Which Sod Poodles are Coming Home Hot? Kristian Robinson's Reno Debut, and Wind Surge Players to Watch this Week
- Austin Hartsfield
- Jul 29
- 4 min read
Your Amarillo Sod Poodles didn't lose a single series in the month of July. Outside of a series split at Hodgetown against Frisco in arguably the craziest series of the season up to this point, the Soddies won every series, leading them to a 14-7 record (and counting) in the month. The Sod Poodles snatched a series in the Sparkling City by the Sea last week against the Hooks 4-2 after taking a series in San Antonio the weekend before. Let’s look at who is red hot coming home.
Who is hot?
Jimmy Endersby - SP
“I learned in Venezuela during winter that if you pound the zone, they're going to get themselves out. When you walk a man, that guy eventually scores. So if you pound the zone, and you make good pitches, they're going to get out.” That’s what Jimmy Endersby told me in our first interaction after his first start after signing out of the Mexican League and he so far couldn’t be more right. The Sod Poodles starter through four starts has only walked 3 batters in 23 innings while striking out 21 in that time. The right hander has given up hits, including 11 in his last start, but limited the damage with runners on so far pitching to a 2.79 ERA since returning to the Texas League for the first time since 2022 with Corpus Christi. Endersby has been a huge part of the pitching rejuvenation after it had been a struggle for the team in the month of June.
Jose Fernandez - SS
Arguably a candidate for Texas League Player of the Week last week Fernandez put on a show on the road last week for Amarillo driving in 7 runs for the Soddies offense with a double, triple, and a pair of home runs to show for it. A .355/.412/.645/1.057 slash and a .474 BABIP in the two series on the road took Fernandez's already hot July to another level, bouncing back from hitting just .172 in the month of August. Fernandez is still just 21 years old making an impact at a premier position in the Texas League.
Tommy Troy - 2B/OF
After struggling early in the month of July (.244/.292/.489/.781), Troy took the road trip by storm with four extra-base hits and 8 RBIs in the eight games that he played away from Hodgetown. The former first-round pick split time between second and center field and found his rhythm at the plate, hitting his way to a slash of .333/.389/.576/.965 in the two series against the Missions and Hooks. With the promotion of Kristian Robinson, Troy now leads Amarillo with 20 stolen bases, including four more on the road trip (13 ahead of his closest teammate, Jose Fernandez).
Kristian Robinson’s Triple-A Debut
Trade season means a lot of moving parts and the Randal Grichuk trade created an opportunity for outfielder Kristian Robinson. The 24 year old made his Triple-A debut for Reno on Sunday, and posted a statline that Sod Poodles fans will find fitting. The Bahamian went 2-3 with a pair of singles, a walk and a stolen base, ripping his first hit for Reno 104.3 MPH up the middle. Robinson patrolled center most of the season for Amarillo, playing much improved defense from previous seasons. While donning a Sod Poodles uniform this year Robinson hit .250/.359/.436/.795 in 75 games, with 27 extra base hits and lead the team in stolen bases (24).
Wind Surge Blowing In
The Wichita Wind Surge are blowing into west Texas red hot after taking five of six games from the Frisco Roughriders. This will be the only time this season that the Sod Poodles will face off against the Twins affiliate, with Amarillo not having a road trip to Wichita on the schedule in 2025
Walker Jenkins - OF
#1 for MIN (#12 Overall)
It’s not every day that a top 15 prospect is in town but in the Texas League it can feel that way sometimes. Taken just one pick after the Texas Rangers took Wyatt Langford in 2023, Jenkins early pro career has been riddled with injuries, but has hit when healthy, jumping to Double-A at just 20 years old slashing .263/.386/.386/.722 for the Wind Surge this season while banged up. Like when Frisco’s Sebastian Walcott is in town, Jenkins is someone you need to get to the ballpark to see this week.
Kyler Fedko - OF
Unranked
Fedko, a 12th round pick in 2021 out of Connecticut, was the the first player to reach 20 home runs in the Texas League last week. That number eclipses the total number of home runs that he had in his entire minor league career coming into the season despite player a good amount of games. Fedko spent all of 2024 with the Wind Surge and only hit 3 home runs the entire season, but he has found something in his stroke in 2025 slashing: .257/.378/.502/.879
The outfielder’s new found power in addition to the launch pad that is Hodgetown should make for an interesting matchup for Amarillo pitching this week.
Kaelen Culpepper - SS
#4 for MIN (#85 Overall)
Baseball fans in the Panhandle might remember Culpepper from his time at Kansas State before he was taken with the 21st overall pick of the first round in 2024. After limited action in his first season last year the shortstop has attacked 2025 and has Twins fans believing the hype slashing: .340/.418/.515/.934 to start his Double-A career.
The first place Sod Poodles will try to keep it that way tonight with RHP Alec Baker (4.70 ERA - 5.17 FIP / 53.2 IP - 41 K - 14 BB) on the bump against Wichita's LHP Christian MacLeod (2.09 ERA - 2.62 FIP / 51.2 IP - 55 K - 21 BB) at Hodgetown tonight at 7:05 PM
Great read! Can’t wait to see what the future holds for these guys