Rangers Farm Report: Games of 5/8 Scarcely a month after he joined the organization, catcher Robinson Chirinos will be a Ranger. Chirinos was batting .295/.404/.487 in 23 AAA games. At the MLB level, I wouldn't expect that kind of batting average, but he's got a patient approach and decent power, especially for the position.
Unfortunately, I can't offer any personal observations on his catching. I've been to five of Round Rock's 12 home games, and Chirinos has caught five home games, but I've yet to see him behind the plate. Notwithstanding his 9% success rate at nailing base-stealers in 19 MLB games, reports suggest he's competent defensively. He didn't become a catcher until his seventh minor-league season. He's also played first and third with Round Rock.
Also, Jurickson Profar's fear-inducing departure from Tuesday's game ended up being a hyperextended thumb. He played last night.
Players of the Month Texas announced its minor-league players of the month: Round Rock outfielder Joey Butler (player), Hickory RHP CJ Edwards (pitcher), Frisco RHP Randy Henry (reliever), and Frisco catcher Tomas Telis (defender). I hope to have my own players of the month by tomorrow, assuming I finish reconstructing my master player spreadsheet, which had become a Frankenstein's Monster over the years.
Stars of the Day AAA: Jurickson Profar, Yangervis Solarte, Jim Adduci
Hi-A: Nick Martinez / Trever Adams, Chris Grayson, Jake Skole
AAA: Round Rock 9, at Las Vegas 5 Record: 19-14, -1.5
Jurickson Profar (.241/.344/.380) went 3-5 after scaring the daylights out of me Tuesday night. Jim Adduci was 4-5 with a double and his fourth homer, and Yangervis Solarte singled twice and walked.
The PCL has a deserved reputation as hitter-friendly, but of the eight cities where Round Rock plays 78% of its schedule, only mile-high Albuquerque heavily inflates offensive numbers. Las Vegas is a rare opportunity for batters to make hay while the sun shines.
As for the pitchers… Ryan Feierabend allowed 10 runners in his 5.1 innings but only three scored. Cory Burns had to come on for the final out after Yoshi Tateyama let in one run and loaded the bases in the 9th.
Round Rock received OF Hirotoshi Onaka from extended spring training. The 24-year-old signed with Texas after going undrafted in Japan. Onaka has only 12 games of experience above short-season ball, all at low-A Hickory, so I assume he's a placeholder until Texas can make longer-term roster adjustments. He's insanely proficient at walking.
Elsewhere, Houston-affiliated Oklahoma City was down 6-0 with two outs in the 9th to Tacoma. OKC then rattled off a single-double-walk-walk-single-slam sequence to tie the game and won 7-6 in the 10th on a Tacoma error. OKC faced 11 two-out, two-strikes pitches in the 9th.
AA: off
High-A: at Myrtle Beach 8, Lynchburg (ATL) 2 Record: 19-13, +2.5
LF Chris Grayson (.253/.330/.418) missed the cycle by a home run, and CF Jake Skole (.174/.271/.217) went 2-3 with a walk. 1B Trever Adams (.250/.308/.442) mashed his fifth homer. Nick Martinez (2.41 ERA) struck out only three, well off his career-high nine from last weekend, but he held the Hillcats to two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks in six innings.
Low-A: off
Five Years Ago Yesterday Texas designated 1B Ben Broussard for assignment. Acquired for infielder Tug Hulett during the previous winter, Broussard batted .159/.225/.268 in 26 games. He'd signed for $3.85 million to avoid arbitration. Now, after a four-year hiatus, Broussard plays for the indy Long Island Ducks.
Meanwhile, Jason Botts homered for AAA Oklahoma in his first post-outright at-bat. John Mayberry also went deep. Clinton's Neftali Feliz fanned just one in 5.1 scoreless innings.
Today's Starters AAA: Colby Lewis
AA: Neil Ramirez
Hi-A: Luke Jackson
Lo-A: CJ Edwards
Opening Day is 3/31/2014 at the Ballpark against the Phillies