Five Texas Rangers Top Prospects to Watch as MLB Trade Deadline

The Texas Rangers have, for the past two seasons, largely avoided spending prospect capital to make their Major League team better.

Could that change this year? It all depends on how badly the Rangers want to make a push for the playoffs despite a scuffling offense.

Hitting and relief help are Texas’ needs entering July. Depending upon where the Rangers are in a couple of weeks will determine just how much prospect capital they’re willing to move. The bigger the move, the more minor league talent Texas may have to trade.

The Rangers don’t have a farm system so flush with talent that they can move whomever they want. But there are pieces that teams inquire about.

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Here are five prospects that could be included in trades to make the Rangers better for the home stretch. In this case, prospects are players that haven’t played a Major League game yet. By all indications, No. 1 prospect Sebastian Walcott appears untouchable.

LHP Kohl Drake

The Rangers’ No. 11 prospect is starting to turn heads. He was just promoted to Triple-A Round Rock and Rangers manager Bruce Bochy believes the 24-year-old has the stuff to pitch in the Majors one day.

Prospective trade partners will be drawn to his rock-solid strikeout-to-walk ratio, his sub-3.00 ERA and the prospect of at least one more year before he must be protected for the Rule 5 draft.

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OF Dylan Dreiling

Dreiling was the Rangers’ second-round pick last year and while his numbers don’t look great at High-A Hub City, he has all the measurables teams are looking for in an outfielder.

Texas has a system and a Major League roster that is flush with quality outfielders. Dreiling could be a prospect the Rangers part with that helps facilitate a larger deal for a bat that could turn their scuffling offense around.

RHP David Davalillo

Recently promoted to Double-A Frisco, the 22-year-old is having the kind of season that could get him name the system’s top pitcher of the year. That’s going to draw some attention from trade partners. MLB Pipeline has him as its No. 27 prospect but he’s pitching like a Top 10 prospect.

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He’s a player that puts the Rangers’ personnel people in a dilemma. They’ve made great investment, and it’s paid off. But what’s the pay-off for dealing him? Is it enough to get the Rangers moving?

SS Devin Fitz-Gerald

The definition of future promise. The fifth-round pick of a year ago is batting around .300 at Class-A Hickory. He’s already built up some buzz in the system and he’s only 19 years old.

He’s years away from helping any Major League club. But baseball teams are sometimes fascinated with where a player can be three to five years down the line. Fitz-Gerald may be the most fascinating player in the system and that could entice potential trade partners.

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LHP Mitch Bratt

Another left-hander, the Canadian already has World Baseball Classic experience. He’s 21, pitches at Frisco and has a sub 2.00 ERA this season.

In a year or two he could be ready for the Rangers’ rotation. He could also be ready for someone else’s rotation — with the right offensive piece in return.

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