Texas Rangers: 2 prospects who should be taken in September roster expansion

2. Sherten Apostel

It’s time for the Texas Rangers to give Sherten Apostel another chance

The 22-year-old corner infielder out of Curaçao came to Texas by way of Pittsburgh in the 2018 Keone Kela trade. Sherten Apostel saw limited playing time in the shortened 2020 season, plating two hits in 20 at bats and striking out nine times. He has seen action in the Arizona Cactus League, Frisco, and Round Rock all in 2021 alone, getting most of his service in as a RoughRider in AA ball where he slashed .236/.317/.419.

Realistically, I don’t think the Rangers *will* give him a chance this year, because of older, more developed players being ahead in line, as well as the fact that they have to maneuver the COVID-19 protocol list that currently holds guys like Foltynewicz and Holt. However, I believe there is massive upside to taking the risk on Sherten and calling him up on Wednesday.

Here’s the thing: Josh Jung is ahead of the race between himself and Apostel. Apostel checks in at 6’4″ and 235 lbs, giving him a physical advantage over a myriad of players his age, and manager Chris Woodward believes Apostel and Jung are very close in terms of offensive capabilities. That may be true, but Jung has been hotter in recent memory both at the plate and with the glove. The Rangers have their eyes set on both of them as key pieces of a possible future infield.

Jung and Apostel are both brand spanking new to AAA baseball, and I believe there is a significantly lower risk in letting Jung steadily produce like he has been, while giving Apostel a promising yet reduced sample size of major league service time.

Josh Jung is going to be a Texas Ranger very soon. We know this. He slashed .308/.366/.544 with a .910 OPS in Frisco this year and has fine-tuned a fantastic glove at third base. By giving Apostel the promotion first, the Rangers can evaluate his inconsistencies and what the finishing touches are for him as a prospect, as they clear a way for Jung to be an immediate investment in 2022.

Apostel saw nearly 4 pitches per plate appearance while in Frisco this year, which is promising plate discipline for a young prospect. The Rangers already have an infielder as well who he can follow the mold of; Isiah Kiner-Falefa is one of if not the best defensive infielder in all of baseball, and Apostel has an amazing arm – one that almost got him signed as a pitching prospect in his teenage years.

He may only be listed as the organization’s 20th highest rated prospect, but I believe he should be given the green light to get MLB service time early on based on his track record so far. He screams diamond in the rough to me as a guy who could be an infield catalyst next to IKF, who is only four years older yet viewed by the team as a clubhouse leader.

All in all, Apostel and Terry are two players who can massively benefit from a month of regular MLB service. The Rangers are in a very fortunate position, for the first time in a very, very long time, where they can be selective about which young guys to give looks to and which to keep developing in the minors. The risk has decreased while the potential reward has increased. I’m very intrigued to see what they do with these two roster spots and how September could be a magnifying glass into the future of Rangers baseball.