Four things to know about the Rangers’ first round pick, Malcolm Moore
The Texas Rangers selected catcher Malcolm Moore with the No. 30 pick in the first round of the MLB Draft Sunday night at the Stockyards.
A standout at Stanford, the defending World Series champions are optimistic Moore can provide a boost to their young core of prospects which only includes one player ranked in the top 100 according to MLB.com, shortstop Sebastian Wolcott.
Here’s four things to know about the Rangers’ first-round selection:
Freshman sensation
Ranked the No. 1 prospect in the state of California in high school, Moore didn’t need long to make an immediate impact with the Cardinal. As a freshman, Moore was voted a consensus Freshmen All-American by multiple outlets and was also voted Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
Moore started all 64 games, including 55 at catcher and nine at designated hitter, while batting .311 with 50 runs scored, 20 doubles, 15 home runs and 63 RBIs.
Betting on himself
Moore could’ve entered the draft in 2022 after being viewed as one of the top hitters in high school. He was the only prospect ranked in the top-250 to not sign with a major league team and instead went to Stanford. After his freshman season, Moore solidified himself as a first round pick.
Moore’s numbers at the plate saw a small dip as he appeared in 10 less games, but Moore showed improvement on the defensive end, which was his biggest question mark entering the season. He threw out 22 of 51 runners attempting to steal second base on him this season to showcase his growth as a defender.
The scouting report from MLB.com said Moore was a top-10 talent if teams can build him up defensively.
“If teams think he can be an average catcher, he could easily be considered a top 10 pick,” The report said. “But scouts aren’t quite as convinced on his glove as they are on his bat. He’s not a bad receiver and moves decently enough, with some scouts seeing improvement behind the dish this spring.”
How he fits into the future
While Jonah Heim had plenty of spectacular moments during the Rangers’ run to the World Series, there’s no doubt that the organization needs an influx of younger talent at the position with Heim turning 29. Reserve Andrew Knizer is also 29 and has struggled mightily this season when’s been given an opportunity at the plate, batting just .148 on the year.
Taking a look at the Rangers’ stock of prospects and the need for a promising young catcher is made even clearer. According to MLB.com only one of the Rangers’ top-30 prospects plays catcher and that’s 19-year-old Jesus Lopez who is currently playing for the Down East Wood Ducks. Lopez was signed for his defensive ability while Moore should bring more of a punch at the plate.
The Rangers know they’ll need an answer at catcher sooner than later and Moore should provide quality depth at the very least.
Representing his country
Moore has been a steady member of the U.S. national team since high school. He was apart of the Team USA developmental team in 2019 then received an invite to the 18U training camp in 2021. Moore made the collegiate national team in 2023. Moore appeared in six games for the national team and produced three hits with four runs.
