MLB Draft Preview: What Direction Might The Rangers Go At No. 2 Overall?

There is an enormous amount of external pressure to get the No. 2 pick right in this year's draft. What all is going into the Rangers' decision-making ahead of Sunday night?

Chris Halicke | Jul 8, 2021

ARLINGTON, Texas — It's not very often the Texas Rangers have the No. 2 pick in the MLB Draft. The last time the franchise picked that high was in 1974 when they selected Tommy Boggs, a prep pitcher out of Lanier High School in Austin, Texas.

Boggs had a nine-year Major League career—only three spent with the Rangers—and finished with a career record of 20-44 with a 4.22 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. Pretty underwhelming for a second overall pick.

That's what the Rangers are trying to avoid this year. Another pick gone awry.

Of course, the current regime of president of baseball operations Jon Daniels, general manager and executive vice president Chris Young, and senior director of amateur scouting Kip Fagg aren't responsible for Boggs. And while Young is a very recent addition to the front office, the Rangers don't have the greatest track record when it comes to first round picks since Daniels began overseeing the club's baseball operations in late 2005.

With the Rangers committed to their youth, and having the rare opportunity to pick second overall, there is as much pressure as ever to get this draft right.

Yet, there was a confidence among the trio that addressed the media on Wednesday. And just as he was as a player, Chris Young doesn't feel added pressure. Regardless of the circumstance, he just wants to win.

"I treat every game the same. I want to win every game. I want to win this draft as much as anybody," Young said. "I'm confident in the work the group has done. I'm excited for the pick. I think it's a great thing that we have this opportunity to improve our franchise.

"We've got access to really premier talent. I'm excited, I'm confident that we're going to come away with a great player it's going to help us win."

Of course, Young, Daniels, and Fagg aren't going to tip their hand just days ahead of the MLB Draft. Truth be told, the Young and Fagg both said they haven't quite landed on who they may select with the No. 2 pick.

"We're down to a few guys," Fagg said. "I don't want to get too specific of where we're at. But I think we're getting close. We've got a few days. We've got a little bit of work left to do, but I think we're getting close."

"We have a group of players that we are still considering, but Pittsburgh will help us with that decision," Young added. "The room is still open to discussion right now, but we've got a short list at this point."

In the past, the Rangers have been known to be attracted to "toolsy" players, but those generally come with higher risks. Recently, we've seen the Rangers shift in a different direction with the talent they've selected in the first round. In 2019, they took a polished college hitter in Josh Jung with the eighth overall pick. Last year, they went in a similar direction when they selected infielder Justin Foscue out of Mississippi State.

This year, however, the Rangers have mostly been tied to two types of players: toolsy high school shortstops or college pitchers.

Based off of what we've seen thus far, Chula Vista's Marcelo Mayer and Dallas Jesuit's Jordan Lawlar seem to be the consensus pick if the Rangers go with a position player. Both are potential five-tool All-Star shortstops, but both are coming out of high school. That means more risk.

On the other hand, if the Rangers decide to go with a college pitcher, the name that keeps popping up is Vanderbilt's Jack Leiter, the son of former big league pitcher Al Leiter.

As fans try to decipher the code embedded in the generic answers provided in a formal press conference, we do have a bit of a firmer grasp of what the Rangers might do with the second overall pick.

The Rangers are factoring the player's timeline. The draft doesn't have to be a conduit to aid the contention plans for the big league club. Generally when a team is ready to compete, they've already established a core of players internally then supplement via free agency and trades to put on the finishing touches.

But as the conversations continue in the war room, player timeline is not a major factor, but it is definitely not being ignored.

"I think it factors into some degree," Young said. "Ultimately, we're looking for the right players for the Texas Rangers. Whether they come fast or they take a few years, we want to make sure that we get the right players. That's the most important part."

Typically, position players—even high school players—are viewed less risky than pitchers. If you need any proof, just look at the arm injuries that have swept over the Rangers farm system in the last five years.

Even so, the Rangers do not value position players more than pitchers. Jon Daniels was clear about that.

"I mean, you really need impact players, up and down your roster to win a championship," Daniels said. "So we're trying really hard not to limit ourselves and to be very open-minded to the best player available. You certainly factor in different risk factors, historical trends in the draft and all those sort of things. But we're not going to limit ourselves by shrinking the universe of players. There's a limited pool to begin with. We're not going to look to shrink it further artificially."

About that whole "best player available" thing. It's a term that is constantly mentioned no matter where a team is picking in the draft. And typically, the higher the pick, the more the term is thrown around.

When you have access to all but one player in the entire pool, it's very tempting to take the most talented player or the player with the highest ceiling. But then there are factors to consider like positional needs and the amount of risk with a player.

One trait the Rangers value, regardless of high school or college, is the character of the player on and off the field. In addition, the Rangers want to make sure the players they select in this draft fit the culture that is being established from the big league level all the way down.

The Rangers demand their area scouts to really get to know the player beyond the surface and understanding what makes them tick.

"We want to pick the best player," Fagg explained, "but there's a lot that goes into the best player though. It's not just like the talent piece. It's all the work our guys have done as far as building relationships, what drives the player, what motivates the player. There's a lot that goes into that."

No matter which direction the Rangers go at No. 2 overall, there are sure to be critics. It's a high pressure pick—for both the organization and the player. The Rangers are not an outlier when it comes to drafting busts in the first round. Every organization has done it.

And while many will be quick to strike the gavel at Jon Daniels' sentencing if the Rangers don't get the No. 2 pick right, we won't know if it's a good or bad pick next week. Only time will tell that.

“Patience is required, whether college player or high school player,” Daniels said. “Especially now with the No. 2 pick in the country, there's going to be some expectations and pressure on this young man, whoever it is that we take. I think it’s imperative on us as an organization to put the right support and the right support and development program around that player and let him come at his own pace.”

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Published Jul 8, 2021

CHRIS HALICKE