Why Rangers Prospect Paxton Kling is an Arizona Fall League Top Performer

The performance of Texas Rangers outfield Paxton Kling has been hard to keep up with during the first week of the Arizona Fall League.

After all, there aren't many players hitting like him in the AFL right now. The Rangers sent Kling to the AFL to give him an opportunity to collect more at-bats and prove that he might be on a faster track toward making it to the Major Leagues one day.

After a week, his performance has put him among the top performers in a league that tends to be a gateway league for Major League player development.

Paxton Kling’s Opening Week

Paxton Kling walks off his first career four-hit game in the @MLBazFallLeague!

The @Rangers' No. 20 prospect racks up a pro-best five RBIs in the process: pic.twitter.com/V2TVWSeVSh
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 6, 2026

Klein was one of seven players selected by MLB Pipeline as top performers for the first week of the AFL. He joined right-handed pitcher Jarlin Susana of the Washington Nationals, shortstop Welbyn Francisca of the Cleveland Guardians, corner infielder Antonio Anderson of the Boston Red Sox, third baseman Aidan Miller of the Philadelphia Phillies, right-handed pitcher Tekoah Roby of the St. Louis Cardinals and second baseman Demetrio Crisantes of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Roby is familiar to Rangers prospect watchers as he used to be part of the organization.

Kling, who is the Rangers’ No. 20 prospect per MLB Pipeline, finished the week with a slash of .500/.533/.714, with eight RBI, two stolen bases and 10 total bases. He did that in just three games played as he’s sharing time in the outfield with several talented players from other teams. In fact, Francisca and Miller are playing alongside Kling on the Surprise Saguaros and all three are the team’s top hitters.

He fueled his selection with an incredible performance in his second start in the AFL. In one game he went 4-for-5 with five RBI, a run, a walk and a strikeout. He had a walkoff RBI single to finish off an 8-7 victory.

In some respects, Kling — a seventh round of the 2025 MLB draft out of Penn State who previously played at LSU — hasn’t had that breakthrough yet. In 89 games with the RoughRiders and, before that, High-A Hub City he slashed .243/.383/.361 with seven home runs and 34 RBI. He also had 15 doubles and a triple.

But he’s an expert base stealer. He stole 40 bases on 51 attempts in 2026 and that’s something the Rangers could use more of eventually.

But this is what the AFL is all about. It gives players like Kling who need more at-bats and more opportunity a chance to show their organization that they're worth more time and development the following season. So far, so good for this Rangers prospect.

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