2017 Texas Rangers Midseason Top 10 Prospects — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

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Rangers Midseason Top 10

1. Leody Taveras, CF

2. Ronald Guzman, 1B

3. Bubba Thompson, OF

4. Yohander Mendez, LHP

5. Cole Ragans, LHP

6. Ariel Jurado, RHP

7. Miguel Aparicio, OF

8. Hans Crouse, RHP

9. Josh Morgan, C/SS

10. Joe Palumbo, LHP

From the top of the organization to bottom, 2017 has been a major disappointment for the Rangers.
After winning 95 games and winning the American League West last year, the Rangers are treading water just below .500, stuck in a difficult place of being neither obvious buyers nor sellers, though as the Astros pull away with a commanding division lead, the latter seems more likely.

The team’s young big league talent hasn’t broken out. Rougned Odor has regressed, Joey Gallo shows humongous power but struggles with contact and Nomar Mazara hasn’t developed into the middle-of-the-order hitter the Rangers had hoped.

Not much has gone right in the minors either. A thinned-out farm system has seen several players struggle, with more spare parts than impact talent or projected everyday regulars in the organization.

That could change quickly, of course, depending on whether the Rangers become sellers and how much they’re willing to trade. Yu Darvish (whose contract expires at the end of the season) and Cole Hamels (under contract through 2018 with a 2019 club option) would be valuable trade chips who could help the Rangers restock the system in a hurry.

As of now, however, the Rangers’ appear hesitant to move in that direction. A year ago, the Yankees were in a similar position, but they used the trade deadline to reload the system with Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, Justus Sheffield and Dillon Tate. It’s time for the Rangers to think along those lines.

1. Leody Taveras, CF
Low Class A Hickory
Age: 18

Even the top prospect in the system has performed at a modest level, though with the caveat that most of Taveras’ peers are still in the Rookie-level complex leagues. Taveras displays a well-rounded skill set that blends exciting athleticism, speed and tools to go with his sound swing, bat-to-ball skills and all-around mature instincts for the game.

2. Ronald Guzman, 1B
Triple-A Round Rock
Age: 22

Guzman has resurrected his prospect status that seemed to be fading two years ago and now looks very much like the player the Rangers were expecting to get when they signed him for $3.45 million at age 16 out of the Dominican Republic in 2011. He’s improved his contact frequency by cutting his strikeout rate to 16 percent, is using the whole field and showing the power to hit 20 home runs, making him a potential everyday regular at first base.

3. Bubba Thompson, OF
Rookie-level Arizona League
Age: 19

The team’s top draft pick (No. 26 overall) this year, Thompson is a plus-plus runner with excellent athleticism in center field. Some scouts did have concerns about his pure hitting ability and defensive instincts, but his tools stick out in a lighter system.

4. Yohander Mendez, LHP
Double-A Frisco
Age: 22

Last year, Mendez made two appearances out of the big league bullpen and threw 31.1 innings in Triple-A Round Rock, but this year he’s back in Double-A, where he’s been a lukewarm performer. Mendez doesn’t overpower, relying on his plus changeup to keep hitters off balance. He needs to improve his fastball command, while his strikeout rate has backed up to 21 percent, his lowest since getting to full-season ball.

5. Cole Ragans, LHP
Short-season Spokane
Age: 19

The good news for Ragans, a first-round pick last year, is that he’s missing plenty of bats, with 42 strikeouts in 29 innings. However, he’s yet to pitch in a full-season league, and he’s had trouble throwing all of his pitches for strikes, with 21 walks.

6. Ariel Jurado, RHP
Double-A Frisco
Age: 21

Jurado’s stock is down. His lack of an out pitch among his secondary offerings has caused his strikeout rate to drop to 15 percent, and while he continues to throw strikes and generate grounders with a lively sinker, even his groundball rate is down, while his ERA sits at 4.82.

7. Miguel Aparicio, OF
Short-season Spokane
Age: 18

Aparicio’s surface-level numbers haven’t been great—the Rangers rushed him to low Class A Hickory in May before demoting him to the short-season Northwest League in June—but keep in mind that most of Aparicio’s peers are still in a complex league. Aparicio needs to get stronger, but he has a short swing with good barrel awareness at the plate and a quick first step and sharp routes in the outfield.

8. Hans Crouse, RHP
Rookie-level Arizona League
Age: 18

Signed for $1.45 million as a second-round pick this year, Crouse immediately became one of the system’s best pitching prsopects. He has a power arm, sitting in the low-to-mid 90s and topping out even higher, along with a tight-spinning breaking ball he uses to miss bats, though some scouts look at his mechanics and see reliever risk.

9. Josh Morgan, C/SS
High Class A Down East
Age: 21

Morgan has spent most of his time at shortstop, but he’s also played 20 games at catcher. It’s unlikely Morgan could play shortstop every day at the major league level, but if he can catch, his offensive skill set fits well there, with a short swing, high contact frequency and good ability to control the strike zone.

10. Joe Palumbo, LHP
High Class A Down East
Age: 22

Palumbo was one of the bright spots for the Rangers early in the season, posting an ERA of 0.66 with a 22-4 K-BB mark in 13.2 innings. But Palumbo’s season ended after three starts, as he’s out for the year following Tommy John surgery.

RISING

• Signed out of Cuba for $1.14 million after the 2016 season,RF/1B Yanio Perez took advantage of the hitter-friendly ballpark in Hickory, though his performance has suffered upon a promotion to the Carolina League.

• RHP Kyle Cody has used his low-to-mid 90s fastball effectively against hitters in the low Class A South Atlantic League. The stock is up for last year’s sixth-round pick out of Kentucky, but the 6-foot-7 righthander turns 23 next month and needs a greater challenge.

• OF Leuri Mejia is still 16 until Aug. 30, which made him one of the youngest international signings last year when he joined the Rangers for an $850,000 bonus. Mejia has shown excellent speed, athleticism and defensive instincts in center field, and while he needs to get stronger and continue to refine his swing to make more frequent contact, he’s shown a patient approach by drawing 35 walks in 35 Dominican Summer League games.

• One sign of the system’s lack of depth: minor league veteran Austin Bibens-Dirkx has earned more than 44 big league innings. In his 12th pro season, Bibens-Dirkx is working as a long reliever when he’s not starting.

FALLING

• SS/2B Anderson Tejeda had a nice U.S. debut last year, but strikeouts and a lack of plate discipline have zapped his offensive performance in low Class A Hickory.

• C Jose Trevino continues to be a high-end defender, but his offensive struggles as a 24-year-old in Double-A point to a more likely future as a backup catcher, though his bat will have to improve to get to that point.

• LHP Brett Martin is still missing bats—he has 50 strikeouts in 45 innings with high Class A Down East—but his pitchability remains a work in progress as his ERA has swelled to a career-high 5.40, and he missed most of May and June with a back injury.

HURTING

• LHP Joe Palumbo had Tommy John surgery in April, which will wipe out the remainder of his 2017 season.

GRADUATING

• After years of roller coaster performance in the minors, RHP Jose Leclerc has taken a step forward this season in the big league bullpen. While he still struggles with his control, Leclerc has 41 strikeouts in 26.2 innings.