5 prospects the Texas Rangers can afford to trade this year

When you’ve got a farm system with the kind of depth that the Texas Rangers have, the idea of trading prospects is less daunting than it may seem.

In theory, the Rangers are still rebuilding. And they will continue to be until they pivot to win-now mode, which should be sooner rather than later. But this rebuild has taken on a unique identity, to the point where Texas feels it can contend by 2023 after having only started the process in full in 2020.

A big reason for this shift in perspective? The sheer accumulation of talent in the pipeline. The Texas Rangers have the 11th-ranked farm system as per MLB.com, but that’s a talent-based ranking alone. If you were to re-rank based on depth, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a system deeper than the Rangers have.

With that in mind, here are five prospects Texas could afford to trade this year in hopes of upgrading the big league roster.

5 prospects Texas Rangers can afford to trade this year

1. Sherten Apostel

Apostel is the only prospect on this list that has had any big league exposure to this point.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the first baseman, who was acquired in a trade with the Pirates that sent reliever Keone Kela to Pittsburgh and Taylor Hearn back to Texas.

That trade looks like a win for the Rangers, who may have a piece of their future in Hearn, even if Apostel appears expendable.

Apostel has a big bat, which matches his big frame. He also has above-average arm strength, which could make him an asset at third base as well. He’s even tried his hand at pitching.

Unfortunately, the Rangers don’t have much room for him anymore. With Nathaniel Lowe at first and Josh Jung soon to be at third, Apostel is effectively blocked. And unless he blossoms as pitcher, the opportunities are running thin for him in Arlington.

HIs value would likely be better utilized elsewhere.