The Texas Rangers have 34 players on their 40-man roster and that means they have space to add in free agency. They’ve also set priorities.
President of baseball operations Chris Young talked to reporters on Thursday, including DLLS Sports, as they welcomed Brandon Nimmo to Arlington for the first time. He was in the clubhouse with his new uniform. Young also talked about what’s next for the franchise this offseason. He also talked priorities, three of which are fairly obvious — catcher, bullpen and starting pitching.
Catcher
The Rangers non-tendered Jonah Heim and have two catchers on the 40-man roster — Kyle Higashioka and Willie MacIver. Higashioka is expected to be the starter while MacIver, who has only played a handful of Major League games, would be the backup if the season started now.
The development of first-round pick Malcolm Moore has been disappointing so far, as he didn’t take advantage of the extra at-bats he received at the Arizona Fall League. The organizational depth at the position is thin.
Per multiple reports, including The Athletic (subscription required), the Rangers don’t have the budget to pursue the catcher at the top of the market, J.T. Realmuto. Texas appears more likely to go after a less expensive veteran like Victor Caratini or Danny Jansen.
Relief Pitching
Young told reporters on Thursday that they are engaged with bringing back Josh Sborz, who was non-tendered at the deadline. He missed all of 2025 as he struggled to regain his velocity after shoulder surgery.
Texas has four relievers under contract from last season — Robert Garcia, Cole Winn, Luis Curvelo and Jacob Latz, the last of which is also a starting rotation candidate. Jose Corniell, one of their top prospects, made his MLB debut at the end of the season as a reliever but is also a rotation candidate.
Shawn Armstrong recently expressed a desire to return to Texas but is hoping to return on a two-year deal. Young said on Thursday that the franchise is engaged with most of their free agents, a list that would include Jon Gray, Chris Martin, Danny Coulombe, Hoby Milner and Armstrong. Phil Maton has already signed with the Chicago Cubs.
Starting Pitching
The Rangers have solid depth here with Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, Jacob Latz and Cody Bradford all under contract and are expected to return. It’s possible Texas could choose to move one in a trade, but that would be a cost-cutting move.
Texas won’t be shopping at the top of the market. It’s possible that the Rangers could bring back left-hander Patrick Corbin for another year. But pursuing Tyler Mahle or Merrill Kelly is unlikely unless their market softens. Given the depth, Texas will likely look for a budget option or two.
