Generally, at this point in the spring, players are getting shuffled from the major league camp to the minor league camp as cuts are announced.
Today, the Rangers have reversed this process, with righthanded relievers Ben Rowen and Lisalverto Bonilla being promoted to the major league camp from the minor league camp.
Rowen is a 24 year old sidearmer who was drafted out of Virginia Tech in the 22nd round of the 2010 draft. He spent all of 2012 with Myrtle Beach, striking out 52 batters, walking just 3 and allowing just 2 homers in 57.1 innings, posting a 1.57 ERA. For his minor league career, he has 125 Ks, 35 walks and 3 homers allowed in 149.1 innings, good for a 1.63 ERA.
The 22 year old Bonilla came over to Texas in the Michael Young trade. He split the 2012 season between high-A and AA, posting an aggregate 1.55 ERA in 46.1 innings, striking out 64 and walking 21 while allowing just a single homer.
While Rowen and Bonilla are different types of pitchers -- Rowen is a specialist in the Darren O'Day/Cody Eppley mode, while Bonilla is more of a traditional bullpen type -- this move would seem to indicate that the Rangers are at least considering the two of them for bullpen spots.
The Ranger bullpen is in a state of flux after having lost Mike Adams, Koji Uehara, and Mark Lowe from last season's team. Four spots seem set -- Joe Nathan, Josh Frasor, Robbie Ross (assuming he doesn't win a rotation spot) and Michael Kirkman (who is out of options and having a strong spring) -- and Derek Lowe has to be considered a strong favorite for the long man role, if he doesn't make the rotation. There is a cast of thousands battling for the other jobs, however, and no one has stepped up, so it may be that Rowen and Bonilla are going to get more of a chance.