6 Texas Rangers under the microscope in spring training

5.Leody Taveras

I debated putting him on this list. I think it is a certainty that if he is healthy he will be the starting center fielder on Opening Day. His goal is to just stay healthy and use his time to prepare for the long season ahead. I do think there will be more eye balls on him though not just from the Texas Rangers but from other organizations. Every team reads, studies, and is familiar with the Texas Rangers roster. They saw all of the offseason prospects reports that have Texas with two top 10 prospects both outfielders. They saw what Evan Carter did in the postseason not long after making his debut. They saw what Wyatt Langford did to minor league pitching after being drafted last summer. Every MLB team knows that Taveras could be considered a luxury to the Texas Rangers.

Taveras is not fighting for his job this spring, but just because he starts the season with Texas does not mean he will end the season with the Rangers. Taveras is a superior defensive player to Langford and Carter, but they are better all-around hitters than Taveras. The question for Texas will be are they comfortable playing such a young outfielder like Langford in DH for a majority of his at-bats?

That is not for Taveras to worry about. He should feel very comfortable in his job status to at least start the season. Taveras in 2023 had the best season his career. He had a .266 batting average, 14 home runs, 14 stolen bases, 67 runs scored, and 67 RBIs. It will still be a very interesting spring training to watch Taveras. The outfield talent level has certainly gotten much better since the start of last season. The prolonged slumps by Taveras may not be as acceptable this season. That will certainly be a story to follow. Taveras with a strong spring training can drive up his trade value and solidify his standing as the center fielder now and in the future.

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