If you want a glimpse of the Texas Rangers’ future roster, the Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League (AA) is an excellent place to start.
The team is the defending Texas League champions, and this year’s roster features nine of the top 30 prospects in the Rangers organization.
One of the headliners of the group is top prospect Evan Carter, a 20-year-old outfielder who has impressed at three-minor league levels. He joined Frisco late last season — hitting .429 and collecting seven RBIs in six games — and has picked up right where he left off.
Through his first 12 games of the 2023 season, Carter has reached base in 11, hitting .378 with three home runs and 15 RBIs.
“He’s a special player,” RoughRiders’ hitting coach Ryan Tuntland told The Dallas Express after Wednesday’s win over the Arkansas Travelers. “It’s the little things; the inches matter with him. I think this is a credit to him taking hold of his career and what he wants — asking questions when they’re meeting. We’re here for that, and we’re kind of a tool to help him.”
“We’ve seen a progression of what he did last year; how he finished last year,” RoughRiders’ manager Carlos Cardoza added. “He’s hungry; he wants to learn. Even with the early success he’s had, I think what’s most impressive is he’s not satisfied, and he wants to continue to get better.”
Despite the great start, Carter still concentrates on improving his game.
“For me, it’s getting better mentally, learning the game better — situationally, defensively. There’s always stuff to learn as far as baseball IQ goes. So I want to learn as much as I can this year,” Carter said.
The RoughRiders also have Luisangel Acuna (the No.3 prospect), Dustin Harris (No.7), and Thomas Saggese (No.15) in their lineup, as well as top pitching prospects Owen White (No.2), Tekoah Roby (No.12), and Jack Leiter (No.4) in their pitching rotation.
White has been particularly impressive with a 1-0 record and 2.13 ERA over 12 and two-thirds innings while allowing just a .190 batting average to opponents. He gave up his first runs of the season in Wednesday’s start against Arkansas.
Meanwhile, Leiter continues to improve as he goes deeper into his baseball career. While the second overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft has yet to pick up a win this season and has allowed plenty of runs, he is striking people out and coming off his two best outings of the season.
“He’s taken steps forward with each start,” Cardoza told The Dallas Express. “This week, I saw him be aggressive with his fastball, generate swings and misses with his fastball… and I’ve seen him go to his slider as a put-away. I think we’re seeing someone who’s gaining confidence every time out.”
Nick Krauth is another starter who has impressed this season. While not listed on the Rangers’ top 30 prospects list, he has allowed just three runs in 13 innings and is 1-1. The Rangers signed him as a free agent from UConn in 2020.
The bullpen, which Cardoza says is a strength for his team, also features Rangers’ prospect Marc Church (No.19) and prospect Antoine Kelly (No.24). Church is off to the best start of his pro career, allowing one earned run and striking out eight in four appearances, while opponents are hitting just .182 against Kelly.
Most of these players have been with many of their teammates and this coaching staff for most of their minor league careers.
Cardoza and Tuntland have moved up through the Rangers system, having previously managed and coached the Rangers’ farm teams at lower levels.
“It’s been very fulfilling and rewarding to get to be around some of these men and to get to know them, get to know who they are as people, and get to know some of their families,” Cardoza said.
That continuity can go a long way in building a Major League team from the ground floor.
“I think it’s huge, guys coming up and playing with one another,” Tuntland told The Dallas Express. “They learn how to compete, how to win, how to be a good teammate to the guys that are in the clubhouse. It’s really cool to see those guys and the relationships that they build with themselves in the clubhouse.”
The RoughRiders are 7-6 after splitting a doubleheader with Arkansas on Friday and conclude their current homestand with games on Saturday and Sunday before heading on a 12-game road trip.
While the record may not reflect the progress being made, Cardoza likes what he has seen from his team for the most part this season.
“They’re going out and competing every night with passion and placing an emphasis on the fundamentals and holding each other accountable, which is [one of the] things we talk about as an organization,” he told The Dallas Express. “We’re off to a good start, but it’s just a start.”