Who Is Hot So Far? Two Frisco Hitters To Watch This Week

I’ll admit that Texas League Player of the Week Tommy Troy and the 2-0 Spencer Giesting both should be headlining this list, but we’ve covered their acomplishments more than a few times this week so let’s take a deeper look before we take a peak and preview at players to watch this week in Frisco.

Alec Baker – Right Handed Reliever – 6’3″ 202 – 25 Y/O

Walks have plagued Amarillo so far, even Spencer Giesting let a couple of guys on in his last outing, but Alec Baker doesn’t have a base on balls yet. Yes I said base on balls because technically he hit a guy, but for a team that has walked 49 batters in just 9 games, we are taking what we can get. In 7.2 innings for Amarillo, putting him second on the team currently, Baker has struck out 7 while claiming a 1.17 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Baker is one of two Dallas Baptist Patriots, along with fellow bullpen arm Zach Barnes, that will be returning to the DFW area this week.

Christian Cerda – Catcher – Bats Right – 6’1″ 190 – 22 Y/O

Cerda has only played 6 games so far this year to give him time off from behind the dish, but that doesn’t diminish what he’s done so far this season. We’ve talked about how great Tommy Troy has been so far at the plate, but Cerda still has him in the average department. The Sod Poodles catcher is slashing .409/.443/.682/1.165 placing him 4th/7th/8th/6th in the Texas League to kickoff the year, while also playing solid defense behind the plate throwing out 2/5 runners trying to steal and not allowing a passed ball. 9 of the catchers hits have come for extra bases totaling 3 doubles and a the first home run at Hodgetown of the season for Amarillo. Cerda, Troy, Groover, and one more player on this list have made a big impact early for Amarillo even if that alone hasn’t turned in wins.

Luke Albright – Left Handed Reliever – 6’4″ 215 – 25 Y/O

In a season that has needed the bullpen to step up and Albright delivered against the Cardinals bats who hit all week. After a slow start giving up 2 earned runs in the season opener in San Antonio during 1.1 innings of work, Albright put together back-to-back scoreless outings against a hot Springfield lineups, including striking out Chase Davis and retiring the scorching JJ Wetherholt along in the 3-2 loss last Friday.

Jose Fernandez – Corner Infielder – Bats Right 6’3″ 165 – 21 Y/O

Fernandez has had an under the radar start for Amarillo so far this year and the mystery impact player alluded to in the Cerda section. The 21 year old former shortstop has come out of the gate slashing .355/.444/.419/.864 finding him only trailing Tommy Troy, Christian Cerda, and LuJames Groover in most of those catagories. 9 of his 11 hits are singles, but Fernandez has had a knack for timely hitting so far, driving in 5 only behind team leader Andy Weber with 7, and Cerda and outfielder Kristian Robinson with 6.

The Sod Poodles (2-7) are rolling into Frisco to face a Roughriders team that sits atop the Texas League South at 6-3, after series victories over Corpus Christi (2-1) and Northwest Arkansas (4-2). Here’s a pair of bats to watch, and we will cover more through out the week.

Sebastian Walcott – Shortstop – Bats Left – 6’4″ 190 – 19 Y/O

The highest ranked prospect in the Rangers system and the Texas League (#16 by MLB Pipeline) Walcott is as talented as advertised. The 6’4″ product from the Bahamas made his Double-A debut last year against the Sod Poodles after slashing .261/.342/.443/.785 in High-A Hickory as an 18 year old, launching 50 extra base hits in those 114 games. In that 5 game brief stint in Frisco to end the season he hit .348/.375/.609/.984 against Amarillo and blasted his first Texas League home run in his final at bat of the 2024 season. The start to the season has been slow, hitting .229/.308/.400/.708 so far this season, but you don’t want to be on the recieving end when his 80 potential power flashes itself. Expect Walcott to impress the people tuning in to the broadcast in Amarillo who haven’t laid eyes on him quite yet.

Josh Hatcher – Outfielder / First Basemen – Bats Left – 6’1″ 200- 26 Y/O

Nobody in the Texas League has more hits than Josh Hatcher, and he’s done it in just 6 games. The 26 year old has started out a flaming hot 18/34 and slashing .542/.542/.853/1.382. Did you see it? That’s right, Hatcher is carrying a 1.382 OPS without a walk so far this season. The outfielder’s 18 hits so far this season consist of 13 singles, 2 doubles, and 3 home runs. That homer total finds him tied with teammate Cooper Johnson, Tulsa’s John Rhodes, and Northwest Arkansas super slugger Jac Caglianone for the Texas League Lead.

Amarillo Probable Starter – Right Handed Starter Jose Cabrera