The next stop on our tour of 2024 Top 30 Organizational Prospect Rankings is the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers. This is a system that has improved by leaps and bounds over the last three seasons. This system is easily a top-five system in the minor leagues right now and it’s easy to see why. We saw some of the top Rangers prospects get their major league debuts in 2023 with Evan Carter and Owen White and I have no doubt we will see Wyatt Langford in short order. Besides the top names in the system, there are plenty of “low-key” prospects to stash in deeper dynasty leagues that have good upside. For now, let’s dive into the top 10 of the Texas Rangers system, and be sure to check out 11-30 for deeper dynasty formats.
Top 10 Texas Rangers Prospects
Wyatt Langford, OF
(44 GP, .360/.480/.677, 10 HR, 36 R, 30 RBI, 12 SB)
What a year for Wyatt Langford, drafted out of the University of Florida at what looks to be a steal at fourth overall in the 2023 MLB draft. Langford put together a stellar finish to an amazing collegiate career slashing .373/.498/.784 with 21 home runs, 83 runs scored, and nine stolen bases with the Florida Gators. Once in the Rangers organization, Lanford ascended from rookie ball all the way to Triple-A to cap off the season. Across 44 total games played as a professional Langford slashed .360/.480/.677 with 10 home runs, 36 runs scored, 30 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases.
💣💪Florida OF Wyatt Langford has had an incredible season slashing 400/.535/.813 with 61 R, 14 HR, 37 RBI and 5 SB in only 45 GP! I can see Langford being the steal of the draft! @GatorsBB @langford_wyatt @FloridaGators https://t.co/YP8wLcG1b8
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) May 19, 2023
For dynasty managers, this is a piece you build your future on. The power is a plus for Langford but the hit tool is even more impressive. There will be some stolen bases early on in his career but I wouldn’t bank on over 20 if you get it all the better. For some Langford is taking over the number one prospect in baseball and you can easily see why.
Evan Carter, OF
(23 GP, .306/.413/.645, 5 HR, 15 R, 12 RBI, 3 SB- MLB)
The Rangers pushed Evan Carter and man did he rise to the challenge in 2023. Carter played primarily in Double-A and Triple-A before making his major league debut. In a combined 108 games played Carter slashed .288/.413/.450 with 13 home runs, 79 runs scored, 67 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases in Double-A and Triple-A. The results were so good the Rangers called Carter up at just 20 years old to make his major league debut. He faired well slashing .306/.413/.645 with five home runs, 15 runs scored, 12 RBIs, and three stolen bases en route to the Rangers World Series win over the Diamondbacks.
TEX OF Evan Carter has continued to build apon his strong 2022 campaign. Currently in AA Frisco Carter is slashing .333/.495/.505 with 4HR, 20 RBIs and 4SB in 21 GP. Stack that with a 22.4% BB and 16.8% K rate watch Carter 🚀 #StraightUpTX @RidersBaseball @Rangers @TEXPlayerDev https://t.co/zusCwFoFpj
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) May 5, 2023
Like Langford, Evan Carter is a building block piece in dynasty leagues. There should be above-average power as he continues to put on muscle probably resting in the 25 to 28 home run range. There is speed with Carter and should be there for the large majority of his career, I would project 25-30 stolen bases early in his career. All around fantastic dynasty asset to build around.
Brock Porter, RHP
(21 GS, 69.1 IP, 95 K, 12.3 K/9, 1.168 WHIP, 2.47 ERA)
The professional debut of Brock Porter went very well in Low-A Downeast for Brock Porter in 2023. Brock Porter features an electric fastball, slider, and change-up that all grade out as plus offerings or better. Across 21 starts the right-hander struck out 95 batters in 69.1 innings pitched (12.33 K/9) with a stellar .160 average against and finished with a 2.47 ERA. When Porter was not striking out the batters he was keeping the ball on the ground and out of the air. His low 0.13 HR/9 is fantastic to see in a typically hitter-friendly environment but the 5.45 walks per nine left a little more to be desired.
⛽️⚾️ Excited to try and catch a Brock Porter start here soon. The 19 year old has 19 Ks in 12 IP holding batters to a .128 AVG and a 2.25 ERA in 4 starts in A- Down East. #StraightUpTX @GoWoodDucks @Rangers @TEXPlayerDev @BrockPorter10 https://t.co/ykOpQJ9slM
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) April 29, 2023
For dynasty managers, this has the opportunity to be a front-of-the-rotation arm for the Rangers long term as they stretch him out more and he learns to adapt to more competition. There is no doubt Porter has the big strikeout stuff what will be key to his success will be limiting the walks and refining the command.
Abimelec Ortiz, 1B
(109 GP, .294/.371/.619, 33 HR, 78 R, 101 RBI, 1 SB)
Coming into the 2023 season Abimelec Ortiz was not on major prospect lists but his performance has made us all take notice. Standing at 6’0” and 230 pounds Ortiz is built for power and he got into every ounce of it last season. Ortiz started the season back in Low-A where he slashed .307/.392/.604, with seven home runs, 19 runs scored, and 20 RBIs to go with his 13.2% walk rate and 29.8% strikeout rate. The Rangers then promoted Ortiz to High-A Hickory where he went on to slash .290/.363/.624 in 80 games played with the Crawdads. The power was on full display as he hit 26 home runs while driving in 81 RBIs in his 333 plate appearances.
🌵🏜️TEX 1B/OF Abimelec Ortiz had a year to remember across A- & A+ and is now in the @MLBazFallLeague! On the year Ortiz had
• .294 AVG
• .371 OBP
• .619 SLG
• 33 HR
• 101 RBICurrently slashing .318/.486/.500 with 1 HR and 7 RBI in the AFL @Fantrax @TEXPlayerDev https://t.co/CCHWYHlf2X
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) October 26, 2023
I was able to talk to Abimelec Ortiz a few times while he was in town and one of the major points he wanted to focus on was getting the strikeouts under control. When you look at his numbers that is really the only part that truly needs to improve. This is a 30-plus home run bat in the making and at 21 years old there is still potential for more. His bat took major strides forward in 2023 and we will be watching as he is likely to start his season in Double-A with the Frisco RoughRiders.
Sebastian Walcott, SS
(48 GP, .246/.335/.471, 7 HR, 32 R, 24 RBI, 12 SB)
The Rangers might have a rising star in the making with Sebastian Walcott. At only 17 years old he as already started his climb to the major leagues ascending to High-A Hickory in his first professional season. The results however are all over the place, Walcott struggled in the DSL and High-A Hickory but thrived at the Rangers complex slashing .273/.325/.524 with seven home runs, 26 runs scored, 19 RBIs, and nine stolen bases. It’s understandable that the Rangers wanted to challenge him and sent him to High-A Hickory.
The small four-game sample size isn’t much to go off of but his time at the complex gives us a glimpse into a plus power and speed bat with excellent defensive skills that could make waves if it all comes together. Look for Walcott to start the season down a level in Low-A and build his confidence back up.
Dustin Harris, OF/1B
(127 GP, .259/.378/.431, 14 HR, 89 R, 60 RBI, 41 SB)
The rise of Dustin Harris through the Rangers system continued in 2023 starting in Double-A Frisco and finishing with Harris playing in Triple-A Round Rock. While with the RoughRiders Harris slashed .245/.374/.406 with five home runs, 42 runs scored, 29 RBIs, and 24 stolen base in 60 games played. It was Dustin Harris’s largest strikeout rate of his career to this point with a 23.4% rate and a career-high walk rate of 15.8%. The Rangers then promoted Harris to Triple-A Round Rock where he went off slashing .273/.382/.455 with nine home runs, 47 runs scored, 31 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in 67 games played. The strikeout rate dropped to 21.9% while the walk rate was a tad less but still solid at 13.9%.
💥⚾️Rangers 1B Dustin Harris unloads on this ball and sends it out of the park! 👀 Harris is slashing .317/.395/.504 with 12 HR and 22 SB between -A & +A. #TheWeeklyStreamer #MustBeTheHawk @Rangers @HickoryCrawdads @MiLB @TEXPlayerDev @EricCross04 @TWSBiscuit @Scotty_Ballgame pic.twitter.com/OqkSXRLWD9
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) August 11, 2021
Long-term Dustin Harris is a solid dynasty asset and in my opinion, is just as underrated as Justyn Henry-Malloy in prospect circles. More than likely we are looking at a 20-28 home runs bat with 20-30 stolen base potential a great eye at the plate and an OBP that you will love as a dynasty manager. Overall I’m not telling you to sell the farm to get him, but this is a prospect that five years down the road I won’t be surprised if he makes an all-star appearance.
Justin Foscue, 3B/2B/OF
(122 GP, .266/.394/.468, 18 HR, 94 R, 84 RBI, 14 SB)
Remember when Justin Foscue and Dustin Harris were the top two prospects in the Rangers organization? It’s not a lack of performance that has moved them down this far I can assure you. To be honest, Foscue has a big upside going into the 2024 season. He is a natural second baseman dating back to his time at Mississippi State but when you have a second baseman like Marcus Semian getting paid a lot in the majors then it’s time to move around. The Rangers were doing that with Foscue in 2023 working him not only as second baseman but at third base and outfield. On the season Foscue slashed .266/.394/.468 with 18 home runs, 94 runs scored, 84 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases with a 15.1% walk rate and 12.4% strikeout rate in Triple-A.
📝TEX 2B Justin Foscue has continued to stay solid in AAA Round Rock. In 57 GP he has 8 HR, 44R, 31 RBI and 7 SB to go along with his .277/.405/.488 slash line. Oh and the 14.7% BB and 11.2% K rate is solid to! #StraightUpTX @the_fosc @HailStateBB @RRExpress https://t.co/VDmhoR6cHI
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) June 21, 2023
Now there is no guarantee that Foscue will crack the major leagues in 2024 with the Rangers as the outfield he was working to learn has Garcia, Carter, and potentially Langford coming soon. Third base is a no-go with Josh Jung there so I will continue to hope he is a part of a trade that gives him an opportunity to have a long solid career elsewhere. This is extremely similar to what Michael Busch went through with the Dodgers hopefully the same with happen for Foscue.
Paulino Santana, OF
(2024 International Signee)
The Rangers might have struck gold with Paulino Santana. Standing at 6’2” and 180 pounds at just 17 years old Santana projects for plus power and speed. Santana can hit the ball to all fields with easy power and can use his speed to leg out doubles or potentially be a stolen base threat. The plus speed could ensure Santana sticks in center field long term making him an interesting 20-20 threat with potentially more pop in the bat to come.
Anthony Gutierrez, OF
(84 GP, .265/.330/.351, 2 HR, 43 R, 36 RBI, 32 SB)
Continuing with high-upside outfield bats, Anthony Gutierrez has some interesting potential for the Rangers in the future. The 19-year-old stands at 6’3” and 180 pounds currently and has room to get to more power long-term. In 78 games played at Low-A in 2023, Gutierrez slashed .259/.326/.338 with two home runs, 39 runs scored, 34 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases in 40 attempts. There was a solid plate approach with Gutierrez as he walked 7.7% and only struck out 22.2% of the time.
🚀TEX OF Anthony Gutierrez continues to make hard contact in A- Down East. The 98th ranked prospect for FantraxHQ is slashing .286/.324/.400 with 1HR, 5 RBI, 3SB in 9 GP. The future is bright for Texas. 😎#StraightUpTX @GoWoodDucks @Rangers @TEXPlayerDev @Fantrax @WeeklyStreamer https://t.co/2nUAJaxwzQ
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) April 21, 2023
For dynasty managers, this is a prospect that profiles as an above-average bat that could get to 15 home runs long-term. The speed is impressive for Gutierrez though I wouldn’t expect more than 20-25 at the major league level. It will be the defense that will continue to impress the Rangers organization and I believe he has the upside to be a solid dynasty contributor in center field.
Max Acosta, SS/2B
(110 GP, .260/.312/.390, 11 HR, 69 R, 60 RBI, 26 SB)
Year over year Max Acosta is making steady improvements as he makes his way up the Rangers system. In 2023 Acosta played the entire season in High-A Hickory where he slashed .260/.312/.390 with 11 home runs, 69 runs scored, 60 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases in 110 games played. At the plate, Acosta showed a disciplined approach walking 7% of the time while striking out just 21.1%. Now going into his age 21 season Acosta looks like he is poised to make the jump to Double-A Frisco.
Long term this might not be anything more than a super utility bat at the major league level. But Max Acosta brings a lot to the game and after watching him in person on the field and how he interacts with the fans it’s hard not to root for the guy. If he is able to add some more power to his game this could be a 20-20 bat and like Foscue if given the opportunity elsewhere he could carve out a roll every day.
For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.
Top 30 Texas Rangers Prospect Rankings
Rnk | Player | Pos | Age | ETA | Overall Rnk |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wyatt Langford | OF | 22 | 2024 | 8 |
2 | Evan Carter | OF | 21 | Debuted | 2 |
3 | Brock Porter | RHP | 20 | 2025 | 47 |
4 | Abimelec Ortiz | 1B | 22 | 2025 | 177 |
5 | Sebastian Walcott | SS | 18 | 2025 | 51 |
6 | Dustin Harris | OF/1B | 24 | 2024 | 55 |
7 | Justin Foscue | 3B/2B | 25 | 2024 | 115 |
8 | Paulino Santana | OF | 17 | 2028 | NR |
9 | Anthony Gutierrez | OF | 19 | 2026 | 118 |
10 | Max Acosta | SS/2B | 21 | 2024 | 155 |
11 | Owen White | RHP | 24 | Debuted | 110 |
12 | Jack Leiter | RHP | 23 | 2024 | 150 |
13 | Josh Stephan | RHP | 22 | 2024 | 198 |
14 | Kumar Rocker | RHP | 24 | 2025 | 230 |
15 | Yeison Morrobel | OF | 20 | 2026 | 274 |
16 | Emiliano Teodo | RHP | 23 | 2026 | NR |
17 | Antoine Kelly | LHP | 24 | 2024 | NR |
18 | Jose Corniell | RHP | 20 | 2025 | NR |
19 | Aaron Zavala | OF | 23 | 2024 | 162 |
20 | Mitch Bratt | LHP | 20 | 2025 | NR |
21 | Echedry Vargas | 2B/SS | 18 | 2027 | NR |
22 | Marc Church | RHP | 23 | 2024 | NR |
23 | Curley Martha | SS | 17 | 2028 | NR |
24 | Cole Winn | RHP | 24 | 2024 | 328 |
25 | Aidan Curry | RHP | 21 | 2026 | NR |
26 | Jesus Lopez | C | 18 | 2027 | NR |
27 | Blaine Crim | 1B | 26 | 2024 | NR |
28 | Marcos Torres | OF | 19 | 2027 | NR |
29 | Yolfran Castillo | SS | 16 | 2028 | NR |
30 | Carson Coleman | RHP | 25 | 2024 | NR |