Young Texas Rangers Star Prospect Flashes Massive Potential In MLB Futures Game

Texas Rangers prospect Emiliano Teodo was the star of the show at the MLB Futures Game Saturday at Globe Life Field.

Jul 13, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; American League Future pitcher Emiliano Teodo (15) throws during the first inning against the National League Future team during the Major league All-Star Futures game at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON — Most Texas Rangers fans wouldn’t be able to pick Emiliano Teodo out of a group of photos of team prospects.

That probably changed on Saturday.

Provided the spotlight at Globe Life Field, the home of the Rangers and perhaps his future home as a Major League player, the right-hander started the MLB Futures Game and left with two impressive and unblemished innings against some of the top prospects from the National League.  

Not bad for a pitcher that signed with the Rangers for $10,000.

“The bonus doesn’t make you a baseball player,” Teodo said through a translator after the NL Futures beat the AL Futures, 6-1. “We’re all equal and ready to go.”

Teodo, who pitches at Double-A Frisco, is the Rangers’ No. 14 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline. As the site prepares to re-rank prospects after the All-Star break, that ranking should change. With the stuff Teodo showed on Saturday, it’s possible that he could break into the overall Top 100, where the Rangers have just one prospect — infielder Sebastian Walcott (No. 72).

Walcott, the Rangers’ No. 1 prospect and their top international signee from last year, received plenty of media attention before the game. Teodo didn’t speak because he was the starter.

He learned on Friday that he would take the ball first after AL Future manager and Rangers legend Adrián Beltré called him to let him know.

He admitted to getting emotional as he took the mound with some of the best prospects in baseball playing behind him — and some of the best facing him at the plate.

Teodo did his talking from the mound. He announced his arrival as he retired five first-round picks and one of the top international signees in history.

Philadelphia Phillies prospect Justin Crawford — the son of retired MLB star Carl Crawford — led off and popped out to second. Washington Nationals top prospect Dylan Crews — who led LSU to a College World Series title last summer — batted second and flew out to center field. Then, one of Pittsburgh’s top prospects, Termarr Johnson, grounded out weakly to third base.

All three were first-round picks — Crews (No. 2 overall) in 2023, while Johnson (No. 4 overall) and Crawford (No. 17 overall) went in 2022.

In the second, he struck out Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge (No. 16 overall in 2023). He followed that by getting San Diego prospect Ethan Salas to pop out in foul territory. He wasn’t a draft pick but the Padres paid a record $5.6 million to sign him out of Venezuela last year.

The inning ended with Teodo facing Diamondbacks prospect Druw Jones (No. 2 overall in 2022), the son of former Braves and Rangers outfielder Andruw Jones. He lined out to second base.

If there was any proof of Teodo’s stuff it was what happened after he left. Crawford, Johnson, Eldridge and Salas all singled in the next two innings.

Next week, it’s back to Frisco. But on Saturday he got a taste of the big leagues.

“I can’t even express how happy I am,” he said, saying that one day he hoped to make Globe Life Field his home.