Intriguing Texas Rangers Prospect Among Team’s Best Spring Training Hitters

This Texas Rangers prospect has made a terrific impression on the franchise during his time in Major League spring training.

Jul 26, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; 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

The Texas Rangers are deep enough into spring training that it is clear which players are playing the most and, by extension, hitting the best.

For instance, just a dozen players have played in 10 or more games. Many of them are younger players and less than half are veterans that will be playing every day once opening day comes around.

Some have already been sent back to minor league camp, a result of roster culling but also to give those players more opportunities to get work as veterans get more playing time in the final ramp-up to the season.

One of those young players that hasn’t yet been sent back to minor league camp is outfielder Alejandro Osuna.

Texas’ off-day on Monday was a chance to take stock of the minor league roster. It yielded one interesting note. No player that has played in 10 or more games has a better slash line in spring training than Osuna — .435/.481/.652/1.133.

He’s on the Rangers’ Spring Breakout game roster, as they will face the San Francisco Giants’ breakout team on Saturday.

He’s not a candidate for the opening-day roster, unless something drastic happens to the Rangers’ outfield situation. But the organization’s No. 8 prospect according to MLB Pipeline has laid the groundwork since last season to be a part of the franchise’s plans as soon as next season.

The last time he was in Arizona, during the Arizona Fall League, he was named the winner of the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, which is given to a player who best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership.

He finished AFL action with a slash line of .306/.438/.449, leading the AFL in walks (22) and tied for second in hits (30), runs (25) and doubles (8).

Before the AFL, Osuna was named the Rangers minor league player of the year for his play during the 2024 season after three solid campaigns in the Texas organization.  

With High-A Hickory and Double-A Frisco, he finished with a combined slash line of .292/.362/.507/.869 with a career-high 18 home runs and 61 RBI. He also had 17 steals.

Among Texas minor-league players with at least 300 at-bats, he led in slugging percentage and OPS. He also showed improvement at the plate after his promotion to Frisco on June 28, as he slashed .306/.379/.523/.902 with nine home runs and 32 RBI.

The Rangers signed him for $125,000 out of Mexico in 2020. He was on the radar of other organizations, notably because he was younger brother of former All-Star closer Roberto Osuna and the nephew of ex-big leaguer Antonio Osuna.