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Rangers Re-Sign Codi Heuer To Minor League Deal

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The Rangers have re-signed right-hander Codi Heuer to a minor league deal, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. The deal presumably includes an invitation to big league Spring Training next year.

Heuer, 28, was a sixth-round pick by the White Sox back in 2018. The right-hander made it to the big leagues in fairly short order after being drafted, as he made his MLB debut during the shortened 2020 season. It was an impressive debut, as he pitched to an excellent 1.52 ERA in 23 2/3 innings of work in his first taste of big league action. He struck out 27.2% of opponents while walking 9.8% and posted a solid 2.77 FIP during the regular season, though he struggled in two postseason appearances against the A’s during the Wild Card series that October.

The youngster’s strong first impression was more than enough to earn him a spot with the White Sox headed into 2021, though he struggled early in the year. In 23 innings of work through June 4 of the year, Heuer posted a lackluster 6.26 ERA despite striking out a solid 25% of opponents and walking just 4%. Those strong peripherals left him with a solid 3.34 FIP despite his lackluster run prevention results, and the righty went on to post a much more characteristic 3.45 ERA over his next 18 appearances, which proved to be his final outings in a White Sox uniform. At the trade deadline, Heuer found himself traded across town to the Cubs alongside Nick Madrigal in exchange for closer Craig Kimbrel.

Results-wise, Heuer was impressive over the final two months of the season with the Cubs. He stepped into a late inning role with the club and collected two saves and four holds, posting a 3.14 ERA in 28 2/3 innings of work. Unfortunately, however, the peripheral numbers raised several red flags about the righty’s performance. His strikeout rate fell to just 14.8%, only slightly higher than his 11.3% walk rate during his time on the north side. Concerning as those warning signs were, however, the Cubs retained Heuer headed into the 2022 season with little to lose given they were just beginning to embark on a rebuild after dismantling their 2016 World Champion core of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez.

Unfortunately, Heuer wouldn’t make it back to the mound in order to try and dispel any concerns that arose after his stretch run with the Cubs. He underwent Tommy John surgery in March of 2022, a procedure that left him away from the big league mound until midway through the 2023 season. Just when he was nearing a return to action, however, the right-hander underwent his second consecutive season-ending surgery in as many years when he suffered a fractured elbow. The right-hander eventually signed with the Rangers on a minor league deal after being non-tendered by the Cubs last November, and though he did not make it back to a pro mound in 2024, that they’ve now re-signed him seems to suggest they believe he could impact the club at some point in 2025.

Given the fact that he’s pitched just 12 2/3 innings over the past three years, it’s hard to know what to expect from Heuer once he finally makes it back to the mound. If he manages to shake off the rust of that long layoff, however, it’s not hard to imagine the right-hander proving to be a valuable piece of the bullpen puzzle next year for a Rangers club that had the fifth-worst bullpen in the majors by ERA last year despite standout performances from veterans David Robertson, Jose Leclerc, and Kirby Yates, all three of whom elected free agency earlier this month. That said, this reunion with Heuer won’t come close to moving the needle as much as is required for the Rangers to bolster their weakened bullpen, and they’re sure to look into more certain options for their relief corps as the winter continues.

Personnel Notes: Nakken, Giants, Guardians, Pirates

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Major league coach Alyssa Nakken has departed the Giants and taken a new role with the Guardians in player development, as noted by Maria Guardado of MLB.com.

Nakken, perhaps best known for being the first woman to serve as a full-time coach in MLB history, was hired as an assistant coach by then-Giants manager Gabe Kapler prior to the 2020 season. She remained with the club for five years in that role, even interviewing to replace Kapler during the 2023-24 offseason after he was fired just before the end of the 2023 regular season. The Giants ultimately decided to go with Bob Melvin in that role, but she remained on staff for the 2024 season in the same position she held under Kapler.

Now that the sides have parted ways, she’ll be joining former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa in Cleveland under sophomore manager Stephen Vogt for the 2025 season. As noted by the Associated Press, Nakken will be an assistant director of player development with the Guardians, though her exact duties have yet to be determined. That could include determining whether or not she’ll travel with the team; after traveling with the Giants on road trips under Kapler, Nakken stayed in San Francisco during most road trips under Melvin after giving birth to her first child, Austyn, back in January.

Nakken’s departure is the latest among a number of coaching departures in San Francisco this winter. Pitching coach Bryan Price stepped down earlier this winter, while hitting coaches Pedro Guerrero and Justin Viele both departed the club to take jobs with other organizations. Price’s role has been filled by the promotion of assistant pitching coach J.P. Martinez, but the Giants remain in the market for a hitting coach to partner with Pat Burrell and may now be in the market for a replacement for Nakken as well.

More personnel notes from around the majors…

  • Sticking with the Guardians, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported earlier this week that the club has hired Bobby Kinne to serve as director of baseball operations in the club’s front office. Cleveland hired Kinne away from the Rays, for whom he served as the club’s major league pitching strategist. Kinne got his start in baseball with Tampa as an intern back in 2018 and worked his way up the organizational ladder over six years with the club, serving as a scout and a coordinator of major league operations before landing in the pitching strategist role he held for the 2024 season. Now, Kinne will get the opportunity to work with one of the better pitching staffs in the big leagues as Guardians pitchers ranked third in the majors with a 3.61 ERA this year, behind only the Braves and Mariners.
  • The Pirates are promoting bullpen catcher Jordan Comadena to the role of major league catching coach, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. Comadena joined the Pirates back in 2016 and Stumpf notes that he’s worked closely with former first overall pick Henry Davis on his defense behind the plate over the past year and a half. Davis, 25, has struggled in the majors at the plate and has moved back behind the plate after coming up as a catcher but getting his first MLB experience as an outfielder in 2023. He’ll likely be a potential option for the Pirates at catcher next year alongside Joey Bart, Endy Rodriguez, and Jason Delay.

Mariners Sign Yunior Marte To Minor League Deal

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The Mariners have signed right-hander Yunior Marte to a minor league deal, according to a report from Francys Romero. Romero adds that the deal comes with an invite to MLB Spring Training.

Marte, 30 in February, signed with the Royals out of the Dominican Republic and made his pro debut back in 2013. He worked his way up the minor league ladder with Kansas City until he reached minor league free agency following the cancelled MiLB season in 2020, and eventually signed a minors pact with the Giants prior to the 2021 season. The right-hander spent two years in the Giants organization and pitched well at Triple-A despite the inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League, prompting Marte’s promotion to San Francisco in April of 2022.

In the majors, Marte collected 48 innings with the Giants across 39 appearances. He posted a lackluster 5.44 ERA during that time, though his peripheral numbers (including a 4.38 FIP and 3.80 xERA) were solid enough. He struck out just 20.6% of opponents while walking 10.3%, but helped make up for that by generating poor contact, as evidenced by an impressive 48.6% groundball rate and a microscopic 3.5% barrel rate. That performance was solid enough to earn Marte a spot on the club’s 40-man roster throughout the offseason, but he nonetheless found himself traded to Philadelphia that January in exchange for southpaw Erik Miller.

Philly would serve as Marte’s home in each of the next two seasons, though his struggle to find results at the big league level continued. While Marte impressed with a 1.80 ERA in 20 Triple-A innings in 2023, his time in the majors told a different story as he surrendered a 5.03 ERA with a 4.68 FIP across 39 1/3 frames. While Marte’s strikeout, walk, and grounder rates all improved, opposing hitters began to find more success barrelling him up and that led to a spike in homers, which perhaps isn’t especially surprising given he moved from Oracle Park in San Francisco to the Phillies’ homer-happy home of Citizen Bank Park.

2024 turned out even worse for Marte, as the 29-year-old pitched to a 6.92 ERA with a 5.63 FIP while posting the worst strikeout rate, walk rate, groundball rate, and home run rate of his major league career. The disastrous results even carried over to Triple-A this season, as he surrendered a 6.88 ERA in 17 innings at the level. That led the Phillies to outright Marte off their roster earlier this month, and he subsequently elected free agency. The right-hander has now found a new home in Seattle, and he’ll have the opportunity to try and find his footing in an organization that boasts one of the best pitching staffs in the majors. That strong pitching staff could mean that Marte faces an uphill battle in trying to secure an Opening Day roster spot this spring, and barring him securing that roster spot he’ll likely open the season as non-roster depth for the Mariners in case of an injury.

Dodgers Have Held “Preliminary” Extension Talks With Tommy Edman

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The Dodgers have had a “preliminary dialogue” with utility man Tommy Edman regarding a potential extension, per a report from Jon Morosi of MLB Network. It’s unclear how far those initial talks progressed, but there’s no indication that a deal between the two sides is particularly close at this time.

Edman, 29, came to L.A. as part of the three-team swap between the Dodgers, Cardinals, and White Sox that brought Michael Kopech to L.A. and sent Erick Fedde to St. Louis just before the trade deadline this summer. At the time, Edman hadn’t played in the majors at all in 2024 due to setbacks in his rehab from offseason wrist surgery. The switch hitter ultimately made his Dodgers debut on August 19 and made a strong first impression down the stretch. With the Dodgers, the versatile defender split time between center field and shortstop while hitting a respectable .237/.294/.417 (98 wRC+) with six homers and six steals in 153 trips to the plate during the regular season.

His performance reached a new gear during the postseason, however, as he again split time between shortstop and center field as the Dodgers mixed-and-matched between Gavin Lux, Miguel Rojas, and Enrique Hernandez up the middle. Amid those frequent position changes, Edman was able to maintain a high level of offensive production as he hit .328/.354/.508 with two homers, five steals, and five doubles in 16 playoff games. That strong performance was key to the club’s World Series championship and even earned him MVP honors for his work in the NLCS against the Mets. Looking ahead to 2025, Edman seems likely to be penciled into center field for the club’s Opening Day roster although his impressive versatility should allow him to second or third base, shortstop, or an outfield corner should the Dodgers require it.

Edman’s performance in the regular season with L.A. was more or less in line with what he had done throughout his career with the Cardinals. While his rookie season saw him slash an excellent .304/.350/.500 (124 wRC+) in 349 trips to the plate as a part-time player, he settled in as more of an average to slightly below average bat who generates value with his defense, versatility, and baserunning once he became a more regular fixture in the St. Louis lineup. From 2020 to 2023, Edman appeared in 504 of the club’s 546 regular season games and hit .258/.314/.392 (92 wRC+) with 42 home runs and 92 steals. He also connected for 104 doubles (plus 12 triples) during that time while playing quality defense at every position on the diamond except for first base and behind the plate.

Overall, Edman’s profile is not entirely dissimilar to those of Hernandez and Chris Taylor, who have spent eight and nine years respectively in Dodger blue thanks to their valuable versatility. With Edman just one year away from free agency, the Dodgers would likely have to pay something close to free agent prices to retain the switch-hitter beyond next season barring a hometown discount from the southern California native. Taylor received a four-year, $60MM contract in free agency from the Dodgers after hitting the market following an age-30 season that saw him earn All-Star honors, though that deal hasn’t worked out very well for L.A. to this point and the club may not be comfortable committing to Edman at that same level. With Edman already due to make $9.5MM in his final year before free agency next year, perhaps a three-year deal at an AAV similar to that the Dodgers offered Taylor could make some sense for both sides.

The Opener: Non-Tender Deadline, Trade Market, Snell

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With a major offseason deadline now upon us, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. The non-tender deadline is today:

The deadline for clubs to tender contracts to the players in their organization is 7pm CT this evening. The annual deadline never fails to spur activity with arbitration-level players, who typically are at the greatest risk of being non-tendered. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco discussed the process and a wide-ranging list of possible non-tender candidates yesterday, and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see a transaction regarding any player on that list at some point before this evening’s deadline. That transaction could be a non-tender, allowing the player to depart for free agency early rather retaining them at an arbitration-level price tag, but it could also come in the form of a trade to another club more willing to pay that arb price or even a pre-tender deal where the sides avoid arbitration at a lower price point to save the club some money and offer the player some certainty.

2. Could the trade market heat up this weekend?

Earlier this week, the Cubs swung a pair of trades on the same day. They acquired right-hander Eli Morgan, who is slated to be eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career this winter, from the Guardians in exchange for outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario. They also acquired recently DFA’d catcher Matt Thaiss in a cash deal with the Angels. It’s likely that we’ll see an uptick of trades similar to both of these deals over the coming days.

With the arrival of the non-tender deadline today, several arb-eligible players on the bubble of being non-tendered get moved today, either off teams looking to cut costs to teams with budget space available, or from a team that would otherwise non-tender a player to one interested in offering him an arb-level contract. Aside from that, we saw a slew of players DFA’d in advance of the Rule 5 Draft protection deadline earlier this week. Any number of them could be flipped to another club via trade or waivers. That could lead to a handful of minor trades similar to the Thaiss deal, where a club adds a player for a typically relatively minor return, and there will also surely be plenty of waiver activity (and subsequent DFAs) in the days ahead.

3. Who else will meet with Snell?

Two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell reportedly met with both the Red Sox and Dodgers recently, giving a glimpse into the soon-to-be 32-year-old’s market. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic suggested yesterday that both the Blue Jays and Orioles could soon set up meetings with Snell, adding that the left-hander is aiming for a shorter stay on the free agent market this time around after waiting until March 19 to sign last winter.

It seems fair to presume that the Yankees (who had interest last offseason) and Mets (who saw 60% of their rotation reach free agency) could also sit down with the lefty. Snell could potentially hold broader appeal than fellow free agent aces Corbin Burnes and Max Fried due both to his lack of a qualifying offer and the fact that his age could tamp down the length of his contract (at the likely trade-off of a premium annual value). Might that create a few surprise suitors who don’t typically shop in the deep end of the free-agent pool?

The Opener: MVP, Pre-Tender Deals, Non-Tender Candidates

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. MVP winners to be announced:

Award season is set to wrap up at 5pm CT this evening with the unveiling of MVP results in both leagues. There isn’t much suspense regarding the winner in either league, as the AL saw Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge establish himself as a heavy favorite with an eye-popping season that edged out his 2022 campaign (when he set a new AL record for home runs in a season) in both wRC+ (218) and fWAR (11.2). Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and top-of-the-class free agent Juan Soto had incredible seasons of their own to earn their spots as finalists, but Judge’s .322/.458/.701 slash, 58 home runs, 122 runs scored and 144 runs batted in will be nearly impossible to overcome.

Meanwhile, the NL field was regarded as crowded for most of the season, but Shohei Ohtani began to pull away from the pack late in the year as he became the first player in history to post a 50-50 season and ultimately finished with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases —  all while hitting .310/.390/.646. Assuming Ohtani wins over fellow finalists Francisco Lindor and Ketel Marte (whose case was dinged by a late stint on the injured list), he’ll become the first full-time DH to win the award in MLB history.

2. Are more pre-tender deals on the horizon?

With the non-tender deadline looming tomorrow, the A’s and first baseman/outfielder Seth Brown got a head start on the type of deal that will surely be seen frequently all across baseball over the next day and a half by avoiding arbitration. “Pre-tender” deals like these often see the player sign at a figure lower than their expected value in arbitration in order to secure a roster spot, knowing the alternative is a non-tender into a crowded free agent pool. Brown, who was outrighted off the A’s roster in June but hit his way back to the majors, agreed to a one-year, $2.7MM deal that fell well shy of the $3.8MM salary projected in MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz’s algorithm. Several more deals along these lines could unfold between now and tomorrow afternoon’s deadline.

3. Which players are non-tender candidates this year?

Ahead of tomorrow’s non-tender deadline, MLBTR will be publishing a list of potential non-tender candidates later today. While it certainly won’t be the case that every player listed gets non-tendered (and it’s quite unlikely that even most of them will), the list features a broad group of plausible candidates who could be non-tendered given their projected arbitration price and a confluence of factors including their expected production, injury situation, and/or the financial situation of their team. Some players from the list could also look to sign a pre-tender deal with their team or even be traded in advance of the deadline. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a look at a selection of arb-eligible players who could be trade candidates in the run-up to tomorrow’s deadline in a post for Front Office subscribers yesterday.

White Sox Sign Austin Slater

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The White Sox announced the signing of outfielder Austin Slater to a one-year deal. The Ballengee Group client is reportedly guaranteed $1.75MM and can unlock another $500K in performance bonuses. Slater would receive $50K in his 50th game and $75K apiece at 75 and 100 games. He’ll collect $50K for his 100th, 150th and 200th plate appearance and would earn another $75K each at 250 and 300 trips to the dish.

Slater, 31, was an eighth-round pick by San Francisco out of Stanford during the 2014 draft. The outfielder spent more than a decade in the Giants organization as he made his big league debut in 2017 and remained with the club through last season. In the first three seasons of his career, Slater was a decent but unspectacular fourth outfielder for San Francisco, slashing a combined .254/.335/.368 in 544 total plate appearances during that time. While primarily an outfielder, he also received occasional time at first base and even made token appearances at both second and third base off the Giants’ bench.

The outfielder broke out during the shortened 2020 season, however, with a 150 wRC+ and a .282/.408/.506 slash line in 104 trips to the plate while appearing in 31 of the club’s 60 games. That leap forward offensively earned Slater an expanded role over the next few years, and from 2021 to 2023 he became a regular for the Giants against left-handed pitching. While he was still generally shielded from righties, Slater slashed a respectable .257/.345/.412 in 343 games from 2021 to 2023. That’s good for a respectable 113 wRC+, and across those 838 plate appearances he walked at a 10.5% clip, swatted 24 homers, and swiped 29 bases despite frequent trips to the injured list cutting down on his playing time over the years.

Unfortunately for Slater, his production cratered in 2024. The outfielder hit just .209/.321/.266 (76 wRC+) overall in 212 trips to the plate this year while bouncing between the Giants, Reds, and Orioles. Even more surprisingly, the outfielder actually carried reverse splits this year after years of feasting on left-handed pitching. While he enjoyed a 141 wRC+ against lefties from 2020 to 2023, Slater hit just .188/.310/.231 against them in 142 plate appearances this year. Dismal as that overall production last year was, there is a silver lining in Slater’s performance. Once he arrived in Baltimore on the day of the trade deadline, he looked much more like the player he’s been throughout his career. In 79 plate appearances with the Orioles down the stretch, Slater hit .246/.342/.333 (102 wRC+) overall and posted a 114 wRC+ against southpaws.

That late-season rebound could inspire additional confidence in Slater’s ability to return to form in 2025 and beyond. That appears to be what the White Sox are betting on, and Slater makes plenty of sense for the club as a right-handed platoon option. Veteran lefty bat Andrew Benintendi is entrenched in left field, while the club also employs a host of left-handed youngsters in right field and at DH including Zach DeLoach, Dominic Fletcher, Gavin Sheets, and Oscar Colas. Of that group, only DeLoach (in a sample of just 79 big league PAs) lacks a significant platoon split.

Mixing in Slater against left-handed pitching should be a huge boost for a Sox offense that produced an MLB-worst 74 wRC+ against left-handed pitching last year, even if he merely recreates the production he offered the Orioles rather than bouncing back to the excellent form he showed from 2020 to 2023. While even an excellent short-side platoon bat isn’t going to make the White Sox contenders in 2025 following a 121-loss season this year, Slater was sufficiently attractive as a trade piece this summer to get dealt not once, but twice prior to the deadline. If he can garner that level of interest amid a down season, it’s easy to imagine the White Sox recouping some value for his services next July in the event he bounces back.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported the White Sox were signing Slater to a major league deal. Robert Murray of FanSided reported the $1.75MM base salary and the $500K in incentives. The Associated Press reported the incentive structure.

The Opener: Cy Young Awards, DFAs, MLBTR Chat

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On the heels of yesterday’s deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today:

1. Cy Young Award winners announced:

At 5PM CT, the winners of the Cy Young Award in each league are scheduled to be announced. In the American League, Tarik Skubal is considered the overwhelming favorite after the Tigers lefty led the majors with 228 strikeouts while posting a sterling 2.39 ERA in 192 innings of work. The other finalists in the AL are Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, who delivered a historic season out of the bullpen where he pitched to a microscopic 0.61 ERA while racking up 47 saves in 74 1/3 innings of work, and Royals right-hander Seth Lugo, who led the majors with 33 starts and posted a 3.00 ERA in 206 1/3 innings of work.

Meanwhile, the National League favorite is Braves southpaw Chris Sale. The veteran entered the year with seven career trips to the All-Star game under his belt but had fallen off the radar over the past half decade due to injuries. His first season in Atlanta may be the very best of his illustrious career, however, as he won the NL Triple Crown with an MLB-leading 2.38 ERA (2.09 FIP) in 177 2/3 innings of work while going 18-3 and striking out 225 batters (32.1 K%). Alongside Sale are Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, who posted a 2.57 ERA in 200 innings of work with a 3.13 FIP, and Pirates youngster Paul Skenes, who already captured the NL Rookie of the Year Award following a dominant season where he pitched to a 1.96 ERA with a 33.1% strikeout rate but was limited to just 133 innings of work.

2. Will recent DFAs receive trade interest?

A number of interesting players were squeezed off their clubs’ 40-man roster by yesterday’s deadline, and teams will have five days to survey the league for trade interest before they’re forced to place those players on waivers and risk losing them for nothing. Among the notable players of interest to clubs could be former top outfield prospects Brennen Davis of the Cubs and George Valera of the Guardians, both of whom have looked impressive at Triple-A in the past but have dealt with a number of injuries that have thrown them off course. Jordyn Adams, who was the Angels’ first-round pick in 2018, is also available as a youngster who has a bit less prospect pedigree but has already gotten a taste of big league action.

Meanwhile, interesting relief options such as Adbert Alzolay, Richard Lovelady, and Bryan Mata all lost their spots, though each comes with his own warts. Lovelady found some success with the Rays this year but has generally struggled to produce at the big league level throughout his career. Mata has yet to make his big league debut due to a long stretch of injury woes. Alzolay underwent Tommy John surgery late in the season and figures to miss most of the 2025 campaign, but he was excellent for the Cubs in 2023 (2.67 ERA, 22 saves, 26.5 K%, 5.1 BB% in 64 innings).

3. MLBTR Chat today:

A busy day full of deadlines and transactions shook loose a pair of trades yesterday, and the even more significant non-tender deadline is due up later this week. Yesterday’s whirlwind delayed our usual weekday chat somewhat, but anyone with questions regarding Friday’s deadline or their favorite club’s plans for the offseason is in luck nonetheless as MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be hosting a live chat with readers today at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join the chat when it begins, or read the transcript afterwards.

Padres Select Three Players To 40-Man Roster

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The Padres announced this evening that they’ve selected left-hander Omar Cruz as well as right-handers Henry Baez and Ryan Bergert to their 40-man roster ahead of today’s Rule 5 Draft protection deadline. No corresponding moves were necessary, and San Diego’s 40-man currently stands at 37 players.

Cruz, 25, signed with the Padres out of Mexico prior to the 2018 season and was actually traded to the Pirates as part of the Joe Musgrove trade in January of 2021. He returned to the Padres organization last winter, however, when the club selected him in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. Now, he’s been added to the club’s roster to protect him from this year’s draft on the heels of a solid season split between the Double- and Triple-A levels. Cruz was used primarily out of the bullpen in 2024 and looked good at Double-A with a 3.59 ERA and an eye-popping 35.4% strikeout rate in 47 2/3 innings. That earned him a promotion to Triple-A partway through the season, and while his ERA crept up to 4.42 in the inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League he still struck out a solid 28.7% of opponents, though that was hampered by a 13.8% walk rate.

Baez, 22, signed with San Diego out of the Dominican Republic and made his pro debut in 2021. Baez has primarily pitched out of the rotation during his career and returned to High-A to open the 2024 season after struggling badly in four late-season starts at the level last year. Things turned around in a big way this year, however, as he pitched to an excellent 2.95 ERA in 17 starts with the club’s Fort Wayne affiliate while striking out 24.8% of opponents. That success continued even following a promotion to Double-A midseason, as the right-hander posted a 3.06 ERA in nine starts down the stretch in his first taste of the upper minors. With that being said, that stretch of starts did come with a concerning drop in strikeout rate as he punched out just 15.1% of opponents in 50 innings against a 7.4% walk rate.

Bergert, 24, is perhaps the club’s most surprising addition as his most impressive season actually came in 2023 rather than this year. Last season, the right-hander pitched to an excellent 2.73 ERA in 105 2/3 innings of work split between the High-A and Double-A levels, including a 2.86 ERA and a 28.8% strikeout rate with the club’s San Antonio affiliate. That impressive debut did not translate over to 2024, however, as Bergert surrendered a 4.78 ERA in 98 innings across 23 starts in a repeat of the level this year as his strikeout rate dipped to just 20.9%. He struggled in the Arizona Fall League this year as well, surrendering 16 runs (12 earned) in 14 2/3 innings of work across five starts.

Rangers Select Three Players To 40-Man Roster

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The Rangers have selected the contract of right-hander Emiliano Teodo ahead of today’s Rule 5 Draft protection deadline, as first reported by Ari Alexander of KPRC2. The Rangers also announced that they’ve selected the contracts of infielder Max Acosta and right-hander Winston Santos. Texas’s 40-man roster now stands at 39 following the club’s decision to return 2024 Rule 5 Draft pick Carson Coleman to the Yankees.

Teodo, 23, has spent the past fours years in the Rangers system after making his pro debut back in 2021. The righty began his career pitching exclusively in relief but moved into a rotation in 2022. Despite rather pedestrian numbers in the lower minors including a 4.52 ERA in 61 2/3 innings at High-A last year, Teodo impressed in the Arizona Fall League that autumn with eight scoreless relief appearances where he struck out an eye-popping 48.7% of opponents faced. That exciting performance earned the right-hander a job in the Rangers’ Double-A rotation this season, where he has continued to excel. In 86 1/3 innings of work in 2024 spread across 20 appearances (19 starts), Teodo dominated during his first taste of upper minors action to the tune of a 1.98 ERA and a 30.7% strikeout rate with the club’s Frisco affiliate and even started the 2024 Futures Games for the AL.

Despite those fantastic numbers, he’s nonetheless struggled with his control throughout his time in the minors, and that only worsened this year as his walk rate reached an unsustainable 14%. While that’s not a figure that would play in the majors even when paired with a strikeout rate north of 30%, it’s not hard to imagine Teodo’s impressive stuff translating to success at the highest level as soon as 2025 if he were to move back to relief. Given that potential for near-term success in the big leagues, it’s hardly a surprise that the Rangers opted to protect Teodo from the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Now that he’s on the 40-man roster, it’s possible he could find himself in the mix for a big league bullpen job at some point in 2025, though it’s also easy to imagine the Rangers deciding to try and iron out the righty’s control problems in hopes he may have a future in the rotation.

Acosta, meanwhile, is a 22-year-old who signed with the Rangers out of Venezuela and made his pro debut in 2021 as well. Primarily a shortstop, Acosta has also played plenty of second base throughout his time in the minors while posting solid but unspectacular offensive numbers. The infielder took a step forward with the bat at Double-A this year, however, slashing a respectable .288/.353/.425 in 104 games. Of particular note is Acosta’s dramatic reduction in strikeout rate, which dropped from 21.1% in 2023 to 13.4% this year. Acosta combines that improved contact ability with strong baserunning skills, as he’s swiped 96 bases over the past three years. That combination of speed and contact ability at a premium position may have been enough to earn Acosta consideration for the club’s 40-man roster already, but he sealed his case by catching fire during the Arizona Fall League this year with a .338/.413/.521 slash line in 80 trips to the plate.

Santos, 22, signed with the Rangers out of the Dominican Republic and made his pro debut in 2021 alongside Acosta and Teodo. The righty turned in a brutal season at Triple-A last year, surrendering a 6.29 ERA in 98 2/3 innings of work. He managed to turn things around in his second taste of action at the level, however, as he posted a 2.80 ERA and a 30.5% strikeout rate in 12 starts (64 1/3 innings). That performance earned him the bump up to Double-A, where his struggles from the previous year resurfaced in his first taste of the new level. In ten starts, Santos posted a 4.89 ERA while maintaining an impressive 29.5% strikeout rate against a 7.2% walk rate. Santos’s struggles at Double-A came primarily from issues with the long ball, as he surrendered eight homers in just 46 frames. Despite those struggles, Santos’s high strikeout rates seemingly convinced the Rangers to play it safe and roster him rather than run the risk of losing him in next month’s Rule 5 draft.

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