Inside The Rangers

Texas Rangers Farm System on Rise With Several Breakout Performers and Solid Draft

The Texas Rangers are going to be able to build a sustainable winner with their farm system rapidly improving.

Kenneth Teape

Sep 19, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) throws to the plate during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field.
Sep 19, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) throws to the plate during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field. / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
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The Texas Rangers were on top of the baseball world in 2023 when they defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the World Series.

Unfortunately for them, their encore in 2024 did not go as well.

Anything that could go wrong did as the Rangers battled a ton of injuries.

Key players in both the lineup and the pitching staff spent significant chunks of time on the injured list, leading to an underwhelming 78-win campaign in defense of their title.

While the Major League team struggled, there were some incredibly positive developments for the franchise down on the farm.

The emergence of their youngsters has Texas moving in the right direction in the farm system rankings put together by Keith Law of The Athletic.

In the most recent edition, he has placed the Rangers as a Tier 3 team, ranked No. 13 overall.

Given some of the recent graduations, including 2019 sixth-round pick and starting pitcher Cody Bradford, 2020 second-round pick Evan Carter and 2023 No. 2 overall pick Wyatt Langford, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see the system drop.

But, that was not the case since a few players emerged, showcasing star potential.

Leading the way is shortstop Sebastian Walcott, a dynamic teenager from the Bahamas who is making a case to be their No. 1 overall prospect before the end of the season.

At only 18 years old, he reached Double-A and overcame a slow start to showcase his immense talent.

Kumar Rocker, the No. 3 pick in the 2022 MLB draft, was unable to avoid the injury concerns that led to him not signing with the New York Mets in 2021 since he needed Tommy John surgery. But, he returned to the mound in 2024 and pitched well enough to earn a promotion, making his MLB debut in September.

Alejandro Rosario is another high-upside arm to keep an eye on after he came out of nowhere to get on everyone’s radar last season.

If the Rangers can help Jack Leiter figure things out and regain the form that made him the No. 2 pick in the 2021 MLB draft, Texas has a chance to put together the best young starting pitching core in baseball over the next year or two.

This is an exciting time for the organization, as they look like contenders again in 2025 and have the pieces in place to have sustained success instead of flaming out like they did after their championship two years ago.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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