One of the most prominent second basemen in Texas Rangers history, Ian Kinsler, will headline the team’s 2022 Hall of Fame class. Alongside Kinsler, the Rangers communications director for over three decades, John Blake, will also be inducted.
Ian Kinsler is one of the best homegrown talents in Texas Rangers franchise history, spending the first eight seasons out of his 14-year career in Arlington.
He was selected by the team in the 17th round of the 2003 MLB draft out of Missouri and was called up to the big leagues for opening day in 2006. He hit 14 home runs as a rookie and finished seventh in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. He was named the Rangers’ rookie of the year.
Kinsler earned three All-Star appearances with the Rangers and was part of the 2010 and 2011 teams that made the only two World Series appearances in the franchise’s history. He delivered during playoff time with a .311 batting average and a .422 on-base percentage in 34 postseason games with Texas.
His best season was in 2011, when he hit .255 with 31 home runs and finished 11th in MVP voting.
Kinsler had a .273 batting average and a .349 on-base percentage and hit 156 of his 257 career home runs with Texas. He added 539 RBIs over 1,066 games with the Rangers.
Kinsler is one of only two second basemen in MLB history to have multiple seasons with 30 home runs and 30 steals. He accomplished that feat in 2009 and 2011.
He was also one of the most productive leadoff hitters in Texas Rangers history, with the most games started (662) and home runs (109) when first in the batting order. He also holds a club record for most home runs (29) to lead off the first inning.
Kinsler is also in the top 10 among all Rangers players in stolen bases (No.2, 172), runs (No.6, 748), extra-base hits (No.7, 428), walks (No.7, 462), home runs (No.8), doubles (No.8, 249), total bases (No.8, 1,908) and multi-hit games (No.8, 335).
After his eighth season with the Rangers, Kinsler was traded to the Detroit Tigers in a deal for Prince Fielder and an extra $30 million. Kinsler had one more All-Star season with the Tigers and hit 78 home runs in four years before being traded to the Los Angeles Angels.
The Angels traded him during his first year with the team to the Boston Red Sox, where he finished the season and signed with the San Diego Padres during the offseason. His last MLB appearance came in 2019 with the Padres at the age of 37.
Kinsler will be the first player inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame since Josh Hamilton in 2019.
Both Ian Kinsler and John Blake will be inducted in a ceremony on Saturday, August 13, before the game against the Seattle Mariners. The Rangers will also honor both inductees with a luncheon on August 12.
Blake has worked in the MLB for 44 years, spending 34 of those with the Rangers. He has been a member of the organization during all the Rangers’ 52 postseason games in their history.
Blake served as vice president of public relations and senior vice president of communications for over two decades in his first stint with the club through the 2004 season.
He returned ahead of the 2009 season as executive vice president of communications. This past January, he transitioned into executive vice president of public affairs.
“The one thing that stands out about John is he remembers everything,” said Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward. “He knows everything about everything, especially with this game. He just blows my mind all the time, over and over again. It’s fascinating. I’d love for him to write a book or something just because there’s so much in that brain that needs to be told.”
