The Texas Rangers used their top pick in the 2023 MLB Draft to select Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford, one of the consensus top prospects and most Major League-ready position players in the draft.
After signing Langford, the team’s front office spoke about why it believes Texas has landed a potential franchise player with a “championship pedigree” in the catcher-turned-outfielder after securing the fourth overall selection through the league’s first draft lottery.
“We sit here and talk about his accolades, but I want to talk about the person,” Rangers Senior Director of Amateur Scouting Kip Fagg told the media in a press conference on Tuesday. “That’s what separated Wyatt from a lot of the guys in the upper part of the group. … The hard work and dedication is what we’re about here as the Rangers, and he fits very well. We’re going to win championships here, and Wyatt’s going to be a big part of that, and we’re excited to bring him on board.”
“It’s not often you have the opportunity to draft a player as accomplished as Wyatt, and certainly our goal is not to be picking at the top of the draft ever again,” Rangers Executive Vice President and General Manager Chris Young added. “That said, this was a great year to be picking in the top of the draft.”
“Some things fell our way to move up in the draft order, and, with the draft specifically, things fell our way to be able to draft Wyatt,” Young continued. “His pedigree as a baseball player and what he did at Florida is tremendous, but I think as we got to know the person, the character, [and] why he’s a successful player, it’s all the intangibles that we have, the things you see with the big league team, [and] the things our minor league players all embody.
“He’s the perfect fit for our organization, and I couldn’t be happier that he’s a Texas Ranger.”
Langford began his career as a catcher at the University of Florida but entered just four games until his sophomore year when he moved to the outfield.
“That kind of made me who I was,” he explained to the media. “Having to go through that and having the ability to go out there and play for the last two years was my dream. It was a dream come true, and it’s gotten me to where I am today.”
Fagg told reporters that Langford caught the Rangers’ attention during an “eye-opening” sophomore campaign in 2022, during which Langford hit .355 and slugged 26 home runs to tie the Gators’ single-season home run record. (Teammate Jac Caglianone broke the record in 2023, hitting 33 homers.)
Langford improved as a junior, batting .373 while still displaying power and reaching base at a near-record pace. He finished his collegiate career with 47 home runs and 120 RBIs while committing just one error.
Despite all the success, Langford said he knows he must prove himself and earn the right to compete at the next level.
“I’ve always been competitive, and I think that’s how it came about,” Langford said. “Growing up, I played every sport I could, really, so I always tried to go out there and win, and I gave my best effort every time. … I couldn’t ask for a better team to end up with. The Rangers are heading in a good direction, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
While Texas believes it landed a great player, the Rangers will not rush Langford to the big leagues. He will report to Arizona with the rest of his draft class as part of the “standard onboarding process” and be further assigned from there.
“We want to make sure, from a physical standpoint, Wyatt’s prepared to go play,” Young explained. “We think he is. By the looks of him, he is, and he’s certainly indicated to us that he’s ready to get out [there]. We do want to make sure we do right by Wyatt and set him up for success.”
“We’re trying to fill our organization with championship players, and certainly, we think Wyatt is that,” Young added. “He’s going to add to the group we have and what we’re building here.”
