Mike Salas
All Triple-A affiliates got a head start in the minor leagues opening their season the last week of March. Double-A, High-A, and Single-A teams opened their 2025 season last night. The Dodgers’ top prospects did not disappoint in their debuts. All Dodger affiliates have new team rosters, new head coaches, and Oklahoma City changed its name. This could be a very exciting season for all Dodger affiliate teams with the talent on each roster.
Oklahoma City Comets– OKC started their season the road playing the defending minor league champs Sugarland Space Cowboys. OKC came out of Texas winning two out of three games giving them momentum for their home opening series against the Padres’ farm team, the El Paso Chihuahuas. The Comets came into Friday’s game on a five-game win streak and a 3-0 start at Bricktown Ballpark.
Oklahoma built a 10-0 lead through six innings and while starting RHP Justin Jarvis held the Chihuahuas hitless through six innings. Top Prospect Dalton Rushing finished with a game-high four hits as he went 4-for-5 with an RBI and scored three runs. It was his first four-hit game since Aug. 28, 2022 with Rancho Cucamonga. Hyeseong Kim continued hitting, as he went 2 for 4 with a double and RBI. Out of the eight hits Kim has, four of those are doubles and one is a triple. Chris Okey went 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run. Okey collected four RBI, his most in a game since June 16, 2024 in Sugar Land and tied Hyeseong Kim for the most RBI by an OKC player so far this season.
Tulsa Drillers – Home openers have not gone well for the Drillers in years past and last night was no exception. Tulsa took an 11-2 lead into the eighth inning. Throwing errors and poor relief pitching blew a nine-run lead in the eighth inning. Northwest Arkansas scored ten runs in the eighth to rallied for 12-11 win, shocking the Tulsa crowd.
Tulsa hitters were cruising with Chris Newell, Aaron Bracho, Jose Ramos, and Griffin Lockwood-Powell all going deep. Top Prospect Jackson Ferris got the start for Tulsa and tossed 4.1 innings allowing two runs with seven strike outs.
Great Lake Loons – The biggest story of the day was Loon’s pitcher Patrick Copen’s return. On August 20, 2024, Copen took a comebacker off the face leading to surgery and ending his 2024 season. Copen went through extensive rehab and was unsure if he could return to playing baseball. 228 day’s later the 6’6 right-hander tossed 3.2 innings and recorded a career high nine strike outs with fastball reaching 99 mph.
The Loons got on the board first when top prospects Josue De Paula and Zhir Hope pulled off a double steal that confused Lake County infielders and resulted in a throwing error that scored De Paula. Lake County reached seven times through the first five innings with six walks and an error, but they were held without a hit. But in the sixth and seventh innings, the walks caught up to Great Lake’s as fans watched the Captain’s score eight runs in two innings. Great Lakes would not recover and loss their home opener 8-1.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – The Quakes got a good start to their home opener. Rancho came out swinging as the crushed Lake Elsinore Storm by a final of 16-9 at LoanMart Field. Hyun-Seok Jang got the start for Rancho and had his longest start since being called up. Jang went 62P / 34S / 4IP / 2H / 1ER / 4BB / 4K/ 2.25ERA. He tired out in the fourth but battled and completed the inning.
The offense exploded for 16 runs being led by Jaron Elkins in his Rancho debut collecting four hits with four runs scored. Top prospect Joendry Vargas made his pro debut and the nineteen-year-old had two hits and three RBI. Eduardo Joe Quintero also made his debut getting two hits, one RBI, and one stolen base. First round draft pick Kellon Lindsey also had a solid debut with a double, an RBI and a pair of runs scored
All 4 teams are playing Saturday. Tulsa and Great Lakes look to get a win, OKC could extend their winning streak to seven, and Rancho looks to build on their offensive explosion. All games can be seen on MILB TV.
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