Round Rock Express 9, Chihuahuas 7
Key Statistics: CF Jase Bowen 1-for-2, R, 3 BB, 2B; DH Pablo Reyes 2-for-5; 3B Marcos Castañon 2-for-5, RBI; SS Mason McCoy 1-for-2, HR (4), 2 R, 2 BB, SB (5); RF Nick Schnell 2-for-3, HR (2), 4 RBI; LHP JP Sears 3.1 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 5 BB, 4 K; RHP Misael Tamarez (L, 0-1) 2 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 K; RHP Garrett Hawkins IP, R, 3 BB
Mason McCoy homered Friday. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: El Paso hit four homers at sea level, but their pitching staff issued eight walks in a loss to the Express. … Nick Schnell had his best night of the young season, connecting on a pair of homers – his first two of the year – that each traveled over 400 feet. The former Rays first-rounder hit 23 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last season and showed some intriguing power potential in big league camp this spring. He’s struggled thus far in El Paso, even after his two-homer night, hitting just .162/.354/.405. … After homering twice on Thursday, Mason McCoy connected on his fourth of the season Friday. The 31-year-old also drew a pair of walks and added a stolen base. McCoy’s calling card is his ability to play a strong shortstop defensively. With three homers in his last two games played, the veteran has raised his slugging percentage from .277 to .482. … JP Sears struggled mightily for El Paso, but thanks to the offense, he avoided the loss. The left-hander allowed a staggering 13 baserunners and was charged with seven earned runs before departing after just 3.1 innings. Sears, 30, has averaged less than three walks per nine in 558 big league innings, but free passes have been an issue this season in El Paso. He issued five Friday to bring his season total to 10 over 11.2 innings. Through four outings, Sears has a bloated 7.56 ERA. … Asked to keep the Chihuahuas’ deficit at one run, Garrett Hawkins struggled through the eighth inning, walking the first two batters he faced on just nine pitches and ultimately loading the bases with another free pass. He only allowed one run to come across before getting out of the mess, but just 12 of his 25 pitches went for strikes. His fastball, which only hit the strike zone on five of 15 offerings, sat 92-93, down about two mph from his outings early this year and five from last year.
Midland RockHounds 9, Missions 3
Key Statistics: 1B Romeo Sanabria 2-for-4, HR (2); SS Carson Tucker 2-for-4, 2 SB (4); C Chris Sargent 1-for-3, HR (1); RHP Ian Koenig (L, 0-2) 5.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Romeo Sanabria got off to a strong start in San Antonio in 2025. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
Prospect Watch: The RockHounds jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second and pulled away late, scoring six runs in the final four innings to defeat San Antonio. The loss dropped the Missions to 4-9. … First baseman Romeo Sanabria connected on his second homer of the season and added a single for good measure. It was Sanabria’s second multi-hit game of the young season. Over his last four games, the 23-year-old is 4-for-14 with both of his homers. Overall, the Miami native’s cold start has him hitting .216/.281/.392. … Chris Sargent connected on a solo shot for his first homer of the year in the loss. The 25-year-old went undrafted after hitting 51 home runs as a first baseman in three season at the University of Southern Mississippi, and instead went to the independent Pioneer League where he clubbed 54 homers across a season and a half while learning how to catch. That earned an opportunity to sign with the Padres late last year. In a limited seven-game sample this season, Sargent has an .853 OPS. … Righty Ian Koenig worked into the sixth but was hit hard overall and took the loss. The San Jose native allowed six earned runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out two. The 25-year-old pitcher tossed at least five innings in each of his final 10 starts for the TinCaps last year, but wasn’t able to consistently miss bats and allowed frequent hard contact. Koenig has tossed 15.1 innings in three starts season, and he currently sports a 6.46 ERA.
TinCaps 1, Lake County Captains 0 (Game 1, 7 innings)
Key Statistics: 3B Rosman Verdugo 2-for-3, BB; LF Jake Cunningham 2-for-3; LHP Kash Mayfield (W, 1-0) 5 IP, H, 8 K; RHP Clay Edmondson (S, 2) 2 IP, H, BB, K
Lake County Captains 4, TinCaps 3 (Game 2, 7 innings)
Key Statistics: CF Kasen Wells 2-for-3, 2 R, BB, SB (3); LF Alex McCoy 1-for-2, BB; RHP Isaiah Lowe 3 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 5 K; RHP Matthew Watson (L, 0-1) 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K
Kash Mayfield has dominated in his first look at the Midwest League. (Photo: Ty Klopf)
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps split a pair of one-run games in Ohio as they made up the rainout from earlier this week. They failed to notch an extra-base hit in either game. … The story of the day was yet another sterling outing from Kash Mayfield, who dominated the Captains. Mayfield pitched five innings for the first time in 2026 and allowed just one hit. That hit – a single in the fourth inning – was the first Mayfield has allowed this year. The 2024 first-rounder used his fastball/change-up combo to keep hitters off-balance all game even though he once again sat in the low-90s. In his five innings of work, he struck out eight, just one off his career-high. Through three starts, Mayfield allowing just the one hit and five walks across 12 scoreless innings while striking out 16. Opposing batters are hitting just .029 against the 21-year-old. … Righty Isaiah Lowe started game two and struggled a bit with command. The North Carolina native tossed three innings and needed 63 pitches as he walked three, but was able to minimize the damage to just one run. Lowe has shown some encouraging signs this season after a disappointing season in the Summit City last season. He’s been in the zone more frequently, and he’s struck out 12 in 10 innings so far in 2026. … Right-hander Matthew Watson finally made his professional debut 21 months after the Padres drafted him in the 13th-round in 2024. The big-bodied reliever has long dealt with elbow issues, undergoing a repair procedure on his UCL in 2021 before further injury led to a complete Tommy John surgery Center late in his draft season. The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi product can run his fastball up to the high-90s and pairs it with a lively slider. He took the loss in the nightcap, but the 24-year-old has to be delighted to finally get on the mound in competition. … Outfielder Kasen Wells reached base three times in the nightcap with a pair of singles and a walk. In 12 games, the speedy centerfielder is tied for fourth in the Midwest League with 11 walks. Wells doesn’t possess much power, as evidenced by his slash-line of .289/.449/.316.
Storm 6, Stockton Ports 3
Key Statistics: CF Ryan Wideman 1-for-4, RBI, SB (8); 2B Justin DeCriscio 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI; 1B Luke Cantwell 3-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI; LHP Kruz Schoolcraft 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 3 K; RHP Brandon Langley (W, 1-1) 1.1 IP, H, 3 K; RHP Ethan Long (S, 3) IP, H
Kruz Schoolcraft has worked to dial in his feel on the mound. (Photo: Robert Escalanate)
Prospect Watch: The Storm fell behind early but scored six runs over their final four innings to earn the victory. … After a pair of horrendous outings, 2025 first-round pick Kruz Schoolcraft looked better Friday. He worked three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. He walked two and struck out three. He labored a bit in the first, allowing a soft infield hit, a walk, and an RBI single before battling back to strike out the next hitter and induce an inning-ending flyout. He allowed a single in the second but neutralized the threat by picking off Ports infielder Myles (brother of Josh and Bo) Naylor. In the third, he allowed an unearned run, although it was his errant throw on a pickoff attempt that set up Stockton. The Oregon native sat 92-94 mph with his fastball per the Ports broadcast, and he looked much sharper in the final two innings. He threw 57 pitches, 35 for strikes, though some of the balls missed wildly out of the zone. The encouraging outing lowered his ERA from 67.50 to 20.77. … Justin DeCriscio started at second base and had a pair of hits, including a double. The former USD and NC State infielder has been an offensive force this season. In 11 games, he’s delivered a 1.034 OPS. … First baseman Luke Cantwell had three hits out of the nine hole, including a double of his own. He also drove in a pair of runs. The former Pitt first baseman has a .839 OPS in the early going. Storm batters in the ninth spot in the lineup have a stellar .391/.472./.478 line on the year.
