1 overlooked Rangers player who will benefit, 1 who will suffer with Chris Young prioritizing athleticism

The Texas Rangers are in an interesting position. They just missed the postseason, getting eliminated on the final day of the 2026 season with a loss to the Minnesota Twins. However, they only hung around as long as they did because of the weak American League West Division. The Houston Astros won the AL West despite being just 81-81 and were completely overmatched by the Chicago White Sox in the AL Wild Card Series.

Despite just missing the playoffs, Texas needs to make massive improvements in 2026. The team could use additions in almost every area of the roster, but the offense especially needs to change. This season, the Rangers ranked 25th in runs (673) and 20th in OPS (.713).

Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young acknowledged that the team needs to improve. He specifically noted that the club needs to get younger and more athletic.

"We need to get younger, we need to get more athletic, we need to get more dynamic," Young said (via The Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland).

Cam Cauley benefits from Chris Young's desire for the Rangers to get younger, more athletic

Cauley, 23, definitely fits the mold as a young, athletic player. He made his MLB debut this year and had just 65 plate appearances in 34 games.

Cauley struggled in limited action with the Rangers, posting a .626 OPS, but it's not fair to judge him on such a small sample size. Most players need time to adjust to big-league pitching.

With Triple-A Round Rock this year, Cauley slashed .276/.366/.470 with 16 home runs, 54 RBI and 39 stolen bases over 93 games.

Cauley recorded innings at shortstop, second base, and all three outfield positions with the Rangers this year. He possesses elite speed, ranking in the 100th percentile with a spring speed of 30.5 feet per second in 2026.

Rangers' Jake Burger could be on the chopping block after Chris Young's latest comments

Unfortunately, Burger is not a young, athletic player; he is a 30-year-old veteran with below-average speed.

Burger posted 1.5 fWAR and a 104 wRC+ with 28 home runs and 90 RBI over 155 games this season. He wasn't terrible, but he wasn't amazing, either. If Young really wants to get younger and more athletic, there's a strong chance he will trade Burger this offseason.

Burger is under team control through the end of the 2028 season. MLB Trade Rumors projects he will make $6.9 million in arbitration next year.

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