Texas Rangers draft 13 pitchers, take flier on Clemson-bound dual-sport star Will Taylor
The Texas Rangers selected seven more pitchers out Tuesday, the third and final day of the 2021 MLB Draft.
Among the 10 prospects taken by the Rangers on Day 3 was outfielder Will Taylor, who has signed to play baseball and football at Clemson. Taylor, who will play receiver for the Tigers football team, made it official days ago that he planned to stay true to Clemson. He was a potential high draft pick if he had not made his intentions to go to college known.
“The Rangers are an amazing organization. We spent a day with them a few weeks ago that none of us will ever forget,” Will Taylor’s father Eddie told South Carolina newspaper The State. “Will is a Tiger and plans to remain one until the 2024 draft.”
High school prospects such as Taylor are often drafted in the late rounds of the draft on the outside chance the player has a change of heart about attending college. For example, the Yankees drafted Jack Leiter out of high school in 2019 in the 20th round despite Leiter making it clear he was headed to Vanderbilt. The Rangers drafted him with the No. 2 overall pick on Sunday. It’s the highest draft spot for the team since 1974.
Of the Rangers’ 20 picks, 13 are pitchers, three are outfielders, three are catchers and one is a shortstop.
Clubs have until Aug. 1 to sign players.
Texas Rangers 2021 MLB Draft class
Rd. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | School | Hometown |
1 | Jack Leiter | RHP | 6-1 | 205 | Vanderbilt | Summit, NJ |
2 | Aaron Zavala | OF | 6-0 | 195 | Oregon | Keizer, OR |
3 | Cameron Cauley | SS | 5-10 | 170 | Barbers Hill (TX) HS | Mont Belvieu, TX |
4 | Ian Moller | C | 6-0 | 190 | Wahlert (IA) HS | Dubuque, IA |
5 | Mitch Bratt | LHP | 6-1 | 190 | Georgia Acad. | Newmarket, Ontario |
6 | Chase Lee | RHP | 6-0 | 170 | Alabama | McCalla, AL |
7 | Bradford Webb | RHP | 6-3 | 200 | VCU | Charlotte, VA |
8 | Larson Kindreich | LHP | 6-4 | 210 | Biola | Central Point, OR |
9 | Liam Hicks | C | 5-11 | 185 | Arkansas State | Toronto, Ontario |
10 | C.J. Widger | LHP | 6-6 | 170 | Rowan JC (NJ) | Pennsville, NJ |
11 | JoJo Blackmon | OF | 6-0 | 185 | Escambia (FL) HS | Pensacola, FL |
12 | Jackson Leath | RHP | 6-1 | 195 | Tennessee | Waxahachie, TX |
13 | Thomas Ireland | LHP | 6-1 | 170 | Polk State | Regina, Sask., Canada |
14 | Tucker Mitchell | C | 6-1 | 210 | State Coll. of Fla. | Bradenton Beach, FL |
15 | Evan Elliott | RHP | 6-3 | 210 | Lethbridge (Canada) | Toronto, Ontario |
16 | Ryan Ure | LHP | 6-7 | 230 | Eaton (CO) HS | Eaton, CO |
17 | Michael Alfonso | RHP | 6-3 | 205 | Key West (FL) HS | Key West, FL |
18 | Kyle Larsen | RHP | 6-2 | 240 | TNXL Acad. (FL) | Sanford, FL |
19 | Will Taylor | OF | 6-0 | 175 | Dutch Fork (SC) HS | Irmo, SC |
20 | Joseph Mantalvo | RHP | 6-2 | 185 | Central Pointe (FL) | Kissimmee, FL |
This story was originally published July 13, 2021 at 3:40 PM.
