Texas Rangers 2024-2025 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

From Jamey Newberg:

Feels like, all things considered, that pro scouting Rule 5 meetings might've focused on RP opportunities. Not only a roster need right now, but also historically the most fertile Rule 5 territory. Also, don't rule out a trade up. Club has done it in the past to get its guy.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Jake Burger and Whataburger seems like a perfect marketing match.

Rodeo Goat can make the Jake Burger a new burger in their burger of the month competition.

 

[saddles]

Rodeo Goat can make the Jake Burger a new burger in their burger of the month competition.

Evan better, how about Jake's Burgers doing that. I didn't even think of that before, and we go to Jake's quite often. Lol

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant's article on Jake Burger:

“’He’s an aggressive hitter who makes hard contact,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday. “A lot of hard contact. Numbers show that, and it just got better and better with his plate discipline. He can do a lot of damage at the plate. We’re excited he’s going to make us a better offense, help get us back to where we were a couple years ago, to being one of the elite offenses in the game.”

Said Rangers special assistant to President of Baseball Operations Skip Schumaker, who managed Burger in Miami in 2024: “He is a winning player that hits the ball as hard as anyone in the league. He has always been able to hit [the fastball], but he works at it. He is a cage rat and preps to be the best version of himself each night. He wants to get better everyday. He is only going to get better being surrounded by those incredible players and staff.”

 

[saddles]

From Jon Heyman:

Astros want Rookie of the Year Luis Gil in package for superstar OF Kyle Tucker. The discussion with the Cubs involves OF Seiya Suzuki and Isaac Paredes.

 

[saddles]

Jamey Newberg thinks there is a good chance the Rangers select a pitcher in the Rule 5 draf.

Here is a review of the top pitchers who will be available.

Griff McGarry, RHP, Phillies​

On pure stuff alone, McGarry is one of the more intriguing prospects left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft. Unfortunately, poor command has plagued McGarry since his time as a collegiate at Virginia. After a breakout season in 2022, McGarry hasn’t been able to stay healthy—or find the strike zone—for the better part of two years. McGarry handled the Arizona Fall League’s tricky run environment and ended his season on a high note. He has upper-minors experience and big-league-quality stuff, but his lack of command might see him go undrafted. If a team does draft him, it’ll be because they believe the plus fastball and slider combination can play up in the pen.

Shane Smith, RHP, Brewers​

Smith pitched sparingly at Wake Forest due to Tommy John surgery before signing with the Brewers as an undrafted free agent in 2021. At 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, the 24-year-old Smith threw a career-high 94.1 innings in 2024, posting a 3.05 ERA with 113 strikeouts and 29 walks (mostly for Double-A Biloxi with five relief outings for Triple-A Nashville). Smith split time between starting and the bullpen, pitching off a fastball that sits 92-96 mph and can reach 98. He mixes in an average curveball and slider, a repertoire that likely plays better in short relief outings than having to get through a lineup multiple times.

Eiberson Castellano, RHP, Phillies​

Castellano was a pop-up prospect in the Phillies system in 2024. The righthander made 20 starts between High-A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading, pitching to a 3.99 ERA with 136 strikeouts to 29 walks. Castellano made eight starts in Double-A and was just as effective in the Eastern League as he was in the South Atlantic League. Over eight starts in Double-A, Castellano struck out 30.9% of batters he faced while walking 5.6%. Castellano has good stuff too, sitting 94-95 mph as a starter with a slurvy low-80s curveball he shows advanced feel for and a changeup. Castellano has good stuff, a track record of performance and above-average control, all traits that could make him a good Rule 5 target.

Tanner Kohlhepp, RHP, Tigers​

A 2021 fifth rounder out of Notre Dame, Kohlhepp made 46 appearances for High-A West Michigan in 2024. He pitched to a 4.55 ERA over 61.1 innings, but his ERA estimators are far more optimistic (3.23 FIP, 3.50 xFIP). Kohlhepp also struck out 28.6% of batters he faced in 2024, with an 11% walk rate. Kohlhepp has an unusual four-seam fastball. It sits 96-97 mph and touches 99 at peak with more armside run than vertical break. His primary secondaries are a slider with gyro shape but a higher horizontal approach angle and a changeup that kills lift with an average of 19-20 inches of armside run. He misses bats with all of his pitches—particularly his secondaries—and throws more strikes than his walk rate would suggest.

Michael Fulmer, RHP, Red Sox​

The 2016 AL Rookie Of The Year missed all of 2024 as he recovered from UCL revision surgery. It was Fulmer’s second elbow operation and the medicals will likely scare off some teams. Fulmer was throwing off a mound in October and has a second year on the minor league deal he signed with the Red Sox. With 674 career major league innings, a team may view Fulmer as a potential easy fit in the bullpen. It would be an unusual pick due to his wealth of experience in the big leagues, but Fulmer could be a smart pick for a team looking for an experienced bullpen arm on the cheap. How the medicals look is the biggest lingering question.

Jovani Moran, LHP, Twins​

Moran reached the majors in 2021 with the Twins and was excellent in 2022, going 0-1, 2.21 with a .172 opponents average in 41 innings. He struggled to match that performance in 2023 and was eventually sidelined with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. Moran missed all of 2024 recovering from the procedure, but he was on a two-year MiLB contract with the Twins, which makes him a player multiple teams may use one of the three medical checks to prep for the Rule 5 draft. There aren’t many available players who have significant MLB experience and a remaining option. When healthy, he had above-average ride on a 92-93 mph fastball, but it’s mainly used to set up his plus 82-83 changeup, which has deception, depth and separation.

Evan Reifert, RHP, Rays​

A team picking Reifert would do so knowing they are taking a big gamble with a potentially-large payoff. In 2022, Reifert had an excellent season that ended with a dominating performance in the Arizona Fall League. At the time, it wasn’t outlandish to think that he could pitch in the Rays’ bullpen in 2023. Instead, Reifert completely lost his feel for the strike zone. He was shut down after walking eight in just four innings with High-A Bowling Green, while a later stint with the FCL Rays was no better, as he walked seven in 3.2 innings. Reifert bounced back to dominate at Double-A Montgomery in 2024, going 2-0, 1.96 with a 40% strikeout rate. His under-the-hood stuff isn’t as impressive, as he’s a slider-heavy reliever without a clear wipeout pitch. His fastball sits at 94-95 mph, and his slider sits in the 83-85 range. That’s below-average velocity for a righthanded reliever. He’s been successful when he throws strikes, but his bouts of wildness make him a risky pick.

 

[saddles]

No Rangers were taken in Rule 5 and the Rangers didn't take anyone.

 

[Kelleyman]

No Rangers were taken in Rule 5 and the Rangers didn't take anyone.

Crim is saved for now


Underrated

 

[saddles]

Crim is saved for now


Underrated

And Magdaleno as well. He could pitch for us at some point in 2025.

 

[saddles]

Boston trades for Crochet.

From Mark Feinsand:

Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Wikelman Gonzalez are the full return to the White Sox for Crochet, per source.

Teel was Boston’s No. 4 prospect per @MLBPipeline. Montgomery (No. 5), Meidroth (No. 11) and Gonzalez (No. 14) were all in the team’s Top 15, while Teel (No. 25) and Montgomery (No. 54) were in MLB Pipeline’s overall Top 100.

 

[Duane1952]

Rangers sign pitcher Jacob Webb

 

[saddles]

The Orioles non-tendered reliever Jacob Webb. He put up some good numbers last year. He would make a pretty good inexpensive addition to our pen. He might fit in well in the 6th or 7th inning for us.

And, now we have signed him.

 

[saddles]

And, now we have signed him.

Now, pick up a couple of late inning guys.

 

[scotsman#1948]

Well, Foscue and Huff could be considered as well. Dustin Harris, too

i agree but none has 1B as their primary position 1B

 

[scotsman#1948]

Rangers sign pitcher Jacob Webb

and now we have to clear 40-man spots

 

[saddles]

i agree but none has 1B as their primary position 1B

That is no big deal for 1B. Neither Teixeira nor Gallo had played there before, but both did well when put there.

All three have experience there, so they have that over Gallo and Teixeira.

With the addition of Burger this whole topic isn't nearly as important as before. Lol

 

[saddles]

and now we have to clear 40-man spots

Those weak relief pitchers will start falling off the roster, soon, I would imagine.

 

[saddles]

From Jamey Newberg:

According to Joel Sherman (New York Post), the Rangers offered LHP Max Fried seven years and $190 million, “ut without a state tax, the value of that contract was going to force the Yankees to do much better” than their standing offer of eight years and $210 million. Fried’s representatives then “let the Yankees know that if they went to $218 million — $1 million more than David Price’s record for a lefty starter (a seven-year deal signed in 2015) — that there would be no more shopping; that the Yankees would get Fried.”

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Rangers sign pitcher Jacob Webb

Nice signing.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

So far, I like the moves the team has made. I was ok with letting Eovaldi from a pure financial standpoint, but there's a part of me that is happy our WS ace is coming back. Plus, the trade for a power bat was so needed, and for what they gave up to get Burger, talk about a steal.
Now, does that mean that they do trade Lowe, keep him? We shall see.
Snagging Webb might actually be a move that pays off big-time for our bullpen, as well.