Texas Rangers 2025 Spring Training Thread

[saddles]

Gray with 2 hitless innings with one strikeout.

 

[saddles]

From Scott Lucas:

Through August 11 last season, Hauver was hitting .195/.305/.305 with a 33% strikeout rate, frankly the kind of performance that might get a 25-year-old released. In his final 29 games, Hauver reached safely in 27 and batted .374/.485/.701 with 17 doubles, six homers and a 22% strikeout rate. I didn’t delve more than superficially into the data at the time, but now I have. Here’s some info before and after August 11:

Hard-hit rate: 30% before, 48% after (PCL average 35%)
Median exit velo: 87.6 before, 94.2 after (89.8)
90th-percentile exit velo: 103.0 before, 104.2 after (103.1)
Average on 95+ exit velo: .500 before, .615 after (.545)
Slugging on 95+ exit velo: .955 before, 1.300 after (1.091)

Hauver didn’t improve his top-end velo so much as pull his mid-range from below-average to outstanding. Particularly relevant was his improvement against fastballs:

Whiff rate: 25% before, 10% (!) after (PCL average 22%)
Avg./Slugging on contact: .273/.409 before, .357/.607 after (.369/.621)
Line on PAs ending with fastball: .150/.313/.225 before, 303/.452/.515 after (.280/.395/.471)

Hauver is 26, doesn’t play center and isn’t hailed for his defensive prowess, so you’d might as well treat him like a first baseman in terms of how he’ll need to hit to get noticed. Also, elements of last year’s hot streak are unsustainable, like a .512 average on contact including a .372 average on exit velocities under 95. There’s almost nothing he could do to make the Opening Day roster. (I guess if he’s still slugging 2.000 a month from now, we can revisit.) Still, if can maintain a good portion of last year’s late improvement, he’s going to get noticed.

 

[saddles]

Andrew Chafin had to take a minor league deal with the Tigers. He looked bad for us last year.

 

[saddles]

Abimelec Ortiz with a HR today. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of year he has this year

 

[Kelleyman]

Abimelec Ortiz with a HR today. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of year he has this year

He’s a bull

 

[Kelleyman]

Church not so good outing
Does have decent velo but too much up

 

[Duane1952]

9-0 going to the bottom of the first.

They had their hitting and scoring shoes today.

 

[saddles]

Garabito had good results in 2 innings today, and is a candidate to be a long man in the pen.

 

[Kelleyman]

Garabito had good results in 2 innings today, and is a candidate to be a long man in the pen.

Looking more and more that Kumar and Leiter start in AAA. Dinning a good start too.
Legitimate depth that can do more than fill in

 

[saddles]

Looking more and more that Kumar and Leiter start in AAA. Dinning a good start too.
Legitimate depth that can do more than fill in

Yeah, I have thought Leiter would be in AAA all offseason. When they acquired Eovaldi with no starting pitcher being traded, that made it evident Rocker would start out in AAA, too.

That gives Rocker a chance to build up his innings modestly this year so he can go all out next year. It also allows Leiter to finish his development. Meanwhile, it makes for great depth.

 

[donaldson79]

Hey DT....I hope you're doing well?! This is from the Athletic, and I thought you'd enjoy it. They ranked six teams with potential to have a nice bounce back year and the Rangers were # 1.

1. Texas Rangers​

After winning it all in 2023, the Rangers had a disappointing 2024, going 78-84 to finish 10 1/2 games behind Houston in the American League West. Their season was derailed by significant injuries, including those to third baseman Josh Jung, center fielder Evan Carter and veteran starting pitchers such as Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle — all of whom are now healthy and returning as potential Comeback Player of the Year candidates.

Advertisement

The Rangers had an offseason goal of improving their home run power while making their lineup deeper at the same time. It appears they accomplished this between their trade with the Marlins for Jake Burger, who hit 29 homers last year and will take over first base, and the signing of designated hitter Joc Pederson, who belted 23 homers for the Diamondbacks last season. Those acquisitions plus having Jung and Carter back healthy will make this lineup even more lethal than the one that won the World Series two years ago.

The Rangers’ rotation looks much stronger and deeper than it was a year ago. They re-signed Nathan Eovaldi, their best starter from the past couple of years. Their front office believes deGrom’s stuff is completely back and that Mahle, along with starter Jon Gray, will be able to eat significant innings. Another key factor could be lefty Cody Bradford, who is primed for a breakout-type season, and Kumar Rocker, who might be in the running for AL rookie pitcher of the year if he can make the team out of spring training. As always, health will be huge, but especially with this group.

The Rangers’ offense is led by their two highest-paid position players, shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien, but the key to their overall offense is a trio of young emerging stars in Wyatt Langford, Carter and Jung. Those three are ready to show the world their high ceilings. (Langford suffered what the team called a mild oblique strain but should be ready for Opening Day.) Adolis García is coming off a subpar year, and he, too, could supply more upside this season.

Texas’ one weakness is at closer, after Kirby Yates departed for the Dodgers in free agency. The Rangers did add to their bullpen with relievers such as Chris Martin, Robert Garcia and Jacob Webb, but the closer role remains a big question. However, if an in-house solution doesn’t emerge, I think their front office, one of the best in the game, will find a way to trade for a closer before it’s too late. I believe the Rangers are the team to beat this year in the AL West.

 

[saddles]

Looking forward to seeing how Rocker does today.

I hope Haggerty has a really good spring. He could be a great bench player with his versatility and ability to hit lefties.

 

[saddles]

Evan Grant is doing a daily top 30 prosoects list. He has listed his 27-30 so far.

27 Gleider Figuereo
28. Kolton Curtis
29 David Hagaman
30 Brock Porter

The bottom of these lists can vary greatly, so it not that unusual, but none of those guys were on my top 34 list that I did back in November.

 

[saddles]

From Shawn McFarland:

Rangers TV update: They’ve had seven games added to FOX’s Saturday national broadcast schedule.

4/19 vs. LAD
4/26 at SF
6/21 vs. PIT*
6/28 vs. SEA*
7/12 at HOU
8/9 vs. PHI
9/6 vs. HOU

* will also be broadcast on RSN

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Codi Heuer is someone to keep an eye on. He had put up some good numbers over a short stint in the big leagues before needing Tommy John. This is from an article in MLB.com last May.

The Cubs acquired Heuer from the White Sox as part of the Craig Kimbrel trade during the 2021 season. The righty fashioned a 1.52 ERA in 21 games in ’20 while averaging 97.6 mph on his fastball. In ’21, Heuer had a 4.28 ERA in 65 games between both Chicago clubs but saw his velocity fade as the season progressed.

Heuer averaged 97.3 mph in April of 2021, but that rate dropped to 94.8 mph by September. In spring of ’22, the right-hander underwent surgery and lost a full season to recovery, rehab and training.

Since starting his Minor League rehab, Heuer looks more and more like himself again. Over eight games with Triple-A Iowa, he has hovered around 97 mph with his fastball, reaching back and touching 99 mph a handful of times.

“The stuff’s there,” Ross said. “But he wants to be able to command it. I think that’s probably the next step.”

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant:

As part of MLB’s national package with FOX Sports, the Rangers will have five Saturday games televised exclusively by FOX (KDFW-Channel 4 in Dallas-Fort Worth). Those games: April 9 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, April 26 at San Francisco, July 12 at Houston, August 9 vs. Philadelphia and Sept. 6 against Houston. In addition, games at Pittsburgh on June 21 and against Seattle on June 28 will be broadcast on FS1, though not exclusively.

It brings to eight the total number of games in which national broadcast outlets will have exclusivity, meaning they would not be available via either Rangers Sports Network (RSN) on cable/satellite providers or on the Victory+ app for streamers. The Rangers have two games scheduled for Roku’s streaming service (May 18 vs. Houston and June 1 vs. St. Louis) and one scheduled appearance on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball (July 6 at San Diego).

MLB is expected to announce further exclusive deals with national providers that could impact the TV scheduling.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Codi Heuer is someone to keep an eye on. He had put up some good numbers over a short stint in the big leagues before needing Tommy John. This is from an article in MLB.com last May.

The Cubs acquired Heuer from the White Sox as part of the Craig Kimbrel trade during the 2021 season. The righty fashioned a 1.52 ERA in 21 games in ’20 while averaging 97.6 mph on his fastball. In ’21, Heuer had a 4.28 ERA in 65 games between both Chicago clubs but saw his velocity fade as the season progressed.

Heuer averaged 97.3 mph in April of 2021, but that rate dropped to 94.8 mph by September. In spring of ’22, the right-hander underwent surgery and lost a full season to recovery, rehab and training.

Since starting his Minor League rehab, Heuer looks more and more like himself again. Over eight games with Triple-A Iowa, he has hovered around 97 mph with his fastball, reaching back and touching 99 mph a handful of times.

“The stuff’s there,” Ross said. “But he wants to be able to command it. I think that’s probably the next step.”

Yeah, control/command is rather important. LOL!