The Texas Rangers are set to make their first-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft with the 30th overall pick.
Exploring Potential Fits for the Texas Rangers in the 1st Round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
After winning last year’s World Series, the Rangers are slated to pick last in the first round at 30th overall this month. In a class that pundits have repeatedly called thin (at best), the Rangers are in a position in which they have to be spot-on in their scouting to land a potential impact player in round one.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter has the Rangers taking catcher Malcolm Moore out of Stanford at No. 30. Here’s what Reuter had to say about the pick:
“Moore did not have the junior season many were expecting, hitting .255/.414/.553 with 16 home runs and 36 RBI in 54 games, but beneath his mediocre batting average, he showed a much better all-around approach at the plate. He might have been a top-15 pick if he had put together a better spring, but that just means potential value for a team like the Rangers drafting at the end of the first round that still believes in his offensive upside.”
Confidence in Moore’s potential at the next level remains strong. He consistently makes hard contact to all fields and has shown significant raw power with 15 home runs as a freshman. Despite catching regularly in his first year, he has an advanced approach at the plate and impressive chase and swing-and-miss rates. Scouts are less convinced about his defensive abilities, but his offensive potential could still make him a top pick, even if he transitions to first base.
MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo released a mock draft last week on the 4th of July, and he has the Rangers taking a different catcher, Walker Janek, out of Sam Houston. It’s noteworthy that Mayo has the Diamondbacks taking Malcolm Moore at No. 29 before the Rangers pick.
“The three college catchers could go in any order in the back half of the first round, and both Lomavita and Janek’s names pop up in conversations even higher than that.”
Janek exhibits impressive bat speed and strength, resulting in average game power and home runs, primarily to his pull side. As a right-handed hitter, he can be aggressive and chase pitches out of the strike zone, but he’s shown improved patience and field usage in 2024. Despite below-average speed, he runs better than most catchers and will steal bases if given the opportunity.
In 2024, Janek was named Conference USA’s Defensive Player of the Year for his agility behind the plate and skill in framing pitches. While his receiving skills are average, with occasional lapses, his arm strength and quick release effectively control the running game.
Keith Law🍃ಌ has Texas going a different route in his latest mock draft from June, selecting high school shortstop Kellon Lindsey out of Florida.
“I’ve heard the Rangers with a few high school hitters, including Gillen, Lindsey, and Tyson Lewis, even though their last five first-round picks were all college players.”
ESPN’s feature features a trio of their baseball insiders, Jeff Passan, Jessee Rogers, and Kiley McDaniel, taking turns to complete the first round. They also have Texas taking Lindsey.
