Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 3, El Paso (SDP) 5
Round Rock: 8 hits, 6 walks, 3 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 27-37, eliminated
SP Josh Stephan: 4.2 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 85 P / 58 S, 5.79 ERA
RP Joe Ross: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 3.78 ERA
RP Wilian Bormie: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
CF Jarred Kelenic: 2-5, .364/.440/.455
2B Cameron Cauley: 1-4, 3B, BB, .259/.371/.382
1B Josh Smith: 0-3, HBP
RF Alejandro Osuna: 1-3, 2B, BB, SB (5), .276/.371/.368
There’s a version of this game in which Josh Stephan allows only one run. CF Jarred Kelenic had a slightly hesitant jump on a deep fly that fell against the base of the wall for an RBI double. (In fairness, it would have been a whale of a catch, and Kelenic had never played in the Dell Diamond previously.) A Nick Schnell fly perhaps stays within the playing grounds with a modest shift in the wind. Stephan isn’t a power pitcher, though, and is subject to the whims of contact results. Also, the Chihuahuas’ strong offense isn’t merely a product of their park. They can hit.
Stephan actually has an above-average strikeout rate despite a below-average whiff rate. He doesn’t really have a put-away pitch; instead, he gets plenty of early-count calls and fouls to set up a concluding mystery pitch. He will throw anything in any count, and despite so-so velocity, Stephan surprisingly has a higher miss rate with his four-seamer than any other pitch. His strikeouts have ended in remarkably diverse fashion:
Sinker: 13
Four-seamer: 12
Slider: 11
Cutter: 10
Changeup: 9
Curve: 8
In his AAA debut, righty Wilian Bormie entered with the bases loaded and two out in the 9th. He blasted four fastballs in a 98-99 range toward Nate Mondou, who swung through the second and fourth to end the threat. Perhaps Bormie will show us the slider next time. Because of poor control, he was ignored in last year’s 40-man/Rule-5 process, but he’s improved considerably in that regard. He’s a legitimate relief prospect and could see Arlington in 2026.
The recently improved Express offense played to older, lesser form against comeback candidate Marco Gonzales, who’s been getting rocked but inexplicably has Round Rock’s number. The Express put 15 runners aboard but never could produce that one hard shot.
John Taylor made his third start of the year in left. He had a couple of tentative moments but handled everything a decent LF should.
The Express are 11 games back with 11 to play in the first half, but some future matchups between other contenders will prevent the Express from pulling off the miracle comeback.
Texas released 1B Nick Pratto and RHP Austin Bergner. Pratto actually had a solid May (.265/.324/.500), but in terms of potential MLB depth, I wasn’t sold, and Blaine Crim essentially took his spot. Austin Roberts wins the tontine
Thanks to Rylan Kobre and the Express for having me on the call last night. 
AA: Frisco 10, at San Antonio (SDP) 4
Frisco: 13 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 31-25, 2.5 G up
SP Aidan Curry: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 77 P / 51 S, 11.68 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0.54 ERA
CF Dylan Dreiling: 2-4, 2B, BB, .306/.404/.480
3B Rafe Perich: 2-3, 2 BB, .278/.381/.639
C Julian Brock: 2-5, 2B, .167/.289/.307
Frisco recovered from an early four-run deficit. Aidan Curry had some strong moments undercut by two run-scoring wild pitches.
Righty Joey Danielson has returned to AA where his finished 2025. I didn’t expect him to spend 40% of this season back in low-A, but despite being nearly unhittable (.099 average, .155 slug) there, his control has been much shakier than you’d like (15 BB in 25 IP). 
Hi-A: Hub City 3, Asheville (HOU) 13
Hub City: 7 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 11 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 28-29, eliminated
SP Enrique Segura: 4 IP, 5 H (2 HR), 7 R, 4 BB, 6 SO, 75 P / 44 S, 8.63 ERA
RP Cole Roland: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.45 ERA
DH Maxton Martin: 1-3, 3B, BB, .208/.280/.349
The South Atlantic League has not been kind to Enrique Segura. Each month has seen a decrease in his already iffy control, and over have of his hits allowed have gone for extra bases.
RF Hectoro Osorio was 0-4 in his “true” high-A debut (he’d played one game for Hub City when Hickory lost two games to the clubhouse fire). 
Lo-A: Hickory 4, at Charleston (TAM) 5
Hickory: 9 hits, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 31-25, 1 GB
SP Alejandro Chiquillo: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 72 P / 48 S, 1.89 ERA
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-4, 3B, BB, 2 SB (27), .305/.398/.427
DH Marco Argudin: 1-3, 2 BB
Hickory led 4-0 entering the bottom of the 8th but eventually lost both the game and division lead to Charleston, which has won nine in the row. The first half ends next Thursday. Louis Marinaro and Geury Rodriguez combined to allow ten runners over the final two frames, the last a hit batter with the bases loaded.
20-year-old Marco Argudin had a fine full-season debut. The Cuban hit .359/.481/.547 in 19 games at the complex. This is no knock against Argudin, but you should look very askance at rookie-league slash lines. The jump from the complex to Hickory is vast, and a fair number of previous Texas farmhands have landed in a pit.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Kingham
AA: Townsend
Hi-A: Easley
Lo-A: Morales
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Evan Carter improved to .232/.422/.379 with a single, double and walk. His 28 walks were nine more than any other pro teenager. (Ominous music) Little did he know his season would end in four days.
The day before, NW Arkansas shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. crushed his second homer of the evening against Frisco’s Hever Bueno but was ruled out for neglecting to touch the plate.
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