Game Thread: Rangers Host Oakland June 5-6

[saddles]

As we get through the draft the trade rumors should begin to heat up some. Maybe an actual trade is only 5-6 weeks away.

 

[saddles]

Some analysis of 3rd round pick Jonathan Ornelas.

When talking about the 2018 MLB draft in the prep ranks in Arizona, Matthew Liberatore and Nolan Gorman are the two obvious names that will come up, but there is a third to know. When I first saw Jonathan Ornelas play he was a super skinny freshman playing up the middle with a big leg kick and serious flashiness. Fast forward to his senior year with Kellis High School and all is still true, but he has added some real pop to his bat.


Ornelas is still skinny, listed at 6’ and just 165 lbs. but he does not get cheated at the plate. He has a bit of a long bat and his weight can shift out front too much, but he has more power than you would expect from a guy his size. His body has the ability to add strength as he matures and may become a future 20+ HR guy. The leg kick and weight shift means there is definitely swing and miss in the bat, but he barrels up the ball pretty well.

In the field, he has good hands and smooth hips that let him make all the plays at short, but he does not possess the ideal range you want from a shortstop. His arm strength can keep him on the left side of the infield without question, but some scouts feel his future is at third rather than short.

Ornelas is committed to play baseball at the University of Tennessee, which is not exactly a baseball powerhouse so there is a real possibility he can be signed even if not drafted until the fourth or fifth round. If I were in a draft room I would make a case for him to go in the late second or early third rounds. He will be a slow mover through the minors as his timing at the plate gets ironed out, but he has the upside of a future starter in the big leagues, but a likely future upside of a very good bench bat that can play three infield spots .

 

[Nightcrawler]

Better see some trades this year

 

[romeo212000]

Better see some trades this year

Who may I ask do you feel would generate a reasonable return? You always make these abstract demands but rarely consider any realistic pertinent information, if ever.

 

[saddles]

'It was pretty freakin' awesome': Forney pitcher Mason Englert drafted by hometown Rangers in fourth round

Some notes on 4th roun dpick Mason Englert.

Mason Englert had a sense he would be drafted on Tuesday and he figured the Rangers would be in the mix. They had talked to him to the most out of any team in the draft process. But he still didn’t know for sure when he walked into his house and his dad called him over to the TV.


The Rangers happened to be making their fourth-round pick, No. 119 overall.


“We heard my name,” Englert said. “It was pretty freakin’ awesome.”


After hugging his dad, Englert called his mom at work. She started tearing up.


“It’s just weird because the draft has been coming for so long and the Rangers have been my favorite team,” Englert said. “You just watch them on TV every day. It just feels not real that they picked me.”


Englert has been a Rangers fan his whole life.


“All the Rangers people that I’ve talked to, they ask who was your favorite Ranger growing up,” Englert said. “I always say the first one I remember was Hank Blalock.”


Englert, the No. 114 prospect according to MLB.com’s rankings, was SportsDayHS’ 2016 newcomer of the year as a sophomore and has dominated this spring as a senior. In 91 1/3 innings, Englert has 168 strikeouts with 19 walks. He has a 0.84 ERA. Earlier this season, he broke the state record by pitching 55 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings.


Englert’s velocity is in the low 90s but is more known for his control and his breaking pitches. He can throw six different pitches.


“This is a great high school starter package,” MLB.com’s Jim Callis said on the broadcast. “You’ve got to project a little bit. He could be a potential No. 2 starter.”


Englert, a senior, signed with Texas A&M but is likely to sign with the Rangers after being selected so high. Only three players drafted in the first 10 rounds of last year’s draft did not sign a professional contract.


The slot value for the 119th pick is $464,700.

 

[saddles]

Some notes on 5th rounder Jayce Easley.

Easley showed well during USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational, getting on base at a .467 clip out of the lead-off spot for Sandra Day O’Connor (Phoenix, Ariz.) and finishing the tournament with a slash line of .273/.467/.364 while striking out just once in 15 plate appearances.


The Oregon State commit shows good balance in the box and a willingness to work the count for pitches to drive. He is comfortable utilizing the whole field, as well, showing an ability to drive the ball the other way with authority as well as turn on solid velocity on the inner-half. As he continues to mature physically Easley should grow into some over the fence power and is already proficient and shooting the gaps and driving the lines for extra bases.

A solid defender at short with soft hands decent carry on his throws, Easley’s arm can be stretched some in the hole at present, though his quick release helps his throws to play just fine at the six-spot. He may fit best at the next level at second, where his range, quick feet and quick release could combine to produce above-average defense. The athletic middle infielder could come off the board on Day 2 of the MLB Draft this June to a team that believes his bat is ready to tackle the lower levels of pro ball.


An Oregon State signee and the son of former major leaguer Damion Easley, SS Jayce Easley (O’Connor HS, AZ) is one of the top athletes in his class and keeps getting better. He has a high waist and very thin frame, but that leaves tons of room in his quick-twitch body. He has the range that would allow him to stick at shortstop and his arm is at least average. He’s an absolute terror on base with plus-plus speed. Offensively, he shows solid bat-to-ball skills and surprising pop for his current frame.

 

[saddles]

I couldn't find much of anything on 6th rounder Sean Chandler. Here is a little about 7th rounder Tim Brennan.

Brennan was a three-time All-Southeastern Pennsylvania selection at Holy Ghost, throwing a perfect game during his senior season of high school. The Philadelphia native has played three seasons with the Hawks, each year tallying an ERA better than 3.00 with at least 75 innings pitched.

 

[saddles]

Through 10 rounds the only position players taken are shortstops. I am no too crazy about that. I know it used to be thought that we loaded up on SS with the intention that they would be so valuable that we could trade some for other needs, but that really never panned out. The young player who has brought back the most in trade for us was a corner infielder. Maybe, when we draft we should load up on pitching and corner players.

All HS players in the first five rounds.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Who may I ask do you feel would generate a reasonable return? You always make these abstract demands but rarely consider any realistic pertinent information, if ever.

Cole hamels, Jose leclerc, Tony Barnette, keone kela

Possibly Doug fister and a month ago I would’ve said bartolo but probably not now.

Contenders almost always want bullpen pieces and we have a few decent ones teams would want.

 

[saddles]

Lincecum has been released.

 

[saddles]

Cole hamels, Jose leclerc, Tony Barnette, keone kela

Possibly Doug fister and a month ago I would’ve said bartolo but probably not now.

Contenders almost always want bullpen pieces and we have a few decent ones teams would want.

Why would you want to trade LeClerc?

Why not Minor?

Why not Beltre?

They really need to be creative and generous and try and unload Choo before his no trade rights kick in.

 

[saddles]

When do you guys think we have a realistic chance for our window to open as far as being legitimate WS contenders?

 

[saddles]

The Rangers must see something in this kid that the numbers don't show.

 

[DT LUNA]

When do you guys think we have a realistic chance for our window to open as far as being legitimate WS contenders?

For me it is 2021. There is just to much to do. Building a TORP will be a major concern and so much will rely on trades and FO checkbooks. 2021 is realistic to me for time is a major factor and it is definitely hard to control.

 

[DT LUNA]

Lincecum has been released.

A possible problem we don't need entering our rebuild. I'm for unloading more of this kind of weight

 

[DT LUNA]

Don't like Gallo on first unless Guz is injured or getting a day off.

 

[romeo212000]

Cole hamels, Jose leclerc, Tony Barnette, keone kela

Possibly Doug fister and a month ago I would’ve said bartolo but probably not now.

Contenders almost always want bullpen pieces and we have a few decent ones teams would want.

Hamels might with some good starts if we eat salary.

Why would we trade LeClerc? Don’t we control him for a while longer?

Kela I agree with.

You’re not getting anything for Barnette. Nothing of note anyways.

Not getting anything for Fister either.

 

[romeo212000]

When do you guys think we have a realistic chance for our window to open as far as being legitimate WS contenders?

2021 probably. Could be a dark horse team in 2020 with some really good moves and some luck.

 

[DT LUNA]

Cole hamels, Jose leclerc, Tony Barnette, keone kela

Possibly Doug fister and a month ago I would’ve said bartolo but probably not now.

Contenders almost always want bullpen pieces and we have a few decent ones teams would want.

Barnette? You have bad mouthed him from day one and now he's a good trade? Jose and Keone not likely but not off the table and Bartola needs to to go IMO. Cole is at the bus station now buying a one way ticket to NY.

 

[romeo212000]

Barnette? You have bad mouthed him from day one and now he's a good trade? Jose and Keone not likely but not off the table and Bartola needs to to go IMO. Cole is at the bus station now buying a one way ticket to NY.

Lol. Stunning isn’t it?