Rangers New Era At Shortstop: Positional Preview

The Texas Rangers have officially turned the page to a new era with Isiah Kiner-Falefa as their shortstop.

Author:
Chris Halicke
Mar 5, 2021 2:12 PM EST

In this story:

Isiah Kiner-FalefaCharlie CulbersonBrock Holt

The Texas Rangers have set out to create a competitive environment this spring, having a number of positions without an outright starter penciled in for Opening Day.

As we've gone through our position-by-position preview of the 2021 Rangers, every spot so far has been up for grabs in some sort of way. The starting rotation is wide open with about a dozen candidates competing for a job. Positions like first base are down to two players, while third base is a crapshoot.

However, we're breaking that streak of mystery at shortstop.

Barring that forbidden I-word or some catastrophic event in spring training, Isiah Kiner-Falefa will be the everyday shortstop for the Texas Rangers in 2021. As one of two Rangers who won Gold Gloves in 2020, Kiner-Falefa has the most crucial defensive position on the field locked down.

There was a very good indication at the end of last season that Kiner-Falefa would supplant Elvis Andrus at shortstop in 2021 — a position Andrus had held for 12 seasons. The Rangers officially turned the page when they traded Andrus to the Oakland Athletics on February 6, which fully closed the chapter on the 2010-2011 American League championship teams.

Now in a new era of Texas Rangers baseball, Isiah Kiner-Falefa isn't looking to be a one- or two-year fix at shortstop. He's out to prove what he did at third base a season ago is no fluke, and he may be even better at his natural position.

"I'm a shortstop," said Kiner-Falefa earlier this spring. "I'm an elite shortstop. And I'm ready to prove it."

There's little doubt that Kiner-Falefa can field the position. He may only have 17 appearances at shortstop in 234 career big league games, but only because the Rangers have needed him to play elsewhere. They converted him to catcher in 2019, which didn't pan out for either party.

Kiner-Falefa proved his worth as an infielder in 2020, winning the everyday job at third base outright out of camp. He rewarded the Rangers with stellar defense at the hot corner, winning a Gold Glove.

Defense is not a question with Kiner-Falefa. The questions with him come at the plate. While he led the Rangers in batting average last season, Kiner-Falefa's .699 OPS was 41 points below league average, and 56 points below league average at third base in 2020.

However, Kiner-Falefa is only concerned with being himself, not a power-hitting third baseman. The rest will take care of itself.

"Everybody thinks that my bat's not there, but in reality, I never got to do what I wanted to do until now," Kiner-Falefa said. "I think the pressure of getting myself this opportunity was what was kind of weighing me down and understanding that I wasn't a power hitter. But I had to be a power hitter, so I grew into one. Now I'm a shortstop again, and I'm a dangerous player when I'm playing shortstop. So I'm excited to show everyone."

The Rangers do have some other options behind Kiner-Falefa that you could see this year.

Charlie Culberson

An eight-year veteran, Charlie Culberson is in Rangers camp as a non-roster invitee, aiming to land a spot as a utility player.

Culberson, 31, doesn't bring a wallop with the bat, but he does provide a lot of versatility in the field. He is primarily an infielder by trade, making appearances at all four positions. In addition, he has 105 appearances as an outfielder.

Regarding his offense, Culberson — a career .249-hitter — has spent time working on refining his swing. Early in Cactus League play, Culberson has seen positive results. He's reached base three times in four plate appearances, with two base hits.

“His swing just hasn't had the consistency and maybe the opportunity in the big leagues,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said of Culberson. “In Atlanta, he actually did really well. But I think there's a lot in there and he's really made some strides to make some adjustments, and it's cool to see him get some success right away.”

The Rangers don't need Culberson to mash the ball. But if he can provide a jolt in the bottom third of the order, to go along with his defensive versatility, he'll have a great shot to land a roster spot.

Brock Holt

Brock Holt is another non-roster invitee in Rangers camp with a mission to earn a roster spot.

Holt, 32, brings a bit more with the bat than Culberson, along with valuable postseason experience. Holt doesn't slug very much, but he is a career .268-hitter and was a member of the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

Holt has defensive versatility, but not quite as much as Culberson. Holt has made 59 appearances at shortstop in his nine-year big league career, but the Rangers need a closer look at him this spring to see if he is a viable candidate at the position.

Anderson Tejeda

Anderson Tejeda was one of several Rangers prospects to make the jump from Class A to the big leagues in 2020. All in all, it went better than expected.

Known as a free-swinger, Tejeda lived up to that reputation in his first taste of Major League Baseball. When he made contact, he made an impact on the baseball. However, big league pitchers are shrewd with young free-swingers. Tejeda virtually saw nothing in the strike zone, and was forced to make adjustments.

Tejeda, 22, did show some growth and maturity at the plate as 2020 progressed, but he is still destined for time in the minor leagues this year. In addition, a right elbow infection will delay his readiness for Opening Day, diminishing any outside hopes at making the Opening Day roster.

You could still see Tejeda at some point in 2021. The Rangers really value his offensive and defensive capabilities. If he refines his approach at the plate, he could force himself into the lineup as early as August or September.