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Texas Rangers: Predictions For the 2015 Season

By Heath Criswell

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Mar 23, 2015; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Alex Gonzalez (72) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Breakout Prospect/Player:

Heath: Alex Gonzalez. We saw a little bit of Chi Chi in spring training with some thinking he may win the last starting spot. I do believe that we will see him in Arlington before we know it.

Ryan: Ryan Rua, I think he continues to build this year off a solid short stint with the team at the end of last year.

Lisa: Delino DeShields, only because Rougned Odor had his breakout moment last year.

Leslie: Breakout prospect: Joey Gallo.

David Hill: Lewis Brinson. After being exposed at High-A last year, he corrects his swing and cements himself as one of the top prospects in the game.

Jason: Let’s double down on Chi Chi here. If he’s the best pitcher, that means he’s having a breakout season, right?

Colin: Everyone will say Odor. I’m hopeful it’s the other side of the bag. I’ve been waiting on Elvis Andrus to showcase his talent on a consistent basis for a couple of years now. There are always flashes. But then there are brain farts. I know he’s never going to hit a dozen homers, but wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing if he stood up and had the career year? It’s 162 games Elvis, be there.

Ace: Lewis Brinson. Eliminated due to last season’s breakout-ism: Joey Gallo, Alex “Chi Chi” Gonzalez, Jorge Alfaro and Nomar Mazara.

More from Nolan Writin'

The Rangers strength in numbers comes from the lower levels where all those names reside (AA or lower). But there’s also another tier of names that aren’t often discussed on a National (or even local) level because to make the headlines as a prospect you need to be amazing

like

Gallo or brand new

like

Gonzalez. Usually, that doesn’t even work.

Brinson, 20, is an athletic, defensively profound, all-around prospect who represents the scary potential of being a young player in a Minor League system. His career could easily go both ways, and I don’t think I need to elaborate.

But I think Brinson will make a huge jump this year from the fringe National spotlight to the absolute National spotlight. His average dipped upon his promotion to High-A Myrtle Beach and like many prospects in and out of Texas’ system he strikes out far too much, but the 2012 first-round pick out of High School has tools across the board and should be in Arlington impressing us all in a couple years.

Next: Texas Rangers 2015 Bold Prediction

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