You ask the questions about Rangers baseball including their farm and we answer. Welcome back and thanks to everyone for reading and submitting your questions!
Which of the 2020 debut guys makes the Opening Day 2021 roster?
— Hello Win Column (@rangeRanalytics) October 4, 2020
Leody Taveras. He will be the starting centerfielder, especially if next year is about the young players as Jon Daniels and ownership have stated.
Kyle Cody probably has a spot penciled into the starting rotation as we speak after going 1-1-1 with his 1.59 ERA in 8 games (5 starts).
The other guys like Anderson Tejeda, Sam Huff, Sherten Apostel will likely start in the minors unless they have an impressive Spring. We should see other prospects as well at some point including Josh Jung, Davis Wendzel, Justin Foscue and others. We’ve got to see how they progress.
#AskTPTs Can you give us any reason to be excited for next year? Maybe I’m just too pessimistic right now.
— Adam Gordon (@AdamGordon1977) October 2, 2020
I think it’s easy to be pessimistic in 2020 with the pandemic and the political climate. Add our favorite baseball team going 22-38 to the mix in 2020. I get it but I tend to be optimistic when it comes to the Rangers future because I think we have a better farm system than most people. We saw just a little of that talent displayed in Arlington this year with Taveras, Tejeda, Benjamin, King, Huff and Apostel. There are alot more guys in the system. Not everyone can be Ronald Acuña but we have the next best thing, his younger brother Luisangel Acuña who is pretty good himself.
Leody Taveras proved that he can be the Centerfielder that we know he can be especially with the glove. Offensively, he didn’t look completely lost at the plate and even showed some power. He hit 4 home runs in 119 at bats, he hit 5 home runs last year between Down East and Frisco in 583 at bats, so the power is a positive sign. He also had a 1.1 rWAR.
Sam Huff really came along at the plate in his last week or so of games at the plate and ended up with a 1.136 OPS and a .5 rWAR. We couldn’t have asked for more from Huff considering the highest level he played was High-A. We get to see 2nd years from these guys and hopefully get the see games in person. Fingers crossed. So there is alot to look forward to.
#AskTPTs What do you think the minor leagues will look like next year?
— Adam Gordon (@AdamGordon1977) October 3, 2020
For the teams that survive Covid-19 and contraction, I wouldn’t expect the fan experience to change much, if at all. Minor-League baseball has been really good with fan experience, literally having a promotion every night. Plus the ticket prices, parking and food are cheaper than going to an MLB game. I personally like minor league games more than MLB games. Obviously, I feel for the 40 or so fanbases for that won’t survive contraction. There will be less Minor-League players, less jobs in those communities as well. I’m not so sure that I’m on board with the idea of ‘One Baseball’.
#AskTPTs if we are truly going with a youth movement can you please stop giving Odor a chance all he has proven is don’t get in a fist fight with him
— Craig Stites (@CoachStites) October 2, 2020
We saw Odor lose some playing time this year. I would expect the same to happen in 2021 if he isn’t producing. If Odor isn’t traded, truth is; he will get playing time. I think Odor will be traded this winter and if not he will definitely spend time watching one of Solak, Tejeda or Foscue take his place.
