Rangers call up polarizing prospect as pitching carousel swirls

The Texas Rangers have recalled right-hander Winston Santos from Double-A Frisco and optioned right-hander Jose Corniell to Triple-A Round Rock, the team announced. Santos, the Rangers' No. 5 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, has plenty of potential as a top prospect but has struggled immensely with Double-A Frisco this season, posting a 7.44 ERA in 42 1/3 innings across 11 starts.

Just as Corniell did for one game, Santos will fill the void left by Jack Leiter's injury. If Santos performs well, he will likely keep his roster spot. But if he struggles, which has a good chance of happening given his Double-A stats, he may be sent back down to the minors.

It's unclear what Santos' exact role with Texas will be. He will either simply take Leiter's spot in the rotation or pitch following an opener just like Corniell, who allowed five earned runs on seven hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night after Cal Quantrill started the game by surrendering one earned run in two innings.

On a positive note regarding Santos, he has an electric fastball with carry that sits 95-97 mph and has reached 100 mph. Unfortunately, his secondary pitches (changeup and slider) and command could use some work. He has allowed 21 walks in his 42 1/3 innings this season, while opponents have hit him at a .312 clip.

Leiter is expected to return this season, but not until August or later, according to The Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant. Texas placed Leiter on the 15-day IL a few days ago with a right ankle posterior impingement. Yesterday, he underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body from his ankle, per MLB.com's Kennedi Landry.

With Leiter out, it appears the Rangers will be rotating through pitchers to take his innings unless one performs well enough to keep their roster spot. The Rangers recently signed veteran left-hander Marco Gonzalez to a minor-league deal, but he likely isn't a long-term answer, as he has a 7.99 ERA over 47 1/3 innings in Triple-A this season.

Rangers waiting for Jordan Montgomery to fill void left by Jack Leiter's injury

At this point, Texas is presumably waiting for left-hander Jordan Montgomery to return to fill Leiter's rotation spot. Hopefully, Santos starts his big-league career strong and forces the Rangers to make a tough decision when Montgomery, who signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with Texas over the winter, is reinstated from the IL.

Montgomery, who has been out since undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2025, took a big step toward returning, making his first rehab start on Sunday with Double-A Frisco. He threw just 13 pitches (10 strikes), but it's nonetheless an encouraging development to see him back on the mound.

Until then, it seems like the pitching carousel will keep spinning. If Santos, or another youngster, can't establish themselves quickly, this could be a costly stretch for the Rangers, who can ill-afford to give away any games as they lie in the middle of the wild card scrum.

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