What can the Texas Rangers expect from a healthy Willie Calhoun?

The 26-year old oft-injured outfielder is back in the Texas Rangers lineup and is looking to exceed his former top prospect expectations.

After several unfortunate injuries, a heater to the jaw, a pandemic-ridden season and unwanted, but needed demotions, Willie Calhoun is back in the everyday lineup for the Texas Rangers.

Since his debut in 2017, Calhoun has looked to become a staple in the Rangers’ lineup, but has failed to find that consistency at the major league level.

However, after dealing with a nagging groin injury, he returned and made an immediate impact in the Texas lineup, going 2-4 against the Orioles on Saturday.

Since his season debut, Calhoun is 4-9 with one RBI, but more importantly is driving the ball from foul pole to foul pole with authority.

Realistically, his .308 average won’t last forever, but after years of struggling to find life at the big leagues, he’ll gladly take those results.

So, now that he is fully healthy (knock on wood), what should the expectations be for Willie Calhoun? Can he be a productive everyday player? Will he be consistent enough to face both left and right-handers?

His performance and organizational evaluations will dictate those answers, but based on past performances, here is a safe assumption of the production he can provide.

Willie Calhoun: Hard-Hitter

The Texas Rangers can continue to expect hard contact from Willie Calhoun.

Throughout his career, Willie Calhoun has always hit the ball hard, but has failed to see the results.

According to Baseball Savant, Calhoun ranks in the 80th percentile in max exit velocity this season, and has consistently seen exit velos in the upper 80’s over his career.

It doesn’t seem all that impressive at face value, but if you look deeper into his spray chart over his career, you’ll find more impressive results.

In a game burdened by the shift, Calhoun uses the whole field to his advantage. In 2021, three of his four hits have been to left field.

Over his career, he has his fair share of singles to the opposite side, but has also shown flashes of good opposite field power, coming in the form of doubles.

Calhoun is an advanced hitter that will use the whole field to his advantage. That being said, he has the makings of an everyday two-hole hitter with good pop.

Assuming he stays healthy, Willie could be a top-of-the-order, table-setting type hitter that the Texas Rangers desperately need in front of their sluggers.

A pairing of Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a healthy Willie Calhoun at the top of the order will make a huge difference in first inning scoring for the Rangers, and could be the ideal 1-2 hitters the Rangers have sought after since the early 2010s.

Willie Calhoun: A More Mature Man

The Texas Rangers have made Willie Calhoun more mature.

Willie Calhoun and the Texas Rangers didn’t exactly get their relationship started on the right foot.

Former Round Rock manager Jason Wood once asked Willie to pack up and shower after failing to run out a ground ball.

Calhoun didn’t necessarily like that response and tensions between the top prospect and his new organization began to rise rapidly.

Willie Calhoun also was left off of the 2019 Opening Day roster in favor of Hunter Pence, an eventual All-Star. When Pence hit the IL that season and Nomar Mazara’s outlandish struggles, Calhoun got the call he deserved.

However, as soon as Pence was ready, Calhoun was demoted once again. Keep in mind Willie’s numbers from 2019.

He was visibly and vocally disappointed and shocked, and rightfully so. He had outperformed Mazara by a mile, and Pence’s injury would end up being one that stuck around through the end of the season.

More from Nolan Writin'

• Framework for a potential Max Fried trade to the Texas Rangers
• Early 2023 MLB mock draft has Texas Rangers selecting an Ohtani-lite
• 3 Texas Rangers outfield trade targets not named Bryan Reynolds
• Did Jacob deGrom really mean what he said at his Texas Rangers press conference?
• Where do Texas Rangers prospects Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker stand after the DeGrom signing?

Hindsight is 20-20.

Through all that though, Willie Calhoun has grown exponentially. Not physically, but emotionally and mentally.

His thorough and consistent maturation through the demotions and injuries is one that should not go unnoticed. This is a guy labeled by inconsistency, but has shown a consistent maturation.

Now, he is a staple in the Rangers’ locker room, lineup, organization and a fan favorite. His presence in the clubhouse is needed for the younger guys looking for their opportunities.

He has struggled at the game’s highest level, dealt with unthinkable injuries and has seen the business side of the game first hand all too often, but has still tried to impress this organization.

He lost over 20 pounds, bought into the direction of the club and has made mechanical changes to make him a successful everyday big leaguer, but now it’s up to him to perform.

The Rangers know what they will get with Willie Calhoun, a mentally, emotionally and physically healthy left-handed outfielder.

He has big league power, 25-30 homers consistently. He has the ability to get on-base at a high clip and spray the baseball all over the diamond with authority. He has the presence to be a clubhouse leader and a potential face of the franchise.

The Rangers have a potential .300 hitter, a 25 homer guy that can get on-base and lead by example.

But, the keyword is potential. All potential means is that he hasn’t proved himself, yet. Now, it’s his time to  shine and solidify himself as a key piece of the next great Rangers team.