Texas Rangers: 3 Players That Could Get Even Better in 2018

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ARLINGTON, TX – AUGUST 01: Joey Gallo (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images) /

The 2017 season isn’t over yet, but we’ve seen some standout performances from some unexpected players. This could be just a glimpse of what is to come for these players on the Rangers.

The Texas Rangers offense has been led by veterans Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. It’s hard to imagine either player getting better in 2018. Both have been fantastic this season, but they can’t do it all.

If the Rangers want to be leaders in the American League again they need some players to step up. That’s not saying that Beltre and Andrus are the only players doing well. Plenty of players are playing well, but some could exceed expectations in 2018.

Both outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and starter Cole Hamels have quietly put together strong campaigns. It’s been enjoyable to watch both players succeed, especially with how much the Rangers are paying them. It’s nice to know that they have earned their paychecks in 2017.

The Rangers have loaded their roster with veterans that won’t get much better than what you’re seeing in 2017. That being said there is still plenty of young players on this roster that could be looking at huge breakout campaigns in 2018.

ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 30: Delino DeShields (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

One of the biggest surprises this season has been the emergence of Delino DeShields. The 24-year-old outfielder was coming off a horrendous 2016 campaign and the Rangers had fairly low expectations for him.

He’s exceeded those expectations and then some this season. Through 80 games DeShields is hitting .275 with three home runs and 14 RBI with 20 stolen bases. He’s currently posting a 1.8 WAR and this could be just the beginning for the young outfielder.

The Rangers took DeShields in 2014 during the Rule-5 draft from the Astros. The former 1st round pick from 2010 took off his rookie campaign. DeShields finished the season batting .261 with two home runs and 37 RBI with 25 stolen bases in 121 games.

It’s clear the Rangers like what they see from DeShields and he could be the everyday guy in center next season. Outfielder Carlos Gomez will likely head into free agency this winter. The Rangers will be hesitant to go hard after Gomez with the emergence of DeShields.

The Rangers have DeShields under control until 2022 at a low-cost. Not much of a point to chase after Gomez with the production the organization has seen from DeShields. Could the young outfielder get even better in 2018?

Yes, and the Rangers could be potentially looking at the next “Carlos Gomez”. In 2012 Gomez developed some power to his game, but before that he was a similar player to DeShields. The Rangers could be looking at the next leadoff man in Arlington for years to come.

It’s hard to imagine “the home run machine” also known as Joey Gallo to actually get better in 2018, but he could. The Rangers have been impressed with Gallo’s performance this season, and this might be just the beginning.

This season Gallo is hitting .206 with 32 home runs and 61 RBI in 106 games. He’s posting a 2.6 WAR, and has been one of the most exciting players to watch this season. His emergence brings a lot of hope to the future of the Rangers organization.

While Gallo does live up to the power potential hype, he also does strikeout a lot. As a prospect many expects raved about his power, but were also concerned with his strikeout ratio. This season Gallo has struck out 143 times in just a little over 100 games.

If Gallo can become more patient at the plate and draw more walks then we could be looking at a potential superstar in the making with Gallo. The Rangers could have the next “Joey Votto” on their hands if Gallo finds a way to be able to draw more walks.

To his credit Gallo is second on the team currently with 49 walks. He’s been working on drawing more walks this season, and changed his approach in Spring Training. This might just be something that will take him time for Gallo.

Next season could be huge for Gallo if he’s able to fine tune his approach. We could be looking at the next Barry Bonds or Votto. It seems insane to compare Gallo to such great players, but with some work the 23-year-old slugger could be something special in the MLB.

ARLINGTON, TX – AUGUST 13: Rougned Odor (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images) /

The struggles from infielder Rougned Odor have been frustrating to watch this season. The 23-year-old infielder was signed to a six-year extension last off-season and is now having a career worst season.

It has been hard to watch Odor this season as he’s been in slump almost the entire year. He’s hitting .214 with 24 home runs and 53 RBI in 116 games. The power is still there which is good, but that’s about the only positive.

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Last season Odor had a career-year, and now he can’t seem to find any consistency. The huge extension hasn’t helped anything, but it could get better. The good news is that Odor is young and has put together multiple successful seasons.

This is just one bad slump season and plenty of All-Star caliber players have years like this. It’s not anything to get too worried about as a Rangers fan. In fact, fans should expect Odor to come back much stronger next season.

The 2018 season could be huge for Odor especially coming off a horrible year. He will have something to prove to the fans and the organization. Giving Odor a reason to fight is good, and could spark another breakout campaign in 2018.

Next: Three Ways To Improve The Rangers This Off-Season

This is just the beginning for DeShields, Gallo, and Odor. The future looks bright in Arlington, and with the mix of veterans the Rangers have this could be a strong club in 2018. It’s only up from here, and the Rangers could be celebrating on a much bigger stage next season.

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The 2017 season isn’t over yet, but we’ve seen some standout performances from some unexpected players. This could be just a glimpse of what is to come for these players on the Rangers.

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