Texas Rangers Prospect Alejandro Rosario to Miss Entire 2026 Season

Texas Rangers pitching prospect Alejandro Rosario, the club's fifth-round selection in the 2023 draft, will miss the entire 2026 season as he recovers from an elbow injury, extending his time away from the mound to two full seasons, according to a new report from David Laurila of Fangraphs. The news pushes back the expected recovery period for the right-hander, who is currently ranked as the Rangers' No. 6 prospect.

Rangers President of Baseball Operations Chris Young confirmed the extended timeline in a conversation with Laurila, which was detailed in the Fangraphs article. "Alejandro had an elbow injury and is going to miss all of next year as he recovers," Young said to reporters, including Laurila. "We’re hoping to have him back in 2027, hopefully by spring training of 2027."

Young declined to specify the if Rosario has had Tommy John surgery, though he noted Rosario has "a common elbow injury." The Rangers have historically withheld details regarding elbow injuries for their pitching prospects.

Rosario's Injury Timeline

The updated recovery timeline follows a period of rapid ascent and sudden injury for the prospect:

— 2024 Season: Rosario was dominant in his first full professional season across the Low-A and High-A levels. He went a combined 4-5 with a 2.24 ERA over 88.1 innings. He recorded 129 strikeouts and issued only 13 walks.

— Late 2024: He was promoted to the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders but did not throw a pitch in a game. The absence was reported at the time as fatigue from travel, with reports indicating no arm issues.

— Feb. 23, 2025: It was reported that Rosario would undergo elbow surgery following an acute injury he felt after a bullpen session in camp. The timeline and exact surgery date were not clear at the time.

— 2025 Season: Rosario missed the entire season while recovering from the injury, sidelining a highly anticipated professional year. As of a few months ago I heard that he had not yet had surgery but was not able to confirm.

— Nov. 2025 (New Update): Rangers President of Baseball Operations Chris Young confirmed to Fangraphs the recovery timeline is extended, and Rosario will miss the entire 2026 season.

— Projected Return: Young stated the team hopes to have Rosario back in 2027, "hopefully by spring training of 2027." The extended absence is a brutal blow for Rosario, as he was on track to make an MLB debut in 2026 or early 2027 at the pace he was moving before the injury. His time away from the mound is likely to cause the highly-touted prospect to drop in organizational rankings.