Rangers Likely Banking on Two Rising Stars to Replace Marcus Semien

The Texas Rangers will have a new second baseman in 2026, but who getes the job is a matter of debate.

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The Texas Rangers took a bold swing in the early stages of the offseason, trading veteran second baseman Marcus Semien to the New York Mets in exchange for Brandon Nimmo.

Moving on from a player partly responsible for the organization's first World Series title is challenging, but it likely was the right decision to make.

Outside of Nimmo, the only outside move that has been made to improve the offense was the acquisition of catcher Danny Jansen. He'll split time with Kyle Higashioka. With Semien's departure, that leaves an opening at second base.

Texas has multiple internal options that can fill that void, but will it be the right decision?

These Two Young Stars Primary Options at Second Base

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From a financial perspective, solving the second base issue internally makes sense. Josh Smith and the Rangers recently settled at $3.225 million, avoiding arbitration last week. Smith has served as a super utility player for Texas over the last few seasons. He only missed 18 games in 2025.

One component of Semien that cannot be overlooked was his availability. Before he suffered a season-ending injury late in the year, he played in nearly every game for the Rangers. His defense was also tremendous, earning a Gold Glove award last year.

Smith has been able to stay healthy in his career, but Texas will need better production in the second half of the season. The 28-year-old had a blazing start to the year, slashing .329/.413/.471 in April. He was obviously due for some regression, but he stayed consistent until August and September. His slash line took a massive dip, and he struggled at the plate.

If Smith is going to take control of the second base spot, he'll need to show consistency for a full 162 games.

"He's probably the most established Major Leaguer [of the internal options]," Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said recently to Rangers beat writers, including MLB.com. "Does that mean he's getting the first shot? I mean, you can make what you want. The player who comes into camp and earns the job will be the second baseman."

The other option is Cody Freeman. He burst onto the scene late in the season, and brought timely hitting to a Rangers offense that desperately needed it. While Freeman may not be ready for a full season's workload, he can be a viable player in the infield mix.

Texas could also pivot to Ezequiel Duran in spot starts, but Freeman and Smith are seemingly the frontrunners. Luis Arraez and former Ranger Isiah Kiner Falefa remain top free agent options at the position, but the Rangers will likely stay internal.

It's a lot of pressure for these guys to fill the void of a mainstay in Arlington, but they'll have to deliver if Texas hopes to have playoff aspirations in 2026.

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