The Texas Rangers have been grabbing some of the MLB headlines lately. Take, for example, Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim, who wasn’t on MLB Network’s top ten catchers list. I know MLB Network does some commentary like most other media outlets. However, I believe Heim is one of the best framers in MLB. Heim finished the 2023 MLB season with a 52.5% in the statistic of the ability to make a ball just off the plate look like a strike. But I’m not a catcher’s judge. Last week, I shared Part 1 of my Texas Rangers Prospect Series. And this week, I’ll share Part 2 with you. Here are two prospects to keep an eye on.
Wyatt Langford
The Texas Rangers’ most-talked-about prospect, Evan Carter, was called up to the big leagues. That said, I’ll take a look at prospect outfielder Wyatt Langford. Langford, 22, was drafted fourth overall in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Langford was born in Gainesville, Florida. He played college baseball at the University of Florida, where he started in all 66 games in 2022 and hit 26 home runs, tying Matt LaPorta for the most home runs by a Florida Gators player. He attended Trenton High School in Trenton, Fla., where he played baseball, basketball, and football. Langford is the 13th-ranked prospect in all of baseball. Langford’s .395 batting average and 1.327 OPS attract Rangers and non-Rangers fans. If he maintains his success and stays healthy, he can succeed with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and possibly get a Triple-A Round Rock Express promotion. He was arguably a steal in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Sebastian Walcott
Without a doubt, Sebastian Walcott is arguably one of the top international prospects. Walcott, 17, signed out of Nassau, Bahamas, with the Texas Rangers on January 15, 2023. The Jamaican phenomenon was ranked No. 8 in the 2023 international prospect class by MLB.com. Walcott has been slugging the ball. Walcott’s 2023 MiLB statistics showcase 187 at-bats, 32 runs, 46 hits, 13 doubles, seven home runs, and 24 runs batted in for the High-A Hickory Crawdads. He can climb the minor league ladder to big league success. After all, he’s only 17 years old and can grow as a player in the years ahead.
Ana’s Final Thoughts
Whether old or new to baseball, Texas Rangers fans shouldn’t expect both prospects to make the team simultaneously. While they can excite fans about the team’s future, Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy might not want two rookies experiencing growing pains in a post-World Series world. Let’s see if they can stagger their debuts over the next three to four seasons.
