Texas Rangers

TRACK RECORD: The Pirates signed Apostel for $200,000 when the 2015 international signing period opened that year on July 2. Three years later, the Pirates acquired reliever Keone Kela from the Rangers in exchange for lefthander Taylor Hearn and a player to be named later, which ended up being Apostel. His stock has climbed since then, with Apostel making his full-season debut in 2019 and finishing the year in high Class A Down East as a 20-year-old.

SCOUTING REPORT: Apostel has a large frame for a third baseman with above-average raw power, something he tapped into with more lift in his swing in 2019. He has a patient approach as well, but the Rangers challenged him to be more aggressive and hunt extra-base hits. At his best, he has a promising combination of plate discipline and power, with the ability to leave the park from right-center over to his pull side without excessive swing-and-miss. A below-average runner, Apostel moves well for a big man, but he has good hands and a plus arm at third base. Even so, he has a thick lower half and there's risk he could get so big that he outgrows the position and flips over to first base.

THE FUTURE: Apostel has the upside to be a regular at third base if he can replicate what he showed there at the upper levels. He should get his first taste of it at Double-A Frisco at some point in 2020.

TRACK RECORD: The Rangers signed Vanasco for $200,000 as a 15th-round pick in 2017, when he was a lanky and projectable but raw pitcher with a fastball that hit 93 mph. With more strength has come more velocity, as Vanasco generated buzz around the short-season Northwest League for his power arm while he was there before a late August bump to low Class A Hickory.

SCOUTING REPORT: Vanasco has an explosive fastball, sitting in the mid-90s with the ability to reach 99 mph. It's outstanding velocity, especially for a starter, and he mostly just rode that fastball to blow away hitters when he was in the Northwest League. He shows feel to spin a curveball with good depth that serves as his most reliable secondary pitch, flashing above-average at times. The Rangers required Vanasco to throw a certain number of changeups in his starts to focus on that pitch, which is still below-average and needs more separation off his fastball but showed strides with improved sink. Vanasco can get away with mistakes at this level, but he has scatted control and needs to throw more strikes with his fastball.

THE FUTURE: After emerging as a prospect in 2019, Vanasco will head to low Class A Hickory next.

TRACK RECORD: Basabe, who was signed for $500,000 as part of the 2017 international signing class, stood out as an amateur because of his quick-twitch athleticism, but he has also posted impressive offensive numbers in his first two years of pro ball.

SCOUTING REPORT: Basabe's swing isn't pure and his bat path isn't ideal, but he has quick hands, generates fast bat speed and has the hand-eye coordination to make a lot of contact. He's susceptible to chasing, but when he swings at a pitch in the zone, he doesn't miss much. He mostly has gap power with a line-drive approach, but he could grow into 10-15 home run juice once he gets stronger. Basabe is a plus runner with a plus arm. He has the tools to stick at shortstop and could be an average fielder there, though he's still cleaning up his defensive actions to get to that point.

THE FUTURE: There's still rawness to Basabe's game despite his numbers, but the combination of barrel awareness and athleticism up the middle is promising. Low Class A Hickory is his next step.

TRACK RECORD: Winn was the BA High School Player of the Year in 2018, the year he went 10th overall in the draft, but it was a rocky debut in 2019. Winn finished June with a 7.59 ERA as he struggled to find the strike zone, but in the second half he rebounded with a 2.81 ERA after the all-star break.

SCOUTING REPORT: Winn has a solid four-pitch mix, working off a low-90s fastball that reaches 95 mph. His curveball was his money pitch in high school, and it flashed a tick above-average in 2019, but it also got slurvy and would blend into his slider. Winn shows good tilt on his slider at times with average potential, but at others it gets loopy, so getting better separation in shape and speed differential will be important for him. The pitch that made the most progress in 2019 was Winn's changeup, a pitch that flashed above-average at best and that some scouts think might end up being his best pitch. Winn has an athletic, explosive delivery and did a better job of staying calm and in sync with his delivery in the second half, which helped him throw more strikes, but he still needs to improve his control and command.

THE FUTURE: With a mix of average to a tick better pitches in his arsenal, Winn has enough upside to develop into a No. 3 or 4 starter. High Class A Down East is up next.

TRACK RECORD: The Rangers used the No. 41 selection in the 2019 draft to take Wendzel, who at 22 was old for his class but consistently performed at a high level for Baylor.

SCOUTING REPORT: Wendzel's swing has some length to it, and he drops his hands to begin his load but is usually on time to make contact, with his ability to recognize pitches and control the strike zone helping to make it work. His power is below-average, with gap shots and occasional over-the-fence pop, but he will probably need to develop at least average power to project as an everyday player. A fringe-average runner, He has the potential to become an above-average fielder at third base. He's a reliable defender with secure hands, good instincts and an above-average arm. He played some shortstop at Baylor, and while he doesn't project to play there long term, the Rangers plan to give him time at third, shortstop and second base.

THE FUTURE: Wendzel's defensive ability should help him get playing time, with an assignment still to be determined for 2020. Developing more power will be key for Wendzel as he faces better competition.

TRACK RECORD: As a reliever between two levels in 2019, Evans struck out 43 percent of the batters he faced. After the season, he went on the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 draft.

SCOUTING REPORT: Evans is a huge, physical reliever who throws a power invisiball up in the zone, a high-spin fastball at 92-96 mph that hops over bats at an elite rate when he rides it up above the belt. Evans generates a tremendous amount of swing-and-miss off his fastball, to the point where he can carve up minor league hitters with just that pitch. His curveball also flashes above-average, and in the second half he started mixing that pitch in with more frequency, which will be important for him against better hitters. Below-average control is a weakness for Evans, who walked 5.9 batters per nine innings in 2019.

THE FUTURE: Evans is a potential late-inning reliever who could end up a closer if he can throw strikes. He is probably headed for Triple-A to begin 2020 but should be up in Texas at some point during the year.

TRACK RECORD: Hernandez has flashed exciting stuff but, aside from brief spurts, has yet to connect it all consistently in games. With a 5.78 ERA in Triple-A in late July, Hernandez moved to the bullpen and made his major league debut in that role a month later.

SCOUTING REPORT: As a starter, Hernandez sits at 93-96 mph. When he moved to the bullpen, his fastball jumped to the upper 90s with a max of 99 mph. During the first half, his fastball got flat and hitters squared him up for hard contact, so later in the season he went to a heavy two-seam approach to create more sink. He throws a plus slider and he gets a surprising amount of swing-and-miss on a changeup that flashes average. Hernandez has the arsenal of a starter, but his command continues to plague him. He falls behind in the count too often and doesn't locate his fastball well, leading to his struggles.

THE FUTURE: There's a chance Hernandez could still end up as a starter, but he might just stay in the bullpen. He has the weapons be a multi-inning relief threat if he can improve his command.

TRACK RECORD: Tejeda has shown big tools since signing out of the Dominican Republic for $100,000 in 2014, but with up-and-down performance. His 2019 season lasted just 43 games before a subluxation of his left shoulder while sliding into a base ended his season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Tejeda began switch-hitting in games in 2019. He has little experience from the right side and is understandably raw, so it's not certain he will continue with it long term, though the Rangers plan to have him continue with it in 2020. From the left side, Tejeda has whippy bat speed and plus raw power, a potential 25-plus homer threat who can go deep to all fields. He also has a high swing-and-miss rate in the strike zone and chases too many pitches. Tejeda once faced questions about his ability to stick at shortstop, but improved first-step quickness and footwork have quieted those concerns. There's no question about his arm, a 70 tool that's among the best in the game.

THE FUTURE: Added to the 40-man roster after the season, Tejeda has a chance to be a power-hitting shortstop, but he needs to make more contact as he faces better pitching that can exploit his weaknesses.

TRACK RECORD: After his sophomore year in 2018, Garcia went to the Cape Cod League and struck out 49 batters in 39 innings with a 0.92 ERA. He missed the first three weeks of his junior year at UCLA in 2019 with flexor inflammation, but after returning he earned Pac-12 pitcher of the year honors. The Rangers drafted him in the second round and signed him for $1,469,900 with the No. 50 overall pick.

SCOUTING REPORT: Garcia pitches off a fastball that sits in the low-90s and reaches 95. The pitch plays up because of its late riding life, which helps him miss bats up in the zone. Garcia doesn't have one pitch that grades out plus, but his slider and changeup both flash as 55s on the 20-80 scale and he sprinkles in a fringy curveball at times. It's a solid arsenal that Garcia makes the most out of because of his command and feel for pitching, with deception and ability to mix his stuff to disrupt hitters' timing.

THE FUTURE: Garcia should start 2020 at low Class A Hickory and has the type of pitchability that could help him get to Double-A by the end of the year. He profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter.

TRACK RECORD: Since being signed from the Dominican Republic as a catcher for $10,000 in December 2017, Hernandez has raked, finishing second in the Dominican Summer League in OPS in his debut in 2018, then ranking third in that category in his jump to the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2019.

SCOUTING REPORT: Hernandez gets in a balanced hitting position, generates good leverage and hammers baseballs with raw power that grades out at least plus and translates in games. The best position for Hernandez is in the batter's box. He did catch last year, but he spent most of his time in right field and first base. The Rangers plan to keep giving some exposure to catching in 2020, but if he doesn't play there regularly, it's unlikely he stays there long term. A below-average runner, Hernandez has enough athleticism that he could be able to stay in right field with a slightly above-average arm.

THE FUTURE: A likely right fielder/first baseman coming off his age-19 season in a complex league carries a lot of risk, but Hernandez may have enough offensive impact to deliver. He will have an opportunity to convert more believers if he keeps mashing at low Class A Hickory in 2020.

TRACK RECORD: The Rays traded Burke to the Rangers in the December 2018 deal that sent Jurickson Profar to the Athletics. Early in 2019, Burke dealt with a blister issue and a shoulder impingement that kept him out for two months. He pitched well in Double-A Frisco and reached the major leagues in August, though he got hit around with Texas and his shoulder issues resurfaced at the end of the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Burke sits at 90-93 mph, with the ability to reach back for 96. He has a four-seamer and a two-seamer, but his fastball didn't have the same zip that it showed in 2018, and Burke ended up relying more heavily on his sinker in 2019. His low-80s slider was an effective pitch for him against Double-A hitters, but it was inconsistent when he reached the major leagues and ran into a lot of barrels. His mid-80s changeup comes in relatively firm off his fastball, and while it doesn't have any standout action or movement, it's a surprisingly effective pitch for him because of his ability to sell it with good arm speed and deception to keep hitters off balance.

THE FUTURE: Burke doesn't have one knockout pitch, but his stuff across the board is good enough to give him a chance as a back-end starter. He should get another shot to fill that role in Texas in 2020.

TRACK RECORD: Walker earned a rep as an amateur—both at Oklahoma and in summer college leagues—as a talented hitter and the White Sox selected him in 2018 and signed him for $2 million. A lingering oblique injury put a damper on his production in his first pro season, then in December the White Sox traded him to the Rangers for outfielder Nomar Mazara.

SCOUTING REPORT: Walker turned 23 during the 2019 season, putting him on the older side for a Class A prospect, with a mix of average or near-average tools across the board. He's a high-contact hitter who tracks pitches well, striking out in just 15 percent of his plate appearances. He has lift in his swing with average power that shows up mostly to the pull side. With average speed and arm strength, Walker is athletic enough to play center field in the minors, but a lot of scouts expect him to slide over to a corner, creating some tweener risk in his profile unless his power jumps.

THE FUTURE: Walker will get his first taste of the upper levels when he heads to Double-A Frisco in 2020. He might be a reserve outfielder, though there's a chance his hitting is good enough to carry him in an everyday role.

TRACK RECORD: An all-state quarterback who could have played Division 1 football, Thompson took his athleticism to the Rangers instead, signing for $2.1 million out of high school. Still an elite athlete, Thompson is also raw and missed significant development time in 2019 having surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand, then after returning missed a month after running into an outfield wall.

SCOUTING REPORT: Thompson is an athletic center fielder and a plus-plus runner underway. His reads and routes still need work, but he has good range and closing speed to go with an average arm. Thompson has fast hands and slightly above-average pop that has a chance to be plus. However, Thompson's swing and approach will need significant adjustments. He will have to shorten up his stroke to close holes and cut down on his chase rate, all of which contributes to too many empty swings.

THE FUTURE: Thompson's athleticism and raw tools stack up among the best in the system, with a shot as a dynamic power/speed threat, but he will need to iron out a lot at the plate to reach that upside.

TRACK RECORD: Garcia was one of the top catchers in the 2016 international class when the Rangers signed him out of Venezuela for $800,000. He struggled in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League and didn't deliver much offensive impact his first two seasons, but added strength helped his performance tick up in 2019 as a top prospect in the short-season Northwest League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Garcia has the attributes to be an average to above-average defensive catcher. He receives and blocks well for his age and he has a plus arm. His feet work well behind the plate, he gets rid of the ball quickly and makes on-target throws. Garcia has a simple, fluid swing from both sides of the plate, showing good bat-to-ball skills and a solid eye for the strike zone. Getting stronger led to a jump in his extra-base hit numbers, though he's more of a line-drive hitter with enough strength projection to grow into a 10-15 home run hitter.

THE FUTURE: Going to full-season ball in the low Class A South Atlantic League in 2020 will be a big test for Garcia to show he has enough offensive ability to be a starting catcher.

TRACK RECORD: Moss signed for $800,000 out of the Bahamas as part of the 2017 international class. After struggling in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League as an athletic 16-year-old, Moss moved up to the Rookie-level in 2019 and showed vast improvement, drawing buzz around the Arizona League as one of the league's top prospects.

SCOUTING REPORT: Getting stronger in 2019 was important for Moss, who was physically underdeveloped when he arrived in pro ball, and didn't have much experience against good competition coming out of the Bahamas. As Moss got more repetitions facing better velocity, his results improved. He's a good athlete with fast hands and a line-drive stroke, with some swing-and-miss to his game but a patient, all-fields approach and puts a surprising charge into the ball to his pull side, though his power is mostly to the gaps. A solid-average runner, Moss is still trying to find a defensive position, splitting time between second and third base, with a fringe-average arm that probably makes second base his best fit.

THE FUTURE: Moss is raw, but he was one of the most improved players in the system in 2019. short-season Spokane could be up next, but he might be ready for low Class A Hickory at some point in 2020.

TRACK RECORD: Florentino didn't generate a lot of attention when he signed with the Rangers out of the Dominican Republic for $25,000 in 2017, but he did the next year after ranking third in the Dominican Summer League in OPS. In 2019, Florentino hit well in the beginning of the Rookie-level Arizona League season but looked worn down by the end and his performance regressed.

SCOUTING REPORT: Florentino makes frequent hard, quality contact with a smooth lefthanded swing that's short and stays through the hitting zone a long time. He takes a good path to the ball and does a good job of knowing which pitches to turn on for extra-base damage, with the power potential to eventually be a 20-25 home run guy. An offensive-minded catcher when he signed, Florentino made progress defensively the last two years and looks like he should stick behind the plate. He has a slightly above-average arm and did significant work cleaning up his blocking and receiving in 2019, with the athleticism and flexibility to get into good positions and move around well behind the dish.

THE FUTURE: Florentino needs to get stronger to handle a full season's workload. There's a long way to go for him to be an everyday guy, but there's upside for him to be a power-hitting catcher. With David Garcia ahead of him at low Class A Hickory, Florentino might go to short-season Spokane in 2020.

TRACK RECORD: Martinez was one of the best players his age in Cuba before he left the country and signed with the Rangers for $2.8 million in March 2018. After making his debut that year in short-season Spokane, Martinez jumped to high Class A Down East in 2019 and struggled there at first, batting .191/.263/.365 in the first half, but he rebounded to hit .293/.362/.467 in the second half.

SCOUTING REPORT: Martinez has a smaller frame but good tools, with strong wrists that help him whip the barrel through the zone and produce slightly above-average raw power. His swing can get long and he struggled to track breaking pitches in the first half, leading to a 32 percent strikeout rate in Down East, but he did a better job recognizing pitches in the second half. Martinez has plus speed to handle center field with average defense and an average arm.

THE FUTURE: Martinez has a promising power/speed combo, but now that he's had a full season in pro ball he has to to shorten his swing and make more contact. Double-A Frisco is up next.

TRACK RECORD: The Nationals drafted Hearn, traded him and Felipe Vasquez to the Pirates one year later for Mark Melancon. Two seasons later, the Pirates flipped him to the Rangers for Keone Kela. In 2019, Hearn made four Triple-A starts and made his major league debut in April, but he injured his elbow during that outing and didn't pitch the rest of the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Hearn has a big fastball, sitting in the mid-90s with the ability to reach 98 mph. He gives hitters a difficult angle on his fastball and he creates good extension out front, which helps his fastball play up, especially when he elevates. Everything beyond Hearn's fastball lagged behind last year. He showed progress with his slider the previous year, but it wasn't effective for him, while his changeup is a fringe-average offering. Hearn needs to sharpen his secondary pitches to be able to miss more bats, but he also needs to improve his fastball command.

THE FUTURE: Hearn, who will turn 26 before the end of the season, is healthy and ready to go for spring training. The Rangers plan to keep him as a starter, but there's a good chance he ends up in a relief role.

TRACK RECORD: Born in the Bahamas, Bannister moved to Maryland from 2015-17 and played high school baseball there. In 2017, he moved to the Dominican Republic to train, then moved back to the Bahamas before signing with the Rangers for $836,000 as a 17-year-old on July 2, 2019.

SCOUTING REPORT: Bannister is an impressive, physical athlete with power/speed potential at a premium position. He played shortstop as an amateur but has spent most of his time in center field since signing and fits best there. He's a plus runner who moves around well in the outfield with fluid actions and the potential for good range, though he's still learning to take better reads and routes. Before signing, Bannister hit from both sides of the plate, but he's now batting righthanded only. It's a power-over-hit profile, with the bat speed, strength projection and leverage in his swing to develop plus raw power in the future. He has an efficient swing and stays through the ball well, but his power will probably come with strikeouts, as he needs to improve his timing to make more frequent contact.

THE FUTURE: Bannister's upside is exciting, but he's still a project. He's not advanced enough for a fullseason assignment yet, so he's likely staying back in extended spring training to start 2020.

TRACK RECORD: Phillips put himself on the prospect map in 2018 and started strong in 2019, breezing through six starts in the high Class A Carolina League before a promotion to Double-A Frisco, where he struggled and got hit harder against better hitters.

SCOUTING REPORT: Phillips has plus control of a low-90s fastball. It's not overpowering, but he locates it well to all quadrants of the strike zone. His best pitch is his plus changeup, which he sells well to disguise as a fastball coming out of his hand before it drops with late sink and fade to get swings and misses or weak contact. Phillips' lack of a reliable breaking ball has been a red flag with him. His curveball is below-average, so the Rangers introduced a slider into his repertoire later in the 2019 season that he's still working on.

THE FUTURE: If the slider turns into a reliable pitch for Phillips he could develop into a back-end starter.