Eli White, Anderson Tejeda among BA’s top middle infield prospects

Baseball America is releasing top prospect rankings by position, and the Texas Rangers have representatives on BA’s list of top second base prospects and top shortstop prospects. Anderson Tejeda is ranked #21 on the BA list of top shortstop prospects, while Eli White, who came over from Oakland in the Jurickson Profar trade, is at #12 on the list of top second base prospects, right behind Jeter Downs, who the Los Angeles Dodgers landed in the Yasiel Puig/Matt Kemp/Alex Wood trade.

Given that there are more and better shortstop prospects than second base prospects in the minor leagues, given that many shortstop prospects end up switching positions, Tejeda is most likely still considered a better prospect than BA than White. Tejeda could end up being a third base option for the Rangers down the road, should he alleviate the concerns about his contact issues at the upper levels, while White is seen as a possible multi-position player, though we won’t compare him to the current Chicago Cub whose name is always invoked in these situations.

Tejeda should start the season as the every day shortstop at Frisco, where he will presumably be joined in the infield by Charles Leblanc and Brendon Davis, who were at high-A Down East with him last season. White, meanwhile, likely will be at AAA Nashville to kick off 2019, where one would anticipate the Rangers will use him at a variety of positions.

One Ranger prospect who I think would have made the shortstop list had he not missed 2018 due to shoulder surgery is Chris Seise, Texas’ second first round pick in 2017. A healthy Seise probably checks in in the 30-35 range on the BA rankings.