Rangers' Promising Pitching Prospects Face Early Season Setback

The Texas Rangers' farm system received some unwelcome news yesterday as their recently released break camp rosters revealed the absence of two highly-touted pitching prospects: right-handers Izack Tiger and Jose Corniell. Both Tiger and Corniell are ranked among the Rangers' Top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline.

This caused plenty of concern among Rangers fans on X wondering why they weren't listed. Now we have our answer.

According to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, they were diagnosed with right elbow inflammation. He mentioned the Rangers official indicated that surgery is not needed but the pitchers face a 4-6 week recovery timeline, placing them on the shelf until June.

Corniell, just 20 years old, arrived in Texas as part of the trade that sent Rafael Montero to the Seattle Mariners. Last season, the young fireballer impressed across Low-A Down East and High-A Hickory, boasting an 8-3 record with a stellar 2.92 ERA and a WHIP of 0.99, while striking out 119 batters.

Tiger, a 23-year-old selected in the seventh round of the 2023 draft, turned heads with his performance during his inning in the Spring Breakout game. This setback delays his anticipated start to the minor league season.

Right-hander Alejandro Rosario, will also miss approximately a week due to a shoulder impingement. The Rangers selected him in the fifth-round of the 2023 draft from the University of Miami.

These early injuries are a tough blow, and as a Rangers fan, I can't help but feel a familiar twinge of concern. Elbow inflammation always scares me a little, but the silver lining is that surgery isn't required. Stay tuned to The Prospect Times for updates on their progress.