Rangers Have Top 10 International Prospect
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The Texas Rangers have acquired a Top 10 international prospect, Sebastian Walcott, during the international signing process this month.
The rankings are from by MLB.com. The Rangers announced their 17 international signings earlier this month.
Walcott is the No. 8 overall international prospect.
Walcott, from The Bahamas, is a 16-year-old shortstop who is drawing comparisons physically to the Miami Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm, who is also from same country. Chisholm is set to move to the outfield for the 2023 season.
Walcott has been training at the Elite International Academy.
The Rangers wanted Walcott so much that they paid him a $3.2 million signing bonus to join the organization. That left the Rangers less than $1 million to sign their other 16 prospects, as they lost $1 million of their international bonus pool after signing Marcus Semien and Corey Seager last offseason.
Walcott’s signing was a bit overshadowed because it occurred the same day that the Rangers agreed to an international deal with Pablo Guerrero, who is the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and younger brother of the Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Guerrero’s father, Vlad Sr., played 16 years in the Majors, including a one-year stint with the Texas Rangers in 2010, during with the franchise made its first World Series appearance. Guerrero hit .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBI.
Guerrero Jr. plays for Toronto and is entering his fifth season as a first and third baseman. He is already a two-time All-Star and finished second in AL MVP voting in 2021.
The other 15 players the Rangers signed included Cuba’s Geisel Cepeda, Mexico’s Jesus Gamez, Italy’s Williams Wong, along with Venezuela’s Juan Sulbaran, Sergio Mejias, Jhocsuanth Vargas, Deward Tovar and Johander Rubio.
The Rangers also signed a significant contingent from the Dominican Republic, along with Guerrero. That included Braylin Morel, Lisandro Mejia, Walkin Ortiz, Frank Martinez, Felix Martinez, Jormy Nivar and Snarlyn Evangelista.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
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