Fangraphs top 130 prospects has three Texas Rangers

The 2019 Fangraphs top 130 prospect list is out, and the Texas Rangers have placed three prospects in their top 130.

Cole Winn, the Rangers’ first round pick in 2018, is the highest ranked Ranger, coming in at #78 on the list. Centerfielder Leody Taveras is #94 in their rankings, and Bubba Thompson, in what could be characterized as a mild surprise, is the third Ranger to make the cut, coming in at #108, just behind Detroit’s Daz Cameron. Thompson, the Rangers’ first round pick in 2017, got good reviews for a nice season in low-A Hickory in his full season debut, but has not generally been in the mix for top 100 consideration.

The two most notable omissions are Hans Crouse and J.P. Martinez. With Crouse, the electric second round pick from 2017 who spent most of the year in short-season A, my guess is that there’s too much perceived reliever risk to justify him making the cut. As for Martinez, he also spent 2018 in short-season A after missing most of the previous two years after leaving Cuba, and it may be his performance as a 22 year old there wasn’t good enough to justify a top 130 ranking.