Evan Carter, Wyatt Langford Give Rangers Bridge From Present To Future
Image credit: Evan Carter (Photo by Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos)
In 2023, Evan Carter was a revelation. The Rangers outfielder hit his way to the big leagues by September, and then was so impressive in his short stint in the regular year that he was included on the postseason roster.
By the time Texas’ run finished, Carter had reached base in each of his team’s 17 postseason games and earned himself a World Series ring in the process.
Not bad for a guy who was originally slated to spend his October in the Arizona Fall League.
One thing Carter didn’t do, however, was exhaust his prospect eligibility. He finished the regular year with 62 at-bats, meaning he has 69 more remaining until he no longer qualifies as a prospect.
He opens the season not only as Texas’ top prospect, but he also ranks No. 4 on BA’s preseason Top 100. Hot on his tail is Wyatt Langford, the dynamic outfielder whom the Rangers chose with their first-round pick in 2023.
Langford crushed the minor leagues in his first test in pro ball, cruising to Triple-A and earning a spot as the only player not already on the 40-man roster.
If you’re keeping score, the Rangers won the World Series in 2023 and enter this season with two of the five best prospects in the game. That’s a rare feat, but it’s not unprecedented. In fact, it’s not even the record.
Coming off their win in the 1992 World Series, the Blue Jays placed three prospects in the following season’s Top 100: Alex Gonzalez (4), Carlos Delgado (5) and Jose Silva (10).
The Rangers are the first team since the 2013 Red Sox to place a prospect in the following season’s Top 100. That honor went to Xander Bogaerts, whose decade in Boston finished with five Silver Sluggers, four all-star berths and two top-10 finishes in American League MVP balloting.
The 1992 Blue Jays and 2023 Rangers are the only teams to place multiple prospects on the following season’s Top 100 ranking, but plenty of clubs have landed a single prospect on the list, which first began in 1990.
Below, find the complete list of Top 10 prospects in the organization of a reigning World Series champion.
| Year | WS Winner | Top 10 Prospects Next Season |
| 1989 | A’s | None |
| 1990 | Reds | Reggie Sanders (8) |
| 1991 | Twins | None |
| 1992 | Blue Jays | Carlos Delgado (4) |
| 1993 | Blue Jays | Alex Gonzalez (4), Carlos Delgado (5), Jose Silva (10) |
| 1995 | Braves | Andruw Jones (1) |
| 1996 | Yankees | Ruben Rivera (9) |
| 1997 | Marlins | None |
| 1998 | Yankees | None |
| 1999 | Yankees | Nick Johnson (5) |
| 2000 | Yankees | Nick Johnson (10) |
| 2001 | Diamondbacks | None |
| 2002 | Angels | Francisco Rodriguez (10) |
| 2003 | Marlins | None |
| 2004 | Red Sox | Hanley Ramirez (10) |
| 2005 | White Sox | None |
| 2006 | Cardinals | None |
| 2007 | Red Sox | Clay Buchholz (4) |
| 2008 | Phillies | None |
| 2009 | Yankees | Jesus Montero (4) |
| 2010 | Giants | None |
| 2011 | Cardinals | Shelby Miller (8) |
| 2012 | Giants | None |
| 2013 | Red Sox | Xander Bogaerts (2) |
| 2014 | Giants | None |
| 2015 | Royals | None |
| 2016 | Cubs | None |
| 2017 | Astros | None |
| 2018 | Red Sox | None |
| 2019 | Nationals | None |
| 2020 | Dodgers | None |
| 2021 | Braves | None |
| 2022 | Astros | None |
| 2023 | Rangers | Evan Carter (4), Wyatt Langford (5) |
