Texas Rangers: 4 Reasons to Be Patient

#3 Prospects that need opportunities

The one area of the organization that got plenty of headlines before 2023 was the prospect depth Texas had accumulated since 2018. The depth started to make an impact on the major league roster in 2023. Josh Jung was having a rookie-of-the-year type season before breaking his thumb in August. Evan Carter was nicknamed the "little savior" for his performance in September and October. Josh Smith and Ezequiel Duran filled the utility role admirably. Cody Bradford became a reliable bullpen arm and made a few spot starts in 2023.

In 2024 there will be more prospects who are likely to earn opportunities to play. Those include Jack Leiter, Owen White, Wyatt Langford, Dustin Harris, and Marc Church. There could be others who burst onto the scene and show they deserve an opportunity. Texas does not want to weigh down their roster with over priced veterans who take away opportunities from their prospects. That is why I think Texas will not sign a high-priced DH. They want to keep a spot open for Wyatt Langford either early or late in the season. They might not add a significant starting pitcher hoping that maybe Leiter or White will take a spot midway through the season.

The front office is trying to build a roster that can win, but also one that can give opportunities to younger players. If Texas can find a way to do both they could build a team that can carry high-priced players while also lowering the payroll with young players on minimum contracts. That would drastically lower the payroll and take them away from the luxury tax line. It would help Texas be able to keep this competitive window open for a longer period.