Unheralded Offseason Signing Will Play Key Part in Development of Texas Rangers Stars

The Texas Rangers were busy this offseason.

They overhauled their bullpen unit, re-signed their ace Nathan Eovaldi and added even more power to the lineup with a trade for Jake Burger and free agency deal with Joc Pederson.

Because of those additions, it's easy to forget about the under-the-radar signing they made with Kyle Higashioka on Dec. 2, 2024.

Catcher wasn't a glaring need for the Rangers since they already have Gold Glove winner Jonah Heim in place - even though he struggled in 2024 - so because of that, having the veteran backstop join the roster wasn't anything that garnered headlines.

However, Higashioka could be a key reason why Texas contends for another World Series title now and in the future.

"He's a really smart player that handles his staff so well. He's a winner. He's prepared. He's got a lot of experience to draw on as far as game calling and the feedback that he can give to these young players," manager Bruce Bochy said per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com.

The Rangers are a veteran-laden group, but they are going to have plenty of new faces throughout the season, especially in the starting rotation which could call upon their two star prospects Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter.

Having a stable presence like Higashioka is valuable, and he also will play an important role in the development of Rocker, Leiter and other young pitchers.

"He's made my life a lot easier, to be honest with you," catchers coach Bobby Wilson said per Landry. "He's been open to ideas and thoughts and just the mentoring of the younger guys has been a really, really big help. He's taken the time to spend time with Jack and [Kumar Rocker]. He's taken the extra time to really help those guys progress and grow."

That will be important for the future of the Rangers, but it also be a pivotal factor this year.

Entering the upcoming season, there is hope Texas will be much healthier than they were in 2024.

But with a rotation consisting of Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle, who missed the majority of last campaign, Jon Gray, who was on and off the injured list throughout the year, and an aging Eovaldi, there's no guarantee that will be the case.

That could vault Rocker and Leiter into important roles this season, and if the Rangers are going to contend for a championship, they'll need both to be ready.

Higashioka isn't necessarily taking that into account with his mentorship.

While that could be on his mind, establishing a trusting relationship is something he tries to do no matter what the situation is.

"The experience part is really big, because just being able to learn from experiences I've had with other pitchers, and then using that with some of the younger guys coming up. If I can help them in some way, develop and reach their potential, then I think that's a win for me," he said.

Higashioka may not have been the headline-grabbing offseason addition this winter, but he could be the most important when all is said and done.

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