The Texas Rangers are promoting a rising young pitcher who is edging closer to a potential spot in the big-league rotation.
As the Rangers continue to compete in the American League West, they’re also keeping an eye on their long-term plans. On Saturday, multiple sources including MLB.com reported that the Rangers are moving left-handed pitching prospect Kohl Drake up to Triple-A Round Rock for his next start.
Drake is currently ranked as the No. 11 overall prospect in the Rangers’ system by MLB Pipeline. Among pitchers, he ranks fifth and is the top-ranked left-hander. The only other top-15 pitching prospect the Rangers currently have at Triple-A is Emiliano Teodo, who has transitioned into a relief role.
Although the move hasn’t been officially reflected in MiLB’s transaction log—since most teams don’t formally announce promotions until the start of the following week’s series—this is a significant step for Drake as he sets his sights on a potential MLB debut in 2026.
The 24-year-old last pitched for Double-A Frisco on Wednesday, tossing six shutout innings with just two hits and two walks allowed, striking out two in the win. That outing capped off a dominant June, during which he posted a 1.64 ERA over four starts, going 2-1 with 21 strikeouts and eight walks across 22 innings.
This marks Drake’s second consecutive strong season in the Rangers’ system. He’s 4-3 with a 2.44 ERA in 12 starts this year at Frisco, striking out 70 and walking 22 over 55.1 innings.
His breakout year came in 2023, when he rose through three affiliates—Class A Down East, High-A Hickory, and Frisco—posting a combined 9-5 record and 2.29 ERA in 23 games (19 starts), with 148 strikeouts and just 31 walks in 106 innings. In five appearances at Frisco that year, he had a 3.10 ERA.
Drake debuted in the Rangers’ organization in 2022, splitting time between the Arizona Complex League and Down East. He struggled that year, finishing 2-5 with a 6.36 ERA in 14 games (four starts), allowing a .305 opponent batting average.
Since then, his development has been notable—opponents are batting just .164 against him in 2024, a sharp drop from .196 in 2023 and the .305 mark from his debut season.
Drake was selected by the Rangers in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Walters State Community College in Tennessee. He’s a native of Orem, Utah.
