Texas Rangers select with #41 pick Davis Wendzel

2019 MLB Draft: The Texas Rangers select Davis Wendzel, a third baseman from Baylor University, with the #41 pick in the draft, a competitive balance pick the Rangers acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for lefthanded relief pitcher Alex Claudio.

We did not do a write-up on Wendzel, who is ranked #55 on the Baseball America top 500 board. Fangraphs has him at #82 on their board. Keith Law ranked Wendzel at #65 on his board. MLB Pipeline has him at #47.

Wendzel is kind of the opposite of what the Rangers have done with their premium picks in years past — he’s a college player with no loud tools, but is considered well rounded. He get good marks for his defense at third base, with MLB Pipeline suggesting he may be able to catch. He is seen as having a great approach at the plate and eye for the strike zone together with a quality hit tool, but there are questions about his power.

At #8, the Rangers selected Texas Tech third baseman Josh Jung.

At #50, the Rangers selected UCLA RHP Ryan Garcia.