Power Pros Forum

So I started a game with the Rangers, here's how the first season went:

Team Record: 61-101 (worst in MLB by ten games, 46 games out of first place behind the league-best 107-55 Athletics in the AL West)

I made the mistake of forgetting to turn on some of the logs (e.g. transaction logs) so I can’t see all of the moves I made over the course of the season, but I’ll briefly touch on a few of the more major deals:

(Blue = Acquired, Red = Traded Away, Green = my somewhat biased Trade Grades)

May 1: Acquired OF Drew Stubbs and C Dustin Garneau from Colorado for RHP Yovani Gallardo, OF Ryan Rua, and INF Adam Rosales. [A pretty bad trade to be honest, but it did help me get a couple of good, young players later on…D-]
June 14: Acquired LHP Cole Hamels, RHP Zach Eflin, and RHP Colton Murray from Philadelphia for C Jorge Alfaro, 1B Mitch Moreland, RHP Alec Asher, INF Travis Demeritte, and RHP David Martinez. [Hamels plus a couple of young arms, without giving up Jake Thompson or Nick Williams…A]
July 7: Acquired OF Kevin Pillar, RHP Roberto Osuna, and cash (about $3.0 million) from Toronto for OF Delino DeShields Jr., OF Drew Stubbs, OF Alex Hassan, and C Octávio Miranda. [DDS was good but I basically got Pillar for him and ended up with Osuna and 3 million dollars in cash for the other guys…A+]
July 20: Acquired LHP Kyle Crockett from Cleveland for OF Shin-soo Choo, OF Leonys Martin, and RHP Jonathan Hernandez. [salary relief plus interesting young arm…C+]
July 31: Acquired INF Zach Walters from Cleveland for RHP Colby Lewis and cash (about $1.4 million). [Lewis was really, really, really awful with us to the tune of a 6.09 ERA…D]

Overall, I did a decent job with two of my five trades looking very good as of now.

Oh yeah, and Yu Darvish suffered a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and his career’s over.

I also picked up outfielder Engel Beltre in the Rule 5 draft, although he’s viewed as a clubhouse cancer and may not last very long if he starts to cause trouble.

I non-tendered Anthony Bass, Neftali Feliz, and Shawn Tolleson in arbitration, although Feliz is on our shortlist and I have offered him a contract — he was asking for $5.8 million to settle pre-arb, but only asked for about $1.1 million once he hit the open market. We’re also looking at adding rotation and outfield depth as we’re pretty thin at those positions.

I also got to vote for the Hall of Fame, and here’s the ballot I submitted:

Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Jim Edmonds
Ken Griffey Jr.
Edgar Martinez
Mark McGwire
Mike Mussina
Mike Piazza
Tim Raines
Larry Walker

So yeah, I don’t know if this will continue as a log or not, but I figured I’d start this as a place to update my progress throughout this game. Let me know what you think of my trades, offseason decisions, HOF ballot, or whatever else — I’m open to all criticism!

Offseason Moves:

On December 10, we signed three players to major-league deals. LHP J.A. Happ ($1.6M), RHP Neftali Feliz ($1.015M), and C Tucker Barnhart ($800K) all signed one-year contracts.

On December 13, we added another starting pitcher, this one more high-profile than Happ. Right-hander Mike Leake signed a six-year, $104 million contract. Fans were ecstatic. They didn’t think things could get any better. But they did.

“Merry Christmas!” Jason Heyward shouted as he proudly held up his new Texas Rangers jersey after officially signing his six-year, $143.64 million contract to join our ballclub. The signing results in the loss of a draft pick, which will either be in the first (if we pick 11th or later) or second (if we pick in the top 10) round.

Hall of Fame voting results were revealed in January, with Ken Griffey Jr. the only player to receive induction. Mike Piazza was just a few votes from the threshold at 73.9 percent. Griffey Jr. received an astounding 99.7 percent of the vote.

Just three days later, we officially re-signed Rougned Odor to an 8-year, $91.7 million contract. Odor won the Silver Slugger award at second base last season, hitting .301 with 17 home runs in just his second season of major-league ball and first full season at the MLB level. At just 21 years old, Odor figures to be a stud for years to come, and this deal will lock him up at least through his first three free-agent years.

With these moves in hand, it’s clear that our team focus is shifting from a rebuilding mode, but to what? I asked around the organization, from players to coaches to executives to concession-stand employees, and the consensus was that we needed to try to build a dynasty.

In February, the preseason officially started, and we took a long look at every player in our organization to try to determine their roles at present and in the future. Some of the conversations that came out of those meetings will be discussed as we preview our 60-man Spring Training roster.

With that being said, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the sixty players looking to earn one of those coveted twenty-five slots over the next month. Stay tuned!

Also, here’s an interesting tidbit from the preseason: Milwaukee’s Logan Schafer had elective eye surgery in the offseason, a procedure that kept him out for several weeks but also improved his Eye rating from 10 to a perfect 20. It’s little fun details like this that make this game so enjoyable.

J.A. Happ was a GOOD move. Tucker Bernhart looks to be the worst move of the year. (Not salary, but having to keep him on 40-man) Nefetali was a good resign. Odor was a GREAT MOVE and Heyward looks to be a neutrel good and bad deal.

Seeing as how I've played like a month into the season already, I can tell you that you're wrong on almost every single one of those

I'm especially intrigued by the fact that you're so opposed to the Barnhart move. How come you think this was such a bad move?

First, we’re going to take a look at the 29 pitchers looking to make the Major League roster.

Starting Pitchers

This group of starters will be given the first chance to compete:

LHP Cole Hamels (32 y.o., 9 yrs exp.) — Hamels is as close to a lock as this team has. He figures to slot in at the top of the rotation.
RHP Mike Leake (28 y.o., 6 yrs exp.) — Leake is penciled in as the number-two starter, but the nine-figure free-agent signee could certainly play his way up or down the rotation depth chart.
LHP Martin Perez (24 y.o., 2 yrs exp.) — Perez is listed as our third starter after a strong 2015 campaign. At just 24 years of age, the Venezuela native figures to be a big part of our future.
LHP J.A. Happ (33 y.o., 7 yrs exp.) — Happ is currently slotted in at #4 in the rotation. He pitched well with Seattle in 2015 (6-4, 3.28 ERA) and we’re hoping he continues to do so with us.
RHP Nick Martinez (25 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Martinez struggled in 2015, with a 5.06 ERA in 26 starts, but he’ll get the first crack at the fifth starter job, if only because he’s right-handed.
LHP Derek Holland (29 y.o., 5 yrs exp.) — Holland is our sixth starter. The southpaw had a rough go of it in 2015 but will be given another chance to redeem himself.

Our second group of starters will pitch mostly in relief for the time being:

RHP Logan Verrett (25 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Verrett split time between AAA and MLB last year, making 11 starts for the major-league club with a 5.60 ERA but decent peripherals.
RHP Alexander “Chi Chi” Gonzalez (24 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Gonzalez was injured for most of 2015 but will get a chance to prove himself in the spring.
RHP Nick Tepesch (27 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Tepesch had a 4.50 ERA in five starts at the MLB level in 2015, and was designated for assignment following the season, but will be given a chance to fight his way onto the roster again.
RHP Anthony Ranaudo (26 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Ranaudo struggled in Round Rock last season, and is a non-roster invitee with a slim chance to make the major-league roster out of camp.
RHP Lisalverto Bonilla (25 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Bonilla is a decent pitching prospect, but will probably head to Triple-A after the dust clears in early April.
RHP Jake Thompson (22 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Thompson is our top pitching prospect, but there’s almost no chance he makes the team.

Relief Pitchers

We have divided the seventeen remaining pitchers into two groups: “middle relief” and “late-innings”. The eleven “middle relief” pitchers are as follows:

LHP Alex Claudio (24 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Claudio made 18 appearances with the major-league club last season, posting a 3.86 ERA. He also served as the Express closer for part of the season with a 1.12 ERA and 19 saves. The lefty from Puerto Rico has a decent shot to make the roster, especially given our somewhat thin crop of left-handed relief options.
RHP Jon Edwards (28 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Edwards was horrific in his brief MLB stint last season, but posted a respectable 3.54 ERA in Round Rock. He isn’t viewed as a favorite to make the team.
LHP Sam Freeman (28 y.o., 2 yrs exp.) — Freeman had a 6.27 ERA in the majors last season, but still has an outside shot at making the team if he can outperform Claudio in the spring.
RHP Luke Jackson (24 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Jackson was 7-10 with a 5.05 ERA as a starter in Triple-A last season. He is likely to go back down to the minor leagues once camp breaks.
RHP Cody Kendall (26 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Kendall was called up midway through the season and posted a 4.66 ERA in 20 appearances after zooming through Frisco and Round Rock. He could make the team as a middle reliever with a strong spring.
RHP Colton Murray (25 y.o., 0 yrs exp.), RHP Spencer Patton (28 y.o., 0 yrs exp.), RHP Noe Ramirez (26 y.o., 0 yrs exp.), RHP Ryan Rodebaugh (26 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — I might as well lump these four together. They all disappointed in Round Rock last season, and all four are non-roster invitees with slim hopes of making the team. I even went out of alphabetical order to put Rodebaugh in this group. Trust me, they’re forgettable.
LHP Jimmy Reyes (26 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Reyes had a 2.83 ERA in Round Rock last season, and made four appearances with the major-league club with a 6.43 ERA. If he can fend off Claudio and Freeman, he has a decent chance to make the roster.
RHP Mason Tobin (28 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Tobin had a 2.70 ERA in Triple-A in 2015, and a 6.94 ERA in ten MLB appearances. Tobin could make the team as a right-handed option with a strong spring.

The six “late-innings” pitchers are as follows:

LHP Kyle Crockett (24 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Crockett had 12 saves and a 3.86 ERA in Round Rock before posting five scoreless (albeit brief, totaling only 1.1 innings) appearances with the MLB team in September. He’s likely to begin the year in a late-innings role, albeit probably with the Express.
RHP Neftali Feliz (27 y.o., 5 yrs exp.) — Feliz pitched better than his 4.45 ERA might indicate, recording 15 saves and posting decent peripheral numbers. He is our most expensive reliever at just over $1 million, albeit one of only two making above the minimum.
RHP Keone Kela (22 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Kela had a 4.60 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 76.1 innings last season with the Rangers. The young flamethrower has a good chance to make the team out of camp.
RHP Phil Klein (26 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — The 6’7” right-hander had a 3.70 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 80.1 innings in 2015. Klein is likely to make the team and will figure into the mix for a late-innings role.
RHP Roman Mendez (25 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — The native of the Dominican Republic made only four appearances before being shut down with shoulder inflammation. Mendez is likely to begin in Round Rock if only to prove that he can stay both effective and healthy until needed in the major-league bullpen.
RHP Tanner Scheppers (29 y.o., 2 yrs exp.) — Scheppers, making $920,000, is the second-highest-paid relief pitcher on the team. After splitting time between Round Rock and Arlington in 2015, Scheppers will look to lock down a spot one way or the other in Spring Training.

Stay tuned for a look at the 31 position players on the Rangers’ Spring Training roster!

Logan Verrett better make the roster or else I'll send a hitman after you

The team will go three-deep at every position this spring, including designated hitter, giving 27 of the 31 position players concrete roles. Here are the depth charts for each position:

Catcher

SHB Carlos Corporan (32 y.o., 3 yrs exp.) — Corporan is the incumbent starter behind the plate after posting a .274 batting average and 2.2 WAR last season. The Puerto Rican native is the most experienced catcher on the roster.
SHB Tucker Barnhart (25 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Barnhart, signed as a free agent, is the current backup to Corporan. The glove-first catcher split time between the Reds’ AA and AAA affiliates in 2015, hitting .247 in 44 games with the latter team.
RHB Dustin Garneau (28 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Garneau finished the season with Round Rock after being acquired in a trade with the Rockies, and hit .237 with 3 home runs in 50 games with the Express. He could beat out Barnhart with a strong spring.

First Base

LHB Prince Fielder (31 y.o., 9 yrs exp.) — Fielder hit .296 with a team-high 26 home runs in 2015. There’s a zero percent chance he gets beat out by either of the backup options, both of whom happen to be catchers primarily.
LHB Brett Nicholas (27 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Nicholas hit .228 with 10 home runs in 67 games with the Rangers in 2015, but is unlikely to see anywhere near that amount of playing time in 2016.
SHB Tomas Telis (24 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Telis had an up-and-down 2015, spending time at three levels and hitting .271 in 29 MLB games. He is unlikely to make the team, but should get a chance to prove his worth at the minor-league level.

Second Base

LHB Rougned Odor (22 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — After being signed to an eight-year extension in February, Odor has the keystone all but locked up after winning the Silver Slugger award in 2015.
RHB Hanser Alberto (23 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Alberto is among the candidates for the UIF job after showing his versatility in 2015, spending time at second, third, and short while hitting .264 at Triple-A and .291 in the majors. He is viewed as the frontrunner for the job.
RHB Tommy Field (29 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Field batted .260 in 60 games with the Rangers in 2015, but did not show much ability to draw walks or hit for power. He is also competing for the utility-infield position.

Third Base

LHB Joey Gallo (22 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Gallo was called up in August of last season, and posted solid numbers with 11 home runs in 49 games to go with a passable .209 average and .303 OBP. He has also displaced veteran Adrian Beltre, who will now be playing a different position…
SHB Zach Walters (26 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Walters will also be fighting for the utility-infield job after hitting .233 with 2 homers in 16 games with the Rangers in 2015. The power-hitting infielder is considered the team’s second choice for the UIF position.
RHB Ed Lucas (33 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Lucas, also competing for the UIF slot, spent all of 2015 in Round Rock, posting a .247 average.

Shortstop

RHB Elvis Andrus (27 y.o., 6 yrs exp.) — Andrus batted .268 in 2015 while battling injuries, and should retain the starting job at shortstop in 2016.
RHB Dainer Moreira (31 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — The Cuban shortstop was signed to fill in for Andrus during a trip to the disabled list, and impressed defensively to offset his paltry .219 AVG and .548 OPS.
RHB Tyler Pastornicky (26 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Pastornicky is (surprise, surprise) competing for the utility-infield position after splitting time between AA and AAA last season. He is unlikely to win the job, but will probably try pretty hard anyways.

Left Field

RHB Kevin Pillar (27 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — The defensively skilled Pillar hit just .240 in 2015, and could find himself as the fourth outfielder given his versatility, but will open as the starter in left field.
RHB Jake Smolinski (27 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Smolinski impressed in 2015, batting .287 with 8 home runs in 106 games at the major-league level, and is a good bet to make the roster.
RHB Ryan Strausborger (28 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Strausborger struggled in 2015, batting just .216 in Round Rock before making his way to the majors, where he hit .233 in nine games. His ability to play left, center, and right field could win him some favors in camp, however.

Center Field

RHB Michael Choice (26 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — He wouldn’t have been considered the team’s first choice to start in center at the outset of 2015, but a strong season left the coaching staff impressed. Choice batted .271 with 5 home runs in 56 games at the major-league level last season.
LHB Engel Beltre (26 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Beltre is talented, no doubt, but his erratic behavior has raised concerns with veterans and rookies alike. The former Ranger was reacquired in the Rule 5 draft after hitting .282 with the White Sox’ AAA affiliate in 2015.
SHB Antoan Richardson (32 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Richardson batted .220 and played average defense in center for 33 games in 2015, but is highly unlikely to make the team out of camp.

Right Field

LHB Jason Heyward (26 y.o., 6 yrs exp.) — I mean, duh.
LHB Carlos Peguero (29 y.o., 1 yr exp.) — Peguero hit .294 with 7 home runs in just 34 at-bats in 2015. He also hit .258 with 17 homers in Triple-A, showing off his power at both levels.
LHB Jared Hoying (26 y.o., 0 yrs exp.) — Hoying hit .277 with 10 homers in Round Rock last year, and is likely to return to the Express for the zillionth consecutive season.

Designated Hitter/Other

RHB Adrian Beltre (36 y.o., 17 yrs exp.) — Beltre was pushed off third base by fast-rising prospect Joey Gallo and will focus on his offensive game as his skills begin to decline. The veteran has been praised for his selfless move and his offer to help Gallo and other young players learn the ropes in the offseason, and has also spent some time at first base.

Also showing up for camp, mostly to watch and learn while taking some at-bats as well:

LHB Nomar Mazara (20 y.o., 0 yrs exp.)
LHB Jake Skole (24 y.o., 0 yrs exp.)
LHB Drew Robinson (23 y.o., 0 yrs exp.)
RHB Josh Morgan (20 y.o., 0 yrs exp.)
RHB Lewis Brinson (21 y.o., 0 yrs exp.)
SHB Jurickson Profar (23 y.o., 1 yr exp.)

Mazara and Skole will play some at designated hitter, while Robinson, Morgan, Brinson, and (once he returns fully from his shoulder injury) Profar will mostly serve as pinch-hitters.

Stay tuned for updates from Surprise, Arizona!

------------------------------------------------------------------------



*searches for remote hiding spots*

With Spring Training coming to a close, here’s a look at the 25 players that the Rangers have decided to carry into Opening Day:

(Note: both Michael Choice and Elvis Andrus were injured and had to be placed on the 15-day DL)

Starting Pitchers

LHP Cole Hamels (5 GS, 1.00 ERA, 2.14 FIP, 4.7 K/BB)
RHB Mike Leake (5 GS, 3.44 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 2.2 K/BB)
LHB Martin Perez (4 GS, 7.07 ERA, 3.77 FIP, 4.0 K/BB)
LHB J.A. Happ (4 GS, 5.11 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 2.0 K/BB)
LHB Derek Holland (4 GS, 8.49 ERA, 3.54 FIP, 3.0 K/BB)

We will go with a lefty-heavy rotation with plenty of right-handed depth in Round Rock.

Relief Pitchers

RHB Jon Edwards (6 G, 1.29 ERA, 1.77 FIP)
RHB Neftali Feliz (3 G, 2.45 ERA, 8.11 FIP)
LHB Sam Freeman (7 G, 4.76 ERA, 6.64 FIP)
RHB Keone Kela (4 G, 1.23 ERA, 6.06 FIP)
RHB Phil Klein (2 G, 0.00 ERA, 4.20 FIP)
RHB Tanner Scheppers (3 G, 0.00 ERA, 3.63 FIP)
RHB Mason Tobin (5 G, 1.00 ERA, 4.53 FIP)

Feliz will serve as the closer, with Kela and Klein serving as the bridge from middle relief to the Dominican native. Freeman could easily play his way off the roster, but was out of options which forced us to keep him (all the other lefties kinda sucked anyways).

Catchers

SHB Carlos Corporan (12 G, .161/.270/.194)
SHB Tucker Barnhart (15 G, .244/.304/.293)

Corporan and Barnhart will split time behind the dish, with each failing to separate themselves from the competition in the spring.

Infielders

LHB Prince Fielder (25 G, .385/.500/.667)
LHB Rougned Odor (26 G, .246/.317/.368)
RHB Adrian Beltre (24 G, .291/.344/.345)
LHB Joey Gallo (24 G, .122/.204/.184)
RHB Hanser Alberto (18 G, .389/.463/.611)
SHB Zach Walters (16 G, .250/.270/.469)

Fielder, Odor, Gallo, and Alberto will start around the horn with Alberto filling in for the injured Elvis Andrus. Beltre will be our DH and will also play at first and third in NL parks, while Walters will serve as our utility infielder.

Outfielders

RHB Kevin Pillar (16 G, .156/.200/.250)
RHB Jake Smolinski (25 G, .255/.327/.319)
LHB Engel Beltre (18 G, .256/.326/.410)
LHB Jason Heyward (24 G, .326/.431/.465)
LHB Carlos Peguero (16 G, .237/.293/.368)

Smolinski, Pillar, and Heyward will start in the outfield, with Peguero backing up the corners and DH and Beltre backing up primarily in center.

It’s draft day. Here’s a quick recap to get you caught up on what’s happened up until today (June 6):

Our current team record is a solid 25-25, good for third in the division.

SS Elvis Andrus went on the DL early but returned after 19 days including a brief rehab assignment. LF Kevin Pillar, who went on the disabled list with a sprained wrist on April 16, played only three games after returning before exiting again with a torn rotator cuff, which will likely keep him out for the season.

On May 6, after concerns spread about his character, outfielder Engel Beltre was dealt to Toronto for RHP Daniel Hudson and cash. Ten days later, we acquired Ender Inciarte from Arizona, along with another small sum of cash, for Michael Choice and Darwin Tovar (a 19-year-old reliever in the DSL with a half-star potential rating).

Finally, on May 22, Jurickson Profar was recalled from Round Rock and has helped out as a backup for Rougned Odor and Elvis Andrus as well as our top pinch-hitting option. The addition bumped Hanser Alberto back to AAA and Zach Walters down a peg on the depth chart, but Walters apparently didn’t care, as he went out and hit for the cycle on June 2!

Other moves include bumping Derek Holland to the bullpen (Logan Verrett replaced him in the rotation) and calling up Dustin Garneau to back up starting catcher Tucker Barnhart after Carlos Corporan sucked really bad and got DFAed.

A quick overview of the Rangers’ five offseason moves and how they’ve panned out so far:

Jason Heyward has been nothing short of a miracle in the first two months. His .344/.440/.596 slash line is pretty ridiculous, and he’s on pace for a 20-20 season while also playing Gold Glove-caliber defense in right field. He’s on pace for an astonishing 10.5 WAR, and currently leads all of MLB in OBP and WAR while also in the top 5 in AVG, SLG, OPS, wOBA, runs, walks, and total bases. Among right fielders, he is first in zone rating (+9.4), second in efficiency (1.163), tied for first in fielding percentage (1.000, 96 chances) and tied for third in assists (4).

Mike Leake has been below-average overall but has seemingly turned it around after an especially slow start to the season. Leake is 3-5 with a 4.35 ERA (5.27 FIP) through ten starts, but has four quality starts in his last five.

J.A. Happ is in a similar boat, and was almost kicked out of the rotation instead of Derek Holland, but has likewise started to perform better of late. Happ currently holds a 2-1 record, 5.47 ERA, and 4.82 FIP through nine starts.

Neftali Feliz began the season as the closer but struggled with his command and was ousted from the role, with our coaching staff settling on a “no-roles” bullpen instead. Feliz has a 3.24 ERA thus far, but an ugly 5.30 FIP and even more hideous 0.8 K/BB ratio hint at the underlying problem with the Dominican righty’s 2016 thus far.

Tucker Barnhart has ascended to the starting role behind the plate, with a .267/.330/.410 slash line and above-average defensive numbers (36.4% CS, 3.82 CERA, 1.055 EFF) helping him overtake incumbent Carlos Corporan (who had an abysmal .157/.203/.214 slash line before being waived earlier this week).

Stay tuned to see who we select with our 19 draft picks!

With the first pick, Texas selected RHP Zack Burdi (0.5/4.5), a 20-year-old eligible out of high school. Burdi features a high-90s fastball, average curveball that projects as a plus-plus weapon, and developing changeup that also projects as a plus pitch. His movement and control are roughly average in terms of potential, but no one can deny that his stuff is absolutely filthy.

Burdi signed on June 12, as the last player from the class to sign, with a $6.5 million signing bonus. He was assigned to our DSL affiliate along with the other 18 players in the class.

We lost our second-round selection for the signing of Jason Heyward (worth it!) and thus did not select another player until the third round. The rest of our draft came out as follows:

3rd round: RHP Jake Elliott — the 21-year-old out of Coppell is solid across the board, with good control and three future plus pitches. Elliott’s fastball sits in the low-90s, and the righty also features a good curve and change. (signed 6/10, $370k bonus)
4th round: INF Grant Bodison — the 19-year-old from South Carolina is a great defender at both third base and shortstop, and is a solid all-around player with his ability to make solid contact and hit the ball in the gaps also garnering high praise. (signed 6/7, $250k bonus)
5th round: OF Corey Ray — the 21-year-old out of Louisville can play all three outfield positions, and could turn into a 20-20 guy with his blend of power and speed. (signed 6/11, $150k bonus)
6th round: RHP Taylor Blatch — the 21-year-old from Florida profiles as a dependable starter with a low-90s fastball, plus slider and curveball, and above-average changeup. Blatch does not have any standout skills, but it’s hard to find a weakness, either. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
7th round: LHP Philip Pfeifer — the 23-year-old southpaw out of Vanderbilt is a flyball pitcher who struggles to make his pitches move, but his stuff and command has never been questioned. With a fastball topping out around 93 mph and three good offspeed pitches, Pfeifer has the potential to be a very good starting pitcher if he can hold hitters from hitting the ball out too often. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
8th round: RHP Conor Costello — at 23, the native Oklahoman is a bit old to just be entering the ranks of affiliated ball; Costello could quickly ascend the ladder, however, if his stuff truly is as good as scouts think. Propelled by a mid-90s fastball, plus curveball, and average changeup, Costello will work as a closer in rookie ball. Not to be overlooked, however, are his skills at the plate and in the outfield. Costello was a two-way player in high school and could find himself back in the outfield if he struggles as a pitcher. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
9th round: OF Conner Capel — the 19-year-old from Katy plays solid defense at all three outfield positions and is a good doubles hitter who also has the power to hit one out if he really wants to. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
10th round: INF Bryce Fehmel — the 19-year-old from California plays solid defense at third and short, and has received praise for his discerning eye at the plate. Fehmel batted .309/.405/.505 with 10 home runs and 32 stolen bases in his freshman year of college at Missouri State after being picked in the 14th round by the Yankees in 2015 and failing to sign. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
11th round: INF Carter Aldrete — at 18, Aldrete is already a polished defender at the hot corner, and also mans shortstop with impressive ease. He projects as a slap-hitting infielder with good speed and instincts. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
12th round: RHP Ryan Moseley — the 21-year-old from Lubbock possesses a solid low-90s fastball, a good curveball, and a developing changeup that make him an interesting prospect who could end up as either a starter or a reliever depending on how he develops. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
13th round: INF Connor Owings — Owings, 22, was admittedly one of our weaker picks, but could turn out to be a decent backup infielder. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
14th round: RHP Parker Bean — Bean profiles as a starting pitcher with three decent pitches and a groundball tendency. The 21-year-old right-hander is often criticized for his poor work ethic, however. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
15th round: RHP Wilson Beattie — an intriguing 18-year-old, Beattie has incredible stamina and a solid sinker, but profiles as a reliever due to the fact that he only has a four-seam fastball, the aforementioned sinker, and a weak changeup in his arsenal. Beattie has also received criticism due to his poor work ethic. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
16th round: C Matthew Kassowitz — the 19-year-old is very athletic for his position, possessing good power, speed, and fielding ability, which helps make up for his struggles to make solid contact. Kassowitz, a native of Los Angeles, is a good teammate with a discerning eye at the plate. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
17th round: RHP Kevin Mooney — the 21-year-old mixes four-seam and two-seam fastballs in the low-90s with a breaking ball that projects as a plus pitch “at minimum”, according to scouts. Mooney’s limited stamina and the straightness of his fastball seem to be his only drawbacks, but he will be used in middle relief primarily in rookie ball. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
18th round: INF Andrew Noviello — Noviello, 19, is an above-average defender at second, third, and short, and is a good all-around hitter whose primary concern is his poor plate discipline. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
19th round: INF Ford Stainback — Questions about Stainback’s hitting abilities will certainly come up often, as the 23-year-old from Dallas figures to struggle on the offensive side of the ball. He doesn’t really have any big strengths, unless you consider his baserunning instincts or bunting ability to be major keys to his game. (signed 6/6, no bonus)
20th round: INF L.J. Talley — the 19-year-old can play both third base and shortstop, and is an all-around player whose biggest weakness is his home-run power; we aren’t particularly concerned with that, given his ability to hit the ball for singles and doubles and his defensive chops.

Next up, here’s a look at how the players in the Rangers’ 2015 draft class are shaping up through their first year in the organization:

1st round: LHP Brady Aiken — Aiken sat out all of 2015 recovering from TJS, then made four starts for High Desert (A) before returning to the DL with a herniated disc in his back. We don’t have much data to make any conclusions on the 19-year-old, but his injury troubles are certainly concerning.

2016 Stats: High Desert (A): 4 GS, 1-1, 4.60 ERA (2.87 FIP), 4.2 K/BB, 0.5 WAR

2nd round: INF Richie Martin — Martin has impressed at the Single-A level and has apparently impressed rival teams as well, as no less than half a dozen other teams have asked for the middle infielder in trades. The 21-year-old, who plays stellar defense at second base and great defense at shortstop, recently earned a promotion to Frisco.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 35 G, .286/.401/.487, 4 HR, 7 SB, 1.8 WAR

3rd round: RHP Tyler Ferguson — Ferguson has been disappointing thus far, with major problems highlighted by his peripheral numbers as well as his ERA. A 3.6 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 paired with a 5.34 ERA in 13 starts in 2015 were very troubling, and while the 22-year-old got his control (sort of) in check, he has had home run issues this year, with a HR/9 over double that of last year and resulting in another unimpressive statline in 2016.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 9 GS, 3-4, 6.29 ERA (5.38 FIP), 1.8 K/BB, 0.1 WAR

4th round: OF Rhett Wiseman — The outfielder out of Vanderbilt has impressed with his combination of offense and defense so far while splitting time in center and right field.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 39 G, .244/.331/.366, 4 HR, 6 SB, 0.6 WAR

5th round: RHP Preston Morrison — Morrison held his own in 13 starts in 2015, posting a 5-3 record and 4.28 ERA with Hickory. He returned to the Crawdads for 2016, where he was mostly unimpressive in seven starts before suffering a season-ending back injury.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 7 GS, 2-1, 6.00 ERA (5.35 FIP), 3.6 K/BB, 0.1 WAR

6th round: RHP Cody Deason — Deason struggled to strike batters out in his first pro action, but has nearly tripled his K rate in 2016, leading to very impressive results that have earned him a promotion to Double-A.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 9 GS, 2-3, 3.75 ERA (3.28 FIP), 3.7 K/BB, 1.3 WAR

7th round: INF Scott Heineman — Heineman has dominated Single-A and recently earned a promotion to Frisco. He has surprised with his power in 2016 after hitting only one home run in 153 plate appearances last year.

2016 Stats: High Desert (A): 53 G, .317/.383/.513, 11 HR, 1 SB, 2.2 WAR

8th round: INF Daniel Pinero — Pinero has struggled to hit in the pros so far, but makes up for it by providing excellent defense at the hot corner. The infielder out of Virginia is also capable of playing shortstop and is the only one of the nine hitters we selected to have yet to hit a home run in professional baseball.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 37 G, .210/.295/.290, 0 HR, 2 SB, 0.4 WAR

9th round: LHP Tyler Alexander — Alexander struggled in 2015, with a 5.43 ERA in 14 starts. Like many of his fellow 2015 draftees, he couldn’t seem to strike anyone out. But he has improved all of his peripheral numbers in 2016, and has been one of the better pitchers for the Crawdads thus far.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 8 GS, 3-2, 3.44 ERA (4.07 FIP), 2.3 K/BB, 0.9 WAR

10th round: RHP Josh Sborz — Sborz had a 1.83 ERA in 16 appearances in his first pro action, but that was obviously fueled by a minuscule .164 BABIP. This year, Sborz has struggled mightily with command, with a 7.4 BB/9 and 2.1 HR/9 doing a number on his numbers.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 20 G, 4-0, 6 HLD, 7.94 ERA (7.43 FIP), 0.9 K/BB, -0.5 WAR

11th round: RHP Parker Kelly — Kelly has been passable in his 23 combined starts for the Crawdads. His HR rate has increased dramatically in 2016 from an insane 0.2 HR/9 to an equally insane 1.9 HR/9. If the 19-year-old cannot prove himself as a pitcher, he can always convert to the infield, where he has experience at catcher, third base, and shortstop.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 8 GS, 2-3, 4.57 ERA (5.96 FIP), 2.9 K/BB, -0.2 WAR

12th round: RHP Ryan Burr — Burr dominated in 2015 with 21 saves and a 0.24 ERA in 35 appearances for the Crawdads. He has remained in the Hickory closer’s role in 2016, but has also struggled with home runs to the tune of a 2.0 HR/9. His 12.7 K/9 is pretty ridiculous, though, and gives us a hint to his potential in the future.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 21 G, 1-2, 14/16 SV, 6.62 ERA (4.62 FIP), 5.0 K/BB, 0.0 WAR

13th round: INF Conner Hale — Hale’s versatility impressed us enough to use our 13th-round draft pick on him, and after a lackluster showing in 2015, the 23-year-old has turned his game up to a 10 this season, impressing on offense and defense and primarily manning third base.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 20 G, .360/.421/.480, 2 HR, 3 SB, 0.8 WAR

14th round: RHP Gabriel Gonzalez — Gonzalez had a 5.93 ERA in 2015 and has seen his role diminish in 2016.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 3 G, 0-0, 6.75 ERA (4.24 FIP), 2.0 K/BB, 0.0 WAR

15th round: INF Nick Madrigal — Madrigal’s offensive game has slacked off from a solid 2015. The then-18-year-old infielder hit for a .317 average in 161 PA in 2016, but has struggled in his second time around, with even his defense up the middle not being quite enough to make up for the black hole he has been on offense. With youth on his side (Madrigal is just 19 years, 94 days old), the California native will have time to right the ship.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): .197/.222/.295, 1 HR, 1 SB, -0.2 WAR

16th round: RHP Chance Adams — Adams has seen his role increase in 2016 after making only three appearances in 2015. The right-hander has impressed with a 70.8% GB rate and 11.4 K/9, and could be next in line for a promotion to Frisco.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 11 G, 1-0, 3 HLD, 1.80 ERA (2.82 FIP), 3.2 K/BB, 0.3 WAR

17th round: INF Kody Clemens — Our scouts are very low on Clemens, but the general consensus seems to be that he could turn into a very good player in time, with his performance between Hickory and High Desert in 2015 hinting at that potential. In 2016, he has struck out more and has been forced into action at shortstop rather than his natural third base, leading to lower value on both the offensive and defensive side.

2016 Stats: High Desert (A): 53 G, .247/.288/.347, 4 HR, 1 SB, 0.1 WAR

18th round: RHP Seth McGarry — McGarry has only appeared in eight combined games, posting a combined 2.25 ERA as his peripheral numbers spike up and down wildly. The 22-year-old had passable HR/9 and BB/9 rates as well as a low (4.7) K/9 in 2015, but has seen all of those rates double or triple in 2016 to the tune of a 2.8 HR/9, 7.1 BB/9, and 12.8 K/9.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 3 G, 0-0, 1 HLD, 4.26 ERA (7.12 FIP), 1.8 K/BB, -0.2 WAR

19th round: C Blake Adams — Adams became the first member of the 2015 draft class to reach Double-A after putting up an impressive line with High Desert. The 20-year-old threw out 14 of 27 base-stealers with the Mavericks before receiving the promotion to Frisco, with whom he has thrown out 3 of 7 runners for an overall 50 percent caught-stealing rate.

2016 Stats: High Desert (A): 29 G, .324/.375/.450, 2 HR, 0 SB, 1.1 WAR // Frisco (AA): 6 G, .227/.320/.227, 0 HR, 0 SB, 0.1 WAR

20th round: OF Conor Biggio — Biggio has really scuffled to begin the season, with numbers on par with those of his (draft) classmate Kody Clemens, albeit at a far easier defensive position than shortstop out in left field. His numbers in 2015 were okay, but Biggio’s struggles in 2016 have led scouts to question his future with the organization.

2016 Stats: Hickory (A): 26 G, .193/.244/.265, 0 HR, 1 SB, -0.6 WAR