Texas Rangers Prospect Roundup: Big names making big moves

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 09: Rawlings baseballs behind netting during Toronto Blue Jays batting practice ahead of their game against the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre on April 8, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 09: Rawlings baseballs behind netting during Toronto Blue Jays batting practice ahead of their game against the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre on April 8, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)

While the big league Texas Rangers continue to get mixed, albeit generally improved, results on the field, the minor league Rangers have played well for the most part in 2022.

Let’s start with prospect promotions, two of which came on Tuesday as right-hander Owen White and lefty Larson Kindreich each received promotions to Double-A and High-A, respectively.

The minor leagues continue to be a hotbed of excitement for the Texas Rangers organization, with prospect promotions and performances

White is the Texas Rangers’ eighth-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline, and he lit up the Arizona Fall League last season, boosting his stock ahead of the season. He’s continued to pitch well into this year, as he now joins top-ranked prospect Jack Leiter in a stacked Frisco RoughRiders rotation. At Hickory, White had 81 strikeouts in 58.2 innings (!), a phenomenal clip.

White and Leiter, along with Cole Winn in Triple-A, represent a bright future on the mound for the Rangers, with Tekoah Roby and Ricky Vanasco behind them at High-A Hickory.

Kindreich, an eighth-rounder in 2021, is an intriguing pitcher as well, making a name for himself in Texas’ minor league ranks with his promotion to Hickory to join a similarly stacked rotation that has more well-known names Tekoah Roby and Ricky Vanasco. Kindreich had 55 punchouts in 38 innings, with a 2.37 ERA at Low-A Down East Down East prior to his promotion. That’ll earn you a promotion!

We haven’t even mentioned Frisco’s Zak Kent (No. 20 prospect) or Round Rock’s Cole Ragans (No. 29 prospect), recently promoted to Triple-A, as among the Texas Rangers’ best pitching prospects, and both are thriving this season. What a time for pitching on the farm!

On the hitting side, a seemingly forgotten man went off on Tuesday night. That would be none other than outfielder and top prospect Evan Carter:

A lengthy injury history has kept the talented outfielder on the sidelines, but his potential represents some of the highest for a position player in the organization. This performance does justice to that fact.

Another guy who keeps raking? Outfielder Aaron Zavala, the Texas Rangers’ second round selection in 2021 and 11th-ranked prospect. He has an .819 OPS at Hickory and could be ticketed to join that loaded Frisco squad soon. And Ronald Acuna Jr.’s little brother, Luisangel (No. 10 prospect), has a cool .968 OPS on that same Hickory team.

There’s plenty of exciting action occurring in the Texas Rangers organization beyond the big league level, and that means the future is bright. Just wait until next month when the Rangers add another premier talent to this rising farm system in the 2022 MLB Draft… The sky could very well be the limit!

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