Short Outing for Top Rangers Triple-A Pitching Prospect

Even though it wasn't considered a quality start, the left-hander only gave up two runs in four innings of work

Texas Rangers top 30 prospect Cole Ragans saw his pitch count get a little high in his shortest start for the Triple-A Round Rock Express on Tuesday.

The Express hosted Las Vegas at Dell Diamond, and it was Ragans’ first start since he was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week.

Ragans made his third start with the Express and threw 89 pitches in four innings. It was the first time in three starts that he didn’t give the Express a quality start.

Ragans gave up five hits, allowing two runs (one earned) and a walk while striking out four. Ragans’ ERA was at 1.59 after he left the game.

In his previous start against Oklahoma City on June 22, he gave up two hits and two walks while striking out seven in six innings. He combined with Jonathan Hernández, Spencer Patton and Josh Sborz for a shutout in victory over Oklahoma City.

Ragans’ first start with the Express on June 16 was a quality start, as he threw seven innings, giving up six hits, two runs and struck out eight.

For the minor league season, which started for him at Double-A Frisco, Ragans is 6-3 with 84 strikeouts and 22 walks.

Ragans, a left-hander is the Rangers’ No. 29 prospect per MLB.com, has taken the long road to get to the Rangers’ top minor-league affiliate.

He was the Rangers’ first-round pick (No. 30 overall) in 2016 out of North Florida Christian in Tallahassee, Fla. He pitched four games in the Arizona Fall League in 2016, and then joined the Rangers’ Short Class A league team in Spokane in 2017, where he went 3-2 in 13 games with a 3.61 ERA, 87 strikeouts and 35 walks.

But Ragans didn’t pitch again until 2021. He had two Tommy John surgeries and the 2020 minor-league season was canceled due to COVID-19.

In 2021, Ragans pitched for two Rangers affiliates — High Class-A Hickory and Double-A Frisco. With Hickory, Ragans threw 10 games, going 1-2 with a 3.25 ERA, 54 strikeouts and 14 walks. With the RoughRiders, he threw nine games, going 3-1 with a 5.70 ERA, 33 strikeouts and 20 walks. Combined, he went 4-3 with a 4.35 ERA, 87 strikeouts and 34 walks.

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