Texas Rangers 2022 Draft Pick Off To Hot Start in Minors

There is perhaps no selection from last year's draft that is giving the Texas Rangers better return after one year than Brock Porter.

Down East Wood Ducks

The Texas Rangers wanted Brock Porter so bad last summer that they agreed to pay him a record bonus for a fourth-round pick — $3.7 million.

So far, he’s been well worth the investment.

MLB.com put together a list of each team’s best draft pick from 2022 and Porter was the Rangers’ selection. He’s at Class-A Down East, but a promotion to High Class-A Hickory for the 20-year-old right-hander at some point this season wouldn’t be out of the question.

Porter still hasn’t figured in a decision after 10 starts. But that hardly matters when you have a 1.45 ERA in those 10 starts.

In 31 innings he’s given up just 15 hits, eight runs (five earned) and 19 walks. He’s struck out 42 hitters and is allowing batters to hit .140 against him.

The Rangers knew he had arm talent coming out of St. Mary's Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.), where he was a two-time Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year and the 2022 national Gatorade Player of the Year. He went 9-0 with a 0.41 ERA, 115 strikeouts in 58 innings and three no-hitters in 2022.

But to get him to turn down a scholarship offer from Clemson, the Rangers needed to pay him that bonus.

MLB.com believes he has the stuff to move fast through the organization:

(He) can reach triple digits with his fastball and has an advanced changeup and improving slider. He's dominating in Single-A with a 1.45 ERA, .140 opponent average and 42 strikeouts in 31 innings.

Porter’s ERA would be the lowest in the Carolina League if he had the innings to qualify.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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