Today's Game Notes

LEADING OFF--The Travs try claim the series in Sunday’s finale.

LAST TIME OUT--Despite a rally from three runs down, Arkansas fell to Frisco, 8-4 in 10 innings on Saturday...the Travs never had the lead in the game...Cole Young and Harry Ford had two hits each but Frisco outhit Arkansas 11 to nine...Triston Polley threw two scoreless to get the win while Travis Kuhn was tagged with the loss after being scored on for the first time this season.

OH TO BE YOUNG--20-year old Cole Young had two more hits yesterday and has hit safely in 11 of his 13 games this season including a season opening nine game hit streak...tied for the team lead with four multi-hit contests... currently the youngest active player in the Texas League.

LOCKED IN--First baseman Tyler Locklear is surging in his second stint with Arkansas...has hit in seven of his last eight games...tied his career high with four runs batted in Thursday night...homered for the second straight game Thursday night and the third time in the previous four contests...hit just one homer in 22 games with the Travs last year.

THE PEN IS MIGHTIER--In the club’s eight wins, the bullpen has allowed only three earned runs over a cumulative 35 innings...surrendered 18 hits, 19 walks and two unearned runs in those innings with 38 Ks...Luis Curvelo (9,1 IP) and Kyle Hill (5 IP) have yet to allow a run this season while Peyton Alford has given up just one in 8.1 innings...Hill threw two more perfect innings Thursday night and has retired 15 straight to open the year.

GONE STREAKING--The Travs produced a seven game win streak from April 11-18...that matched their longest winning streak from last season when they won seven straight from May 7-14...their last eight game winning streak was nearly five years ago from May 17-24 in 2019.

BYRD WATCHING--Robbie Tenerowicz is back for a second season with Arkansas...last year, “Byrd” tied the franchise single season hit by pitch record getting plunked 21 times in only 87 games...he sits just 13 beanings shy of the Travs career mark held by Mike Collins (2008-09).

ON THE RISE--11 Travs made their Double-A debuts in the season opening series...headlining that group are the Mariners top two prospects INF Cole Young and C Harry Ford who are ranked 36th and 37th overall in baseball by mlb.com as well as RHP Logan Evans, drafted just last season who made the Opening Night start for the club.

FAMILIAR FACES--The 28 man season opening roster had 12 players who had previously suited up for Arkansas...six hitters return with C Jake Anchia and INF Kaden Polcovich each entering their fourth year...also back are 1B Tyler Locklear, OF Spencer Packard, OF Alberto Rodriguez and INF Robbie Tenerowicz...on the mound, RHPs Blas Castano, Travis Kuhn, Juan Mercedes and Reid Morgan as well as LHPs Peyton Alford and Ben Onyshko have previous experience with Arkansas.

PROSPECTING--The Travelers active roster is populated with five of the Mariners top 30 prospects based on the MLB Pipeline rankings...topping the list are SS Cole Young, top ranked in the system and #34 overall in baseball and C Harry Ford, second ranked in the system and #35 overall...also among Seattle’s top 30 are 1B Tyler Locklear (8), RHP Logan Evans (20) and OF Alberto Rodriguez (24).

LET’S RIDE--The Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers) opened the season with a 7-2 record and are currently tied for first place in the South Division...managed by Carlos Cardoza for the second consecutive season...their active roster has four of the Rangers top 30 prospects according to mlb.com...1B Abimelec Ortiz tops the list at #11 and is joined by RHP Emiliano Teodo (#15), OF Aaron Zavala (#20) and RHP Dane Acker (#27).

Starting Pitcher - RHP Blas Castano

Blas Castano makes his fourth appearance and second start of the season after making seven appearances and six starts in the regular season with Arkansas last year......fired 2.2 scoreless innings of relief on Tuesday on two hits and two walks..started in his season debut on 4/10 but recorded only one out
Castano pitched for three clubs over two levels last year posting a combined 5-6 record and 4.37 ERA in 26 games (11 starts) over 78.1 innings...also started two postseason games for Arkansas...put up a 4.30 ERA with the Travs over 29.1 IP with 30 strikeouts and 10 walks...earned first win with Arkansas on 9/3 in Tulsa throwing five innings of one-run ball with three walks and six strikeouts...joined Travs in mid-August after being released by the Yankees...had spent most of season with Double-A Somerset going 4-3 with a 4.76 ERA in 45.1 innings...threw at least five innings in each of his first five outings of the season (all starts)...also made a pair of scoreless relief outings with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre totaling 3.2 IP (2 H, 2 BB, 3 K)
Blas worked as starter in 2022 pitching all but one game with High-A Hudson Valley...was 5-8 with a 3.49 ERA in 21 starts covering 105.2 IP...struck out 101, walked 33 and limited opponents to a .247 BA...finished 2nd in the South Atlantic League in ERA...made Double-A debut with one start for Somerset
Made only 10 appearances (eight starts) in the 2021 season...pitched eight time with Class-A Tampa striking out 43 and walking only eight over 38.1 innings...also pitched twice in the Florida Complex League...did not pitch in 2020 due to the cancelled minor league season
25-year old made stateside debut in 2019 with 11 outings for the Yankees club in the Gulf Coast League...opened 2019 pitching for their affiliate in the Dominican Summer League...made pro debut in his native Dominican Republic in 2018 after signing with the Yankees at the age of 17

Starting Pitcher - RHP Bryan Woo (2-2, 2.08 ERA)

Bryan Woo makes his 9th start of the season and at the Double-A level...started on Tuesday and took the loss despite allowing just two runs over five innings... did have a season high in walks (3) and a season low in strikeouts (4)...picked up his second straight win on 5/17 in Wichita dealing a strong six innings (7 H, R, BB, 10 K, HR)...threw a career-best seven innings (on only 74 pitches) in a shutout effort on 5/11 vs. NW Arkansas giving up just two hits while striking out seven and earning his first win of the season...retired the first 18 hitters of that game before an surrendering an infield hit to start the 7th inning...pitched on 5/5 at Springfield and was saddled with the loss (4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K, HR)...dominated Tulsa on 4/29 authoring five shutout innings with eight strikeouts while giving up just one hit...made Double-A debut in home opener on 4/11 throwing four shutout innings (H, BB, 7 K)
Woo also faced Frisco on 4/22 and took no decision after a solid four innings of work...gave up just one run on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts
Bryan was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week for May 8-14...threw career best 7 IP in win vs. NWA (2 H, 7 K)...retired first 18 hitters of the game
Split last season between High-A Everett, Class-A Modesto and the Arizona Complex League...was held out of game action until June...pitched three times for the ACL Mariners (5.2 innings)...made six starts for Modesto going 0-1 with a 3.98 ERA over 20.1 innings with 29 strikeouts and six walks...made seven starts with Everett to close out regular season posting a 1-3 record with a 4.78 ERA...struck out 46 and walked 16 in 32 innings...earned first pro win on 8/2/22 with Everett vs. Hillsboro giving up just an unearned run on four hits over five innings with a walk and five strikeouts...struck out a career best 11 on 8/19/22 in a six inning start vs. Vancouver and earned Northwest League Pitcher of the Week honors for that performance
Closed his 2022 campaign by pitching in the Arizona Fall League making five starts for the Peoria Javelinas making up for lost innings during the season... allowed just one run over his 10.2 innings of work in the Fall League...took home an AFL Pitcher of the Week Award as well
Did not pitch in 2021 after being drafted...sat out while recovering from UCL replacement (Tommy John) surgery on his right elbow at the end of April
Started just six of 31 games in college over three years at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo with an cumulative ERA of 6.36
23-year old is a native of Alameda, California...went to Alameda High School and was named the West Alameda County Conference MVP

Travs Digital Scorecard

Arkansas Travelers vs. San Antonio Missions (SD)

Record: 8-6

Record: 9-5

Today's Game Notes