Transactions
Texas released relievers Josh Sborz and Ryan Brasier at their behest.
The Rangers were exceptionally patient with Sborz. He’s always been erratic, his roster spot often in jeopardy over the years. The Dodgers designated him for assignment in 2021, and Texas optioned him the maximum five times the following year. He was out of options when activated from the IL in April 2023. As his term on rehab assignment dwindled last summer, I thought he was going to be designated again, but Texas was able to reboot his IL placement. Even a minor league deal over the winter was no sure thing, nor was lasting in the organization this point.
Unfortunately, Sborz’s velocity still lags, and he rarely looked MLB-worthy this spring. The peak version of Sborz was thrilling, though, and the best stretch of his career occurred during the 2023 postseason. We’ll always have this:
Brasier had been solid if not electrifying for Round Rock, and he can probably still assist an MLB pen. Both could possibly return to the Rangers on new deals.
Trade Reviews
Let’s catch up of how some traded Texas prospects are faring in 2026:
MacKenzie Gore trade
IF Devin Fitz-Gerald – He’s not playing much shortstop but is hitting well enough to make his position irrelevant: .291/.400/.582 with 12 homers and 14 other extra-base hits in 46 games in high-A as a 20-year-old. Hard to follow his progress without wincing (not that I wish him ill, certainly).
1B Abimelec Ortiz — .266/.368/.532 with ten homers for AAA Rochester. He didn’t make the case in March and started slow in April, but he’s been in “see ball kill ball” mode recently. Washington’s busiest DH of late has been Jose Tena, hitting a modest .219/.276/.377. Abi’s call might be coming.
OF Yeremi Cabrera – Repeating low-A, Cabera batted a ridiculous .333/.465/.649 with seven homers and 18 steals. Now in high-A, where I expect he would have begun 2026 if still a Ranger, he’s leveled off to .236/.323/.309 in 16 games.
OF Gavin Fien – Texas’s top 2025 pick is no longer an infielder and hitting .164/.282/.254 with a 33% K rate for low-A Fredericksburg. He had wrist surgery last fall and missed time this April due to that same wrist, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not driving the ball at full force right now.
RHP Alejandro Rosario – TBD.
Summary: Gore’s had his moments, for better and worse. The eventual grade for this trade depends not just on his performance but whether Texas reaches the playoffs with his assistance. The Nats are doing cartwheels, I imagine.
Carter Baumler trade
RHP Jaiker Garcia – Recall that Baumler was selected by the Pirates and then traded to Texas in last falls’ Rule 5 draft. For low-A Bradenton, Garcia has a homer-heavy 5.68 ERA in 12.2 innings with 12 strikeouts. His fastball has ranged from 91 to 96 plus a cutter, change, slider and curve.
Summary: Hard to get worked up about this one yet.
Merrill Kelly trade
LHP Kohl Drake – I saw Drake’s home AAA debut in Round Rock last summer. He allowed only one hit but didn’t quite look his usual self and was missing a putaway pitch. 2026 to date appears to be an exaggerated and maybe concerning version of that type of performance. Drake has an 8.10 ERA in 43 AAA innings, and it’s not just Reno. He’s lost a full two ticks across his entire repertoire. His K rate has sunk to 18%, and in 11 starts, he’s posted double-digit whiffs only twice.
RHP Mitch Bratt – Bratt has a 2.68 ERA and a respectable 25% strikeout rate in 40 AAA innings, despite a modest whiff rate. Instead, he’s thriving with calls, a bunch of fouls and weak contact. That in itself doesn’t scream “get him to Phoenix,” but he’s accomplishing this in one of baseball’s toughest environments for pitchers.
RHP David Hagaman – As a 23-year-old in high-A, Hagaman has a 4.29 ERA in 21 IP with a good K rate but poor control (17 walks). So, he’s just like 80% of minor league pitchers.
Summary: Given that a deadline deal is intended to put a team into the playoffs or foster a deeper run, it’s easy to deem this failure from Texas’s perspective. And… yeah. I wrote the first sentence with the intention of adding a rejoinder, but what else is there to say? This trade just didn’t work out.
Phil Maton trade
RHP Skylar Hales – Hales was fraying well before his trade to St. Louis. In Frisco, he reeled off eight consecutive scoreless outings with 13 strikeouts, but he also allowed multiple runs in three straight outings. In 2026, Hales has a 7.74 ERA in 47 AAA innings for St. Louis, his fastball has tapered off to around 94, and his decent K rate is heavily dependent on calls rather than whiffs.
RHP Mason Molina – He’s handled AA well, posting a 3.18 ERA with 21 walks and 51 strikeouts in 39.2 IP. His control is problematic for a starting role, and his stuff seems a touch light for relief, but there’s a chance he just keeps on trucking and gets to don a Cards jersey someday. Molina is listed as the starter against Frisco tomorrow.
Summary: Again, a deadline deal that didn’t pay off. In this case, though, I had concerns about Hales, and I don’t see how we can’t be frustrated if Molina manages to pay off for the Cards. I had and have no issues with this trade.
Danny Coulombe trade
RHP Garrett Horn – Apparently delayed by injury, Horn made two outings for Minnesota’s rookie squad before joining high-A Cedar Rapids. He threw a 93-95 four-seamer and 81-88 slider at the complex. In high-A, he’s allowed a run, walked three and fanned seven in six innings.
Summary: I think my Maton comment applies.
Enrique Segura trade
RHP Daniel Robert – Robert pitched 10 modestly successful innings for the Phils in 2025. He suffered a cardiac event late last year that likely would have been fatal if not for rapid response from training staff. Another event this spring was caught by an implant, but he’s since had another procedure and won’t attempt a return in 2026.
Summary: Segura is a longshot and isn’t having a good season for Hub City, but he’s the type of player that comes back in a deal for a DFA’ed reliever. Health issues aside, Robert was unlikely to be an improvement on who Texas used in the bullpen last year.
Mason Molina trade
RHP Grant Anderson – Texas designated him for assignment and traded him to Milwaukee in January 2025. A slightly higher slot (but still very side-armed) and a couple of extra inches of vertical break have transformed his fastball from a dud to a monster. He has a 3.06 ERA in 94 innings for the Brew Crew across two seasons.
Summary: Another DFA deal. Obviously, this didn’t work out. Good on Anderson, and good on the Brewers for getting the most out of him. For my part, I was never expecting Anderson to pitch this well, and I thought Molina was a better-than-average return.
Robert Garcia trade
1B Nathaniel Lowe – Lowe posted a 93 OPS+ last year. No telling what he would have done as a Ranger, but assuming similar performance, I expect Texas would have foregone arbitration. He’s rebounded with the Reds.
Summary: Garcia’s been pretty good at times, frustrating at others, spotty in higher-leverage situations. He’s still a Ranger, still potentially helpful, while Lowe ended up being a moderately expensive flop as a National. I guess the question is whether the Rangers got all they could for Lowe, or whether they should have traded him at all. Lowe’s trade did free up some cash that apparently wasn’t available otherwise.
Jake Burger trade
IF Max Acosta – He performed well enough to reach the Majors last year but hasn’t returned, and he’s been on the IL for three weeks following a slow AAA start.
IF Echedry Vargas – A favorite of mine in Surprise in 2024, Vargas advanced to high-A to begin 2025 but batted .201/.255/.322 and was shipped back to low-A this season. He’s hitting a better .289/.347/.367 but isn’t within screaming distance of his value when traded.
LHP Bryan Mendoza – Mendoza hasn’t advanced beyond high-A where he’d been promoted toward the end of the 2024 season prior to the trade. He has a 7.67 ERA in 29 innings.
Summary: Burger has been a subpar regular, and I’ve openly wondered about his future even in the short term, but every so often he provides some hope. Barring unforeseen change, Miami appears to be stuck with an up-and-down utility IF and a couple of non-prospects. Texas traded those three at peak value for an everyday player, so I see this as good business by the Rangers even with Burger’s shortcomings.
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