Rangers Linked To Pitching In Mock Draft

Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young told reporters in July that he hoped the team’s 2023 selection of outfielder Wyatt Langford at No. 4 overall would be the last time they would select that high in the draft. Young got his wish. After winning the World Series, the Rangers will select No. 30 overall — the end of the first round — when the Rangers host the 2024 MLB Draft as part of All-Star Weekend in Arlington, Texas.

The World Series champions will select No. 30 overall when they host the 2024 MLB Draft in Arlington, Texas.Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports The last time the Rangers drafted this low was in 2017, when they selected shortstop Chris Seise out of West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Fla., at No. 29 overall. Seise has never played in the Majors and is currently a free agent.

The Rangers hope to have better luck at No. 30 next July. After the draft order was finalized, Baseball America produced a mock draft for the first round. The publication connected the Rangers to a college pitcher that has the potential to be a starter — UC Santa Barbara right-hander Matt Ager: The best pitcher in the class on the West Coast, Ager moved from the bullpen to the rotation last spring to great effect. He posted a 3.12 ERA over 15 starts and 92 1/3 innings, and among qualified pitchers his 3.50 FIP was the fifth-best in the country thanks to an extremely solid 30.3% strikeout rate and 6.8% walk rate. He has appealing starter traits and pitches off a low-90s fastball and low-80s slider. Last season Ager was a National College Baseball Writers Association All-America Third Team selection, an American Baseball Coaches Association All-West Region Second Team selection, All-Big West First Team member and USA Baseball Collegiate National Team member after he went 5-4 and started every weekend series for the Gauchos. That’s coming off a freshman season in which he went 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA and five saves in 87 1/3 innings pitched.