Texas Rangers 2023 Draft Pick Named Carolina League Player Of Week

The Texas Rangers have another young pitcher who's starting to develop into someone who is ready for a promotion.

May 29, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Texas Rangers cap and glove in the dugout in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Texas Rangers prospect Alejandro Rosario was named the Carolina League Player of the Week for last week’s action with the Low-A Down East Wood Ducks.

This is the second time in three weeks that Rosario has received the honor. He previously won it for the week of May 27-June 2.

This time the right-hander threw six scoreless innings in his start against Charleston on Saturday. He allowed one hit and struck out seven. That matched the outing that won him the award three weeks ago, when he threw six scoreless innings on June1.

Only one other Rangers minor-league pitcher has thrown two starts with at least six scoreless innings in 2024, with the other being Hickory’s Joseph Montalvo.

Congrats to @GoWoodDucks RHP Alejandro Rosario on being named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week!

The 2023 draft pick threw 6 scoreless with 1 hit and 7 K on Saturday vs Charleston.

Rosario has a 1.49 ERA with 63 K over 42.1 IP for Down East this season. pic.twitter.com/Ut7gReCstR

— Rangers Player Development (@TEXPlayerDev) June 17, 2024

Rosario is pitching his first year with a full-season affiliate and is 2-2 with a 1.49 ERA going into this week. He’s allowed just seven earned runs in 42.1 innings, with 63 strikeouts and nine walks in nine games.

Among Carolina League pitchers that have pitched at least 40 innings he is second in WHIP (0.80) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (12.60). He is also third in ERA and tied for third in strikeouts.

Among minor-league pitchers that are 22 years old or young he ranks third in strikeout percentage (38.4%) per FanGraphs. Only Cleveland’s Matt Wilkinson (44%) and Atlanta’s Owen Murphy (38.7%) have a better percentage.

The Rangers selected Rosario in the fifth round of last year’s MLB Draft out of the University of Miami. He did not pitch professionally at any level last season.