Rangers Boss Says This Trait Makes Wyatt Langford Future MVP Candidate

There are a lot of things Wyatt Langford does well. But it’s this one trait that impresses Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker

Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Only five Texas Rangers have won an American League MVP award. The last one to do it was Josh Hamilton in 2010.

Sixteen years later, there is plenty of buzz surrounding third-year outfielder Wyatt Langford. That’s happens when you make your Major League debut after playing 44 minor league games. He hasn’t been an All-Star yet, but that could be coming. He was named a finalist for an AL Gold Glove in left field. MLB Network named him the second-best player at a position he doesn’t really play — center field.

His manager, Skip Schumaker, has said Langford has the traits one is looking for in a future MVP. Could that happen this year? Well, Schumaker isn’t making any promises. But he says Langford does all the right things, including one critical thing that can’t be put in a number.

The Trait That Makes Wyatt Langford a Future MVP

Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Schumaker hasn’t been shy about telling reporters that Langford can be a face of the franchise kind of player. There’s one trait he talked about on Wednesday that makes him not want to bet against him — and it has nothing to do with his talent.

It’s his care level.

“He cares defensively,” Schumaker said. “He cares about base running, he cares about hitting, he cares about his teammates, he cares about the community. He cares about the fan base, the organization. He's everything you want in a young player.”

It means Langford is willing to put in the work and he’s done so in spring training. He’s starting to get the “veteran treatment,” as Schumaker has already said Langford won’t play in the spring training opener on Friday — not as a precaution, but because they’re handling the third-year outfielder’s ramp-up a certain way.

He cares about his numbers to a degree. He told reporters this week that he’s not a “.240 hitter.” His career slash of .247/.335/.423 is a product of a young player who won’t turn 25 until November. His power is there, with 38 home runs and 136 RBI over two seasons. He spent the offseason changing his exercise routine to avoid the oblique strains that put him on the IL three times last season.

Schumaker sees role models in the clubhouse for Langford. Corey Seager is a two-time World Series MVP. Brandon Nimmo, who just joined the team, is a veteran who emerged as a leader I the New York Mets clubhouse.

The idea isn’t to force Langford to be something more. The idea is to give Langford what he needs to allow it to happen.

I’m not putting the pressure on him to be that — it can just happen organically,” Schumaker said. “None of us are saying, ‘You’ve got to be this, that or the other.’ Just let him play, let him do what he’s been doing his whole career. I think it's just going to organically happen.”