A hat and glove of a Texas Rangers player during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Rangers Pair of Minor League Hurlers Earn Pitcher of Week Honors

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 8:00 PM ET

The Texas Rangers had two pitchers that were named to weekly awards in their respective leagues for action from Aug. 25-31, the franchise announced.

At Double-A Frisco, right-handed pitcher Josh Stephan was named the Texas League pitcher of the week, while left-hander Michael Plassmeyer was named the Pacific Coast League pitcher of week for his work with Triple-A Round Rock. Neither is among the Rangers’ Top 30 prospects as listed at MLB Pipeline.

Josh Stephan’s Week

Stephan, a starting pitcher who at one time was considered a Top 30 prospect in the organization, threw five hitless and scoreless innings of relief in his latest appearance on Friday against San Antonio. Frisco won the game, 6-3, in a come-from-behind win. Along with no hits and runs, he allowed two walks and struck out three hitters. It was his longest outing in relief since the 2002 season.

His performance improved his 2025 to 6-6 with a 4.98 ERA in 22 games (20 starts) with 81 strikeouts and 25 walks in 97.2 innings. He’s allowed batters to hit .289 against him and has a 1.44 WHIP.

Stephan, who pitched at South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas, was not drafted in the 2020 MLB draft, which was only five rounds. The Rangers, his hometown team, signed him as a free agent and he started is professional career in 2021. He’s never pitched above Double-A and has a career record of 22-21 with a 3.98 ERA in 78 games (71 starts). He has 379 strikeouts and 102 walks in 366 innings.

Michael Plassmeyer’s Season

Plassmeyer, a 28-year-old left-hander, threw six shutout innings with seven strikeouts as he helped the Express win a 3-2 game over the Salt Lake Bees. He allowed two hits, didn’t walk a hitter and threw 78 pitches, with 60 of them strikes. It was his longest scoreless appearance since 2022, when he was pitching for Triple-A Lehigh Valley in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Texas signed him to a free-agent minor league deal in December and optioned him to Round Rock in April. He’s become a solid swing starter for the Express, as he is 7-4 with a 4.56 ERA in 26 games (15 starts), including 92 strikeouts and 32 walks in 96.2 innings. He is allowing batters to hit .254 against him and has a 1.30 WHIP.

He was originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB draft out of Missouri. In his minor league career, he is 35-41 with a 4.26 ERA in 161 games (123 starts), with 667 strikeouts and 173 walks in 636.1 innings. He’s pitched in three Major League games, with a 0-2 record and a 9.82 ERA, with 11 strikeouts in 11 innings.

This article first appeared on Texas Rangers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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