ESPN's latest 2026 MLB mock draft delivers a TCU legend to the Rangers

Mock drafts ahead of this summer's MLB Draft are hitting full swing and for the Texas Rangers, it could mean dipping into their own backyard with an electric, free-swinging outfielder.

A star at Texas Christian over the last couple of seasons, Sawyer Strosnider, is projected to go 16th overall to the Rangers in July's amateur draft.

The 20-year-old Strosnider is a native of Brock, Texas, a town just 46 miles west of TCU's campus and less than two hours from Globe Life Field. In his second season with the Horned Frogs, Strosnider leds the team in home runs (13) and runs scored (54).

Home grown talent is way to go for Rangers

The general assumption is the Rangers will go the collegiate route in the first round of the draft with several mock drafts and rankings have Texas's 16th position being a college player. Some including SEC position players or high-upside starting pitching.

Strosnider fits that bill perfectly. While his average is ONLY .271 this year, he's hitting .315 with 24 home runs and 62 extra-base hits in his two seasons at TCU. A quiet lefty swing with pop, Strosnider pops in at the ninth-best draft prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

His scouting report states: "A quick-twitch athlete, Strosnider is a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder with plus speed once underway. Many evaluators believe he can play center field as a pro, though he mostly mans right field for the Horned Frogs alongside Chase Brunson, who projects to go in the top two rounds in July."

Not only would this pick up the talent level in the organization's system after dipping over the last few years, it would give the Rangers a true homegrown product to hopefully one day pair with Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford for an electric outfield in Arlington.

Other target options for Texas at 16

Texas is in a strange spot draft wise, giving they are in the middle of the pack for the first round so finding a good generational talent like projected top pick Roch Cholowsky is practically off the table.

They could get a shortstop of their own in Alabama's Justin Lebron while they've also been connected to LSU outfielder Derek Curiel, Tulane's Cameron Flukey and hopefully spoken into existence Cole Carlon from my alma mater Arizona State.

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