Introduction
With the Rangers Arizona Complex League (ACL) squad’s season coming to a close on July 27th, fans have gotten their first glimpse of the next wave of young prospects within the organization. The Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League operate as the lowest tier of organized minor league baseball in the United States, running from May through July, and are a melting pot where newly acquired draft picks blend with international talent getting their first taste of professional baseball stateside. For both high school and international prospects, the leagues can represent a major jump in opponent quality that presents the first true test on their MLB journey. For the Rangers, several prospects stood out as ones to keep an eye on as potential breakout stars in 2025.
Yeremi Cabrera – OF
Yeremi Cabrera signed with the Rangers for $10,000 as a part of their 2022 International Amateur Free Agent Class. Despite struggling in his debut season in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) as a 16-yr old, he returned to the same level in 2023 and showed an unexpected burst of power. Cabrera would launch 5 HR while slashing 0.359/0.445/0.559 across 46 games, earning him a Mid-Season DSL All-Star nod.
He would carry over this momentum stateside in 2024, crushing 3 HR in his first two ACL games as he showed off improved bat speed and hand quickness. Cabrera was also more effective on the basepaths, stealing 17 bases on 21 attempts. He would finish the ACL campaign with an impressive 9 HR powering his way to a 1.009 OPS at the tier, earning a late season promotion to the Low-A Down East Wood Ducks. Despite notable improvements, his lower body mechanics are still inconsistent, generally falling into two swing variants:
Primarily, Cabrera employs a short front leg kick, followed by a toe-tap which is then dragged across the dirt to his pivot point, where the rest of the foot comes down and allows him to rotate his lower body ahead of his upper half. This appears to enable him to better pull inside pitches while still generating considerable bat speed and power.
Cabrera alternatively utilizes a more traditional leg kick that touches down at the final pivot point and eliminates the touch and drag. In this motion, the upper body appears to rotate at a similar timing with the lower half, creating the appearance of a smoother and more complete swing that enables him to spray baseballs more towards center field.
Cabrera’s mixed approach had resulted in a staggering 27 degree average launch angle as of mid-July according to Fangraphs, a figure that would place him at the upper extreme of current MLB hitters. While this combined with his improved bat speed has produced impressive power numbers, the toe-tap swing limits his ability to cover the outside extremities of the plate; as the early toe-drag is somewhat physically committal, similar to a First Baseman taking an early step that limits his glove range ahead of an incoming throw. As such, a full-time switch to the more open and fluid traditional stance he employs on occasion may lead to better plate coverage and a decreased chance of strikeouts becoming a primary factor in his profile at the risk of losing some of the loft that has propelled his success to this point.
Cabrera represents yet another piece of shrewd business in the international amateur free agent market by the Rangers and will have ample opportunity to refine his mechanics and rocket up organization rankings this off-season. He is also still rather raw physically, leading to further projectable power even if mechanical refinements bring his launch angles back down to earth in search of consistency.
Pablo Guerrero – 1B/DH
Pablo Guerrero stole headlines as one of the key acquisitions of the Rangers’ 2023 International Amateur Free Agent Class after signing for $100,000, thanks in part to the baseball escapades of his father and older brother. However, over the past two seasons Guerrero has quietly begun to craft his own identity in the lower tiers of the Rangers farm system. He played the entirety of his debut season in the DSL at 16-yrs old, putting up a respectable 100 wRC+ while batting 0.224 with 4 HR in 36 games, earning the chance to come play stateside in 2024.
The 2024 season has seen Guerrero truly come into his own, as he slashed an impressive 0.301/0.367/0.522 in the ACL. He has quickly filled out his 6’ 2” frame over the past two seasons, which has begun to translate to in-game power with Guerrero hitting 8 HR this year across both the ACL and Low-A. Guerrero employs a similar swing as his father and older brother, with a small leg kick and wicked upper body rotation that allows him to punish anything on the inside of the zone. Defensively, Guerrero has increasingly gotten action at 1B, where he likely projects long-term.
The MLB outlook for Guerrero will depend heavily on how far his bat can take him, as he does not play a premium defensive position. The Rangers appear to trust the approach, giving Guerrero a late call-up to Low-A Down East to end the season, where he has already hit 1 HR and 3 2B in only 6 games. There are some long-term strikeout concerns in his profile, which were evident this season as Guerrero struck out on 30% of his at-bats, but some of this can be attributed to his age and aggressive assignments. Regardless, Guerrero will enter 2025 with the chance to solidify himself as one of the most exciting young bats in the Rangers farm system and emerge as a legitimate power-hitting first baseman prospect.
Braylin Morel – OF
After signing with the Rangers for $97,500, Braylin Morel became a standout during the 2023 Dominican Summer League, earning both DSL All-Star and DSL Best MLB Prospect nods. The 2024 campaign has been one of gradual growth for Morel, as he has posted continually improved offensive numbers each successive month:
March (15G): 0.254/0.328/0.492; 2 HR
June (19G): 0.313/0.420/0.463; 1 HR
July (7G): 0.407/0.529/1.037; 4 HR
Morel stays rather vertical during his swing, utilizing a small leg kick before relying upon explosive upper body rotation to provide significant lift to the baseballs he connects with. He is aggressive at the plate, with an above-average 21.1% Swinging Strike Rate, but doesn’t strike out excessively. While effective, his current aggressive approach is very raw and the Rangers appeared to signal as much when they opted to not include Morel in their late season promotions to Low-A Down East, allowing him to continue refining his mechanics before an anticipated debut in affiliated ball next season. Defensively, Morel has already made the anticipated shift to right field, where his strong arm should thrive without worries of him losing a step as he continues to add muscle to his already impressive 6’ 2” frame.
Scouts are split on Morel’s long-term offensive projections, with the main contention surrounding how his hit tool will fare against advanced pitching. Morel tends to do most of his damage on inside pitches, creating concerns about his ability to adjust once he reaches a level where opposing pitchers have the ability to hone in on the outside part of the plate consistently. Yet, Morel demonstrated an ability to make adjustments and grow throughout a season this year, which will prove invaluable as he faces more advanced pitching. Should Morel find success in Low-A in 2025, he possesses the ceiling to be the prototypical power-over-contact right fielder prospect that scouts and organizations dream for.
Image: Phrake Photography
