Rangers 40-Man Roster Wraps: Taylor Hearn

Taylor Hearn, a Royse City, Texas, product, started the season in the rotation but ended with a flourish as a reliever.

InsidetheRangers.com will review each of the players on the Texas Rangers 40-man roster at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

P Taylor Hearn

Statistics for 2022: Hearn went 6-8 with a 5.13 ERA in 31 appearances (13 starts). He had two holds and one save (first of his career) in 100 inning pitched. He gave up 107 hits, 60 runs (57 earned), 11 home runs and 43 walks. He struck out 97. He allowed opponents to hit .268 and he had a 1.50 WHIP.

Season Transactions: Hearn started the season on the Opening Day roster. On June 26 he was sent to Triple-A Round Rock, recalled on July 15, sent back to Round Rock on July 26 and recalled for good to the Rangers on Aug. 2.

Season Summary: Hearn really had two seasons in one. He started the season in the rotation and lasted through mid-June. Command and pitch count, which go hand-in-hand, were his biggest issues. During his stint in the rotation he went 4-5 with a 6.25 ERA. When the Rangers sent him to Round Rock, it was to give him a chance to work on command. He made three appearances after an opener from June 25 to July 23 with the Rangers. But in August, the Rangers gave him a full bullpen roll and his command and numbers flourished. In his final 15 games Hearn went 2-2, recorded his first career save and dropped his ERA to 4.25, nearly two points below his ERA as a starter. Perhaps most importantly, batters hit .212 against him during that time. As a starter, the opponent batting average was better than .300. He ended the season with a defined role that fit him and was designated the Rangers’ finalist for the Roberto Clemente Award for his public service.

Contract Status: Hearn is arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career. He is eligible to be a free agent after the 2026 season.

What’s next: Hearn will have to go through the arbitration process for the first time. Going into 2023, he looks like one of the many arms the Rangers will look at in the bullpen. The finish to his season, contrasted against his starting rotation numbers, leads one to believe the Rangers will look at him in a long relief role.

2022 Texas Rangers 40-Man Roster Wraps:

Ezequiel Duran | A.J. Alexy | Josh Smith | Tyson Miller | Corey Seager | Joe Barlow | Leody Taveras | Brad Miller | Drew Strotman | Josh Jung | Jon Gray

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