MLB Draft: 5 Prospects Rangers Could Pick Sunday
The Texas Rangers have the No. 3 overall pick when the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft starts on Sunday. There are plenty of possibilities for an organization with a farm system now ranked in the top 10.
But the Rangers also need to maximize the pick because they don’t have a second-round or third-round pick.
What exactly will the Rangers look to add? The Rangers are keeping that information close to the vest, naturally. But based on player rankings and mock drafts from reliable sites (MLB.com, The Athletic, ESPN), these are the five names you’re most likely to hear when the Rangers select on Sunday, in alphabetical order.
SS Jackson Holliday, Stillwater (HS), Oklahoma
If you’re looking for a popular mock draft connection to the Rangers, he’s probably it. Holliday is the son of former St. Louis Cardinals and Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday. His stock has risen steadily this spring and summer. The Rangers have a glut of middle infield prospects in the system, and two long-term answers up the middle in second baseman Marcus Semien and shortstop Corey Seager. It doesn’t mean the Rangers won’t take Holliday and try and turn him into a different position player (see Ezequiel Duran’s move to the outfield) Also, being a high school prospect, Holliday might need two to four years to get ready for the Majors. Anything can happen on that kind of timeline.
OF Druw Jones, Wesleyan (GA)
MLB.com has Jones ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect. He has great bloodlines — his father is former Atlanta Braves and Rangers outfielder Andruw Jones. He’d be a great fit in any organization. MLB.com considers him to be a five-star prospect and perhaps the best defensive outfield prospect in the draft. If you follow mock drafts, Jones almost never falls past Arizona at No. 2. If he falls to the Rangers, the organization has an interesting decision to make.
SS Brooks Lee, Cal Poly
Lee is a player many believe could be the No. 1 overall pick (The Athletic’s latest mock draft had him going there). He’s probably as close to MLB ready as you’re likely to get in this draft. For that reason, he’s unlikely to fall to the Rangers at No. 3. He’s played with both Team USA in international play, and in the famed Cape Cod League, and MLB.com considers him to be the best college hitting prospect in the draft.
OF Elijah Lee, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
Lee is another player connected to the Rangers through mock drafts and another athlete with connections to a former pro. His father, Eric Green, was an NFL tight end. He’s already considered an athlete with elite speed and a player with potential to be a plus-outfielder in every way. The Rangers have a solid group of outfield prospects, including Dustin Harris, who is on his way to the MLB Futures Game. As with Holliday and Jones, you would expect a high school prospect to take a little more time to develop.
C Kevin Parada, Georgia Tech
If there’s a "need" pick for the Rangers in this draft, it’s catcher. With the call-up of Sam Huff to the Rangers, there isn’t a Top 30 catching prospect in the organization. Parada would probably slide right into the Rangers’ Top 30 thanks to his power. He was sixth in Division I baseball in 2022 with 26 home runs. He’s been connected to the Rangers in previous mock drafts. Along with Huff, the Rangers have Jonah Heim and both are under team control for a while. But if Parada’s power translates to the pro level, he has the potential to challenge both down the line.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.
