Texas Rangers 2024-2025 Offseason Thread

[Duane1952]

From Evan Grant:

MLB makes it official on the Rangers behalf: They are leaving Diamond Sports (parent of Bally Sports Southwest). But no determination on where Rangers will end up on TV has been officially made. Will explain more in a story coming in a moment.

Good. Hopefully I’ll be able to watch them on tv next season.

 

[saddles]

From Jeff Wilson:

They hope to re-sign right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and closer Kirby Yates, and are considering re-signing left-hander Andrew Heaney. Multiple trade scenarios have been considered, including sending out first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and right fielder Adolis Garcia. They are expected to make around a combined $20 million in 2025.

When asked last week when he hoped to have an idea on the Rangers’ TV plans, majority owner Ray Davis said “soon.” President of baseball operations Chris Young said that he was planning to discuss payroll by the middle of the month.

Free agency begins after the final out of the World Series, and players can sign with any club five days after the Fall Classic. That’s soon.

The Rangers know that they will be broadcasting their games in 2025. They need to know the financial component of that.

 

[saddles]

Two questions:

Would you want the Rangers to trade Adolis and Lowe if that was the key to them resigning Eovaldi?

How many years should be the maximum to give to Eovaldi?

 

[Duane1952]

Two questions:

Would you want the Rangers to trade Adolis and Lowe if that was the key to them resigning Eovaldi?

How many years should be the maximum to give to Eovaldi?

Yes, if they would be signing Yates too.

 

[saddles]

Huff is in the lineup at 1B today in the AFL. Osuna is in CF once again.

 

[saddles]

From Drake Mann out in Arizona:

Here’s a first for me, #Rangers prospect Alejandro Osuna challenges a strike 3 call and is successful! He’s shown a solid eye at the plate so far in the two times I’ve seen him!

 

[saddles]

Clarke Schmidt is pitching for the Yankees tonight. He, like Cole Ragans, has benefited from Tread Athletics' Tyler Zombro working with him.

 

[saddles]

Huff is in the lineup at 1B today in the AFL. Osuna is in CF once again.

Nevermind the note about Huff. It was another player with the same last name. Lol

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I look at a team like Detroit who has a lineup of guys most fans wouldn't know who they are with a CY pitcher in Skubal but pitched a BP against Houston and another today against Cleveland and won both. We saw how big a difference it made for us last year in the playoffs when Gray and Heaney were added to the pen. A solid pen is so important. I hope the front office has figured that out.

 

[Senator_fan]

Frim Jayson Stark :

Emmanuel Clase: 3 ER allowed in Cleveland all season!

Then 3 on just this one swing by Kerry Carpenter

And C. Estevez gave up a grand slam to Lindor today. The first batter he faced.

 

[Senator_fan]

Unless the Dodgers win the next two games, I don’t see Dave Roberts surviving this time.

 

[Senator_fan]

Lowe has to go as a first step. I would try Crim, Harris or maybe Smith could try out for 1B.

 

[saddles]

Looking ahead to the 2025 MLB draft, MLB Pipeline has ranked their top college draft prospects. Here is one who could be there when the Rangers pick.

6. Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
Stevenson is both the highest-rated sophomore-eligible prospect and the top all-around college catcher. He hit .284/.420/.535 with 14 homers as a freshman starter on a Men's College World Series team, and he grades as solid in terms of power potential, receiving ability and arm strength.

 

[saddles]

Looking ahead to the 2025 MLB draft, Prospects Live has ranked their top college draft prospects. Here is one who could be there when the Rangers pick.

6. OF BRENDAN SUMMERHILL, ARIZONA​

HEIGHT: 6’3​

WEIGHT: 195​

B/T: L/R​

DRAFT DAY AGE: 21 YR 8 MO​

HOMETOWN: CHICAGO, IL​

If you're looking for an outfielder that flat-out hits, look no further than Arizona's Brendan Summerhill. A long-levered, projectable athlete, Summerhill broke out in a big way in 2024, slashing .324/.399/.550 with 32 extra-base hits in 58 games for the Wildcats. It's a beautiful left-handed stroke with easy motions, lightning-quick bat speed, and an uncanny ability to backspin the baseball. There are very little holes in Summerhill's swing, as he has posted elite whiff rates (87% contact rate in 2024) and possesses great barrel feel. Summerhill likes to utilize the gaps often and there's legitimate pull-side juice in the stick, getting up to the 110 MPH barrier this past spring and given the projection, there may be more in the tank. Summerhill has posted above-average to plus run times and his defensive instincts give him a solid chance of playing center field, though he may get moved off to a corner spot in due time. He has the arm strength to handle right field if such a move occurs. All in all, Summerhill is in line for a massive junior campaign and has put himself into legitimate first-round conversation.

 

[saddles]

Looking ahead to the 2025 MLB draft, MLB Pipeline has ranked their top college draft prospects. Here is one who could be there when the Rangers pick.

6. Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
Stevenson is both the highest-rated sophomore-eligible prospect and the top all-around college catcher. He hit .284/.420/.535 with 14 homers as a freshman starter on a Men's College World Series team, and he grades as solid in terms of power potential, receiving ability and arm strength.

Here is some more information about Stevenson from Prospects Live:

Stevenson was highly touted out of high school last summer, but he chose to uphold his commitment to North Carolina and it has paid dividends for the freshman. He's eligible as a sophomore due to his age in 2025 and he's in line to be one of the first backstops off the board. He's built like a stereotypical catcher with a stout lower half and present strength throughout his body. He's got explosive motions out of the crouch and handles the run game well, showcasing a strong arm and pop times to second have been clocked at 1.9-1.95 seconds. He's a standout receiver, as well. Offensively, scouts have raved about the bat. Stevenson can get a bit overwhelmed by spin, but he possesses excellent barrel feel with quick hands and legitimate power to both sides of the field. He's already posted multiple exit velocities above the 110 MPH echelon in Chapel Hill and there's feel to lift the ball consistently. It's hard to find a catcher with these kind of tools on both sides of the ball, but Stevenson certainly has them.

 

[saddles]

From Kiley McDaniel:

The qualifying offer for this offseason will be $21.05 million, per sources.

The figure is calculated as the average of the top 125 salaries in MLB. The QO last offseason was $20.325 million.

Teams have 5 days days after the World Series ends to offer it to qualified players.

 

[saddles]

It looks like the Twins are for sale.

 

[Duane1952]

From Kiley McDaniel:

The qualifying offer for this offseason will be $21.05 million, per sources.

The figure is calculated as the average of the top 125 salaries in MLB. The QO last offseason was $20.325 million.

Teams have 5 days days after the World Series ends to offer it to qualified players.

Who is this about.

 

[saddles]

Who is this about.

Any free agent can be offered a qualifying offer, as long as they haven't received one before. If they pass up the QO then the team that signs them losses a draft pick, and the team losing them gets an extra pick. Or, they can accept it and play another year with the team for that amount.

 

[saddles]

In and tecent post asking for mailing questions, I re-asked Jamey Newberg something that I had asked him a year and a half ago. Here is my question and his answer.

"About a year and a half ago I asked you this question and would like to see how you would answer it now: “Let’s say you are the GM and the owner tells you that he wants you to come up with a plan to replace each member of this year's projected rotation with guys who are currently in our system, and he wants the transition completed within four to five years. Who do you think the five guys will be and give an ETA for each?” This time you can keep Bradford, if you want to, since he is homegrown, but tell me who the others would be."


Fun one to end on.
I looked it up, and when Bennie asked this as part of a mailbag over at The Athletic just before the 2023 season, I answered this way: “Ideally, especially given the expectation that Texas will be in the pennant race these next five seasons, I’ll want to bring the young pitchers in one at a time — add one to the rotation in 2024, and then one each in 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028. I’m going to tell ownership to be prepared for at least one and maybe two of Owen White, Jack Leiter, and Kumar Rocker to be traded before they’re established members of the Rangers rotation. With that, here’s the plan:.

Owen White (currently age 23): 2024
Tekoah Roby (age 21): 2025
Mitch Bratt (age 19): 2026
Brock Porter (age 19): 2027
Leandro Calderon (age 20): 2028

Roby is now a Cardinal (part of the cost to get Jordan Montgomery). “Calderon” is now Leandro Lopez. White did make three big-league appearances this year, but they were in relief (and they weren’t pretty). He’s likely now a reliever as he seeks to make his way. It was a good year for Bratt, a lost one for Porter.

All that said, here’s how I filter in a new starter in each of the next five years:


Kumar Rocker (currently age 24): 2025

Alejandro Rosario (age 22): 2026

Tyler Bremner (age 20; UC Santa Barbara): 2027

Izack Tiger (age 23): 2028

David Hagaman (age 21): 2029

They’re not necessarily the Rangers’ top five pitching prospects (one of them isn’t even a Rangers prospect yet) — but some who are will be traded.

Maybe soon.