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Five observations from Texas Rangers spring training
SURPRISE, Ariz. — For a team that just won the World Series, an inordinate amount of attention is being paid to the Texas Rangers' youth this spring.
On one hand, it's a product of their inactivity this winter. On the other, it's a testament to just how good their top prospects could be.
"The goal is to go out and be better than we were last year," general manager Chris Young said, preaching the importance of turning the page coming off the franchise's first championship season.
If that's to be the case, the Texas youth movement and the team's electric offense — which could be even more high-powered in 2024 — will play a major role.
Here are five observations from Rangers' camp as they prepare to defend their crown:
1. Wyatt Langford season approaches
Given how they zoomed up the Rangers' farm system last year, it's a bit of a surprise that Langford and Evan Carter never actually met until camp opened this spring. Now, the Rangers' top prospects — both ranked among MLB.com's six best prospects in baseball — are getting plenty familiar as batting practice partners in Surprise. They represent the future in Texas.
And that future might be now.
Carter is already a fixture in the Texas outfield after breaking out late last year with one of the great starts to a career in franchise history. The Rangers haven't committed to whether Langford will break camp with the team. If he does, it could happen in the outfield or at designated hitter. If he doesn't, it's only a matter of time until he gets the call.
Langford's chance is coming soon, after he raked at every level from rookie ball to Triple-A last season. There was some thought the 2023 No. 4 overall pick might even contribute to last year's World Series squad, but he knew that was a long shot. While he did not yet know Carter personally, watching him go off the final months of the season demonstrated to Langford what could be possible when his own time comes.
"You see all these young guys playing, guys just out of high school and somehow make it to the big leagues before they even turn 20," Langford told FOX Sports. "It's crazy. People do it, and obviously it gives you hope that you can do it, too."
2. Evan Carter ready for his follow-up
As anticipation builds for Langford's debut, the Rangers have already seen how Carter can impact their roster. The 21-year-old outfielder reached base in 19 of his 23 regular-season games, then followed that up by reaching base in all 17 of his playoff games, which set a major-league record for a player's first career postseason.
For a rookie who has already accomplished so much, so quickly, what's next?
One of the challenges for the slender outfielder this offseason was to eat. A lot. He said he is currently up to the low-190s, and that's his ideal playing weight.
Carter made some vital defensive plays in left field during the postseason, but he is still working on his reads off the bat, especially since the vast majority of Carter's time in the minor leagues was spent in center field. And despite his .645 slugging percentage last year, third-base coach Tony Beasley said the Rangers are also working with him on his bunting, "just to have that tool in his bag," since he has rarely been asked to do it.
The only area to nitpick so far is his production against lefties, but Carter hasn't seen a lot of them. The Rangers' coaches and front office staff have expressed optimism that he'll be able to handle them. Carter shares the same optimism. "I know I can do it," he told FOX Sports.
"The game's going to teach him from here out," Beasley said. "At this level, there's constant adjustments — pitch types, pitch shapes. I'm sure teams are breaking him down trying to find some type of blue area in his box of hitting that they can exploit. I don't know where that is right now. Obviously, everyone thinks that he can improve left on left. I don't know, I haven't seen enough left on left to say that that's going to be a weakness. I just think his ability to control the strike zone neutralizes a lot of that because he's willing to take a walk and keep the line moving and do whatever it takes to help the team win."
3. Who's the fifth starter? And is there enough depth to hold down the fort early?
In an ideal Rangers world, Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Nathan Eovaldi and Tyler Mahle would be pitching them to another World Series title. But three of those players won't be available until the summer. Scherzer, who underwent back surgery in December, isn't expected back until June. He'll likely be followed by Mahle in July and deGrom in August, as they work their way back from Tommy John surgeries.
For now, Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning and Andrew Heaney are locks in the rotation. They'll be tasked with keeping the ship afloat as the Rangers wait for second-half reinforcements. The fifth spot is not as secure, but Cody Bradford appears to be leading the charge. In addition to the prospects who could be part of the mix, Danny Duffy and Adrian Sampson are among the non-roster camp invites to watch.
Considering what Jordan Montgomery meant to this team last year, Rangers fans would be feeling a lot better entering the 2024 season if he were still part of the mix. Texas holds the power to make a reunion possible, with Montgomery still floating around in free agency, but at this point it doesn't sound like a return is likely.
The infield depth is also being tested already, with shortstop Corey Seager working his way back from offseason hernia surgery and third baseman Josh Jung dealing with a calf issue. Neither is expected to be a long-term issue like the Rangers are dealing with in the rotation, but the injuries make prospect Justin Foscue's spot on the Opening Day roster appear more likely.
4. What about pitching prospects?
While it could be a while before we see the Rangers' most highly-regarded pitching prospects, it wouldn't be entirely surprising to see a young arm either winning the fifth job or making spot starts early this year.
Right now, the three prospects to watch on the 40-man roster are Owen White, Cole Winn and Zak Kent. White's velocity dipped last season, and so did his numbers in the minor leagues — he had a 4.99 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 52.1 innings at Triple-A Round Rock — but he is the highest-rated prospect among the trio and, after making his MLB debut last year, would seem to be the likeliest option to assume the fifth starter role should it not go to Bradford.
The most interesting name to watch is Jack Leiter, whose massive upside has been hampered by control and mechanical issues that forced him to the development list last season. Leiter, who reached Triple-A last year, is in camp with the Rangers this spring. The coaching staff is encouraging the 2021 No. 2 overall pick to try to be himself and, as manager Bruce Bochy put it, "let his natural talent surface."
"This team is not locked in on the pitching staff," Bochy said early in camp. "I want them to feel like that. I want them to come in here trying to do all they can to not just make a great impression but make it a tough decision when we break camp."
5. New faces in a volatile bullpen
The Rangers managed to win the World Series despite deploying a bullpen that finished the year with a 4.77 ERA and more blown saves (33) than saves (30). Now, deadline acquisition Aroldis Chapman is in Pittsburgh while Will Smith, who led the team in saves, is with the Royals. A free agent such as Josh Hader would have provided a major boost at a position of need, but the Rangers weren't going to spend that way this offseason. Instead, they'll turn to David Robertson and Kirby Yates for some high-leverage assistance.
Robertson had a terrific first half filling in as the Mets' closer last season (2.05 ERA, 14 saves) before taking a few more lumps after a midseason trade to Miami (5.06 ERA, four saves). It should be said, he was much better down the stretch, striking out 19 and allowing just two runs in 10.1 September innings. Robertson has 38 saves over the past two seasons. Yates is coming off a bounce-back year in Atlanta, striking out 80 batters in 60.1 innings with a 3.28 ERA. He'll turn 37 later this month.
José Leclerc figures to get the most closing opportunities after stepping up huge in October — he had as many saves in the postseason (four) as the regular season (four) for the Rangers in 2023 — but Robertson, Yates and Josh Sborz, who allowed one run in 12 playoff innings and was on the mound for the Rangers' final out last year, add a few more options to the late-inning mix. Another name to keep an eye on is Marc Church, who was added to the Rangers' 40-man roster in November and went 7-1 with a 3.48 ERA as a 22-year-old at Triple-A Round Rock last year and could earn a role in the bullpen.
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
