SURPRISE, Ariz. — In late January, after the Texas Rangers swung a deal that sent significant prospect capital east in order to improve the major league roster, general manager Ross Fenstermaker rationalized the club’s moves as “the price we pay in order to compete.”
Oh, yeah, they’ve paid a price.
The Rangers have dealt eight top 30 prospects, per MLB Pipeline’s evaluations, since last summer’s trade deadline. They shipped three to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-handed pitcher Merrill Kelly to bolster their rotation midseason and another five to the Washington Nationals for MacKenzie Gore last month to do the same thing.
That’s the cost of big league improvement. It’ll also ding the depth of a farm system. The Rangers have the No. 22 farm system per ESPN, the No. 24 farm system per Baseball America and the No. 25 farm system per USA TODAY.
Rangers
The success of the farm system, much like the major league roster, will be predicated on how a number of position player prospects respond to down seasons. Baseball America, which hasn’t ranked the club’s system this low since the 2021 season, said it “needs major rebounds from its near-proximity prospects to supplement the big league roster.”
Their collective progression will determine where the farm stands this time next year. Until then, though, it’s time to begin the daily countdown of The Dallas Morning News’ top 30 prospects.
No. 28: RHP Frandel Pineda
Age: 17
Height/weight: 6-2, 175
B/T: R/R
Who he is: The Rangers signed Pineda out of the Dominican Republic to a $350,000 bonus in the 2026 international cycle. He’s the nephew of former big league pitcher Michael Pineda and was the No. 47 prospect in his class per MLB Pipeline. Pineda is the first Latin American teenage pitcher that the Rangers have given a six-figure bonus to in nine years.
Texas Rangers prospect Frandel Pineda
Texas Rangers
Why he’s here: Pineda’s age, genes, build and current body of work create a teenager who epitomizes the word “projectable.” His fastball already runs 95-96 mph and has triple-digit upside. He won’t turn 18 until the fall. He profiles as a starter, and per MLB Pipeline, “displayed solid strike-throwing ability in his time on the mound” and has the same “loose, whippy arm action that overwhelms a majority of batters he has faced” as his former All-Star uncle.
What’s his future: Teenaged prospects are hardly a surefire bet, but Pineda’s frame and family track record make a worthy investment. As Fenstemaker said when the Rangers signed Pineda, “with the MLB bloodlines that he has, you can project with a little more confidence in this market.” The same can be said because of the club’s recent success with Latin American pitchers on the international market; right-handers Winston Santos and Emiliano Teodo were both signed for far less and have developed into upper-level prospects.
Where he will start; MLB ETA: Dominican Summer League; 2031.
Rangers’ top 30 prospects
No. 30: RHP Mason McConnaughey
No. 29: OF Braylin Morel
No. 28: RHP Frandel Pineda
Nos. 27-1: Coming soon…
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