Rangers Waiting for 2021 MLB Draft to Bear Fruit Beyond Jack Leiter

The Texas Rangers have one player in the Majors from their 2021 MLB draft. They could use a couple of more.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter (35) throws the ball during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Five years after the 2021 MLB Draft, the Texas Rangers have gotten some solid production from first-round pick Jack Leiter.

But, beyond that? Well, it’s been a wash or a waiting game for talent to bear fruit. Of the 20 players the Rangers selected that July, they signed 18 of them. The selections were nearly evenly split between college players and high school players.

Leiter just wrapped up his first full Major League season as he went 10-10 with a 3.86 ERA in 29 starts, with 148 strikeouts and 67 walks in 151.2 innings. He finished seventh in American League rookie of the year voting and is on a trajectory that could make him the staff’s ace.

But, what about the rest of the class? Here we review the remaining 17 selections the Rangers signed from their 2021 draft class.

Rangers 2021 MLB Draft Review

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Second Round: OF Aaron Zavala: The Oregon outfielder has been in the Rangers’ system for five years and finally reached Triple-A Round Rock last season. For his minor league career, he’s slashed .238/.366/.370 with 43 home runs and 231 RBI.

Third Round: SS Cameron Cauley: Cauley, a prep prospect, is the Rangers’ No. 17 prospect per MLB Pipeline. He can play multiple positions in the infield and has a minor league slash of .240/.317/.403. The 22-year-old could play at Round Rock in 2026.

Fourth Round: C Ian Moller: Another high school selection, Moller played the 2025 season at Double-A Frisco. For his career he’s slashed .202/.335/.305. The Rangers could use a breakout from Moller in 2026 to help their catching depth.

Fifth Round: P Mitch Bratt: The Canadian prep star rose through the ranks and became a Top 30 prospect. The Rangers included him in a trade in July to acquire Arizona pitcher Merrill Kelly. Bratt has never pitched higher than Double-A.

Sixth Round: P Chase Lee: The Alabama product was traded in 2024 in a deal to acquire Andrew Chafin from the Detroit Tigers. He was later traded to Toronto. He’s 4-1 with a 4.10 ERA in 32 MLB appearances as a reliever.

Seventh Round: P Bradford Webb: The VCU product spent three years in the Rangers organization, never pitching above High-A. He went 5-5 with a 5.26 ERA. He is no longer with the franchise.

Eighth Round: P Larson Kindreich: The left-hander from Biola College in California has developed slowly. He reached Frisco last season and for his career he is 17-14 with a 3.93 ERA.  

Ninth Round: C Liam Hicks: The Rangers could use Hicks, as he is now in the Majors with the Miami Marlins. The Rangers included the Arkansas State product in a 2024 trade to the Detroit Tigers for catcher Carson Kelly.

Tenth Round: P C.J. Widger: Widger didn’t pitch until 2023 due to injury. Texas released him in 2024, and he signed with the Seattle Mariners. He is now in the San Diego Padres organization and has never pitched in the Majors.

Eleventh Round: OF JoJo Blackmon: The prep outfielder from Pensacola, Fla., was released by the Rangers in 2024 with a career slash of .205/.317/.365.

Twelfth Round: P Jackson Leath: The Rangers released the Tennessee product after three seasons with a record of 9-6 and a 4.32 ERA.

Thirteenth Round: P Thomas Ireland: Ireland was selected out of Polk State JC in Florida and didn’t pitch until 2023. The left-hander had a rock-solid season in 2025, going 8-2 with a 3.10 with three affiliates, rising to Frisco.

Fourteenth Round: C Tucker Mitchell: Selected out of the State College of Florida, the 24-year-old has been on a slow burn in the system for five years. He reached Round Rock in 2025 and slashed .200/.224/.238 in 61 games.

Fifteenth Round: P Evan Elliott: Elliott pitched three years with the Rangers’ Arizona Complex League team and spent 2024 with Toronto’s Florida Complex League team. He did not pitch in 2025.

Seventeenth Round: SS Michael Alfonso: He was converted into a pitcher and lasted two seasons in the system before he was released in 2023.

Eighteenth Round: P Kyle Larsen: The Rangers lost Larsen to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Rule 5 draft in December.

Twentieth Round: P Joseph Montalvo: Montalvo was also included in the trade that sent Liam Hicks to Detroit in 2024. He is now pitching in the Tigers’ system with their Double-A affiliate.