The Texas Rangers announced their 2026 minor league award winners today, recognizing standout performers from across the farm system over the season.
The award winners:
- Tom Grieve Player of the Year – INF Rafe Perich
- Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year – LHP Dalton Pence
- Reliever of the Year – LHP Louis Marinaro
- Defender of the Year – INF Yolfran Castillo
- True Ranger Award – RHP Evan Siary
Here's a closer look at each winner and the seasons that earned them the honor.
Player of the Year: Rafe Perich
Heading into the year, I had a feeling this award was going to come down to Rafe Perich and OF Dylan Dreiling, and while Dreiling absolutely deserves a mention for the season he had, Perich's breakout was too loud to ignore.
Perich, our No. 13 ranked prospect on our updated Top 30, led the entire Texas Rangers farm system with 27 home runs this season. He started the year with High-A Hub City, where in 38 games he slashed .303/.394/.606/1.000 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, 20 walks, and 34 strikeouts. He earned a promotion to Double-A Frisco and didn't slow down one bit, hitting .321/.405/.576/.981 with 16 home runs, 58 RBI, 39 walks, and 70 strikeouts in 78 games. Hitting over .300 at both stops is impressive on its own, let alone doing so while setting a career high in home runs.
Combined on the season, Perich slashed .315/.401/.586/.987 with 27 home runs, 92 RBI, 59 walks, and 104 strikeouts.
I don't expect to see Perich open next season back at Double-A Frisco.
Pitcher of the Year: Dalton Pence
I wasn't surprised at all by this one. Dalton Pence has had an incredible season, seeing three levels and putting up good numbers at all three.
Pence started the year at High-A Hub City and earned promotions throughout the season, first to Double-A Frisco and then to Triple-A Round Rock. Across all three levels, Pence went a combined 6-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 114.1 innings, a career high for him. He struck out 117 batters against 45 walks, while allowing 11 home runs on the season.
Since arriving at Triple-A, Pence has continued to perform, carrying a 1.82 ERA in 34.2 innings with 17 walks and 26 strikeouts.
Reliever of the Year: Louis Marinaro
Louis Marinaro, 22, had a solid season out of the bullpen for the Hickory Crawdads. He finished the year with a 7-2 record and a 3.08 ERA across 52.2 innings, striking out 70 batters against 22 walks with a 1.196 WHIP. Marinaro appeared in 36 games and picked up 8 saves.
Marinaro signed with the Rangers as a free agent to a minor league contract on July 22, 2025.
Defender of the Year: Yolfran Castillo
Yolfran Castillo, our No. 11 ranked prospect on the updated Top 30, had a breakout season in his own right, and in my opinion that ranking is probably too low. He set new career highs across the board, hitting .288/.390/.416/.806 in 120 games with 8 home runs, 58 RBI, 55 stolen bases, 70 walks, and 74 strikeouts. That total includes one game played at Hub City, a result of the visiting clubhouse fire at LP Frans.
Defensively, Castillo was excellent, posting a .973 fielding percentage across 416 chances with 231 assists.
True Ranger Award: Evan Siary
The True Ranger Award, established in 2019, doesn't go to the best statistical season in the system. It honors a player who represents the core values of the organization in a positive light both on and off the field.
That said, Evan Siary backed up the honor with a fantastic season on the mound. The Rangers' 2025 8th-round pick spent the entire 2026 season with Hickory, making 22 starts and going 7-3 with a 3.30 ERA in 109.0 innings. He issued just 24 walks while striking out 98, good for a 1.101 WHIP. Siary set career highs in innings pitched, strikeouts, and wins, while posting career bests in both ERA and WHIP.
Congratulations to all five of this year's award winners.
The Texas Rangers' final home stand of the season starts tomorrow. Use code PROSPECTTIMES at rangers.com/singlegame for a discount on tickets.
Thank you for reading and for your support. It's appreciated.
