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Texas Rangers: Prospects shining bright in the minors to begin the year

ByTravis Koch|
ARLINGTON, TX - JUNE 16: (L-R) Bubba Thompson from McGill-Toolen High School, Chris Seise out of West Orange High School and right-handed pitcher Hans Crouse out of Dana Hills High School pose for a photo after the Texas Rangers announced the signings of several of the club's top selections in the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft at Globe Life Park in Arlington on June 16, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - JUNE 16: (L-R) Bubba Thompson from McGill-Toolen High School, Chris Seise out of West Orange High School and right-handed pitcher Hans Crouse out of Dana Hills High School pose for a photo after the Texas Rangers announced the signings of several of the club's top selections in the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft at Globe Life Park in Arlington on June 16, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

With a keen eye on the future, many of the Texas Rangers’ top prospects are off to good starts in the minors. Here are the ones that standout…

The Texas Rangers are off to a decent start. Currently one game under .500, they’re on pace for the kind of season most savvy fans predicted. They have enough talent to keep things entertaining, but it’s no secret that 2019 is a stepping stone year for better versions of the team to come. That’s why the progression of their top prospects is so immensely important.

So far, so good.

Texas Rangers
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 15: Seuly Matias #25 of the Kansas City Royals and the World Team celebrates with teammate Leody Taveras #3 of the Texas Rangers and the World Team after after hitting a solo home run against the U.S. Team in the second inning during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Spotlight prospects from Single-A Hickory

SP Hans Crouse (#4 prospect): 7.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.26 WHIP, 11 strikeouts and zero walks

SS Chris Seise (#13 prospect): .364 BA, .417 OBP, .545 SLG, four stolen bases and four doubles

3B Jonathan Ornelas (#21 prospect): .421 BA., 500 OBP, .684 SLG, 1.184 OPS and eight runs

OF Julio Pablo Martinez (#2 prospect): .333/.387/.519, five RBI and four stolen bases

*All prospect rankings are from 2018 per MLB.com

Spotlight prospects from Advanced-A Down East

OF Leody Taveras (#1 prospect): .412/.459/.500, 14 hits and three stolen bases

SS Anderson Tejada (#11 prospect): .333/.394/.433, three doubles and three walks

SP Tyler Phillips (#15 prospect): 12.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.42 WHIP and zero walks

SP Jason Bahr (#16 prospect): 4.0 IP, 0.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP

Spotlight prospects from Double-A Frisco

SP Jonathan Hernandez (#5 prospect): 10.2 IP, 2.53 ERA, 12 strikeouts and 1.22 WHIP

RP Wei-Chieh Huang (outside top 30): 6.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, eight strikeouts and 1.00 WHIP

SP Brock Burke (#6 prospect): 5.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, four strikeouts and zero walks

Spotlight prospects from Triple-A Nashville

SP Taylor Hearn (#7 prospect): 10.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 13 strikeouts and four walks

Not prospects, but figured you’d like to know…

OF Willie Calhoun: .276/.432/.448, .881 OPS, two doubles, one home run and three strikeouts

OF Carlos Tocci: .345/.387/.483, one stolen base and five strikeouts

There are of course prospects who are not off to good starts, but let’s give them some time. Only a few are expected to debut in the big leagues this year, the rest remain at least two seasons away. We’ll keep you up to date on Texas Rangers prospects week by week. Progress, or lack thereof, will become more revealing as stats begin to pile up.

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