Texas Rangers 2022 - 2023 Offseason Thread

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Grade: A-

"The Rangers completely overhauled their starting rotation, signing Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney and Nathan Eovaldi (plus trading for Jake Odorizzi, for good measure). Those are major additions for a team whose rotation struggled in 2022. The reason it’s not a higher grade: their bullpen additions have thus far been NRIs, and they have yet to land the middle-of-the-order outfield bat they’ve openly said they want." — Levi Weaver


Levi fails to mention that after Ray Davis mentioned getting a middle of the order bat, CY shortly thereafter said that bat could very well be Josh Jung.

 

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15 more days

 

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[Duane1952]

My provider dropped them 2 years ago.

 

[DTC]

Rangers GM Chris Young Discusses Closer Options

The Rangers were active this offseason in overhauling their rotation for 2023. Martín Pérez was set to hit free agency …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

 

[Kelleyman]

One run games

 

[Kelleyman]

Rangers GM Chris Young Discusses Closer Options

The Rangers were active this offseason in overhauling their rotation for 2023. Martín Pérez was set to hit free agency …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

I kind of thought JHern had better strikeout stuf than LeClerc but maybe I am wrong. Both coming off TJS could use and might get an uptick in their command. Might be the difference maker

 

[gregrey972]

We still big mad about the Rangers bullpen moves this offseason?

 

[Kelleyman]

He might be #2 closer getting 2 innings perhaps

 

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Jeff Wilson breaks down the chances for some of the non-roster invites:

Roster contenders

Kyle Cody, rhp: Some might consider it a surprise if Cody doesn’t make the Opening Day roster. The right-hander returned last season from shoulder surgery to pitch at Triple A Round Rock. He still has stuff and decent velocity, and can pitch multiple innings. The Rangers have only one right-handed reliever who can do that. It’s Jake Odorizzi, and he might be needed in the rotation at some point.

Chase Lee, rhp: A hallmark of Rangers bullpens during Mike Maddux’s first stint as the pitching coach was the change-of-pace reliever. This pitcher would come into a game with a different arm slot or arsenal than the rest. Darren O’Day, Alexi Claudio and Yoshinori Tateyama come to mind. Lee, who throws at the same arm angle as O’Day, might be the next one.

Lucas Jacobsen, lhp: Injuries have derailed this left-hander since the Rangers selected in him the 27th round of the 2016 draft (Long Beach State), but he opened eyes last spring and last season. Jacobsen throws hard and strikes out hitters, something that the Rangers don’t have in a one-inning lefty reliever.

It could happen

Fernery Ozuna, rhp: The Rangers were high on Ozuna entering last season, and he did well at Double A Frisco before finding some problems at Round Rock. But he throws hard, topping 100 mph, and has one of the best changeups in the system. The former shortstop recorded more than three outs 20 times last season.

Elier Hernandez, of: He impressed so much last season at Round Rock that the Rangers promoted him for his MLB debut. He wasn’t great in a small sample (6-for-33), but he can play all three outfield positions as well as first base.

Antoine Kelly, lhp: Many were surprised that Kelly wasn’t protected from the Rule 5 draft. He is preparing this offseason as a starter, but his future could be as a reliever. He throws hard with good deception in his delivery, but he needs to find the strike zone more consistently.

Blaine Crim, 1b: Crim is the Rangers’ top prospect at first base and is stuck behind American League Silver Slugger winner Nate Lowe. But Crim can hit, and if the Rangers have an injury at first base or among their projected DH candidates, Crim could hit his way onto the team after coming to camp directly from the Caribbean Series.

Justin Foscue, 2b/dh: Along the same lines as with Crim making the team, Foscue can become a candidate for the Opening Day roster in case of an injury. The Rangers have Ezequiel Duran if a need arises at second, but Foscue could gain at-bats at DH should the Rangers need a bat.

 

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14 more days

 

[Kelleyman]

He had a good look to him when saw him play in person

 

[DTC]

He had a good look to him when saw him play in person

And Ornelas is bigger and stronger than Garcia.
I like Marwin Gonzalez as a comp

 

[saddles]

He had a good look to him when saw him play in person

Tepid, Newberg, and Scott Lucas also really, really liked Anderson Tejeda.

The guy putting Ornelas as our 4th best prospect is very strange.

 

[Kelleyman]

Tepid, Newberg, and Scott Lucas also really, really liked Anderson Tejeda.

The guy putting Ornelas as our 4th best prospect is very strange.

For sure. He just thinks he has a future at the MLB level.
Tejeda had a bigger arm and more power but putting it all together at a consistent level is a whole other thing

 

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Keith Law has the Rangers at #7.

7. Texas Rangers

A vastly improved system in the past year or two. The Rangers have gotten healthy, seen some draft guys develop, and have an impressive group of international free-agent signees on their way from either the Dominican Summer League or the Arizona Complex League who could vault this system into the top 3 in a year — especially since they will probably only graduate one guy from their top 10, Josh Jung. There’s even some pitching coming, which I imagine is music to Rangers fans’ ears, and the front office has patched together a big-league rotation that looks like it’s a short-term fix as they wait for those guys to arrive.