Scouting Department Was Key To Rangers' Successful Trade Deadline

The Texas Rangers were one of the biggest mysteries heading into the trade deadline.

They got hot at the right time to get themselves back into contention for a playoff spot, which pushed them out of the selling category. However, with some financial issues present, it wasn't clear how aggressive they would be.

But the Rangers were able to add some potential impact players to the mix, bolstering both their starting rotation and bullpen by acquiring Merrill Kelly, Phil Maton and Danny Coulombe.

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Considering what was expected out of Texas, landing those three arms were a nice haul.

And much of the credit for having this successful deadline should go to the scouting department, since all six of the top 30 prospects who were dealt -- Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt, David Hagaman, Garrett Horn, Mason Molina and Skylar Hales -- were selected after the first day of the MLB draft.

That is huge.

While the surface level cost of landing Kelly, Maton and Coulombe as rentals looks expensive with six top 30 prospects getting shipped out of town, coveted draft capital was not used to obtain those prospects, meaning the Rangers were able to land three potential difference makers while holding onto all of their high-ceiling minor leaguers.

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Merrill Kelly — Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

This is a testament to how Texas identified and developed their talent, turning Day 2 picks into pieces coveted ahead of the trade deadline by teams looking to retool.

Farm systems are mainly heralded or unheralded based on how many elite talents are in the pipeline, with two or three players potentially pushing a team into the upper echelon of the rankings. However, it's not often those prospects get moved, so it's imperative for contenders to have a deep pool to choose from when they are looking to upgrade their rosters.

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That's how the Rangers added one of the best starting pitchers available and two impact relievers, using their internal strengths to bolster their roster.

Now it's up to those deadline acquisitions to perform on the field.

Texas has some work to do if they are going to chase down the Houston Astros for the AL West lead or make a run at the final Wild Card spot, something that feels like a must based on what they did before the deadline.

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