2024 Bowman

Every year, Bowman baseball brings something new to collectors. And it’s always one of the most popular products for collectors and baseball fans. In May, the 2024 Bowman was released and of course, has drawn attention from lots of collectors. I bought some hobby packs of the 2024 Bowman a few weeks ago.

 

After opening the second or the third hobby pack, a card suddenly dropped. I was so scared that this card might be damaged. Thankfully, this card looks ok. And the card is a Wyatt Langford chrome card. Langford just made the Rangers’ Opening Day roster and made his MLB debut on March 28. He was selected by the Rangers in the first round of the 2023 MLB draft. While seeing this card, I began to think about the Rangers’ decision in the MLB draft.

 

Chris Young joined the Texas Rangers on December 4, 2020, and since then, he has led the team’s baseball operations. In particular, he led the team to win the 2023 World Series title, which is the first title in franchise history. So, under Young’s leadership, did the Rangers make a great decision in the MLB draft?

 

Firstly, let’s start with the 2021 draft. The Rangers selected Jack Leiter in the first round of the 2021 draft. Leiter was the second overall pick of the 2021 draft. He just made his MLB debut in April. However, he was hit hard over 3 starts. So far, Leiter tossed 9.1 innings, posting a 16.39 ERA and a 2.57 WHIP. He threw 7 strikeouts but gave up 6 walks. Moreover, he allowed 3 home runs. Among the players who were selected by the Rangers in the first round of the 2021 draft and signed, Leiter is the only one that made it into the big leagues.

 

In addition, the Rangers made a bold decision in the 2022 draft. The Rangers chose Kumar Rocker in the first round of the 2022 draft. Rocker was selected by the Mets in the first round of the 2021 draft. Nonetheless, he and the Mets couldn’t reach a deal. Rocker underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2023. Among the players who were selected by the Rangers and agreed to a deal, none of them has made it into the big leagues.

 

Finally, last year, the Rangers selected Wyatt Langford in the first round of the draft. Langford had done a great job in spring training, slashing .365/.423/.714 with 6 home runs and 20 RBI over 21 games. His great performance in spring training helps him secure a spot on Opening Day. Among the players who were drafted by the Rangers last year and decided to sign, Langford is by far the only one that makes it into the big leagues.

 

As we can see, under Chris Young’s leadership, 2 players who were selected by the Rangers in the MLB draft made it into the big leagues with the Rangers. Langford’s OPS is now below .700. And Leiter was optioned to the minors. Well, they just began their careers. It will still take some time to see whether they can be an All-Star in the majors. Meanwhile, it’s worth watching if other players that were selected by the Rangers over the last 3 years will soon make it into the big leagues. Furthermore, it’s important for the team to watch Kumar Rocker to see if he can stay healthy and pitch consistently after recovering from Tommy John surgery.