Rangers Promote Pitching Prospect to Hickory

The Texas Rangers have promoted left-handed starting pitcher Larson Kindreich from Low Class-A Down East to High Class-A Hickory.

Kindreich was named one of the Rangers’ top prospects for the month of May.

He moves up to Hickory with a 3-2 record and a 2.37 ERA. In 38 innings and nine appearances (five starts), he has allowed 25 hits, 12 runs (10 earned) and 20 walks while striking out 55.

Kindreich earned the organizational honor with a May that included four starts, a 2-1 record with a 2.84 ERA. He struck out 27 and walked nine in 19 innings of work. Opponents hit .209 against him.

Kindreich is not among the Rangers’ top 30 prospects per MLB.com, but he moves up the ladder less than a year after being drafted by the Rangers.

His promotion also came the same week the Rangers traded Willie Calhoun to the San Francisco Giants.

The Rangers drafted Kindreich with their eight-round selection (No. 224 overall) last July out of Biola University. In his final season of college, Kindreich went 5-2 in nine starts with a 3.33 ERA. In 54 innings, he allowed 43 hits, 23 runs (20 earned) and 21 walks, while striking out 79.

After his selection, the Rangers assigned Kindreich to their rookie league team in Arizona, where he pitched in six games and finished with a 1.13 ERA. He threw eight innings, gave up five hits and one run, walked three and struck out 18 while recording a save. That led to his assignment to Down East in the spring.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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