Texas Rangers to Promote Hot Pitching Prospect Kohl Drake to Triple-A

While the Texas Rangers are fighting to stay in the American League West race they’re keeping their eye on the future, too.

On Saturday, multiple outlets, including MLB.com, reported that the Rangers were promoting starting pitching prospect Kohl Drake to Triple-A Round Rock for his next start.

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Drake is the No. 11 prospect in the Rangers’ system per MLB Pipeline. He is the fifth-highest ranked pitcher and the highest-ranked left-hander. The only other Top 15 pitching prospect in the system that is at Triple-A is Emiliano Teodo, who has been converted into a reliever.

Drake’s MiLB transaction log did not note the promotion. Most Major League teams don’t announce promotions officially until the next week of games, which usually start on Tuesday.

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His promotion represents a move to position Drake for a call-up to the Majors in 2026.

The 24-year-old’s most recent start was Wednesday with Double-A Frisco. He claimed a victory in a six-inning performance as he allowed two hits, no runs and two walks against two strikeouts. It wrapped up a terrific June, as he went 2-1 with a 1.64 ERA in four starts. He struck out 21 and walked eight in 22 innings.

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The lefty is having his second straight excellent season in the system. He started the campaign with Frisco and is 4-3 with a 2.44 ERA in 12 starts, with 70 strikeouts and 22 walks in 55.1 innings.

Last season was his breakthrough in the organization. He played for three different affiliates — Class A Down East, High-A Hickory and Frisco. Combined, he went 9-5 with a 2.29 ERA in 23 games (19 starts), with 148 strikeouts and 31 walks in 106 innings.

His ERA at Frisco in five games last season was 3.10.

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Drake’s first season in the system was in 2023, and he split time between the Rangers’ Arizona Complex League team and Down East. He struggled, as he went 2-5 with a 6.36 ERA in 14 games (four starts). He struck out 55 and walked 20 in 46.2 innings.

One clear improvement has been in opponent batting average. In 2023 he allowed batters to hit .305 against him. That average dropped to .196 in 2024 and .164 this season.

Texas drafted Drake in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB draft out of Walters State Community College in Tennessee. He is a native of Orem, Utah.

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