Ex-Rangers infielder opts out of Yankees deal after surprising breakout

As the dust settles on the 2026 MLB Draft and hopes are high for the new crop of youngsters, it's important to remember that we're a long way away from having any sort of certainty as to how these shiny new prospects will perform. So while you're tallying up the number of steals the Texas Rangers landed, think of Jonathan Ornelas as a cautionary tale.

Ornelas was a third-round pick of the Rangers back in 2018 and topped out as Texas's No. 18 prospect, noted for his power potential and flashy style of play. The versatile middle infielder and occasional outfielder would only manage 27 games in a Rangers uniform, hitting .184/.245/.224 over 54 plate appearances before getting cut loose last season. Ornelas would then resurface at the end of 2025 with the Atlanta Braves, playing in two big league games.

Still only 26 years old, Ornelas signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees over the winter, but he just exercised his opt-out clause to once again hit free agency.

Former Rangers prospect Jonathan Ornelas will try to reinvent himself following a surprising surge

Following his selection out of Raymond S Kellis High School in 2018, Ornelas had shown some promise in the lower levels of the minor leagues. Even in 2022, he put up some encouraging numbers in Double-A, hitting .299/.360/.425 with 14 homers and 14 steals.

However, once he hit Triple-A, things changed. In 2024, he slashed .251/.322/.326 with three dingers as his power evaporated at Round Rock. Things were even worse in 2025 as he posted a .196/.295/.303 in Triple-A between the Texas and Atlanta organizations.

However, this season, Ornelas has looked like a different player while toiling for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate in Scranton, Pennsylvania. There he's hit .299/.362/.480 with nine homers and nine steals, once again showing off the power-speed combination that made him so intriguing all those years ago.

What's next for Ornelas is unclear. With the Yankees, the pathway to the majors was mostly blocked by their middle infield depth and the presence of top prospect George Lombard Jr. in the way. Does he try to find another organization where he could have an easier time securing a big league job? Or does he go the overseas route like former Rangers farmhand Blaine Crim and try to reinvent himself in Japan or Korea? Has he finally figured it out, or was his Triple-A performance a strange aberration? It will be interesting to see what comes next for the former Ranger.

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