Sep 19, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; A general view of the Texas Rangers logo during a rain delay in the eighth inning between the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The Texas Rangers had the best record in the American League in 2016. Could they find more help in the farm for 2017?
An Introduction
Our minor league top 10 series is coordinated by Benjamin Chase, one of our contributors at Call To The Pen.
He has poured over thousands of minor league games over the course of the year via milb.tv along with speaking with a number of team and independent scouts. These lists are based out of those conversations.
Each system will have prospects from 10 to 1, and then finish with one newcomer to the system that is worth keeping an eye on that is not in the top 10 at this time.
Conversations are certainly encouraged in the comments section on each system as we go along!
Rangers System Review
The Texas Rangers have built up a reputation as a team that has a wealth of Latin talent that consistently supports their major league team, and much of that talent was the result of the stellar work of former assistant GM A.J. Preller, who is now with San Diego as their GM.
The Rangers have continued to make waves in their amateur talent acquisition, though their 2016 draft and international picks have certainly left many in the industry scratching their heads.
In spite of all of that, the Rangers did have the best record in the American League in 2016, and they didn’t even have some of their best players all season due to injuries and unfortunate situations like the Prince Fielder forced retirement.
The Rangers did see some production (finally) from Jurickson Profar, who had been a highly regarded prospect for many years, but he battled through injuries, a new level of production from Rougned Odor, doubling his previous home run total, and Nomar Mazara come up as a rookie as an impact outfield bat.
The Rangers have signed a number of players this offseason to fill their holes, and that’s part in parcel due to using the pieces in their system that were close to the majors like Jake Thompson, Lewis Brinson, and others to acquire pieces to make their playoff runs recently.
Right now their biggest pieces are lower in the minors, but there’s some high upside talent there.
Let’s take a look at the top 10!
10. Yanio Perez, 3B
Birthdate: 8/10/95 (21 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: noneStats in 2016: none
The Rangers signed Perez from Cuba this past summer for just a shade over $1M after he’d played two seasons in Cuba’s top league as a teenager.
Perez is a guy who has raw skills across the board, but he does receive very high marks for a 5-tool balance of skills that he possesses.
His swing has a bit of awkward path to the zone and from the zone, but through the hitting zone, he has a pure hitting path that should allow for excellent contact now that he has grown into his 6’2 frame.
Perez is a guy who went from a pudgy teen that was filling into his body into a 21 year old that’s sculpted his body and honed his skills, especially defensively. While he bounced around a number of positions in Cuba, he’s shown an excellent ability at the hot corner, including very good instincts and hands at the position.
Perez has been out of baseball for a bit, so he’ll likely be brought back in slowly, but it would not surprise to see him end up in a full season league in 2017.
9. Jairo Beras, OF
Birthdate: 12/25/94 (21 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: high AStats in 2016: .262/.306/.511, 22 HR, 5 SB
The Beras signing saga was one of those things that was a big deal in 2012 when it originally happened, but few remember now how the Rangers and other clubs were up in arms about a different birthday presented by Beras that allowed the Rangers to circumvent the upcoming CBA rules and give him a big $4.5M bonus.
Since signing, he’s really struggled to back up that big bonus until 2016, when he was able to smack 54 extra base hits in the Cal League. Granted, that’s a hitter’s league, but that’s definitely a positive sign.
Beras looks the part of a big bopper at 6’6. Though he’s listed at 195, I’d wager he’s likely more in the 225 range, but with good build to him.
He has your traditional big power, big arm right field profile. He has a plus power bat that he can generate a ton of leverage on in his swing, but also has found issues in controlling the strike zone.
He’s got solid top-end speed, but he takes a bit to get to that speed, which means he likely won’t ever be a big stolen base guy, but he should flash solid speed tracking down balls in the outfield and going from first to third on the bases.
His strike zone recognition is still very raw, which is a hallmark of the Rangers organization at the lower levels, but if he can polish that, he has the raw power to be a big time masher.
The Rangers will likely start Beras in AA in 2017.
8. Brett Martin, LHP
Birthdate: 4/28/95 (21 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: rookie, low A, high AStats in 2016: 69 1/3 IP, 4.41 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 6.77 BB%, 22.58 K%
Martin may not be off to quite the same level of pro start as his college teammate Brent Honeywell since their 2014 drafting in the 2nd and 4th rounds, respectively, but he’s shown plenty in his own right.
Martin has the type of frame you’d want from a front line starter at 6’4 and roughly 200 pounds with a good build.
He’s shown a fastball that can flash plus as it sits in the low 90s and can touch 95-96 with excellent cutting action that he gets very good plane on.
He’s shown a better feel for his change, which offers sink and fade to make it tough to square up. His best off speed is his curve, though, as he spins a power curve that snaps off with a wicked break.
The biggest thing that has slowed Martin down has been some nagging hip issues, but other than that, he’s shown an ability to locate his pitches well. He even showed well in the Arizona Fall League this year.
The Rangers will likely send Martin to AA in 2017 to get him to the upper minors, but he could build up innings with their high-A club instead.
7. Eric Jenkins, OF
Birthdate: 1/30/97 (19 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: low A, high AStats in 2016: .220/.277/.327, 8 HR, 51 SB
Considered one of the fastest players in the 2015 draft, Jenkins was signed for an above-slot bonus as a 2nd round pick out of high school, and he’s shown already that his speed can play.
Jenkins has a broad set of skills beyond just his speed. He uses his speed very well along with excellent instincts to play elite-level defense in center field.
Jenkins has solid ability to barrel balls, and he has surprising strength in his athletic frame, which should allow him to have above-average power as he develops.
Jenkins’ biggest issue will be his plate discipline, which is poor, to say the least, right now. He’ll likely be moved one step at a time for that reason, but if he can get that under wraps, he’s got the type of broad base of skills to be an elite offensive player.
Jenkins will likely move up to high-A for a full season after getting just one game there last season.
6. Cole Ragans, LHP
Birthdate: 12/12/97 (19 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: rookieStats in 2016: 7 2/3 IP, 4.70 ERA, 2.22 WHIP, 15.79 BB%, 23.68 K%
Ragans really climbed up charts last summer as he showed to be in the conversation of the top high school lefties in the 2016 draft, with some projecting him as high as the top 15 before the Rangers selected him 30th overall.
Ragans works with three fringe-plus pitches with each having the chance to tick up as he fills into his 6’4 frame.
Ragans has a fastball that he sits in the low-90s with and can run up to 94, but it plays up a lot more than the pure velocity due to his excellent downward plane on the pitch and the late movement he gets.
His curve has the most upside of any of his pitches with a real chance to be a double-plus pitch with the tremendous depth and spin he gets on top of the ball well.
His change has good arm deception and late movement that mimics the fastball, but he’s not thrown it with a ton of confidence, especially to opposite side hitters.
For a guy with long limbs and just 18 last season, Ragans has impressive repeatability in his mechanics and uses that to generate solid control, though he did exhibit some exhaustion in his control issues in his pro debut.
While his debut wasn’t pretty, it’s likely the Rangers will have Ragans in extended spring to start 2017 with an assignment to one of their short season teams.
5. Ronald Guzman, 1B
Birthdate: 10/20/94 (22 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: AA, AAAStats in 2016: .274/.333/449, 16 HR, 2 SB
Guzman was one of the more sought-after players in the 2011 international market. Though he received a lesser bonus than fellow 2011 signee Nomar Mazara, many thought Guzman to be the better prospect at the time.
Guzman has struggled to turn those raw tools into pro skills, however. A third baseman at signing, he’s been forced across the diamond due to poor footwork and instincts at third along with an average arm.
His best asset at the plate is his contact tool as he has the ability to contact the ball seemingly wherever it’s pitched. This has led to a lack of plate discipline and some high strikeout totals for Guzman as well as low walk rates.
Guzman’s power is certainly there in batting practice, but he hones his swing in as a line-drive swing in games, which produces good doubles power, but has led to less home runs than you’d expect from his big 6’5 frame.
He did begin to tap into some of that home run power in 2016, and team officials began to speak of Guzman as a middle of the order bat that they’ve been waiting on.
He’ll likely open 2017 in AAA, but with Texas’ first base hole currently, he may have an opportunity to move up if there isn’t a definite guy added to fill that spot for the big league club.
4. Ariel Jurado, RHP
Birthdate: 1/30/96 (20 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: high A, AAStats in 2016: 123 IP, 3.66 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 6.65 BB%, 20.74 K%
Much like others in the system, Jurado is a good example of a guy with across the board above-average stuff and what can happen when that stuff all ticks up a notch or two.
Jurado has always shown excellent plus command, even drawing reviews as a plus-plus control guy, and he’s kept that up as he’s added velocity and break to his pitches.
While Jurado doesn’t have a fastball that would grade with plus velocity, the sink and movement he gets on the pitch makes it play as a plus fastball, especially with his exceptional location.
His best off speed pitch is his change, which he really works well off the fastball, especially with location, and he’s shown the ability to throw it to hitters from both sides of the plate.
While his breaking pitch had a tendency to be slurvy in the past, he sharpened up the break of the pitch in 2016 considerably, allowing the pitch to tick up to an above-average pitch as well and be a pitch he could use to miss bats in the future.
Jurado doesn’t have the size or stuff of a traditional ace-type pitcher, but he certainly has the maturity on the mound and the type of stuff that should allow him to have a better-than-average chance to reach the majors with success in the rotation.
Jurado will likely start 2017 in the high minors, whether that’s AA or AAA at just 21 years old.
3. Andy Ibanez, 2B
Birthdate: 4/3/93 (23 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: low A, AAStats in 2016: .285/.355/.449, 13 HR, 15 SB
Ibanez turned plenty of heads as the lone teenager on Cuba’s 2013 World Baseball Classic team, and he looked nothing like the youngest player on the team through his performance.
The Rangers signed Ibanez after defecting in July of 2015, and he made his debut in 2016, starting out directly in full season ball without skipping a beat. The Rangers jumped him over high-A to AA, and though he saw a bit more challenge, he still showed tremendously for a guy in his first pro season.
Ibanez’s best tool is his bat. He has the ability to get the bat to the ball and barrel up nearly any pitch in the strike zone. His strike zone recognition is tremendous and showed well, even with the move up to AA.
While his power and speed are not his fortes, his hitting ability allows the power to play up, and his high baseball IQ will allow him to steal more bases than his raw speed would likely suggest.
Ibanez has been compared favorably to Howie Kendrick, and defensively, he has a similar profile, likely not an elite defender, but capably handling second base and providing plenty of value with his bat.
Ibanez will likely jump to AAA in 2017, and with Odor in front of him in Texas, he may see a position switch to left field in his future, but the bat will push him forward quickly.
2. Yohander Mendez, LHP
Birthdate: 1/17/95 (21 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: high A, AA, AAA, MLBStats in 2016: 111 IP, 2.19 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 9.32 BB%, 25.68 K% (minor league stats only)
Coming into the season, many were very high on Mendez, and he proved those believers right with a tremendous season, jumping forward up three minor league levels to even make two relief appearances in the major leagues.
Mendez is the epitome of what can happen when a “control and command” lefty has his stuff tick up just a touch across the board.
Mendez always had solid average pitches across the board and a long, lean 6’5 frame that helped him to create tremendous plane on his fastball and change up, but as he’s filled into his body, he also added velocity, and his curve ball has really ticked up as well, getting exceptional spin.
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Mendez works in the 90-94 range with his fastball, touching 96-97, but the Rangers have worked with him carefully to build innings due to elbow issues since signing in 2011.
Unlike many long, lean guys, Mendez has always done a tremendous job of maintaining and repeating his delivery, which he’s kept up as he’s filled into his frame, allowing him to pound the zone with an elite arsenal now.
Mendez could challenge for a rotation spot in Texas this season, but it’s most likely based on the Rangers’ offseason acquisitions that he’ll start the year in AAA and be one of the first guys to get the call to the big club.
1. Leody Taveras, OF
Birthdate: 9/8/98 (18 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: rookie, short season AStats in 2016: .271/.324/.366, 1 HR, 18 SB
Taveras was signed as a raw Dominican outfielder in 2015, and in his first pro season in 2016, he made a big splash.
The Rangers started him out in the Dominican Summer League, mainly to get him earlier at bats due to the DSL starting a couple weeks earlier than other short-season leagues. He then blew through that to the Arizona Rookie League, and he showed well enough there to earn a late-season promotion to the Northwest League.
Taveras has a ton of speed that is his primary standout tool. He uses his plus speed to be a plus defender in center field with his fringe-plus arm as well. For a 17 year-old, he showed tremendous instincts in center.
He still showed a need to work on his pitch recognition, and his aggressive approach served him well in getting on base, but he often used his excellent bat speed to go after the first pitch he could handle rather than wait for the best pitch he could drive.
Taveras does have some intriguing power potential that he could tap into if he can be more patient in at bats and attack the best pitch to drive rather than attacking early like he currently does.
Taveras showed very well in his pro debut, so it wouldn’t surprise to see the Rangers push him to full season ball as an 18 year old in 2017.
Aug 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; American pitcher Alexx Speas (16) throws a pitch against the National team during the first inning in the Under Armour All America Baseball game at Wrigley field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Newcomer To Keep An Eye On: Alex Speas, RHP
Birthdate: 3/4/98 (18 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: rookieStats in 2016: 8 1/3 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 18.92 BB%, 29.73 K%
One of the guys that the Rangers got some mixed takes from the 2016 Rangers draft was Speas. While no one denies the raw talent, many felt he should have possibly fulfilled his commitment to Auburn to work on harnessing his stuff.
Speas definitely has the look of a big time pitcher at 6’4, long, and lanky. His fastball and curve are both plus pitches when he controls them, with his fastball touching as high as 97 with explosive life up in the zone.
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The problem for Speas has been those long limbs on his 6’4 frame as he often will get going too fast in his delivery and loses a ton of movement on the fastball and depth on the curve when he gets off in the delivery.
His change is a below average pitch currently, and he needs a good bit of work on arm deception to make the pitch effective.
The Rangers will likely send Speas to their advanced rookie league team, but it would not surprise me if they take him very slow up the ladder to work with him on his delivery.
Agree? Disagree? Someone you have a question about from the system? Leave a comment down below!
