The Rangers aren’t good. This much we know.
But, the season is already halfway over, and now the team is facing a rebuild.

The team is in a reevaluating period, which means we’ll see a lot of young talent playing at the major league level.

With that in mind, who should you keep an eye on?

Rafael Montero

Photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Montero has a Jose Leclerc feel to him so far. Leclerc pitched well in 2018, earning 12 saves and holding a 1.56 ERA. He was prematurely given a 4-year contract due to his potential as a lockdown closer but quickly fell off. Since his contract signing, Leclerc has an ERA of 4.33 and just 15 saves. He has struggled, and now the hope is Montero can replace Leclerc in that role.

So far this season, Montero has 7 saves and 1 loss in 9 games pitched and has an ERA of just 2.79. He’s an exciting young flamethrower that is comparable to Neftali Feliz and Leclerc, but will it last? He has a lot of people talking about his future as the closer, and if he continues at this pace, he’ll likely start next season as the closing pitcher.

Lance Lynn

Everyone knows the story: Jon Daniels fielded calls for the veteran pitcher when his value was arguably at his highest with the team, but no trade was made. He said the value of players the team would have received wouldn’t have made him feel good about moving Lynn, or even the fan base in his own opinion. Lynn is now losing value with each start due to age, the number of innings, and performance.

The Rangers will likely try and move him in the offseason or next trade deadline, but in Lynn’s past 2 starts, he has given up 10 runs, 9 earned, and 3 home runs on the way to his only losses of the season. Right now Lynn’s value is trending down towards the offseason, so it’s best to keep an eye on him to gauge his value at the end of the season.

Eli White

Eli White is the definition of what the Rangers are trying to do for the rest of the season. He’s a young talent that the team needs to see at the major league level.

Defensively, he’s regarded as “elite” within the organization. In Seattle, he showed why they say these things.

With White, the Rangers are seeing a player with great talent, but just might be a high level Tripe-A player that just might not be ready for the majors yet. White will need to start hitting the ball more if he’s to prove himself a major league ball player. His ceiling could be that of an average utility player, but even utility men have to hit.

Leody Taveras

Taveras has come on strong and made a positive impression on the team and fans alike, but is he ready to be the team’s starting center fielder?

Taveras has definitely flashed his talent in the outfield, but at the plate, he’s shown why he hasn’t been called up before this season. He has a .200 batting average and a .586 OPS, which isn’t great. But he’s a rookie, so he’s allowed a growing period.

On his struggles, he said per translation, “Up at the plate, it’ll come. It’s about making adjustments to what the pitcher is throwing.” Taveras has the makings of an elite defensive center fielder, but his bat needs to become consistent.

Nick Solak

This is just me, but Nick Solak has a Michael Young feel to his game. He’s coming into his own as an everyday player with a consistent bat at the plate that can contribute all over the field. Hitting wise, Solak is one of the better hitters on the team. He leads the team in at-bats, has 15 RBI which is good for 2nd best behind Gallo and is tied for the most hits with Isiah Kiner-Falefa with 36. By the end of the season, he could very well lead the team in hits.

The thing with Solak is he doesn’t pop off the screen at you every day, but he always contributes in a positive way, and his teammates love him. It’s a short season, and he has been excellent this season, but can he continue to play at this level? That will be something to watch Solak as he continues to get better this season.

Featured Image: ---
Comments are closed.

Check Also

Rangers Slug Their Way Past M’s Earn Sweep

Sunday afternoon marked the final regular season home game for the Rangers of 2023 and it …