Category: Daily Report

Baseball! And Challenges Revisited 
The Rangers are playing as I type. 

Yesterday, I mentioned the nascent analysis by sabermetrician Tom Tango on what situations were preferable for challenges. Essentially, early counts with fewer runners aboard are the worst times to challenge, and deep counts with runners in scoring position are the best. 

In Texas’s spring opener, catcher Kyle Higashioka challenged a 0-0 pitch with none on and two out in the top of the 1st. Per Tango’s analysis, that actually has the worst breakeven rate (88%) of any combined count, out and baserunner scenario. The difference between a ball and strike in that situation is about 0.03 runs. 

In the 2nd, starter Nathan Eovaldi successfully challenged a full-count ball call with a runner on second to strike out Lane Thomas. The KC announcers mentioned that defensive challenges by the Royals would be made only by catchers. 

Yes, I know these are exhibitions, but I’ll be watching how these challenges proceed. 

Incoming (All Minor Deals)
RHP Austin Bergner (Age 28 on Opening Day) – Usually a starter, Bergner has shuttled between AA and AAA the last four years. He’s handled the lower level just fine (2.96 ERA with solid peripherals), but every stint in AAA has been dreadful (an aggregate and genuine 8.39 ERA). 

RHP Ryan Brasier (38) – A name to remember, perhaps. The Wichita Falls native isn’t a kid anymore but in 2025 was dealing a 94 MPH four-seamer and cutter with good extension plus a slider and cutter. 

RHP Zach Bryant (27) – Bryant is looking for his first AAA action and had a 6.14 ERA in 48 AA innings with Boston last year, although his peripherals were much better. 

RHP Nabil Crismatt (31) – Never mind. He might have ranked ninth or tenth on the starting depth chart but immediately suffered an elbow injury. 

RHP Declan Cronin (28) – He’ll miss this year due to elbow surgery but is signed through 2027. Cronin had some success with the Fish in 2024, employing a low-slot sinker and slider to induce grounders and whiffs. 

LHP Austin Gomber (32) – Gomber had to settle for a minor deal after reaching free agency. His fastball often dips under 90 nowadays and his K rate is more suitable to the 1970s, but he spent his entire career to date in Colorado, so don’t question his bravery. 

RHP Josh Hejka (29) – The submariner is the only John Hopkins alum to play in affiliated ball at any level during the last 13 years. (Most notable alum by far: Davey Johnson.) He’s bounced around several levels over and within the years, and I imagine he’ll keep that role in the Texas system. 

RHP Cal Quantrill (31) – In 2022, Quantrill posted a career-high 186 innings with a 3.38 ERA, but most of his statistical markers trended downward, particularly a troubling whiff rate. He bottomed out in 2025, hitting the waiver wire before an outright release in early September. He finished the year in Round Rock and probably will return as potential starting depth. 

RHP Austin Roberts (27) – Roberts is into his late 20s without reaching MLB but still has a chance. Last year in AAA he threw a mid-90s four-seamer, cutter, curve and change equally and fanned 23% of his opponents. His control is below average but not outside the realm of acceptability. 

RHP Cole Stasio (24) – Stasio went undrafted after five years in a swing role at Baylor. He then pitched for Ogden in the indy Pioneer League with a 5.29 ERA and 65 SO in 64.2 innings. The league ERA was 7.42, so 5.29 is actually pretty salty, ranking 13th among the 51 pitchers with at least 60 innings. 

RHP Mason Thompson (28) — Roberts had a memorable June 2021, pitching in Round Rock (where he was born and raised) for opposing El Paso and reaching the Majors a couple of weeks later. Last year’s return from a second elbow surgery (the first was in high school) didn’t go to plan. He relies mostly on mid-90s sinker and slider. Control is an ongoing issue.

LHP Blake Townsend (24) – The beefy Australian switched to (mostly) starting in 2025 in his one free-agent season for the Bucs. He was quite successful, posting a 2.05 ERA in 66 AA innings, albeit with a so-so 20% K rate. I’ve seen a low-slot fastball (that topped at 88 in a lone AAA outing) and sweeper. 

RHP Ricardo Velez (27) – An undrafted signing by Minnesota in 2021, Velez was born in Puerto Rico and schooled at the University of Science and Arts in Chickaska, Oklahoma. He spent 2025 mostly in AA Springfield (Cards) and fanned 53 in 58.2 innings with below-average control.  

C Jose Herrera (29) – At present, he’s fourth on the catching depth chart. He batted .200/.280/.259 across four seasons in Arizona, varying between frontline, caddy and up-and-down roles.  

1B/OF Mark Canha (37) – Canha is a decade older than Nick Pratto (see next) but more likely to contribute to the Rangers as a bench/platoon bat. After eight consecutive seasons of no worse than average offensive production, he pretty much collapsed at the plate in 2025. The question is how much of that can be pinned on a couple of injuries rather than Father Time. 

1B Nick Pratto (27) – In my January report, I joked about which AAA vet would replace Abimelec Ortiz in Round Rock. We received an answer within days. Picked 14th overall in 2017, Pratto blasted 36 homers and slugged .602 in the upper minors in 2021. Pratto’s dismal whiff rate (despite not chasing too much) overwhelmed his positives in MLB, and lately, that problem has extended to AAA as well. Maybe Texas can get more from him, but as it stands, I’m loathe to consider him an in-season replacement for Burger or Pederson.  

OF Marcus Lee Sang (25) — Frisco is potentially lacking in position players, depending on how aggressive management is with last year’s Hub City squad. Lee Sang might fill the void. He missed nearly all of 2025 to injury. He has a .230/.297/.387 line in 132 AA games in the Philly system. 

OF Orlando Martinez (28) – The Cuban was a mid-tier prospect five years ago, but a .250/.303/.393 line in 67 games in 2022 at high-altitude Salt Lake put an end to seeing his names on any lists. He’s spent most of his time in AA (career .268/.337/.420) or Mexico since. 

OF Jake Snider (27) – A COF with prior 2B and CF experience, nearly all at the A levels. See also Lee Sang, Marcus. 

Likelihood of playing in Arlington this year:
Best Odds: Brasier, Canha
A Fighting Chance: Gomber, Quantrill, Roberts, Thompson
Unlikely: Herrera, Pratto
Minimal/None: Bergner, Bryant, Crismatt, Cronin, Hejka, Stasio, Townsend, Velez, Lee Sang, Martinez, Snider

Also incoming and covered previously are
RHP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa
C Cooper Johnson
IF Jonah Bride
IF Ritchie Martin
IF Tyler Wade
IF Andrew Velazquez

Returning
Pitchers Josh Sborz (32 on Opening Day), Gavin Collyer (25), Ben Anderson (27) and Aidan Anderson (28) are back. If Sborz can recover the velocity lost after last season’s injury, he could be a factor. If not, he almost certainly won’t. As has been the case since 2023, Sborz is out of options. 

Collyer was an honorable-mention 40-man candidate last season but instead became a free agent for a spell. He’s reached the upper 90s, and his breakers have excited the Stuff meters, but control is seriously wanting. In AAA, he missed a ton of bats in the zone, but opponents simply ignored his plentiful out-of-zone pitches. But hey, if Alex Speas could tighten his control enough to reach the Majors, Collyer can too. 

Ben is Texas’s 2019 13th-rounder who’s started mostly at Frisco the past two years. Aidan is Grant’s twin brother, back for his fourth season at Texas’s upper levels. At least one Anderson has played for the Rangers every year since 2015, as required by the CBA. 

Departing
Texas lost RHP Dom Hamel on waivers to the Yankees. The Rangers had claimed him late last September from the Mets, and he always seemed a ripe candidate for designation. His quest to become the first Dominic to play for the Rangers is delayed, if not defeated. The Yankees subsequently ran him through waivers successfully. 

Former Royal, Marlin and Cardinal lefty Anthony Veneziano was a Ranger for a few weeks but released in January to join Korea’s SSK Landers (formerly known as the SK Wyverns). 

Texas released minor league infielder Williams Wong, noteworthy as Texas’s first-ever Italian signing in 2025, and pitchers Yeimison Arias, Jesus Delgado and Luis Valdez. 

2025 Free Agents Moving On (minor deal unless noted)
P Geraldo Carillo – Arizona
P Jose Gonzalez – Angels (I’d have liked him back)
P Michael Plassmeyer – Toronto
IF Jax Biggers – Houston 
OF Dustin Harris – White Sox
OF Kellen Strahm – Houston
and
C Jonah Heim – Atlanta (MLB deal)

More Signings and Movement 
P Kolby Allard — Cleveland
P Hans Crouse – Baltimore
P Dane Dunning — Seattle 
P Carl Edwards Jr. — Mets
P Gerson Garabito – Milwaukee (he’s back from Korea)
P Jonathan Hernandez – Philadelphia
P John King – Miami (MLB deal)
P Martin Perez — Atlanta
C Jorge Alfaro – Kansas City
IF Nathaniel Lowe — Cincinnati
IF Nick Solak – San Diego
IF Davis Wendzel — Pittsburgh

IF Luisangel Acuna was traded to the White Sox (part of Luis Robert deal)

The Dodgers designated IF Andy Ibanez for assignment three weeks after signing him to an MLB deal at $1.2 million. He was claimed by the Athletics. 

Baltimore released lefty Walter Pennington. He was on the minor 60-day IL when the season ended. 

Last Thursday, Texas traded OF Yeremi Cabrera, IF Gavin Fien, IF Devin Fitz-Gerald, 1B Abimelec Ortiz and RHP Alejandro Rosario to Washington for LHP MacKenzie Gore. I was in the midst of some lengthy days inspecting several south Texas ranches when the news broke. Instead of typing a draft of my trade thoughts that evening, I reviewed my notes from the work day and planned the next as I ate enchiladas at a dive in Hebbronville. Gore would have to wait. 

Baseball America had Fien 3rd on the Rangers, Fitz-Gerald 8th, Rosario 13th, Cabrera 14th and Ortiz outside the top 30 (but he shouldn’t be, in my opinion). Baseball Prospectus had Fien 2nd, Rosario 3rd, Fitz-Gerald 8th, Ortiz 16th and Cabrera 18th.* MLB Pipeline hasn’t offered its prospect rankings yet.

I’ll be honest: My immediate reaction was “that’s too much to give up.” And now I’ll be really honest: My immediate reaction to such trades is always “too much” because I’m biased. I write about Texas’s prospects, and when the Rangers trade them, I have fewer to write about. Instead of watching Abi Ortiz, I’ll be largely ignoring the yet-to-be-signed AAA vet who replaces him. 

Despite that bias, over the years I have moved to the belief that prospects mostly exist to be traded. I don’t mean traded willy-nilly, but since most prospects don’t pan out, a critical skill for any club is to identify the time frame in which a prospect has possibly peaked in value and then capitalize, especially when the club’s competitive window demands it. 

The Rangers may have accomplished just that for as many as four of the five players involved. Maybe that’s an overstatement, but Fitz-Gerald, Cabera and Ortiz are certainly on the upswing, and Fien hasn’t been around long enough to be anything but 2025’s 12th-overall pick. That of course doesn’t mean they’re all standing next to a cliff. Fien could be a top-100 guy next year (or right now, according to The Athletic’s Keith Law). Ortiz could make Washington’s Opening Day roster with a good spring. But it’s also possible that a good number of them could have middling seasons resulting in blander reassessments come autumn.**  

“Polarizing” might be too strong a description of Fien, but he does have champions (like Law) and detractors (like Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, who rated him more a comp-round pick than a top-15. Nominally a shortstop, he has the common, conjoined questions of how far he’ll slide down the defensive spectrum and whether he’ll hit well enough at his eventual resting place. The Nats obviously viewed him favorably. 

A baseball player from birth, Fitz-Gerald is exceptionally polished for his age. That can sometimes be a backhanded compliment. Polish gives a player a strong leg up in the lower levels compared to those still figuring out how to play, but at the higher levels, polish-over-talent types get exposed. Fitz isn’t lacking talent, though, and has the upside of an everyday 2B or 3B. Another possibility is a super-utility role, although how super will depend on what he can offer at short. Fitz-Gerald was the 165th player taken in the 2024 draft, so in a sense, his becoming a critical piece of a major trade is already a win for the Rangers. 

Rosario is the one traded at an ebb, although he still has plenty of value. Remarkably, the gap between his elbow injury and surgery will be nearly a year, and he might still be ramping up when the 2027 season starts. Remember, Rosario missed the tail of 2024 as well. He’d been promoted to AA Frisco at the beginning of September but was shut down with fatigue before making an appearance there. Rosario will have no fewer than 32 months between pitches in real games. 

Incidentally, Rosario’s final low-A start in 2024 was against Washington’s Fredericksburg affiliate and witnessed by yours truly while on business in DC. It was his worst of the seasons in terms of runs allowed, but I was still dazzled. A couple of hiccups aside, his stuff was terrific, he controlled it well, and he wasn’t one of those “well… if he can figure out a change” wannabes destined for relief. This fall, he’ll be eligible for the Rule 5 draft if unprotected, and I’m inclined to think he’ll be added despite the lengthy absence, assuming the recovery proceeds as planned. His upside is that high. In a chat, Longenhagen described his ceiling as “that of a player you basically can’t acquire.”

Cabrera batted .256/.364/.366 as a 19-year-old in low-A. More power may be on the way, and he’s a strong runner (43 SB, 4 caught) and solid in center. I’d tend to think of him more as a future 4th or 5th outfielder than a regular, but everyday play is conceivable. I will say that I saw Cabrera several times in two trips to Surprise, and he never showed me anything in person. Just completely, annoyingly nondescript. That’s just bad luck, not an indication of his future. Former Texas Echedry Vargas awed me in March 2024, and a year later he was batting .201/.255/.322 in high-A. Never get too high or low on limited looks. 

I was looking forward to Ortiz’s 2026, and I say that as someone who at times has been out on him as a prospect. As a Ranger, there was a scenario in which he hit well from the get-go to replace a struggling Burger or Pederson. Everyone’s production is amplified by the environment in AAA, and Ortiz did play 11 of his 38 games at Albuquerque last year, but his line of .283/.388/.565 is backed by formidable Statcast data. He was especially proficient at attacking upper-third fastballs, particularly those starting the at-bat. I did notice that, as a group, opposing pitchers never adjusted, continuing to deal his preferred offerings despite ample evidence of negative outcomes. At some point, they will, and then we’ll find out what Ortiz can really do. The Nats don’t have a set 1B right now, best as I can tell. 

This was a volume trade. I would rather the Rangers send this type of package than fewer and better prospects. Texas still has Sebastian Walcott, Caden Scarborough, David Davalillo, Jose Corneill and Winston Santos. Despite relative weakness in hitting prospects, the Rangers effected a hitter-heavy package. That does leave the Rangers very light on future bats and in the short run forces us to dream harder on last year’s draft haul and January’s international intake. 

I’m not going to focus as much on Gore, because you probably already know about him. Rather than write about him at length myself, I’ll recommend this deep dive by Adam Morris of Lone Star Ball. 

The short version is the Gore has the makings of a top-of-rotation pitcher. Contra Texas’s reputation as a place where pitchers go to die, the Rangers actually have a several-years-long history of getting strong results from newly acquired pitchers, plus a stadium far more favorable than The Ballpark. There’s a chance Gore surpasses prior results as a Ranger. But more likely, Texas is getting a #3 type, and that’s fine. Some days you’ll be thinking Texas simply stole him form the Nats, and some days you’ll be grimacing and checking on Fien’s stats at low-A Fredericksburg. 

Gore misses a ton of bats but struggles with wildness and hard contact. He has a .325 career average on opposing balls in play, about 30 points above the NL average. Regression toward the mean would seem to be in order, but he’s faced 2,300 batters, and his season-long BABIP has never been lower than .309. Moving to Texas might help some, as Washington had perennially poor defense, but at this point the safer bet might be to assume he’s an outlier. 

As of now, Texas has a rotation of Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Gore, Jack Leiter, and probably either Jacob Latz or Kumar Rocker. That’s pretty darn good. 

What of depth? Texas has needed at least ten starters in each of the past three seasons. Even with Gore, counting up to ten with the current roster isn’t easy. Cody Bradford is hopefully back in May, Jose Corniell is knocking on the door, and Winston Santos and David Davalillo are walking up the path. The latter three are awfully green, though. There are and will be more NRIs, of course, but I’d be amenable to another MLB contract if there’s any change to spare. Imagine an injury to one of the top four during Spring Training. Suddenly, both Latz and Rocker are in the rotation, the immediate backups are Corniell and someone like Nabil Crismatt, and the rebuilt-from-scratch bullpen will be under more pressure. Texas doesn’t have to rush another signing, though, if one’s in the offing. Last year, Patrick Corbin (an unexpected godsend) was signed on March 18th in response to Jon Gray’s injury. 

The Rangers badly needed a pitcher of Gore’s caliber to contend, and they got one despite monetary constraints. They gave up a lot to acquire Gore. 

But not too much. 

Next Time

Prospect lists, transactions, more.


* Both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus are worth a subscription. 

** To be clear, I’m not rooting against anyone Texas traded. Quite the opposite. Trade analysis can get a little bloodless, but at the end of the day, these are actual people, and rooting against people is a bad way to go through life. 

The Rangers began the day with six openings on the 40. That’s the most since at least 2017, the farthest back I checked. 

In the MLB portion of the draft, the Rangers didn’t select or lose anyone but subsequently acquired the fifth pick via trade. 23-year-old righty Carter Baumler will attempt to win a spot in the Texas bullpen. Originally drafted in 2020’s fifth and final round by Baltimore and given 1.5 million reasons to spurn a TCU commitment, Baumler has spent more time on the shelf than the mound. From 2021 through 2024, he made a total of 21 appearances covering 49 innings. Not until 2025 did he string together a lengthy group of appearances, and even then he missed the opening month. He’s pitched only 7.2 innings above high-A, finishing 2025 with six AA relief outings. 

Baumler has appeared sparingly on various prospect rankings over the years but always with caveats about his perpetually hindered development. 2025 was a major step forward, though, as his fastball graduated to middle 90s with strong induced vertical break. His primary bender is a taut low-80s curve, and he adds a slider and change. In late June, he pitched a season-high 2.1 innings with one flared hit and three strikeouts against Texas’s high-A affiliate in Spartanburg. Given the jump being asked of him, I’m congenitally disposed to say odds aren’t great that he’ll make the Opening Day roster, but he’ll be offered a full and legitimate chance.  

Pittsburgh drafted Baumler and traded him to Texas for cash and 6’4” righty Jaiker Garcia, who I’ve never mentioned before. Until today, neither had anyone else I know with the exception Jamey Newberg, who typed the name in one of his missives from Fall Instructs, but only because Garcia was facing infield prospect Devin Fitz-Gerald, the focus of Jamey’s report. Garcia signed as an infielder in early 2022 but converted to the mound after one season. In 2025 as a 20-year-old, he made his stateside debut and in 19.1 rookie-level innings fanned 26 and walked 14 in 19.1 innings with a 4.66 ERA. Per Fangraphs, Garcia has touched 98 and flashed a plus changeup. 

Cam Cauley remains a Ranger. In recent seasons, Baseball America has presented an initial, brief list of potential Rule 5 picks augmented to absurd proportions by the time the draft actually occurs. This year’s final list had 85 names but only one Ranger, Cauley, who wasn’t on the original shortlist but added soon after. MLB.com held Cauley in higher esteem, including him as one of only two hitters on a nine-player list televised just prior to the draft. Of 13 players selected, the only batter was Athletics catcher Daniel Susac, picked by the Twins and traded to the Giants. 

In the minor league phase, the Rangers added one and lost two. Joining the organization from Boston is righty Jonathan Brand, listed at 5’9” and a stout 200 pounds. A 2022 eighth-rounder and 26 come February, Brand split most of 2025 in high-A Greenville and AA Portland, posting a 2.45 ERA with 16 walks and 59 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. He also had a lone belly-flop in AAA Worcester (5 batters, 4 runs). Brand offers a four-seamer around 91 plus a little bit of everything else. He’s not subject to any retention rules; Texas simply inherits his contract, which at the minor level could run through 2028. 

Gone are RHPs Jackson Kelley (White Sox) and Kyle Larsen (Pirates). Kelley was picked out of Mercer in 2022’s 12th round. The side-armer had missed bats with abandon until 2025, when an injury kept him off the field until June, and he K’ed only 26 in 30 AA innings while also walking more than usual. He might pitch well in AAA, but reaching the Majors would really be something. 

In the ’21 draft, Texas was able to sign 2nd-rounder Aaron Zavala on the cheap because of his medicals, and the Rangers spent only $135,000 combined on picks 6, 7, 9 and 10. (Incidentally, two of those reached the Majors: Chase Lee and Liam Hicks. Nice job, scouts.) Several others reaped the benefits including Larsen, who was awarded $575,000 despite his 18th-round selection.  Unfortunately, Larsen has been as injury-prone as Baumler, pitching only 2.2 innings in his first three pro seasons and 96 thereafter, and he’d yet to reach high-A. Still, in a draft that is intended mostly for filling organizational holes, Larsen might actually have some upside. 

Incoming

Texas has signed a few players recently. Back with the Rangers is righty reliever Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, aka “AHT,” aka “Bubba.” He was a fringe 40 candidate after 2023, then traded for Robbie Grosssman Part II in May 2024. He didn’t pitch in any real games in 2025, and his transaction list reads oddly: temporarily inactive in March, restricted in April, released in July, out of contract until late November.

Soon-to-be-30 3B Jonah Bride hit an out-of-nowhere .276/.357/.461 in 71 games for Miami in 2024 (while managed by Skip Schumacher) but couldn’t maintain that success last year with the Fish or Twins. 31-year-old Tyler Wade has enough positional flexibility to have played in nine consecutive MLB seasons despite a career line of .216/.294/.284. Also 31, infielder (and occasional OF) Andrew Velazquez spent 2025 with the AAA club of the Yankees (.242/.304/.345 in 106 games) following occasional MLB action with the Rays, Guardians O’s and Angels during 2018-2023. 

Returning after a brief spell as a free agent is catcher Cooper Johnson, who’ll share duties in Round Rock. Also back is IF Ritchie Martin, a first-rounder from 2015 swiped by Baltimore from Oakland in the 2019 Rule 5 draft. Martin stuck out the whole season but didn’t hit much, and he was playing for Gastonia in the indy Atlantic League when Texas offered him a org spot last summer. 

PLAYOFF PREVIEW: HIGH-A SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE SEMIFINALS


Hub City Spartanburgers (65-66) vs. Tampa Bay-affiliated Bowling Green Hot Rods (69-61)

Season Run Differential: Hub City -1, Bowling Green +63
Last 20 Games: Hub City 10-10, Bowling Green 11-9
Season Series: Bowling Green 6-5

How They Got Here
Bowling Green solely owned the first-half lead for the last 3.5 weeks but never by more than two games, holding off Hub City and a Greenville squad that faltered late.

With 13 games to play in the second half, Hub City, Bowling Green and Greenville were tied at 27-26. The Spartanburgers led by two games entering the final series but lost four of six while Bowling Green won five to capture the second-half title. Hub City still advanced because of the second-best second-half record (34-32). Greenville (66-66) would have advanced instead of Hub City under the old playoff rules that used the second-best full-season record. 

History
2025 is Hub City’s inaugural season. Texas’s high-A squad was eliminated in the opening rounds of 2023 and 2019 following league championships by Down East (2017) and 2016 (High Desert). 

Bowling Green’s history is formidable, including three Sally titles in the four seasons since realignment. Prior to 2020, the Hot Rods were a perennially strong low-A entry. 

Top 30 Active Prospects Per MLB.com
Hub City:
#8 RHP Caden Scarborough
#11 C Malcolm Moore
#16 OF Dylan Dreiling
#23 RHP Kolton Curtis
#29 OF Maxton Martin

Bowling Green:
#6 OF Aidan Smith
#10 RHP Trevor Harrison
#11 RHP Santiago Suarez
#12 RHP Jose Urbina
#13 RHP Gary Gill Hill
#27 C Nathan Flewelling
#28 MIF Emilien Pitre
#29 MIF Adrian Santana

Offense / Possible Position Players
C Malcolm Moore / Ben Hartl
1B Arturo Disla / Rafe Perich
2B John Taylor / Casey Cook
3B Gleider Figuereo / Rafe Perich
SS Luke Hanson / John Taylor
LF Casey Cook / Yeison Morrobel
CF Dylan Dreiling
RF Maxton Martin / Antonis Macias

Sorry, but this is a bland offense. The Burgers scored 6% fewer runs than the league average with a 95 OPS+ and didn’t do anything well except avoid strikeouts. 3B Gleider Figuereo (.201/.287/.353) led the club with 18 homers but hit only three in 36 games after the All-Star break. Malcolm Moore (.198/.293/.271) sneaked in a nice week in August but otherwise struggled after returning from a broken finger. Rafe Perich (.202/.322/.274) didn’t hit much after being promoted, and Yeison Morrobel (.170/.248/.278) declined in a repeat at this level.  

The good news is that both 2025 2nd-rounder Dylan Dreiling (.226/.319/.381) and 3rd-rounder Casey Cook (.205/.302/.294) were better down the stretch. Dreiling had the team’s most homers (four) after the break and pushed his season OPS+ to 113. Newcomer Maxton Martin (.258/.347/.445 including Hickory) hit well after his promotion from Hickory. Ben Hartl (.245/.389/.305 including Hickory) is the #2 catcher but also the best on-base threat thanks to 33 walks and 32 (!) HBP in 337 trips to the plate, mostly in low-A. 1B/COF Quincy Scott (.231/.328/.321) was activated from a lengthy IL stint today; he’s yet another slightly-below-average hitter but an improvement on Morrobel and can swipe a base.

Paxton Kling played only 11 games with the Burgers, but his injury last week brought wholesale changes to the defensive alignment. Casey Cook spent his entire season at second or short until last Friday, when he made the first of three straight starts in left (his most common position at UNC in his draft year). John Taylor started the final three games at second, which he’d manned before but never that frequently. Dylan Dreilng shifted back to center, which he’d typically occupied before Kling’s arrival. 

Hub City will bat Macias, Dreiling, Moore, Hartl (DH), Martin, Cook, Figuereo, Taylor and Hanson. I’m happy to say that for fun, I played manager this morning and made my own lineup, and it was nearly identical with the primary exception of moving Moore to the bottom. 

Bowling Green outscored the league average by 9%. Other than leading the league in walks, the offense isn’t especially dynamic, but they do everything pretty well and it adds up. 40-steal batters are CF Aidan Smith (.237/.331/.388, 14 HR), SS Adrian Santana (.263/.324/.326) and OF Mac Horvath (.233/.333/.395, 16 HR). 2B Emilien Pitre (.268/.356/.393, 9 HR, 14 SB) is good all-around. 

Pitching / Possible Rotation (* equals guess based on past use)
Hub City:
SP1: Dylan MacLean (3.34 ERA, .200/.243/.366 oppo, 6% BB+HBP, 23% SO)
SP2: Caden Scarborough (0.00 ERA, .133/.204/.133 oppo, 8% BB+HBP, 39% SO)
SP3: Dalton Pence (1.55 ERA, .192/.259/.234 oppo, 9% BB+HBP and 28% SO)

MacLean isn’t the big name but is a capable starter, one of the only pitchers on the staff with good control. Aidan Curry, ordinarily the starter for Hub City’s second game of the week, is being skipped to push up Scarborough and Pence, who will still be pitching on normal rest because of a day off Wednesday. Scarborough has been indomitable, and Pence has adapted well to a starting role. Curry has been better since returning from an Arizona reboot, but Hub City has its three best starters lined up. Hopefully, they can be pushed a little harder than usual under the circumstances, because…

Hub City’s relief corps is worryingly thin. Gone are Erik Loomis, Wilian Bormie, Joey Danielson and Josh Mollerus. To a man, the relievers have distressing control, in aggregate a BB+HBP rate of over 20%. Victor Simeon got most of the save chances down the stretch but walked or hit 49 and unleashed 11 wild pitches in 44.2 IP. Simeon does miss bats, though (32% rate), and relying on him and the other high-K guys (Jesus Gamez, Case Matter, Adrian Rodriguez) might be a path forward. 

Bowling Green:
SP1*: Trevor Harrison (3.33 ERA, .258/.362/.360 oppo, 15% BB+HBP, 24% SO)
SP2*: Marcus Johnson (4.50 ERA, .292/.314/.484 oppo, 3% BB+HBP, 24% SO)
SP3*: Garrett Gainey (3.29 ERA, .213/.265/.339 oppo, 7% BB+HBP, 23% SO)

Bowling Green’s run prevention was above average, but opponents batted .237 and slugged .374, both among the worst figures in the league. The Hot Rods were shockingly homer-prone, easily worst in the league, and they weren’t strong in strikeouts. They’re superior at avoiding walks, one of the best teams I’ve encountered. This does leave an opening for Hub City’s hitters, who as a group don’t have good power but don’t strike out much. A line of attack could be putting a bunch of balls in play, potentially stringing together some hits and maybe launching a few.

Drew Dowd (2.60 ERA, .196/.268/.286, 9% BB+HBP, 32% SO) was the save leader down the stretch and hasn’t allowed a run in 20 innings. Noah Beal and Seth Chavez were the busiest relievers; neither was especially effective. As a group, the BG pen has less upside but more stability. This afternoon, Bowling Green received relievers Jonathan Russell and Jadon Berkovich both of whom pitched well for low-A Charleston. 

Defense
Hub City’s defense isn’t a weakness, but Bowling Green is better in several respects such as converting double play opportunities, limiting the running game and avoiding errors.

Advantages
Hitting – Bowling Green
Pitching – Hub City (rotation), Bowling Green (bullpen)
Defense – Bowling Green

Park Factor
Both parks are dead average. 

Outlook
If I had to put $100 on the series, first I’d question my life choices, and then I’d pick Bowling Green. They’re better on paper. That said, this series is roughly the equivalent of the Royals facing the Mets. Hub City emerging victorious isn’t a stretch. 

Most Recent Texas-Affiliated Championship Teams
AAA: 1996 Oklahoma City 89ers
AA: 2022 Frisco RoughRiders
Hi-A: 2017 Down East Wood Ducks (co-champion)
Lo-A: 2015 Hickory Crawdads
Short-A: 2008 Spokane Indians (RIP)
Rookie: 2019 Rangers
DSL: 2014 Rangers

Elsewhere
Tampa Bay claimed RHP Caleb Boushley. Trey Supak (AAA) and Josh Trentadue (AA) are starting tonight. Hickory’s season is over. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 1, Sacramento (SFO) 0
Round Rock: 11 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
Record: 21-18, 6 GB, 55-59 overall

SP Ben Anderson: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 67 P / 41 S, 3.97 ERA
RP Jacob Latz: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 2.08 ERA
RP Jose Ruiz: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.60 ERA
RP Craig Kimbrel: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.26 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 3-3, BB, .338/.385/.548
LF Alejandro Osuna: 1-3, BB, .295/.475/.432

Craig Kimbrel had a little more pep in his throws last night, averaging 93.5 on the fastball instead of the usual 92.5. I’d bet that even among serious baseball fans, few know he’s pitching for Texas’s AAA squad. I suppose that slightly increases the chance of another team wanting to take a chance on him and/or the likelihood of him trying to extend his career into 2026. 

This week is a reunion of sorts, with former Rangers Sam Huff and Osleivis Basabe in town for Sacramento.Huff lasted two months on the Giants’ roster as an ill-used #2 catcher (53 PA in 58 team games) before being outrighted, which was much more of an opportunity he’d have received in Texas. Basebe was outrighted as well after being traded from Tampa Bay in February. 

The Nationals designated 1B Nathaniel Lowe for assignment. His power remains, but after four seasons as an OBP source with Texas that percentage plummeted to .293 in Washington.


AA: Frisco 6, Midland (ATH) 4
Frisco: 12 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 8 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 18-23, 8 GB, 56-53 overall

SP Leandro Lopez: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 0 SO, 35 P / 18 S, 2.35 ERA
RP Larson Kindreich: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 3.18 ERA
SS Sebastian Walcott: 1-4, BB, .238/.336/.377
LF Keith Jones II: 1-3, HR (2), BB, .191/.269/.319
C Julian Brock: 3-4, 2B

Neither I nor faithful readers need a reminder of Leandro Lopez’s eccentricity, but he provided one anyway. He walked the first two batters and was eventually pulled seven pitches into his seventh batter with a 2-2 count. 

If you’re wondering whether Sebastian Walcott is injured because his name hasn’t appeared lately, no, he’s just been quiet. Walcott ended a 22-game streak without an extra-base hit a month, but now he’s in another of 13, during which he’s hitting .140/.260/.140. Following a two-homer game on May 30, he’s slugging .301 with eight extra-base hits in 53 games. 


Hi-A: wet

Two today.


Lo-A: Hickory 2, at Charleston (TAM) 3
Hickory: 9 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 26-18, 5 GB, 59-50 overall

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 3 SO, 73 P / 40 S, 2.79 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 3.43 ERA
RF Paxton Kling: 3-4
C Josh Springer: 2-3, 2B, .188/.263/.250

Paxton Kling delivered again, lining twice and beating out a grounder for singles. Josh Springer doesn’t have much of a line yet in six games but has only fanned once after doing so just nine times in 133 trips to the plate at the complex (.284/.364/.388).

Today’s Starters
AAA: Supak
AA: Davalillo
Hi-A: Curry / TBD
Lo-A: Scarborough

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The 2021 Frisco RoughRiders had the second-best pitching staff during 2007-2024 of any Texas team and was 28th-best of 794 teams in Texas-affiliated leagues in that span.

Runs allowed: 4.3 per game, 14% better than park-adjusted league average
ERA-: 86
FIP-: 91
Opposing OPS+: 88

What you saw in Frisco after a year lost to covid:
— The best minor league season from Cole Winn (78 innings, 38 hits, 2.31 ERA)
— AJ Alexy’s professional peak (50 innings, 30 hits, 1.61 ERA)
— 14 wonderful starts from Yerry Rodriguez (59 innings, 38 hits, 2.63 ERA)
— 13 strong starts from Hans Crouse (51 IP, 27 hits, 3.35 ERA), until he was traded
— Four walks and 41 strikeouts in 34.2 innings from Cody Bradford (3.89 ERA)
— Dominant relief from Nick Snyder (16 IP, 25 SO, 1.65 ERA), Daniel Robert (17 IP, 31 SO, 2.08 ERA), Cole Uvila (31 IP, 42 SO, 2.90 ERA), Scott Engler (19 IP, 32 SO, 3.20 ERA) and Joe Gatto (18 IP, 25 SO, 0.98 ERA)
— A stretch of eight appearances with 9.2 nearly perfect innings from Chase Lee (1 hit, 1 walk, 16 strikeouts)
— A 2.79 ERA in 9.2 innings from catcher Jordan Procyshen

Despite a modestly hitter-friendly park, Frisco led the “Double-A Central”* in runs allowed, walks (barely) and hits (by a mile). 15 pitchers would eventually reach the Majors. 

The team was only 64-55 because of a flat offense (98 OPS+ but last in OBP, 7% fewer runs than average). Alas, the pitching responsible for a positive record couldn’t quite get the Riders into the playoffs. Frisco could have advanced with a victory in the finale at Amarillo, and the offense was up to task, rallying from a four-run deficit to take a 10-7 lead in he 9th. Chase Lee had already retired four batters but stayed in, and as he exceeded his career-high in pitches, Amarillo’s Ryder Jones sent the game to extras with a three-run homer. Frisco scored one in the 10th, after which Daniel Robert came on despite having thrown 21 pitches the days before. (Frisco was pretty much out of viable options and had been leaning on him and Lee heavily down the stretch.) Robert threw six pitches, resulting in a double, hit-by-pitch, groundout and season-ending three-run homer. Gut: wrenched. 

* Remember when MLB usurped control of minor league operations but didn’t have the naming rights, so they had to use placeholder names? Those were good times.**

** No, they weren’t. 

Rankings
MLB.com’s updated top-thirty list places Hub City catcher Malcolm Moore at #11, noting he was “getting too passive at times and having trouble turning on pitches.” I haven’t witnessed enough at-bats to judge the “turning” part, but I did mention a while back that he had more opposite-field balls in play than pulled, which wasn’t what I expected even from an “all fields” hitter. Baseball America re-rated him 13th. These rankings are harsher than my “slightly down” assessment from last month, in which I was giving him the benefit of the doubt because of an injury that sidelined him for a long while. 

Both MLB and Baseball America ranked Texas 26th in organizational talent. I don’t follow other system in nearly the depth to judge. Instead, I tend to view the system by comparison to past years, and in that respect, I can’t offer much disagreement. Systems have cycles, and we’re in a down period. Some of that is graduations, but not having Alejandro Rosario, Winston Santos, and (for most of the season) Emiliano Teodo is a blow, as are the first full seasons from top 2024 picks Moore and Dylan Dreiling. 

Deadline trades weakened the system as well. Ignoring for the moment the players acquired, I do think the answer to “should Texas have traded” is a strong yes. The team is built to win now and should be supported accordingly. Yes, it’s more fun to see Texas’s prospects grow up and graduate as Rangers, but to be perfectly blunt, back-of-the-rotation candidates are born to be traded. The success rate for these types isn’t good; better to capitalize on their value as prospects if the parent club has a chance at a playoff run. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 1, Sacramento (SFO) 3
Round Rock: 4 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 20-18, 6 GB, 54-59 overall

SP Michael Plassmeyer: 5.2 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 8 SO, 85 P / 58 S, 4.77 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
1B Cody Freeman: 2-4, .332/.379/.544
RF Abi Ortiz: 1-3, BB, .429/.571/1.000

Since returning to Round Rock, Cody Freeman has played once at first (yesterday), twice at second, thrice in left, and nine times at third. He’s played occasionally at short but mostly in May and not once since the beginning of July. 

AA: Frisco 7, Midland (ATH) 4
Frisco: 9 hits, 13 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 17-23, 8 GB, 55-53 overall

SP Josh Trentadue: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 63 P / 34 S, 6.10 ERA
RP Emiliano Teodo: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 0 SO, 18.00 ERA
RP Geraldo Carillo: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.25 ERA
C Ian Moller: 2-3, 2 BB, .232/.321/.333

In his third AA appearance, Josh Trentadue allowed his fewest runs but had to deal with a bunch of traffic, leaving the bases loaded in the 2nd and needing reliever Ryan Lobus to grab the last out with the bases juiced against in the 3rd. In his first appearance in over two months, Emiliano Teodo allowed four of seven batters to reach and missed on nearly half his pitches. Frisco did win, though, thanks to a bounty of hits from some of the returning free agents I mentioned recently (Keyber Rodriguez, jax Biggers, Frainyer Chavez). 

Hi-A: Hub City 0, at Brooklyn (NYM) 3
Hub City: 4 hits, 3 walks, 15 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Record: 22-21, 1.5 GB, 53-55 overall

SP Dylan MacLean: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 59 P / 40 S, 3.43 ERA
RP Jesus Gamez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1.59 ERA
3B Gleider Figuereo: 3-4, 2 2B, .212/.293/.379

My rankings piece above was originally here because 1) this game was a dud, and 2) Malcolm Moore plays for Hub City. I decided it was worth moving to the top, but as for this game, I don’t have anything to add to the basic stats. 

Lo-A: Hickory 6, at Charleston (TAM) 0
Hickory: 11 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 26-17, 5 GB, 59-49 overall

SP Enrique Segura: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 65 P / 47 S, 3.91 ERA
RP Frank Martinez: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 6.00 ERA
RP Grant Cherry: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 5.00 ERA
RP William Privette: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 4.78 ERA
LF Maxton Martin: 2-4, 2B, BB, .265/.348/.454
DH Braylin Morel: 2-4, HR (2), .216/.259/.392
RF Paxton Kling: 2-4, 2B
1B Pablo Guerrero: 3-4, 2B, .207/.300/.315

In his pro debut, 7th-rounder Paxton Kling lined a single and double with a simple, compact swing absent any leg kick. Braylin Morel powered a fly over the fence in left-center despite s slight lunge in his swing. 

When Enrique Segura’s BB+HBP rate is less than one per nine batters, his ERA is 2.10. When it’s over, 5.81. I know “walks bad” isn’t terribly insightful, but batters at this level aren’t having much success when they have to swing (.202 bat, .271 slug), so his success really does hinge on control. 

23-year-old Frank Martinez improved on a one-frame, two-run low-A debut last week. At the complex, he had a 4.35 and 34 strikeouts in 31 innings, prone to extra-base hits (one per trip through the order) but only doubles and triples. He signed in 2023.

Today’s Starters
AAA: B. Anderson
AA: Lopez
Hi-A: Curry
Lo-A: Lafalaise

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 7, at Albuquerque (COL) 3
Round Rock: 10 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 20-17, 6 GB, 54-58 overall

SP Cory Abbott: 5 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 82 P / 53 S, 7.49 ERA
RP Caleb Boushley: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 1.27 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 3-5, 2 2B, HR (18), .331/.377/.545
1B Justin Foscue: 3-4, 2B, HR (12), BB, .261/.355/.463

Round Rock took six of seven at Albuquerque by an aggregate score of 60-35. The ‘Topes are a little unlucky to be 46-67, but they’re always bad, so whatever. Barring a turnaround, Albuquerque is headed for a tenth-straight losing season as a Colorado affiliate and seventh straight at least 14 games under .500. That takes commitment. 

Texas signed 33-year-old catcher Omar Narvaez, who’d recently played for the White Sox (mostly minors) and Astros (minors only). Earlier, Texas had signed catcher Elih Marrero, who played two games from the Express before heading to Frisco. Narvaez in particular is depth for the Rangers. Prior to their arrival, injury options were Cooper Johnson and Cody Freeman (after fishing his mask and glove out of the shed where they’ve sat the last two years). 

After a nice week in New Mexico, Justin Foscue’s slash since being optioned is similar to his overall line. Absent injuries, I can’t imagine him returning, even if Texas plunges completely out of contention. In such a case, I’d guess Jake Burger and Joc Pederson would continue to play regularly with the idea of getting straightened out heading into 2026 (or, more pessimistically, playing their way out of Texas’s 2026 plans). Foscue has another option year in 2026, but the idea of him spending anther season in Round Rock seems unlikely at this point. 

AA: Frisco 2, at Arkansas (SEA) 0
Frisco: 5 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 16-23, 8 GB, 54-53 overall

SP Jose Gonzalez: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 71 P / 48 S, 0.00 ERA
RP Larson Kindreich: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.35 ERA
RP Jackson Kelley: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 3.15 ERA
RP Bryan Magdaleno: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 6.33 ERA

24-year-old righty Jose Gonzalez excelled in his AA debut, not a K-heavy as some outings but untroubled by Arkansas’ efforts. The system has harder throwers but he’ll miss with anything (low-90s fastball, slider, cutter, split).

Texas released Frisco OF Josh Hatcher. A redshirt senior sign in 2022’s 10th round from Kennsaw State, Hatcher was an old 23 by the time he grabbed a wood bat as a pro. He graduated to AA Frisco the next June stayed there for all but two games of the next two-plus years. Last year was a peak: .294/.346/.440 with 12 homers and 23 steals in 109 games. He had some pop and speed but struck out five times per walk, and that ratio increased in 2025 as his production suffered badly following a hot opening week. 

Hi-A: Hub City 1, at Jersey Shore (PHI) 9
Hub City: 5 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 22-20, 1 GB, 53-54 overall

SP Kolton Curtis: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 4 BB, 2 SO, 74 P / 39 S, 5.81 ERA
3B Gleider Figuereo: 1-1, 2 BB, .205/.288/.369

Something to ponder in your free time: Who are Frisco’s position players next year? Yesterday’s lineup contained four players (Keyber Rodriguez, Frainyer Chavez, Jax Biggers, Luis Mieses) who’d previously reached minor league free agency and re-signed, and another (Marcus Smith) who can walk in a few months. Not to say one or more can’t be re-signed again, but obviously the preference is for younger guys if they’re available. At the same time, Hub City is loaded with slightly-below-average lines. Some Spartanburgers could be promoted, but nobody is forcing the issue. I was thinking about that as I prepared the Frisco-heavy “worst teams” entries a couple of weeks ago. When the farm was at a lull in the previous cycle, Frisco, and in particular Frisco’s offense, suffered the most. 

Lo-A: Hickory 0, Columbia (KAN) 1
Hickory: 2 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 25-17, 5 GB, 58-49 overall

SP Ismael Agreda: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 SO, 75 P / 52 S, 2.60 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.57 ERA

Ismael Agreda had a career outing, allowing a solitary baserunner while matching a previous best of eight strikeouts along with highs in whiffs (18) and innings. Per Mark Parker, Agreda was a steady 97+ and touched 100 a couple of times. I don’t know about the triple digits, but the sitting velocity isn’t anything new. Newer are improved secondaries including a worthy slider, plus occasional hints that he can harness his control. Now 21, Agreda didn’t reach full-season ball until this his fifth pro season.

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The fourth-best pitching staff during 2007-2024 was the 2011 high-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans. 

Runs/game: 3.9 (6% better than park-adjusted league average)
ERA-: 89
FIP-: 86
Opposing OPS+: 84

The opposing OPS+ and FIP- (fielding-independent pitching) rank first in the system during this span. The Pelicans also led the lead (easily) with 8.5 strikeouts per game (average was 7.2) and homers, and they trailed the walk leader by only a handful. Oddly, the team’s actual run production was merely good. Best as I can tell, reasons include so-so defense (particularly bland at turning double plays) and having to throw 28 innings more than any other team (due to a great road record and perhaps relatively fewer seven-inning doubleheaders). 

Some rotation ERAs (league average was 3.73):
Joe Wieland, 2.10
Robbie Erlin, 2.14
Robbie Ross, 2.26
Chad Bell, 2.98
Justin Grimm, 3.39

Barret Loux, Miguel de los Santos and Kennil Gomez sat right around the league average. Myrtle Beach also had some formidable relief from Johan Yan (1.52 ERA, 10 saves), Joe Ortiz (2.15 ERA, 5 saves) and Trevor Hurley (2.70 ERA, 4 saves). 

The Pelicans also had the last 44 professional innings from Kasey Kiker, who spent the season there after two years in Frisco. He walked 52 in 44.2 innings and posted a 7.05 ERA. The team ERA absent him drops from 3.32 to 3.18. 

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 8, at Albuquerque (COL) 9 (11)
Round Rock: 11 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 8 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 18-17, 6 GB, 52-58 overall

SP Trey Supak: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 67 P / 43 S, 4.15 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 2-6, 2B, .326/.374/.448
C Cooper Johnson: 2-3, 2B, HR (5), BB, .217/.327/.356

Albuquerque led 3-2 through the 8th, after which both teams scored six runs. Abi Ortiz did not play, presumably because the heat he exuded was melting equipment and injuring his teammates. 

AA: Frisco 5, at Arkansas (SEA) 4
Frisco: 9 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 15-22, 8 GB, 53-52 overall

SP Josh Stephan: 4.1 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 82 P / 52 S, 4.95 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 HBP, 5 SO, 5.40 ERA
CF Cam Cauley: 1-4, 3B, BB, .249/.319/.405
LF Aaron Zavala: 1-3, HR (10), .238/.366/.391

Eric Loomis struck out Devin Fitz-Gerald’s older brother Hunter to end the game with the winning run at second base. After a couple of blowouts, Josh Stephan has settled into a six-outing productive stretch, albeit without many strikeouts. I’m still not counting on him being a 40 add despite the departures of Drake and Bratt. 

Hi-A: Hub City 1, at Jersey Shore (PHI) 4
Hub City: 7 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 21-19, tied for first, 52-53 overall

SP DJ McCarty: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 SO, 80 P / 53 S, 5.17 ERA
DH Anthony Gutierrez: 2-4, BB, .252/.323/.314

Would-be CF Anthony Gutierrez has played only DH and first since missing a week and a half in mid-May. He’s hitting .243/.314/.322 with 30 steals in that span, so obviously his legs aren’t the issue. 

Lo-A: Hickory 8, Columbia (KAN) 2
Hickory: 12 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 7 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 23-16, 6 GB, 56-48 overall

SP Jesus Lafalaise: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 60 P / 33 S, 0.00 ERA
CF Yeremi Cabrera: 3-4, 2B, HR (8), BB, SB (37), .248/.362/.356
LF Maxton Martin: 2-5, HR (12), .265/.343/.456
SS Yolfran Castillo: 2-3, BB, SB (2)
1B Pablo Guerrero: 2-3, HR (6), .199/.294/.304

Unlike Wily Villar, Jesus Lafalaise is not a 26-year-old with no pro experience. He’s 20 and signed in January 2024. Comparatively dull, but he’s in full-season ball after just 55 pro innings. Per observer Mark Parker (and a little bit of me watching video), he offered a 93-95 fastball, slurvy slider and change. 

Yolfran Castillo bounced a single up the middle (and was tagged trying for second) and grounded past the second baseman. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: Edwards
AA: Corniell
Hi-A: Fowler
Lo-A: Perry / TBD

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The tenth-best rotation performance by a Texas pitcher during 2007-2024 was by Neftali Feliz in 2008. 

I think you know his background, and I’m not going to get into that fateful showdown, but in Game 7 of the 2011 World Series, the Rangers had a starting pitcher, starting shortstop and closer from the same trade. Amazing. 

The first time I saw Feliz in action was a rare televised short-season Spokane game, wherein his fastball left me in awe and his scattershot breaker left me wondering what the Rangers really had. Even though I saw him again in person in October (the picture below), for a while I overbought that one visual and thought less of him than most observers. Lesson learned. 

Feliz headed to low-A Clinton to begin 2008, and in his second start he walked five and fanned none in 0.2 innings. Maybe I was right! But after two more starts with mixed results, he clicked into place. Over the next seven outings, he allowed a total of three runs, walked nine, and struck out 40. Earlier, I mentioned some pitchers skipping Texas’s dismal high-A affiliate in Bakersfield. Feliz was among them, joining the Riders for an early July debut. I saw him and Derek Holland (in his AA debut) on consecutive days in mid-August. Those were the days. 

164 pitchers started at least 26 full-season minor league games in 2008. Only Feliz had a 30% strikeout rate, 3% above the next-highest competitor. (Derek Holland was fifth. We’ll get to him later.) Feliz also had the second-lowest opposing average (.201) and slugging percentage of this group (.283). He even had the 18th-lowest OBP (.293) despite an inflated walk rate. Over the years, I’ve covered numerous relievers with poor walk rates but still-incredibleresults because they were unhittable. Feliz accomplished this feat in a starting role. (Except for a very select few, the walks do matter eventually, yes.) 

Feliz converted to relief in late June 2009. In mid-August he made back-to-back appearances for AAA Oklahoma at Round Rock. I was there, of course. In one game, I remember the crowd falling quiet and literally oohing and aahing as his speeds appeared on the video board. 100 MPH isn’t exactly common now, but back then it was truly a special event, and the audience (who were there to support the other team) was enchanted.

Feliz last pitched in a real game in the US in 2021. After several years in Mexico, he signed a minor deal with the Mariners last winter but was released in mid-March. He rejoined Durango but was released after one appearance. Now 37, he might be at the end. 

Feliz at the complex, October 2007:

The graphic accompanying Feliz’s release from Durango in May 2025:

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 13, at Albuquerque (COL) 6
Round Rock: 21 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 18-16, 5 GB, 52-57 overall

SP Kumar Rocker: 5.2 IP, 9 H (2 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 87 P / 58 S, 3.95 ERA
CF Dustin Harris: 4-5, 2B, .268/.358/.404
1B Jake Burger: 4-6, 2B, HR (3)
LF Cody Freeman: 3-5, HR (17), BB, .326/.375/.533
RF Abimelec Ortiz: 1-3, HR (4), 2 BB

Top exit velocities by Express hitters in 2025:
114.2, Jake Burger (out)
112.7, Abi Ortiz (home run)
112.7, Rowdy Tellez (single)
111.8, Blaine Crim (double)
111.4, Blaine Crim (single)
111.0, Marcus Smith (double)
110.6, Blaine Crim (single)
110.5, Jake Burger (out)
110.4, Blaine Crim (out)
100.3, Blaine Crim (single)
110.1, Jonathan Ornelas (out)

Of all of Round Rock’s 110+ MPH exits, only Ortiz’s had a homer angle. His shot traveled 433 feet. In Albuquerque, yes, but that’s a big-boy swing. I do need him to cool off a little because my story template isn’t designed to accommodate four-digit slugging percentages. He’s hitting .538/.600/1.462 in four games. 

Cody Freeman made his third start in left, and if you’re wondering whether he has any natural aptitude for the position, let him show you.

Kumar Rocker actually was very good at avoiding hard hits (only five of 22 in play, 23%), but one left the park and three shot through the infield for hits. A slightly slower hit also escaped the premises. He missed five bats on eight swings against his slider. 

Burger is back with the Rangers, and Alejandro Osuna was optioned. 

AA: Frisco 2, at Arkansas (SEA) 1
Frisco: 6 hits, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 14-22, 8 GB, 52-52 overall

SP David Davalillo: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 72 P / 46 S, 1.99 ERA
RP Jackson Kelley: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.22 ERA
RP Larson Kindreich: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.53 ERA

David Davalillo no-hit the Travs for four innings, but the story is the bottom of the 3rd. A walk and error put runners in scoring position with none out. Davalillo responded with three straight strikeouts (slider, slider, change) to strand both. He’s at an even 100 strikeouts (with just 23 walks) in 82.2 innings and has a chance to overtake the departed Mitch Bratt’s org-leading 106 in his next start. 

Hi-A: Hub City 1, at Jersey Shore (PHI) 2
Hub City: 4 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 21-18, tied for first, 52-52 overall

SP Dalton Pence: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 75 P / 51 S, 0.99 ERA
DH Rafe Perich: 1-3, BB, .182/.333/.258
LF Yeison Morrobel: 2-4, .188/.258/.314

Dalton Pence is stretched out to actual starting duty, setting career highs in innings and pitches in consecutive starts. In 12 previous starts, he’d last no longer than three innings. 

Lo-A: Hickory 5, Columbia (KAN) 1 (7)
Hickory: 5 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts

SP Caden Scarborough: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 64 P / 49 S, 3.09 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.63 ERA
LF Maxton Martin: 3-3, 2 HR (11), .263/.342/.449
SS Yolfran Castillo: 1-2, HBP, SB (1)

Caden Scarborough was efficient enough to reach a career-high six innings on only his seventh-higher pitch total.  

Maxton Martin homered twice, the first an opposite-field shot made more impressive by what appeared to be contact well toward the end of the bat. Martin is the 11th Ranger and sixth outside of AAA to reach double digits. He also leads the organization with 24 doubles. 

Yolfran Castillo grounded a 1-2 breaker through the hole for his first full-season hit. 

Lo-A: Hickory 0, Columbia (KAN) 9 (7)
Hickory: 2 hits, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 22-16, 6 GB, 55-48 overall

SP Enrique Segura: 3 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 56 P / 40 S, 4.31 ERA
RP Wily Villar: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA

An otherwise forgettable nightcap brought the full-season debut of Wily Villar. Villar spent most of the season in the Dominican Republic and reached the complex near the end of that season, allowing ten runners and five runs in four innings. Okay. So what? First, Villar offered a 98 MPH fastball and low-80s curve. Second, Villar didn’t sign until May of this year, had no previous professional experience, and is going to turn 27 in a few days. That’s quite the background. 

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Stephan
Hi-A: McCarty
Lo-A: Mejia