Rangers protect four from 2023 Rule-5 draft

The Texas Rangers announced yesterday they selected the contracts of RHP Marc Church, RHP Jose Corniell, INF Justin Foscue and LHP Antoine Kelly to protect them from the Rule-5 draft in December.

Most of the players were selected from Round Rock with the exception of Jose Corniell who was selected from High-A Hickory.

All teams had until 6 PM ET November 14, 2023 to add players to their 40-man to protect them from the Rule-5 draft on Wednesday December 6, 2023.

The most notable of the four prospects selected is Justin Foscue.

Marc Church RHP

Marc Church saw time in Frisco and Round Rock this season. For Double-A Frisco, he pitched 18 innings, walking 10 and striking out 31. He had a 2-3 win-loss record with a 4.00 earned run average.

With Triple-A Round Rock, he finished with a 7-1 win-loss record with a 3.48 earned run average. In 44 innings, he walked 28 and struckout 48.

Jose Corniell RHP

Corniell, 20, had a superb season between Low-A Down East and High-A Hickory. Combined, he finished with a 8-3 win-loss record and a 2.92 earned run average in 101.2 innings.

He walked 31, struck out 119 and had a 0.993 WHIP.

Justin Foscue INF

The Rangers selected Foscue with their 1st round pick (14th overall) in the 2020 Draft. The Mississippi State product spent the entire season with the Round Rock Express, the Rangers Triple-A affiliate.

This season, stationed at the Round Rock Express, the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate, Foscue exhibited his prowess in 122 games, marking a career-high. He showcased an impressive slash line of .266/.394/.468/.862, tallying 18 HR and 84 RBI while flaunting versatility across various infield positions except shortstop.

Antoine Kelly LHP

Antoine Kelly, set to turn 24 in December, seemed to have honed his command this season. Transitioning to the bullpen, he showcased significant improvement. Over 50.2 innings in Frisco, Kelly wrapped up with a 3-1 win-loss record and an impressive 1.95 earned run average, registering 69 strikeouts against 22 walks.

Impressively, in his last 29.2 innings in Frisco, he issued only 5 walks. His promotion to Round Rock saw him allowing merely one walk in 6.2 innings.

The notable omissions

Among the players not included in the Rangers’ 40-man roster, notable absences resonate with Rangers fans, like Blaine Crim, Davis Wendzel and Dane Acker.

Congratulations to Marc Church, Jose Corniell, Justin Foscue, and Antoine Kelly on their well-deserved additions to the Rangers’ 40-man roster!