Evan Carter Steals Show for Rangers After Huge Spring Training Swing

Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter has been hitting the ball well in spring training, but he hasn't always had anything to show for it. That changed in a big way on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels.

With three Rangers already on base in the first inning, Carter pulled a 90.8 mph slider low and inside from Angels starter Victor Mederos for a grand slam to give Texas a 4-0 lead. The Rangers went on to lose the game, 10-7. But in the larger picture Sunday’s game was the kind of production Texas wants from Carter this season.

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He finished the game 2-for-4 with four RBI. The other hit was a double in the sixth inning. His other two at-bats ended with him getting out on contact. So, he avoided strikeouts as well.

The left-handed hitting center fielder won’t hit grand slams often, but the bigger point was that he claimed multiple hits, continued to make contact and played a solid center field until he exited the game as planned.

Evan Carter’s Spring So Far

EVAN CARTER GRAND SLAM‼️ pic.twitter.com/SPlB3Ud4TZ
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) March 8, 2026

After Sunday’s action Carter is how slashing .278/.381/.778 with two home runs and five RBI. The emphasis for Carter this spring has been two-fold. First, new manager Skip Schumaker wants him to be less platoon-restricted, which means hitting better against left-handed pitching, where he’s been a liability to this point in his career.

Second, Schumaker wants him to be “available” for 162 games. Carter recently told 105.5 The Fan’s “K&C Masterpiece” show that availability is more important than him being able to play every single day. He also admitted his injury makes it unlikely he would be able to do so.

He has missed 216 out of a possible 324 games the last two seasons. He’s had a stress reaction in his back, a balky quad and a wrist fracture. The Texas front office loves his talent. He’s just 23 years old and Rangers fans still remember how he made his MLB debut in 2023 as a rookie and helped the franchise win its first World Series.

There is also a conversation about whether he might play left field or center field. For now, Texas still sees him as the starting center fielder. That’s where he was on Sunday, with Wyatt Langford in left field. The two have switched positions this spring.

It’s all about keeping Carter healthy this season. Games like Sunday show why the Rangers are so intent on keeping him “available” for every game.