As the minor-league season approaches, it’s time to take a look at the Texas Rangers top 20 prospects for 2023.
Here are our previous top prospect lists check here: 2022, 2021.
A couple of things before we get started: 1) We did not include Josh Jung in our list as he is expected to be the Rangers starting third baseman out of camp. 2) Keep in mind, we do this for fun and it is ok for you to disagree with our list.
*Jeff Hewitt contributed to this post.*
our list of the Texas Rangers top 20 prospects
20. Alejandro Osuna / OF
Age: 20 | Height: 6’0 | Weight: 185 | Bats: L | Throws: L | Rangers signed in Oct 2020
The Texas Rangers signed Osuna in October 2020 for $125,000 out of Mexico.
Not only does Osuna have talent on the field, but he also has baseball in his blood – he is the younger brother of closer Roberto Osuna and the nephew of former major-leaguer Antonio Osuna.
Osuna made a strong impression in 76 games with the Low-A, Down East Wood Ducks, slashing a line of .308/.394/.451/.845 with 8 home runs and 44 RBI. He walked 36 times and struckout 51 times.
His stint with High-A Hickory was also solid, as he hit for a .282 average, albeit with one home run in 21 games. His speed was also on display, as he managed to swipe 34 bases across both teams.
MLB.COM – # 25
19. Emiliano Teodo / RHP
Age: 22 | Height: 6’1 | Weight: 165 | Signed in 2020
Teodo sure is making a name for himself! After a great debut season, the 22 year-old from the Dominican Republic is back at it again with another impressive season in 2022 at Single-A Down East.
He pitched to a tune of a 3-6 win-loss record with a 3.09 earned run average. Batters basically didn’t stand much of a chance at the plate as he struckout 115 in 84.1 innings. The walks will need to come down but he’s got an electric fastball that has topped out at 101.
For his career, he owns an average of 12.3 strikeouts per 9 innings. Don’t be surprised if you see him get a late-season promotion to Double-A.
18. Sebastian WOlcott / SS
Age: 17 | Height: 6’4 | Weight: 190 | Bats: R | Throws: R | Signed with the Rangers in Jan 2023
Sebastian Wolcott has some pop with a potential for 20+ home runs as he fills out.
He’s also got some speed and a solid arm, so the Rangers may have gotten a steal in Sebastion Wolcott. Signed for a $3.2MM bonus, we’re intrigued to see what he can do once he develops and grows into his body a little more.
MLB.COM # 15
17. Thomas Sagesse / INF
Age: 21 in April | Height: 5’11 | Weight: 175 | Bats: R | Throws: R | Drafted: 5th RD 2020
Thomas Saggese is a shining light in the Texas Rangers organization that doesn’t seem to get enough attention. In High-A Hickory he slashed a line of .308/.359/.487/.846 with 14 home runs and 61 RBI.
I got to see him play in a couple of games on Frisco and was highly impressed. With his ability to play multiple positions, he could easily fill a utility role.
He helped Frisco bring home their first Texas League Championship since 2004. He slashed .381/.409/.857/1.266 with 1 home run and 9 RBI prior to the playoffs.
All that’s left to do is wait and see how he progresses.
MLB.COM # 16
16. Zak Kent / RHP
Age: 25 | Height: 6’3 | Weight: 208 | Drafted: 9th RD 2019
Kent’s overall numbers last season in Frisco might not blow you away but he was solid over his last 8 starts. Over those starts, he pitched 37.1 innings with a 2.89 earned run average and issued only 8 walks while striking out 42 batters.
He was even more impressive down the stretch after he was promoted to Triple-A. Over 5 starts he held teams to a 1.67 earned run average.
Texas added him to their 40-man roster for protection from the Rule-5 Draft. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Kent in Arlington in 2023.
MLB.COM # 22
15. Yeison Morrobel / OF
Age: 19 | Height: 6’2 | Weight: 170 | Bats: L | Throws: L | Signed in Jan 2021
The Rangers just might have hit a jackpot when they signed Morrobel for $1.8MM in the 2021 out of the Dominican Republic.
In his first taste of baseball stateside, he hit .329/.405/.487/.891 with three home runs and 21 RBI with the Arizona Complex League Rangers. He was bumped up to Down East in September and hit .231/.310/.269/.580 with 2 RBI in 8 games.
MLB.COM # 13
14. Jonathan Orneslas / INF
Age: 22 | Height: 6’0 | Weight: 196 | Bats: R | Throws: R | Drafted: 3rd RD 2018
The 2022 season was an impressive one for RougRiders’ Ornelas. He led the Texas League in hits, with an impressive 157, tying the RoughRiders franchise record. His line of .299/.360/.425/.785, 14 home runs, and 64 RBI prove that he is more than capable at the plate. Defensively, he is no slouch either, showing off his glove-work. It’s likely that Ornelas will start in Triple-A, but he wouldn’t be a surprise call-up if there is an injury at the Major-League level.
MLB.COM # 18
13. Mitch Bratt / LHP
Age: 19 | Height: 6’1 | Weight: 190 | Drafted: 5th Rd 2021
Mitch Bratt gambled on himself in 2021 by moving to Statesboro, GA during the pandemic due to restrictions that would have made it really difficult for him to be scouted. That paid off as the Rangers drafted him in the 5th round and signed him for $850,000. Bratt had an excellent 2022 season with the Low-A Down East Wood Ducks. He pitched 80.2 innings, finishing with a 5-5 win-loss record with a 2,45 earned run average.
MLB.COM # 17
12. Cole Winn / RHP
Cole Winn, photo credit: Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos
Age: 23 | Height: 6’2 | Weight: 190 | Drafted: 1st RD 2018
Winn had a year to forget in AAA with a 6.51 ERA/21.5% K/15.2% BB In 121.2 IP. Winn had a 2.20 ERA through 4 starts before leaving after being hit by a line drive on Apr 26. Mechanics changed and everything went downhill after. We still have faith in Winn and believe he will turn things around and have a great 2023.
MLB.COM # 14
11. Anthony Gutierrez / OF
Age: 18 | Height: 6’3 | Weight: 180 | Bats: R | Throws: R |
In 23 games with the Dominican Summer League Rangers Red, Gutierrez, slashed a line of .352/.408/.539/.946 with 3 home runs and 16 RBI.
In his first taste of baseball stateside with the Arizona Complex League Rangers, he slashed a line of .259/.299/.407/.706 with 1 home run and 8 RBI.
MLB.COM # 11
10. TK Roby / RHP
Age: 21 | Height: 6’1 | Weight: 185 | Drafted: 3rd RD 2020
Tekoah Roby spent the entire 2022 season in High-A Hickory. He had a 3-11 win-loss record and a 4.64 earned run average. The right-hander finished the season with a season-high 12 strikeouts in his final start, while racking up 126 total strikeouts over 104.2 innings and issuing just 35 walks.
MLB.COM # 12
9. Dustin Harris / OF
Age: 23 | Height: 6’2 | Weight: 185 | Bats: L | Throws: R | Drafted: 11th RD 2019 by the A’s
Dustin Harris put together a nice season with Double-A Frisco, slashing a line of .257/.346/.471/.817 with 17 home runs and 66 RBI. Had it not been for missing over a month of play due to injury, Harris likely would have bested the 20-homer mark, thanks to his hard contact at the plate. On top of that, Harris demonstrated speed on the bases, swiping 19 bags over the course of the season.
MLB.COM # 8
8. Kumar Rocker / RHP
Age: 23 | Height: 6’5 | Weight: 245 | Drafted: 1st RD 2022
The Rangers’ selection of Rocker in the 2022 MLB Draft surprised many, yet the team managed to sign him to a deal that was below slot, allowing them to also sign Porter, who was the steal of the draft. Prior to the draft, Rocker pitched for the Tri-City Valley Cats, putting up impressive numbers with only 4 walks compared to striking out 32 batters in 20 innings. Rocker then made his way to the Arizona Fall League, where he pitched an additional 14 innings, finishing with a 4.50 earned run average, 12 walks and 18 strikeouts while showing off his upper 90’s velocity.
MLB.COM # 10
7. Justin Foscue / INF
Age: 24 | Height: 6’0 | Weight: 205 | Bats: R | Throws: R | Drafted: 1st RD 2020
Justin Foscue was selected 14th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft and had a successful season in 2022 with Double-A Frisco. The second baseman put up an impressive slash line of .288/.367/.483 with 15 home runs, 81 RBI, and also had a dependable glove with a .978 fielding percentage.
Foscue’s power comes in streaks. He hit 6 home runs from April-July. Something clicked in the last two months of the season as his other 9 came in August & September. He hit a home run in 3 straight games in August.
MLB.COM # 7
6. Aaron Zavala / OF
Age: 22 | Height: 6’0 | Weight: 193 | Bats: L | Throws: R | Drafted: 2nd RD 2021
Unfortunately, Aaron Zavala was dealt a setback this off-season when he suffered a UCL injury during which has delayed him but he should be good to go by June and possibly sooner.
The former second-round pick out of Oregon started 2022 in High-A Hickory, where he slashed .278/.424/.441/.865 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 81 games. Those numbers earned him a promotion to Double-A Frisco, where he slashed .284/.406/.495 with 5 home runs, 20 RBI and 4 steals. His impressive numbers and eye at the plate surely give him a bright outlook for the future.
Ranger fans may see Zavala in Arlington by September.
MLB.COM # 9
5. Brock Porter / RHP
Age: 19 | Height: 6’4 | Weight: 208 | Drafted: 4th RD 2022
Brock Porter is just out of high school and touches triple digits. That’s impressive but what’s really impressive is that he threw 3 no-hitters.
Check out these numbers from his 2022 season: 9-0 win-loss record with a 0.256 ERA and 0.580 WHIP in 10 starts. Batters stood no chance when they stepped into the box to square off against Porter. He struck out 115 in 58.2 innings.
MLB.COM # 6
4. Luisangel Acuña / inf
Age: 21 | Height: 5’10 | Weight: 185 | Bats: R | Throws: R | Signed July 2018
Luisangel Acuña has been making a name for himself with some of his eye-opening glove work in the field. His stats at High-A Hickory were quite impressive, slashing .317/.417/.483/.900 with 8 home runs and 29 RBI. When he was promoted to Double-A Frisco, his numbers dipped, hitting .224/.302/.349/.651 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI.
He has flashed his speed on the basepaths, managing to successfully steal 84 bases in 104 attempts over the last two years.
MLB.COM # 4
3. Jack Leiter / RHP
Age: 22 | Height: 6’1 | Weight: 205 | Drafted: 1st RD 2021
The Rangers challenged Leiter with an aggressive assignment to Double-A last season for his first taste of professional baseball. Despite the ugly ERA (5.54) and number of walks issued (56), Leiter still managed to strike out 109 batters last season, and provided flashes of brilliance that show he is a force on the mound.
MLB.COM # 5
2. Owen White / RHP
Age: 23 | Height: 6’3 | Weight: 199 | Drafted: 2nd RD 2018
When it comes to pitching prospects in the Texas Rangers system, Owen White is undoubtedly the cream of the crop. Unfortunately, White has had to battle through a number of injuries since his return to the mound in 2021 after his Tommy John surgery. But despite all of that, the numbers don’t lie – across Hickory and Frisco last season, White pitched 80.1 innings, finishing with an impressive 9-2 win record, 3.59 earned run average, and a striking 104 compared to 23 walks.
MLB.COM # 3
1. Evan Carter / OF
Age: 20 | Height: 6’4 | Weight: 190 | Bats: L | Throws: R | Drafted: 2nd RD 2020
When the Rangers took a chance on Carter in the 2nd round of the 2020 draft, many thought they were crazy. Now it looks like they have a potential star on their hands. Carter did not disappoint in his first full season in the minors, slashing .287/.388/.476/.864 with 11 home runs and 66 RBI for Hickory. His success earned him a promotion to Double-A Frisco, where he hit .429/.536/.714/1.250 with 1 home run and 7 RBI in 6 games. The Rangers’ gamble certainly looks like it will pay off.
MLB.COM # 2
The Texas Rangers have an impressive collection of prospects that spans well beyond this short list of 20 top prospects. Their system truly is stacked. Over the last few years, it is clear that the Rangers have put a lot of thought into their player development plan and the future is looking bright for Texas.
