Rangers Land Long-Term Shortstop Prospect in Recent MLB Mock Draft

The Texas Rangers have a long-term answer at shortstop in Corey Seager. But Texas would be wise to plan on the future.

Seager is in the fourth year of his 10-year deal. He’s had issues with his hamstring this season and while Texas isn’t weighing a position change, that could be on the table down the line. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy reiterated this weekend that Seager is the starting shortstop.

Behind him at Double-A Frisco is Sebastian Walcott, who has yet to turn 20 and is playing like he could be ready for a promotion to Triple-A Round Rock soon. He could be ready for the Majors next year. Where he might be play is an open question.

From there? Well, Texas could use their No. 12 overall pick to add to that pipeline, according to Baseball America’s most recent mock draft. The publication has the Rangers selecting shortstop Steele Hall out of Hewitt-Trussville High School in Alabama.

Who is Steele Hall?

Hall is an intriguing player because he is supposed to be in the Class of 2026 but reclassified to be eligible for both the 2025 MLB draft and any colleges that are interested in him. So he’s younger than the typical high school senior.

Because of that, he’s likely not going to be a player like Walcott, who went from being the Rangers’ top international signing in 2023 to Double-A in two years. He doesn’t have quite that profile.

But, per Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo, there is plenty to like about Hall.

“Hall is probably the best pure athlete of the first-round high school shortstops, with at least 70-grade running ability and slick defensive actions to pair with developing hitting chops,” he wrote.

Hall won’t turn 18 years old until a week after the draft.

He’ll likely need three or four years in the minor league system before he’s ready to be considered for a call-up.

The Rangers selected catcher Malcolm Moore with their first-round pick last year. Moore, out of Stanford, is with High-A Hub City but is on the injured list.

In 2023, Texas selected outfielder Wyatt Langford out of Florida. The former SEC star zoomed through the Rangers’ system in less than a year and made last year’s opening-day roster. He is Texas’ starting left fielder.

The Rangers’ 2022 first-round selection was pitcher Kumar Rocker out of Vanderbilt. He missed most of 2023 and 2024 with Tommy John surgery but made his MLB debut last year. He is working back from a right shoulder injury.

Jack Leiter was Texas first-round pick in 2021 out of Vanderbilt. He made his MLB debut last year and is part of tshe Rangers’ starting rotation.

Texas’ first-round pick in 2020 was infielder Justin Foscue out of Mississippi State. He’s done time with the Rangers but is currently at Triple-A Round Rock.

The 2025 MLB draft will be held Sunday and Monday, July 13-14, during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.