Rangers Announce a Flurry of Minor League Acquisitions With Major League Camp Invites

The Texas Rangers just announced a flurry of Minor League deals with Major League implications.

May 18, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers hat in honor of the military in the dugout during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers are coming off a disappointing season, but Chris Young, the president of baseball operations, is looking to be aggressive this offseason in pursuit of another World Series ring. The Rangers have made just one blockbuster move heading into Christmas, but there could be more on the horizon. For now, the Rangers have announced a few smaller roster additions.

The Rangers have signed seven players to minor league deals with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. These players include infielders Jonah Bride, Tyler Wade, and Andrew Velazquez, catchers Jose Herrera and Cooper Johnson, and pitchers Gavin Collyer and Anthony Veneziano.

The Rangers today announced agreements with seven players on minor league contracts with invitations to 2026 Major League Spring Training camp:

INF Jonah Bride
RHP Gavin Collyer
C Jose Herrera
C Cooper Johnson
INF Andrew Velazquez
LHP Anthony Veneziano
UTL Tyler Wade

— Texas Rangers PR (@TXRangersPR) December 18, 2025

Rangers Offseason Losses Fueling Recent Additions

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The Rangers traded Marcus Semien just before Thanksgiving, which happens to be their biggest offseason move. They were able to add Brandon Nimmo in the trade to solidify their outfield, but it left a hole at second base. Additionally, Texas did not re-sign Merrill Kelly or Jonah Heim.

These minor league signings are not meant to fill the void left by these three departures. However, they are low-risk players who give Texas some options, especially during spring training.

Bride is an infielder who has played everywhere except shortstop. With Corey Seager captaining the infield, the Rangers do not need a shortstop. Bride, who turns 30 in two weeks, has spent time at second base. He may not be a long-term option there, but he can platoon at the position occasionally.

Velázquez has not played in the MLB since 2023. He has played all over the field, so second base would not be an issue for the 31-year-old. But Velazquez will most likely not make the big league roster out of spring training. Still, he gives Texas an extra option.

Wade is the most likely to make the 26-man roster out of spring training, even if it is as a backup. The fourth-round pick spent 60 games in the bigs last year, all for the San Diego Padres. His hitting stats are subpar, but his versatility is an asset.

Only time will tell if any of these three players will see time at Globe Life Field, but the Rangers are clearly making a plan to replace Semien in the short term while they wait for a long-term option.

Catcher Remains a Position of Need

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All the focus is on the infield, but Texas has to focus on catching, as well. The Rangers have two catchers on their 40-man roster at the moment. Kyle Higashioka and Willie MacIver, the latter just made his debut last season.

The two catching additions should give Texas more options.

Johnson has yet to make his MLB debut. But he has been a solid minor league player. Last year, the backstop slashed .267/.380/.500 in Double-A. His numbers took a hit in Triple-A, but he is a great defensive catcher. Johnson threw out 33 runners across the two levels in 2025.

Herrera is a switch-hitter who has not seen much success at the big league level. In his career, Herrera has slashed .200/.280/.259 with three home runs and 42 RBI. He is disciplined at the plate, but can not seem to find consistent hard contact. He is also a slightly worse defender than Johnson.

The Rangers will have to find a backup catcher at some point. It could very well be Johnson or Herrera, but it would not be surprising to see Texas add another backstop to the mix.

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