Re-Grading the Texas Rangers’ 2021 MLB Draft Class

It’s been five years since the Texas Rangers were on the clock for the 2021 MLB Draft. So let’s re-grade the first five selections.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Major League Baseball has the longest tail when it comes to player development. Sometimes it can take five years or more for a prospect to become what the teams hopes for.

That’s why grading a draft immediately after it’s held is foolish. In the NFL, the typical waiting period is three years. But those picks go directly to the NFL and play, in some cases, right away. That’s not the case in baseball. The Texas Rangers know that all too well.

Here, we re-grade the 2021 MLB Draft. It’s been five years. We’ll assess the Top 5 picks, plus one pick outside the first five rounds that the Rangers should have kept.

Jack Leiter (First Round)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Leiter was the No. 2 overall pick and was considered one of the most polished college pitchers in the draft. Texas felt they were getting a pitcher that could start at Double-A right away and perhaps be in the Majors by 2023. It took him an additional year because he developed control issues that led to too many walks in the minors.

He made his MLB debut in 2024, became a full rotation member in 2025 and is now on the injured list after ankle surgery. He is 13-20 record and a 4.95 ERA and considered by the Rangers to be a long-term starting pitcher. Based on what he’s done and the expectations, the grade is a little lower than Texas hoped for, with time to improve it.

Grade: C+

Aaron Zavala (Second Round)

Selected out of Oregon, the outfielder has been slow developing, partly due to injuries. He started a Class-A, got to Double-A by 2022 but was stuck there until last year. He’s at Triple-A now and for his minor league career he’s slashed .242/.365/.378 with 49 home runs and 265 RBI.

He’s proven to be a capable outfielder, but a second-round pick should be in the Majors by now. He’s been bypassed by Evan Carter, Wyatt Langford and Alejandro Osuna. He may get a shot, but only due to injury. The re-grade drops as a result.

Grade: D

Cameron Cauley (Third Round)

Texas Rangers second baseman Cameron Cauley. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cauley was drafted out of high school and just made his MLB debut in June. For a prep player who was a two-sport athlete in high school, this was an appropriate trajectory. He’s been a consistent hitter in the minors the last four years and at Triple-A he was slashing .262/.363/.407 with eight home runs and 33 RBI. He’s also a versatile defender.

Cauley has shown enough promise to validate the Rangers selecting him in the third round, but the jury is out on his long-term prospects.

Grade: B-

Ian Moller (Fourth Round)

Selected as a catcher out of high school, he’s emerged as a good example of the non-linear nature of pro baseball. The Rangers had hoped he would develop into one of their next catching options. He hasn’t played higher than Double-A since he joined the organization. He has a lifetime slash of .205/.336/.321 with 28 home runs and 148 RBI. This pick didn’t work out for Texas.

Grade: D

Mitch Bratt (Fifth Round)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Mitch Bratt. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Selected out of Georgia, the Canadian came to the U.S. during COVID to get noticed by scouts. The left-hander pitched in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and has a winning record as a minor league pitcher. He was part of the cost in last year’s trade to acquire pitcher Merrill Kelly at the deadline. He made his MLB debut earlier this year. The Arizona Diamondbacks see him as a part of the future. The bad part for Texas was he didn’t develop fast enough to keep.

Grade: C

The Best Pick Outside The First Five

Liam Hicks (Ninth Round)

Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Rangers got this pick right. The catcher out of Arkansas State developed into a Major League hitter who is slashing .269/.356/.403 with 19 home runs and 101 RBI. The only problem is that he’s doing it for the Miami Marlins. Texas traded him to Detroit at the 2024 deadline in a deal to acquire veteran catcher Carson Kelly.

Texas evaluated the player correctly. The mistake it made was trading him. Had they not, he would be starting for the Rangers now.

Grade: B+