3 Rangers 2026 draftees who could make a huge leap in 2027

In the opinion of many in the know, the Texas Rangers knocked it out of the park with their 2026 draft class. They got perhaps the most talented left-handed pitcher, Gio Rojas, out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS in Florida with the 16th overall pick in the first round. They then followed that up with two highly touted players, like shortstop Connor Comeau from L.C. Anderson HS in Texas, with the No. 54 pick in the second round.

Chris Young and company then went back to loading up on arm talent in the third round by drafting Brody Bumila, another hard-throwing lefty out of Bishop Feehan HS. They followed up in the fourth round with an older, more mature pitcher, right-hander Hudson Calhoun, who pitched for the University of Mississippi.

There is good reason to be excited about all four of the organization's top picks, but when it comes to those who may make an immediate impact and make waves during the 2027 season, we will be looking primarily at the prospects that played in college. They are physically and mentally more mature than the 18-year-olds who have just graduated from high school and are better prepared to adapt to the professional game sooner. They will also likely be arriving at Frisco and Round Rock sooner than the teenagers at the top of the draft class.

These are the three players that should be on your radar next season as they start what will hopefully be a long and fruitful major league career.

1. Hudson Calhoun - RHP

As mentioned above, the Rangers nabbed Ole Miss product Hudson Calhoun in the 4th round of the 2026 draft. At 6'4", 215 pounds, the 22-year-old already has a major league-ready frame, but will probably add at least 10 pounds of natural muscle over the next year or two.

Calhoun arsenal boasts five different pitches that he bases off a mid-90s four-seam fastball that he can get up to 98 mph. He has tremendous command of his cutter, which he typically throws in the upper 80s, but he is also working on a slow slider, which serves as his go-to off-speed pitch. Finally, Calhoun will occasionally mix in a tumbling change-up and a bigger curve.

Calhoun gathered invaluable high-leverage experience with the Rebels in the College World Series last year and is one to watch when (and if) the 2027 season kicks off.

2. Michael Anderson Jr. - Two-Way Player

In the fifth round of the draft, the Rangers were excited to land a two-way talent, Michael Anderson Jr. out of Penn State. Hudson is a hulking 6'3, 230-pound DH who has an elite power bat. He set the single-season home run record at Penn St. last season with 20 jacks, and he was an on-base machine, putting up an eye-popping .470 OBP. He clubbed his way to an impressive 1.212 OPS and All-American honors in 2026.

As a pitcher, Rangers scouts loved his upside. He only had a handful of mound appearances at the collegiate level, but his massive presence on the hill and strong arm give the team yet another two-way hopeful to go along with current minor league phenoms Josh Owens and Seong-Jun Kim, who are two young right-handers who played at the Hi-A level last season.

3. Caden Aoki - RHP

A product of the University of Georgia, Aoki was the Rangers' 7th-round pick. He is 24 years old, so he will be older than most of the players he will see when he is assigned next season. Aoki put together a solid senior season at UGA, amassing a 9-2 record with a 4.08 ERA. He fanned 110 batters spanning 86 innings and appears physically ready to compete early on in the team's farm system.

Unlike overpowering draftees like Rojas, Bumila, and Calhoun. Aoki is more of a pitch-maker who relies on elite command and change of speeds to keep hitters guessing. His fastball only clocks in at around 90 mph, but it sets up his best pitch, a big breaking curveball that falls off the table through the strike zone. He throws a nice Cal Quantrill-like change-up that looks like his fastball but drops out of the zone late. Being in his mid-20s already, look for Aoki to make an impression early on, as he will likely start off at Hi-A ball.

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