The Texas Rangers have plenty of well-regarded prospects in their minor-league system, but there is one that MLB.com is looking forward to making his Major League debut in 2023.
It’s not the prospect you’re probably thinking.
The Rangers spent their last two first-round picks on pitchers — Jack Leiter in 2021 and Kumar Rocker in 2022. But Leiter had an uneven season with Double-A Frisco last season and Rocker hasn’t made his minor-league debut yet, though he did pitch in the Arizona Fall League.
MLB.com is looking forward to another pitcher making his Major League debut this season — Owen White.
White is the Rangers’ No. 4 overall prospect. The Rangers put the 23-year-old right-hander on the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule V Draft.
White has been with the Rangers organization since being drafted in the second round in 2018 out of high school. But last season White’s stock in the organization took off, even though he missed nearly two months with an injury.
With High Class-A Hickory and Double-A Frisco, White went 9-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 15 appearances (14 starts). He threw 80 1/3 innings, giving up 70 hits, 33 runs (32 earned), eight home runs and 23 walks. He struck out 104. Batters hit .233 against him and he had a 1.16 WHIP.
He went 6-2 at High Class-A Hickory, earning a promotion to Frisco. In his first start with the RoughRiders he was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week and finished the regular season 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA in four starts.
He ended the regular season with six straight strikeouts for the RoughRiders. Everything he did in Hickory translated to Frisco, even though he missed nearly two months with an injury.
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