2022 Texas Rangers Position Battles: Catcher and Third Base

2022 Texas Rangers position battles

3rd Base

The hot corner wasn’t much of a concern for the Texas Rangers going into the offseason. Speculation was made about how top hitting prospect Josh Jung was ready to hold down the spot and if not, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and his Gold Glove were more than capable. Well, as it goes with the best laid plans of mice and men, chaos happened. Jung suffered a left shoulder labrum tear and IKF took the round about way to becoming a Yankee.

Now, Jon Daniels has already commented saying that the third base void would not be a point of emphasis for the team, leaving us with internal candidates to choose from. Andy Ibanez, Nick Solak, Charlie Culberson and Yonny Hernandez are all likely to see time there. But which one is most likely to take the reigns?

Manager Chris Woodward has already stated Andy Ibanez has “some runway” there and is the strong favorite, but the dust hasn’t settled yet. Nick Solak is likely to bounce between OF/3B/DH as long as he continues to swing a hot bat. His “leash” is shorter this year and he’ll need to show that his success can be sustained. Culberson and Hernandez are dynamic infielders who can play multiple positions and that’s likely their role: utility players.

Final Call: Andy Ibanez

Right now, it’s Andy Ibanez’ time to prove that he deserves a spot on a competitive roster. 2022 is likely the final assessment year for these guys before they start their ascent into contention, so time is running short for them to grow.

After all, the quintet of Jung, Foscue, Smith, Duran and Wendzel are right around the corner.