Draft Etc.
The Rangers signed their top 18 picks. Unsigned are 20th-round pitcher Cody Airington, already on the record as returning to Austin Peay, and 19th-round pitcher Selden Kolkebeck, a high-schooler committed to Columbia. After some miscues, I’ve reached the point I can type “Selden Kolkebeck” from memory, so I’m okay with Texas signing him. Also joining the Rangers after sliding through the draft:
3B Wailele Kane-Yates, 22, batted .315/.403/.482 with seven homers in 51 games for Oral Roberts. Listed as a 3B but mainly a catcher in college.
Catcher Karson Bowen, 22, a former Horned Frog who transferred to Florida and hit .261/.353/.431 with seven homers in 55 games.
Catcher Mito Perez, 23, .297/.398/.399 with three homers in 44 games for Grand Canyon following four years at Tarleton State.
All newcomers are nominally assigned to the complex squad, which will conclude the season tomorrow because… yeah, I don’t know why they make the schedule that way. Seems silly. A few players might see a some action in the A levels.
Marco!
Texas received three scoreless innings last night from Marco Gonzalez, about whom I’d never written positively and insisted he was at best an inning-chewer for the Express, not a consideration for a contending club like Texas. So, am I an idiot? Maybe, but not because of this. Gonzales had an 8.16 ERA in 64 AAA innings, and while a large chunk of those innings occurred in El Paso and similarly unfavorable settings, the peripheral and Statcast data strongly supported that ERA. Still, Texas opted for him over the rested Winston Santos (Tuesday’s AAA starter) and Luis Curvelo (who couldn’t be expected to last more than two innings). Like Chris Paddack before, Gonzales can be designated for assignment without regret when the time comes.
To be clear, I’d much rather Gonzales defy my expectations than conform. I offer opinions as best I can, but if Gonzales wants to go out there and shove while wearing a cap with a T, he has my blessing.
Elsewhere
Kohl Drake excelled for Arizona in his MLB debut, allowing one run in five innings against the Athletics. Drake hadn’t pitched in 13 days, and his season in AAA hasn’t been much fun, as a lower whiff rate and higher altitude have contributed to a 6.92 ERA for Reno.
Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 4, at Albuquerque (COL) 9
Round Rock: 12 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 11-11, 5 GB, 42-55 overall
SP Winston Santos: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 55 P / 35 S, 7.36 ERA
RP Chris Martin: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 12.27 ERA
CF Jarred Kelenic: 3-5, HR (5), .351/.432/.619
3B Josh Smith: 1-3, 2 BB, SB (6), .235/.320/.365
Winston Santos’s line doesn’t quite sparkle but he pitched well in a difficult environment. Santos had only three three-ball counts, and the one walker was nabbed trying to steal. Only three balls were hit hard. Per usual lately, about 90% of his output was four-seamers and sliders, augmented with a few firm changes. Chris Martin got Charlie Condon to swing through a couple of curves and Zac Veen to fly out to left on the same.
Round Rock didn’t make any substitutions in response to Josh Jung being pulled mid-game. 
AA: Frisco 5, at San Antonio (SDP) 7
Frisco: 6 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 12-10, tied for first, 51-39 overall
SP Ben Anderson: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 7 SO, 90 P / 54 S, 5.54 ERA
C Malcolm Moore: 2-3, HR (5), BB, .235/.333/.471
1B Arturo Disla: 1-3, 2B, BB, .293/.380/.510
Malcolm Moore went deep again. Last night’s conditions were mild, but in general, homering toward right-center takes some doing in San Antonio because the wind typically blows in. 
Hi-A: Hub City 5, at Greenville (BOS) 1
Hub City: 10 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 8-17, 8.5 GB, 42-49 overall
SP Ismael Agreda: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 71 P / 47 S, 5.32 ERA
RP Luke Savage: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 6.08 ERA
RP Owen Proksch: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1.76 ERA
SS Luke Hanson: 4-4, BB, .255/.332/.427
1B Antonis Macias: 2-5, HR (4), .246/.353/.351
Owen Proksch surrendered four hits, one fewer than his total in seven previous appearances for the Burgers. Opponents are hitting .191/.255/.213 with two walks and 21 strikeouts in 13.1 innings. Ismael Agreda has improved his control (which was terrifying last month) and kept the ball in the park in July. 
Lo-A: Hickory 1, Myrtle Beach (CHC) 0
Hickory: 6 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 1 hit, 1 walk, 13 strikeouts
Record: 18-6, 3.5 G up, 52-36 overall
SP Aidan Deakins: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 SO, 72 P / 49 S, 2.25 ERA
RP Jake Jekielek: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 4.35 ERA
RP Wily Villar: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 4.50 ERA
Aidan Deakins is the 2024 13th-rounder. Daniel Keaney is the undrafted free agent. Their names aren’t really alike but share enough letters to confuse me. I’ve been dealing with this since 2007, when Craig Gentry and Grant Gerrard were outfield teammates for low-A Clinton. Deakins isn’t the hardest thrower but has a plan, which last involved involved getting Pelicans to swing through fastballs, sweepers, changes and maybe a cutter. Wily Villar got strikeouts swinging and looking with his knee-bending slider.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Kingham
AA: TBD
Hi-A: Russell
Lo-A: Siary
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Frisco’s Hans Crouse walked a season-high four but was otherwise effective. His address was about to change. Blaine Crim has 11 homers and an .828 slugging percentage over the past month.
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