Texas Rangers Sign First-Round Draft Pick, 19 Others

The Texas Rangers have signed 15 draft picks, including first-round selection Malcolm Moore, and four undrafted free agents.

Jun 17, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Stanford Cardinal catcher Malcolm Moore (10) hits a single against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the sixth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas Rangers announced Wednesday the signing of catcher Malcolm Moore, the team’s first round selection (30th overall) in the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft. The terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The 20-year-old Moore played two seasons at Stanford University and was rated among the top prospects in this year’s draft class by FanGraphs (no. 18), MLB Pipeline (no. 26), and Baseball America (no. 31). He posted a lifetime .288/.399./.560/.958 (128-445) slash line, 31 home runs, 28 doubles, and 99 RBI across 118 games for the Cardinal in his collegiate career, earning Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention honors in both years.

As a sophomore in 2024, the left-handed batter slashed .255/.414/.553/.967 (48-188) with a team-leading 16 home runs and 36 RBI while working more walks (44) than strikeouts (35) over 54 contests. He finished the campaign ranked among Pac-12 Conference leaders in walks (3rd), home runs (T6th), and OPS (13th), and threw out 22 of 51 (43.1%) attempted base stealers over a team-leading 50 starts behind the plate.

The Sacramento, Calif. native is just the fourth first-round catcher ever selected by the Rangers, joining Kellin Deglan (22nd overall, 2010), Scott Heard (25th, 2000), and Bill Haselman (23rd, 1987). He is also just the third player from Stanford University to be selected in the first round by Texas: OF John Mayberry (2005) and Rick Helling (1992). 

Along with Moore, the club has also come to terms with outfielder Dylan Dreiling (2nd round), outfielder Casey Cook (3rd round), right-handed pitcher David Hagaman (4th round), infielder Devin Fitz-Gerald (5th round), left-handed pitcher Garrett Horn (6th round), infielder Rafe Perich (7th round), right-handed pitcher Anthony Susac (8th round), right-handed pitcher Jake Jekielek (10th round), left-handed pitcher Dalton Pence (11th round), catcher Josh Springer (12th round), left-handed pitcher Aidan Deakins (13th round), catcher Ben Hartl (14th round), right-handed pitcher Brooks Fowler (15th round), right-handed pitcher Eric Loomis (16th round), and right-handed pitcher Joey Danielson (17th round). With these signings, Texas has 16 of its 20 selections in the 2024 MLB Draft under contract. The deadline for signing 2024 draft picks is next Thursday, August 1.

Additionally, the Rangers have announced the signing of four undrafted free agents: right-handed pitcher Grant Cherry from California State University Long Beach, right-handed pitcher J'Briell Easley from the University of Kansas, infielder Theo Hardy from San Jose State University, and right-handed pitcher Josh Sanders from Texas Tech University.

OF DYLAN DREILING (2nd round, 65th overall) – The 21-year-old Dreiling played two seasons at the University of Tennessee and was rated among the top prospects in this year’s draft class by MLB Pipeline (no. 72), Baseball America (no. 73), and Fangraphs (no. 83). He posted a career .328/.452/.689/1.141 (112-341) slash line with 30 home runs, 4 triples, 25 doubles, and 95 RBI in 121 collegiate games for the Volunteers. During his sophomore 2024 campaign, Dreiling slashed .341/.459/.715/1.174 (84-246) with 23 home runs, 2 triples, 19 doubles, and 75 RBI, including a 13-for-24 (.542) performance with 3 home runs, one double, and 11 RBI over 6 games during the College World Series. His CWS performance netted him Most Outstanding Player honors for the tournament, helping Tennessee defeat Texas A&M in the tournament final, two games-to-one.

OF Casey Cook (3rd round, 103rd overall) – Cook, 21, was a First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection this season as a redshirt sophomore at the University of North Carolina. He slashed .341/.431/.605/1.036 (88-258) with 18 home runs, a triple, 12 doubles, and team-leading 78 RBI across 64 games, finishing the campaign ranked among ACC leaders in RBI (3rd), hits (T7th), total bases (9th, 156), and runs (T9th, 67). The left-handed batter and right-handed thrower’s 78 RBI were the 5th-most ever by a Tar Heel in a single season, and he this year became one of only 11 players in program history to record at least four multi-homer games in a campaign. The 6-foot, 195-pound Chantilly, Va. native was rated among the top-200 prospects in the 2024 draft class by Baseball America (no. 164) and MLB Pipeline (no. 171). Cook’s father, Jason, was a 55th-round selection by Seattle in the 1993 MLB Draft and played four seasons in the minor leagues.

RHP David Hagaman (4th round, 133rd overall) – Hagaman, 21, went 2-3 with a 5.91 ERA (23 ER/35.0 IP) with 49 strikeouts to 19 walks and a 12.6 strikeouts-per-9.0 figure across 14 games (one start) during his 2024 sophomore campaign at West Virginia University, as his 49 strikeouts this season ranked 4th among Mountaineers. He totaled a 3-5 record and 4.66 ERA (38 ER/73.1 IP) over 36 career appearances (2 starts) spanning two collegiate seasons (2023-24).

SS Devin Fitz-Gerald (5th round, 165th overall) – The switch-hitting and right-handed throwing Fitz-Gerald was a four-time state champion (2021-22-23-24) and three-time national championship-winner (2021-22-23) over four seasons at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. He batted .407 (35-86) with 5 home runs, a triple, 10 doubles, and 26 RBI over 31 games as a senior, guiding the Eagles to a 26-5 overall record and their fourth straight Floria State Class 7A title this spring.

LHP Garrett Horn (6th round, 195th overall) – The 21-year-old Horn went 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA (9 ER/20.0 IP) over 4 games/starts for Liberty University during his 2024 junior campaign. A three-year collegiate player, Horn posted a career 13-7 mark and 3.28 ERA (50 ER/137.1 IP) with 196 strikeouts to 81 walks from 2022-24 for the Flames. He earned 2023 Atlantic Sun Conference second team honors after posting a 4.09 ERA over a team-high 66.0 IP during his sophomore campaign, as his 87 strikeouts that season ranked 7th in the conference.

3B Rafe Perich (7th round, 225th overall) – Perich, 22, combined to slash .337/.417/.518/.935 (147-436) with 15 home runs, one triple, 32 doubles, 102 RBI, and more walks (58) than strikeouts (51) in 112 games spanning three seasons at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound switch-hitter batted .382/.492/.572/1.065 (58-152) with 6 home runs, 11 doubles, and 41 RBI over 42 contests as a junior this spring, earning Second Team All-Patriot League and Academic All-Patriot League honors.

RHP Anthony Susac (8th round, 255th overall) – Susac, 21, went 2-2 with a 6.59 ERA (21 ER/28.2 IP) over 21 games/5 starts at the University of Arizona during his 2024 junior campaign. The right-handed pitcher led the Wildcats with three saves this season, striking out 36 over 28.2 IP (11.30 SO/9), while walking seven for a 5.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

RHP Jake Jekielek (10th round, 315th overall) – The 21-year-old Jekielek posted a 4.29 ERA (20 ER/42.0 IP) with 56 strikeouts to only five walks (11.2 SO/BB figure) in 21 relief appearances for Northwood University (Midland, Mich.) during his 2024 senior campaign, leading the Timberwolves in wins (5), appearances, and saves (8). A four-year collegiate player, Jekielek compiled a career 10-11 record, 16 saves, and 4.42 ERA (52 ER/106.0 IP) in 70 appearances/one start at Northwood. The 6-foot, 185-pound Jekielek hails from Sterling Heights, Mich.

LHP Dalton Pence (11th round, 345th overall) – Pence, who turns 22 on August 28, went 5-1, 2.45 ERA (16 ER/58.2 IP) with 74 strikeouts and team-high 8 saves across 36 relief outings in his redshirt sophomore season at the University of North Carolina, earning Second Team All-America selections from Baseball America, College Baseball Foundation, D1 Baseball and Perfect Game.

C Josh Springer (12th round, 375th overall) – Springer, 18, batted .381 (40-105) with one home run, 5 doubles, and 15 RBI over 33 games during his senior season at Corona (Calif.) Senior High School, helping the Panthers to a CIF Southern Section D1 championship and earning First Team All-State honors from Prep Baseball California.

LHP Aidan Deakins (13th round, 405th overall) – The 20-year-old Deakins posted a 7-2 record, 4.62 ERA (39 ER/76.0 IP) and 113 strikeouts (13.38 SO/9) across 17 appearances/starts this spring as a sophomore at Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel, Ill. He has spent the last two seasons at WVC after graduating from Appoquinimink High School in Middletown, Del. Deakins helped the baseball program to three state championship appearances during his prep career.

C Ben Hartl (14th round, 435th overall) – The 21-year-old Hartl slashed .309/.460/.599/1.059 (47-152) with 11 home runs, 11 doubles, and 35 RBI in 45 games at the University of Kansas during his 2024 junior campaign. A Springfield, Ill. native, Hartl previously attended Heartland (Ill.) Community College before transferring to Kansas after the 2023 season.

RHP Brooks Fowler (15th round, 465th overall) – Fowler, 21, compiled a 16-7 record, one save, a 4.48 ERA (90 ER/181.0 IP), and 190 strikeouts/75 walks across 50 appearances/34 starts in three seasons at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound right-hander was a 2023 ABCA/Rawlings Central All-Region First Team and All-Summit League Second Team selection as a sophomore in 2023, and went 6-5, 5.61 ERA (49 ER/78.2 IP) with a career-high 81 strikeouts in 16 starts during his junior campaign this spring.

RHP Eric Loomis (16th round, 495th overall) – Loomis, 22, went 1-4 with an 11.00 ERA (33 ER/27.0 IP) and 33 strikeouts (11.0 SO/9) over 30 appearances (2 starts) during his 2024 senior season at Missouri State University. The right-hander fanned 78 batters in 63.0 career innings (11.1 SO/9) over three seasons of collegiate play, missing his 2023 junior campaign due to injury.

RHP Joey Danielson (17th round, 525th overall) – The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Danielson was a 2024 All-Summit League First Team selection after recording a conference-best 11 saves in his senior campaign at North Dakota State University. He totaled a 1-5 record, 4.85 ERA (21 ER/39.0 IP) and 39 strikeouts over 28 relief outings this spring, his third season as a full-time pitcher after converting from catcher prior to the start of 2021.

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT SIGNINGS: Right-handed pitcher Grant Cherry, 21, went 2-1 with a 3.62 ERA (13 ER/32.1 IP) and 38 strikeouts over 22 appearances (one start) during his 2024 junior campaign at California State University Long Beach. He spent his first collegiate season at the University of Tennessee in 2022, totaling 3.1 innings in 5 relief outings.

Right-handed pitcher J'Briell Easley, 22, went 1-0 with a 5.06 ERA (12 ER/21.2 IP) over 10 appearances/6 starts at the University of Kansas during his redshirt junior campaign in 2024. Prior to that, the Shawnee, Okla. native spent two seasons at Cowley College (Arkansas City, Kan.), tallying a 13-1 record and 5.79 ERA (56 ER/87.0 IP) in 28 games/22 starts.

Infielder Theo Hardy, 22, has slashed .357/.450/.500/.950 (30-84) with one home run, 2 triples, 5 doubles, and 18 RBI over 21 games with Idaho Falls Chukars of the independent Pioneer League this summer. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound switch-hitter spent all four years of his collegiate career at San Jose State University, where he was an All-Mountain West First Team selection as a junior in 2023.

Right-handed pitcher Josh Sanders, 22, went 5-1 with 2 saves, a 3.33 ERA (17 ER/46.0 IP), and 42 strikeouts across a team-high 27 relief outings as a senior at Texas Tech University this spring. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Yukon, Okla. native combined to go 9-2, 4.92 ERA (59 ER/108.0 IP) with 94 strikeouts in four seasons with the Red Raiders (2021-24).

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