Texas Rangers Expected to Extend Streak of College Players in 2025 MLB Draft with California Right-Hander

With the Texas Rangers pointed toward missing the playoffs, one benefit could be bolstering its pitching staff with a young, impressive college arm

The Texas Rangers have established a pattern of choosing college players with their first-round draft picks, and a recent 2025 mock draft suggests they’ll keep that trend going.

According to Bleacher Report’s latest mock for next July, the Rangers are projected to draft UC Santa Barbara pitcher Tyler Bremner.

If selected, Bremner would extend a streak that began with the Rangers’ 2019 pick of third baseman Josh Jung from Texas Tech. The last high school player selected in the first round by the Rangers was pitcher Cole Winn in 2018 from Lutheran High School in Orange County, California.

Bremner, a tall right-hander from San Diego, had an outstanding 2024 season with the Gauchos, going 11-1 over 19 games—nine as a starter—logging 88.2 innings and racking up 104 strikeouts. He allowed a .182 opposing batting average and maintained a 2.24 ERA.

His 104 strikeouts rank him among the Top 10 in UCSB’s single-season history, and he was recognized as one of the top 15 Division I pitchers in ERA, hits allowed per nine innings, and WHIP. Bremner played a key role in leading the Gauchos to the NCAA Tournament and competing in the Oregon regional.

His accolades include being named a Second-Team Perfect Game All-American, a Third-Team ABCA/Rawlings All-American, and a Third-Team NCBWA All-American. He was also invited to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp and earned First Team All-Big West and ABCA/Rawlings All-West Region First Team honors.

The last seven first-round picks by Texas have all been college players, with the most recent being Stanford catcher Malcolm Moore, selected No. 30 overall last month.

Last year’s first-rounder, Wyatt Langford from Florida, has already joined the Rangers following a rapid ascent after being picked No. 4 overall in 2023.

Kumar Rocker, the Rangers’ first-round choice in 2022, is currently thriving in Double-A Frisco after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Both he and 2021 first-rounder Jack Leiter, now at Triple-A Round Rock and recently making his MLB debut, played at Vanderbilt.

Justin Foscue, who was picked in the first round in 2020, made his MLB debut this year, five years after being drafted.