On January 17, the Texas Rangers confirmed a list of 12 players who will be headed to 2025 Spring Training as non-roster invites. The list includes a longtime MLB reliever looking to extend his career, plus two of the team’s top prospects.
The two notable names on the list are Malcolm Moore, the Rangers’ 2024 first-round pick, and infielder Sebastian Walcott.
Moore walked into 2024 as one of the best catching prospects available in the 2024 MLB Draft. However, the Stanford product had an uneven season, as he hit .255 for the Cardinal in 2024. On the other hand, Moore hit 16 home runs — one more than 2023, in ten fewer games — and sported a career-best .414 OBP.
The 30th-overall pick last July hit .209/.298/.374 with three home runs and nine extra-base hits with Hickory (A+) last summer. He struck out 29 times over 25 games.
Infielder Sebastian Walcott, meanwhile, heads to big league camp after ending 2024 in Frisco (AA). Walcott hit .265/.344/.452 with 11 home runs and 54 extra-base hits over 121 games. He also stole 27 bases last year, which he mostly spent in Hickory.
Walcott has a big, quick bat and at 6’4” and under 200 pounds, has some room for physical growth. He won’t turn 19 until March 14 of this year.
Other names on the list include former fourth-round pick Dane Acker, Skylar Hales, Cody Freeman, Blaine Crim, Alejandro Osuna, Robby Ahlstrom, Abimelec Ortiz, Trevor Hauver, and Kohl Drake.
Drake had a spectacular season in Frisco last season. The left-hander struck out 148 over 106 frames last year, and opposing batters hit .196 off the former JUCO Pitcher of the Year.
Additionally, the Rangers signed Jesse Chavez to a Minor League deal, with an invite to big league camp. The 41-year-old is looking to pitch in the Majors for his 18th season. Chavez pitched with the Braves last year after he was released by the White Sox and did well, posting a 3.13 ERA with 55 strikeouts over 63.1 IP.
Texas is one of several teams to have announced their non-roster invite list. The Dodgers and Rockies did so a few days earlier, joining a lengthy list.