Friday on the Farm: Ranking the five best shortstops in the Texas Rangers' farm system
The Rangers are seeking a shortstop via free agency, so it's uncertain when the best prospects might make a big-league impact.
Though their officials would never publicly acknowledge it, the Texas Rangers are attempting to sign one of the big-name free-agent shortstops this offseason.
Corey Seager has ties to manager Chris Woodward and hitting coach Tim Hyers from their time with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Trevor Story is the local kid (Irving) who has hit well at Globe Life Field as a visiting player.
Carlos Correa might be the best of them, though Javier Baez is no slouch himself. Marcus Semien? He could play second base, where he won a Gold Glove this year, but wants to move back to shortstop.
Just as it’s possible the Rangers land one of the five, it’s entirely possible they get shut out and have Isiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop for the second consecutive season.
That wouldn’t be the end of the world, though it might feel that way. Kiner-Falefa can hang with the Big Five defensively, but he will likely never produce at the plate the way they do.
The Rangers believe they have shortstops in the farm system who could be more productive than Kiner-Falefa, but not to start the 2022 season and maybe not to end it.
But, as has been the theme so far in a position-by-position look at the minors, the Rangers are sitting on a deep group who could either help the Rangers on the field or be dangled in a trade to help acquire missing pieces.
They get deeper at the position if Ezequiel Duran ends up at shortstop.
Let’s take a look at the five best shortstops.