Friday on the Farm: Ranking top five Texas Rangers outfield prospects is a taller task than a year ago
The MLB Draft, one trade and the international signing class added talent and depth to the pool of outfielders.
For the first time in a long time, the baseball industry agrees that the Texas Rangers’ farm system is filled with talent.
They have climbed to No. 11 in the organizational rankings by Baseball America and MLB.com, and are certain to go higher to start the season and in the 2022 midseason rankings.
It’s a deep system, but it’s deep with talented players at the upper levels and more are coming behind the likes of Josh Jung, Cole Winn, Sam Huff and Justin Foscue.
Jack Leiter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, is among them.
So is second-round pick Aaron Zavala, an outfielder who hits from the left side with an advanced approach and power. He hopped right into the top 15 of Rangers prospects after making his pro debut in August in the Arizona Complex League and finishing the season at Low A Down East.
If he’s among the top 15 prospects overall, he’s definitely one of the top outfielders in the Rangers’ system. With two full seasons and a COVID season of college baseball on his resume, the former Oregon star could be a quick mover through the system.
But is he the Rangers’ best outfield prospect?