Texas Rangers 2024 International Review
Last year the Rangers spent big to land shortstop Sebastian Walcott out of the Bahamas for $3 million. Now with outfielders Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford in the big leagues, Walcott is the organization’s top prospect in the minor leagues. Infielder Luisangel Acuna, a 2018 Rangers signing from Venezuela, was a key trade chip that got them righthander Max Scherzer from the Mets at the trade deadline last year. This year’s class features several promising hitters who project to stick in the middle of the field.
Top Of The Class
The big international signing for the Rangers this year was 17-year-old Dominican outfielder Paulino Santana. He got $1,297,500, which is a top 40 bonus in the class, though several scouts thought his talent was commensurate with players who received bigger money. Already fluent in English, Santana is a lean, athletic 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with fast hands that he uses well at the plate in a short, low-effort stroke from the right side.
He controls the zone well for his age, recognizing spin with the patient approach to draw walks, stringing together consistent quality at-bats with high-level game performance. Santana makes frequent contact and is able to generate power to the right-center field gap or go deep to the pull side. He can sometimes get too contact-oriented, with more game power that could emerge once he learns which situations to try to do damage. His athleticism and plus speed give him a good chance to stick in center field.
Names To Know
Curley Martha, SS, Curacao: Martha helped lead Curacao to the championship game of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. in 2019 and developed into the country’s top player for 2024 when he signed for $797,500 at 17. Martha is 5-foot-11, 165 pounds with skills over tools and high-level game acumen for his age. He’s a good fastball hitter with good bat-to-ball skills and the zone control to draw walks, spreading line drives around the field from the right side. He has gap power that’s starting to tick up as he’s gained bat speed, but getting stronger will be critical for Martha to be able to do more damage. Martha is a shortstop who could move around the infield. His hands and feet work well, though he could end up with a stockier frame with range better for third or second base.
Yolfran Castillo, SS, Venezuela: Castillo, signed for $647,500 has been on an upward trend, both physically and in terms of his skill set. Earlier in the scouting process, Castillo was a smaller player who could pick it at shortstop and put the ball in play from the right side of the plate, but he has grown to 6-foot-3, 165 pounds and elevated his offensive game. He’s a high-contact hitter from the right side with a selective approach and gap power. Even while growing longer, he has improved the efficiency of his swing, with more power upside now than what it looked like earlier. Castillo is a plus runner who defends his position well at shortstop, where he’s a good athlete with a nose for the ball and an above-average arm.
Nathaniel Palacios, SS, Venezuela: Palacios got a lot of attention early in the scouting process, ultimately signing for $497,500. He’s 6-foot-1, 170 pounds at 17, a switch-hitter with a simple swing and doubles power. He trained as a shortstop but looks better suited for second base or the outfield.
Daniel Flames, SS, Venezuela: Like Palacios, Flames was another player getting early scouting attention in Venezuela, signing for $447,500. He’s a thin-framed 5-foot-11, 160 pounds with the quickness to handle the infield, with second base more likely than shortstop, and a contact-oriented approach from both sides of the plate, albeit without much power projection.
Rashawn Pinder, OF, Bahamas: The Rangers had tapped out almost all of their bonus pool allotment for the year, but they acquired more pool space at the end of March when they traded righthander Zak Kent to the Guardians. They then signed Pinder, a speedy 5-foot-9 center fielder. Piner is a twitchy athlete with plus speed who accelerates quickly both in center field and around the bases. He’s a lefty who will show occasional sneaky pop for his size and solid bat-to-ball skills for 16, though like a lot of players from the Bahamas, he might need time to adjust to better pitching he will see in pro ball.
Angel Arredondo, SS, Mexico: Arredondo was advanced enough that he played for Mexico City in the Mexican League last year at 16 and got significant playing time, hitting .226/.327/.310 in 101 plate appearances in a league of players mostly 10-20 years older than him. Arredondo signed for $297,500 at 17 and the Rangers felt he was advanced enough to have him skip the Dominican Summer League, pushing him to the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League instead.
His baseball instincts and intelligence are ahead of his peers. He’s a compact 6 feet, 190 pounds and controls the strike zone, with some swing-and-miss from the right side, but with what should be a good amount of walks and projectable power. He projects to stick in the dirt and has already gotten time at shortstop, second and third base, potentially moving around the infield as he continues to move up or head to third base if he outgrows shortstop.
Jose Marcano, C, Venezuela: Marcano signed for $297,500 after showing a high-contact bat from the right side. At 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, it’s a medium frame that might ultimately limit his extra-base impact, but he has a knack for putting the ball in play. He’s a smart player with a chance to stick behind the plate, though improving his arm strength will be important for him to stick there.
Manni Ramirez, OF, Dominican Republic: Ramirez immediately grabs attention because he’s 6-foot-5, 190 pounds at 17. Signed for $197,500, Ramirez has a huge frame with big raw power that should be plus if not a future plus-plus tool. It’s not the most conventional righthanded swing, but it’s not an all-or-nothing approach, so there’s upside to be a big power threat if everything clicks. If it doesn’t, his size, athleticism and plus arm would make pitching a fallback option. He’s an average runner underway but likely slows down as he fills out with the arm strength for right field.
Sleeper Watch
The rest of the Rangers’ class has been signings of $10,000 or less, with one of those $10,000 signings standing out for his power in 17-year-old outfielder Jovensly Hilaire, who was born in Haiti and signed out of the Dominican Republic. He’s a 6-foot-2, 185-pound outfielder, a good mix of physical upside, athleticism and ability to drive the ball with impact. He hasn’t had a ton of game experience yet, but his righthanded swing works well and he can put on a show in batting practice with his power, while his plus arm is suited for right field.
Another $10,000 signing, 17-year-old, righthanded-hitting catcher Sebastian Baquera, signed from Mexico City in the Mexican League. He’s 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and projects to stick behind the plate, where he’s a good athlete who fields his position well, has an above-average arm and the baseball IQ teams value at catcher.
