Rangers Sebastian Walcott position update could spell bad news for Evan Carter

Sebastian Walcott is a shortstop by trade. The 20-year-old has all the tools at this moment in time to be an impact defender at the game's most important defensive position. But at six-foot-four and with a body that's still developing, there are many who believe that his future with the Texas Rangers will come at third base.

Aside from some wonkiness in his throwing since undergoing an internal brace procedure to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow back in February, Walcott has the rocket arm required to man the hot corner. Walcott's supreme talent combined with the Rangers' history of bringing up prospects with little Triple-A experience has led us to believe that he could be in play for the Opening Day third base job.

If that's Texas's plan, it would impact Josh Jung and/or Jake Burger, with one or both potentially finding themselves on the trade block as the team looks to flip them to fill other needs. Of course, if Texas can somehow find a way to trade Corey Seager, it would serve as a stay of execution for Jung and Burger, as Walcott could then play his natural position.

But the Rangers might have a different plan in mind, and it's one that we didn't see coming. Skip Schumaker and Ross Fenstermaker went to visit Walcott in the desert and watch him play in the Arizona Fall League, and then they started putting him through outfield drills.

With Wyatt Langford entrenched in left field and Brandon Nimmo roaming right, the outfield position that's on the shakiest ground is center field, where former-phenom-turned-disappointment Evan Carter resides.

The best-case scenario for Evan Carter would be fourth outfielder duty if the Rangers' Sebastian Walcott plan sticks

Walcott has blazing speed, which, when combined with his arm strength, gives him a solid foundation to become a plus center fielder, as long as he can nail down tracking fly balls and getting solid jumps with good angles in the outfield. That would be trouble for the 24-year-old Carter.

Carter is a freakish athlete whose skills translate exceptionally well to center field. He's a 2026 Gold Glove finalist for a reason. Unfortunately, he hit .194/.288/.315 in 2026 and posted a putrid .329 OPS against lefties.

Carter had one flash in July that harkened back to his debut rampage in 2023. The 2020 second-round pick hit .315/.431/.481 and said that he finally understood his swing and what does and doesn't work for him.

That ultimately proved to be fool's gold. From August 1 through the end of the season, Carter "hit" an abysmal .170/.221/.244. Now it looks like that might be the final nail in his coffin. The Rangers have waited for years now for him to be the player his promise indicated it could be. He's been injured and ineffective at the plate ever since.

There's no guarantee that Walcott will take to the outfield. He's just starting his journey there. But if he does, it might not spell the end of Carter in Arlington, but it would likely reduce his role to nothing more than a fourth outfielder, and that might be for the best.

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