Prospect Insider - Rangers system still strong

Rangers system still strong

By Churchill/Randall

By 02-16-2011

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On eve of the eve of the release of the 2011 Prospect Insider Handbook, we finish up our three-part series assessing the farm systems of the other three clubs in the American League West. In case you missed them, check out Rick Randall's take on the Angels here and the Athletics here. Now, onto the Texas Rangers, who began the 2010 season with the No. 1 farm system in all of baseball. If you're into MLB betting, don't count out the Rangers anytime soon.

The Rangers system is still very solid, built more on depth now than a year ago when Neftali Feliz and Martin Perez were both potential frontline starters, Wilmer Font wasn't far behind and the club had two long-term first base prospects within a year of the big leagues.

Now, Feliz is the team's closer, Perez is coming off a sub par season that has raised some eyebrows and Font is recovering from Tommy John surgery. But, again, there is depth, and they did add a potential star shortstop into the fold.

Jurickson Profar impressed scouts late last summer in his time in the Northwest League, and may very well be the Rangers' top prospect and future starting shortstop. That's saying a lot with Elvis Andrus in the picture.

Profar may have more power than Andrus in the long run, and has every bit the athleticism. Andrus has the better range but Profar has a cannon arm; he was widely thought to be a better prospect on the mound.

Perez is still a good prospect, and to put too much stock into his 5.96 ERA and 50 walks in 99 2/3 innings at Double-A Frisco would be unfair to the 19-year-old left-hander. Perez did struggle with back problems for part of the season, which might explain some of the dip in velocity, but he's still really young and still has No. 1 upside.

The Rangers do lack offense in their system right now, with Engle Beltre, a center fielder the Rangers acquired from Boston in the Eric Gagne trade, the best "bat," but he lacks a big-league approach and relies on his physical tools a little too much.

Third baseman Mike Olt could end up the first baseman of the future if he can't stick at third, and Luis Sardinas offers another potential option up the middle in two or three years.

Font should recover and get back on the mound late in 2011, and the Rangers have more pitching on the way. Tanner Scheppers may be a reliever down the line, but if he doesn't make the major league roster out of spring training, the Rangers are planning to send him back to the minors as a starting pitcher. He offers big velocity and a plus breaking ball already; his fastball command as a starter is below average, but there are two out pitches in his arsenal and any kind of development of a third pitch could be enough to leave him in the rotation.

Lefty Robert Erlin is a potential mid-rotation starter, as are right-handers Neil Ramirez and David Perez. Miguel de los Santos has No. 2 potential but is years away. Robbie Ross is considered a No. 3 or 4 starter, too.

A look at the Rangers foreseeable weaknesses in the big leagues, catcher stands out like a sore thumb. It wasn't that long ago that it appeared the Rangers had three answers behind the plate in Taylor Teagarden, Max Ramirez and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and now only Teagarden remains in the system.

Despite a lack of upside with the pitching depth outside Perez, and potentially Scheppers, Texas' farm talent still ranks at the top of the division. Any system with a half-dozen future mid-rotation starters, a potential star at shortstop and a frontline arm within two years of the majors is going to be tough to beat.

The Angels come up a bit short despite having the No. 1 overall prospect in the game, and the vast majority of the A's best young talent has graduated to the show in the past two years.

How far away is Seattle? Stay tuned. We're just a few days from releasing the Handbook that will reveal the Top 30, and we'll share features from the Handbook in their entirety here on the site starting this coming weekend.

rangers-system-still-strong

Comments
The following 10 comment(s) for this article are shown below:

1. By: kevin_ess on 02-17-2011 00:19:32
I would be happy to remedy the SS problem and take either Profar or Andrus. Everybody wins!

2. By: kevin_ess on 02-17-2011 00:26:13
After all, Wilson makes one hell of a backup. Yeah, that one. No, that one...

3. By: acqb1424 on 02-17-2011 12:49:23
Jason, Rick or Chris,

Not that he is a prospect anymore, but what are your thoughts on Derek Holland? Is Perez similar to Holland or a completely different type of arm? Which one is more likely to reach their potential?

4. By: maqman on 02-17-2011 13:35:59
The Rangers are the best in the AL West this year and for a while longer. However they are not without faults and missteps, they didn't get Lee, Adrian Beltre was overpaid, and they have turned the face of the franchise into a malcontent - an expensive one too. Long term they can be had, but the A's might beat us to it.

5. By: Jason A. Churchill on 02-17-2011 13:49:50
acbq1424,

I like Holland quite a bit. I wish he was in the Smoak deal. I think he can start.

He's going to get back to establishing the fastball this year, or at least that is the plan. he fell in love with the slider, and I can understand why. It's a pretty good pitch for him at times, and he was facing a lot of lefties out of the pen.

Perez is different, more effort in the delivery, but a better changeup. In the long run, I think Holland's 90-93 mph fastball ends up topping Perez's by a hair, but having that changeup equalizer is, well, more than the equalizer for Perez going up against Holland.

Unless Perez's back problems last year is a sign of things to come.

6. By: rjfrik on 02-18-2011 00:18:15
Keith Law's Future 50.

I'm not sure if any of you read Keith's MLB 2011 draft preview with the top 50 players for the upcoming draft yet, but, I thought it was interesting who his number two player was. Not any of the pitchers but George Springer.

It might be we get a dynamic bat either way if Springer grades out right behind Rendon. Maybe we get a 3b or OF in the upcoming draft.

Jason do you see the two big bats going over all of the pitchers?

Also it looks as if Bubba Starling might be too good to pass up as well. 5 tool guy at the plate. Wow.

This draft might go down as one of the best in recent memory.

7. By: sexymarinersfan on 02-18-2011 02:29:20
I swear to God that I've been lobbying for OF George Springer for the last 7 months or Gerrit Cole. I even asked Jack Z himself at fanfest if he had anybody in mind and his response was, "I don't think it's anybody's secret as to whom we have it boiled down to. I won't name any names but it consists of about 5 players, a few pitchers, an infielder, and one outfielder."

Dear God,

Please let it be George Springer!"

8. By: acqb1424 on 02-18-2011 08:20:32
Jason,

Thanks for the info on Holland. Was his name ever brought up in the Smoak deal?

I'm a fan of Springer in well, but how do you think his power will play in Safeco? Is Jackie Bradley Jr. more of a slasher type than a big power threat?

I know it's a pipe dream, but I am crossing my fingers that we get Rendon...but Springer or Cole wouldn't be a bad consoloation prize.

9. By: rjfrik on 02-18-2011 12:20:25
Bradley was rated as the 15th or so prospect in the upcoming draft. He's a great athlete and arguably the best OF defender in the draft but he really doesn't project any pop and not worthy of the number 2 in my opinion. Springer on the other hand can absolutely rake and projects some big time power. If he can make a big jump on protecting the plate and handling being behind in the count this year then he is the automatic number 2 for me. That's all the kid is really lacking. Draft him and give him 2 years in the minors and you might have your replacement for Ichiro right at the time Ichiro's contract comes up. Will Ichiro be finished producing at that point? Probably not and we will end up signing him to a three year deal or so but at least you would have his place holder on the team.

10. By: baseballman on 02-18-2011 12:42:42
rfjrik, I hadnt seen that yet but Im going to check it out. Thatd be awesome if Springer rates that high. I believe that JAC has said Springer is prob a top 5 guy in the past. I would love to get a big bat ala Rendon or Springer at #2.

We are going to grab an ace or a MOTO bat. Im happy

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