It’s a great time to be a Frisco RoughRiders fan. You’ve got the very pipeline of future Texas Rangers talent right there in your backyard at Dr. Pepper Ballpark. Plus, summer hasn’t even heated just up yet; in fact, the only hitting triple digits right now is Keone Kela’s fastball.
And just as the ‘Riders keep on winning and former RoughRider Rougned Odor continues to impress in the big leagues, yet another Frisco player is producing—yet going largely unnoticed.
Spotlight on: Catcher Tomas Telis
Not yet 23-years-old, Venezuelan-born catcher Tomas Telis has gotten to the point where he has very little left to prove in the minor leagues. Although slight of stature for a catcher, the 5’8”, 175-pound Telis hits well enough to make up for any physical discrepancies.
Over 127 at-bats, Telis, a switch-hitter, has produced an impressive triple-slash line: .346/.381/.472 with two home runs and 19 RBI. Perhaps most intriguing about are his platoon splits. He hits lefties (.345/.394/.483) with just as much authority as righties (.347/.377/.469); and he has one round-tripper against each.
Telis could be just the kind of under-the-radar riser the Texas Rangers are seeking in their quest to find their future at catcher. Aside from brief stints by Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden—both now out of the organization—the Rangers haven’t had a young up-and-comer to shore up the catching duties since Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez—remember him? Of course you do.
Despite Telis’ excellent season at Double-A Frisco, he is largely an unknown quantity thanks to the greatness of yet another catching prospect in Jorge Alfaro.
Two years Telis’ junior, Alfaro is a toolsy catcher currently at High-A Myrtle Beach. Should Telis be promoted to Triple-A, it is likely that Alfaro would move up to Double-A. Alfaro entered the 2014 season ranked as baseball’s 54th best prospect by Baseball America.
With injuries to the Texas Rangers starting catcher Geovany Soto, and with the offensive ineffectiveness of Robinson Chirinos and the recently demoted J.P. Arrencibia, you have to wonder if Tomas Telis has a fighter’s chance at earning a cup of coffee with the Texas Rangers at some point this season. Regardless, your chance to catch Telis in Frisco may not last the length of the summer.
Upcoming RoughRiders Games
The Frisco RoughRiders are currently on the road, finishing up a three-game set with the Tulsa Drillers before heading to Missouri for a three-game jaunt with the Springfield Cardinals. The RoughRiders return home June 3 for back-to-back four game sets with the San Antonio Missions followed by the Midland RockHounds. Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster, and all games are broadcast live via MiLB.com.
