Assessing Race for Rangers Final Bench Spots on Opening Day Roster

The Texas Rangers enter their second week of spring training games on Saturday with three position player spots up for grabs.

This assumes that the first 10 spots are essentially set. That would include both catchers, Kyle Higashioka and Danny Jansen; infielders Jake Burger, Josh Smith, Corey Seager and Josh Jung; outfielders Brandon Nimmo, Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford; and designated hitter Joc Pederson.

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Yes, there is competition at second base. But the Rangers are clearly giving Smith enough rope to prove he can win the everyday job. So, unless the Rangers go against the grain with their roster construction, that leaves three spots.

No one has won those jobs yet. But, as far as opening day, Cody Freeman’s injury eliminates him due to the recovery time and the ramp-up. He could be an option during the season. After a week of games, here are the players that have made the biggest impressions, in order of most likely to make the team.

Sam Haggerty

The outfielder may be as close to having a job nailed down as anyone on the roster beyond the expected starters. In spring training he’s slashed .667/.727/.778 with six RBI. He’s split time between the outfield and second base, the latter necessary for him to make the roster. He’s only played 24 regular-season games at second base, but he acquitted himself nicely. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker says the back-ups don’t need to be Gold Glove level players, just adequate. Haggerty is more than adequate as an outfielder, but if he carries that bat into March there will be nothing keeping him off the team.

Tyler Wade

He’s been on a similar track as Haggerty, but he isn’t on the 40-man roster, which makes his chances of making the roster a bit more difficult. He’s slashed .545/.615/.909 with one home run and two RBI in five games. Like Haggerty, he’s bouncing around the infield and outfield to show he can play enough positions to interest the Rangers in keeping him around. He doesn’t offer much in the way of power (seven career regular season home runs) but he has a solid glove and, to this point in the spring, has shown that his bat has life in it.

Cameron Cauley

After one week, Cauley has done enough to be considered the last position player to make the opening-day roster. Texas is giving their third-round pick from 2021 as much playing time as possible and is having a similar camp to outfielder Alejandro Osuna last year. He’s slashed .316/.350/.526 with two RBI. He can play both middle infield positions. If Haggerty and Wade make the team, Texas can live with one infield-only bench player. He’s never played above Double-A, so there’s some risk. But if he keeps playing like this the Rangers will be faced with an interesting decision.

Ezequiel Duran

Duran is on the outside looking in right now. In five games he’s slashed .222/.500/.222 with two RBI. He remains versatile, as he can play nearly every position on the diamond. But there is enough history to know that Duran is at his best offensively when he has a set position every day and not when he’s bouncing around the diamond and only playing every third or fourth day. Schumaker said part of the key to this bench will be finding players that can be productive under those conditions. That player may not be Duran.

Michael Helman

The Rangers like Helman, who was the ability to play infield and outfield. He’s been mentioned as a candidate for second base and knows the ropes of the position. But he’s always been a light hitter and that’s shown in spring training. He’s slashed .091/.077/.091 with two RBI. He’s a lifetime .239 hitter in 47 Major League games. If the Rangers have two solid hitters on the bench, Helman’s bat may be less of a concern due to his defense. But right now, there are players ahead of him.