(F)arm Breakdown: Leandro Lopez vs the Wichita Wind Surge

I watched every pitch of Leandro Lopez's start tonight, so you didn't have to. The right-hander out of the Dominican Republic made his debut start for AA Frisco tonight. There are many things you can call Leandro Lopez, but "boring" is not one of them. If this is the first you're hearing about Leandro Lopez, you can check out the profile I did on him, or the breakdown I did of his last start in High-A before getting the call up.

Lopez was a member of the Rangers 2021 international free agent class. He sports a 5 pitch mix, but usually sticks to a main 4 of fastball, sinker, slider, and a curveball. He also has a changeup that's coming along, but it's mainly those 4 that he throws most often. He'll get up to 98 on both his fastballs, but usually sits around 94-96. His gyro slider sits in the high 80's, and his 3,000+ RPM curveball ranges anywhere from 79 to 84. Lopez has a very smooth and repeatable delivery which has helped him figure out the command side of his game.

After putting up a 1.49 and 1.85 WHIP in the 2023 and 2024 seasons respectively, Lopez has improved to a very respectable WHIP of 1.07 this year. He's also holding opponents to a .192 batting average on the year to go with a very impressive 2.01 ERA and 3.23 FIP across Hub City and his first two appearances for Frisco. He's improved his command year over year, and as a result, has started to miss more bats as well.

Lopez did have one prior appearance for Frisco before making his debut start tonight. He pitched one inning in a relief appearance last week after the all star break where he allowed 1 hit and 1 walk, while also recording 1 strikeout. However, this week he was able to make his debut start. So let's go ahead and get into the pitch-by-pitch breakdown of Leandro Lopez’s start last night against the Wichita Wind Surge, the AA affiliate for the Minnesota Twins: 

1st Inning

AB No. 1: 

Sequence: 
Fastball (1-0, Ball)
Curveball (2-0, Ball)
Fastball (3-0, Ball)
Fastball (4-0, Ball)
Result: Walk

AB No. 2:

Sequence:
Fastball (1-0, Ball)
Fastball (2-0, Ball) (Runner CS)
Fastball (3-0, Ball)
Fastball (3-1, Called Strike)
Slider (3-2, Foul)
Fastball (4-2, Ball)
Result: Walk

AB No. 3: 

Sequence: 
Slider (0-1, Foul)
Curveball (0-2, Foul)
Slider (0-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

AB No. 4:

Sequence: 
Curveball (1-0, Ball)
Sinker (1-1, In play, out)
Result: Popout to 3B

Inning Totals: 
1/4 first pitch strikes | 15 pitches 6 strikes

2nd Inning

AB No. 5:

Sequence: 
Curveball (0-1, Called Strike)
Slider (1-1, Ball)
Slider (1-2, Foul)
Fastball (1-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

AB No. 6:

Sequence: 
Curveball (0-1, Called Strike)
Fastball (0-2, Swinging Strike)
Fastball (1-2, Ball)
Curveball (1-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

AB No. 7: 

Sequence: 
Fastball (1-0, Ball)
Slider (1-1, In play, out)
Result: Groundout (6-3)

Inning Totals: 
2/3 first pitch strikes | 10 pitches 7 strikes

3rd Inning

AB No. 8:

Sequence: 
Sinker (0-1, In play, out)
Result: Groundout (4-3)

AB No. 9: 

Sequence: 
Fastball (0-1, Called Strike)
Sinker (1-1, Ball)
Fastball (1-2, Foul)
Fastball (2-2, Ball)
Slider (2-2, In play, out)
Result: Lineout (L7)

AB No. 10:

Sequence:
Curveball (0-1, Called Strike)
Sinker (1-1, Ball)
Fastball (1-2, Foul)
Slider (1-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

Inning Totals:
3/3 first pitch strikes | 10 pitches 7 strikes

4th Inning

AB No. 11:

Sequence:
Sinker (0-1, Called Strike)
Sinker (0-2, Swinging Strike)
Curveball (1-2, Ball) (idk about this one chief)
Sinker (2-2, Ball)
Slider (2-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

AB No. 12:

Sequence:
Slider (0-1, Swinging Strike)
Fastball (0-2, Foul)
Sinker (1-2, Ball)
Slider (2-2, Ball)
Curveball (2-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

AB No. 13:

Sequence:
Slider (0-1, Called Strike)
Fastball (0-2, Foul)
Slider (1-2, Ball)
Sinker (2-2, Ball)
Slider (2-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

Inning Totals:
3/3 first pitch strikes | 15 pitches 9 strikes

5th Inning

AB No. 14:

Sequence:
Slider (0-1, Swinging Strike)
Fastball (0-2, Swinging Strike)
Changeup (1-2, Ball)
Slider (1-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

AB No. 15:

Sequence:
Curveball (1-0, Ball)
Curveball (1-1, Foul)
Slider (1-2, Called Strike)
Sinker (1-2, In play, no out)
Result: Double

AB No. 16:

Sequence:
Slider (0-1, Called Strike)
Curveball (0-2, Foul)
Curveball (0-2, Foul)
Fastball (0-2, Foul)
Slider (0-3, Called Strike)
Result: Strikeout (ꓘ)

AB No. 17:

Sequence:
Sinker (0-1, Swinging Strike)
Slider (0-2, Foul)
Sinker (0-3, Swinging Strike)
Result: Strikeout (K)

Inning Totals:
3/4 first pitch strikes | 16 pitches 14 strikes

FINAL LINE:
5 innings
1 Hits
0 Runs
2 Walks
10 Strikeouts
67 Pitches // 42 Strikes (62.7%)
12/17 First Pitch Strikes (70.6%)

Let the record show that Leandro Lopez did not have it the easy way for his first AA start, as he was tasked with facing a lineup that contains the Twins #1, #4, #6, and #20 ranked prospects. If you're looking up beforehand how you want to start a game if you're a pitcher, I'm 99.9% positive that seven straight balls and two straight walks is somewhat near the back of the recommendations. However, if in that particular recommendation it also includes retiring 14 of the next 15 hitters you face (10 of those on strikeouts), then maybe you should listen to that recommendation after all.

In all seriousness, it was without a doubt a very bumpy start to the game for Lopez. He missed on his first seven pitches, and none of them looked even remotely close to the zone. He caught a break after his leadoff walk was thrown out at second base attempting a steal, but after his 2nd straight walk to start the game he got a much needed visit from Frisco pitching coach, Julio Valdez. After the mound visit, Lopez looked much more relaxed and dialed in; further exemplified by Lopez retiring the next two hitters in five total pitches to get out of the inning unscathed and with a surprisingly low pitch total.

From that point on, it was pure domination from Lopez. His next two innings consisted of four strikeouts on twenty total pitches. Oh, and those 1st and 4th ranked prospects I mentioned earlier? Lopez got his revenge the second time through the order, striking both of them out en route to striking out the side in the 4th inning. After the 5th inning started you might start thinking you're in the movie Groundhog Day, as Lopez picked up his 5th straight strikeout. However, the streak of twelve straight batters retired as the next batter laced a double on a sinker to left-center field after Lopez shook off his catcher who was calling for a slider. It was a well located pitch, but it was just a good piece of hitting from the Wind Surge's catcher. It also happened to be the first hit allowed on the evening from Lopez, but he didn't stay at 2nd base long, because Lopez simply struck out the next two hitters to retire the side via the strikeout for the 2nd straight inning.

Lopez's night was done after that allowing just the one hit and two walks to pair with his ten strikeouts on 67 pitches. After that rocky first inning, Lopez had a 69% strike% the rest of the way as well as an 84.6% 1st pitch strike rate. That was the key as well to Lopez's strong start tonight, as well as all his successful starts this season; 1st pitch strikes. Lopez kept hitters off balance all night, sequencing well and keeping his breaking balls down and his fastballs up. If you're still not convinced on Lopez, I have one final anecdote: This season, Leandro Lopez is 1 of 2 pitchers that sport a 50% GB%, 14%+ SwStr rate, AVG against below .200, and a sub 10.5% BB%. The other pitcher is Rangers #11 prospect David Davalillo. Lopez has components of his game to work on, like his changeup as well as refining his command even further. However, he's picking up in Frisco exactly where he left off in Hub City. Don't blink, because Lopez could end up being a very fast riser if he keeps it up with performances like this.