Two of the Texas Rangers’ two best pitching prospects were among three minor leaguers added to the 40-man roster ahead of the Dec. 11 MLB Rule 5 Draft.
The Texas Rangers have added three minor leaguers to their 40-man roster in order to protect them from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft during the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas on December 11. The roster adjustments, which were finalized by the deadline of 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, include right-handed pitchers Emiliano Teodo and Winston Santos, along with infielder Max Acosta, all of whom were selected from Double-A Frisco. Additionally, right-hander Carson Coleman was returned to the New York Yankees after being picked by the Rangers in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft. Coleman, 26, spent the 2024 season on the injured list following right elbow surgery in early 2023.
With these additions, the Rangers now have 39 players on their 40-man roster.
Teodo, ranked as the 6th best prospect by MLB Pipeline, had an impressive 2024 season, posting a 5-4 record and a 1.98 ERA in 20 outings, including 19 starts with Frisco. He struck out 110 batters in 86 1/3 innings during his first Double-A season. The 23-year-old made two appearances with the Rangers as a non-roster invitee during spring training and served as the starting pitcher for the American League in the 2024 MLB Futures Game, where he struck out one in two scoreless innings. Teodo was signed by Texas as a non-drafted free agent in 2020.
Santos, 22, had a combined record of 11-6 with a 3.67 ERA across 22 starts with High-A Hickory and Frisco in 2024. He led Rangers minor league pitchers in wins, ranked second with 138 strikeouts, tied for third in innings pitched, and fifth in both ERA and opponent’s batting average. He also participated in the MLB Futures Game in July, allowing one unearned run while recording a strikeout and a walk in one inning. Santos, the 8th-ranked prospect in the Rangers system according to MLB Pipeline, signed with the club as an international free agent in 2019.
Acosta, a 22-year-old infielder from Venezuela, joined the Rangers in 2019 as a non-drafted free agent. In the 2024 season with Frisco, he batted .288 with a .353 on-base percentage and a .425 slugging percentage, totaling eight home runs, three triples, 23 doubles, and 58 RBIs over 104 games. His .288 batting average was the third highest among qualified hitters in the Texas League. Acosta also excelled in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .338 in 20 games for the Surprise Saguaros and earning a spot in the AFL Fall Stars Game.
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