Rangers Prospect Evan Carter in Spring Training Opener

The Rangers' 2022 Prospect of the Year will take his first step toward the 2023 regular season on Friday.

The Texas Rangers will face the Kansas City Royals in their first Spring Training game on Friday, and manager Bruce Bochy said that prized outfield prospect Evan Carter will play.

The Rangers already disclosed the pitching lineups they intend to use for Friday and Saturday, also against the Royals.

Friday’s game is at 2:05 p.m. CT. Saturday’s game is also at 2:05 p.m. and is available on both Bally’s Sports Southwest and 105.3 The Fan in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.

Bochy didn’t mince words about how excited he is to see Carter play in a live Spring Training game.

“I’m looking forward to watching him,” Bochy said. “He’s a gifted athlete, center field, with the bat. I mean, at his age, playing where he’s at, it’s impressive. So you’re always looking forward to seeing everybody. But, absolutely, he’s a guy I’m excited to see.”

Bochy also said he expected most of the team’s regulars to play in some way on Friday.

Carter, 20, was the Rangers’ second-round pick in 2020. He played just 32 games in 2021, but had a much bigger role 2022.

Overall, he batted .295/.397/.489/.886 in 106 games (117-for-397), with 86 runs, 21 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs and 73 RBI. Carter was named Baseball America’s Rangers Prospect of the Year for 2022.

With Double-A Frisco, he batted .429/.536/.714/1.250 with a home runs and six RBI in seven games.

Carter will likely end up back at Frisco to start 2023, though he could certainly play his way into a promotion to Triple-A Round Rock by the end of Spring Training. But most services see Carter as a player that could make his Major League debut in 2024.

He was at the top of both the ESPN.com and the MLB.com Top 100 prospects lists for the Rangers. ESPN called him an “on-base machine with plus speed” and has one of the lowest chase rates in minor-league baseball.

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