Hard throwing reliever highlights this Rangers draft class from the past

The MLB Draft is less than two months away and while we wait let's explore a Texas Rangers draft from the past.

This year, the Rangers have the No. 12 pick after finishing last season with a 78-84 record, missing the playoffs after winning the World Series the year prior. MLB Pipeline's first mock draft of the year has Texas picking a prep infielder from Mississippi.

Keeping in time with this year, let's look back to the organization's 2015 draft class 10 years later and see where some of the top names landed.

5 players from the Texas Rangers 2015 Draft class, 10 years later

Dillion Tate (Round 1, Pick 4)

The starter turned reliever in college was the Rangers first round selection in 2015 after two dominant seasons at UC Santa Barbara.

However, he didn't last long in the Rangers organization, only making 23 appearances in professional baseball for Texas' Low-A and Single-A affiliates. He was traded in July 2016 to the New York Yankees for Carlos Beltran.

Tate, 31, is now in the Toronto Blue Jays organization as a reliever and has made 5 appearances with a 5.06 ERA. He is currently with their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.

Pete Fairbanks (Round 9, Pick 258)

Fairbanks snuck in to the first 10 rounds that year as the Rangers' ninth-round selection out of Missouri where he pitched 143 innings across three seasons for the Tigers.

He spent 2015-19 in the Rangers organization but was derailed by Tommy John Surgery in 2017, his second time having the surgery. Fairbanks even made his MLB Debut with the Rangers in 2019, pitching in 8 2/3 innings for the Rangers before being traded to Tampa Bay.

The right-hander is in his 7th season with the Rays and in 17 innings of work this season he's 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA, 16 strikeouts and is 8 for 9 in save chances.

Curtis Terry (Round 13, Pick 378)

Now we get a little into the weeds for a moment with a major blast from the past with first baseman Curtis Terry. Terry was the team's 13th-round pick out of high school.

As a 2015 high school grad Perfect Game ranked him as the top Georgia first baseman in his class and the sixth-best first baseman nationally. He signed with Texas for $100,000 and was sent to Rookie ball in Arizona.

He did eventually make his MLB Debut in 2021 but only played in 13 games and recorded a dreadful .089 average and struck out 15 times in 41 at-bats. Now, Terry plays indepdent ball for the Lexington Legends in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

Jeffrey Springs (Round 30, Pick 888)

Springs is perhaps one of the most interesting stories in his climb back to Major League Baseball. The lefty was drafted 888th overall that year (a pick that doesn't exist anymore) out of Appalachian State.

His age 29 season with Tampa Bay back in 2022 was electric as he finished the year with a 2.46 ERA, 144 strikeouts and just 33 walks in over 150 innings of work. His ERA would have been the seventh best in baseball if he had qualified.

Springs, 32, is currently in the Athletics' rotation and is actually having quite a solid season with a 5-3 record, 3.91 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 53 innings.

CD Pelham (Round 33, Pick 978)

Do you guys remember CD Pelham? Would you believe me if I told you he was once the Rangers' 19th overall prospect? What about if I told you he's still pitching professionally?

Whether you answered any or all of those questions with a yes, still doesn't take away the fact the Rangers drafted him in the 33rd round back in 2015. Drafted out of junior college, Pelham eventually made his MLB Debut in 2018 with Texas, appearing in 10 games that season.

Ten years later, he is still around professional baseball, currently in the A's Double-A affiliate and it's not going smoothly for him with a 4.70 ERA in 7 2/3 innings to start the year.