Author: scottrlucas

Programming note: I will be joining Round Rock media man Rylan Kobre in the booth for Tuesday’s opener against El Paso. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 3, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 7
Round Rock: 8 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 27-36, 11 GB

SP David Davalillo: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 34 P / 22 S, 7.36 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4.23 ERA
1B Alejandro Osuna: 2-4, .274/.365/.356
RF Trevor Hauver: 2-4, 2B, HR (2), .249/.389/.331

David Davalillo endured his shortest outing in five starts in Round Rock, but unlike the others, control wasn’t the primary concern. Three of the first four batters reached on hits, placing his pitch count at 16 with one out. After that, a seven-pitch sac fly with two two-strike fouls and an eleven-pitch walk with five two-strike fouls ballooned his pitch count to 34, and Davalillo was done. Yes, his day ended with a walk, but the larger problem was at-bats prolonged by a lack of whiffs. 

Trevor Hauver finally has his second homer. He knocked 11 in 104 games in Round Rock in 2024 and 12 in 104 games last year.  His batted-ball profile is fine, as far as I can tell. He’s just not getting results. 

Alejandro Osuna started at first for the first time in his career. 

Texas traded IF Richie Martin to the Rockies, probably for cash but we’ll see. Pittsburgh purchased the contract of IF Davis Wendzel to replace optioned OF Jhostynxon Garcia. 


AA: Frisco 6, Springfield (STL) 4 (7)
Frisco: 6 hits, 8 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts
Record: 29-25, 1.5 G up

SP Dylan MacLean: 4 IP, 6 H (2 HR), 4 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 69 P / 45 S, 4.56 ERA
RP Josh Trentadue: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 8.42 ERA
RP Wilian Bormie: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 1.78 ERA
2B Josh Smith: 2-3, HR, BB
DH Rafe Perich: 1-4, HR (3)

AA: Frisco 6, Springfield (STL) 4 (7)
Frisco: 7 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 8 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 30-25, 1.5 G up

SP Austin Bergner: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 1 SO, 59 P / 25 S, 8.31 ERA
RP Ryan Lobus: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 0 SO, 5.33 ERA
DH Josh Smith: 0-1, BB, HBP
3B Rafe Perich: 2-3, HR (4), SB (1), .242/.324/.636
C Ian Moller: 1-3, HR (6), .236/.362/.453

Frisco swept the doubleheader and expanded the division lead to a season-high 1.5 games. Rafe Perich leads the organization with 15 homers and is slugging .611.  

Since shifting to the bullpen two weeks ago, Josh Trentadue has still struggled with control but has been far less hit-prone. I would hope that he’d get another opportunity to start down the road, but we’ll see. 


Hi-A: Hub City 11, at Winston-Salem (CHW) 8
Hub City: 15 hits, 7 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 28-28, eliminated

SP Dylan MacLean: 4.2 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 9 SO, 82 P / 53 S, 6.25 ERA
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 1.25 ERA
LF Yeison Morrobel: 3-5, HR (6), BB, .302/.373/.467
2B Antonis Macias: 3-5, 2 2B, BB, .219/.321/.307
CF Quincy Scott: 3-4, BB, .240/.400/.394
3B Esteban Mejia: 3-4, HR (1), SB (1)

What a week. Tuesday through Thursday, Hub City twice flirted with no-hitters and allowed a total of five runs on eight hits (and a million walks) but lost all three. Over the weekend, the Burgers allowed 17 runs but scored 28 and won all three. 

About two weeks into the season, 22-year-old Yeison Morrobel began to hit and hasn’t let up. He’s on his third tilt against high-A pitchers. He batted just .170/.248/.278 last year and was sitting two or three times per week down the stretch, and I wondered whether he’d have a job as a Ranger in 2026. He’s enjoying his best production since 2022 in rookie ball. 

Righty Cole Roland’s streak of scoreless appearances to start his MLB-affiliated pro career ended at six. He surrendered three runs two homers and three other hits across portions of the 5th and 6th. The former Wake Forest reliever had pitched for three indy teams in 2024-2025. 


Lo-A: Hickory 3, Kannapolis (CHW) 5
Hickory: 8 hits, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 31-24, tied for first

SP Evan Siary: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 75 P / 55 S, 3.14 ERA
RP Owen Proksch: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2.04 ERA
LF Hector Osorio: 3-5, HR (13), .309/.437/.581
CF Paulino Santana: 2-5, 2 2B, .260/.398/.420

Hector Osorio is tied for the Carolina League lead with 13 homers and first among qualifiers with a .437 OBP and .581 slugging percentage. Entering the season, he had six homers in 178 games and had never slugged better than .376 in a season. What’s left for him to do in Hickory, I wonder. 

Siary had a typical performance, and Proksch began a new streak of scoreless two-inning appearances, but the usually trustworthy Michael Trausch walked three and allowed a hit without retiring a batter. 

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Texas designated OF Khris Davis for assignment and recalled utility man Eli White. Texas was 23-38 at the time, having lost 20 of 25 following an 18-18 start. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 9, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 2
Round Rock: 7 hits, 7 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 27-35, 10 GB

SP Jose Corniell: 4 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 69 P / 42 S, 7.48 ERA
RP Joe Ross: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 4.06 ERA
RP Michel Otañez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 6.29 ERA
RF Alejandro Osuna: 1-4, BB, .261/.358/.348
CF Jarred Kelenic: 1-3, 2B, BB
C Cooper Johnson: 3-5, HR (5), .209/.305/.366

Jose Corniell had a weird night: 64% hard-hit rate, only three missed bats, but no serious damage. 

Round Rock won the most momentous challenge I can recall in terms of subsequent runs scored. With the bases loaded and two out in the 9th, Jarred Kelenic successfully challenged an alleged strike three, turning an inning-ending strikeout into a bases-loaded walk. The pitcher then balked a runner home, and Cooper Johnson followed with a two-run single. Incidentally, while I’m of the opinion that the PCL plate umps do a pretty good job, Felix Neon had a terrible night, suffering 11 overturns on 12 challenges. 

Round Rock has taken four of five on the road against the team with the league’s second-best record and best run differential entering the week. 

AA: wet

Two today. Josh Smith is in Frisco on rehab and would have played last night. 

Hi-A: Hub City 9, at Winston-Salem (CHW) 4
Hub City: 14 hits, 10 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 27-28, eliminated

SP Ismael Agreda: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 77 P / 44 S, 5.74 ERA
LF Yeison Morrobel: 3-4, 2B, 2 BB, .294/.364/.446
C Malcolm Moore: 3-6, 2 2B, .314/.402/.562
SS Luke Hanson: 3-5, .259/.325/.466
DH Paxton Kling: 1-3, BB, SB (13), .254/.396/.393
1B Ben Hartl: 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, .209/.329/.358

Moore lined to right-center for the first double and over the head of the center fielder (who took an inefficient route, it must be said) for the second. The single was lined hard as well. I have and will continue to note the crazy Asheville series as a caveat to Moore’s stupendous slash line, but don’t take that to mean his 2026 is a fraud. He’s having a fine season and is one of the year’s best stories so far. 

Lo-A: Hickory 5, Kannapolis (CHW) 0
Hickory: 12 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 0 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 31-23, 1 G up

SP AJ Russell: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 53 P / 37 S, 3.92 ERA
RP Geury Rodriguez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 1 SO, 0.48 ERA
RP JD McReynolds: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 4.50 ERA
RP Jormy Nivar: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2.43 ERA
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-5, 2B, .306/.394/.422
CF Hector Osorio: 1-3, BB, SB (9), .301/.433/.565
3B Angel Arredondo: 1-4, HR (6), .215/.364/.392
1B Marcos Torres: 3-4, 2 2B, SB (21), .238/.323/.456
2B Daniel Flames: 3-4, SB (2), .269/.336/.315

AJ Russell and friends combined on the seventh no-hitter in Hickory franchise history. Russell retired ten straight. Geury Rodriguez was effectively wild, shall we say, walking four of eight batters faced but escaping with some help from JD Reynolds, who replaced GRod with two on and two out in the 5th and fanned Efren Teran. McReynolds worked a spotless 6th and yielded to Jormy Nivar, who walked one but faced the minimum over the final three innings. 

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

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Catcher Yohel Pozo homered in his first two at-bats. Anderson Tejeda was hitless and walkless with nine strikeouts in his last 14 plate appearances. Frisco OF Bubba Thompson went 3-7 across a doubleheader to improve to .299/.370/.515 with a career-low 20% K rate. 

Per the locals, Texas is signing catcher Elias Diaz to a Major League deal. The 35-year-old had played very sparingly for Kansas City and then AAA Omaha after being outrighted. He doesn’t reach base any more but has some pop and can nab the occasional runner. Round Rock’s Jose Herrera has been Texas’s nominal third catcher but hasn’t made the case for a call-up. 

Farewell to Arlington’s Sheraton hotel near the old and new stadiums, imploded this morning to make room for a replacement. I’d guess I stayed there around twenty times over the years since moving to Austin.  

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 6, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 4
Round Rock: 11 hits, 9 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 8 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 26-35, 10 GB

SP Trey Supak: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 90 P / 58 S, 5.13 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1.93 ERA
RP Cole Winn: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4.39 ERA
CF Jarred Kelenic: 1-4, 2B, BB, SB (1)
3B Jonah Bride: 2-3, HR (6), 2 BB, SB (4), .263/.390/.389

Collyer, the rehabbing Winn and Teodo were all effective if wild. Neither Collyer nor Winn landed more than half their pitches for strikes. Teodo replaced Josh Sborz with one out in the 9th after a walk-homer-double sequence put the tying run at the plate for the Comets. Teodo walked Ryan Fitzgerald before settling in to get a strikeout and game-ending groundout. Not his best outing, but he continues to get high-leverage situations and deliver. 

Houston released former Texas farmhand OF Kellen Strahm from AAA Sugar Land. 


AA: Frisco 11, Springfield (STL) 3
Frisco: 4 hits, 7 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 28-25, tied for 1st

SP Dalton Pence: 5 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 7 SO, 87 P / 53 S, 2.53 ERA
3B Rafe Perich: 1-3, 2B, BB, .192/.300/.462
C Ian Moller: 1-3, HR (5), HBP, .233/.363/.427

Pence again lorded over the opposition with his upstairs fastball, getting five swinging strikeouts (plus a swing and call on a breaker). 

Frisco scored 11 runs on four hits. That’s new. Eight batters who reached on a walk, HBP or error would eventually score on rare but timely hits. Switch-pitching starter Jurrangelo Cijntje lacked control irrespective of hand, walking two and issuing a wild pitch in Frisco’s five-run 1st. 


Hi-A: Hub City 8, at Winston-Salem (CHW) 5 (11)
Hub City: 13 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 9 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 26-28, eliminated

SP Caden Scarborough: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 3 SO, 52 P / 29 S, 2.57 ERA
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1.31 ERA
C Malcolm Moore: 2-5, HR (9), BB, .307/.399/.552
RF Paxton Kling: 2-6, 2 2B, .253/.392/.394
1B Ben Hartl: 2-4, BB, .200/.312/.338
DH Antonis Macias: 3-5, 2B, .190/.293/.267

In his second full-season start, Caden Scarborough dealt with control issues, particularly in the 1st when his fastball and most everything else tended to fly arm-side. It was the kind of performance I expected to see more frequently last year, but instead he harnessed his stuff much more quickly than I envisioned. In any case, we need to be patient with him. 

Malcolm Moore homered the opposite way to deep left-center in the 11th, just shy of 400′ per my measurement off Google Earth. 


Lo-A: Hickory 5, Kannapolis (CHW) 2
Hickory: 10 hits, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
Record: 30-23, 1 G up

SP Aidan Deakins: 5 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 78 P / 56 S, 1.83 ERA
RP Louis Marinaro: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.54 ERA
RP Luimy Munoz: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.70 ERA
SS Yolfran Castillo: 1-3, HBP, 2 SB (25), .303/.394/.418
CF Hector Osorio: 3-4, HR (12), .301/.432/.568
3B Angel Arredondo: 2-4, HR (5), .214/.366/.377

19-year-old Angel Arredondo had a dismal opening month but is hitting .295/.421/.568 across 28 games since. 22-year-old Aidan Deakins was perfect through three. His 22% K rate is a touch below the league average, but his control is vastly better. 

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

Five Years Ago Yesterday
3B Andy Ibanez and DH Curtis Terry has three hits in Round Rock’s 12-9 victory over El Paso. 

I’d meant to write a little about yesterday’s MLB transactions, but yesterday was an exceptionally busy day I was tired. I was tired and uninspired. 

Down to Round Rock for the incoming Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford are IF Cody Freeman and OF Alejandro Osuna. Staying up are IF Nicky Lopez, OF/IF Michael Helman and OF Evan Carter. 

I’m not president of the Nicky Lopez Fan Club or even a member, but the infield at-bat availability will shrink with Seager back, and Freeman has options and needs steady work. Okay. Osuna has a terrific .376 OBP and a .275 slugging percentage. He actually has some pop, but it’s yet to appear above AA. Osuna is also below Helman on the CF depth chart, and Helman can play infield as well. I would much rather watch Osuna than Helman, but I understand the thought process. 

The story is Carter, currently batting a lowly .171/.291/.331, but that line hides a more-or-less league-average OPS against righties (.196/.318/.385) and continued utter helplessness against lefties (.037/.133/.037).

What is Carter’s future? Are we giving up on him as an everyday player? If not, an extended stay in AAA is probably in order to find whether Carter can provide something against lefties (or can’t). He has in the past, admittedly at the A levels. Here’s his OPS against lefties at all levels, year by year:
2021: 1.033 (51 PA)
2022: .749 (113 PA)
2023: .602 (106 PA)
2024: .283 (27 PA)
2025: .290 (54 PA)
2026: .170 (31 PA)

If he’s staying in Arlington, every plate appearance of his against a lefty is a non-competitive event, and if the 30-32 Rangers fancy themselves contenders, they have to minimize these events. He’s started four games against a lefty in 2026, and that number can’t budge unless the Rangers drop out of the race. While Carter’s K rate of 35% against lefties is certainly bad, as is his 69% contact rate against in-zone pitches, those would be tolerable if the occasional contact was hard. It isn’t, though. Carter’s median exit velocity against lefties is a minuscule 70 MPH compared to 93 against righties. Out of 17 non-bunts in play, only four have exceeded 77 MPH. (Incidentally, Carter isn’t chase-happy against lefties, just a 24% swing rate out of zone). Staying in Arlington doesn’t immediately relegate him to a permanent platoon role, but time is dwindling.

The mitigating factor has been Carter’s defense, which is elite. Despite the offense, he’s been worth 1.6 WAR per Baseball Reference and 0.9 per FanGraphs. That’s the WAR of a better-than-average regular. Weirdly, his production reminds me of Leonys Martin, the type of player whose defense was strong enough to provide league-average overall value despite minimal offense. Were Carter merely an average defender, I think the decision to send him down would be easy. But it’s not easy, and I’ve waffled on whether I would send him down as I’ve been writing this. This decision is tied to broader matters, such as whether 2026 is a now-or-never season, and whether the team is genuinely competitive or just cosplaying and would be better served with a teardown/rebuild. (And, ugh, what about a strike/lockout?)

Jamey Newberg wrote about Carter at length today in a piece about how he’d reconfigure the roster, but (scout’s honor) as soon as I reached the part of the discussion concerning him, I stopped reading because I wanted to complete my own thoughts down first. Now that I’ve written the above and finished Jamey’s piece, I’d reiterate his takeaway that Carter’s “big-league profile is at stake.” So is the profile of the entire organization. We’re in for some interesting times. Hopefully, they involve winning baseball. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 4, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 5
Round Rock: 8 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 25-35, 10 GB

SP Nolan Kingham: 4.2 IP, 4 H (2 HR), 5 R, 4 BB, 7 SO, 90 P / 51 S, 11.25 ERA
RP Joe Ross: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.25 ERA
2B John Taylor: 1-3, 2B, BB, .238/.385/.524

The righty Kinhgam threw a bazillion changes and backdoor sliders to a lefty-heavy lineup with mixed results to all but RF Zach Ehrhard, who homered twice. 

The Express offense scored four against prospect River Ryan with walks, singles and John Taylor’s double. 


AA: Frisco 4, Springfield (STL) 6
Frisco: 9 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 27-25, tied for 1st

SP Winston Santos: 5 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 74 P / 50 S, 7.83 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 1 IP, 0 H (0.6 HR), 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
CF Dylan Dreiling: 3-4, HR (8), BB, .306/.403/.488
3B Max Wagner: 1-3, BB, .267/.362/.517

Santos was stung by a three-run homer in the 2nd. That 7.83 ERA isn’t lying; opponents are hitting .328/.415/.547, a 157 OPS+ by my count. He’s possibly been unlucky on balls in play, and league-wide offense is inflated over last year, but that only explains so much. Santos did finish with nine straight retired. At the moment, Santos isn’t on the short list or any list in terms of potentially helping the Rangers, but we’re barely over one-third into the schedule. 


Hi-A: Hub City 0, at Winston-Salem (CHW) 1
Hub City: 2 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 6 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 25-28, 14 GB

SP Kamdyn Perry: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, HBP, 2 SO, 69 P / 41 S, 2.00 ERA
RP Kai Wynyard: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 9.97 ERA

Hub City has allowed a total of eight hits the past three nights and has three losses. The problems: 23 walks, some dubious defense last night, and no help from the offense. Unlike Tuesday and Wednesday, the Burgers never threatened a no-hitter but did hold the Dash scoreless until the 8th. Ryan Burrows lined to left-center and reached second when CF Paxton Kling couldn’t corral it cleanly. It was ruled a straight double, but I have my doubts. Burrows reached third on a grounder and scored the game’s only run when Cole Stasio bounced a pitch past catcher Malcolm Moore. 

Hub City has been eliminated from first-half title contention by Bowling Green (39-14), which is on a 24-5 tear. 


Lo-A: Hickory 3, Kannapolis (CHW) 4
Hickory: 9 hits, 4 walks, 13 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 29-23, tied for 1st

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 3 SO, 75 P / 39 S, 5.58 ERA
RP Wily Villar: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.86 ERA
LF Paulino Santana: 1-5, HR (5), .261/.403/.415
DH Josh Springer: 2-3, 2B, BB, .309/.387/.366
RF Deward Tovar: 2-4, HR (10), .218/.294/.441

19-year-old Paulino Santana has already equaled last year’s five homers, and all from 2025 were at the complex rather than Hickory. He’s sneaked in a few games at center but is essentially the team’s LF, and if that’s his future, he really needs that bat to shine. 

OF Braylin Morel is active in Hickory. He’d been on the 60-day minor league IL and had batted .259/.286/.333 in seven games at the complex. Texas released OF Wady Mendez. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Pence
Hi-A: Scarborough
Lo-A: Deakins

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Frisco’s Hans Crouse fanned four and allowed a solo homer in three innings. You could still find heated discussion (but not in this report) of him as “upper 90s with a wipeout slider,” but that was no longer the case, nor had it been since early in 2019, when he tapered off to the mid (and sometimes low) 90s while dealing with bone spurs. In 2021, Crouse was in fact rounding into a legitimate starting prospect with additions of a cutter and change, although by 2023 he’d convert permanently to relief. 

Crouse is currently with AAA Norfolk in the Baltimore system. 

Corey Seager is active for tomorrow’s game. Per local media, Wyatt Langford will also be activated. OF Alejandro Osuna and IF Cody Freeman have been optioned. 

Reliever Josh Sborz is back from three days in the wilderness on a new minor deal. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 9, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 5
Round Rock: 12 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 25-34, 9 GB

SP Josh Stephan: 5 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 3 R, 3 BB, 3 SO, 86 P / 59 S, 5.79 ERA
RP Dustin Saenz: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.08 ERA
2B Cameron Cauley: 2-4, BB, .257/.370/.374
CF Jarred Kelenic: 3-4, 2B, BB
1B Blaine Crim: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, .296/.394/.667
RF Gilberto Celestino: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, 3 SB (7), .250/.347/.327

Round Rock had a month-long stretch averaging a meager 3.8 runs scored per game, and not coincidentally, a 9-17 record. Since then, the Express have averaged 7.5 over the last 14 and won nine. 

Gavin Collyer handled the 8th with just eight pitches including six strikes. 

The 27-year-old Saenz was Washington’ fourth-round pick in 2021 out of TAMU, signed by Texas after being released by the Nats in the spring. He’d pitched sparingly for Frisco in May. 


AA: Frisco 8, Springfield (STL) 7
Frisco: 12 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 5 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 27-24, tied for 1st

SP Blake Townsend: 4 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 3 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 62 P / 44 S, 4.46 ERA
RP Wilian Bormie: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.85 ERA
2B Frainyer Chavez: 4-5, 2B, .291/.385/.474
SS Corey Seager: 0-3
DH Wyatt Langford: 1-3, HR
3B Rafe Perich: 1-4, HR (2), BB, .158/.238/.474

Rafe Perich timed a looping 0-1 curve perfectly for a walk-off homer. Perich was also named player of the month in the South Atlantic League, which is now in his rearview mirror. 


Hi-A: Hub City 1, at Winston-Salem (CHW) 2
Hub City: 8 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 25-27, 13 GB

SP J’Briell Easley: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 46 P / 28 S, 4.01 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 SO, 1.74 ERA

On Tuesday, Hub City carried a no-hitter into the 6th, allowed two hits total, and lost.

Last night, Hub City carried a no-hitter into the 7th, allowed two hits total, and lost. 

Entering with a one-run lead, Joey Danielson surrendered a game-ending two-run double following two walks. Hub City has walked 17 batters over the past two night. 

Brock Porter continues to be effective, after a fashion, walking or plunking 21% of opposing batters but extremely hard to hit. Last night, he was aided by a line-out double play, an outfield assist, and a sac bunt by a guy with a 1.000 OPS. 


Lo-A: Hickory 3, Kannapolis (CHW) 8
Hickory: 10 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 5 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 29-22, tied for 1st

SP Moises Morales: 4.1 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 4 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 69 P / 42 S, 5.04 ERA
RP JD McReynolds: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 4.86 ERA
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-4, SB (23), .301/.392/.420
C Josh Springer: 3-4, 2B, .300/.377/.350

Like Louis Marinaro, McReynolds started white-hot, went through a rough patch and has been better lately. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Santos
Hi-A: Perry
Lo-A: Lafalaise

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Minor League Baseball floated the possibility of playoffs, which were omitted from the makeshift post-covid 2021 schedules. MiLB would eventually institute simple best-of-fives between the top two teams (irrespective of division) in AA and the A levels, while AAA would adopt a convoluted “Final Stretch” consisting of ten additional regular season games and an AAA-wide champ for those ten games in addition individual league champs for the originally scheduled 120 games. Blessedly, this was a one-time event. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 3, at Oklahoma City (LAD) 2
Round Rock: 9 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 6 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 24-34, 10 GB

SP David Davalillo: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 80 P / 41 S, 6.62 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4.50 ERA
RP Alexis Diaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.15 ERA
2B John Taylor: 2-4, HR (1), SB (1)
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 2-4, HR (1)

Davalillo allowed only one run, but his control troubles continued unabated. Davalillo threw eight splitters and four curves*, resulting in a total of zero swings, one called strike and 11 balls. The cutter wasn’t much better: eight balls, two calls, two fouls. Opponents reserved their hacks for his sinker and four-seamer, and all but one ball in play came against some type of fastball. 

In a game where wins truly mattered, Davalillo might shelve a non-functional pitch (or two) in an effort to get more strikes and outs. Here, he’s usually going to keep trying everything, especially when his fastballs aren’t go-to pitches. Davalillo paints his picture with his breakers and offspeeds. The fastballs are the frame, if you will. 



Emiliano Teodo was effective if not as flashy as usual of late. He’s pitched in three consecutive games interrupted by yesterday’s travel. Given the justifiable delicacy with which he’s been handled over the years, this is really something. 

John Taylor and Keyber Rodriguez were Round Rock’s power sources, not a sentence I ever expected to type. K-Rod was hitless in three AAA games prior to last night, while Taylor has extended his mashing at Frisco to AAA without pause. 

* Statcast classified all 12 as splitters, but it’s wrong.


AA: Frisco 6, Springfield (STL) 7
Frisco: 8 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 4 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 26-24, 1 GB

SP Aidan Curry: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 72 P / 49 S, 15.95 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.64 ERA
RP Austin Roberts: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 4.24 ERA
2B Frainyer Chavez: 3-4, 2B, BB, .277/.376/.461
SS Corey Seager: 1-2
LF Wyatt Langford: 1-2, 2 BB, SB
CF Dylan Dreiling: 1-3, 2 BB, .291/.392/.457

Whatever else happens in their careers, Springfield’s players can say they beat a team with two Major Leaguers. With Seager and Langford replaced, Frisco scored three in the 9th and had the tying and winning runs in scoring position with one out, but Keith Jones and Arturo Disla both struck out. 


Hi-A: Hub City 1, at Winston-Salem (CHW) 2
Hub City: 5 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 9 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 25-26, 12 GB

SP Enrique Segura: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 6 BB, 3 SO, 73 P / 35 S, 7.62 ERA
RP Luke Savage: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 9.90 ERA
LF Yeison Morrobel: 3-4, .289/.353/.446
RF Chandler Pollard: 1-2, 2B, BB, SB (9), .236/.323/.355

Hub City carried a no-hitter into the 6th. The Burgers threw 49 strikes and 48 balls preceding the hit. I haven’t written about Max Martin (0-4, 3 K) lately. He’s struggled to build on last year’s breakout, following a power-heavy but low-OBP April with a rough May (.218/.284/.310). Martin has never been a high-contact hitter, but in 2026 the whiffs have increased his strikeout rate to 28%, and he’s hitting fewer liners and outfield flies. Martin just turned 21 and isn’t a Rule 5 concern until 2027. 


Lo-A: Hickory 6, Kannapolis (CHW) 3
Hickory: 11 hits, 9 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 5 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 29-21, tied for first

SP Alejandro Chiquillo: 3 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 3 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 68 P / 40 S, 2.08 ERA
RP Louis Marinaro: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 3.93 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1.08 ERA
RP Geury Rodriguez: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.52 ERA
LF Paulino Santana: 2-3, 2 BB, .264/.413/.410
CF Hector Osorio: 1-3, HR (11), 2 BB, .295/.429/.561
C Josh Springer: 1-3, 2B, BB, HBP, .284/.366/.328

Hickory played at home for the first time in 25 days. A visiting clubhouse fire forced cancellation of a couple of games and relocation of a homestand to high-A Winston-Salem. Hector Osorio leads the Carolina League all by himself with 11 homers. Undrafted Louis Marinaro had hit best night of the season. Since appearing eight times in April, he’s only been popping up for a single outing of one or two innings each week. 

Dominican Summer League
It commenced Monday. I don’t cover the games but will try to check on notable prospects occasionally. One reason I don’t provide daily recaps is games like this. The Rangers and Angels entered the 9th tied at nine and the Rangers scored nine runs in the top half to seemingly secure a victory, but the Angels scored ten in the bottom half, all with two out. The teams combined for 23 walks ad 14 errors. 

Here’s a better DSL highlight: recently signed Elian Rosario going deep twice.

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Townsend
Hi-A: Easley
Lo-A: Morales

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Hickory’s Cole Ragans fanned 11 in six nearly perfect inning marred only by a solo homer. “Pitchers have overcome multiple Tommy John surgeries to reach the Majors (Pete Fairbanks, for example), but under [Ragans’] circumstances, I was uncomfortable thinking of him as a prospect or even thinking about him at all, other than simply hoping that he could stay healthy. Now, after beginning the previous start with 13 consecutive outs and facing one over the minimum last night, Ragans is transitioning from feel-good story to legitimate prospect.”

Combined with the previous week’s start, Frisco’s Cole Winn stretched a hitless streak to 30 batters while shutting down Amarillo for six innings. 

Transactions
Texas released relievers Josh Sborz and Ryan Brasier at their behest. 

The Rangers were exceptionally patient with Sborz. He’s always been erratic, his roster spot often in jeopardy over the years. The Dodgers designated him for assignment in 2021, and Texas optioned him the maximum five times the following year. He was out of options when activated from the IL in April 2023. As his term on rehab assignment dwindled last summer, I thought he was going to be designated again, but Texas was able to reboot his IL placement. Even a minor league deal over the winter was no sure thing, nor was lasting in the organization this point. 

Unfortunately, Sborz’s velocity still lags, and he rarely looked MLB-worthy this spring. The peak version of Sborz was thrilling, though, and the best stretch of his career occurred during the 2023 postseason. We’ll always have this:



Brasier had been solid if not electrifying for Round Rock, and he can probably still assist an MLB pen. Both could possibly return to the Rangers on new deals. 

Trade Reviews
Let’s catch up of how some traded Texas prospects are faring in 2026:

MacKenzie Gore trade

IF Devin Fitz-Gerald – He’s not playing much shortstop but is hitting well enough to make his position irrelevant: .291/.400/.582 with 12 homers and 14 other extra-base hits in 46 games in high-A as a 20-year-old. Hard to follow his progress without wincing (not that I wish him ill, certainly). 

1B Abimelec Ortiz — .266/.368/.532 with ten homers for AAA Rochester. He didn’t make the case in March and started slow in April, but he’s been in “see ball kill ball” mode recently. Washington’s busiest DH of late has been Jose Tena, hitting  a modest .219/.276/.377. Abi’s call might be coming. 

OF Yeremi Cabrera – Repeating low-A, Cabera batted a ridiculous .333/.465/.649 with seven homers and 18 steals. Now in high-A, where I expect he would have begun 2026 if still a Ranger, he’s leveled off to .236/.323/.309 in 16 games. 

OF Gavin Fien – Texas’s top 2025 pick is no longer an infielder and hitting .164/.282/.254 with a 33% K rate for low-A Fredericksburg. He had wrist surgery last fall and missed time this April due to that same wrist, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not driving the ball at full force right now. 

RHP Alejandro Rosario – TBD.

Summary: Gore’s had his moments, for better and worse. The eventual grade for this trade depends not just on his performance but whether Texas reaches the playoffs with his assistance. The Nats are doing cartwheels, I imagine. 

Carter Baumler trade

RHP Jaiker Garcia – Recall that Baumler was selected by the Pirates and then traded to Texas in last falls’ Rule 5 draft. For low-A Bradenton, Garcia has a homer-heavy 5.68 ERA in 12.2 innings with 12 strikeouts. His fastball has ranged from 91 to 96 plus a cutter, change, slider and curve. 

Summary: Hard to get worked up about this one yet. 

Merrill Kelly trade

LHP Kohl Drake – I saw Drake’s home AAA debut in Round Rock last summer. He allowed only one hit but didn’t quite look his usual self and was missing a putaway pitch. 2026 to date appears to be an exaggerated and maybe concerning version of that type of performance. Drake has an 8.10 ERA in 43 AAA innings, and it’s not just Reno. He’s lost a full two ticks across his entire repertoire. His K rate has sunk to 18%, and in 11 starts, he’s posted double-digit whiffs only twice. 

RHP Mitch Bratt – Bratt has a 2.68 ERA and a respectable 25% strikeout rate in 40 AAA innings, despite a modest whiff rate. Instead, he’s thriving with calls, a bunch of fouls and weak contact. That in itself doesn’t scream “get him to Phoenix,” but he’s accomplishing this in one of baseball’s toughest environments for pitchers. 

RHP David Hagaman – As a 23-year-old in high-A, Hagaman has a 4.29 ERA in 21 IP with a good K rate but poor control (17 walks). So, he’s just like 80% of minor league pitchers. 

Summary: Given that a deadline deal is intended to put a team into the playoffs or foster a deeper run, it’s easy to deem this failure from Texas’s perspective. And… yeah. I wrote the first sentence with the intention of adding a rejoinder, but what else is there to say? This trade just didn’t work out. 

Phil Maton trade

RHP Skylar Hales – Hales was fraying well before his trade to St. Louis. In Frisco, he reeled off eight consecutive scoreless outings with 13 strikeouts, but he also allowed multiple runs in three straight outings. In 2026, Hales has a 7.74 ERA in 47 AAA innings for St. Louis, his fastball has tapered off to around 94, and his decent K rate is heavily dependent on calls rather than whiffs.  

RHP Mason Molina – He’s handled AA well, posting a 3.18 ERA with 21 walks and 51 strikeouts in 39.2 IP. His control is problematic for a starting role, and his stuff seems a touch light for relief, but there’s a chance he just keeps on trucking and gets to don a Cards jersey someday. Molina is listed as the starter against Frisco tomorrow. 

Summary: Again, a deadline deal that didn’t pay off. In this case, though, I had concerns about Hales, and I don’t see how we can’t be frustrated if Molina manages to pay off for the Cards. I had and have no issues with this trade.

Danny Coulombe trade

RHP Garrett Horn – Apparently delayed by injury, Horn made two outings for Minnesota’s rookie squad before joining high-A Cedar Rapids. He threw a 93-95 four-seamer and 81-88 slider at the complex. In high-A, he’s allowed a run, walked three and fanned seven in six innings. 

Summary: I think my Maton comment applies. 

Enrique Segura trade

RHP Daniel Robert – Robert pitched 10 modestly successful innings for the Phils in 2025. He suffered a cardiac event late last year that likely would have been fatal if not for rapid response from training staff. Another event this spring was caught by an implant, but he’s since had another procedure and won’t attempt a return in 2026. 

Summary: Segura is a longshot and isn’t having a good season for Hub City, but he’s the type of player that comes back in a deal for a DFA’ed reliever. Health issues aside, Robert was unlikely to be an improvement on who Texas used in the bullpen last year.

Mason Molina trade

RHP Grant Anderson – Texas designated him for assignment and traded him to Milwaukee in January 2025. A slightly higher slot (but still very side-armed) and a couple of extra inches of vertical break have transformed his fastball from a dud to a monster. He has a 3.06 ERA in 94 innings for the Brew Crew across two seasons. 

Summary: Another DFA deal. Obviously, this didn’t work out. Good on Anderson, and good on the Brewers for getting the most out of him. For my part, I was never expecting Anderson to pitch this well, and I thought Molina was a better-than-average return. 

Robert Garcia trade

1B Nathaniel Lowe – Lowe posted a 93 OPS+ last year. No telling what he would have done as a Ranger, but assuming similar performance, I expect Texas would have foregone arbitration. He’s rebounded with the Reds.

Summary: Garcia’s been pretty good at times, frustrating at others, spotty in higher-leverage situations. He’s still a Ranger, still potentially helpful, while Lowe ended up being a moderately expensive flop as a National. I guess the question is whether the Rangers got all they could for Lowe, or whether they should have traded him at all. Lowe’s trade did free up some cash that apparently wasn’t available otherwise. 

Jake Burger trade

IF Max Acosta – He performed well enough to reach the Majors last year but hasn’t returned, and he’s been on the IL for three weeks following a slow AAA start. 

IF Echedry Vargas – A favorite of mine in Surprise in 2024, Vargas advanced to high-A to begin 2025 but batted .201/.255/.322 and was shipped back to low-A this season. He’s hitting a better .289/.347/.367 but isn’t within screaming distance of his value when traded. 

LHP Bryan Mendoza – Mendoza hasn’t advanced beyond high-A where he’d been promoted toward the end of the 2024 season prior to the trade. He has a 7.67 ERA in 29 innings. 

Summary: Burger has been a subpar regular, and I’ve openly wondered about his future even in the short term, but every so often he provides some hope. Barring unforeseen change, Miami appears to be stuck with an up-and-down utility IF and a couple of non-prospects. Texas traded those three at peak value for an everyday player, so I see this as good business by the Rangers even with Burger’s shortcomings.

Late word has 26-year-old lefty Robbie Ahlstrom joining the Rangers for his MLB debut. I’ll be honest: My first thought, despite his fine stats, was “really, Ahlstrom?” As it turns out, I am almost certainly unwittingly biased against him, because in reviewing the game logs I find I’ve seen all of his run-allowing outings in person but barely any of the appearances that led to his promotion. Ahlstrom has an opposing line of .185/.241/.269 with a 2.76 ERA, eight walks (7% rate) and 33 strikeouts (28%) in 29.1 innings. In 2026, Ahlstrom is averaging 95 with a four-seamer and sinker plus a slider (85), change (87) and infrequent curve (78). By my count, a slider has concluded nearly one-half of his strikeouts. He’s better-than-average at getting batters to chase but below average in generating misses. 

Texas acquired Ahlstrom for catcher Jose Trevino in 2022. He’s been in the discussion for a 40 spot the two previous falls but, in my opinion, just as someone worthy of discussion, not a serious contender.

I wrote the following last November: “Ahlstrom had decent results in 2025, but he’s fairly established at his point. If he didn’t force his way onto the roster during the season, I don’t know why he’d be picked now. A hot spring or in-season stretch could get him over the line.” So there you go. Best wishes to him. I have plans this evening and can’t watch the game, so the Rangers need to get him in there tonight to avoid my negative influence. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 6, Salt Lake (LAA) 8
Round Rock: 7 hits, 8 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 8 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 23-34, 11 GB

SP Ryan Brasier: 1 IP, 1 H (1 HR), 3 R, 3 BB, 0 SO, 29 P / 15 S, 3.97 ERA
RP Jose Corniell: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 2 SO, 8.66 ERA
RP Joe Ross: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.55 ERA
RP Michel Otañez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 6.04 ERA
LF Wyatt Langford: 0-3
3B Cody Freeman: 2-5, HR (2), .333/.417/.667
C Cooper Johnson: 1-2, HR (3), 2 BB, .188/.289/.316

A Rocker-esque opening gambit did not succeed for the Express. Starter Ryan Brasier surrendered a three-run homer, and Jose Corniell wasn’t effective. To be blunt, Corniell hasn’t had much success in any inning, including the 1st. He has simultaneously lucky and unlucky yesterday, as several hard hits resulted in outs, but all four balls hit at under 70 MPH fell for singles. 

Texas has signed OF Jarred Kelenic to a minor deal. Once among the brightest prospects in baseball, Kelenic reached the Majors at the age of 21 but took a couple of years to become a decent regular, only to regress to replacement-level form the next season. He’s still just 26, but at this point, he’d just be somewhere in the mix among non-40 depth options, unless Texas can effect a rebound. He should benefit the Express offense, at least. 


AA: Frisco 2, at Arkansas (SEA) 1
Frisco: 7 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 26-23, tied for 1st

SP Dylan MacLean: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 SO, 77 P / 46 S, 4.15 ERA
RP Bryan Magdaleno: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1.77 ERA
1B Arturo Disla: 2-4, .379/.463/.603
3B Rafe Perich: 2-4, HR (1)

Five Riders combined to allow just five baserunners. Rafe Perich’s first AA hit was a homer. 


Hi-A: Hub City 3, at Greensboro (PIT) 8
Hub City: 6 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 6 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 25-25, 11 GB

SP D.J. McCarty: 3 IP, 6 H (4 HR), 6 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 76 P / 48 S, 6.61 ERA
RP Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.47 ERA
1B Gleider Figuereo: 4-4, HR (9), .235/.332/.453

Figuereo had a day. Hub City lacks an obvious 1B since Arturo Disla’s departure, so Figuereo has spotted at first a few times since Arturo Disla’s departure. He’s had a pretty good season, albeit buoyed by the increase in offense at all levels below AAA. He’s logged 390 games at the A levels, and I’m wondering if/when Texas might give him a swim-or-sink Frisco assignment. 

Joey Danielson’s control is poor (18% BB+HBP rate), but he’s essentially unhittable in high-A, allowing three singles and three doubles in 19.1 innings. Recall that he graduated to Frisco last year but was assigned to Hub City to begin this season, and there he remains. 


Lo-A: Hickory 0, at Salem (BOS) 1
Hickory: 2 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 28-21, tied for 1st

SP Evan Siary: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 69 P / 53 S, 3.09 ERA
RP Owen Proksch: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.64 ERA

They needed only one hour and fifty-one minutes to play this. Three 1st-inning singles off Evan Siary would score the only run. Siary missed a season-high 14 bats. Owen Proksch has made eight appearances of exactly two innings. Six have been scoreless, and three had no baserunners. Only once did Hickory allow more than three runs last week, but the series was a 3-3 split. 

Five Years Ago Yesterday
Round Rock’s Leody Taveras hit his fifth homer in ten games following an opening ten-game stretch with zero homers and a 43% K rate. Nearly a month into the season, Frisco, Hickory and Down East led their respective division in fewest runs allowed per game, but Hickory and Down East were also two of the only three A-level offenses with a sub-.300 slugging percentage. 

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.