Texas Rangers Emerging Star One of MLB's Best Outfield Building Blocks
The Texas Rangers were one of the biggest disappointments in baseball during the 2024 season.
After winning the World Series in 2023, they managed to win only 78 games this past year as nothing went their way. Injuries and ineffective play in the field plagued them, but there were some postives.
One of those bright spots was outfielder Wyatt Langford, who wasted very little time living up to the lofty expectations placed on him.
Recently, he was recognized by MLB Network as one of the best rookies last campaign. He earned the No. 12 spot in the top 25, joining some of the brightest young stars the game has to offer.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft was a consensus top-six prospect heading into 2024 in the sport. Despite playing only 44 Minor League games after being drafted, he was on the team’s Opening Day roster last year.
It was a promotion that was earned as Langford played incredibly well at every level, starting at Rookie Ball and moving along through High-A, Double-A and Triple-A.
He remained hot in Spring Training, as the team decided he was ready for the Major Leagues.
At first, it looked as if the promotion was premature, as Langford did struggle out of the gate.
It took him until April 28 to hit his first career home run. Through his first 31 career games, his slash line was an underwhelming .224/.295/.293.
On top of that, he landed on the injured list with a hamstring strain, which was retroactive to May 5. He wouldn’t return to the lineup until May 28, but from that point on, he started looking more like the player he did when he debuted as a professional.
He went on a torrid run in June, slashing .309/.368/.526 with three home runs, three triples and six doubles while knocking in 22 runs. Six stolen bases were added as he showed off his entire repertoire.
July and August were a struggle, as the dog days of the MLB season looked to be wearing on him. It wasn’t all too surprising given his lack of experience as a professional, but he found his groove again over the final weeks of the season.
In September/October, across 26 games, he recorded a slash line of .300/.386/.610, launching eight home runs with seven doubles and 20 RBI. He added seven stolen bases, as he produced in every facet of the game.
Overall, Langford ended his rookie season producing a .253/.325/.415 with an OPS+ of 111 and WAR of 3.9. He scored and knocked in 74 runs while adding 19 stolen bases, getting caught only three times.
A strong grasp of the strike zone already exists as he had an above-average walk rate and below-average strikeout rate. There is true star potential there, as he is only scratching the surface of his abilities and will only get better the more experience he gains.