Yohander Mendez cracks BA Texas League top 20 list

Baseball America’s top 20 prospect list for the Texas League includes just one Texas Rangers prospect, pitcher Yohander Mendez. Mendez, a 22 year old lefthander from Venezuela, placed #7 on the BA list.

Mendez drew praise for his changeup and ability to mix his pitches, though reports throughout the season suggested that Mendez was still struggling with the command of his fastball. If the fastball command takes a step forward, he could end up being a back-end rotation guy in the majors, but there’s work that needs to be done there.

The only other Ranger prospect from Frisco who you would have thought might have gotten consideration was righthanded pitcher Ariel Jurado, but he had a disappointing season at AA. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Jose Trevino are both at Frisco, as well, and are interesting prospects, but did not have the types of seasons, and do not present the type of profile, that would have one expecting to see them on a Texas League top 20 list.