Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

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Not every prospect or acquisition lives up to expectations. The Texas Rangers know that, but they’re still kicking themselves over these 10 players.

Every franchise experiences them. A team places momentous stock in a player, expecting a significant impact either immediately or eventually, but they never get it. In sports, we deem the scenario a “bust.”

The Texas Rangers certainly are not immune to busts. The organization has had at least two handfuls of them just in the last decade, including one at the mercy of the top prospect in all of baseball, and another costing them nine figures for no return on investment.

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Prepare your mind for what could have been as we review the Rangers’ 10 most recent busts. We’ll countdown from least to most egregious.

Leonys Martin

The Rangers signed Martin as an international prospect from Cuba – a 5-year, $15 million deal with a $5 million signing bonus. He climbed to #6 on Texas’ top prospects list in 2011.

Martin had plenty of raw ability, including good speed and tremendous arm strength. He had the defensive makeup of an every-day big-league centerfielder. The question was could his bat evolve in congruence with his other lofty tools?

After sprinting through Double-A and notching an impressive .359/.422/.610 slash line at Triple-A in 2012, Martin was promoted to the Rangers. He played 147 games with Texas in 2013 and 155 games in 2014. That was his best campaign, as he hit .274 with a .325 OBP and 31 stolen bases.

Still, Martin struggled in crucial areas of the game. In four seasons with the Rangers, he failed to record an above-league-average OPS. He couldn’t leverage his speed with plate discipline either, drawing a walk every 17th plate appearance.

It became apparent that Martin’s bat could not keep up with major league pitching. His batting average dropped to .219 in 2015; he eventually lost the centerfield gig and the Rangers traded him to Seattle the following offseason.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Delino DeShields

Calling DeShields a bust is perhaps unjust. After all, he played 539 games with the Rangers spanning six years. By all means, he gave it his all on and off the field. At one point, he even kept an in-game notebook on the pitches he saw and the things he did well in the batter’s box.

He was selected 8th overall by the National League Houston Astros in the 2010 draft. Climbing as high as the ‘Stros’ #5 prospect, he was eventually taken third overall as the Rangers’ Rule 5 Draft pick in 2014. Each team clearly saw great potential in him.

Speed was and still is DeShields’ standout tool. For reference, he swiped a miraculous 101 bags in a single minor league season. But his bat could not catch up to his wheels at the major league level.

Texas tried so often to work him in the lineup as a leadoff hitter; however, he never mastered the ability to reach base. He recorded a .310 OBP in 2017 and a .325 OBP in 2019, which is respectable, though he didn’t compensate with power or even a modest batting average.

DeShields never eclipsed 30 stolen bases in a season, nor did he come close to scoring 100 runs in a year. While he was not a liability, he was hardly the regular jolt of electricity Texas hoped for at the top of the batting order.

Like Martin, DeShields failed to take full advantage of his opportunities in center field and therefore forced Texas to cut ties. Given his expectations, I consider Delino DeShields a bust.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Michael Choice

Choice was drafted 10th overall out of the University of Texas at Arlington in 2010 by the Oakland Athletics. Scouts marveled over the young man’s raw strength and athleticism, projecting him as an impact major league corner outfielder. He got off to a hot start in the A’s system and became the centerpiece of a 2013 trade that routed him back to Arlington, Texas. He settled in as the Rangers’ #3 prospect.

Having already made his major league debut with the Athletics, it was only a matter of time before he joined the big club.

His Texas Rangers debut occurred on opening day of 2014. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter and went 1-for-2. Choice notched regular playing time through June, but declining performance resulted in a demotion to Triple-A. At 2014’s end, Texas’ #3 prospect had a .182 batting average, .250 OBP, and a .570 OPS.

The Rangers promoted Choice from Triple-A to play one measly game in 2015. They sent him back down the following day. On August 15th, he was designated for assignment. He has not played in a big-league game since the one in 2015.

Similar to nearly every other bust, Choice could not hit at the peak of competition. While he did produce impressive bat speed and stunning exit velocities, his contact rate was far too low to find success. The Rangers’ high hopes for the Fort Worth native quickly crumbled.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Yohander Mendez

The Rangers’ #1 prospect in 2016, Mendez has made only five starts for the club in four years. He’s dealt with injuries and off-field issues, including a recent one involving unauthorized medical care.

On the diamond, the left-hander tallies the radar gun in the low-90s and boasts a big-league-caliber changeup. However, he’s displayed command issues and has yet to gain confidence in a breaking pitch.

You don’t have to look any further than his season ERAs to understand his struggles: 18.00 ERA in 2016 (two appearances); 5.11 ERA in 2017 (seven appearances); 5.53 ERA in ’18 (five starts); and a 5.79 ERA in ’19 (three appearances).

He’d be much higher on my “bust rankings” if it weren’t for the fact that he’s still a member of the organization. Maybe he’ll get his act together and learn how to pitch in the majors. Though, for now, Yohander Mendez has been a real disappointment.

The Rangers will likely find a way to move him if he fails to make progress this season.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Chi Chi Gonzalez

How can you forget Alex “Chi Chi” Gonzalez? Not only does he have a memorable nickname, but he kickstarted his Texas Rangers career famously.

Gonzalez, the organization’s #3 prospect, toed the rubber for the first time for the Rangers on May 30th, 2015. He contributed 5.2 innings, allowing zero runs to the Boston Red Sox.

Six nights later, he threw a complete game, three-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals. Five nights later, he went seven strong, forfeiting just one run to the Oakland Athletics. Six nights later, he pitched 8.1 innings and held the Los Angeles Dodgers to two runs.

Four starts into his big league career, Chi Chi Gonzalez owned a 0.90 ERA and averaged seven-plus innings pitched. He finished the season with a 3.90 ERA and 4-6 record. He inevitably came back to Earth, but still topped off an encouraging rookie campaign.

Enjoy it while it lasts I suppose because Gonzalez hardly experienced major league success again. He made three starts with the Rangers in 2016 and lost his 2017 season to Tommy John surgery. The Colorado Rockies gave him a new home in 2018.

Chalk it up to a combination of overhype and bad luck. Gonzalez was a finesse pitcher who relied on pinpoint accuracy with his slider and sinking fastball. He did not have the dominant stuff to fan hitters and accomplish cheap outs. Those vulnerabilities caught up to him rather rapidly, and his once-promising future in Texas collided with a brick wall.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Jonathan Lucroy

First place in the AL West, the Texas Rangers acquired Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress from the Milwaukee Brewers in a blockbuster deal at the 2016 trade deadline. Texas was thirsty for offense from the catcher position, and Lucroy joined the team with a .299 batting average, 13 homers, and 120 OPS+.

He did not disappoint, slugging .539 and knocking 13 homers with the Rangers leading to the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Rangers were stampeded by the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS, unable to take a game in the series.

Lucroy did play well, though, giving the front office comfort moving forward. 2017 was a different story, however. The veteran backstop was hitting .242 with four home runs and a .338 SLG before Texas flipped him in a deal with the Rockies. He was acquired primarily to provide offense in the middle of the batting order. Once he stopped doing that, the Rangers had little need for him. They were also on a significant decline from a year ago, so there was no reason for them to keep an aging catcher.

You could argue that Jonathan Lucroy was not a bust. He played well when Texas was in contention, and poorly when they were out of contention. Though, you may change your mind when considering his acquisition cost the Rangers two top 10 prospects. (Thank goodness Joey Gallo was removed from the deal.)

I was never a fan of the trade. Catchers’ outputs reduce at quicker rates than other positions. Acquiring a 30-year-old catcher for offensive purposes is a fool’s errand.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Mike Olt

Olt, the Rangers’ #2 prospect in 2012, was expected to be the next big bat to break from the minor leagues. The right-handed hitting third baseman tore up Double-A, hitting .288 with 28 home runs, 17 doubles and a .977 OPS over 95 games.

The Rangers jumped him straight to the big leagues to finish the 2012 season. He did struggle during his major league stint, so Texas assigned him to Double-A to begin 2013. He played only three games in Double-A, then joined Triple-A Round Rock, where he hit just .213 and slugged .422.

Beyond the halfway point of the 2013 season, the Texas Rangers traded Olt, along with C.J. Edwards and Justin Grimm, for right-handed starting pitcher Matt Garza.

Texas was in the playoff hunt, so they took to tradition by acquiring a veteran arm to bolster their rotation at the trade deadline. It seemed like an okay deal at the time, though Olt’s involvement was curious.

If the Rangers saw Olt as a future cornerstone, he would’ve been untouchable. Thus, something wavered their confidence in him.

The former top prospect suffered vision problems after getting hit in the head by a pitch in the Dominican the winter of 2012. He also broke his collarbone early in his professional career. Injuries plagued him at the peak of his talent and prevented him from making a name for himself on baseball’s biggest stage.

His time with the Texas Rangers was brief, but it hurts knowing nothing came of Texas having the #16 prospect in the game in 2012.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Martin Perez

Perez was the Rangers’ #2 prospect in 2011, and the #8 overall prospect in MLB. He was as a hard-throwing left-hander with a plus changeup and curveball. MLB.com even took to comparing him to Johan Santana.

After a stint with the Rangers in 2012, Perez became a fixation in the team’s rotation in 2013. He gave a tremendous first impression, producing a 3.62 ERA and a 10-6 record over 20 starts.

Regrettably, his rookie season was his best season with Texas. His lowest ERA from 2014 to 2018 was 4.38. He won 13 games in 2017, but the Rangers eliminated him from the rotation after he went 2-7 with a 6.22 ERA through August of 2018. The team decided to decline his option post-season, and Perez became a free agent.

The former #8 prospect in baseball gave the Rangers flashes of excellence, though he never showed consistency. Perez did have quality stuff, but he struggled to command it. Moreover, he lacked the essences of great pitching, such as getting ahead in counts and minimizing damage.

He’s still trying to figure the game out, now as a member of the Boston Red Sox. He was a fine mid-rotation starter for the Texas Rangers for a chunk of the time, but he didn’t come close to fulfilling the organization’s expectations.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Prince Fielder

During the 2013 offseason, the Rangers acquired all-star first baseman Prince Fielder and cash considerations from the Detroit Tigers. Detroit received all-star second baseman, Ian Kinsler, in exchange.

The Rangers had a couple of up-and-comers at 2B, plus they saw an opportunity to upgrade 1B.

Texas took on Fielder’s massive contract, but they believed one of the game’s best power hitters would work wonders in hitter-friendly Globe Life Field. The imposing lefty launched at least 30 home runs each season from 2007 to 2012. He hit 25 the season before coming to Texas. He had also played three consecutive 162-game seasons before joining the Rangers.

It’s remarkable how quickly things can change.

Fielder missed nearly the entire 2014 season due to neck surgery. He was able to play just 42 games; his numbers were far off his customary pace.

But he returned in force in 2015. Over 158 games, Fielder hit .305 with a .378 OBP and drove in 98 runs. It was a solid season; however, his power numbers took a slight step backward. His 23 homers were the low of his career in a full season. Also, his .463 SLG and .841 OPS were a bit underwhelming given the favorable jet stream at his home stadium. Perhaps something was off?

Fielder fell far from baseball’s elite in 2016. Following a strong age 31 season, the big man entered July of ’16 with a .219 batting average, .292 OBP, and seven home runs. He hit the disabled list at the end of the month and would miss the remainder of the year after yet another neck surgery.

August 10th, 2016, Fielder held a heartfelt press conference informing the media that his neck problems were too severe to continue playing baseball. Just like that, his famed career came to an end.

At no fault of his own, Fielder flopped for the Rangers. Health pierced his potential with the club, and cost the organization millions of dollars even after he hung up his spikes. A great player and by all accounts a great teammate, Fielder wasn’t given a fair shot in Texas.

Texas Rangers: Top 10 biggest busts of the decade

Jurickson Profar

Alas, we’ve reached the Texas Rangers’ top bust of the decade, Jurickson Profar. What do Profar, Yoan Moncada, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Mike Trout all have in common? Each was the top prospect in all of baseball at one point.