Category: Daily Report

Kumar Rocker was originally scheduled to pitch in Round Rock but will instead throw for the Rangers. Rocker was successful in his Tuesday start for the Express, but his control lagged more than the one walk in four innings would suggest, and his pitch selection largely eschewed the mid-80s slider that is essentially untouchable at that level. It wasn’t a “finishing touches” start, but he’s been in Arlington before and knows what’s required. Tyler Mahle is on the IL.

Texas released righty Gerson Garabito. In a vacuum, that news surprised me. He’d been awful in Round Rock, unfortunately, and I assumed his 40 spot was in deep jeopardy, but there’s no benefit to a pure release versus designation for assignment unless the front office was convinced he’ll never retire Triple A hitters adequately again. In fact, per a bunch of gossip I saw online yesterday and local media today, Garabito is headed to Korea. He hadn’t pitched stateside in over two years when the Rangers signed him and quickly became an adequate long man for a spell, so that was was a good bit of business for all parties.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 0, El Paso (SDG) 8
Round Rock: 4 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 33-35, eliminated

SP Michael Plassmeyer: 4 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 6 R, 1 BB, 3 HBP, 6 SO, 65 P / 43 S, 4.54 ERA
RP Robert Dugger: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 11.69 ERA
CF Dustin Harris: 2-4, 2B, ..235/.342/.324

My Father’s Day present to myself is to skip this game.

AA: Frisco 2, at Midland (ATH) 1
Frisco: 3 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 35-26, 0.5 G up

SP Mitch Bratt: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 79 P / 52 S, 2.18 ERA
RP Aidan Anderson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Skylar Hales: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 5.82 ERA

Earlier this week I pointed to a late-inning loss by Hub City that would stand out if the Burgers fell just short of the division title. If the Riders win their division, last night will stand out positively. Retired in order through five and hitless through seven, Frisco scored twice in the 8th to reverse a one-run deficit that Midland had nursed since the 1st. Frainyer Chavez lined an honest single after a Jax Biggers walk. After a Marcus Smith sac bunt, catcher Tucker Mitchell bounced a grounder just inside the 3B line for a two-run double. 

Mitch Bratt has allowed two or fewer runs in nine of 11 starts. Opponents have a .138 isolated power and are hitting .311 on balls in play, which is to say, his 2.18 ERA isn’t a product of luck but instead a product of his 66 strikeouts versus only nine walks.

Hi-A: Hub City 2, Wilmington (WAS) 3
Hub City: 3 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 7 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 30-32, 3.5 GB, elimination number 1

SP DJ McCarty: 4 IP, 1 H (1 HR), 2 R, 5 BB, 4 SO, 79 P / 43 S, 5.82 ERA

Hub City has averaged 2.6 runs and 5.2 hits in losing the first five games of the series. The Spartanburgers need to win tomorrow, hope for a Bowling Green loss, then win three straight at Bowling Green next week AND hope that Greenville loses at least three of its final four. Lots of needing and hoping going on.

Lo-A: wet

Two today. Columbia swept a doubleheader with Kannapolis last night to claim first place with a 33-29 record. Hickory’s elimination number is three. A sweep today is essentially required, and with four teams ahead, the Crawdads need several of them to belly-flop through next Thursday.

Today’s Starters
AAA: not Rocker
AA: Supak
Hi-A: Gonzalez
Lo-A: TBD x 2

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The second-best position player performance in short-rookie ball during 2007-2024 was by infielder Diosbel Arias.

Texas signed the Cuban Arias for $700,000 in 2017. Assigned to the short-A Northwest league as a 21-year-old, roughly the league-average age, Arias led the Northwest League in average (.366) and on-base percentage (.451) and was third in hits (83) and fourth in walks (33). He had a late-season 30-game stretch with a .500 OBP. During that period, he once went 4-4 with a double and two walks, and ten days later he went 3-3 with three walks.

Arias dutifully climbed the organizational ladder but didn’t quite reach the Majors. He could play multiple positions but not short. He hit for some power (about 25 doubles and seven homers per 120 games) and drew a decent number of walks, but he depended pretty heavily on batting average. He probably could have continued in AAA after his contract with Texas expired, but instead he headed for Mexico, where he’s spent the past two seasons.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 8, El Paso (SDG) 2
Round Rock: 11 hits, 7 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
Record: 33-34, 9.5 GB

SP Ty Blach: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 88 P / 63 S, 3.86 ERA
RP Luis Curvelo: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1.88 ERA
RP Patrick Murphy: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.63 ERA
2B Justin Foscue: 2-5, HR (10), .289/.381/.528
CF Dustin Harris: 2-4, 2B, BB, SB (12), .227/.338/.311
DH Cody Freeman: 1-3, 2 BB, SB (5), .307/.356/.489

Justin Foscue has joined Brian Crim (12) and Gleider Figuerero (10) in the double-digit homer club.

AA: Frisco 3, at Midland (ATH) 2 (10)
Frisco: 6 hits, 7 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 34-26, 0.5 GB, elimination number 8

SP Ben Anderson: 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 48 P / 34 S, 4.10 ERA
RP Geraldo Carillo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 5.82 ERA
RP Avery Weems: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 6.10 ERA
DH Sebastian Walcott: 2-3, BB, .256/.357/.438
SS Cam Cauley: 2-4, BB, .256/.333/.399

Midland’s Henry Bolte tied the game in the 9th with a two-out solo homer, but Sebastian Walcott’s 10th-inning sac fly would hold up to even the series against the division leader. . That run came off ex-Ranger CD Pelham. A split of the final two would make the math easy; Frisco would simply need to win one more game than Midland next week.

Hi-A: Hub City 0, Wilmington (WAS) 8
Hub City: 2 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 4 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 30-31, 2.5 GB, elimination number 3

SP David Davalillo: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 0 BB, 2 HBP, 0 SO, 57 P / 36 S, 2.12 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 3.12 ERA
RP Adonis Villaviciendo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 4.57 ERA

David Davalillo is living well when a six-run night raises his ERA to just 2.12, but the timing wasn’t great. Hub City has lost five straight. Eric Loomis rebounded from Tuesday’s four-walk blow-up. Between Hickory and Hub City, Loomis has struck out 42 in 26.2 innings (36%).

Lo-A: Hickory 2, at Myrtle Beach (CHC) 3
Hickory: 6 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 30-30, 2 GB, elimination number 4

SP J’Brielle Easley: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 39 P / 26 S, 3.60 ERA
2B Antonis Macias: 1-2, 3 BB, .256/.419/.327
3B Daniel Flames: 1-2, 2B, BB, .333/.391/.429

Hickory fell to fifth place, and the four teams ahead are paired off each other the next two days, complicating any potential ground-gaining. The Crawdads stranded runners on second and third in the 3rd, 6th, 7th and 8th.

Today’s Starters
AAA: Plassmeyer
AA: Bratt
Hi-A: McCarty
Lo-A: Molina

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The third-best position player season in short/rookie ball during 2007-2024 was by Heriberto Hernandez in 2019.

Texas signed Hernandez late in 2017. Nominally a catcher, he never donned the mask more than 14 games in any season and dispensed of that role after a couple of seasons. Mostly, he was a bat. He shredded the Dominican Summer league in 2018, clubbing an uncommonly high 12 homers. In Arizona, he ranked second in homers (11) and doubles (17) and was third in slugging (.646). Hernandez went 5-13 with two homers in the Rangers’ four-game spring to the league championship, then joined short-A Spokane for a week plus another playoff series. He homered in the first two games but was 0-4 with a walk in a 5-4 loss that turned out to be Spokane’s last game as a Texas affiliate and last in the now-defunct short-A level.

He would never play for Texas again, joining IF Oslevis Basabe and 1B/OF Alexander Ovalles in a trade for 1B Nathaniel Lowe. He had some strong seasons as a Ray but never of the quality displayed in 2019, and he played out his contract in 2024 without being added to the 40-man roster. Miami snapped him up quickly, however, and after a homer-heavy if hit-light 41 games, the Marlins brought him up for his MLB debut. So far, he’s reliving 2019, hitting .407/.448/.593 with two doubles and a homer in ten games.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 12, El Paso (SDG) 3
Round Rock: 10 hits, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 32-34, 9.5 GB

SP Gerson Garabito: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 48 P / 33 S, 8.53 ERA
RP Craig Kimbrel: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Peyton Gray: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2.84 ERA
2B Cody Freeman: 1-5, HR (8), .306/.351/.491
DH Blaine Crim: 2-4, HR (12), BB, .297/.369/.536
RF Kellen Strahm: 2-4, 2B, SB (23), .274/.376/.403
CF Michael Helman: 1-3, HR (3), BB, .240/.313/.427

Craig Kimbrel retired the side after an opening walk. He threw mostly fastballs, topping at 93.2 and drawing three misses, and three 84 MPH sweepers. Cody Freeman has a 13-game hitting streak during which he’s clubbed five homers and batted .383/.413/.700. Last night’s dinger was a grand slam.

I believe Round Rock has been eliminated from first-half title contention.

AA: Frisco 3, at Midland (ATH) 5
Frisco: 5 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
Record: 33-26, 1.5 GB

SP Josh Stephan: 7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 79 P / 60 S, 5.44 ERA

Josh Stephan threw a season-high seven innings and avoided the homers that have troubled him (his ten are most in the organization). Like last year, Midland has the league’s best run prevention and has held the Riders to 3.2 runs per game in their nine meetings.

Midland’s magic number is eight with nine to play.

Hi-A: Hub City 5, Wilmington (WAS) 6
Hub City: 10 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 30-30, 2 GB

SP Kolton Curtis: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 6 SO, 79 P / 48 S, 5.74 ERA
RP Josh Trentadue: 3 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 1.18 ERA
2B Casey Cook: 2-5, SB (16), .173/.261/.234
LF Keith Jones II: 2-5, 2B, .260/.391/.443

After five scoreless innings, the game unraveled for Kolton Curtis and the Spartanburgers. Following an opening walk, Curtis threw low against a batter squaring to bunt as the runner at first bolted for second. Catcher Julian Brock retrieved the ball and threw out the runner, after which the plate umpire very belatedly ruled the batter had been hit, and the baserunner was able to stay at second. The call was nominally correct, but its tardiness riled the Burgers and resulted in manager Chad Comer’s ejection. After a strikeout, six straight Blue Rocks reached and five scored. In the middle of the 8th, development coach Jay Sullenger was tossed as well. In-town Field Coordinator Kenny Holmberg joined the discussion during the latter ejection, apparently in a more peaceable role.

I haven’t time to dig up the specifics, but I recall from ages ago a Hickory opponent’s entire coaching staff being ejected following a close call on a fly over the foul pole, and a visiting coordinator ended up managing the rest of the game (which I believe isn’t actually allowed, but whatever). Staffs have grown to the point where that probably couldn’t happen now. Probably.

Hub City is two back of neighboring Greenville and 1.5 behind Bowling Green.

Lo-A: Hickory 2, at Myrtle Beach (CHC) 3
Hickory: 3 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 30-29, 1.5 GB

SP Dalton Pence: 3 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 2 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 48 P / 33 S, 3.38 ERA
RP Brock Porter: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.53 ERA
RP Adrian Rodriguez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA
LF Maxton Martin: 1-4, HR (7), .274/.324/.474

22-year-old righty Jesus Gamez has been very impressive so far, but last night was a hot mess. Tied at two in the 9th, Myrtle Beach’s Leonel Espinoza doubled to open the inning. Gamez then walked Cameron Sisneros on eight pitches, the last of which flew behind the batter to the backstop, allowing Espinoza to take third. After leaning in toward home as he toed the rubber, Gamez halted awkwardly as he straightened up, resulting in a game-ending balk. With the loss, Hickory remains 1.5 back but has dropped to fourth, and five teams are within two games of first with six to play.

Brock Porter was effective. Live-armed 2019 39th-rounder Adrian Rodriguez is back in Hickory after some time at the complex. Rodriguez’s control has unfortunately been abysmal for three years running, and at least on paper, the time in Arizona presented no improvement, as he walked nine and threw four wild pitches in 9.2 innings.

Today’s Starters
AAA: Blach
AA: Anderson
Hi-A: Davalillo
Lo-A: Scarborough

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The best short-season pitching performance by a Rangers during 2007-2024 was by Carl Edwards Jr. (fka CJ Edwards) in 2012.

Pick in the 48th round* of 2011, Edwards instantly made an impression. I can’t find more than a perfunctory mention of him in my reports preceding his pro debut, but clearly I’d seen or heard something based on his performance in the 2012 rookie-level opener: “Rail-thin righty CJ Edwards held the Royals scoreless for five innings with five hits, no walks and four strikeouts.  Edwards was Texas’s 48th rounder last year (but don’t hold that against him) and was making his pro debut.”

Edwards spent less than a month in Surprise, heading to Spokane after allowing 12 runners and fanning 25 in 20 scoreless innings. Up north, he was ever-so-slightly less godlike, occasionally struggling with control (a virtually career-long issue) but still struck out nearly a third of opposing hitters, a huge accomplishment for the time. In 47 innings, oppoents batted .160 with four doubles and no other extra-base hits, particularly impressive given a poor-fielding squad. Edwards will appear again down the road, so I’ll stop here.

* Would you believe that eight players from that round made the Majors? Sort of. Only Edwards and San Francisco righty Jake Smith signed that year, while the others (inclding future Ranger and current Chihuahua Wes Benjamin signed later upon redraft.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 6, El Paso (SDG) 3
Round Rock: 9 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 31-34, 9.5 GB

SP Cory Abbott: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 94 P / 66 S, 6.56 ERA
RP Robby Ahlstrom: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 2.84 ERA
RP Codi Heuer: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.20 ERA
DH Justin Foscue: 1-4, HR (9), .288/.385/.524
RF Dustin Harris: 2-4, HR (2), .219/.329/.297

Mother Nature or whoever’s in charge atoned for robbing Dustin Harris of two homers Tuesday. His harder shot down the line cleared the wall easily.

Justin Foscue is slightly less walk and more contact/power-oriented than 2024, but in general the result are very strong as always. I haven’t written about him much, partly because he’s been out some, partly because there’s little more to say. The Rangers said their piece when they acquired Jake Burger and Joc Pederson. Probably Foscue’s best future involved a trade to a bad team during 2023 followed by at least half a season’s worth of MLB action to learn whether his bat would play at that level. Maybe it wouldn’t, but he’s certainly better than what he showed in Texas last year. Even a trade then would have been tricky to pull off, as it depended on the trade partner’s belief in that bat and tolerance of his defense.

AA: Frisco 3, at Midland (ATH) 1
Frisco: 7 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 33-25, 0.5 GB

SP Kohl Drake: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 82 P / 54 S, 3.19 ERA
RP Skylar Hales: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 6.10 ERA
RP Gavin Collyer: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 3.07 ERA
LF Aaron Zavala: 1-3, BB, .269/.415/.431
SS Sebastian Walcott: 1-3, BB, SB (12), .254/.353/.441
RF Josh Hatcher: 2-4, 2B, .284/.302/.436

Frisco took and maintained a 1st-inning lead. Josh Hatcher doubled in Aaron Zavala (walk) and Sebastian Walcott (single).

Among the 60 Texas League pitchers with at least 40 innings, Kohl Drake’s 35% strikeout rate ranks first. His control isn’t bad but leans toward the low end at 10%, ranked 41st. Drake is one of Texas’s better pitching prospects, certainly near or at the top among the healthy ones.

Hi-A: Hub City 5, Wilmington (WAS) 6 (10)
Hub City: 8 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 9 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 31-28, 1.5 GB

SP Aidan Curry: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 SO, 82 P / 50 S, 4.72 ERA
RP Dylan MacLean: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 3.94 ERA
3B Gleider Figuereo: 2-5, HR (10), .217/.294/.392

Ouch. Should Hub City fall just shy of the first-half title, this game will stand out. The Burgers led 3-0 after the 1st and 5-1 entering the 9th. On came 2024 18th-rounder Eric Loomis, whose control in college and brief pro action last year was dismal, but in 2025 he’d been fine and above-above of late. Loomis walked four batters on 18 pitches, nearly always dragging everything outside to righties. Normally reliable Josh Mollerus, who had warmed in haste, walked his first batter on five pitches. Two sac flies would tie the game. In the 10th, Wilmington scored on yet another sac fly, and Hub City couldn’t respond.

Lo-A: Hickory 3, at Myrtle Beach (CHC) 4
Hickory: 9 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 7 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 30-28, 1.5 GB

SP Enrique Segura: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 6 SO, 73 P / 43 S, 4.60 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1.96 ERA
SS Chandler Pollard: 2-5, SB (26), .273/.356/.335
1B Pablo Guerrero: 2-4, 2B, .223/.298/.342

Ouch again, although this loss didn’t involve a late collapse. Hickory led 3-2 but surrendered two in the 5th, and the Dads had little to say until the 9th, when Erick Alvarez singled and Marcos Torres walked to begin the frame. The comeback stalled there, though.

The partial answer to “how does Enrique Segura throw strikes with that funky delivery” is “sometimes he doesn’t.” He did miss a career-high 16 bats.

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Stephan
Hi-A: Curtis
Lo-A: Pence

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The second-best pitching performance at the rookie and short-A levels by a Ranger during 2007-2024 was by Yerry Rodriguez in 2018.

Rodriguez signed with the Rangers in September 2016 for $60,000, more than a flyer but far from top dollar. Nine months later, he was suspended 75 games for a test revealing use of a diuretic. So, not an ideal start to a career. Nevertheless, he hopped from his six innings of Dominican Summer ball to Arizona in 2018. At the complex, he tallied 55 strikeouts in 38 innings, and his K rate ranked third in the league.Moving to short-season Spokane in mid-August, he wasn’t quite as K-prolific but pitched better overall, posting a 1.82 ERA and allowing 28 runners in 24.2 innings. Rodriguez also started two postseason games, albeit with lesser success.

In 2019, he performed similarly at low-A Hickory, although an elbow sprain (which fortunately did not require surgery) ended his season early. Covid kept him off the mound in 2020, of course, but he was added to the 40 that fall on the promise of his stuff despite limited experience. Rodriguez always carried reliever risk, but not the usual kind, as his change was functional (in my opinion) but efforts to develop a worthy curve and/or slider were always lagging. What I wrote in September 2021: “In his relief role, Yerry Rodriguez reminds me of Wilmer Font. Font’s slider needed work, but he tended to dismiss it in favor of his MLB-ready fastball. Rodriguez is doing the same. Last night, he threw two opening sliders followed by 21 fastballs on 22 pitches.”

Rodriguez would make in MLB debut in 2022, but sad to say, from 2022 on, he was mostly ineffective, serving an up-and-down role until being designated for assignment and then traded in July 2024. At present, he appears to be unemployed at the age of 27.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 4, El Paso (SDG) 9
Round Rock: 8 hits, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Record: 30-34, 9.5 GB

SP Kumar Rocker: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 70 P / 44 S, 1.13 ERA
RP Luis Curvelo: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.96 ERA
2B Justin Foscue: 2-5, 2B, .289/.388/.512
1B Blaine Crim: 2-3, BB, .292/.361/.525

In his first start on optional assignment, Kumar Rocker posted a snazzy line but wasn’t as overwhelmingly dominant as his earlier rehab starts or last year’s rampage through the minors. Though he didn’t walk anyone, his control lagged in the first two innings (and a stingy ump who suffered multiple overturned calls didn’t help). Rocker also missed only two bats (on a cutter and change), his fewest as a professional.

The most noticeable difference is his primary breaker, once categorized by the man himself as a curve, usually referred to a slider because of its velocity, and recently veering well into cutter territory, maxing out at 92.2 MPH. Statcast doesn’t appear wholly consistent in differentiating between cutter and sliders, but what is readily apparent so far is the faster breakers are missing fewer bats. In his two Round Rock starts, opponents have missed on one of seven swings (14%) when the pitch was 89 or higher, but six of 12 (50%) when under 89. Obviously, that’s a small sample, but I don’t believe it’s too early to discuss, because the bat-missing version is his meal ticket. The faster version arrives pretty flat, while the slower one drops under bats and is what amazed us all last year.

As you probably read or watched, Rocker failed to field his position properly both on rehab and in his last start for Texas. I don’t recall any issues yesterday, and he dutifully backed third on a throw to the base from right field. I don’t pretend to know the man, but in going about his business, Rocker carries himself serenely and exhibits an extreme economy of motion. No, I’m not attempting a clever way to suggest he’s not trying hard. Actually, I mean the opposite: all energy is devoted to pitching, and he just doesn’t appear to want to expend a single joule on unrelated tasks. Which is fine, for the most part, but sometimes the job requires fielding, too.

I could go on, but I need to play with and probably recategorize some data first.

Game-time temperature was a chilly 85 with the wind blowing in at 12 MPH. Dustin Harris hit two flies that leave the yard in typical weather, and on the first, I cheerily said “there you go, Dustin” upon contact only to see the ball die at the track.

Texas signed Craig Kimbrel to a minor deal. No harm, I suppose.

AA: Frisco 5, at Midland (ATH) 6 (7)
Frisco: 7 hits, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 32-25, 1.5 GB

SP Daniel Missaki: 3.2 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 5 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 83 P / 53 S, 7.20 ERA
LF Aaron Zavala: 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, .268/.413/.433
3B Sebastian Walcott: 2-4, 2B, .252/.351/.443
C Ian Moller: 2-3, 2 2B, .179/.297/.284

If you’re a fan a Frisco and shutdown innings and full games, last night was not for you. The Riders forced and then lost ties in the 3th, 4th and 5th. The last was especially frustrating, as Midland scored the go-ahead run on an infield single, hit-by-pitch, walk and wild pitch. Frisco would bat only twice more, stranding two in scoring position in the 7th, when rain arrived.

Daniel Missaki missed a season-high 15 bats but also allowed a season-high seven hits and a homer in a fifth-consecutive appearance.

Sebastian Walcott has played consecutive games as third for the first time as a professional. He’s appeared there five times this season, all in the last 19 games after none in the first 35.

Hi-A: Hub City 1, Wilmington (WAS) 2 (11)
Hub City: 3 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 31-27, 0.5 GB

SP Leandro Lopez: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 SO, 82 P / 50 S, 2.06 ERA

“3 hits, 2 walks” sells short how thoroughly Hub City’s offense was suppressed. Keith Jones II led off the 1st with a single and was immediately erased on a double play. Until the 11th, the Burgers had only two more runners, both on walks, one of which came with two outs and was stranded, the other intentional and setting up a double play which was immediately executed. Wilmington broke the draw in the 11th with two runs. Hub City answered with two singles to plate one, but that would be all.

Leandro Lopez walked four for the first time this season.

Lo-A: Hickory 9, at Myrtle Beach (CHC) 4
Hickory: 13 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 7 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 30-27, 0.5 GB

SP Ismael Agreda: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 80 P / 50 S, 2.33 ERA
SS Chandler Pollard: 1-4, HBP, SB (25), .270/.355/.333
LF Maxton Martin: 1-4, 2B, BB, .281/.332/.475
2B Antonis Macias: 3-5, 2B, .259/.415/.333
CF Yeremi Cabrera: 3-5, 2 SB (17), .237/.372/.314
3B Rafe Perich: 1-3, 2 BB, SB (3), .251/.368/.371

Hickory averaged 6.3 runs per game and went 14-10 during the previous four series and began this one in similar style. More walks in May and more everything in June has Rafe Perich with a slash in line with what I envisioned watching him in March.

The South Division is a free-for-all with eight games remaining:
Kannapolis (tied for 1st, at Charleston)
Augusta (tied for 1st, at Columbia)
Hickory (0.5 GB, at Myrtle Beach)
Columbia (1.0 GB, vs Augusta)
Charleston (3.0 GB, vs Kannapolis)

Hickory’s one cancelled game means they won’t finish in a tie with anyone (barring future rainouts).

Today’s Starters
AAA: Abbott
AA: Drake
Hi-A: Curry
Lo-A: Segura

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The third-best pitching performance by a Ranger in a short-season league during 2007-2024 belongs to Alex Claudio in 2012.

Getting even to this point took a while. Drafted out of Puerto Rico in 2010’s 27th round, Claudio posted 15 so-so innings for the rookies as an 18-year-old (13 strikeouts but 11 runs). He returned to the complex in 2011, tossing 25 much better innings and finishing with three more at short-season Spokane. Instead of heading to Spokane or Hickory in 2012, he spent yet another summer in Arizona. At this time, he was more-or-less a starter, taking the mound in the 1st only three times but lasting at least four innings in nine of 14 appearances.  He was never ineffective but not especially flashy early on, hardly ever issuing a walk but giving up the occasional run. His final four appearances gave an idea of what was to come: 14.1 IP, 6 hits, no runs, no walks, 23 strikeouts. He would be, at long last, done with the complex. Claudio will make another appearance on these lists, so I’ll stop here.

Apologies for the delay.

Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan published their rankings of Texas’s top-45 prospects plus a host of honorable mentions. As always, a lengthy and worthy read.

What caught my eye initially was the social-media link proclaiming a “soundly above average” system, not the description I would use in June 2025, to be honest. But then, the authors note that the “soundly above” modifier wholly depends on Sebastian Walcott. Fair enough. Next, they still include Jack Leiter (who by now has thrown 87 MLB innings) and Kumar Rocker (35 IP). Based on FanGraphs’ monetary assignments, removing Leiter would drop the system from 10th to 12th, and removing Rocker plunges the team to 19th, which comports with the general level I had in my head. (For what it’s worth, I don’t have the knowledge to rank Texas against other systems except in a very general sense. My “rankings” tend to be based mostly on who I’m writing about day to day in comparison to Texas systems of the past.) The system’s quality also depends on Alejandro Rosario, who may not pitch meaningfully until 2027, and the returns of Winston Santos and Jose Corniell, and keeping Emiliano Teodo and Marc Church off the IL and on track.

The dark view of the system is Rosario fading away, none of the potential back-end starters being more than depth starters and marginal relievers, the A-level hitters collectively stalling at AA, resulting in a multi-year stretch of bad Frisco squads like 2015-2018, and the DSL/complex guys finding full-season ball too daunting a challenge. The brighter view is Rosario pitching like 2024 once he returns, one of Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt or David Davalillo becoming a serviceable MLB starter, Malcolm Moore becoming at least a capable #2 backstop, and Yolfran Castillo or Devin Fitz-Gerald becoming a top-100-esque infield prospect. I will confess the parent club’s 31-35 record has scrambled my brain and soured my outlook.

It’s important to remember that the farm is a means, not an end. The point is to get these players off prospect lists and onto your screens. One reason the farm is down is because Wyatt Langford graduated within nine months of being drafted. It’s also down because Leiter and Rocker are either established Major Leaguers or at the cusp. In that sense, a lower ranking is complimentary to rather than critical of Texas’s scouting and development.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 7, at Salt Lake (LAA) 3
Round Rock: 12 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 30-33, 8.5 GB

SP Dane Dunning: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, HBP, 3 SO, 47 P / 25 S, 4.75 ERA
CF Kellen Strahm: 3-5, .269/.376/.399
SS Michael Helman: 2-4, 2B, 2 SB (3), .219/.296/.391

Round Rock outscored Salt Lake 54-34 but split the series. Cody Freeman, Kellen Strahm, Justin Foscue and Michael Helman posted an OPS in excess of 1.000 for the week.

Kumar Rocker pitches tonight, weather permitting.

AA: Frisco 2, Springfield (STL) 9 (10)
Frisco: 6 hits, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 32-24, 0.5 GB

SP Trey Supak: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 86 P / 56 S, 5.10 ERA
LF Aaron Zavala: 1-4, HR (6), .265/.406/.426
3B Sebastian Walcott: 2-4, .248/.349/.437

Yes, 9-2 in ten innings. In extras, the first four batters reached against Skylar Hales, and two singles (plus a Sebastian Walcott error) off Bryan Magdaleno provided the unlikely margin. 2025 has been rough on both relievers. Hales has at least outpitched his 6.41 ERA. He’s fanned 30% of his opponents and isn’t walking too many; the primary problem is three homers in 19 innings. Magdaleno has struggled like never before, walking or hitting a scary 26% of the opponent, and his 8.7% swinging strike rate is far below average.

Frisco lost five of six at home to the leaders of the North Division while Midland split at San Antonio to nab the South Division lead. Frisco spends this week at Midland.

Hi-A: Hub City 4, @ Greensboro (PIT) 9
Hub City: 10 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 2 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 31-26, 0.5 GB

SP Jose Gonzalez: 3.1 IP, 5 H (3 HR), 6 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 64 P / 42 S, 3.43 ERA
RP Josh Mollerus: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 2.79 ERA
RF Keith Jones II: 3-5, HR (8), .257/.396/.436
DH Anthony Gutierrez: 1-4, HR (2), .248/.319/.315

Hub City split six visiting a tough Greenboro opponent. The Burgers will host a weaker Wilmington club this week followed by six games at division-leading Bowling Green, the first three of which apply to the first half. Anthony Gutierrez homered again, this time on a fastball and to nearly the same spot as three days ago. For a guy who’s shown barely any game power, he made them look easy.

Lo-A: Hickory 9, Columbia (KAN) 7
Hickory: 11 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 29-27, 1.5 GB

SP Dalton Pence: 3 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 4 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 43 P / 27 S, 3.13 ERA
SS Chandler Pollard: 2-4, BB, .270/.354/.335
DH Maxton Martin: 3-5, HR (6), .281/.331/.475
LF Hector Osorio: 2-3, HR (2), HBP, .208/.372/.321
3B Daniel Flames: 2-4

Hickory trailed 7-3 in the 7th. Maxton Martin’s RBI single and Antonis Macias’ sac fly halved the margin. In the 9th, the Crawdads scored four without an out. Three straight singles chased Firefly Elvis Novas. Replacement Julio Rosario immediately balked in a run, and his first pitch was driven over the wall with extreme malice by Martin. Martin’s 27 extra-base hits are the most in the league and second-most in all of low-A. At 20, Martin is already a 1B/LF/DH, so keep swinging that bat.

Hickory split the series with division-rival Columbia, gaining ground on last Sunday’s leader Augusta (1-5) but losing some to Kannapolis (4-2). Hickory visits the league’s worst team this week while the others, all with a chance, battle each other:

Kannapolis at Columbia (2 GB)
Augusta (1 GB) at Charleston (3 GB)
Hickory (1.5 GB) at Myrtle Beach (10 GB)

Elsewhere
Seattle designated OF Leody Taveras for assignment. He batted .174/.198/.272 as an M.

Today
AAA: Rocker
AA: TBD
Hi-A: Lopez
Lo-A: Agreda

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The eighth-best team during 2007-2024 was one of my favorites, the 2015 low-A Hickory Crawdads.

Record: 81-57
Run-Differential Record: 81-57
Component Record: 76-62

The offense was a tic above ordinary (+2% scoring, 102 OPS+), while the pitching and defense were sublime. Hickory suppressed runs by 15% versus the park-adjusted league average. The four busiest starters (Collin Wiles, Nick Gardewine, Ariel Jurado, Brett Martin) reached the Majors, as did (deep breath) Yohander Mendez, Luis Ortiz, Reed Garrett, Pedro Payano, Richardo Rodriguez Erik Swanson, Dillon Tate, Joe Palumbo AND Jeffrey Springs. Leading in saves were John Fasola (13) and Scott Williams (10), both legitimate if not closer-worthy relief prospects with careers halted by injuries.

Hickory stormed to a first-half title with a week to spare and completed the half with a 44-24 record. In the second, they coasted at 37-33 while West Virginia claimed the title (50-20) and better overall record (87-52). Hickory lost the semifinal opener but won the next two at home including a 1-0 Game 3. Williams saved both wins, and Tate and Ortiz both threw a scoreless 7th and 8th. The Crawdads then swept Colorado-affiliated Asheville in the finals, allowing just four runs in three games. Rehabbing MLB starter Tyler Chatwood took the mound for Asheville in Game 3 but walked three in three innings, and Jose Cardona’s double and Dylan Moore’s sac fly gave a lead that would hold. Hickory plated three more against future Major Leaguer (and Ranger) Jesus Tinoco. Jose Trevino caught every game; in 2015, he established a strong chance of reaching the Majors on defense and intangibles alone. The championship was the first by a Texas-affiliated full-season squad in 11 years and my first to cover in nine years on the beat.

(Photo: Hickory Crawdads)

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 11, at Salt Lake (LAA) 12
Round Rock: 8 hits, 8 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 29-33, 8.5 GB

SP Ty Blach: 3.2 IP, 9 H (2 HR), 9 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 78 P / 48 S, 4.34 ERA
RP Codi Heuer: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 3.09 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, SB (4), .311/.358/.493
1B Blaine Crim: 3-4, 2B, HR (11), BB, SB (2), .287/.353/.528

(In exhausted high-elevation voice) “Wheee!” Round Rock trailed 9-2, led 11-9 and lost 12-11. Ty Blach spent three years in Colorado, so he’s probably as unperturbed by this type of game as anybody.

I neglected to write up recently called-up and optioned reliever Codi Heuer within a game report, but I added some notes here if interested.

AA: Frisco 12, Springfield (STL) 7
Frisco: 13 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 32-23, 0.5 G up

SP Mitch Bratt: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, HBP, 6 SO, 89 P / 57 S, 2.26 ERA
CF Cam Cauley: 2-5, 2B, SB (17), .254/.335/.402
SS Sebastian Walcott: 1-4, 2B, BB, .243/.346/.436
RF Abi Ortiz: 1-5, HR (9), .237/.333/.423
LF Josh Hatcher: 2-5, HR (7), .276/.295/.432

Frisco batted an even .500 with men in scoring position. Abi Ortiz’s stats are remarkably similar to last year. 2024 involved more than a half-season of much weaker performance followed by a tremendous finish. 2025 has been steadier, but in terms of a 40 spot or contemplation about the future, he’s not there yet.

Mitch Bratt wasn’t walk-prone and the Cards were swinging, but 25 fouls boosted his pitch count in a hurry. 

Hi-A: Hub City 7, @ Greensboro (PIT) 4
Hub City: 7 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 31-25, 0.5 GB

SP DJ McCarty: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 4 SO, 64 P / 34 S, 6.49 ERA
RP Eric Loomis: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 1.17 ERA
RF Keith Jones II: 1-4, HR (7), BB, .247/.392/.408
DH Anthony Gutierrez: 1-3, 2 BB, SB (17), .248/.320/.298
SS Casey Cook: 2-4, BB, SB (14), .178/.270/.244

Hub City led Greensboro by six in the middle of the 8th when rain interrupted. Two hours later, by which time a crowd of 4,000 anticipating fireworks had dwindled to perhaps 30, they resumed. I’m not sure what principle we’re adhering to within a system in which makeups are shortened to seven innings and teams routinely fail to complete the full schedule due to rainouts.  Just call it. Greensboro actually put the tying run at the plate with two out in the the 9th but finally succumbed.

Lo-A: Hickory 3, Columbia (KAN) 5
Hickory: 8 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 28-27, 1.5 GB

SP Mason Molina: 4 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 1 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 74 P / 50 S, 3.89 ERA
2B Antonis Macias: 2-3, 2B, BB, .247/.414/.318

Maxton Martin was held to a single, but his combined 21 doubles and triples lead the organization, followed by Cody Freeman (16), Sebastian Walcott (13), Arturo Disla (13) and Alejandro Osuna (13). Antonis Macias and Keith Jones II lead with 39 walks.

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

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The sixth-best offense during 2007-2024 belongs to the 2014 AA Frisco RoughRiders.

Runs: 4.6, 8% above park-adjusted league average
OPS+: 108
wRC+: 107

This offense led the league in average (.266) despite a sub-par strikeout rate and was second in doubles, triples and homers. A half-season was enough for Joey Gallo to lead with 21 homers. He didn’t hit for average, and Drew Robinson (.190) was getting pushback on his extremely patient approach, but they were offset by Odubel Herrera (.321), Tomas Telis (.303) and Ryan Rua (.300). I’ll be covering this squad again.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 1, at Salt Lake (LAA) 3
Round Rock: 8 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 29-32, 8.5 GB

SP Peyton Gray: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 55 P / 37 S, 3.18 ERA
RP Patrick Murphy: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0.93 ERA
3B Cody Freeman: 2-5, HR (7), HBP, SB (3), .311/.352/.490

Cody Freeman has three homers in four games at Salt Lake. I usually update my Statcast data weekly, so I don’t have this series yet, but one thing I’ve noticed is very good median exit velocity but below-average 90th-percentile velocity. That can help in some respects, like forcing more grounders through the infield, but is also a profile that I believe shows better in PCL parks than MLB. I’ll have to dig in more after the weekend. Freeman also has outstanding contact ability.

AA: Frisco 3, Springfield (STL) 4
Frisco: 6 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 31-23, 0.5 GB

SP Ben Anderson: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO, 89 P / 53 S, 4.17 ERA
RP Ryan Lobus: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 4.30 ERA
SS Sebastian Walcott: 2-4, 2B, BB, .242/.345/.434
CF Cam Cauley: 1-2, BB, HBP, .250/.333/.397

A 9th-inning homer provided the margin. Midland is suddenly slumping, so Frisco hasn’t lost any more ground of late. Cam Cauley had a sub-.300 OBP just over a week ago. For that matter, his OBP for 2024 in high-A Hickory was .297. An AA assignment wasn’t a given, in my opinion, so he’s handling the situation well. Cauley has played 40% of his starts in center, a completely new position for him. Cauley is a 40 decision this November; I wouldn’t put him in that bucket right now but he has a shot.

Hi-A: Hub City 2, @ Greensboro (PIT) 1 (7)
Hub City: 5 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
Record: 30-25, 2 GB

SP David Davalillo: 5 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 73 P / 45 S, 1.09 ERA

Baseball America bumped Davalillo to 9th in their updated top-30 rankings, a commentary on both him and the system. While there’s no rush to move him, the Sally League isn’t offering much resistance, and I’m looking forward to how he handles the next level.

Lo-A: Hickory 4, Columbia (KAN) 5
Hickory: 9 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 28-26, 1.5 GB

SP Caden Scarborough: 4 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 72 P / 47 S, 4.54 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2.20 ERA
RP Jesus Gamez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0.00 ERA
LF Maxton Martin: 3-5, HR (5), .275/.327/.464
3B Rafe Perich: 2-4, BB, .250/.362/.372

Caden Scarborough was ordinary for the first time in a while, issuing his fewest strikeouts since mid-April. Max Martin’s 9th-inning homer brought the Dads closer, but Rafe Perich’s oppo fly was caught on the track for the final out.

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Bratt
Hi-A: McCarty
Lo-A: Molina

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The sixth-best pitching staff during 2007-2024 was the 2019 high-A Down East Wood Ducks.

Runs per game: 3.3 runs per game, 19% better than league average
ERA-: 82
FIP-: 97
Oppo wRC+: 84

Purely in terms of run prevention, this is the best squad on the list, but my calculations say the defense played an outsized role. The staff was actually below-average in walks and ordinary in strikeouts. Where it excelled was in generating grounders, one of only three high-A squads with a rate above 50%. Down East allowed the league’s fewest extra-base hits and were best in opposing isolated power by a wide margin.

The five busiest pitchers didn’t reach AAA, much less the Majors, but were responsible for much of the success: Reid Anderson (126 IP, 3.92 ERA), Sal Mendez (117 IP, 2.37 ERA), Alex Eubanks (107 IP, 3.44 ERA), Noah Bremer (75 IP, 2.97 ERA), and Josh Advocate (75 IP, 2.64 ERA). Semi-regulars who reached were John King and Jacob Latz. Demarcus Evans (22 IP, 40 SO), Joe Barlow (23 IP, 44 SO), Pete Fairbanks (12 IP, 15 SO) and Emmanuel Clase (7 IP, 11 SO) were here for a while and to devastating effect.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 8, at Salt Lake (LAA) 11
Round Rock: 8 hits, 8 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 15 hits, 7 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 29-31, 7.5 GB

SP Gerson Garabito: 0.1 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 4 R, 2 BB, 0 SO, 32 P / 18 S, 9.42 ERA
RP Robert Dugger: 4 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 13.78 ERA
RP Marc Church: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.45 ERA
LF Trevor Hauver: 1-4, HR (5), BB, .243/.343/.435
CF Michael Helman: 2-3, 2 2B, .200/.286/.400

Garabito seemed a reasonable up-and-down option when the season began, but presently he’s about a far removed from Arlington as one could be while still occupying a 40 spot. In eight of 12 appearances among Texas and Round Rock, Garabito has surrendered at least as many runs as innings. Signed to gobble up AAA innings, Robrt Dugger hadn’t fared well at all early but was on track last night.

RHP Emiliano Teodo has returned to the IL. Texas re-signed catcher Tucker Barnhart and released Chad Wallach.

AA: Frisco 2, Springfield (STL) 6
Frisco: 9 hits, 6 walks, 15 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 31-22, 0.5 GB

SP Josh Stephan: 5 IP, 7 H (2 HR), 5 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 78 P / 56 S, 5.71 ERA
RP Aidan Anderson: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0.00 ERA
LF Aaron Zavala: 3-5, .274/.420/.425
SS Cam Cauley: 2-2, 2 BB, .247/.325/.396

Two homers off Josh Stephan (one by top St. Louis propsect JJ Wetherholt) determined the outcome. DH Sebatian Walcott walked twice. So far, he’s raised his walk rate slightly compared to 2024 (from 10.6% to 12.3%) and lowered the strikeouts (25.4% to 22.0%).

Hi-A: Hub City 7, @ Greensboro (PIT) 4
Hub City: 9 hits, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 29-25, 1.5 GB

SP Josh Trentadue: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 69 P / 43 S, 1.03 ERA
RP Kolton Curtis: 5 IP, 6 H (2 HR), 4 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 5.19 ERA
1B Arturo Disla: 2-4, HR (), .264/.330/.440
RF Keith Jones II: 1-4, HR (6), .246/.392/.395
DH Anthony Gutierrez: 2-4, HR (1), HBP, SB (16), .245/.312/.297
LF Yeison Morrobel: 3-4, 2B, HR (3), .230/.309/.379

Anthony Gutierrez notched his first homer, driving a generously located Jack Carey breaker over the fence with ease. One can find MLB outfielders with minimal power (Myles Straw being perhaps the most famous recent example), but it’s not common. Gutierrez is only 20 and isn’t a 40-man issue until next year, but a little more pop would be nice.

I’m not sure of Josh Trentadue’s future, but his probability of pitching at the next level is .99846. He’s got a functional four-seamer/slider/change trio, a quirkly delivery with jarring pauses a la Hans Crouse and even an occasional dip in his arm slot, and an ability to throw strikes and hit spots with said delivery.

Lo-A: Hickory 18, Columbia (KAN) 2
Hickory: 19 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 28-25, 0.5 GB

SP Dalton Pence: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 12 P / 9 S, 2.20 ERA
RP J’Brielle Easley: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 3.94 ERA
RP Brick Porter: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.69 ERA
RP Thomas Ireland: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 3.09 ERA
3B Rafe Perich: 3-4, 2B, .244/.356/.369
CF Yeremi Cabrera: 1-3, 2 BB, .236/.381/.318
C Ben Hartl: 3-5, 2B, .185/.333/.228
RF Marcos Torres: 5-5, 2B, .271/.366/.400
2B Daniel Flames: 3-4, 2B, BB,

Behold the Hickory Crawdads, offensive juggernaut. Hickory has reached double digits in three of the last five games and hasn’t gone consecutive games with fewer than six runs in over two weeks. They did so last night despite a 2-for-16 line from the top three spots in the lineup. DH Max Martin was 1-6 with… six RBI? That’s a new one. Martin hit a bases-loaded double followed by three run-scoring groundouts. The bottom six were a combined 17-for-26.

18-year-old Daniel Flames was a 2024 signing who enjoyed a terrific Dominican Summer League season (.329/.529/.400). He joined the Crawdads after only a handful of games at the complex. It’s “flah-mehs”, not “flayms.”

Complex
2024 fourth-round RHP David Hagaman made his first pro appearance, striking out four in two perfect innings. The West Virginia alum underwent brace surgery last July, allowing for a quicker return to action than the traditional Tommy John. Hagaman pitched in relief at WVU but has the mix and stuff to at least attempt starting. Young fifth-round IF Devin Fitz-Gerald was 2-4 with a double yesterday and has continued to dominate, hitting .342/.441/.605 with five doubles, five homers and three steals in 23 games.

Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Anderson
Hi-A: Davalillo
Lo-A: Scarborough

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The seventh-best offense in the organization belongs to the 2016 Round Rock Express.

Runs per game: 4.8, 9% above park-adjusted league average
OPS: 107
wRC+: 107

This isn’t the most exciting entry. The raw numbers don’t impress, and the ranking heavily depends on a sizable park adjustment. At the time, the Pacific Coast League was essentially two separate leagues with limited interdivisional play, and Round Rock was a pitcher-friendly park within the pitcher-friendly eastern half.

That said, if you saw them play, you probably had a good time. Joey Gallo led with 25 homers. He, IF Drew Robinson, C/1B Brett Nicholas, OF Delino DeShields and IF Jurickson Profar (here for 42 games) posted OBPs of .350 or better. Robinson hit 20 homers and stole 17 bases, and OF Jared Hoying was 16 and 18, respectively.

If not for Nashville, which had one of the best offenses during this period, Round Rock would have the best road stats in the league. The Express hit .274/.345/.449 and scored 5.8 runs per game away from home.

Box Scores

AAA: Round Rock 21, at Salt Lake (LAA) 2
Round Rock: 26 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 2 walks, 15 strikeouts
Record: 29-30, 6.5 GB

SP Cory Abbott: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 SO, 82 P / 52 S, 7.36 ERA
RP Nolan Hoffman: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 5.59 ERA
RP Luis Curvelo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 1.64 ERA
CF Dustin Harris: 4-7, 2B, 3B, HR (1), .226/.344/.292
3B Cody Freeman: 3-7, 2B, HR (6), .311/.355/.485
2B Justin Foscue: 3-5, 2 HR (8), BB, .299/.400/.537
1B Blaine Crim: 2-6, 2B, BB, .283/.349/.513
RF Kellen Strahm: 3-6, 2 2B, SB (22), .267/.377/.400

Round Rock scored 20+ runs for the second time in two weeks. Dustin Harris hit for the cycle, an especially noteworthy accomplishment given his one extra-base hit in the previous 26 games. The homer was off catcher Sebastian Rivero. Cody Freeman hit a 400-ft. homer and 405-ft. double. Round Rock combined for 22 hard-hit balls, hitting .773 with a 1.818 slugging percentage.

AA: Frisco 1, Springfield (STL) 3
Frisco: 4 hits, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 4 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 31-21, 0.5 GB

SP Kohl Drake: 4 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 3 R, 2 BB, 7 SO, 87 P / 60 S, 3.38 ERA
LF Aaron Zavala: 1-4, HR (5), .262/.415/.418

Former Ranger TK Roby squelched the bats of several former Frisco teammates. Since the trade nearly two years ago, Roby has pitched only 98 innings and is still seeking his first AAA appearance. Injuries to the shoulder (incurred while still a Ranger) and elbow have limited his availability. St. Louis added him to the 40 last November. I don’t know how the Cardinals handle matters, but I’d expect him to be in Memphis before long.

The loss placed Frisco behind Midland for the first time in two weeks with 16 games remaining in the first half.

Hi-A: Hub City 4, @ Greensboro (PIT) 0
Hub City: 6 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 4 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 28-25, 1.5 GB

SP Aidan Curry: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 67 P / 44 S, 5.28 ERA
RP Josh Mollerus: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.89 ERA
2B Casey Cook: 1-3, HR (3), BB, .175/.268/.246
RF Yeison Morrobel: 2-4, .205/.283/.313

Casey Cook hit the third pitch of the game over the fence, and Hub City nursed that slender lead until the 8th when Yeison Morrobel singled in two and Keith Jones II followed with an RBI double. Aidan Curry has pitched pretty well of late. Josh Mollerus has pitched well pretty much all season. He’s allowed three homers in 28 innings but no other extra-base hits, and he’s walked only seven. He’s middle relief if things work out for the best.

Lo-A: Hickory 2, Columbia (KAN) 6
Hickory: 5 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 27-25, 1.5 GB

SP Enrique Segura: 6 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 69 P / 51 S, 4.63 ERA
C Beycker Barroso: 1-3, 2B, BB, SB (7), .205/.350/.253

Not a debut for the level but a strong first start by 20-year-old Enrique Segura, acquired from Philly wen reliever Daniel Robert was designated for assignment. Segura has one of the looser and quirkier deliveries you’ll come across, lifting his knee nearly to his chin, sweeping the ball low across his mid-section before heading toward the plate, falling leftward and pulling his pitching hand back to his midsection after the release. Likewise, everything he throws moves unpredictably. Unsurprisingly, his control in the Philadelphia system was usually poor, but the Rangers have received better results so far.

Robert has pitched sparingly for the Phils, making two MLB appearances (one marred by three walks) and six scoreless one-inning outings for AAA Lehigh Valley.

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

Rangers Minor League History, 2007-2024
The seventh-best pitching team in the organization during 2007-2024 was last year’s Frisco Roughriders.

Runs: 4.0 per game, 15% better than average
ERA-: 86
FIP-: 93
OPS+: 91
wRC+: 93

Frisco solid rotation featured Emiliano Teodo, Dane Acker, Ben Anderson, Ryan Garcia, Josh Stephan, and late additions Winston Santos, Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake. Teodo and Acker would switch to relief late. Kumar Rocker arrived, overwhelmed Texas League hitters for five starts, and left. Tyler Owens logged eight saves before being traded to Detroit. Frisco didn’t have a set closer otherwise, and 13 relievers registered between one and four saves.

The Riders weren’t particularly adept in RISP situations but were great at avoiding them, with 168 fewer batters faced with runners in scoring position than the league median. I try to separate defense from these rankings, but Frisco’s was clearly beneficial, turning the most double plays and allowing the fewest steals.