Derek Lien
Die-hard Rangers fan from the Upper Midwest. Growing up in an area with no professional sports teams, you have to look elsewhere for your fandom...lucky for me I found the Rangers!
2025 International Signing Recap
The International Signing Period began today and the Rangers took the next steps in rebuilding their prospect pool with some of the top international amateur players available. After missing out on the Roki Sasaki sweeptakes, the Rangers pivoted their focus to several key players who they hope will continue to build the plethora of young talent within the minor league system. One of the exciting elements of the international signing period is the age of the players that will be signed today. Wh
Free Agency Refresh Vol. 3
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! I hope this time of year brings the rest and relaxation we all desire as the year is coming to an end. If you're like me, the Holidays (while special) bring another element of travel and chaos that can lead to unforeseen headaches and frustrations. Even so, this time of the year is always special and sometimes we take it for granted how blessed we all truly are! For Rangers' fans like myself, this holiday season has been extra special with CY and cQuick Reaction: 2024 Rule 5 Draft Results
Perhaps we've had enough excitement over the past 24 hours, but the Rule 5 draft has come and gone with no major storylines attached to it. The Rangers were one of only two teams not to make a selection in this year's draft, along with the Baltimore Orioles. On the opposite side, the Phillies were the most active team in the draft, selecting seven players in total to add to their prospect pool. Some of those are likely to be trade pieces for the Phillies in the coming days as they look to capita
Free Agency Refresh Vol. 2
*Editors Note 12/3/2024 - I had this article ready to go prior to the signing of Kyle Higashioka. Kyle Higashioka signed a two-year deal (with mutual third-year option), $13.5M deal with the Rangers on December 2nd. Higashioka is coming off a career year with the Padres where he played a pivotal role for the team during their playoff run. With the expectations of Higashioka splitting time with Heim evenly, the Rangers have a powerful tandem behind the plate, with pop from both sides as well as t
Free Agency Refresh Vol. 1
Welcome to Free Agency Refresh! With the offseason in full swing, I'm going to spend each week recapping all the biggest free agency news along with potential targets for the Rangers. While we all have our offseason wish list, one thing has been made clear thus far from the Rangers; they do not want to pay into the luxury tax again in 2025. Does this mean the Rangers won't be active in the free agent market? Not at all! In 2024, the Rangers had a total payroll of just over $225M. Entering 2025,
Is It Time to Move On From These Rangers?
The World Series begins tonight, which means we are that much closer to the beginning of Free Agency in the MLB. For the Rangers, a lot of questions need answers this offseason, including what the payroll number Ray Davis and company are comfortable spending in 2025. Early discussions lead everyone to believe the Rangers will not be heavy spenders again this offseason as they look to stay under the Luxury Tax threshold this upcoming season. Don't confuse that with the idea that the Rangers fron
Rangers 2024 Season Review
Just over seven months ago, the Rangers were nearing the end of Spring Training and looking ahead towards a 2024 season in which they had one ultimate goal: Repeat as Champions. At that time (March 20th to be specific) I submitted my predictions for the 2024 season, which you can review for your own curiosity. https://theprospecttimes.com/pre-season-predictions/ I'll admit my confidence in the team was at an all-time high, but why wouldn't it be? The Rangers came into 2024 with essentially the
Could History Repeat Itself?
It's become pretty clear that many within Rangers Nation have put the final touches on the 2024 season, and are setting their sights on what 2025 and beyond can bring. Recent moves and messaging from the Front Office seem to suggest much of the same coming from within the Rangers organization. All of that is fair and justified, but don't tell that to the men on the field. The Texas Rangers are playing their best baseball of the season lately, and it's not even close for comparison. Look no furt
Guess Who's Back?
Guess who's back? Back again? If your answer is Slim Shady, you're not wrong, but also not quite who I'm referring to. The Texas Rangers are back, and firmly in the hunt for the AL West division title. Since the All-Star break, the Rangers are 4-2 and in the midst of a 4-game winning streak. Sure, three of those wins have come against the League's worst team (Chicago White Sox), but they are wins nonetheless. Ask any player in the League and they'll tell you that winning is hard at the professio
Texas Rangers Trade Deadline Preview
June is here, and the Rangers are managing to stay afloat in the AL West race (though they certainly aren't treading water with ease). Currently, the Rangers sit 9.0 games behind the Mariners for the division lead, and trail the Twins by 7.0 games for the final Wild Card spot. There are 90 games remaining on the schedule which is more than enough time to put scoreboard watching on the back-burner. However, it's no surprise that Rangers fans have been beyond disappointed with the teams performan