Rangers Can Celebrate Three Player Development Success Stories in 2026

While the Texas Rangers’ farm system isn’t fully stocked with talent, these three players showed improvement can come at the MLB level, too.

Texas Rangers General Manager Chris Young. Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The Texas Rangers didn’t get to where they wanted in 2026, which was the playoffs. But for three players, the season was a breakthrough.

It was also an example of something the Rangers want to do more of in the future — continuing the development of players once they get to the Majors.

In the cases of pitcher Jacob Latz, infielder Ezequiel Duran and infielder Justin Foscue, all made significant leaps from 2025, in part because of improvement last offseason and during this season, something Rangers general manager Ross Fenstermaker acknowledged last week.

“I think it speaks volumes to a couple different things,” Fenstermaker said. “One, their resilience as players, and then you know, Skip [Rangers manager Schumaker] touched on earlier, development continuing at the major league level, the ability to bounce back from early career struggles and find their way with a great staff that's pouring into them.”

Jacob Latz

Latzy is going to Philly ⭐️

Jacob Latz has been selected to his first All-Star game! pic.twitter.com/VIVnvfHopT

— Rangers Sports Network (@RangersSNtv) July 4, 2026

Jacob Latz had already shown the Rangers his ability to be a swingman in 2025, as he worked effectively as both a long reliever and as a spot starter. He entered spring training and competition with Kumar Rocker to be the fifth starter in the rotation, but Rocker did enough to win the job.

Latz’s consolation prize was to become an All-Star closer. That's an ascension that would have been unlikely just a couple of years ago.

Latz finished the season 3-4 with a 2.13 ERA. He had 30 saves. Several of those saves were two-inning saves. His starter’s repertoire, honed over several years in the organization, helped him keep hitters off balance. That helped him achieve chase rates, whiff rates and strikeouts rates in the 90th percentile or better in 2026.

Ezequiel Duran

The Solution. La Solución.

No position is a problem for Ezequiel Durán! pic.twitter.com/f9OzZkJd5N

— Rangers Sports Network (@RangersSNtv) September 5, 2026

To many, Ezequiel Duran was the best player the Rangers received from the New York Yankees in their 2021 Joey Gallo trade. Up until this season, his career was marked by short bursts of brilliance and longer stretches of inconsistency. Armed with a new play and a manager willing to give him regular playing time — even if it was just a few innings, Duran had his best season yet.

Duran slashed .260/.320/.419 with 17 home runs and 83 RBI. He set single-season bests in home runs, RBI and stolen bases (11). He played a career-best 153 games and was used at seven different positions.

He won the super-utility job coming out of spring training and injuries to Josh Smith, Josh Jung and Corey Seager forced him into playing time at natural positions. He did so at such a high level that it's possible that he will be both the American League Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner at utility player.

Justin Foscue

Justin likes Denver.

Foscue today: 2-for-2 with a double and home run. pic.twitter.com/d3F7uPd9f1

— Rangers Sports Network (@RangersSNtv) May 19, 2026

Justin Foscue may have taken the biggest jump of the three. He was the Rangers’ first-round pick in 2020 out of Mississippi State, made his Major League debut in 2024 and had only played in a handful of games before the Rangers trusted him with their designated hitter at-bats against left-handed pitching after the release of Andrew McCutchen.

He thrived in the role. He slashed .324/.395/.586 against lefties with a .981 OPS. He generated eight home runs and 27 RBI from that side. He still needs to improve against right-handed pitching, where he batted under .200. That will be his next step in development is a Major League player.

But the Rangers now know they have someone they can trust in those situations at DH and at second base. That's something they couldn't say an offseason ago.

“The ability to bounce back and continue to develop at the Major League level is key to having success and creating that extra layer of depth that we need to produce as an organization,” Fenstermaker said.