Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (7/3)

Edwin Escobar (photo by Scott Lucas)

Most of the young pitching talent harvested from the Caribbean is extremely raw. It took Wilmer Font a couple of years to put it together even a little bit. We’re still waiting for Geuris Grullon to command his nasty stuff. Carlos Melo has power and, at times, astounding movement on his fastball, but no idea where it’s going. Some will work it out, most won’t.

And then you have the rare guys like Wilfredo Boscan and Martin Perez who seem to be almost complete pitchers at age 17 or 18. They can throw two or three quality pitches for strikes and they go to the mound with an idea and the ability to execute it.

Early indications suggest that the Rangers might have found another guy in the Martin Perez mold in Edwin Escobar, a lefty from Venezuela who turned 17 in April and who is off to a dazzling start in the Arizona League. The Rangers signed him one year ago for a bonus of $350,000 and you have to wonder if, like Perez, he amounts to a first-round sort of talent for a third-round sort of price.

Triple-A: @ Iowa 2, Oklahoma City 1

The Lizard (4-7; 4.56) went the whole way, limiting the I-Cubs to a pair of runs on four hits and four walks, but the RedHawks lineup was limited to one run on seven hits, three of which were delivered by LF Brandon Boggs (.289 / .417 / .372) who went 3-for-4 with a double.

Double-A: Frisco 4 @ Springfield 3 (10 Innings)

Adam Fox (.222 / .285 / .333) delivered an pinch-hit RBI single in the 10th that proved to be the diffference

LHP Mike Kirkman (4.42 ERA) needed 97 pitches to get through 4.2 innings, allowing three runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits and a pair of walks. The bullpen managed to shut Springfield out the rest of the way with RHP Thomas Diamond (3.20 ERA) allowing one hit and fanning two in 2.1 innings and RHP Brennan Garr (2-2; 4.15) being credited with the win after giving the Riders two no-hit innings, walking one and punching out three. Big Beau Vaughan (0.93) notched his third save for Frisco with a perfect ninth.

1b Justin Smoak (.333 / .453 / .489) doubled and drew three walks in five trips while RF Mitch Moreland (.329 / .371 / .486) belted a solo shot for his only hit in five at-bats, as did C Manny Pina (.274 / .328 /.420).

Advanced-A: @ Modesto 8, Bakersfield 7

The Nuts rebounded from the Ryan Tatusko one-hit shutout by pounding RHP Jared Hyatt (9.00 ERA) for five runs on eight hits and a walk in five innings and then tacked on three more against the Blaze bullpen.

DH Mauro Gomez (.256 / .313 / .477) doubled in a 2-for-3 outing that also included a base on balls while 2B Jake Kaase (.241 / .241 / .310) drove in two runs with a pair of singled in four trips.

Class-A: Hickory 7 @ Delmarva 4

The big fella dominated. RHP Wilmer Font (4-1; 3.96) blanked the Shorebirds on three hits, no walks (and no HBPs and no wild pitches) through the first five, striking out four.

3B Matt West (.258 / .355 / .371) went 2-for-3 with an RBI sac fly to drive in two runs while LF Cristian Santana (.185 / .268 / .347) slammed a three-run shot for his only hit in five trips.

Short Season-A: Spokane 6 @ Yakima 3

RHP Ben Henry (3.55 ERA) got the start for Spokane and allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and a walk, fanning one through four frames before handing the ball to the struggling RHP Kyle Ocampo (1-1; 10.97) who righted his ship with two perfect innings of relief, fanning two to claim the win.

Big RF Aja Tia Barto (.370 / .473 / .717) once again paced the Indians’ attack, going 4-for-5 with his third dinger of the year while SS Denny Duron (.281 / .324 / .500) doubled in a 2-for-4 outing.

Rookie: Brewers 3 @ Rangers 1

Another stout performance by highly regarded LHP Edwin Escobar (1.13 ERA), who turned 17 in April. The Venezuelan blanked the Near Beers on two hits and no walks, fanning four in as many innings. His catcher, Tomas Telis (.316 / .326 / .368) — who turned 18 two weeks ago — went 2-for-3 with a walk.