Pair of Texas Rangers Pitching Prospects Claim Arizona Fall League Award

Two of the Texas Rangers’ pitching prospects had a great week in the final days of the Arizona Fall League.

Jul 26, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A hat and glove of a Texas Rangers player during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Two Texas Rangers pitching prospects —Josh Stephan and Leandro Lopez — were recently named the Arizona Fall League Co-Pitchers of the Week for Oct. 28-Nov. 3.

The pair shared the award in part because of a combined performance for the Surprise Saguaros on Friday against Peoria. Stephan, a right-hander, threw four shutout innings and struck out five hitters. Lopez, also a right-hander, came in later and threw three shutout innings, as he struck out seven and walked one.

The 23-year-old Stephan has been one of the top pitchers in the AFL, as he leads all qualifiers in three categories — ERA (0.54), innings (16.2), and WHIP (0.66). He is second in opponent batting average (.136) and tied for third in strikeouts (17) in five games, including two starts.

He is currently considered the Rangers’ 25th-best prospect per MLB Pipeline.

Stephan, an undrafted free agent who has been in the Rangers’ system since 2021, missed a portion of this year with elbow inflammation. In 12 games (11 starts), he went 2-5 with a 4.94 ERA, including 55 strikeouts and 17 walks in 58.1 innings.

He’s working primarily as a reliever thanks in part because of the significant numbers of top prospects in the AFL. But the Rangers also wanted to get him more work after he missed what amounted to half a season with Double-A Frisco.

The 22-year-old Lopez has also pitched in five games for Surprise, with three starts, with a 2-0 record and a 4.73 ERA in 13.1 innings. His seven strikeouts on Friday tied for the most by an AFL pitcher in a single game this season.

The Rangers signed Lopez as an international free agent in January of 2021 and he’s worked his way through the organization since he started playing as a teenager in the Dominican Summer League.

Lopez spent 2024 with High-A Hickory, where he went 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in just five games. He struck out 15 and walked 11 in 13 innings.