Talk is cheap during a rebuild. All the hype surrounding top young players, prospects that can change the entire direction of an organization. But none of this really means anything if these players don’t develop the way they’re expected to. That’s why the Texas Rangers‘ ongoing rebuild took an important step Thursday when it was announced where some top prospects in the organization would begin 2022.
Among those assigned to their posts to begin the season include Jack Leiter, Josh H. Smith, Ezequiel Duran, Dustin Harris and others. Leiter and Smith, in particular, will start the 2022 season at the upper levels of the minors.
Prospect assignments in the Texas Rangers organization are proof that things are moving along in 2022
It’s extremely exciting to see that Leiter, the top pitching prospect in the organization, and Smith, one of the top position players, are on the verge of becoming big leaguers. It was anticipated that Leiter, a polished former college ace, would have a head start in his pro debut, and that comes to fruition by sending him to Double-A Frisco. As for Smith, his red-hot spring earned him a promotion to AAA right off the bat, and a stint in Arlington this summer certainly can’t be ruled out.
Dustin Harris, last season’s organizational minor league player of the year, will start 2022 at Double-A, a well-deserved promotion for him as he tackles the challenge of playing outfield.
Class A Hickory is looking pretty stacked too, with multiple prominent names being assigned there to start the season, including Owen White, Ricky Vanasco, TK Roby, Aaron Zavala, Luisangel Acuna, Evan Carter and Trevor Hauver.
2022 is shaping up to be a significant year for the Texas Rangers’ minor league affiliates, as the farm system is looking as talented as its ever been. And if you ever needed proof that things are going the way they should be, and that it isn’t just about talk anymore, look no further than these minor league assignments.
The future is bright!