The Texas Rangers will go to the Surprise Recreation Complex next week with lockers for 61 players in big-league camp.
There are a number of the 61 that are already guaranteed roster spots and others that have little or no shot at all. So who's going to go to California when the Rangers open the season against Oakland April 6? Here's a look at the roster chances for all 61 players.
INFIELD
40-MAN INFIELDERS: Hanser Alberto, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Prince Fielder, Mitch Moreland, Rougned Odor, Jurickson Profar, Adam Rosales.
NON-ROSTER INFIELDERS: Kyle Blanks, Tommy Field, Joey Gallo, Ed Lucas
Roster locks: Andrus, Beltre, Fielder, Moreland, Odor
Got a chance: Alberto, Rosales, Blanks
Not going to happen: Profar, Field, Gallo, Lucas
Comment: The only real battle figures to come for the utility spot. Rosales seemed like a lock last year but ended up spending most of the season in Triple A so it can happen again. Alberto could unseat him and he's played second, third and short in the minors and won the minor-league Gold Glove. He hit well enough at Frisco (.275) to merit consideration for the backup spot. Blanks could be caught in a numbers game. The Rangers have plenty of first base-designated hitter types already and they don't want to push him in the outfield, which could hurt his chances. The club hasn't said outright that Profar will start the season in the minors but he'll start the season in the minors. Gallo is hoping to make the jump to Round Rock to start the season.
CATCHER
40-MAN CATCHERS: Jorge Alfaro, Robinson Chirinos, Carlos Corporan, Tomas Telis
NON-ROSTER CATCHERS: Pat Cantwell, Chris Gimenez
Roster locks: Chirinos, Corporan
Got a chance: Telis, Gimenez
Not going to happen: Alfaro, Cantwell
Comment: It's really more cut and dry than this. If Chirinos and Corporan make it through camp healthy, the only thing that still has to be determined is who shakes out where in the system. Gimenez is a great insurance policy just like last season. Telis did everything the club could have asked last season but will likely add to his 35 games played at Round Rock. Alfaro and Cantwell could both end up in Frisco again.
OUTFIELD
40-MAN OUTFIELDERS: Michael Choice, Shin-Soo Choo, Delino Deshields, Leonys Martin, Ryan Rua, Jake Smolinski
NON-ROSTER OUTFIELDERS: Jared Hoying, Ryan Ludwick, Carlos Peguero, Antoan Richardson, Nate Schierholtz
Roster locks: Choo, Martin
Got a chance: Choice, Deshields, Rua, Smolinski, Ludwick, Schierholtz
Not going to happen: Hoying, Peguero, Richardson
Comment: The hardest spot to handicap on the roster is the outfield for the Rangers. The only two locks are the starters in center (Martin) and right (Choo). Even that isn't set in stone as Choo could still see some time in left, which puts this in even more doubt. So does the possibility that Mitch Moreland could see some time in left, which would cut into playing time for others. The guess is that the top two candidates for left are Rua and Ludwick. Rua has received plenty of offseason love and played well in his 28 games for Texas last year. Ludwick is a veteran presence with a proven track record. Smolinski and Choice are also in the mix, as is Schierholtz, who could be a valuable fourth outfielder and bench player. Deshields can play center, which is a plus. And he's a Rule 5 guy, which gives him an edge in a case where all things are equal. He can play in the field too and has speed. But he hit just .236 in Double A. Hoying could play himself into a chance with a solid spring after playing well in Round Rock and his ability to play center.
STARTING ROTATION
40-MAN STARTERS: Yu Darvish, Ross Detwiler, Yovani Gallardo, Matt Harrison, Derek Holland, Luke Jackson, Colby Lewis, Nick Martinez, Martin Perez, Anthony Ranaudo, Lisalverto Bonilla, Nick Tepesch, Jerad Eickhoff
NON-ROSTER STARTERS: Alec Asher, Alex Gonzalez, Ross Wolf
Roster locks: Darvish, Gallardo, Holland, Lewis
Got a chance: Detwiler, Martinez, Ranaudo, Tepesch, Bonilla
Not going to happen: Perez (injured), Harrison (injured), Jackson, Asher, Gonzalez, Wolf
Comment: There could be a couple of names that are added or drop off this pool like Wolf, who played in Korea last year, and Ross Ohlendorf, who end up as a reliever. But as long as the starters remain healthy this spring, it will come down to around five guys competing for one starting spot. Detwiler is the veteran lefty, which could add value if the Rangers decide they need more lefties in the bullpen. Tepesch and Martinez have experience from last season while Ranaudo will either win a spot or start at Triple A after being acquired for Robbie Ross Jr. The same goes for Lisalverto Bonilla, who pitched well in his brief stint with Texas last year. The Rangers could opt to make one of the four who doesn't win a spot the long man. There's plenty to like about this list, including the fact that it's so long after injuries killed the rotation last year. It could also be better in the second half of the season if Perez continues to progress and Harrison makes it back from spinal fusion surgery. If nothing else, the Rangers have plenty of rotation options.
BULLPEN
40-MAN BULLPEN: Tanner Scheppers, Neftali Feliz, Shawn Tolleson, Alex Claudio, Jon Edwards, Kyuji Fujikawa, Phil Klein, Roman Mendez, Spencer Patton
NON-ROSTER BULLPEN: Anthony Bass, Martire Garcia, Keone Kela, Michael Kirkman, David Martinez, Ross Ohlendorf, Juan Carlos Oviedo
Roster locks: Scheppers, Feliz, Tolleson, Fujikawa
Got a chance: Everyone else
Comment: The competition for the final three spots is wide open. The one thing we know is at least one of them will come from the left side, which should give the funky throwing Claudio a chance. Ross Detwiler could also figure in the lefty mix if he doesn't make the rotation and could end up as the long guy. Mendez impressed in his time in Arlington last year and so did Klein and Patton. Oviedo is a big-league veteran who was decent for the Tampa Bay Rays last year. Keep an eye on Kela, who was dominant in Frisco last season.
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