Yesterday, the Texas Rangers prospects squared off against the San Francisco Giants prospects in the second annual Spring Breakout game, delivering an exciting 5-5 tie. The Rangers stormed ahead with a 2-0 lead in the second inning and stretched their advantage to 5-0 by the fifth, only for the Giants to mount a late comeback. Let’s dive into the highlights and key moments from this thrilling prospect showdown.
The game spotlighted top prospects from both systems. Per MLB Pipeline, the Rangers hold the no. 19 overall farm system, while the Giants sit at no. 28.
Winston Santos Dominates with Three Perfect Innings
Winston Santos dazzled with a perfect outing, tossing three perfect innings. He sent all nine batters back to the dugout, striking out six. His fastball sat at 96 mph, peaking at 97.5 mph, and he generated five swings and misses overall, marking him as a standout of the game.
Josh Stephan Keeps It Scoreless Over Two Innings
Josh Stephan took over for the fourth and fifth innings, shutting down the Giants. While they ended the perfect game bid with a hit, his line was impressive:
- 2 IP
- 1 H
- 0 BB
- 0 R
- 1 SO
- 2 groundouts
- 1 flyout
A South Grand Prairie High School alum, Stephan signed with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent in 2020 after a shortened five-round draft. His $20,000 bonus swayed him from Stephen F. Austin. Staying healthy remains his focus this season after injuries derailed him the past two years.
Other Arms in Action
Several other Rangers pitchers took the mound, with mixed results:
- Caden Scarborough: 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 BB
- Joey Danielson: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 SO
- Paul Bonzagni: 0.1 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 SO
- Emiliano Teodo: 0.2 IP, 1 BB
- Bryan Magdaleno: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 SO, HBP, WP
Danielson’s three-strikeout inning stood out, while Scarborough and Bonzagni took the brunt of the Giants’ comeback.
Hitters Who Connected
The Rangers’ offense sparked early, with these hitters logging at least one hit:
Yeison Morrobel: 1-for-3
Alejandro Osuna: 1-for-4, R, BB
Sebastian Walcott: 2-for-4, R
Malcolm Moore: 1-for-2, R, BB
Dylan Dreiling: 1-for-3, RBI
The 2024 second-rounder and no. 10 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) drove in a run with his single.
Yolfran Castillo: 2-for-3, R
Anthony Gutierrez: 1-for-3, RBI, R, SB
The no. 18 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) added a stolen base and starred defensively with a spectacular diving catch.
Cameron Cauley: 1-for-3
Paulino Santana: 1-for-1
Walcott and Castillo paced the attack with two hits each, while Gutierrez flashed his all-around game.
Defensive Highlight: Anthony Gutierrez’s diving catch
Anthony Gutierrez had an all out dive that was spectacular. Gutierrez is the Rangers No 18 ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He went 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.
Anthony Gutierrez stole the show in the field with an all-out diving catch, a testament to his athleticism and defensive upside.
With this tie, the Rangers prospects move to 0-1-1 in Spring Breakout play. They fell 4-1 to the Reds in last year’s Spring Breakout debut before holding firm against the Giants.
The game served up an exciting taste of the talent developing in Texas’ system.