Big arms, big potential, big expectations. Texas Rangers pitchers to watch this spring.
By the end of Thursday’s workout, every Texas Rangers pitcher in camp, save for the injured Brock Burke, will have thrown their first bullpen session of spring training.
That’s 37 pitchers for those scoring at home.
Eleven of them have either already made the team or have strongholds on roster spots, assuming they stay healthy.
The others are competing for a few spots, showcasing themselves for other opportunities, positioning themselves for call-up duty, or getting an initial taste of big-league camp.
It’s an interesting group, one that manager Chris Woodward said has better stuff than last spring’s relief corps.
Here’s a sampling of them, with six pitchers to watch this spring.
Jonathan Hernandez, RHP
The Rangers shipped away their reliever with the biggest fastball in the offseason, sending Emmanuel Clase to Cleveland in the Corey Kluber deal. Hernandez’s velocity would be a suitable replacement.
He will be stretched out in case it’s determined he fits best as rotation depth at Triple A, but the Rangers might want his electric stuff in a multiple-innings relief role.
Fellow prospect Taylor Hearn is on a similar plan this spring.
Edinson Volquez, RHP
The veteran was lured away from retirement by the Rangers for a shot at one last go-round. He impressed the Rangers last season by how he mentored young pitchers and by how his stuff played in relief after missing most of the season with an elbow injury.
Volquez feels good, but he will have to be very good to win a roster spot.
Chad Allen, RHP
Plenty was written about Allen only a few days ago.
He’s healthy again, his mechanics are right again, and his mind is dialed in again.
Allen likely won’t be the closer to start the season, barring a tremendous spring training that convinces the Rangers to use Jose Leclerc in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but the Rangers will have a solid late-innings reliever if he’s right.
Joe Palumbo, LHP
Palumbo’s chances at the Opening Day roster look pretty slim, but Palumbo doesn’t look as slim anymore.
He put on good weight in the offseason, more than 20 pounds to his slight frame, and feels stronger and in better position to navigate a season without injury.
The Rangers love how this rookie competes. He has swing-and-miss stuff when on.
When the Rangers need a starter from the minors this season, Palumbo could be the first man up.
Corey Kluber, RHP
Kluber is the big get of the offseason for the Rangers, who moved to acquiring him after missing on third baseman Anthony Rendon. The big question, though, is can he regain his Cy Young form.
His 2019 season was marred by injuries, and the three seasons before that were stuffed with innings. The time off served as a sabbatical. He says his arm is rested and his mechanics have been fixed.
With him being at the top of the rotation, he’ll have plenty of eyes, and expectation, upon him.
Demarcus Evans, RHP
He’s hard to miss at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, and his jersey No. 79 just seems right. His pitches, though, have been easy for hitters to miss the past two seasons in the minors.
Evans has struck out at least 100 batters in each of the past two seasons, and Baseball America selected him as the top reliever in the minors for 2019.
His fastball-curveball combo has reminded some of Keone Kela’s stuff. Evans, though, comes with an infectious personality instead of that from the combative, disruptive Kela.
This story was originally published February 13, 2020 at 11:36 AM.
