After hitting the road for the first time this season earlier this week, the Eugene Emeralds return home to battle the Spokane Indians in a five-game series beginning June 23, 2016, at PK Park.
The Indians, who are an affiliate of the Texas Rangers, began their season losing two out of three games to the Vancouver Canadians. Spokane will play a three-game set with the Tri-City Dust Devils before heading to Eugene.
There are no players with local ties for the Indians, but there are several Spokane players who will make this an intriguing matchup to watch.
Players to Watch for the Spokane Indians
Right-handed pitcher Michael Matuella is the seventh ranked prospect in the Texas Rangers organization. A 2015 third round pick from Duke University, Matuella underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015 that kept him out of action for the entire year. Before his surgery, he was listed as the number 23 rated prospect by Baseball America. Kicking off the 2016 season, Matuella was sent to the Spokane Indians and named the 2016 opening day starter. He tossed three innings and struck out two while surrendering no runs in his first start.
Tyler Phillips, another right-handed pitcher, is the number 30 prospect in the Rangers organization. Phillips played in the Arizona Fall League in 2015 and gave up zero runs in nine out of the 13 games he appeared in.  Phillips picked up the first win of the Indians season on June 18 against the Vancouver Canadians, surrendering two hits and striking out four in five innings of work. Phillips did not give up a run in the outing.
First-year shortstop Charles LeBlanc is the highest 2016 draft pick sent to the Indians. He was drafted in the fourth round and played college baseball for the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned first team All-ACC honors. He’s batting .250 with two runs scored in the season.
Right-handed pitcher Kyle Cody was drafted in the second round in 2015 by the Minnesota Twins, but elected to go back to the University of Kentucky for another year of college baseball. Cody would endure a rough stretch at UK that caused his draft stock to fall to the sixth round. He made his Indians debut giving up three hits and a run in relief in an 8-1 loss to Vancouver on June 19.
Follow Zak Laster on Twitter @zlast3445