Breaking down 2023’s Top 10 Plays
The 2023 season featured some incredible players and moments, so whittling everything down to a mere 10 plays was very difficult. With that said, here is what we came up with.
View the whole Top 10 video here.
№ 10: Evan Carter with the laser strike from center
Carter was an incredible defender with the RoughRiders, winning an MiLB Rawlings Gold Glove in 2022 for his efforts. On 4th of July, he showed off his incredible arm from centerfield. Carter went on to star in the playoffs with the Rangers, setting an MLB record with nine doubles in the postseason run while making this incredible catch in the ALCS as well.
№ 9: Kellen Strahm diving catch in left
Kellen Strahm has been a staple in the outfield for the RoughRiders the last two seasons and this catch was a perfect microcosm of that. His sprawling catch is the № 9 play, but his contributions on and off the field went a long way in the RoughRiders’ success during his time in Frisco. His RBI double in the championship-clinching game in 2022 sparked the Riders’ comeback and helped them win their first title since 2004.
№ 8: Carter diving catch in center
What more is there to say about Carter? He showed off three different skills in this top ten: his arm, his ability to go back on the ball and, in this play, his ability to come in and make a beautiful diving catch.
№ 7: Acuña barehanded play
Luisangel Acuña was always phenomenal up the middle defensively and he showed it off on this play. Acuña starred at the plate for the RoughRiders as well, slashing .315/.377/.453/.830 across 84 games with 42 steals, before his trade to the New York Mets in exchange for Max Scherzer at the deadline. His .315 batting average was the second-best for a single season in franchise history, only trailing Odubel Herrera’s .321 mark in 2014.
№ 6: Carter catch in Midland
We always knew Carter was fast, but when he reached the Major Leagues, numbers were able to confirm those thoughts. His sprint speed according to StatCast was 21st in all of MLB (29.6 ft/s) and second among 2023 Rangers to former RoughRider Bubba Thompson. Additionally, in September, he finished seventh in MLB in Outs Above Average (3) among outfielders, according to StatCast.
№ 5: Acuña diving catch in Midland
This diving catch was one of many plays that shined in Midland. After his trade to the Mets, Acuña starts the 2024 campaign as the № 66 prospect in baseball according to MLB.com and the Mets’ № 3 prospect. He left Frisco tied for fourth in franchise history with 54 stolen bases in his Riders career.
№ 4: Wyatt Langford catch in the stands
The №4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Langford played his way through the entire Rangers farm system in 2023, finishing in Triple-A Round Rock. This catch was amazing, but his bat was even better. In just 12 games in Frisco, he slashed .405/.519/.762/1.280 with four homers, 10 RBIs and 11 walks to just seven strikeouts. He is the № 2 prospect for the Rangers entering into 2024 and № 6 in the game, according to MLB.com.
№ 3: Tanielu’s big inning
The veteran Tanielu had had a couple of multi-home run games in his career, but never two in the same inning until last year. He became the first player in RoughRiders franchise history to have a pair of long balls in the same frame.
№ 2: Danny Duffy is immaculate
The 10-year big leaguer and former World Series champion Duffy was great out of the bullpen for Frisco in 2023, but he saved his best for last. In the final inning that any RoughRiders pitcher threw in the season, he threw nine pitches to strikeout the side; an immaculate inning. Duffy had thrown 1,665.1 professional innings between Major League and Minor League action in his career, but this was his first immaculate inning ever.
№ 1: Saggese and Acuña play hero
Who wrote this script? On June 2nd, down 7–2 in the bottom of the 9th, the Riders rallied for five runs including a game-tying grand slam by Thomas Saggese. In the 10th, Luisangel Acuña’s single walks it off to beat SA. On that same night, the RoughRiders honored their 2022 Texas League Championship with a ring ceremony. In the championship-clinching win the September before, Saggese also tied the game in the ninth inning with a two-out, two-strike single.
