Injuries are mounting for Texas Rangers’ top prospects, but it’s not all bad news
First, Texas Rangers No. 2 prospect Sam Huff pulled his hamstring.
Next, top prospect Josh Jung broke his left foot and needed surgery.
Then, Huff needed knee surgery.
The minor-league hadn’t even started yet. When it did ...
Right-hander Owen White broke his right hand. Righty Tim Brennan had his arm broken by a line drive. Shortstop Chris Seise blew out his right knee. Hard-throwing righty Alex Speas has elbow inflammation. Second baseman Justin Foscue, the 2020 first-rounder, took a pitch in the ribs.
The latest prospect to go down is infielder Davis Wendzel, the 41st overall pick in the 2018 draft. He was hurt Tuesday during an at-bat, which resulted in a broken left hamate bone and will require surgery.
Oh, and righty Tyler Phillips left his start Wednesday with a sore elbow.
Uncle.
The Rangers are fully aware of their rotten injury luck since late March and through the first month of the minor-league season, but aren’t worried that something larger is at play.
The injury wave is not an epidemic running through the organization as was the case the past few seasons with a rash of Tommy John surgeries.
The injuries, for the most part, are the result of baseball plays gone wrong. They aren’t the by-product of players being unprepared for a heavier workload after the COVID-19 layoff last season.
While not ideal for a team emphasizing development in 2021, the injury situation could be worse.
“It stinks on the injury front,” assistant general manager Mike Daly said. “It’s not the same nature of the injuries as what we’ve battled in years past with more hamstrings or more ligaments or more soft tissues. It’s a lot of bones and stuff that isn’t in our control or the players’ control.”
Seise needed season-ending surgery to fix a torn ACL. Brennan underwent surgery May 19 and might pitch again later in the season. The rest are expected to play again in 2021.
Foscue could play this weekend.
Jung, the eighth overall pick in 2019, is moving closer to playing in camp games in Arizona after his late-March operation to repair a stress fracture. He has increased his baseball activities after the latest scan on the foot showed the proper healing.
An early-June assignment to an affiliate is still a possibility. That assumes he doesn’t get hit by a pitch or an Arizona retiree doesn’t run over his feet.
The Rangers are in the midst of some rotten injury luck, but the don’t believe they are in the midst of an epidemic.
“I’m not sure what we could do otherwise to prevent these,” Daly said. “But, yeah, are we aware of it? Absolutely.”
Rangers minor-league injuries
Tim Brennan, RHP, Double A Frisco: Broken right arm, could msis rest of season
Justin Foscue, 2B, High A Hickory: Bruised rib, day-to-day
Sam Huff, C, no assignment: Right knee surgery, out four more weeks
Josh Jung, 3B, no assignment: Left foot surgery, out 10-14 more days
Tyler Phillips, RHP, Frisco: Right elbow inflammation, prognosis TBD
Chris Seise, ss, Hickory: Torn right ACL, out for season
Alex Speas, RHP, Frisco: Right elbow inflammation, re-evaluated in four weeks
Davis Wendzel, INF, Frisco: Broken left hamate bone, out six weeks
Owen White, RHP, Low A Down East: Broken right hand, out until July
This story was originally published May 28, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
