One Rangers prospect poised for a breakout at each level in 2026

The Texas Rangers are entering an unknown this season with two straight losing seasons and to make matters worse, the organization sits among the bottom 10 farm systems in baseball after their go for it all approach took a nosedive in 2024 and 2025.

Regardless, the Rangers still have a plethora of talent across their four minor league affiliates. Most notably, their 19-year-old infielder Sebastian Walcott and righty Caden Scarborough. but let's take a look beyond the two and explore select names who will rise to the occasion across the organization this season.

One Rangers position player prospect poised for a breakout at each level in 2026

Class-A Hickory: AJ Russell, RHP

A second round draft pick by the Rangers last summer, Russell finished the season as Texas's fourth ranked prospect. All of sudden, the 21-year-old is the highest Rangers' draft pick in the organization after trading first rounder Gavin Fien to Washington for MacKenzie Gore.

During his three seasons with Tennessee, Russell appeared in 42 games and compiling a 2.70 ERA, 104 strikeouts and 26 walks in 70 innings of work. In between the rotation and bullpen, the Volunteers made the NCAA tournament three times and won the College World Series in 2024.

Yet to make his professional debut, Russell is highly touted and has a chance to make an elite impression in his first season of pro ball. I venture to guess that Russell could find himself in High-A Hub I City by the end of the year if he develops well.

High-A Hub City: Paxton Kling, OF

Another 2025 draft pick by Texas, Kling barely snuck into the organization's top 30 list at No. 29 but don't tell him that. In 21 games with both Class-A affiliates last season, Kling slashed .310/.344/.446 with one homer, seven RBIs, seven doubles, a triple and an .801 OPS.

The Nittany Lion was signed over slot after being drafted 205th overall last summer and really came into his own during his one season at Penn State in 2025. His plus raw power and ability to drive balls in the air give him 25-homer upside, though his hitting ability remains a question, according to MLB Pipeline.

Not only does Kling have the ability to play any of the three outfield positions, he has the highest ceiling of any Rangers' hitting prospect. He's only 21 with time to grow and Texas is likely wanted to see a bigger workload than 83 at-bats but if he replicates last year, we could see him be a late season call up to Double-A.

Double-A Frisco: Cameron Cauley, INF/OF

Cauley has one of the most exciting upsides of any Rangers' prospect not named Walcott or Scarbourgh and part of that is due to his versatility to play infield and outfield despite his bread-and-butter being middle infield.

The 22-year-old is in about to embark on his sixth season in the minor leagues and will do so in 2026 after spending time in big league camp this spring. He spent all season in Double-A last year, 113 games to be exact, and he led the team in extra base hits (48) while hitting 15 homers and driving in 51 RBIs on a .251 average.

Triple-A Round Rock: Cooper Johnson, C

The 27-year-old has the best chance among these four names to make the Opening Day roster out of camp. Of course, that would mean. an absolute show put on by him or an unlucky fortune of events that leads other catchers injured to start the year.

Johnson, a 2019 sixth-round pick by Detroit was picked up off waivers by the Rangers in Feb. 2023 after being released by the Tigers the following season. His career hasn't been great, hitting .210 in nearly 380 minor league games. Why then does it seem like he will have a breakout year?

For starters, I think he can feel his time is getting closer if he can perform. Texas finally got rid of Jonah Heim, who was by all definitions the catcher of the immediate future. Now, going into 2026, this is Kyle Higashioka's final contract year and Danny Jansen is only on a two-year deal. At 27, Johnson has the motivation to break out for 2026 because this is his best shot at being a permanent solution for this franchise.