TEXAS RANGERS MINOR LEAGUE REPORT WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
ORGANIZATIONAL RECORD: 369-334 (.525), 8th-best in MLB
ROUND ROCK EXPRESS – L, 9-4 AT EL PASO
Triple-A, Pacific Coast League (74-62, 3rd, 2.0 GB) Must win Division to clinch a Playoff berth Round Rock fell to first place El Paso 9-4 in game one of a crucial series between the two squads as the Express fight to secure a playoff spot in the PCL. The Express surrendered six unanswered runs, all coming in the eighth inning, in the loss last night. DH Yohel Pozo led the team with a three-hit night (3-4, 2B, 2 R) while 3B Davis Wendzel contributed a two hit night (2-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R). Pozo has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 G, including 3 straight. He is hitting 8-for-21 (.381) with 3 2B and 2 RBI during that span. 1B Blaine Crim made his Triple-A debut for the Express going 1-for-3 with 2 RBI. Round Rock will look to bounce back tonight in game two of the series (7:35 p.m.).
FRISCO ROUGHRIDERS – L, 8-4 AT NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Double-A, Texas League (71-61, 1st, 3.5 GA) Frisco’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot = 3
The RoughRiders took a game one loss to NW Arkansas on Tuesday night, falling 8-4. Starter RHP Jack Leiter made his last regular season start tossing 4.2 IP that saw five hits, five runs, six walks (season-high), and four strikeouts. Leiter finishes his first pro season with the following numbers: 3-10, 5.54 ERA (57 ER/92.2 IP) with 88 H, 109 SO, and 56 BB in 23 G/22 GS for the ‘Riders. 3B Justin Foscue recorded the team’s only multi-hit game as he went 3 for-4. C Scott Kapers smashed his third home run of the season for Frisco, a three-run shot in the 5th inning. H finished the game 1-for-3 with a HR, 3 RBI, and a R scored. While Frisco lost, Midland fell as well (3-1 to Wichita), meaning the Frisco magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now just three with five games remaining.
HICKORY CRAWDADS – SEASON COMPLETE
High-A, South Atlantic League (66-65, 3rd, 12.5 GB)
Hickory completed their season on September 11 with a 4-2 loss vs. Rome. The Crawdads finished the season with a 66-65 record, good for third-best in the South Atlantic League’s Southern Division. For Hickory, Thomas Saggese (.308/.359/.487/.846) led the team in BA which ranked third in all of High-A. He also ranked eighth in SLG (.487) and ninth in H (117) in High-A. Evan Carter ranked among league leaders in multiple categories for the South Atlantic League, ranking seventh in BA (.287), eighth in RBI (66) and SLG (.476), fourth in OBP (.388), fifth in OPS (.864), and eighth in H (108).
On the mound, RHP Mason Englert finished with the final totals of 7-5, 3.57 ERA (41 ER/103.1 IP) with 73 H, 116 SO, and 26 BB in 21 G/GS for the ‘Dads, the Texas Rangers’ High-A affiliate.
He led the entire starting pitching staff in ERA on the year.
DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS – SEASON COMPLETE
Low-A, Carolina League (65-66, 3rd, 10.0 GB)
Down East completed their final game of the season on September 10 with a 11-4 loss at Delmarva. The Wood Ducks finished the season with a 65-66 record, good for third-best in the Carolina League’s Northern Division. This is the first time since 2018 that the Wood Ducks have failed to finish above .500 for the season. Down East had a few players finish in the Carolina League Leaders, Daniel Mateo ranked seventh in BA (.274), Yosy Galan ranked first overall in the Carolina league and T-5th overall in Single-A in HR (20), Maximo Acosta ranked T-4th in 2B (26) and Marcus Smith ranked T-7th in BB (66). Mateo led the team with a .274 avg and slashed .274/.317/.412/.729 with 11 HR and 51 RBI this season. RHP Winston Santos led all starters with 108.1 IP and finished with the final totals: 7-6, 3.49 ERA (42 ER/108.1 IP) with 89 H, 108 SO, and 20 BB in 22 G/21 GS for the Wood Ducks.
ACL RANGERS – SEASON COMPLETE
Arizona Complex League West (32-22, 1st, 3.0 GA)
The ACL Rangers saw their season end on August 25th with a 9-6 loss to the ACL Giants Black squad in the ACL semifinals. The Rangers won the ACL West division by three games and finished with the 6th-best record in the Arizona Complex League at season’s end. In the middle of their season, the Rangers went on a historic 16 game winning streak. Since 2005, the year MLB began tracking day-by-day stats, the 16 G win streak is the longest win streak in the Arizona Complex League and for a Rangers affiliate.
From Texas Rangers PR staff reports
