Since Adrián Beltré retired after the 2018 season, third base has been a revolving door for the Texas Rangers, having had three different Opening Day third basemen in as many years. While there is essentially a guarantee there will be a fourth in 2022, it could be the beginning of some stability at the hot corner.
But first, let's take a look back at last season.
Once again, the Rangers had a gaping hole at third base after the 2020 season. They had a number of options in camp, including veterans Brock Holt and Charlie Culberson, who were brought to spring training on minor league deals. Internally, the Rangers were strongly considering moving Rougned Odor over to the hot corner to give youngster Nick Solak a good look over at second base.
By the end of camp, even though Odor played well despite having no experience at the position, the Rangers decided to move on. In a move geared toward the future, Odor was designated for assignment and subsequently traded to the New York Yankees. The plan then became a platoon of Holt and Culberson as a stopgap until No. 1 prospect Josh Jung was done tearing up Triple A, paving the way for a midseason call-up.
However, a stress fracture in Jung's foot put those plans on hold. While he was very impressive in his first full professional season (.326/.398/.592/.990 slash line with 19 home runs and 61 RBI in 78 total games between Double A and Triple A), Jung never got the call to the big leagues.
For the most part, Holt (69 appearances) and Culberson (68) handled the duties at the hot corner. In true fairness, both of them did about as well as could be expected. Neither is known as a huge offensive threat, but both provided some much-needed clubhouse leadership, especially after three respected leaders were traded at the end of July.
Yonny Hernandez and Andy Ibáñez also helped out at the hot corner, though most of Ibáñez's appearances came at second base. Hernandez helped provide a bit of grit with an aggressive style of play, but—like many young Rangers players—he showed plenty of growing pains at the plate.
Ibáñez showed a lot of promise with a better-than-expected performance in the field. He was also one of the more consistent hitters down the stretch, ending up with a .277/.321/.435/.756 slash line, seven homers and 25 RBI in 76 total games.
At the end of the day, the Rangers were at the bottom of the league in terms of offensive production at third base. They ranked last in MLB in home runs (7), OPS (.626) and slugging percentage (.325). For a position that is typical known for offense and slug, that is...underwhelming.
2022 Outlook
Projected Starter: Josh Jung
Internal Options: Andy Ibáñez, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Yonny Hernandez
Offseason Priority: LOW
The Rangers are looking to improve their roster in the offseason, and third base could be affected, one way or another. As things stand, Josh Jung is projected to be the everyday third baseman on Opening Day. However, the Rangers aren't going to just give him the job. He's a young player with just one full professional season under his belt. He'll have to go into camp and earn it.
Another factor that could affect third base in 2022 and beyond is what the Rangers do this winter in free agency or on the trade market. The Rangers have money to spend and are poised to be major players in both markets, especially at shortstop. If the Rangers land a big-name shortstop like Carlos Correa, Corey Seager or Irving native Trevor Story, Isiah Kiner-Falefa would likely be moving to another position. Even though second base might make the most sense, it wouldn't be a complete shock if the Rangers asked him to move back to the hot corner. After all, he has won a Gold Glove there.
There is also a scenario—albeit, very unlikely—where the Rangers double dip in the shortstop market. Story is coming off a disappointing season, and his cost could come down considerably. The Rangers could feasibly sign Seager to play shortstop for around $30 million per year, then add Story for $20-25 million per year and play third base. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, some rival evaluators believe the Rangers could try and go for two shortstops. However, four of the five have qualifying offers attached to them, meaning signing two shortstops could cost two high draft picks.
A dark horse for playing time at third base—or anywhere in the infield—is Andy Ibáñez. The Rangers need offense, and though he only played half a season, he was one of the more impressive bats in 2021. His defensive versatility could lead him to getting at-bats at the hot corner.
For now, the safest bet at third base is Josh Jung. The Rangers really love his make up and believe he is already equipped to handle the large leap from Triple A to Major League Baseball.
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