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5 Texas Rangers players taking advantage of 2024 spring training

Let's take a look at the some of the more unlikely standout performances from Rangers camp so far in 2024.

By Eric Cole |
Feb 27, 2024; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford (82)
Feb 27, 2024; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford (82) / Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
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Spring training is such a fun time because fans get to see players in action that would normally be hidden away in the minor leagues or on the depths of the bench. For the Texas Rangers, that has meant seeing some of the best prospects in baseball like Wyatt Langford, Justin Foscue, and Sebastian Walcott give fans a preview of the exciting times to come in Texas.

It is rare for a player to win a roster spot outright with only a strong spring training. However, players get on folks' radar all the time during the preseason and can set themselves up for opportunities down the road. As for the known commodities, a strong spring can often turn a coin flip-type decision into forcing the team's hand to give them a chance. In a couple of cases at Rangers camp, that could very well be what we see happen.

The goal here isn't to highlight established veterans performing well in spring training. Yes, Adolis Garcia has looked great since being held out of games for a bit, Evan Carter and Marcus Semien have been raking, and Nathan Eovaldi looks ready to pitch a playoff game. Instead, the focus is going to be on guys that have seized the opportunity that spring training has provided them, who were otherwise on the outside looking in.

5 Texas Rangers players taking advantage of 2024 spring training

Wyatt Langford

The first name for this list is an easy one in top prospect Wyatt Langford. Whenever a guy is picked in the draft as highly as Langford was by the Rangers, fans will immediately want to know when he could debut. In most cases, the answer would be after a full year (at best) with a couple years being more likely. However, Langford's ascent has been anything but normal and he has shown no signs of slowing down this spring.

Through eight games in camp, Langford is slashing .300/.423/.750 with three homers, and this is after he rocketed his way through the minor leagues after being drafted last year. Given that Langford is a college bat that would have been a first overall pick in many draft classes, it's clear that Texas is going to give him every opportunity to convince them to carry Langford on their Opening Day roster. If he can keep this pace up, they may not have any choice but to do so.

Cameron Cauley

Given all of the big-time prospects that have passed through the Rangers' minor league ranks in recent years like Josh Jung and Evan Carter, in addition to now Langford and Foscue, it would be easy to miss out on a guy like Cam Cauley. The 21-year-old infield prospect that the Rangers picked in the third round of the 2021 draft has steadily improved each season as a pro, with more power showing up last year than many expected.

However, what puts him on this list is his somewhat surprising dominance in spring training.

There is little chance that Cauley will compete for a big league roster spot anytime soon given the guys ahead of him on the depth chart. However, Cauley has had two strong spring training camps in a row now, and with the type of speed he has, he's absolutely going to become a name to watch if he can just continue to develop his hit tool and tap into power on a consistent basis.

Jared Walsh

It is going to be hard to break through for any guy right now into the Rangers' infield mix given the sheer amount of talent they have. However, having depth at each position is so valuable as the Rangers found out when Corey Seager missed significant time last season. With Jared Walsh showing out this spring, first base seems to be in a good spot heading into 2024.

Walsh is not that far removed from being an All-Star before some pretty serious injuries hindered him the last couple of years. This spring, he looks like he's back to his former self as he has posted a 1.147 OPS in his seven games this spring. Getting big-league playing time this season could be a challenge, but he looks like he could fill in if needed right now, and Texas' offense wouldn't miss a beat.

Sebastian Walcott

There is no world where Sebastian Walcott is making the Opening Day roster this year given that he is just 17 years old, has yet to log games above High-A, and plays a position that is firmly occupied by Corey Seager. He also hasn't played much with the big league team this spring. However, that does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that he hasn't made a strong impression in camp.

Walcott's incredible ceiling has been on full display in spring training with Rangers coaches and observers marveling at how well he has performed. He's still incredibly young and will have to learn how to adjust to pro pitchers, who are desperately trying to get him out, but all the indications right now are that he has improved since last season and could become one of the best prospects in baseball before too long.

Grant Anderson

The Rangers' pitching crop in spring training when it comes to fringe guys has left a lot to be desired. Many of the Rangers' arms already have set roles that were established before camp even started, and Texas didn't really go out of the way to bring in that many pitchers capable of making a lot of noise. However, Grant Anderson has quietly put himself in the running for a spot in the Rangers' bullpen with his play this spring.

So far, Anderson has made four scoreless appearances with six strikeouts and no walks in four innings of work. It's a small sample to be sure, and the late innings are pretty well spoken for by the existing bullpen, but don't be shocked if the Rangers decide that Anderson deserves a shot at some big league innings.

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