Midseason Prospect Update: Rangers

The Midseason Top 10 Prospect lists are compiled from conversations with front office officials and scouts from all 30 teams. Players who have exhausted prospect eligibility or were in the Major Leagues as of June 22 are not eligible. Draftees from the 2016 draft and July 2, 2016 signees are also not eligible.

SEE ALSO: Midseason Top 100

The best record in the American League belongs to the Texas Rangers. That’s despite ranking just 19th in Major League Baseball in runs allowed (427), with 443 runs scored. Yet while the Rangers’ Pythagorean record is 47-43, they stand atop the AL at 54-36, needing to just play .500 baseball the rest of the way for a 90-win season.

2019 PROJECTED LINEUP

C Jose Trevino

1B Ronald Guzman

2B Rougned Odor

3B Joey Gallo

CF Lewis Brinson

No. 1 Starter Cole Hamels

No. 2 Starter Yu Darvish

No. 3 Starter Luis Ortiz

No. 4 Starter Martin Perez

No. 5 Starter Derek Holland

Closer Jake Diekman

They may need to do better than that to hold off the hard-charging Astros, but Texas and Houston have both the best big league talent in the AL West as well as the best farm systems. The division shapes up as a Texas two-step for the foreseeable future.

Barring a meltdown—unlikely under accomplished second-year big league manager Jeff Bannister—the Rangers should be a playoff team, and they have a few premium prospects who come up consistently in trade talks between Joey Gallo, Lewis Brinson and Luis Ortiz. Gallo shouldn’t go anywhere—he could arguably make the Rangers a better team right now—while Brinson and Ortiz could both earn major league jobs next year, though Brinson’s performance hasn’t merited penciling him into the 2017 lineup just yet.

Beyond them, the Rangers’ farm system has depth but no other players who could anchor a deal for a frontline big leaguer. Those three are the only Top 100 prospects in the system, with Dillon Tate’s stock is down and Leody Taveras an exciting player but still in Rookie ball. Bat-first Cuban Andy Ibanez is a prime trade candidate since he’s blocked by Rougned Odor, but second basemen with fringy tools tend to not fetch much in trades.

Pitching is one obvious area for the Rangers to upgrade in the second half, something that the return of Yu Darvish should help. Catching remains a weakness on the major league team and in the farm system, with Jonathan Lucroy of the Brewers a logical fit for the club’s immediate needs and for next season.

MIDSEASON TOP 10

1. Joey Gallo, 3b/1b

Gallo will never win a batting title, but with 80-grade power and the patience to take plenty of walks, he projects as a dangerous, middle-of-the-order hitter who could slug 40-plus home runs one season. Most encouraging are the offensive adjustments Gallo has made from a year ago. Gallo trimmed his Triple-A strikeout rate from 40 percent last year to 29 percent this season, with his walk rate and isolated power jumping as well.

2. Lewis Brinson, of

After a breakthrough 2015 campaign, Brinson’s 2016 season has leveled off, but he’s making contact at a higher rate than ever and the power is still showing up in games. Look for Brinson to boost his OBP in the second half, with the defense in center field that will make him an impact player if he can just be an average hitter.

3. Luis Ortiz, rhp

With frontline stuff and outstanding control, Ortiz is on pace to make his major league debut next year as a 21-year-old. Ortiz has a pair of plus pitches in his fastball and slider, with a simple, easy delivery that he’s able to repeat to pound the zone with strikes.

4. Yohander Mendez, lhp

Mendez has to show he can handle a starter’s workload—his 72 2/3 innings this year are a career-high—but his stuff has ticked up from a year ago and he’s surged through the system, reaching Triple-A. His fastball now sits in the low-90s and touches 95, with a devastating low-80s changeup that messes up the timing of hitters.

5. Leody Taveras, of

Signed for $2.1 million out of the Dominican Republic last year, Taveras as the highest ceiling of any Rangers prospect in the low minors. Opening the season in the Rookie-level Arizona League, he has the speed and athleticism to player center field, with an fluid stroke and a good hitting approach for his age.

6. Dillon Tate, rhp

With an ERA over 5.00, Tate hasn’t performed the way the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft should as a 22-year-old in the low Class A South Atlantic League. Hamstring problems have hampered Tate, whose fastball still ranges from the low-to-mid-90s and has hit 97 at his best but has fallen into the upper 80s at times this season. Aside from getting healthy, he needs to make progress with his changeup, and he’s generally been far too hittable for this level.

7. Ronald Guzman, 1b

After seeing his stock slide the last two years, Guzman has rebounded by being able to keep those long levers in his swing quieter and more compact, leading to more contact and power. Guzman has been a high-profile prospect since he was 16 in 2011, but at 21, he’s the same age as the college juniors from this year’s draft and he’s already hitting well in Double-A.

8. Andy Ibanez, 2b

Transitioning from Cuba to the United States can be a challenge, so the Rangers let Ibanez annihilate low Class A South Atlantic League pitching for two months before skipping him a level to Double-A. There’s nothing flashy about Ibanez, but scouts highest on him believe his bat could make him a regular. Because he’s limited to second base, he could be trade bait for the Rangers.

9. Ryan Cordell, of

Cordell seemed to hit a wall last year when he got to Double-A and struggled. He’s chasing fewer pitches out of the strike zone now, which has led to a better showing in his second tour of the Texas League. The Rangers had him playing all over the infield in the lower levels of the minors, but he’s stuck solely to the outfield this season, playing all three outfield spots.

10. Eric Jenkins, of

Jenkins has struggled in his first full season, but the speed, athleticism and quick hands at the plate are still exciting building blocks. With 39 stolen bases in 80 games, Jenkins can already impact the game with his speed, but he will need better balance in his swing to get on base at a higher clip.

RISING

Lefthander Yohander Mendez and first baseman Ronald Guzman both jumped into the Rangers’ Top 10, with Mendez building upon a strong 2015, and Guzman bouncing back from a down year . . . The strikeouts are still a red flag for second baseman Travis Demeritte, but the power is real and the defense has made significant progress, as he showed in the Futures Game . . . Righty Pedro Payano took his time developing but has been one of the breakthrough pitchers in the organization, with a 92-93 mph fastball and advanced changeup his top assets.

FALLING

Righthander Michael Matuella, once contending to be the top college arm in the 2015 draft class, simply can’t stay healthy, diminishing the probability that he can be a major league starter . . . Infielder Josh Morgan fell out of the Top 10, but his stock hasn’t changed much, with a steady performance in high Class A High Desert. He’s also moved primarily to third base this season from shortstop . . . Righty Luke Jackson’s inability to find the strike zone continues to be problematic and have cost him a spot in the big league bullpen.

HURTING

Righthander Michael Matuella had Tommy John surgery in April 2015 during his junior year at Duke, but the Rangers paid him $2 million anyway as a third-round pick. Matuella made one start in June, then went down for the year with an elbow injury.

GRADUATING

Nomar Mazara continues to get better every year, becoming a major league regular at 21 and looking like a key part of the organization’s future . . . The top setup men in Texas’ bullpen are both rookie righthanders with unique back stories. Tony Barnette spent six seasons in Japan after leaving the Diamondbacks system and is having a fine, 32-year-old rookie season. Matt Bush was the No. 1 overall pick in 2004 and had a well-chronicled, checkered career including jail time before the Rangers gave him a last chance at pitching. He’s responded by being a reliable middle-relief option.

COMING ABOARD (Check the Draft Database for more picks)
The Rangers’ first five picks of the 2016 draft. (s-supplemental round)

1. Cole Ragans, lhp, North Florida Christian HS, Tallahassee, Fla. An athletic, 6-foot-4 lefty, Ragans can reach 93 mph and misses bats with his curveball.

2. Alex Speas, rhp, McEachern HS, Powder Springs, Ga. An athletic pitcher with power stuff, Speas can reach 97 mph with his fastball and pairs it with a hard slider.

3. Kole Enright, 3b, West Orange HS, Winter Garde, Fla. A switch-hitter with good contact skills, Enright could grow into more power if he’s able to add strength to his 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame.

4. Charles LeBlanc, ss, Pittsburgh. Despite being a college draft pick, LeBlanc is still 20. He’s an offensive-minded shortstop with feel for the barrel who will likely move off the position.

5. Kyle Roberts, lhp, Henry Ford (Mich.) JC. Roberts is raw, with his delivery and secondary pitches all needing a heavy dose of development, but he’s a 6-foot-6 lefty who can reach 96 mph.