SP Seth Nordlin: 4 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 4 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 68 P / 44 S, 9.00 ERA RP Chase Lee: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 3.40 ERA RP Daniel Robert: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 5.40 ERA 3B Davis Wendzel: 1-5, HR (16), .252/.384/.508 C Sam Huff: 3-3, 2B, 2 BB, .294/.388/.520 2B Justin Foscue: 2-5, 2B, .279/.402/.489
Sam Huff did not hit the ball on the ground at all yesterday. Go, Sam, go. In case you missed it, I mentioned a few days ago that Huff confoundingly had the second-highest grounder rate on the team after Jonathan Ornelas.
Davis Wendzel broke an 11-game homerless stretch but was still productive within that gap (.275/.463/.325).
Seth Nordlin, like Nick Krauth and Triston Polley before him, is up from Frisco to provide some innings.
SP Ryan Garcia: 4 IP, 5 H (2 HR), 5 R, 3 BB, 1 SO, 80 P / 41 S, 7.06 ERA RP Aidan Anderson: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 2.55 ERA DH Trevor Hauver: 2-4, 2 HR (8), .250/.373/.420
Whew. If you see Theo McDowell or Eudrys Manon out in the wild today, buy them a Snickers and say “you’ll get ’em next time,” because they went through some things last night. Both walked four batters during Midland’s eight-run, 14-batter 9th inning. Manon in particular is pushing the limits of the “successful despite terrible control” archetype. He has a tolerable 4.08 ERA despite a whopping 30% BB/HBP rate because opponents are hitting .155 and slugging .241 against him.
Trevor Hauver had his first multi-homer game since his pro debut in 2021, when he went deep twice as a member of the low-A Tampa Tarpons.
Five Years Ago Yesterday “Demarcus Evans struck again [2 IP, 0 R, 4 SO]. His last 40 batters: 28 strikeouts (22 swinging), 2 walks, 10 balls in play with 2 hits (both grounders). That’s an opposing line of .052/.100/.079 with a 70% strikeout rate. Every year, you hope for one or two fringe prospects to take a big step forward, and it’s looking like we have one in Evans.”
SP Owen White: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 60 P / 36 S, 5.25 ERA RP Edwar Colina: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 7.71 ERA RP Spencer Howard: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 4.22 ERA RP Jonathan Hernandez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.59 ERA 1B Blaine Crim: 1-4, HR (10), .269/.379/.474
Owen White rebounded from last week’s rough start in Vegas. As has usually been the case in 2023, he wasn’t overpowering but still quite effective, getting a bunch of catchable flies and tallying five innings on just 60 pitches. Three relievers one-hit the Cowboys the rest of the way.
I did not make the game in person because I had a date with a grill, but 11,639 others did.
SP Josh Stephan: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 SO, 64 P / 43 S, 4.15 ERA RP Antoine Kelly: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.21 ERA SS Luisangel Acuna: 3-5, .306/.364/.417 3B Thomas Saggese: 1-3, BB, HBP, SB (7), .306/.375/.493 C Liam Hicks: 1-3, 2 BB, .212/.362/.341
I mentioned that Dane Acker had a travel buddy on his trip from Hickory to Frisco. Josh Stephan made his AA debut, pitching well through one out in the 5th, when he was abruptly pulled after fielding a squibber and throwing to first. My understanding is that he should be fine.
In his last five appearances covering 4.2 innings, Antoine Kelley has nine strikeouts and no walks. He has always missed bats, but finding the plate consistently is another story. Texas received him and now-departed IF Mark Mathias last summer for reliever Mat Bush, who Milwaukee recently released.
IF Chris Seise is on the seven-day IL.
Frisco hosted 12,045 fans, the second-largest crowd in franchise history. Hickory and Down East also had bumper crowds late last week approaching July 4th.
SP Jose Corniell: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 62 P / 39 S, 2.08 ERA RP Luis Tejeda: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.29 ERA RP Andy Rodriguez: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 2.67 ERA RP Spencer Mraz: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 3.38 ERA DH Cody Freeman: 1-6, HR (9), .216/.271/.407 RF Yosy Galan: 2-6, 2 2B, SB (4), .314/.314/.543 CF Daniel Mateo: 4-6, 2 2B, SB (20), .268/.282/.404
In front of 10,200 fans, Winston-Salem’s largest crowd ever, Hickory won its longest game since 2016 and extended its winning streak to 13 games. The teams traded runs in the 10th, 11th, and 12th innings. Twice, the Dash tied the game with two out during extras. The CF wall is about 20′ high, and a Jacob Burke fly caromed off of it perhaps two feet below the top for an RBI triple. 2B Loidel Chapelli saved two runs with a snare of a hard Cody Freeman grounder with the bases loaded. Hickory finally created a larger gap in the 14th when Yosy Galan hit an RBI double and later scored on a groundout. Galan has yet to draw walk in nine high-A games but is hitting well since his promotion.
Hickory held the Dash to nine hits. Andy Rodriguez’s line was better than advertised; both walks were intentional, and the three runs all started from second base during extras.
OF Alejandro Osuna is on the seven-day IL.
Lo-A: Down East 4, at Kannapolis (CHW) 2 Down East: 5 hits, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts Opponent: 7 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts Record: 7-3, 1 G up, 44-27 overall
SP Brayan Mendoza: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 56 P / 36 S, 2.84 ERA RP Damian Mendoza: 3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.59 ERA RP Wyatt Sparks: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1.45 ERA
Since mid-June, Down East’s offense has the league’s fewest hits and a paltry .208 average but has the second-most runs thanks to a decent number of walks and solid power. Meanwhile, the pitching and defense have allowed a .197/.285/.301 line and five fewer runs than any other team.
Five Years Ago Yesterday Ariel Jurado had an Ariel Jurado start: five strikeouts, five flies, 17 grounders in eight innings. Frisco won 5-2 to improve to 9-4 in the second half after a franchise-worst first.
AAA: Round Rock 10, at Las Vegas (OAK) 7 Round Rock: 10 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts Opponent: 12 hits, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts Record: 3-3, 2 GB, 47-33 overall
SP Robert Dugger: 6.2 IP, 7 H (2 HR), 4 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 101 P / 66 S, 4.74 ERA CF JP Martinez: 1-3, HR (8), 2 BB, .340/.467/.596 1B Dustin Harris: 1-3, BB, .286/.432/.571 3B Dio Arias: 3-4, 2B, 3B, HR (3), .274/.354/.417
AAA newcomer Dustin Harris has some of the oddest batted-ball data I’ve seen. In 26 balls in play, Harris has yet to exceed 100 MPH. But at the same time, his median velo is an above-average 92, and he’s hit only one ball under 80. He’s consistently hitting in a very tight velo range. He’s also hit only one ball at greater than 41 degrees (anything 45 and up is almost always a popout or flyout). He has triple the usual proportion of balls in what I call the “unlucky” zone: 88-94 MPH off the bat in a range of 19 to 40 degrees. A basic description would be a ball hit fairly hard at a nice angle but usually into an awaiting outfielder’s glove. We’ll see how that progresses. Consistently hitting in that angle range is terrific. The difference between guys who hit 88-97 MPH at those angles versus a few ticks harder is measured in millions of dollars.
Diosbel Arias fell a single short of a cycle.
AA: Frisco 11, at San Antonio (SDG) 3 Frisco: 12 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts Opponent: 5 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts Record: 3-3, 2 GB, 34-40 overall
SP Dane Acker: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 73 P / 48 S, 6.75 ERA RP Theo McDowell: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 5.51 ERA RP Aidan Anderson: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 2.87 ERA CF Evan Carter: 3-4, HR (7), BB, .316/.427/.471 LF Aaron Zavala: 1-3, 2B, BB, .209/.359/.313 2B Jax Biggers: 1-5, HR (4), .201/.327/.302
In his AA debut, Dane Acker was greeted with back-to-back triples by the rude San Antonio hosts. Acker later allowed a dubious inside-the-park homer. Juan Fernandez’s towering fly to left center landed between Aaron Zavala and Evan Carter, bounced high off the wall, and wasn’t retrieved cleanly, allowing Fernandez to race home. The outfielders argued to no avail that the ball actually rebounded off a scoreboard above the line.
The outfielders are correct. Here’s a screengrab at the moment of impact:
I don’t blame the umps. Whether playing out there or observing from a distance, left field is a blinding nightmare in the early evening. In any case, Acker allowed three extra-base hits but was in control otherwise.
Acker did not make the trip from Hickory alone.
In 12 games at San Antonio, Evan Carter batted .458/.551/.771. San Antonio is the league’s most pitcher-friendly park and can be especially vexing to lefty batters when the wind blows in from right-center.
Hi-A: off
Hickory played Monday through Sunday last week, unlike Texas’s other teams and most of the Sally league. Neither Hickory nor last week’s opponent Greensboro had lengthy trips to their next destination, so I’m not sure why they couldn’t play on the 3rd. Hickory commences six in Winston-Salem tonight.
Lo-A: Down East 3, Carolina (MIL) 0 Down East: 6 hits, 9 walks, 3 strikeouts Opponent: 6 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts Record: 6-3, tied for first, 43-27 overall
SP Dylan MacLean: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 64 P / 42 S, 2.72 ERA RP DJ McCarty: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.70 ERA SS Cam Cauley: 0-2, 2 BB, HBP, SB (20), .244/.335/.407 LF Jojo Blackmon: 1-2, 2 BB, .161/.263/.300
The DM tandem squelched Carolina to produce Down East’s third shutout in the six-game series. Once again, the Woodies didn’t hit much but managed to put a few on the board by taking advantage of wild pitchers.
Today’s Starters AAA: White AA: TBD Hi-A: TBD Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday Spokane’s Hans Crouse retired nine straight to open the game, then allowed three runs on a homer, two singles, a walk, three wild pitches, and two stolen bases.
AAA: Round Rock 13, at Las Vegas (OAK) 2 Round Rock: 17 hits, 9 walks, 8 strikeouts Opponent: 4 hits, 5 walks, 16 strikeouts Record: 2-3, 2 GB, 46-33 overall
SP Jake Latz: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 36 P / 24 S, 7.28 ERA RP Taylor Hearn: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 4.15 ERA SS Jonathan Ornelas: 2-3, 3 BB, .247/.366/.352 3B Davis Wendzel: 2-3, 3 BB, .256/.389/.508 C Sam Huff: 3-5, 2 HR (11), BB, .282/.372/.512 LF Elier Hernandez: 3-5, HR (13), .330/.396/.554 RF Sandro Fabian: 4-5, 2B, .291/.333/.527
Sam Huff hit three balls in the air per my instructions, resulting in two homers and a bloop single.
Marc Church touched 99, missed nine bats out of 34 pitches and struck out four in two innings. He also surrendered a two-run homer.
Taylor Hearn has been okay but isn’t standing out among a crowd of AAA relievers on the 40. Non-40 pickup Ryan Tepera, paid handsomely by the Angels to pitch in AAA for the Rangers, is unscored upon with seven strikeouts in six innings. Tepera has avoided hard contact so far and missed batted with the slider. His fastball has topped at 93.7 and isn’t really scaring anyone.
AA: Frisco 6, at San Antonio (SDG) 4 Frisco: 11 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts Opponent: 5 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts Record: 2-3, 3 GB, 33-40 overall
SP Noah Bremer: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 46 P / 28 S, 11.12 ERA RP Grant Wolfram: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1.80 ERA CF Luisangel Acuna: 2-4, BB, .302/.363/.448 DH Evan Carter: 1-4, 2B, BB, .307/.420/.450 SS Thomas Saggese: 2-5, HR (11), .307/.371/.498 RF Kellen Strahm: 3-4, 2B, .236/.340/.319
A passed ball and soft single by Trevor Hauver plated two in the 9th to break a lengthy deadlock. Luisangel Acuna had walked and Evan Carter doubled earlier in the inning. Acuna played center field for the second and made a swell diving catch (video).
SP Mitch Bratt: 3 IP, 8 H (1 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 7 SO, 82 P / 54 S, 3.56 ERA RP Jackson Kelley: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 4.61 ERA RP Seth Clark: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 3.05 ERA RP Yohanse Morel: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 2.81 ERA 1B Tucker Mitchell: 4-4, 2 BB, .299/.406/.448 RF Yosy Galan: 2-5, 2B, HR (1), .310/.310/.517
Hickory collected a modest 11 hits across 12 innings, only two for extra bases. They were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and committed three errors. Mitch Bratt allowed a career-worst five runs. The result? A franchise-best 12th consecutive victory in a packed home park.
Hickory fanned 23 batters. Mike Jarvis was 0-for-7 with five strikeouts.
Lo-A: Down East 3, Carolina (MIL) 7 Down East: 4 hits, 4 walks, 13 strikeouts Opponent: 11 hits, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts Record: 5-3, tied for first, 42-27 overall
SP Leandro Lopez: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 67 P / 44 S, 3.51 ERA RP Luis Ramirez: 3.2 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 3 R, 0 BB, 2 HBP, 4 SO, 4.54 ERA
The tandem starters notched nine strikeouts but were hittable, and the offense was quiet for a second straight day.
Today’s Starters AAA: Dugger AA: TBD Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday For the umpteenth time in 2018, I tried to tease something positive out of whatever Willie Calhoun had been doing lately. Calhoun received some attention earlier this season with some nice games for the Yankees, but at present he’s league-average hitter (more-or-less) with negative defensive and baserunning value, thus the very definition of replacement level. Admittedly, the Yankees have had to deal with several injuries, but even so, their roster construction is just weird.
AAA: Round Rock 9, at Las Vegas (OAK) 6 Round Rock: 15 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts Record: 1-1, tied for first, 45-31 overall
SP Owen White: 2 IP, 6 H (3 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 0 SO, 57 P / 31 S, 9.00 ERA RP Daniel Robert: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 5.40 ERA RP Jonathan Hernandez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.96 ERA CF Bubba Thompson: 3-6, SB (4), .300/.417/.333 RF JP Martinez: 2-4, BB, SB (23), .345/.470/.559 C Matt Whatley: 4-4, HR (1), BB, .227/.331/.300
From Herman Melville’s Bartleby, The Pitcher: “In this very attitude did I sit when I called to him, rapidly stating what it was I wanted him to do—namely, to pitch multiple innings in Las Vegas, the most hitter-friendly location within the most hitter-friendly league. Imagine my surprise, nay, my consternation, when without moving from his privacy, Bartleby in a singularly mild, firm voice, replied, ‘I would prefer not to.’ “
Okay, neither Owen White nor anyone else is going to refuse to pitch in a potentially destructive environment, but the thought crosses my mind once in a while. White has allowed seven hits in two AAA starts. Four of them have left the yard.
After two games, Round Rock shares the second-half division lead with nine other teams. The entire league is 1-1.
AA: Frisco 2, at San Antonio (SDG) 3 Frisco: 6 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 13 strikeouts Record: 1-1, 1 GB, 32-38 overall
SP Ryan Garcia: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 9 SO, 84 P / 52 S, 6.75 ERA SS Luisangel Acuna: 3-5, 2B, SB (32), .301/.360/.442 RF Trevor Hauver: 1-2, 2 BB, SB (1), .244/.369/.395
Trevor Hauver has a nine-game hitting streak with a .387/.537/.548 line. Hauver has always walked at a tremendous rate, but many of that type have difficulty responding to pitchers with better control and command once they reach AA. Hauver has batted .241/.386/.417 in 79 AA games stretching to late last year. Picked in 2020’s third round by the Yankees, Hauver will be Rule 5-eligible if unprotected. At present, I’m doubtful he’s placed on the 40, but he has time. That aside, a good showing would entail continued improvement against AA pitching and perhaps a late-season finish in AAA.
Low-whiff, high-strikeout hitters in the organization with at least 100 PA are Hauver, Aaron Zavala, Ian Moller, and Griffin Cheney.
Incidentally, three-fifths of Atlanta’s current rotation (Shuster, Strider, Elder) came from the 2020 draft. That’s ridiculous.
SP Larson Kindreich: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 8 SO, 73 P / 45 S, 4.50 ERA RP Jackson Kelley: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 5.25 ERA C Tucker Mitchell: 2-4, HR (3), .266/.375/.430 3B Cody Freeman: 2-4, 2B, .218/.280/.397 DH Yosy Galan: 2-4, 2B, .250/.250/.300
Hickory’s nightly flirtation with no-hitters is a winning strategy. Kindreich’s flirting was rather awkward, as he somehow escaped the 1st unscathed despite a hit batter, two walks, and a wild pitch. He didn’t allow a hit until the 5th. Last night’s wildness aside, Kindreich has reduced his BB/HBP rate from 18% last year to 14% in 2023, although his strikeout rate has also fallen the same amount from 32% to 28%.
Lo-A: Down East 5, Carolina (MIL) 1 Down East: 7 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts Opponent: 2 hits, 0 walks, 12 strikeouts Record: 4-1, 1 G up, 41-25 overall
SP Aidan Curry: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO, 52 P / 38 S, 2.73 ERA RP Kai Wynyard: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1.56 ERA 2B Danyer Cueva: 2-4, 2B, .266/.319/.402 C Ian Moller: 2-3, HR (4), .186/.312/.314
Led by Aidan Curry retiring his first 11 opponents, Down East maintained a shutout until he 9th and needed only 102 pitches. Of those first 11, Curry struck out five, and 14 of his 34 pitches were swinging strikes. Like Josh Stephan, Curry missed 2020’s five-round draft and signed as a free agent out of high school. Those guys flew under the radar because undrafted Americans hardly ever make an impact, plus we were all distracted by civilization potentially collapsing.
Five Years Ago Yesterday Round Rock’s win streak ended at seven with a late-inning loss to Colorado Springs. As I wrote: “Colorado Springs is a lame-duck entity, at least in terms of Triple A. They’ll move to San Antonio after the season. The existing AA Missions are headed to a new stadium in Amarillo. The MLB affiliation for next year’s Missions is undetermined, but the Rangers are a perfect fit geographically. The drawback is the stadium, which doesn’t measure up to other AAA parks. The mayor of San Antonio remains actively disinterested in funding a replacement stadium downtown. They’re hoping for a major franchise in some sport. I believe a stadium near US 281 north of Loop 1604 would do fabulous business, as the area has grown dramatically in the last decade, but I lack the means to build it.”
The Trade A full month before the trade deadline, the Rangers addressed their most serious weakness with the acquisition of Aroldis Chapman. (Not to say that they’re done.) You’ve probably heard some commentary imploring the Rangers not to wait until the last minute to improve the squad, and I didn’t disagree, but trades aren’t unilateral decisions. The Rangers needed a willing partner, and they found one in KC for a return that is honestly a little lighter than I expected.
Chapman has a noisy and concerning Wikipedia page that raises two questions:
1) Why would the Rangers trade for a guy who lost his closer’s role last year, missed three weeks with a tattoo-induced infection, was pointedly omitted from the postseason roster after skipping a mandatory workout, and signed a make-good contract with the downtrodden Royals?
Here’s why:
Chapman’s walk rate is an atrocious 16%, but as we see increasingly often, the walks are just an annoyance because he’s so hard to hit. Opponents are batting .158, slugging .188, and when they’re unable to draw a walk, their strikeout rate is 53%. Chapman’s average sinker velocity is 101.3, and the four-seamer is 99.4. He is on a different level than anyone on the Rangers.
2) Why would the Rangers trade for a guy with a documented history of domestic abuse and the first suspension handed down under MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy instituted in 2015?
Because he’ll get more batters out than some other relievers who are almost certainly better human beings. That’s it. As to how we as fans should react, well, there’s no absolute answer. Ultimately, it’s your time and money, and taking a closer look at how you use them is always worthwhile.
Is Cole Ragans a starter? A long reliever? A 7th-or-later one-inning guy? I’m still not sure. I assume the Royals see him as a starter, because otherwise the acquisition seems awfully light on their side. I certainly would keep him on that path were I in charge of a club like KC. I expect he’ll be useful somehow, if perhaps not in the way the Royals hope. He’s been optioned to AAA Omaha. While Ragans is switching from one of baseball’s better teams to one of the worst, the move does allow him to develop at his own speed, no longer beholden to the short-term and shifting needs of a club like the Rangers.
I had read a little about Roni Cabrera but had never typed his name until yesterday. Texas signed him in May 2022, far from peak signing time and for only $10,000, so at least in that respect he’s not remotely on the level of a Sebastian Walcott or Anthony Gutierrez. Now 17, he’s hitting a stout .320/.469/.620 while manning CF in his second year in the Dominican Republic, and reports of his batted-ball data and projection are positive. While he’s a long, long way from reaching the Majors, KC obviously saw enough to accept him in the deal.
As I’d mentioned, Glenn Otto looked ready to go immediately upon starting his rehab assignment in Round Rock. Not that can guarantee he’ll be better than, say, John King, but he’s at full capacity.
AAA: Round Rock 4, at Las Vegas (OAK) 5 Round Rock: 6 hits, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts Record: 1-2, 1 GB, 45-32 overall
SP Chase Lee: 2.2 IP, 1 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 47 P / 33 S, 3.51 ERA RP Alex Speas: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0.00 ERA CF JP Martinez: 1-4, HR (6), .342/.465/.570 DH Blaine Crim: 2-4, 2B, .263/.372/.453 1B Dustin Harris: 1-2, 2 BB, .333/.484/.625
Alex Speas had a successful AAA debut, touching 100 once with the fastball but dealing mostly cutters in an 88-97 range. No, that’s not a Statcast pitch classification defect; Speas really tossed a 97 MPH cutter. Speas’ effectiveness was of a different variety than displayed in Frisco. He struck out two but only missed two bats on outside cutters. His control was almost too good. He pounded the zone, where everything swung at was no worse than fouled, and only one of six balls in play was below 93 MPH off the bat.
Down a run in the 9th, Round Rock loaded the bases with none out but didn’t score.
There are worse problems to have, but with the trade of Ragans and call-up of Glenn Otto, the Express are down to two starters: Owen White and Robert Dugger. Three if you reinsert Cole Winn, who’s pitched in long relief lately. Might be time to throw a little money at someone in the Atlantic League.
AA: Frisco 3, at San Antonio (SDG) 10 Frisco: 7 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts Opponent: 12 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts Record: 1-2, 2 GB, 32-39 overall
SP Jack Leiter: 4.2 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 8 R, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 5 SO, 86 P / 56 S, 4.85 ERA CF Evan Carter: 2-4, 2B, .309/.423/.454
Activated from the Development List after a week off, Jack Leiter ran the gamut. He threw strikes at a 65% rate but walked or hit five. He missed 13 bats, but the contact included four extra-base hits and a .619 slugging percentage.
SP Winston Santos: 6.2 IP, 1 H (1 HR), 2 R, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 6 SO, 88 P / 48 S, 5.07 ERA RP Spencer Mraz: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 3.81 ERA RF Alejandro Osuna: 3-4, 2B, .264/.379/.392 SS Max Acosta: 1-3, BB, .275/.323/.383 DH Abi Ortiz: 2-4, HR (11), .360/.427/.750 C Cody Freeman: 2-4, HR (8), .224/.284/.415
In the span of two months, Hickory has a 12-game losing streak and ten-game win streak. In four wins against Greensboro, which held the league’s best offense entering the series, Hickory has allowed only six runs and 11 hits. Like Dane Acker and Larson Kindreich before him, Winston Santos lacked control but was nearly impossible to hit.
Abimelec Ortiz doesn’t have minor league ball’s most homers, nor does he have the highest homer rate, but in some sense he’s the best in the minors at going deep when factoring age. Entering last night, 120 batters had at least 12 homers. Of those, 12 had a HR rate of 7% of their plate appearances. So, we’re talking the elite both in raw numbers and frequency. 11 of those 12 have done most or all of their damage in AAA, often in a favorable home park, and nearly all are in their mid-twenties. 23-year-old Mark Vientos is the youngest of the AAA group. There’s one outlier among the 12: 21-year-old Abi Ortiz. What does this mean? I don’t know. It could mean a jump from Jamey’s top 72 to Baseball America’s top 30. It could just be a crazy hot streak, and we subsequently discover that Ortiz can’t and won’t hit bendy stuff. Don’t trade Ohtani for Ortiz in your dynasty league just yet.
Lo-A: Down East 11, Carolina (MIL) 0 Down East: 15 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts Opponent: 6 hits, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts Record: 5-1, 1 G up, 42-25 overall
SP Joseph Montalvo: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 SO, 74 P / 51 S, 1.71 ERA RP Damien Mendoza: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 5.04 ERA RP Adrian Rodriguez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 3.18 ERA 2B Danyer Cueva: 3-5, .264/.325/.406 C Ian Moller: 1-4, 2B, BB, .188/.314/.318 3B Gleider Figuereo: 3-5, 2B, .232/.325/.367 1B Griffin Cheney: 2-3, 2B, 3B, BB, .214/.329/.443 RF Jojo Blackmon: 2-3, HBP, 3 SB (13), .160/.258/.303
I’d listed Brock Porter as Friday’s starter out of habit, but he didn’t pitch, probably because of the extra day off on Tuesday. Joseph Montalvo started instead and continued to shine. Danyer Cueva was Down East’s best hitter in June, batting .326/.396/.512.
AAA: Round Rock 9, at Las Vegas (OAK) 6 Round Rock: 15 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts Opponent: 10 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts Record: 1-1, tied for first, 45-31 overall
SP Owen White: 2 IP, 6 H (3 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 0 SO, 57 P / 31 S, 9.00 ERA RP Daniel Robert: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 5.40 ERA RP Jonathan Hernandez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0.96 ERA CF Bubba Thompson: 3-6, SB (4), .300/.417/.333 RF JP Martinez: 2-4, BB, SB (23), .345/.470/.559 C Matt Whatley: 4-4, HR (1), BB, .227/.331/.300
From Herman Melville’s Bartleby, The Pitcher: “In this very attitude did I sit when I called to him, rapidly stating what it was I wanted him to do—namely, to pitch multiple innings in Las Vegas, the most hitter-friendly location within the most hitter-friendly league. Imagine my surprise, nay, my consternation, when without moving from his privacy, Bartleby in a singularly mild, firm voice, replied, ‘I would prefer not to.’ “
Okay, neither Owen White nor anyone else is going to refuse to pitch in a potentially destructive environment, but the thought crosses my mind once in a while. White has allowed seven hits in two AAA starts. Four of them have left the yard.
After two games, Round Rock shares the second-half division lead with nine other teams. The entire league is 1-1.
AA: Frisco 2, at San Antonio (SDG) 3 Frisco: 6 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 13 strikeouts Record: 1-1, 1 GB, 32-38 overall
SP Ryan Garcia: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 9 SO, 84 P / 52 S, 6.75 ERA SS Luisangel Acuna: 3-5, 2B, SB (32), .301/.360/.442 RF Trevor Hauver: 1-2, 2 BB, SB (1), .244/.369/.395
Trevor Hauver has a nine-game hitting streak with a .387/.537/.548 line. Hauver has always walked at a tremendous rate, but many of that type have difficulty responding to pitchers with better control and command once they reach AA. Hauver has batted .241/.386/.417 in 79 AA games stretching to late last year. Picked in 2020’s third round by the Yankees, Hauver will be Rule 5-eligible if unprotected. At present, I’m doubtful he’s placed on the 40, but he has time. That aside, a good showing would entail continued improvement against AA pitching and perhaps a late-season finish in AAA.
Low-whiff, high-strikeout hitters in the organization with at least 100 PA are Hauver, Aaron Zavala, Ian Moller, and Griffin Cheney.
Incidentally, three-fifths of Atlanta’s current rotation (Shuster, Strider, Elder) came from the 2020 draft. That’s ridiculous.
SP Larson Kindreich: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 8 SO, 73 P / 45 S, 4.50 ERA RP Jackson Kelley: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 5.25 ERA C Tucker Mitchell: 2-4, HR (3), .266/.375/.430 3B Cody Freeman: 2-4, 2B, .218/.280/.397 DH Yosy Galan: 2-4, 2B, .250/.250/.300
Hickory’s nightly flirtation with no-hitters is a winning strategy. Kindreich’s flirting was rather awkward, as he somehow escaped the 1st unscathed despite a hit batter, two walks, and a wild pitch. He didn’t allow a hit until the 5th. Last night’s wildness aside, Kindreich has reduced his BB/HBP rate from 18% last year to 14% in 2023, although his strikeout rate has also fallen the same amount from 32% to 28%.
Lo-A: Down East 5, Carolina (MIL) 1 Down East: 7 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts Opponent: 2 hits, 0 walks, 12 strikeouts Record: 4-1, 1 G up, 41-25 overall
SP Aidan Curry: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO, 52 P / 38 S, 2.73 ERA RP Kai Wynyard: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1.56 ERA 2B Danyer Cueva: 2-4, 2B, .266/.319/.402 C Ian Moller: 2-3, HR (4), .186/.312/.314
Led by Aidan Curry retiring his first 11 opponents, Down East maintained a shutout until he 9th and needed only 102 pitches. Of those first 11, Curry struck out five, and 14 of his 34 pitches were swinging strikes. Like Josh Stephan, Curry missed 2020’s five-round draft and signed as a free agent out of high school. Those guys flew under the radar because undrafted Americans hardly ever make an impact, plus we were all distracted by civilization potentially collapsing.
Five Years Ago Yesterday Round Rock’s win streak ended at seven with a late-inning loss to Colorado Springs. As I wrote: “Colorado Springs is a lame-duck entity, at least in terms of Triple A. They’ll move to San Antonio after the season. The existing AA Missions are headed to a new stadium in Amarillo. The MLB affiliation for next year’s Missions is undetermined, but the Rangers are a perfect fit geographically. The drawback is the stadium, which doesn’t measure up to other AAA parks. The mayor of San Antonio remains actively disinterested in funding a replacement stadium downtown. They’re hoping for a major franchise in some sport. I believe a stadium near US 281 north of Loop 1604 would do fabulous business, as the area has grown dramatically in the last decade, but I lack the means to build it.”
AAA: Round Rock 5, at Las Vegas (OAK) 7 Round Rock: 7 hits, 7 walks, 2 strikeouts Opponent: 8 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts Record: 0-1, 1 GB, 44-31 overall
SP Robert Dugger: 6 IP, 6 H (2 HR), 5 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 88 P / 57 S, 4.68 ERA RP Marc Church: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.86 ERA LF JP Martinez: 1-2, HR (5), 2 BB, SB (22), .340/.466/.560 2B Justin Foscue: 2-4, 2 2B, .281/.407/.498 SS Jonathan Ornelas: 1-3, HR (4), BB, .246/.361/.356
Justin Foscue doubled twice in his return to action, one a firm drive to LCF, the other a gentler liner into to LF corner.
Jonathan Ornelas’s homer (video) approached the upper limit of how hard he can hit (108 MPH) and caromed hard off the scoreboard well above the wall. While he’s no pure power hitter, he did swat 14 homers last year. In 2023, Ornelas has the team’s highest grounder rate as well as his highest in five years as a professional, and I suspect that’s playing a part in the 70-point drop in his slugging percentage from 2022.
Incidentally and annoyingly, the team’s second-highest grounder rate belongs to Sam Huff, who should be fitted with a device that administers a mild shock whenever he hits a grounder. (Not a big shock, just something unpleasant like licking a nine-volt battery. I’m a reasonable man.)
AA: Frisco 4, at San Antonio (SDG) 2 Frisco: 11 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts Opponent: 4 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts Record: 1-0, tied for first, 32-37 overall
SP Seth Nordlin: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 SO, 64 P / 41 S, 5.88 ERA RP Danny Duffy: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.97 ERA CF Evan Carter: 3-4, BB, SB (10), .303/.422/.449 DH Trevor Hauver: 3-4, 2B, BB, .241/.363/.394
Evan Carter is batting .500/.556/.909 with four multi-hit games in his first week off the IL.
Danny Duffy had his best outing. AA opponents are hitting .244/.404/.293 against him, which is to say Duffy’s control has been very poor on occasion. I honestly haven’t watched him enough to know whether he has any hope of contributing to the Rangers. When he signed in January, I envisioned the possibility of him in the role Dane Dunning occupies, a former starter in relief pushed back into the rotation by injuries to others.
SP Josh Stephan: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 SO, 57 P / 42 S, 2.17 ERA RP Andy Rodriguez: IP, 1 H (2 HR), 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 2.96 ERA 1B Abi Ortiz: 1-2, HR (10), 2 BB, .359/.431/.750 CF Daniel Mateo: 2-3, 3B, .268/.283/.407
Josh Stephan retired 15 straight, ten via strikeout, and generated 11 swinging strikes with his last 20 pitches. Frustratingly, Stephan also threw his third-fewest pitches of the season, and the other two outings involved a return from a minor injury and his lone start on four days rest. Why so short now? I guess we’ll have to wait and find out. Now 21, Stephan joined the Rangers in 2020 as a free agent after going unpicked in that year’s five-round draft.
Yesterday’s game was over by the time I sent the Wednesday report. When Abi Ortiz homered, at that moment he had the third-most homers (17) of anyone in the two A levels.
Lo-A: Down East 2, Carolina (MIL) 0 Down East: 3 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts Opponent: 2 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts Record: 3-1, tied for first, 40-25 overall
SP Brayan Mendoza: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 60 P / 39 S, 2.40 ERA RP Wyatt Sparks: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 1.84 ERA RP Jacob Maton: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1.96 ERA 2B Danyer Cueva: 2-3, .262/.316/.395
Carolina was limited to an infield single and a grounder deflected by 3B Gleider Figuereo. 19-year-old Brayan Mendoza had his best stateside outing.
Today’s Starters AAA: White AA: Garcia Hi-A: Kindrech Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday Demarcus Evans struck out six in two scoreless innings for Hickory. Since taking over the high-leverage role for the injured Alex Speas, Evans had a 58% strikeout rate.
A weird schedule this week. All but Hickory had Tuesday off and their six-game set shifted forward to accommodate a game on Monday the 3rd, when more people will attend than on a bog-average Tuesday.
Reliever Alex Speas has been promoted to Round Rock, as I’ve been hoping for a little while. His first destination: Las Vegas, one of professional ball’s toughest pitching environments. Speas held AA opponents to a .133/.252/.184 line with a 14% BB/HBP rate and 42% SO rate. He hasn’t allowed a run in his last 15 innings and 11 appearances. Six of those 11 lasted longer than one inning.
IF Justin Foscue is off the IL.
Brad Miller’s rehab assignment was transferred to Round Rock. Day 16, I believe.
SP Dane Acker: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 3 SO, 69 P / 39 S, 2.11 ERA RP Jose Corniell: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 SO, 2.25 ERA 1B Abi Ortiz: 2-2, HR (9), 2 BB, .356/.419/.722 RF Yosy Galan: 2-4, 2 SB (3) 2B Jayce Easley: 1-2, 2 BB, SB (13), .206/.351/.250
Dane Acker was fine until the 4th when he walked four of six batters. Courtesy of an itinerant college career, covid, and injuries, Acker has a spotty statistical record that makes assessment of his in-game control difficult. Jose Corniell’s line was nearly identical to his high-A debut, which is to say terrific.
Abi Ortiz led Down East with seven homers when promoted and already leads Hickory now. (He in fact leads all of high-A during his five weeks at the level.) Maybe send him to Frisco to see if he can surpass Thomas Saggese’s team-best ten dingers in a month’s time, and then, on to Round Rock.
Lo-A: off
Rookie: 2-4 record since I last checked in, 6-11 overall (counting stats are for the week, ERA/rate stats are for the season) LHP Thomas Ireland: 5 IP, 4 H (1 HR), BB, 7 SO, 0.00 ERA LHP Kohl Drake: 3 IP, 2 H, BB, HBP, 5 SO, 2.35 ERA RHP Wilian Bormie: 3.2 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 2 BB, 5 SO, 3.00 ERA LHP Chris Widger: 2.2 IP, 1 H, BB, HBP, 5 SO, 1.17 ERA RHP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
SS Sebastian Walcott: 5-13, 2 triples, HR (1), .385/.385/.923 C Jesus Lopez: 6-16, double, 2 HR (2), 4 BB, .200/.300/.350 IF Echedry Vargas: 5-20, double, 2 HR (3), 3 BB, 2 SB, .246/.319/.446 OF Wady Mendez: 6-16, 2 doubles, BB, SB (1), .239/.352/.304 SS/2B Chandler Pollard: 4-17, 2 triples, 2 BB, 2 SB (4), .222/.364/.352
Sebastian Walcott’s first week in the US went to plan. The 17-year-old Walcott is nine months younger than anyone else on the roster, and he’s slugging .923. Yes, it’s just a 13 plate appearances in rookie league, but we’re allowed to enjoy it.
We have an Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa sighting. “Bubba” was held back during the spring and then longer into the season than I’d expected. Last year, he struck out 67 in 43.2 innings for Down East, and hopefully he’ll return there before long.
Today’s Starters AAA: Dugger AA: TBD Hi-A: Stephan Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday Spokane’s Hans Crouse shut out Everett for five innings, and Curtis Terry clubbed his league-leading sixth homer.
AAA: Round Rock 5, Sacramento (SFO) 4 Round Rock: 9 hits, 8 walks, 9 strikeouts Opponent: 5 hits, 7 walks, 8 strikeouts Record: 44-30, 6.5 GB, 2nd of 10 teams, first half over
SP Cole Ragans: 4 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 SO, 66 P / 40 S, 2.79 ERA RP Cole Winn: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 7.71 ERA RP Jonathan Hernandez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 1.13 ERA CF Bubba Thompson: 2-4, SB (3), .250/.400/.300 RF Elier Hernandez: 2-4, BB, .336/.405/.564 LF Sandro Fabian: 2-4, HR (9), .281/.326/.510
Cole Ragans was similar to Owen White on Friday, tough to hit but lacking his usual control. Cole Winn was solid for a second straight relief outing, relying heavily on a fastball that didn’t overwhelm the opposition but generated plenty of strikes. Elier Hernandez has a hit in 26 straight starts, during which he’s batted .422/.465/.750.
Half-Season Summary: Offense: 6.1 runs per game (1% worse than park-adjusted league average), .271/.377/.456, 104 OPS+ Pitching/Defense: 5.2 runs per game (16% better than average), opposing line ..259/.355/.398, 85 OPS+ Best Hitter: OF Elier Hernandez (.336/.406/.564, 20 2B/3B, 12 HR, 136 OPS+) Best Pitcher: LHP Cody Bradford (59.1 IP, 1.82 ERA, .192/.249/.305 oppo line, 22% SO) If you want JP Martinez (.338/.459/.540, 145 OPS+, but 29 fewer games than Hernandez), that’s fine. My best hitter/pitcher picks are purely performance, unbiased by prospect status. Also, to reiterate the extreme playing environment, park-adjusted league-average runs per game for the Express is 6.2. Someone batting .269/.364/.453 has a 100 OPS+.
AA: Frisco 9, Springfield (STL) 6 Frisco: 13 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts Opponent: 11 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts Record: 31-37, 5.5 GB, 5th of 5 teams, first half over
SP Nick Krauth: 4 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 61 P / 44 S, 6.48 ERA RP Alex Speas: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0.64 ERA RP Justin Slaten: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.95 ERA RP Antoine Kelly: 1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.95 ERA CF Evan Carter: 2-3, 2B, HR (5), BB, .293/.414/.442 SS Luisangel Acuna: 2-4, 2B, .297/.359/.440 2B Thomas Saggese: 2-4, 2B, .312/.372/.502 DH Aaron Zavala: 2-3, 2B, BB, .207/.361/.319.
Down 6-2 at the stretch, Frisco scored six runs in the 7th, capped by an Evan Carter laser to right.
Alex Speas’ last 15 innings: five hits, four walks, a hit batter, 28 strikeouts (52% of opposing hitters).
Ricky Vanasco hasn’t pitched in a real game since joining the Dodgers. I assume he’s on LA’s Development List but the info is sketchy.
Half-Season Summary: Offense: 5.5 runs per game (6% better than park-adjusted league average), .253/.355/.401, 104 OPS+ Pitching/Defense: 5.6 runs per game (7% worse than average), opposing line .248/.352/.406, 104 OPS+ Best Hitter: IF Thomas Saggese (.312/.372/.502, 18 2B/3B, 10 HR, 134 OPS+) Best Pitcher: RHP Owen White (56.1 IP, 3.51 ERA, .205/.302/.313 oppo line, 21% SO)
Hi-A: Hickory 5, at Asheville (HOU) 2 Hickory: 12 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts Opponent: 8 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts Record: 3-0, tied for first
SP Mitch Bratt: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 71 P / 53 S, 2.91 ERA RP Seth Clark: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.50 ERA RP Robby Ahlstrom: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 4.07 ERA DH Abi Ortiz: 1-3, HR (8), BB, .341/.396/.682 C Tucker Mitchell: 2-4, 2B, .268/.386/.408 C Cody Freeman: 3-4, 2 2B, .210/.277/.395 CF Daniel Mateo: 2-4, 2B, .263/.278/.395
Abimelec Ortiz leads the team in homers and ranks 18th in the league. Not bad considering he spent the first six weeks of the season with Down East, for whom he’s still ranked second with seven homers. As I’ve mentioned, Ortiz’s 2022 at Down East wasn’t much to write about, but on the other hand he was 20 and had skipped rookie ball. Ortiz hadn’t hit for average until this season.
Mitch Bratt’s 25% strikeout rate is middle-of-the-park in the Sally League, but his 5% walk rate is among the best. Bratt turns 20 in a week. I suppose he could reach AA in 2023, but I don’t feel any urgency, and spending the entire season in Hickory would not be a disappointment.
Lo-A: Down East 2, at Salem (BOS) 7 Down East: 5 hits, 0 walks, 17 strikeouts Opponent: 8 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts Record: 2-1, tied for first
SP DJ McCarty: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 47 P / 32 S, 2.00 ERA RP Dylan MacLean: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.08 ERA
In the 3rd, Salem scored seven runs on three hits and a whole lot of chaos. Adrian Rodriguez retired one of five batters faced. Against him in June, opponents are just 2-for-20 with no extra-base hits, but one of every three batters has reached on a walk or HBP.
Five Years Ago Yesterday Rehabbing Martin Perez threw five scoreless innings for low-A Hickory. Sam Huff caught Perez and hit his 9th homer, Bubba Thompson was 3-6, and Joe Barlow closed out a 4-3 win with 2.2 scoreless.
