Texas Rangers: Willie Calhoun To Be Part of Spring Training?

Willie Calhoun arrived in Arlington on July 31st. He was one of the three players the Texas Rangers received in exchange for Yu Darvish. However, he’s the highlight of the trade. He’s a young and talented player that seems to excel with a unique hitting power. No doubt, the Rangers plan utilize the prospect they got for their ace pitcher.

On September 12th, the Texas Rangers promoted Calhoun to their main roster. Calhoun made his debut that same day, going 1-for-4 in a 10-3 loss to Seattle.

Calhoun hit his first major league home run on September 27th against the Houston Astros. He appeared in 13 games, finishing his brief major league stint with nine hits, one homer, four RBI’s and a .265 batting average. Quite frankly, his stint went well. According to Jeff Wilson, Calhoun’s defense was better than the Rangers originally anticipated. So does Calhoun deserve to be invited to next year’s Spring Training?

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Absolutely he does. Quite frankly it would be silly on the Rangers’ part not to bring Calhoun to Spring Training. Again, Calhoun is the biggest asset that was acquired in the Yu Darvish trade. It’s time for the Rangers to fully utilize him and give him an opportunity to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Calhoun is amazing with the bat. His defense is okay, but it’s something he’s looking to improve this coming Spring Training. He’s likely to play the left field position and it’s likely he’ll serve as the designated hitter once in a while.

Mike Axisa predicts that Calhoun is a candidate for the 2018 Rookie of the Year award. Calhoun is certainly a realistic pick. Perhaps he can win the award, provided he’s invited to Spring Training, makes the Opening Day roster, stays healthy and plays well all season. The 23-year-old unique talent will have to learn one thing at a time.