Arizona Fall League Prospect Report: Rangers Catcher Collects Six Hits
Image credit: (Photo by Bill Mitchell)
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—The biggest news in the Rangers’ world was, obviously, the team sweeping the Orioles and clinching a berth in the American League Championship Series.
The second-biggest headline, however, came in the Arizona Fall League, where one of the system’s prospects had the night of his life in Surprise’s win over Scottsdale.
Catcher Liam Hicks, whom Texas chose in the ninth round of the 2021 draft out of Arkansas State, went 6-for-6 with two RBIs and five runs. The effort was the AFL’s first six-hit game since 2009.
The last player to collect six hits in a Fall League, according to research by MLB Pipeline, was Pirates farmhand Jose Tabata.
“I was just trying to be on time for the heater, really,” Hicks said, before getting doused with water. “That’s been the main thing. Last game, I felt a little late. I felt a little sluggish, so I was just trying to be ready for the heater and then adjust off of that.”
Hicks noted that he was a bit excited coming into the game because the starter for Scottsdale was Tekoah Roby, the former Rangers righthander who was traded over the summer in the deal that brought Jordan Montgomery to Texas.
In the first inning, Hicks reached Roby for a single to left. He added five more singles the rest of the way, off of four different Scottsdale pitchers.
Prior to his outburst on Tuesday, Hicks’ previous high-water mark for hits in a game as a pro was three, accomplished several times throughout his three seasons in the minor leagues.
“Yeah, that was definitely a first for me,” Hicks said. “Definitely in pro ball and probably the most all time. I don’t think I’ve ever had six.”
Now he does, and along with it a place in the AFL’s record book.
AROUND THE ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE
Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II continued his excellent AFL campaign, collecting two more hits and a walk, scoring a run and adding an RBI. Beyond his offensive contributions, he’s played a stellar center field that should give him a very strong case for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award come season’s end.
Fresh off being named the AFL’s Hitter of the Week, Padres prospect Jakob Marsee stayed red hot in his team’s win over Glendale. The outfielder went 4-for-5 with a double and a home run on Tuesday, boosting his average all the way to .615. He is 16-for-26 with four doubles, a triple and two home runs through six games and is a big part of the reason the Javelinas are undefeated.
Mariners prospects Harry Ford and Tyler Locklear each had big nights in the Javelinas’ latest win. Ford connected for two home runs—giving him three for the AFL—and Locklear added a pair of doubles. The duo went a combined 5-for-10 with five runs scored and five RBIs.
WEDNESDAY PROBABLE ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE STARTERS
RHP Kendall Williams (Dodgers/Glendale) vs. LHP Angel Zerpa (Royals/Surprise)
RHP Nick Hull (Cubs/Mesa) vs. LHP DJ Herz (Nationals/Scottsdale)
RHP Ike Buxton (Marlins/Peoria) vs. LHP Blake Walston (D-backs/Salt River)
| Player | Team | ORG | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | Notes |
| Melendez, Ivan | SRR | ARI | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .200 | .200 | .400 | 2B |
| Rhodes, John | MSS | BAL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .250 | .250 | .500 | 2B |
| Rosier, Cory | GDD | BOS | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 3B |
| Triantos, James | MSS | CHC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .600 | 1.000 | 3B, SB |
| Hurtubise, Jacob | SUR | CIN | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .333 | .429 | .500 | 2B |
| Manzardo, Kyle | PEJ | CLE | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | .200 | .333 | .800 | HR |
| Ramos, Bryan | GDD | CWS | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .333 | .500 | .667 | 2B |
| Dezenzo, Zach | MSS | HOU | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | .600 | .667 | 2B |
| Loftin, Nick | SUR | KCR | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .286 | .286 | .429 | 2B |
| Nuñez, Nasim | PEJ | MIA | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .500 | .600 | .750 | 2B, 2 SB |
| Brown Jr., Eric | SUR | MIL | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | .600 | .667 | .800 | 2B |
| Sabato, Aaron | GDD | MIN | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .750 | 2B |
| Parada, Kevin | GDD | NYM | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .250 | .250 | .500 | 2B |
| Ricketts, Caleb | SCO | PHI | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .400 | .400 | .400 | |
| Rincones Jr., Gabriel | SCO | PHI | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .250 | .400 | .500 | 2B |
| Bins, Carter | SRR | PIT | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | 1.250 | HR |
| Bowen, Jase | SRR | PIT | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .750 | .800 | 1.500 | HR |
| Marsee, Jakob | PEJ | SDP | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .800 | .857 | 1.000 | 2B |
| Pauley, Graham | PEJ | SDP | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .200 | .333 | .800 | HR |
| Ford, Harry | PEJ | SEA | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | .400 | .500 | 1.600 | 2 HR |
| Locklear, Tyler | PEJ | SEA | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .600 | .667 | 1.000 | 2 2B |
| Scott II, Victor | SCO | STL | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .600 | .500 | |
| Sasaki, Shane | PEJ | TBR | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 2 SB |
| Hicks, Liam | SUR | TEX | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | |
| Ortiz, Abimelec | SUR | TEX | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .400 | .500 | .400 | |
| Brown, Dasan | SUR | TOR | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .400 | .500 | .400 |
| Player | Team | Org | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Notes |
| Baumler, Carter | MSS | BAL | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4.50 | |
| Van Loon, Peter | MSS | BAL | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 22.50 | L |
| Eder, Jake | GDD | CHWS | 3.1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5.40 | L |
| Smith, Dylan | SRR | DET | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2.25 | |
| Veen, Zach | GDD | MIN | 1.1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Martinez, Jordi | SCO | PHI | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | |
| Pena, Francis | PEJ | SDP | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4.50 | |
| Lonsway, Seth | SCO | SFG | 1.2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 10.80 | |
| Hjerpe, Cooper | SCO | STL | 1.2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5.40 | |
| Nunez, Edwin | SCO | STL | 2.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | |
| Workman, Logan | PEJ | TBR | 4.2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3.86 | W |
| Bratt, Mitch | SUR | TEX | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9.00 | |
| Kent, Zak | SUR | TEX | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.80 | W |
