Texas Rangers 2025 Spring Training Thread

[scotsman#1948]

Rangers reunite with former reliever on minor league deal

The Texas Rangers decided they weren't quite done fiddling with their roster, even as spring begins, adding another former reliever to their list of spring trai

nolanwritin.com

not very impressive last season had a 9.20 ERA for the CWS minor league AAA. A+ and rookie teams over 15 games

 

[Uncle Siggy]

not very impressive last season had a 9.20 ERA for the CWS minor league AAA. A+ and rookie teams over 15 games

All pitchers have their ups and downs, sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery or approach to find the ups...

 

[scotsman#1948]

All pitchers have their ups and downs, sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery or approach to find the ups...

okay sure let's gamble

 

[Duane1952]

All pitchers have their ups and downs, sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery or approach to find the ups...

Seems like he has been down since 2021. This looks like a JD move. Sign quantity over quality.

 

[saddles]

This is an interesting note about Batlow from Adam Morris:

Barlow’s fastball velocity dropped to 93.3 mph in 2023, though Evan Grant says Barlow was throwing 96 at an open session last week.

 

[scotsman#1948]

This is an interesting note about Batlow from Adam Morris:

Barlow’s fastball velocity dropped to 93.3 mph in 2023, though Evan Grant says Barlow was throwing 96 at an open session last week.

not in a game time situation

 

[saddles]

You sign a few guys like Barlow hoping one of them pans out. For example, last year with Urena.

 

[saddles]

not in a game time situation

Do you recall hearing of a pitcher whose velocity was usually less in a game than in his recent bullpen sessions? I don't.

The question is, is that enough to make a difference. It certainly did a couple of years ago with Ragans. But who knows.

 

[saddles]

In his current MLB Power Rankings, Jim Bowden has the Rangers at #4.

4. Texas Rangers​

The Rangers were 78-84 last season, finishing in third in the AL West, 10 1/2 games behind the division-winning Astros. So why do I have them fourth in my initial power rankings? Several reasons. First, they have a significant number of impact players who were injured last year and are now healthy, such as ace Jacob deGrom, outfielder Evan Carter and third baseman Josh Jung. Second, they have a plethora of young talent ready to break out, including Wyatt Langford, Carter and right-hander Kumar Rocker. Third, they acquired two more power bats this offseason, trading for first baseman Jake Burger and signing designated hitter Joc Pederson, which lengthens their lineup and gives them eight out of nine batters who have hit 20-plus homers in a season. Fourth, they have a deep starting rotation.

Combine those four factors with the core of their lineup, led by Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Adolis García, and it’s easy to see the Rangers being formidable again. When future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy led the Giants to three World Series titles, he did it every other year (2010, 2012, 2014) rather than consecutively. Will history repeat itself this year for Bochy?

 

[Uncle Siggy]

Texas Rangers Predicted To Land Superstar Slugger in Free Agency Next Winter

The Texas Rangers have done a lot of work with their roster this winter. Following their World Series victory in 2023, the team’s performance in 2024 was underw

www.si.com

 

[scotsman#1948]

In his current MLB Power Rankings, Jim Bowden has the Rangers at #4.

4. Texas Rangers​

The Rangers were 78-84 last season, finishing in third in the AL West, 10 1/2 games behind the division-winning Astros. So why do I have them fourth in my initial power rankings? Several reasons. First, they have a significant number of impact players who were injured last year and are now healthy, such as ace Jacob deGrom, outfielder Evan Carter and third baseman Josh Jung. Second, they have a plethora of young talent ready to break out, including Wyatt Langford, Carter and right-hander Kumar Rocker. Third, they acquired two more power bats this offseason, trading for first baseman Jake Burger and signing designated hitter Joc Pederson, which lengthens their lineup and gives them eight out of nine batters who have hit 20-plus homers in a season. Fourth, they have a deep starting rotation.

Combine those four factors with the core of their lineup, led by Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Adolis García, and it’s easy to see the Rangers being formidable again. When future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy led the Giants to three World Series titles, he did it every other year (2010, 2012, 2014) rather than consecutively. Will history repeat itself this year for Bochy?

sounds good. the defense is good, the offense should be good, the starting pitching is good and with plenty of depth and the bullpen is ?

 

[Kelleyman]

Barlow is a perfect signing
Low risk and does not put us over luxury tax.

Maybe we free up $ via trade and get a proven guy but he got it done in the past and we have young arms on the way.

If it does not move the needle for you that’s ok but it is not a net negative move

 

[Kelleyman]

It is my nature to be frugal so I don’t blame owners for not wanting to focus over luxury tax threshold and wanting a reset.
Grateful they spent in the past and think they will again next year

 

[Duane1952]

Barlow is a perfect signing
Low risk and does not put us over luxury tax.

Maybe we free up $ via trade and get a proven guy but he got it done in the past and we have young arms on the way.

If it does not move the needle for you that’s ok but it is not a net negative move

It’s not a positive move. He was terrible last season. The Rangers let him go 2023 because he was not good then either. The last time he was good was 2021. Pitching wise this was not a perfect signing.

 

[Kelleyman]

It’s not a positive move. He was terrible last season. The Rangers let him go 2023 because he was not good then either. The last time he was good was 2021. Pitching wise this was not a perfect signing.

Well he got up to 96 and is a potential rebound.
If he does not then nothing lost. There is no minus for this MILB move. He takes no roster spot unless he arms it

 

[saddles]

This from Jamey Newberg:

Jayson Stark (The Athletic) polled 32 baseball executives, former executives, coaches and scouts, and the Rangers earned the third-most votes for Most Improved Team in the American League — and they are one of only four teams (along with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Tigers) that didn’t get saddled with a Least Improved vote.

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant, regarding some reaction to deGrom's workout:

Catcher Kyle Higashioka, who caught him: “Honestly, it was pretty incredible. I think there’s probably only one other guy I’ve ever caught with that kind of command, and you might have heard of him: It was Mariano Rivera. And deGrom was doing it probably 10 miles an hour harder. So, to have that kind of stuff and command at the same time, it’s just really unbelievable.

“The first pitch he threw missed by like four inches and he said ‘terrible.’ And then I never had to move my glove again.”

Rotation mate Nathan Eovaldi, who watches every bullpen by fellow starters: “He was dotting everything. The first couple of pitches he was a little quick and then he just was perfect. Like, I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s fun to watch. It comes out hot and effortless.

“He just goes back to a nice slow and controlled motion, but with good tempo. It’s something we all kind of struggle to do. You go out there and try to create too much. But he’s just able to slow it down. He was one of the first to start, but the last one in his group to finish, not because he threw a ton of pitches, but because of that slow, steady tempo. There is just this intent with each pitch.”

Manager Bruce Bochy: “Well, he really looked healthy. Everything came out fine, the location was good. It was great to see him out there like that. I think everybody was excited to see him. I’m sure he was a little nervous to start. Even with veterans, you get a little nervous at the start. But he’s so smooth.

“It’s effortless, isn’t it? And to command it the way he does, it’s just a gift. That’s what I guess elite pitchers do, is have the stuff and the command. It’s like a whip with him. It comes through so easy. I’m still amazed at what some of these guys can do and he’s one of them.”

 

[saddles]

Fangraphs has released their Top 100 Prospects List

4 Sebastian Walcott
39 Alejandro Rosario
59 Kumar Rocker

 

[saddles]

Baseball Prospectus
#10 Sebastian Walcott
#41 Kumar Rocker
#72 Alejandro Rosario

Baseball America
No. 20 Kumar Rocker
No. 21 Sebastian Walcott
No. 49 Alejandro Rosario

MLB Pipeline
17 Walcott
44 Rocker
50 Rosario

Keith Law
2 Sebastian Walcott
51 Kumar Rocker
64 Alejandro Rosario

Fangraphs
4 Sebastian Walcott
39 Alejandro Rosario
59 Kumar Rocker

Average
11 Sebastian Walcott
43 Kumar Rocker
55 Alejandro Rosario

 

[Kelleyman]

Fangraphs has released their Top 100 Prospects List

4 Sebastian Walcott
39 Alejandro Rosario
59 Kumar Rocker

They were comparing to Fernando Tatis