The Texas Rangers are projected to return to selecting pitching in the first round of the MLB Draft for the first time since 2022, according to a new mock draft by Baseball America.
While the Rangers currently have a relatively steady rotation for the short term, bolstering their pitching depth is becoming a priority. Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi are expected to anchor the rotation over the next two seasons, and former first-rounders Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker are now mainstays in the rotation.
Beyond those four, however, the future is uncertain. Veterans Patrick Corbin and Tyler Mahle (who is currently injured) will hit free agency after the season. Jon Gray is also a pending free agent and recovering from injury. Meanwhile, Cody Bradford is out for the year after elbow surgery. The closest option to a fifth starter is prospect Kohl Drake, who was recently promoted to Triple-A Round Rock.
In the latest Baseball America mock draft, which comes shortly after the College World Series and just ahead of the July 13-14 draft during All-Star Weekend, the Rangers are projected to take Oklahoma right-hander Kyson Witherspoon at No. 12 overall.
Witherspoon just completed his sophomore year at OU, going 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA — a strong improvement over his 2024 season (8-2, 3.79 ERA). He racked up 124 strikeouts to just 23 walks in 2025 and held opposing hitters to a .208 average.
While Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo noted that the Rangers are rumored to favor hitters in this draft, he also suggested that Witherspoon’s upside could be hard to pass on if he slips past the top 10.
The Rangers’ last five first-round picks have included four position players and one pitcher: Stanford catcher Malcolm Moore (2024), Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford (2023), Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker (2022), Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter (2021), and Mississippi State infielder Justin Foscue (2020). Langford is now the starting left fielder, Rocker and Leiter are in the rotation, and Foscue has split time between the majors and minors. Moore currently plays for High-A Hub City.
