-31, 11 GB

SP Austin Bergner: 2.2 IP, 6 H (2 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 63 P / 37 S, 5.17 ERA
RP Michel Otañez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 6.52 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2.35 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 5.24 ERA
DH Cameron Cauley: 2-4, 2B, BB, .251/.368/.383
1B Nick Pratto: 3-4, 3B, HR (5), .247/.301/.494

Emiliano Teodo reached 103.1 again, and his slowest sinker was 99.5. He didn’t miss any bats with them but worked a quick but not clean 9th for the save. (Nobody claimed a one-out pop that hung in the air for six seconds and landed 23 feet from home plate, but Teodo worked a game-ending double play.) 

Gavin Collyer made his first appearance since being optioned. A significant reason for him being optioned was having options, but not the only reason. He walked or hit 11 in 12.2 innings, and while his ERA wasn’t badly blemished (2.84), it eventually will be with that many free passes. On a more granular level, Collyer had a 56% strike rate. As I’ve written about earlier in the context of his original call-up, pitchers with strike rates at that level are either issuing excess walks or threatening them. The average MLB pitcher has started with a 3-0 count 4.7% of the time in 2026, and two-thirds of those have ended with a walk. Collyer started 11% of his plate appearances 3-0, and all ended with walks. So, as manager, do you confidently put Collyer on the mound in a meaningful situation? Probably not. 

A few hours after the Crim claim hit the wire, Nick Pratto missed the cycle by a double.

The Express trailed 5-4 entering the 9th, but Gilberto Celestino’s bases-loaded walk and Diego Castillo’s two-run single provided a two-run lead. 


AA: Frisco 7, San Antonio (SDP) 5
Frisco: 10 hits, 10 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 22-21, 1.5 GB

SP Leandro Lopez: 4.2 IP, 10 H (1 HR), 4 R, 1 BB, 7 SO, 92 P / 61 S, 7.20 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Jonathan Brand: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.32 ERA
DH Cody Freeman: 1-4
LF John Taylor: 2-4, BB, .318/.459/.530
1B Arturo Disla: 3-4, BB, .429/.524/.714

Down 5-3 at the stretch, Frisco scored four on an Arturo Disla single and three bases-loaded walks. Leandro Lopez had better control than usual last night but was very hittable, a team-wide malady. The Riders’ 405 hits allowed are 27 more than any other Texas League team. Three teams have allowed more runs, though, as Frisco is reasonably strong at avoiding walks. 


Hi-A: Hub City 4, Rome (ATL) 7 (7)
Hub City: 6 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 23-19,

SP Ismael Agreda: 4 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 7 R, 4 BB, 7 SO, 81 P / 49 S, 5.13 ERA
RP Cole Roland: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Adrian Rodriguez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Case Matter: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
1B Rafe Perich: 1-3, HR (8), .288/.379/.552

Hi-A: Hub City 0, Rome (ATL) 4 (7)
Hub City: 4 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 23-20, 8 GB

SP Joe Adametz: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 85 P / 53 S, 5.64 ERA

Rome swept the doubleheader. Adrian Rodriguez and Case Matter made successful returns to full-season ball. Both had been rehabbing in Arizona. Rodriguez has been around forever (since 2019 to be precise). His control is awful, and I’ll confess to thinking I was watching his last outing in the organization on a field in Surprise back in 2024, but he throws hard and has almost always hinted at being the real deal. Matter was Texas’s 10th-rounder from Washington in 2023 and is a similar good-stuff/zero-control type. 


Lo-A: wet

Two today

Rookie
Izack Tiger threw a scoreless innings with one walk and one strikeout for the rookies, his first action since undergoing elbow surgery in September 2024. I haven’t written much about Tiger because he’s been on the shelf more often than not, but he’s a legitimate prospect with the stuff to transfer to high-leverage relief if starting doesn’t pan out. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Supak
AA: MacLean
Hi-A: McCarty
Lo-A: Siary / TBS

Five Years Ago Yesterday
“The latest Baseball America mock draft has the Rangers selecting high school shortstop Marcelo Mayer with the second pick in the 2021 draft. A month ago when we were young and innocent, Texas could simply select whoever Piitsburgh didn’t pick among SS Jordan Lawlar and Vandy righty Jack Leiter. Now, life is complicated. In recent weeks, Mayer has gained equal footing with Lawlar, Leiter’s temporary absence obscured his outlook, and yet another prep batter (SS Brady House) has entered the top five.”

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 3, at El Paso (SDP) 14
Round Rock: 6 hits, 7 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 14 hits, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts
Record: 18-31, 11 GB

SP Josh Stephan: 4.1 IP, 9 H (3 HR), 11 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 78 P / 48 S, 6.00 ERA
RP Thomas Ireland: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.76 ERA
CF Gilberto Celestino: 2-5, HR (1), .231/.315/.208
DH Nick Pratto: 2-3, HR (4), BB, .222/.281/.420

“So, Scott, you’re always mentioning quick pulls, how could Stephan or anyone possibly be permitted to stay in long enough to allow 11 runs?” What gets pitchers pulled is excessive pitch counts, especially in a single inning. Otherwise, the score doesn’t matter much, and the plan is for the pitcher to have a full day (5-6 innings, +-85 pitches in Stephan’s case). El Paso batted around in a five-run 5th, but Stephan threw only 22 pitches. Stephan faced six batters in the 5th, and five scored, but that sequence required only 16 pitches and just eight minutes between the first and last pitches. 

Last night is also an extreme example of what can happen to Stephan in such a setting. He’s a command pitcher. His fastball velocity isn’t bad (low 90s), just a touch light by current standards. His arsenal doesn’t have a ton a motion, and the El Paso air reduces that further. The results on 31 swings: 20 in play, 11 fouls, zero misses. 


AA: Frisco 6, San Antonio (SDP) 7
Frisco: 10 hits, 6 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 15 hits, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 21-21, 2.5 GB

SP Winston Santos: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 SO, 74 P / 48 S, 9.13 ERA
CF Dylan Dreiling: 2-5, 2B, .309/.413/.488
2B Cody Freeman: 0-3
3B John Taylor: 1-2, HR (6), 3 BB, .313/.455/.531
LF Keith Jones II: 3-5, 2B, SB (5), .280/.376/.492
1B Max Wagner: 2-3, 2B, BB, .250/.340/.568

Santos is missing bats (including 13 whiffs last night), but oh, the non-misses. Opponents are hitting .574 and slugging .926 on contact. Wilian Bormie wasn’t his usual scintillating self. Entering with a one-run lead but two on and none out in the 8th, he allowed three hits to plate both inherited runners plus one of his own. 


Hi-A: wet

Two today.


Lo-A: Hickory 5, Charleston (TAM) 3
Hickory: 3 hits, 8 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 23-18, 0.5 GB

SP Kamdyn Perry: 4.1 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 70 P / 47 S, 2.82 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.23 ERA
CF Hector Osorio: 1-2, 2 BB, SB (8), .303/.433/.572
LF Paulino Santana: 1-2, 2B, BB, HBP, .272/.412/.411

Hickory scored three in the 1st on two walks, a hit batter, a sac fly and four steals (two each by Yolfran Castillo and Marcos Torres). Opposing starter Aidan Cremarosa actually took a no-hitter in to the 5th, but timely hitting then and in the 7th would create two more runs. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Lopez
Hi-A: Agreda/TBD
Lo-A: Russell

Five Years Ago Yesterday
I threw out some names from Round Rock as potential replacements for injured reliever Hunter Wood. I said Demarcus Evans made the most sense but that Wes Benjamin was well-rested. I was skeptical of Joe Palumbo and Brock Burke at the time. Off the 40, I offered Joe Barlow, Luis Ortiz, Drew Anderson and Jimmy Herget as possibilities. 

Texas would bring up both Evans and Benjamin to replace wood and the also-injured Kyle Gibson. Evans had a terrific handful of outings but was back in AAA following a couple of wipeouts. This being 2021, Barlow, Anderson and Herget would eventually come up as well, and Barlow would collect 11 saves. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 5, at El Paso (SDP) 4 (10)
Round Rock: 10 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 18-30, 11 GB

SP David Davalillo: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 4 SO, 88 P / 47 S, 7.71 ERA
RP Alexis Diaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.50 ERA
RP Ryan Brasier: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.26 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 5.48 ERA
LF Aaron Zavala: 2-5, 2 2B, .278/.358/.459

Two of David Davalillo’s three worst starts in terms of control have occured in his first two outings for Round Rock. After a career-high nine combined walks and hit batters in his debut, he walked five last night and threw only 53% of his pitches for strikes. Not necessarily worrisome yet, but worth watching. He wasn’t hit too hard and managed to strand seven to avoid mortal damage to his ERA. 

The Express needed several critical outs from Emiliano Teodo, and he was up to the task, albeit not without excitement. Entering a tie game with one out in the 9th, Teodo allowed two singles before getting the third out. Up a run in the 10th, he immediately sent the gift-runner to third on a very wild fastball but was able to strand him with two grounders and a strikeout. Teodo wasn’t pounding the zone and registered only two whiffs, but El Paso swung at a bunch of out-of-zone pitches for fouls or outs in play. 

We’re not done with Teodo. He threw a sinker recorded at 103.1 MPH. That is the fastest by any Texas minor leaguer in the Statcast era and 19th-fastest among all teams. Only Raimon Gomez, Edgardo Henriquez and Luis Mey have thrown harder. This pitch also exceeds any other recorded pitch he’s thrown by 1.2 MPH (also last night), and his fourth and fifth-fastest pitchest in AAA were from last night as well. So… generously calibrated radar? I don’t know. Regardless, it’s in the books. 

Cam Cauley (1-5) stole bases 15 and 16. His season-best is 38 back in low-A in 2022. He’s yet to be caught this season. 

The Express are still tied for the worst AAA record but have a better run differential than five other teams.

Per local reports, Texas has signed 33-year-old Joe Ross to a minor deal. Ross had signed a similar deal with Arizona and made the club out of Spring Training but lasted only three appearances before being deisgnated and outrighted. In 21 innings for AAA Reno, he had a 4.29 ERA, quite impressive for the location, but also just 12 strikeouts in 21 innings. 

Atlanta signed recently released lefty Austin Gomber and assigned him to AAA Gwinnett. 


AA: Frisco 1, San Antonio (SDP) 5
Frisco: 7 hits, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 21-20, 1.5 GB

SP Dalton Pence: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 82 P / 54 S, 3.48 ERA

All the runs off Pence scored during an annoying four-hit 4th that included a liner just beyond the reach of 2B Frainyer Chavez and two grounders to right that might have been corraled by 1B Arturo Disla had they been a foot or so in a different direction. A passed ball by Juian Brock didn’t help. (In Brock’s defense, he’s been among the league’s best at nabbing base-stealers.) 

Texas released lefty Seth Clark and righty Josh Hejka. The latter was an offseason signing who appeared sparingly in Frisco and Round Rock. The undrafted Clark signed out of Georgia State in 2022 and had some success through 2024 including at AA Frisco, but his already iffy control became troublesome last year, and in five innings at Hub City this season he walked 15. 


Hi-A: Hub City 4, Rome (ATL) 3
Hub City: 8 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 6 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 23-18, 6.5 GB

SP J’Briell Easley: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 SO, 38 P / 28 S, 4.34 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1.93 ERA
RP Joey Danielson: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.52 ERA
1B Gleider Figuereo: 2-4, SB (4), .220/.315/.418
SS Luke Hanson: 1-2, BB, HBP, .240/.309/.472

Hub City walked it off. Quincy Scott beat out a grounder to third with one out and stole second on a strikeout. That extra base would prove critical, as Luke Hanson lined through to left with two out. Scott might have been caught just in time at the plate (hard to tell from the camera angle), but the tag dislodged the ball from the catcher’s mitt. The 23-year-old Scott is having a nice year so far (.282/.429/.465) after two not-so-nice seasons at the same level. 

J’Briell Easley made a pretty good offense look hopeless, tying a career-best seven strikeouts in just three innings. Easley’s sitting on an ordinary 4.34 ERA because of a two-homer, four-run night last week in dreaded Asheville, but he’s held opponenets to a .197/.289/.394 line. 

Hub City’s recent strong play has been for naught in the standings. The Burgers are 14-5 since a 9-13 start, but division-leading Bowling Green is 15-4 over the same recent period. 

Active in Hub City are righties Case Matter and Adrian Rodriguez, both of whom had been rehabbing in Arizona. 


Lo-A: Hickory 5, Charleston (TAM) 2
Hickory: 7 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 22-18, 1 GB

SP Aidan Deakins: 6 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 2 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO, 73 P / 52 S, 1.54 ERA
RP Wily Villar: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 2.89 ERA
LF Paulino Santana: 1-3, HR (3), BB, HBP, .268/.404/.403
C Josh Springer: 1-2, BB, HBP, .305/.396/.341

Ordinarily, I’d take a peek at the outings of Deakins and Nivar, but we have no video of the relocated games in Winston-Salem this week. 

19-year-old Josh Springer has only six strikeouts in 97 trips to the plate, and his 4.9% swinging strike rate is best in the system among regulars. That’s no guarantee of success (he whiffed even less last year and batted .220/.238/.268), but he’s off to a nice start and has solid defensive stats as well. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Stephan
AA: Santos
Hi-A: Adametz
Lo-A: Perry

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Here’s a very 2021 image:


It appears I attended consecutive games in San Antonio. Unlike my review of Cole Winn, I was skeptical of Yerry Rodriguez’s likelihood of sticking as a starter. His former curve had evolved into more of a slider, but it had a wide range of velocities and angles that I didn’t think were intentional. His change had promise, and if I remember correctly, I never wanted him to ditch it, but it was very much a work in progress. Indeed, he would shift to a relief role three months later. That might have been partly for workload — he had a history of fragility, and all clubs were being extra careful adter the lost 2022 — but regardless, I remember seeing one of his shorter outings upon promotion to AAA and thinking I liked that version much better. 

Rodriguez is now employed by the Yankees and working his way up through the A levels after an IL stint. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 23, at El Paso (SDP) 7
Round Rock: 14 hits, 13 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 17-30, 11 GB

SP Jose Corniell: 1.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 56 P / 38 S, 8.10 ERA
RP Marc Church: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 7.59 ERA
RP Robby Ahlstrom: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.16 ERA
RP Michel Otañez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 7.27 ERA
SS Cameron Cauley: 4-5, 3B, HR (5), BB, HBP, SB (14), .255/.376/.391
CF Gilberto Celestino: 2-5, 2B, 2 BB, .235/.329/.279
DH Diego Castillo: 3-4, 2B, 3 BB, .274/.392/.355

Round Rock had scored a total of 20 runs in the recently concluded six-game series against Sacramento, 20 against Durham preceding that, and 21 against OKC before that. El Paso conceded in the 9th by letting infielder Clay Dungan pitch down 15-7 with the bases loaded. His 75 FB / 63 knuckle-curve combo proved ineffective. 

Jose Corniell honestly wasn’t hit terribly hard, but a decent share of worthy hits plus bad luck spelled a short day. Five relievers provided exceptional service in the difficult conditions. 


AA: Frisco 5, San Antonio (SDP) 1
Frisco: 11 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Record: 21-19, 0.5 GB

SP Blake Townsend: 6 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 81 P / 55 S, 4.32 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Wilian Bormie: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1.80 ERA
2B Frainyer Chavez: 3-4, 2B, HR (7), SB (7), .253/.359/.416
LF Keith Jones II: 1-4, HR (6), .266/.371/.486

Bormie touched 101, but three of his four swinging strikes (including the K) came on silly swings against his slider. His fanned exactly one of every three batters and walked or hit only 11.5%, below the league average. Bormie didn’t appear on a stat sheet until 2022 but actually signed after the 2019 season and was already 18, so he’s an unexpectedly “old” 25 now. Assuming no health issues or severe lapses in control, he’s a lock to be protected on the 40, and there’s a non-zero chance he makes his MLB debut this season. 


Hi-A: Hub City 5, Rome (ATL) 13
Hub City: 9 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 8 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 22-18, 6 GB

SP Enrique Segura: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 5 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 72 P / 42 S, 6.66 ERA
CF Paxton Kling: 1-3, BB, .252/.390/.417
3B Gleider Figuereo: 1-4, HR (6), BB, .212/.310/.416
SS Luke Hanson: 3-4, 2B, HR (7), .236/.296/.472

Nothing against him, but I would at best have expected seven homers to be Luke Hanson’s total for the entire season, not after just 35 games. I welcome the new Luke Hanson. Gleider Figuereo has raised his slugging percentage 63 points versus last year at the same level, but the entire league is up 73 points, so (lacking Statcast data) it’s hard to say whether he’s truly improved or is a boat in a rising tide. He’s reduced his strikeouts and is popping up less, but that hasn’t resulted in much improvement in his hit rate. 


Lo-A: Hickory 4, Charleston (TAM) 5
Hickory: 11 hits, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 21-18, 1 GB

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 5 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 73 P / 50 S, 6.00 ERA
RP Owen Proksch: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 0.00 ERA
CF Hector Osorio: 2-5, 2 2B, .305/.424/.582
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-4, SB (16), .318/.401/.457

Hector Osorio doubled twice but couldn’t bring home Cal Stark from 3rd with two out in the 9th. O Pro has three straight perfect two-inning outings and a 42% strikeout rate for the season. He’s not Wilian Bormie Part Two, but he’s got a tricky sweeper and pours in more strikes than I think hitters would expect from his roundhouse delivery. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Davalillo
AA: Pence
Hi-A: Easley
Lo-A: Deakins

Five Years Ago Yesterday
My opening paragraph after seeing Cole Winn pitch in San Antonio: “I think the best way to describe Cole Winn is ‘starting pitcher.’     I know, not exactly insightful, but hear me out. The Rangers have had so many talented pitchers who ended up in relief. Watching them, the thoughts are always ‘he’ll start if he can figure out a change,’ ‘if his slider improves,’ ‘if his control improves,’ ‘if his stamina improves,’ etc. I’m not saying Winn has no need for improvement, but when I’m watching him, I don’t have any ‘ifs’ in my head. I’ve seen better individual pitches in San Antonio from guys like Jonathan Hernandez, Connor Sadzeck, Yohander Mendez, Jake Thompson. But I never saw them as well-rounded, as free of ‘ifs’ as Winn.”

Well that didn’t work out, but I stand by it. Winn still employs a starter’s full repertoire, and if not for a 2022 comebacker off his ankle that didn’t cost him any time but did derail his mechanics, maybe his career plays out differently. Winn didn’t switch from starting or starter-esque long relief to his present-day usage until 2024. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 7, at El Paso (SDP) 10
Round Rock: 9 hits, 7 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 16-30, 11 GB

SP Trey Supak: 3 IP, 8 H (1 HR), 6 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 70 P / 38 S, 5.16 ERA
RP Alexis Diaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2.65 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 5.95 ERA
SS Cameron Cauley: 0-3, 2 BB, SB (13), .237/.358/.346
LF Trevor Hauver: 2-4, BB, .259/.401/.333
DH Aaron Zavala: 1-3, 3B, 2 BB, .273/.356/.445

The Express broke a 21-game streak of scoring six or fewer runs, but they did so in El Paso, where seven only opens discussion on the possibility of victory. 

Emiliano Teodo pitched a scoreless inning but again didn’t have control of his sinker. 

RHP Luis Curvelo was optioned to AAA Round Rock. He’d already been with the team on rehab. 


AA: Frisco 6, San Antonio (SDP) 12
Frisco: 7 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 15 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 20-19, 1.5 GB

SP Josh Trentadue: 3 IP, 7 H (3 HR), 7 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 73 P / 42 S, 9.72 ERA
LF Dylan Dreiling: 2-4, BB, SB (7), .306/.423/.486
1B Arturo Disla: 2-3, 2B, HR (2), BB, .458/.552/.875
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 2-4, HR (5), .320/.349/.523

Control was Josh Trentadue’s issue once promoted to AA last summer. Except for a couple of games, he’s resumed the excellent control of his A-level days, but the walks have often been replaced by hits. 

Righty Josh Sborz, absent on the development list for three weeks and change, has been assigned to Frisco. 


Hi-A: Hub City 7, Rome (ATL) 0
Hub City: 10 hits, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 22-17, 5.5 GB

SP Aidan Curry: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 9 SO, 89 P / 58 S, 3.48 ERA
RP Cole Stasio: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1.37 ERA
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.56 ERA
C Malcolm Moore: 3-4, 2 2B, HR (7), .333/.420/.623
CF Paxton Kling: 2-4, .250/.383/.419
2B Carter Garate: 1-2, HR (1), .226/.294/.387

Okay, we can get back to following the action without daily disclaimers about Asheville’s park and pitching. Malcolm Moore opened the scoring in the 6th with a big-boy shot beyond the 411′ sign in deepest right-center. He also doubled down the line in right and to deep center-left. Moore is more pull-oriented in 2026 but still goes oppo enough that left fielders have to play him fairly straight up, and on more than one occasion I’ve seen him split the wide gap between the left and center fielders. 

Hub City hasn’t gained any ground lately because Bowling Green has won nine of ten. 


Lo-A: Hickory 11, Charleston (TAM) 5
Hickory: 15 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 21-17, tied for first

SP Moises Morales: 6 IP, 8 H (3 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 71 P / 51 S, 5.09 ERA
RP Jake Jekielek: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 5.54 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1.33 ERA
CF Hector Osorio: 2-5, 2B, HR (9), .301/.425/.574
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-5, HR (2), .313/.399/.456
C Josh Springer: 4-5, 2 2B, .289/.375/.329
RF Deward Tovar: 3-4, HR (9), .237/.321/.496

Texas’s dual organization leaders in homers separated themselves form the pack. 

Yolfran Castillo isn’t showing that level of power yet but certainly more than any prior year. He’s up to 16 extra-base hits and 15 steals with several games remaining in May. 

The victory placed Hickory in a three-way tie for first with Charleston and Augusta.

Today’s Starters
AAA: Corniell
AA: Townsend
Hi-A: Segura
Lo-A: Lafalaise

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Frisco’s Tyler Phillips missed on an unprecedented 30 of 62 pitches in walking four for only the second time in his fairly lengthy career. Star-crossed IF Chris Seise left a game with an unspecified leg injury that would turn out to be a season-ending torn knee ligament. From 2018-2021, he played in a total of 31 games.