Three Texas Rangers prospects to play for the Melbourne Aces
As the dust settles on the Texas Rangers winning their first-ever World Series, the baseball action is far from over, with the spotlight now shifting to the sun-soaked fields of Australia. Three promising Texas prospects are set to showcase their talents with the prestigious Melbourne Aces in the upcoming Australian Baseball League season. Mark your calendars for November 17th when the Aces step onto the diamond to commence the 2023/24 season, facing off against the formidable Perth Heat.
The three Texas Rangers prospects playing for the Aces are Zion Bannister, Tucker Mitchell and Michael Brewer.
Zion Bannister
Bannister, 22, is set to join the Melbourne Aces lineup where he will provide the threat of a stolen base anytime he reaches base.
The Rangers signed Bannister in 2019 out of the Bahamas. He is best known for his speed.
In 135 professional games, Bannister has a .216 batting average with four homers and 45 RBI. This season (2023) he set a career-high with 19 stolen bases – all while he was with Low-A Down East.
With Down East, he played in 49 games where he hit a line of .200/.301/.294/.595 with 2 home runs and 15 RBI.
He played four games with Double-A Frisco hitting .125/.222/.250/.472 with 3 RBI. He was also promoted to Triple-A Round Rock, where he played in one game and went 1-for-4 with 3 RBI. He’s now played at every level within the Rangers farm system.
With his arrival, the Aces hope to elevate their game and make a strong impact in the league.
Tucker Mitchell
Tucker Mitchell, 22, was drafted by the Rangers in the 14th round of the 2021 draft from State College of Florida.
Between Low-A Down East (24G) and High-A Hickory (50G) he slashed a line of .282/.387/.454/.841 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI.
Michael Brewer
Brewer, 23, was selected by the Rangers in the 32nd round of the 2019 draft from Hillsboro (Missouri) High School.
Since the 2020 season was lost to COVID-19, he’s got three seasons of professional baseball under his belt. For his career, he has 10-9 win-loss record with a 4.05 earned run average through 94 appearances, 124.1 total innings.
In 2023, Brewer pitched with both Double-A Frisco and High-A Hickory. He played nine games with Hickory and finished with a 1-1 win-loss record with a 2.61 ERA in 10.1 innings before being promoted to Double-A Frisco.
While with Frisco, Brewer pitched out of the pen in 35 games, pitching 42.1 innings, walking 29 and striking out 38.
The season ahead promises thrilling moments, intense competition, and the opportunity for the Aces to make their mark in the Australian Baseball League.
As the Aces season gets underway, we’ll keep you posted on Zion Bannister, Tucker Mitchell, and Michael Brewer as they contribute to the team’s success.
