Leody Taveras: Rangers Minor League Player of Month

The Round Rock star had a stellar first month, leading the PCL in two categories along with a long hitting streak.

Matthew Postins | May 18, 2022

Round Rock outfielder Leody Taveras has wasted no time impressing Texas Rangers scouts this season, and was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Month for April.

The Rangers announced the award on Tuesday.

Taveras, who spent parts of the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Rangers, started the season in Triple A Round Rock and immediately started building a case for a recall.

Leody Taveras

Leody Taveras

He hit .377/.391/.635/1.062 in 20 games in April, going 32-85 at the plate. He led the Pacific Coast League in hits and batting average, and also hit four home runs, two triples and six doubles. He drove in 12 runs. Taveras also had a 17-game hitting streak from April 16 to May 8, the second longest in the minors this season.

Rangers manager Chris Woodward said in March that Taveras was starting in the minors because the Rangers want to see him play with more consistency.

"He's going to play a long, long time if some of these things stick and he becomes a consistent performer," Woodward said. "He's going to knock the door down. It doesn't matter if he starts in Triple A for a week, two weeks or however long that takes for him to show, 'I'm the guy.' We all believe he will be."

Taveras has been a part of the Rangers’ organization since he signed in 2015 out of the Dominican Republic.

The Rangers named Frisco RoughRiders left-handed pitcher Cole Ragans their Starting Pitcher of the Month. Ragans is the No. 30 prospect in the organization.

Nathaniel Lowe

Taylor Hearn

Kole Calhoun

Ragans is a former first-round pick, who is currently 3-1 for the RoughRiders.

Marc Church, a right-handed pitcher at High Class A Hickory, was named the Rangers’ Reliever of the Month. As of May 18, he is 1-1 with a 2.08 earned run average and opponents are hitting just .215 against him.

Infielder Maximo Acosta was named the Rangers’ Defender of the Month. Acosta plays for the Low-A Down East Wood Ducks and is the Rangers’ No. 13 overall prospect.

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Published May 18, 2022

MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers for Fan Nation/SI and also writes about the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. He also covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com.