Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the The 2024 Prospect Digest Handbook here.
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1. Wyatt Langford, LF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 55 | 60 | 35 | 55 | 50 | 60 |
Background: The legend of Wyatt Langford started long before his days in Gator Land. Hell, it started before his time at Florida-based Trenton High School too. The prodigious power hitter ended up as a six-year varsity starter for Trenton’s baseball team. Meaning: he cracked a spot in the school’s lineup as a seventh grader. Just two years later he helped guide the team to the 2017 FHSAA Class 1A State Championship – as a true freshman. Langford’s collegiate career, though, didn’t begin so quickly. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound corner infielder / part-time catcher / outfielder appeared in just four contests during his first season in Gainesville, earning just four trips to the plate – though he did manage a base knock. Langford spent the ensuing summer shredding the Valley Baseball League, mashing .346/.549/.527 with 12 extra-base hits in 34 games. And he was able to carry that momentum over into a phenomenal sophomore campaign for Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan. He slugged a Herculian .356/.447/.719 with nine doubles, three triples, and 26 homeruns – tying former first rounder Matt LaPorta’s school record. The Florida native continued to shine for Team USA as well, hitting .333/.407/.381 in 21 at bats. And he continued his torrid production line for the Peninsula Pilots of the Coastal Plains League that summer as well, batting .394/.474/.697 in 38 trips to the plate. Somehow Langford raised the bar even further during his spectacular junior campaign. Langford slashed a scorching .373/.498/.769, setting a career-high in doubles (24) to go along with a trio of triples, 18 homeruns, and nine stolen bases (another career best, by the way). Texas happily drafted the dynamic Florida Gator with the fourth overall pick last summer, signing him to a deal worth $8,000,000. Langford rocketed all the way up to Triple-A during his debut, slugging a sizzling .360/.480/.677 with 17 doubles, two triples, 10 homeruns, and 12 stolen bases (in only 15 total attempts) in 44 games between the Complex League, Hickory, Frisco, and Round Rock.
Scouting Report: Pre-draft write-up:
“While LSU slugger Dylan Crews has – rightfully so – gained a lot of attention, Langford’s been just as impressive, especially through a historical lens. Consider the following:
Since 2011, five SEC hitters have posted a .350/.440/.700 slash line just 12 times (min. 250 PA). Wyatt Langford, who’s spent much of the year playing in Dylan Crews’ shadow, accomplished the feat for the second time in 2023.
Plus-plus raw power that allows him to hit a ball as far as any prospect in the country. Elite bat speed with a natural uppercut that allows him to punish mistakes over the heart of the plate. Quality high ball hitter. Does a lot of damage in the upper half of the strike zone. Langford has shown the ability to pepper balls from foul pole to foul pole. He combines his plus-plus power with a very strong approach at the plate. He finished his Florida career with more walks (87) than strikeouts (86). In terms of big league ceiling, think: .280/.340/.560 with 30 homeruns.”
Ceiling: 5.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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2. Evan Carter, CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 55 | 45/50 | 55 | 60 | 55 | 60 |
Background: Arguably the most popular player down the stretch as the Rangers captured the franchise’s first championship. ESPN’s esteemed Senior Writer David Schoenfield penned an article entitled, “MLB playoffs 2023: Rangers’ Evan Carter is a breakout star” before the club even reached the World Series. A week before that David Adler, writing for MLB.com’s flagship site, opined about “The 21-year-old stealing the show this postseason”. And local sportswriter Eric Mullin published a piece in mid-October called: “Meet the Rangers’ Evan Carter, a breakout star in MLB playoffs”. Clearly, the club’s top prospect took the baseball world by storm. Of course, hitting .306/.413/.645 in 23 regular season games followed up with a .300/.417/.500 slash line in the postseason as a 20-year-old will do that for you. Texas snagged the lanky centerfielder in the second round out of Elizabethton High School four years ago as part of a very strong class, which included Justin Foscue, and recently traded Tekoah Roby and Thomas Saggese. Carter would reach Double-A by the end of 2022 season, and he carried that meteoric momentum into last season (obvious). Spending the majority of the minor league season with the Frisco RoughRiders, the club’s Double-A affiliate, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound centerfielder batted .288/.413/.450 with 17 doubles, six triples, 13 homeruns, and 26 stolen bases (in 37 attempts). His overall production, as calculated by FanGraphs’ Weighted Runs Created Plus, surpassed the league average threshold by 32%.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: The lone tool keeping him from a true five-tool prospect is his average arm. In terms of big league ceiling, think: .300/.375/.500 with 25 homeruns and 25 stolen bases.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only three 20-year-old hitters posted a 128 to 138 wRC+ with a double-digit walk rate and a 21% to 24% strikeout rate with one club in any Double-A league (min. 350 PA): Willy Adames, Jordan Walker, and Evan Carter.
For those counting at home:
Adames has been an above-average big league bat in his six-year professional career, sporting a 107 wRC+ and Walker is coming off of a rookie season in which he slugged .276/.342/.445 for the Cardinals.
The lone question that Carter’s yet to answer is whether or not he can consistently hit left-handers, so much so, in fact, that the Rangers governed his playing time against big league southpaws down the stretch. The former second rounder isn’t completely inept, but he definitely struggles against them (.302/.427/.527 against RHP vs. .242/.349/.253 against LHP in 2023). Otherwise, he does everything else incredibly well: above-average glovework in centerfield, developing power that projects for 20 or so homeruns at his peak, and plus speed. He has all the tools to develop into a Grady Sizemore-type impact player. Sizemore, by the way, also struggled against LHP in his career (.224/.310/.371).
Ceiling: 5.0-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: Debuted in 2023
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3. Brock Porter, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 55 | 55 | 60 | 45 | 55 |
Background: The Rangers signed two of the biggest free agents during the 2021-2022 offseason, agreeing on mega-deals with middle infield tandem Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. Part of the cost of signing premium free agents like that included the loss of their second and third round picks that upcoming summer. So the club’s front office and scouting department had to make sure their first couple of picks in the 2022 draft counted. They doubled down and grabbed a pair of potentially risky right-handed pitchers: former Vanderbilt ace Kumar Rocker, and St. Mary’s Preparatory School product Brock Porter. The cost for signing the high school phenom was gargantuan: $3.7 million. Not bad money for a fourth rounder. Porter would make his highly anticipated debut with the club’s Low-A affiliate, the Down East Wood Ducks, last season, throwing 69.1 innings with 95 punch outs, 42, walks, and a tidy 2.47 ERA.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Command will likely never creep into average territory, but Porter has the look and feel of a strong mid-rotation arm. There’s some Ian Anderson-type potential here.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only four 20-year-old hurlers posted a 31.5% to 33.5% strikeout percentage with a walk percentage of at least 13% with one club in any Low-A league (min. 60 IP): Connor Phillips, Moises Chase, Saul Garcia, and Brock Porter.
What made Porter so attractive coming out of high school wasn’t his fastball, it was the quality of his offspeed offerings, particularly his changeup, which added so much intrigue. A lot of times hard-throwing teenagers fall in love with their fastball and – maybe – a dominant breaking ball, but Porter showed real touch and willingness to pull the string on hitters with his maniacal changeup. The fastball doesn’t quite have the same legs as it did in his amateur days; it was sitting in the 92- to 94-mph range during his final start of the year. But he complements that above-average pitch with an equally strong slider and, of course, that tremendous changeup. Porter really struggled with his command at points throughout the season, but I think he pushes it up to the 45-grade territory before it’s all said and done. He’s still tracking like a mid-rotation arm as he’s entering his second professional season.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2026
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4. Sebastian Walcott, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 40/50 | 50/60 | 60/50 | 45 | 40/50 | 55 |
Background: The Rangers have always been one of the more aggressive club’s on the international free agency market. And last year was no different as they signed Sebastian Walcott, one of the premier prospects, to a hefty $3.2 million deal. A few months after signing his pro deal, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound shortstop began what looks like the beginning of a meteoric rise through the Rangers’ farm system. He would spend nine games in the Dominican Summer League, another 35 contests in the stateside rookie league, and a final four games with the Hickory Crawdads – all at the age of 17. Walcott finished his debut with an aggregate .246/.335/.471 slash line with 13 doubles, four triples, seven homeruns, and a dozen stolen bases (in 18 attempts).
Scouting Report: Walcott has the type of projectable size and raw skillset that could change an organization’s future. He’s already standing a man-childish 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds but has plenty of room to fill out his wiry frame as he matures. Phenomenal bat speed, plus power potential, and speed wrapped up in a premium position on the infield dirt. With that being said, Walcott’s hit tool looked a little uncertain at times last season, particularly during his stint in High-A where he seemed susceptible to good offspeed stuff low and away or high-and-hard ones. The Rangers’ brass seemed to have designs on pushing their prized international free agent through the system quickly, which may negatively impact the bat’s ability to fully develop. Whip-like bat speed. He could be a franchise cornerstone, but there’s certainly risk. I’m betting that he’s not done growing and will eventually have to shift away from shortstop.
Ceiling: 3.5-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2026
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5. Jack Leiter, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 70 | 55 | 60 | 50 | 45 | 55 |
Background: One of themosthyped prospects in recent memory – maybe ever. Looking back it’s evident that a perfect storm swirled around Jack Leiter heading into the 2021 draft: he was highly touted coming out of high school but informed teams that he was going to honor his commitment to Vanderbilt; he was captivating during his brief, 15.2-inning freshman season before COVID prematurely ended it; he came out firing on all cylinders the following year, teaming with Kumar Rocker as one of the best pitching tandems in college baseball history; and – of course – social media ate it up. Threads and posts were in abundance, detailing his pre- and post-game rituals, his workouts, and throwing regiment. Jack Leiter was everywhere it seemed. It was shocking to some that the Pirates would pass on him with the top overall pick, but the Rangers were happy to snag him at #2, handing him the highest bonus in the entire draft ($7.922 million). Since then, though, Jack Leiter, son of former All-Star Al Leiter, has struggled – not only to live up to expectations that come along with that price tag, but just struggle in general. The stocky right-hander would post a 5.54 ERA in 92.2 innings with Frisco during his debut in 2022, walking 56 hitters in only 92.2 innings of work. And his return to the Texas League in 2023 was hardly better. Making 19 starts with the RoughRiders, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound former first rounder averaged 12.1 punch outs and a whopping 5.2 walks per nine innings to go along with a 5.07 ERA. He also made one disastrous start with Round Rock in the Pacific Coast League as well. He was placed on the “development list” for several weeks beginning in mid-July – more on that below.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Leiter still has the ceiling of a very good starting pitcher, but he’s rawer than expected – particularly given his bloodlines and collegiate performance / background.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only four 23-year-old pitchers posted a 30.5% to 32.% strikeout percentage with a 10% to 14% walk percentage with one club in any Double-A league (min. 75 IP): Ken Waldichuk, Andrew Abbott, and Jack Leiter.
I watched three of Leiter’s early season starts – every single pitch – and wrote an article called, “Jack Leiter’s a Mess”. And let’s be honest: he was a mess, an unmitigated disaster. He was too hittable, walk prone, and hardly looked like a future big league pitcher. Then I noticed his four starts with Frisco after the stint on the development list (16.1 IP, 25 K, 4 BB, 3.31 ERA) and decided to reevaluate. The club’s simplified his windup, removing unnecessary arm movement over his head. Beyond that, he just looked like Jack Leiter was supposed to look. Fastball command was better, still not great but better. The fastball had extra life and was basically unhittable above the belt. The club seemed to have him focus more on his FB than anything else. I was hesitant to move off of the former Vanderbilt ace after his disappointing debut, but I was ready to do so after watching several of his early season games. His work after the development list made it impossible for me to walk away. I’m a believer in Jack Leiter. I think he’s going to be a quality big league arm with a plus-plus fastball, an above-average curveball, an above-average slider, and a decent changeup. This analysis has two outcomes: #1 I look like a genius in two years or #2 I look like a complete idiot.
Ceiling: 3.5-win player
Risk: High
MLB ETA: 2024
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6. Justin Foscue, 2B/3B
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50 | 50 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 50 |
Background: All things considered, the Rangers’ brass did the prudent thing atop the cursed 2020 draft: they went after a top collegiate bat from a top-tier baseball program. Given the circumstances that surrounded the draft – the COVID pandemic wrecked all of the high school season and limited the collegiate season to a little more than a dozen games – it made sense to grab someone like Justin Foscue with the 14th overall. A career .297/.380/.482 hitter at Mississippi State, Foscue transitioned to the low levels of the minor leagues with relative ease in 2021: he batted .296/.407/.736 in 33 contests. But the 5-foot-11, 205-pound second baseman struggled during his first taste of Double-A that year, hitting .247/.317/.387. The following season, 2022, he settled in nicely with Frisco in the Texas League, putting together a .288/.367/.483 slash line in 101 games. Last season, the former Bulldog standout appeared in a career best 122 games with the Round Rock Express, slashing .266/.394/.468 with 31 doubles, four triples, 18 homeruns, and 14 stolen bases (in 21 total attempts). Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, Foscue’s overall production topped the league average threshold by 13%.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Foscue does things well, without having a true standout offensive weapon.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only four 24-year-old hitters met the following criteria with one club in any Triple-A league (min. 350 PA): 108 to 118 wRC+, a sub-14% strikeout rate, and a walk rate of at least 12%. Those four bats: Eric Sogard, Callix Crabbe, Brock Bond, and Justin Foscue.
Nothing’s really changed throughout Foscue’s professional tenure: average tools across the board without a true standout. Plenty of players have carved out long, quasi-successful careers at the game’s pinnacle level, making millions upon millions of dollars in the process with similar toolkits. The overwhelming majority of those players didn’t have Marcus Semien and Josh Jung penciled ahead of them, though.
Ceiling: 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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7. Kumar Rocker, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 60 | 60 | N/A | 55 | 50 |
Background: Simply put, Kumar Rocker is one of the greatest pitchers in college baseball history. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound right-hander, who looks like he moonlights as a tight-end in the NFL, shined brightly atop Vanderbilt’s rotation, leaving the school with a tidy-looking 2.89 ERA while averaging 12.2 strikeouts and just 2.6 walks per nine innings. But that’s where things begin to look a little murky for Rocker. The New York Metropolitans grabbed him in the opening round of the 2021 draft, 10th overall, but never came to terms with him after a post-draft physical raised some red flags in his precious right arm. A few months later the former Commodore would undergo the knife for a surgical procedure on his right shoulder. He would eventually pop up with the Tri-City ValleyCats, an independent team in the Frontier League. After dominating for 20 innings with the club, the Rangers would come calling, this time using the third overall pick on the burly righty, signing him to a deal worth $5.2 million, well below the recommended bonus. Rocker would make six brief appearances in the fall league, throwing 14.0 innings with 18 punch outs and a dozen bases-on-balls. Last season, the organization’s shot callers sent their most recent first rounder up to the South Atlantic League, but after six mostly dominant starts with the Crawdads he succumbed to Tommy John surgery. He finished the year with 28.0 innings, averaging 13.5 whiffs and 2.3 walks per nine innings.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Prior to the 2022 draft, reports had Rocker’s heater upwards of 99 mph and still flashing his plus-plus slider. He’ll likely be one of the most viewed hurlers at the start of 2023.
Scouting Report: Given what we know it just seemed like Rocker’s right arm was packed tightly with a ticking time bomb, and just 28 innings into his professional career it went Kablooey. Here’s what we know prior to his injury: his plus fastball was sitting in the mid-90s; he was featuring his plus curveball more than he had in college; and his plus slider was just as good as ever. This is also the second arm surgery since the Mets originally drafted him. The temptation to move the former SEC ace into a relief role is growing – and it might just be the right call – but it might behoove the front office to give him till the end of 2025 to make that final call.
Ceiling: 2.0-win player
Risk: High
MLB ETA: 2025
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8. Mitch Bratt, LHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 50 | 50 | 55 | 55 | 50 | 45 |
Background: Rangers General Manager Chris Young, a former All-Star hurler himself, has pulled a lot of the right strings since becoming the club’s front office captain at the end of 2020. He’s done well in free agency, on both the international and big league markets. He’s added the right mix of veterans via trades. And he’s done a superb job in the draft as well. Southpaw Mitch Bratt is another example of the organization’s deft moves in the draft. Taken in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, Bratt opened quite a few eyes during his stint with the Wood Ducks in 2022: he would hurl 80.2 innings with the club’s Low-A affiliate, averaging 11 strikeouts and 3.1 walks per nine innings to go along with a 2.45 ERA. And the wiry southpaw became of topic of conversation during his tenure with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic prior to the 2023 season – though he was pummeled by Team USA. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound left-hander spent the entirety of last year with the Hickory Crawdads in the South Atlantic League, posting a dominant 73-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 61.0 innings. He missed roughly six weeks due to an undisclosed injury in the second half of the year. Bratt would toss another 15.1 innings with the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League as well, fanning 17 and walking 10 while coughing 11 earned runs (6.46 ERA).
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: A great athlete that can field his position well, Bratt’s probably the best pitching prospect you’ve never heard of – at least not yet. Easy velocity, like he’s just playing catch without actually exerting himself. He’s destined for a #3 / #4-type role. He’ll be a consensus Top 100 prospect by midseason 2023.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only three 19-year-old pitchers tallied a 26.5% to 28.5% strikeout percentage with one club in any High-A league (min. 50 IP): Jose Fernandez, the former Marlins dynamic ace; Adrian Morejon, a former consensus Top 100 prospect for several seasons; and – of course – Mitch Bratt.
I was – probably – higher on Bratt heading into the 2023 season than anyone outside of his family. He looked like a potential backend arm with a quality arsenal. Last season he didn’t really resemble the same pitcher – maybe it was due to the WBC, maybe it was due to the stint on the DL. I’m not sure. But he just didn’t seem as promising. Bratt’s fastball lacked life. His curveball was a little slower, a little loopier. His slider still looked good. And his changeup was improved. He’s still only entering his age-20 season and likely spend a good portion of it in Double-A. He looks more like a #5 / #6 unless he can rediscover his 2022 arsenal.
Ceiling: 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2025
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9. Aidan Curry, RHP
| FB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 55 | 55 | 50 | 50 | 45 |
Background: I’ll be honest. I don’t have the exact numbers, but the Rangers just have to be in the minority when it comes to hitting on not one, but two legitimate undrafted free agents in the COVID-interrupted 2020 draft. Somehow the front office was able to convince Abimelec Ortiz and Aidan Curry to each sign for $20,000 and join the organization. Ortiz, of course, emerged as a breakout slugger during his third professional season, transforming into one of the most feared boppers in all of the minor leagues. And then there’s Curry, a projectable 6-foot-5, 205-pound righty who’s continuing to show promise as he’s moving through the low levels of the minor leagues. Curry would make his debut in the Complex League in 2021, posting a 23-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio in limited action. The following year he would toss just 38.1 innings, most of which was back in the rookie league, averaging 13.1 punch outs and 5.2 walks per nine innings. Last season, though, Curry had his own little Abimelec Ortiz moment. Throwing a career best 88.1 innings, nearly all of coming with Down East, the young righty fanned 104 hitters and walked just 39 walks. He tallied a tidy 2.75 ERA.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only three 20-year-old hurlers posted a 30% to 32% strikeout percentage with an 8% to 10% walk percentage with one club in any Low-A league (min. 75 IP): Levi Kelly, Ricardo Yan, and – of course – Aidan Curry.
A really solid young arm, Curry attacks hitters with a 92- to 94-mph fastball that plays up due to his wingspan. He mixes in a pair of solid offspeed pitches: a low-80s slider and a hard-diving changeup with the former being the better go-to option. The arm action is a little robotic and doesn’t lend itself towards a lot of projection, even though his frame would suggest otherwise. Curry’s tracking like a #5-type arm, but his lack of a genuine swing-and-miss pitch is a bit troublesome.
Ceiling: 1.0- to 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2026
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10. Abimelec Ortiz, 1B/OF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 40 | 60 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 45 |
Background: Everyone’s aware of the club’s ability to sign (or re-sign) expensive, high-end talent: Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Jon Gray, as well as high profile international free agents like Sebastian Walcott. But they also have a knack for finding less expensive, promising talent, like first baseman / corner outfielder Abimelec Ortiz, who signed for just $20,000 as an undrafted free agent coming out of Florida SouthWestern State College, which, by the way, produced veteran big leaguer Joel Pinero, in 2021. But for the majority of his first two seasons in the club’s farm system, that looked like a significant overpay – which is clearly saying something. The squat 6-foot, 230-pound Ortiz hit .233/.419/.581 in the Dominican Summer League as a 19-year-old. And he followed that up with a disappointing .226/.308/.380 showing in the Carolina League the following year. But something seemed to click for him in 2023 because he looked like one of the system’s most feared bats: he slugged .294/.371/.619 with 20 doubles, four triples, and 33 homeruns in 109 games with Down East and Hickory. His overall production, as determined by Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average mark by a staggering 60%.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only a pair of 21-year-old hitters met the following criteria with one club in any High-A league (min. 300 PA): 152 to 162 wRC+ and a 26% to 28% strikeout rate. Those two bats: Nolan Jones and Abimelec Ortiz.
Caught somewhere between Daniel Voguelbach and Jesus Aguilar, Ortiz’s problematic hit tool jumped several rungs during his massive breakout in 2023. Quite strong with plenty of loft in his swing, the former undrafted free agent has easy plus power to all fields, in any park, in any universe. The question moving forward is whether the stocky bopped is going to make enough contact to carry him to the big leagues. I’m quite skeptical still – the track record isn’t great, the hit tool isn’t great, and he’s yet to face Double-A. But the power is something to dream on. I think there’s several late-blooming traits that make him a potential 25-, 26-, 27-year-old flash in the big league pan.
Ceiling: 1.0- to 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2026
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All statistics were provided via the following website: Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, TheBaseballCube, BaseballProspectus, ClayDavenport.com, Baseball America, and X-user @mk237700 (for compiling Statcast Data)
