Texas Rangers prospects we could see in the big leagues this year

With the Texas Rangers emerging from the ashes of a rebuild, it’s becoming a little clearer where the holes are that need to be patched . After a dismal 2021, there was faint hope of competing soon, and a 2-9 start to this season didn’t exactly have anxious fans thrilled.

However, a recent 9-7 run including a series win over the defending World Champion Atlanta Braves and a two-game sweep of the high-payroll Phillies, has things coming into focus a little more for this year’s Texas Rangers team.

After spending a record-high $500+ million in the off-season, the middle infield is set in stone (sandstone that is, it is baseball after all) so we can take our minds off second base and shortstop. Nathaniel Lowe is having nice start to the season, slashing .293/.350./.370 and the home runs will come. Third base has been a revolving door of players, but they’re really just place holders for top hitting prospect, the currently injured Josh Jung. Catcher has been a position of strength with the emergence of Jonah Heim and the trade for slow starting Mitch Garver. The outfield, meanwhile, is… a work in progress. That is where we’re likely to see the most turn over i.e. Willie Calhoun.

So starting with the bats, let’s go ahead and dive in to see who from within could fill the lingering weaknesses on the Texas Rangers roster in 2022.

Texas Rangers prospects we could see soon

1. Leody Taveras, OF

This is arguably the most obvious call so OF COURSE I’m starting here. The one-time #1 prospect is having a career year in AAA while currently sporting a 16 game hitting streak. He’s slashing .363/.395/.608 with four home runs in 24 games while continuing to play stellar defense. An OPS of 1.003 is the most eye popping stat for him with 14 of his 37 hits going for extra bases.

Now, even though that may have fans hollering for a call-up. he has had is MLB opportunities. In 82 games across ’20-’21  he slashed .188/.249./.321 with 7 home runs. While in AAA in 2021 he hit .249/.242/.475 but smashed 17 home runs in only 87 games. He is still only 23 and looks to have figured out minor league pitching but there is no need to fix what’s not broke.

The plan is to keep him hitting in the minors, possibly wait until he’s in a slump to see how he handles adversity and be sure he is ready for his chance this time. The most clear candidates for him to replace in Texas at the moment are Nick Solak, Zach Reks and Kole Calhoun. We are likely to see him up BEFORE the All-Star break but not for another few weeks at the earliest.

Texas Rangers prospects we could see soon

2. Bubba Thompson, OF

Cut from the same cloth as Leody, Bubba Thompson is an athletic outfielder who is having a career year so far in the minors. Slashing .355/.371/.505 with three home runs on the same team as Taveras, the 24-year-old is still less likely to see the big leagues this year than his teammate.

Thompson’s biggest knock overall is his health, though in 2021, he managed to play in 104 games, the most to date. In the four injury-shortened seasons prior, he only managed a batting average of .249 with 19 home runs in in 192 games. His AA performance in 2021 where he hit .275/.325/.483 pushed him to AAA this year.

He still profiles more as a fourth outfielder as he crushes right handed pitching. IF he can manage to stay healthy and succeed against the southpaws, we could see him AFTER the All-Star break.

Texas Rangers prospects we could see soon

3. Cole Winn, SP

Finally, a pitcher.

The Texas Rangers have had some stellar performances of late from Dane Dunning, Martin Perez and their bullpen, but they still sit 26th of 30 in team ERA this season. Jon Gray is here to stay after signing a four-year deal and Dunning is as well, but the young duo of Hearn and Howard have left some wanting more.

Howard has already been demoted, seeing the rise of Glenn Otto and Hearn has done JUST enough to stay in the rotation. There is little to knock about Winn, as he has succeeded at every level.

He carried a carrier 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings in AA-AAA last year with a sub-three ERA but has a career low 7.2 Ks/9 this year. He’s also run into some trouble his past two outings, allowing six earned runs in his past 8.1 innings of work.

Winn doesn’t profile as an “ace”, but he definitely looks to be a front-line starter. It’ll likely take an injury before he’s called up, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him around the All-Star break.

Texas Rangers prospects we could see soon

5. Josh Smith/ Davis Wendzel 3B

I’m ranking them as a duo here because neither has a clear path, yet both have about the same chances to make it.

Smith was a typical SS, but after being blocked by Corey Seager, he’s experienced playing time at a few different positions. Some have him going to the OF but with Taveras/Thompson I believe his best chance to being called up would be to man third base.

Wendzel, meanwhile, is a standard third base prospect who was drafted after Jung (8) and before Smith (67) in the competitive balance first round (41) in 2019.  Wendzel hasn’t quite had the minor league success as Smith, but is known to get hot and is a career third baseman. These two are likely to come up late in the season for “try-outs” unless incumbent Andy Ibanez can establish himself.

Texas Rangers prospects we could see soon

6. Nick Snyder/Chase Lee, RP

Relief Pitchers! Not always the most exciting prospects to wait and see, but they are definitely eclectic.

Even with the Texas Rangers’ bullpen turning the corner with solid performances from Matt Moore, Brock Burke, John King, Spencer Patton and Joe Barlow, these guys could still use some help. Jose Leclerc and Jonathan Hernandez are also expected back later in the year after their Tommy John hiatuses as well, so the pen will be packed.

However, BOTH of these young men have ERAs of 0.00 in the minors. Nick Snyder has major league experience, but too little to carry much weight while Lee “the Viper” has none to speak of.  Both also have similar other stats, with Snyder having a WHIP of 1.000 and K/9 of 12 through six appearances in AAA and Lee sporting a .844 WHIP with 11.8 K/9 through 10.2 innings in AA.

Yes, those aren’t exactly hefty examples of dominance, but it shows how they could contribute to the major league ‘pen this year.

The bullpen is always extremely fluid and they can come up at any time but it’ll likely happen after the trade deadline when it’s possible for the Rangers to move a few relivers.