The Rangers have promoted top prospect Nomar Mazara, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Mazara will take the 25-man roster spot of Shin-Soo Choo, who will be out four to six weeks with a calf strain. Mazara will presumably replace Choo, at least for the time being, as the Rangers’ everyday right fielder.
Mazara will be extremely young for a big-league promotion — he won’t turn 21 until later this month. He will, in fact, be the youngest player in the Majors, coming in below 21-year-old Roberto Osuna of the Blue Jays. Mazara was, however, off to a hot start at Triple-A Round Rock, going 6-for-12 with a homer so far, and he hit a combined .296/.366/.443 for Round Rock and Double-A Frisco last season. He’s currently ranked the No. 9 prospect in baseball by ESPN’s Keith Law, No. 17 by MLB.com, and No. 21 by Baseball America. Law writes that Mazara could easily end up with 25-homer-type power once he matures, and MLB.com praises Mazara’s plus power and strong arm in right field.
The Rangers signed Mazara out of the Dominican to a hefty $4.95MM bonus in 2011, and he’s moved quickly through their system, making it to full-season ball in 2013 as an 18-year-old and skipping Class A+ on his way to Double-A. Along the way, he’s shown not only good power (with 56 minor-league home runs), but a strong understanding of the strike zone that has improved as he’s matured — in 2014 and 2015 he took a total of 118 walks despite facing much older pitchers.
If Mazara were to stick in the Majors, he could become eligible for arbitration following the 2018 season and eligible for free agency after 2021, since we’re less than two weeks into the season. Of course, the Rangers could delay Mazara’s free agency by a year by sending him down to the minors for a short time at some point.
Choo’s injury is, of course, significant news in itself — Choo was off to a slow start this season, but he batted .276/.375/.463 last year, and the Rangers would be very lucky to get production like that from a 21-year-old rookie, even one as gifted as Mazara. Choo is making $20MM this season, the third year of his seven-year deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The future is now!
Tyson Ross+ Derek Norris for Mazara. Gallo
Lol, no. The Rangers could net more of a sure thing pitcher (and one without shoulder inlfammation hanging over their head) for that and Mazara is most likely off limits.
The Padres held Ross too long. Now he is on the DL and has to come back and show he is ok before anyone is going to pony up a top prospect.
Rangers could get plenty more for those 2
Dream big if you are going to dream.. If Mazara and Gallo are in a trade together, the return would have to be Sale, Gray, or Kershaw(not saying a trade is possible, but that is talent you are looking to get back). That’s the only reason you trade two blue chip players.
White Sox will only trade sale if they are not in contention this year imo, but I think Gray will be traded, I doubt to a division rival. I see the cubs making a deal for gray.
Lol good one
Sucks for choo, but I’m Excited to see this kid play.
Also- why would the rangers trade mazara at this point. They need an of, trading him and gallo gets rid of 2 candidates for that. Makes no sense, even if they do have a need at C as well.
Brinson is not far behind him. And if Hamilton comes back to be half the player he was they’ll have plenty of outfielders.
Which doesn’t help them with their need for an ofer right now…
They could easily move Moreland to the of with deshields and Desmond, could call up Brinson, could even call up Profar to play of. Not saying I’d do any of those thing because I wouldn’t but it not like they don’t have options if they were offered an admittedly unrealistic trade for Sale, Gray or Kershaw and only had to get by with one of those of combos until Hamilton, Choo, or Brinson were ready to play….
Which is not what was proposed. It was Mazara + Gallo for Tyson Ross + Norris..
It makes zero sense for them to all of a sudden decide that trading Mazara is a good idea now that they need him at the MLB level.
Context.
Joey Gallo is another Mark Reynolds. Lot of pop, even more K’s. I wouldn’t trade a top prospect/player for him.
He reminds of of Adam Dunn. Love his power but idk if he’ll ever truly be a superstar that a lot of people think he’ll be.
What a great problem for the Rangers to have!