Rangers View Malcolm Moore As Sure-Fire Catcher
Anyone who wants a fight can find one in the Rangers’ scouting department by doing one thing: questioning the defensive potential of first-round catcher Malcolm Moore.
The Rangers selected Moore with the 30th overall pick out of Stanford. The lefthanded hitter has power and a keen approach that allowed him to walk more often than he struck out in his draft year.
While Moore batted just .255 in the Pacific-12 Conference this year, the Rangers leaned in more on his expected stats than traditional measures. But when it came to concerns about Moore’s defense, the Rangers didn’t have them.
“We wouldn’t have drafted him if we didn’t think he could catch,” Rangers scouting director Kip Fagg said.
He noted that Moore made improvements between his 2023 and 2024 seasons, including physically, that allowed him to move better behind the plate. Moore said that he was motivated coming out of high school to get better defensively after hearing from many that he should be a first baseman.
The Rangers believe Moore’s throwing arm is average and that some footwork cleanup will help him be a better thrower.
They also believe that Moore is already acing their No. 1 tenet for catchers: managing a pitching staff. He showed leadership and an advanced ability to help pitchers navigate through innings.
Moore signed a $3 million bonus that was slightly above slot. He joined High-A Hickory on Aug. 6 for his professional debut.
“We felt like the qualities he has in terms of the person, the makeup, the character, the intangibles and, certainly, the talent, it really aligned in terms of what we were looking for in a player,” Rangers GM Chris Young said.
RANGERS ROUNDUP
— Righthander Kumar Rocker, drafted third overall in the 2022, made his Double-A debut on July 26 after completing his rehab from Tommy John surgery he had in 2023. He posted 11 scoreless innings over his first three starts for Frisco and reached 100 mph, while showing exquisite control with only one walk and 16 strikeouts.
— Outfielder Braylin Morel missed the end of the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League season because he needed surgery to remove a broken hamate bone. The 18-year-old Dominican, who signed in 2023 for $100,000, batted .307 with 22 extra-base hits in 41 games.
