Welcome to this week’s episode of Road to Blake Street! In this jam-packed edition, we kick off the show with our “Hitter and Pitcher of the Week” segment, where we highlight the standout performances from the past week across the Rockies minor league system.

Aaron starts us off by recognizing Schunk as the Hitter of the Week, showcasing his impressive stats of 8 hits in 20 at-bats, including 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, and a .955 OPS. Tyler jumps in to highlight the exceptional performances of Amador, who continues to generate hype with his impressive slash line of .412/.545/.824/1.369, along with 1 home run, 2 doubles, and 1 triple.

On the pitching side, Carson Palmquist takes the spotlight with his stellar outing of 6 innings pitched, allowing just 3 earned runs, while striking out 10 batters and maintaining a superb 60 strikes out of 93 pitches.

On the mound, Caleb Franzen is making waves with his dominant left-handed pitching, delivering 6 innings with only 1 earned run and 6 strikeouts, showcasing a devastating changeup and a reliable slider.

In other news, we discuss the recent call-up of Yanquiel Fernandez, adding excitement to the roster. We also delve into the roster changes, including Blair Calvo being designated for assignment and subsequently traded to the Tigers for cash considerations. Additionally, we cover the returns of Hollowell and Sterlin Thompson, while Eddy Diaz, unfortunately, heads to the ACL.

With the first half of the season wrapping up this week, we take a closer look at the Minor League playoff picture. The Isotopes find themselves 20.5 games behind the dominant OKC Dodgers, who have already secured their playoff spot. The Yard Goats sit 12 games behind, still fighting to close the gap. Spokane faces elimination with a 4-game deficit, while Vancouver and Eugene battle for the lead in the NWL. Fresno is 5G back and officially eliminated from the first-half number-one spot.

We wrap up the episode by discussing Baseball America’s projected lineup for 2026, sparking intriguing debates about potential decisions and player placements. With players like Kinley as closer, Veen, Montgomery, and Thompson in the outfield, and the absence of Amador, we explore alternative options like Hollowell, Lawrence, Beck, and Fernandez. Furthermore, we speculate on other starting pitchers who could contend for a spot, including German, Freeland, Senza, Hughes, and Vargas.

We end the podcast with a mini-Banter Session with Family of the Podcast, Noah Davis. Noah shares the infamous Pitching Ninja tweet and discusses the adjustments he made at the highest level. We also delve into his rehab process and future plans following a stint on the IL. Discover his love for pop punk music, including artists like Mod Sun and MGK, and find out if he’s had conversations about MGK with fellow pitcher Kyle Freeland. Lastly, explore the differences between MLB and MiLB clubhouses, from camaraderie to atmosphere.