Former No. 1 Prospect is Building His Case for Rangers Call-up
Leody Taveras is building a strong case to be the first call-up when the Texas Rangers need an outfielder this season.
Taveras, the club's No. 1 prospect on Baseball America in 2017, started the season with the Triple-A Round Rock Express, and after Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Sugar Land he remains the Express’ best hitter despite an 0-for-4 game, which shows just how hot his start was this season.
After Tuesday’s 7-6 win over Sugar Land, Taveras’ 1.364 OPS was more than 400 points ahead of teammate Bubba Thompson and his average was better than .500. After Wednesday's loss to the Space Cowboys, that only dropped Taveras’ average to .467 and OPS to 1.184.
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That 0-for-4 game also ended his four-game hitting streak and four-game run-scored streak.
After just three hits in his first 12 at-bats in the Express’ first three games against El Paso on April 5-7, Taveras has been on a tear. He went 5-for-5 with three runs two doubles against El Paso on April 8. In the finale against El Paso on April 9, he went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI as he hit his first home run of the season.
Then, after a two-day break, he nearly duplicated his April 8th performance, going 4-for-5 with a run and an RBI.
The Rangers have a lot invested in the Taveras, a native of the Dominican Republic. The Rangers signed him at age 15 in 2015 and paid him a $2.6 million signing bonus as the No. 3 international prospect. He showed enough promise by 2019 to earn a spot on the Rangers’ 40-man roster.
The Rangers have been patient with him but have also give him opportunities in Arlington—two, in fact.
With no minor league season in 2020, Taveras earned a roster spot during the COVID-19 shortened season and hit .227 with four home runs, six RBI and eight stolen bases in 33 games.
He had a tougher time last season, as he split time between the Rangers and Round Rock. With the Rangers he hit .161 with three home runs, nine RBI and 10 stolen bases. With the Express his numbers were considerably better — .245 with 17 home runs, 55 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
He’s hitting out of the third spot at Round Rock, a spot that lends itself to players that can hit for power and move around the bases. But he didn’t hit for consistent power until last season. His 17 home runs with the Express in 2021 nearly bested the 19 home runs he hit in four previous minor league seasons.
Despite being optioned to Round Rock more than a week prior to the regular season, the Rangers still believe in Taveras. On the day Taveras was optioned, manager Chris Woodward said the reason for the earlier option was to take away the stress of feeling to need to make the big league club.
Rather, the Rangers wanted the 23-year-old to have the opportunity to take some of the things he learned in spring training from new bench coach and offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker and hitting coach Tim Hyers and apply it in games in Round Rock.
"He's going to play a long, long time if some of these things stick and he becomes a consistent performer," Woodward said on March 27. "He's going to knock the door down. It doesn't matter if he starts in Triple A for a week, two weeks or however long that takes for him to show, 'I'm the guy.' We all believe he will be."
So how can Taveras get to Arlington? At this early stage of the campaign, it’s probably an injury. But if he continues to put up video game numbers, he might not give the Rangers a choice.
"If (the changes) show up, I will not be afraid to pound the table for him," Woodward added. "Because he's done everything we've asked."
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The Rangers have played just five games and their most consistently-used outfielders have been Brad Miller, Adolis García and Kole Calhoun. While García has struggled and is hitting .160, Miller leads the team with two home runs and five RBI. Nick Solak has logged a game in the outfield, and Eli White has been in three games. Willie Calhoun has been used primarily as a designated hitter.
Outside of Miller, no one has been particularly consistent or productive, though García's dedication to being more disciplined has produced four walks in five games. García walked only 32 times in 149 games last season.
The Rangers are likely to remain patient with what they have in Arlington right now. But the Rangers also have to be happy that Taveras is making it clear he’s an option.
Rangers beat reporter Chris Halicke also contributed to this story.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
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