Projecting the Texas Rangers 2027 Opening Day Roster Before Free Agency Begins

The Texas Rangers want to get younger and more athletic? Can they? And will that transform the Major League roster by opening day?

Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) and manager Skip Schumaker (55) argue a called strike with home plate umpire Laz Diaz. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Rangers can now begin working on their offseason plan. The World Series is over, and free agency will begin shortly.

There's the looming specter of a work stoppage. It's all but certain that Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association will not come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement. Without one, the game shuts down after Dec. 1 and no moves can be made until a new CBA is agreed upon.

That clouds what one can project for the Texas Rangers’ 26-man roster. President of baseball operations Chris Young wants to get a younger, more athletic team. But that may be difficult given that he only has a month to build one before a lockout, and a protracted lockout pushed back opening day.

Here, we try to project what the 26-man roster will look like on opening day — whenever that is. We believe the mitigating factors of this offseason — plus a belief that Texas owner Ray Davis will ask to keep payroll steady — will make it hard to reshape the roster.

Catcher

Danny Jansen, Logan O’Hoppe

This is the least surprising position group. The Rangers traded for O’Hoppe at the deadline to put him in a tandem with Jansen in 2027. The Rangers have Kyle Higashioka on a club option, but they're not expected to exercise it. Elias Diaz, who filled in capably after Jansen went down with a forearm injury, as a free agent.

The Rangers don't have any other 40-man options at catcher and prospect Malcolm Moore is at least a year away from being ready. The good news for Texas is that Jansen is signed and O’Hoppe is a pre-arbitration player so the cost is locked in.

Starting Infield

Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran. Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jake Burger, Ezequiel Duran, Corey Seager, Josh Jung

I think the Rangers will spend the month exploring the possibility of trading Corey Seager. But I'm not sure they have enough runway to get a deal done that gives them enough in return to make it worth it. Treating him isn’t a pure salary dump. The Rangers would need Major League-ready talent in return.

A likely scenario might be for the Rangers to go back to a rumored deal with Boston last offseason that might have sent Seager to the Red Sox for Major League talent that might include an outfielder like Jarren Duran. The Red Sox have a shortstop, but that doesn't stop big market teams from adding players. But it’s the kind of structure the Rangers would need to make a trade worth it.

Burger, Duran and Jung are all arbitration eligible. The Rangers will be able to control their cost. I wouldn't rule out Texas putting out feelers for a deal that would move Burger if they wanted to open first base for Justin Foscue. Burger’s power numbers were much better in 2026, but he had a career high in strikeouts and his on base percentage still isn't where they'd like it to be.

Starting Outfield

Texas Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo. Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wyatt Langford, Alejandro Osuna, Brandon Nimmo

The big competition in spring training — whenever that is — will be between Osuna and Evan Carter for a starting position. It might be center field, or it might be left field, depending upon how the Rangers feel about Osuna being an everyday center fielder. If they're uncomfortable with it, the easy play is for the Rangers to move Langford to center field and put Osuna in left.

Osuna has the advantage of being the better hitter against left-handed pitching and is a competent defender. Carter must prove that his bat has improved enough to be considered an everyday center fielder. Langford and Nimmo are safe. The only question is whether Langford plays in left field or center field.

Bench

Texas Rangers second baseman Justin Foscue. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Justin Foscue, Cody Freeman, Sebastian Walcott, Evan Carter

Foscue finally broke through as a hitter last season and became the Rangers’ primary designated hitter when they faced left-handed pitching. Now he must prove he can right hit right-handed pitching more consistently. But he at least gives them a strong right-hander on left-hander match up in those situations. Assuming freeman can get through spring training healthy, he could become the team's new super utility player, especially if Duran becomes the starting second baseman. Freeman can play in the infield and in the outfield.

I think the lockout is going to last long enough to give Walcott time to build up at Triple-A Round Rock to be ready for opening day. His bat has been so responsive since his internal brace surgery that it's hard to see that's slowing down. The only question is whether his experience syncs up with when the season begins.

Carter makes the roster but as a fourth or fifth outfielder. Even if his bat isn't responding as the Rangers hope, his glove is too good not to have on the team. He is another player that I believe could be traded in the offseason.

Starting Rotation

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovadi, MacKenzie Gore, Jack Leiter, Cal Quantrill

I believe the Rangers are going to make a concerted push to try and resign Cal Quantrill before he hits free agency. If they do, he'll take the fifth spot in the rotation and Kumar Rocker will either end up in the bullpen or in Round Rock trying to find his location.

deGrom and Eovaldi are both in the final years of their contract and unless Davis demands that young cut payroll significantly, both should return. Gore is in his final year of arbitration and is unlikely to be traded. Leiter is still a pre-arbitration player and the Rangers believe his issues last season were related to his ankle injury.

Bullpen

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Latz. Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jacob Latz, Jakob Junis, Kumar Rocker, Cody Bradford, Peyton Gray, Robert Garcia, Chase Silseth, Cole Winn

The Rangers might toy with having Latz attempt to go back to the rotation, but I think they feel comfortable with him as their closer next season. I think the Rangers will also exercise the option on Junis' contract since it's so inexpensive relative to what the market might bear after the lockout ends. Rocker won't win a starting job, but the Rangers will give him a chance to carve out a role as a long reliever and have them on standby as a starter. The same holds true for Bradford.

Gray became a solid right-handed option as a rookie. Garcia took to the left-handed setup role late in the season. The Rangers traded for Silseth because he could be controlled for several more years and Winn should come back from his injury and get an opportunity to win a job.

That leaves Carter Baumler as an odd man out. The Rule 5 pick would have to be offered back to his former team in the event that he doesn't make the 26-man roster.