Arlington, Texas — The Rangers today announced the club’s June Minor League Award winners:
- Player of the Month – INF Frainyer Chavez
- Starting Pitcher of the Month – RHP Daniel Keaney
- Defender of the Month – INF Frainyer Chavez
- Reliever of the Month – RHP Austin Roberts
Chavez, 27, batted .388/.496/.612/1.108 (38-98) with 5 home runs, 7 doubles, 17 RBI, and more walks (20) than strikeouts (15) over 25 games for Double-A Frisco in June. The switch-hitting infielder led all Rangers farmhands last month in batting average, hits, and total bases (60), while ranking highly in extra-base hits (T2nd, 12), home runs (T3rd), walks (T3rd), on-base percentage (4th), slugging percentage (5th), and OPS (6th). Chavez hit safely in 19 of his 25 June contests, including multiple hits in 11, 3-or-more-hits in five, and a season-high 4 hits three times, as he became the first Rangers minor leaguer to record a batting average of at least .388 and an OPS of at least 1.108 across a single month (min. 100 plate appearances) since Yohel Pozo (.402 BA, 1.161 OPS) and Blaine Crim (.393 BA, 1.324 OPS) each turned the trick in July 2021. This marks Chavez's 2nd career Rangers Player of the Month honor, also earning the distinction in August 2025.
The Venezuela native was also selected Texas' Minor League Defender of the Month for June after converting 105 of his 106 total defensive chances in 25 starts (22-SS, 2-2B, 1-3B), for a .991 fielding percentage, including 81 consecutive errorless chances to begin the month. For the season, Chavez carries a .988 fielding clip (4 E/331 TC), the 4th-highest mark among qualified Texas League infielders. This marks Chavez's 4th career monthly defender award (also July 2019, July 2024, April 2026), matching Engel Beltre for the most by a Rangers farmhand since the honor began in 2009. Chavez is in his 8th professional season (all with the Texas org.) after he was originally selected by the Rangers in the 22nd round of the 2018 MLB Draft from Midland (Tex.) College.
The 21-year-old Keaney totaled a 1-0 record and 1.96 ERA (4 ER/18.1 IP) with 5 walks and 24 strikeouts in 4 June starts with Rookie-level ACL Rangers and Single-A Hickory. Over his latter two starts of the month (both with Hickory), the right-hander combined to toss 9.1 scoreless frames with just 7 hits allowed, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts, a 1.07 WHIP, and .200 opponent batting average, garnering Single-A Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors for his June 19 performance vs. Columbia (W, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO). Keaney is 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA (14 ER/38.1 IP), 9 walks, and 54 strikeouts across 9 games/7 starts this season for the ACL Rangers and Hickory, boasting the highest strikeout to walk ratio (6.00) among Rangers farmhands (min. 30.0 IP). The Albany, N.Y. native was originally signed by Texas as a minor league free agent in August of 2022.
Roberts, 27, struck out 26 of 53 batters faced (49.1%) across 9 June relief appearances for Double-A Frisco, going 1-0 with one save, a 1.32 ERA (2 ER/13.2 IP), a 0.73 WHIP figure, and a .091 opponent batting average (4-44) last month. The right-hander led all Texas League relievers in strikeouts in June and recorded multiple strikeouts in 7 of 9 appearances during the month, including a season-high 5 punchouts over 2.1 scoreless innings on June 26 at Amarillo. On the season, his first in the Texas organization since signing a minor league contract on January 23, Roberts is 3-2 with one save, a 3.05 ERA (13 ER/38.1 IP), and 58 strikeouts against 19 walks in 26 relief outings. Since April 11, the West Sacramento, Calif. product has registered one-or-more strikeouts in 23 straight appearances.
– RANGERS –