2016 Texas Rangers draft preview: Jared Horn

2016 Texas Rangers draft preview:  With the MLB draft coming next week, I'm going to highlight a few of the players who I anticipate will be on the Rangers' radar at #30.  These aren't scouting reports or anything, but just capsule write-ups so you have some familiarity with guys who would appear to be in the mix for the Rangers to take with their first round pick.

This morning we are looking at Jared Horn, a righthanded pitcher out of Vintage High School in Napa, California.  Horn is listed at 6'2", 190 lbs., and has a mid-90s fastball.  Baseball America has him ranked at #32 on their Top 500, and in their 3.0 Mock Draft, had him going to the Padres at #25, though their most recent version doesn't have him going in the top 34.  Keith Law has Horn at #54 on his rankings, with ESPN's write-up on him saying he "blew up" this spring with his velocity increasing, and calling him a "high-risk, high-ceiling arm."  MLB Pipeline has Horn at #34 on their rankings, also noting that his stock has jumped this spring, and praising his competitiveness and "football mentality."

Horn doesn't turn 18 until July, making him one of the younger players on the board, and he seems to fit the general profile of what the Rangers like to target with pitchers.  The last high-risk, high-ceiling high school arm out of California the Rangers selected was Luis Ortiz, who is currently in AA Frisco as one of the youngest pitchers there.  If Texas believes the offspeed stuff can develop, he would be someone who would fit in their development plan.

Video is below: