The Texas Rangers’ roster is filled with homegrown talent, highlighting the organization’s commitment to drafting and developing players.
Recent first-round selections such as Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, Josh Jung, Justin Foscue, Cole Winn, and Wyatt Langford have all reached the major leagues, demonstrating the success of the club’s scouting and player development efforts.
While the Rangers have invested heavily in free agents over the years, including stars like Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom, and Nathan Eovaldi, the organization continues to view the MLB Draft as a critical component of building a competitive roster.
Holding the No. 16 overall pick in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft, Texas once again finds itself selecting in the middle of the first round.
Rangers director of amateur scouting Kip Fagg, now in his 34th season with the organization, credited improvements in the club’s evaluation process for the growing number of draft picks reaching the big leagues.
He praised the collaboration between scouts, analysts, and player development personnel, noting that the Rangers have refined their approach over the past decade and are seeing the results at the highest level.
According to MLB Pipeline’s latest mock draft, Texas is projected to select Jared Grindlinger, a highly regarded two-way player from Huntington Beach High School in California.
Although Grindlinger has impressed both as a pitcher and hitter, the Rangers are believed to prefer his offensive potential as an outfielder.
The organization has also shown a willingness to develop two-way prospects, with Josh Owens and Seong-Jun Kim currently pursuing that path in the farm system.
Fagg emphasized that success in the draft extends far beyond the first round. Players such as Evan Carter, Cam Cauley, and Jacob Latz were all selected outside the opening round and have gone on to contribute at the professional level.
With only 20 rounds and fewer opportunities to acquire talent than in previous years, the Rangers remain focused on maximizing every pick and finding future major leaguers throughout the entire draft class.
