Rangers place two in BA IL top 20

The Texas Rangers placed a pair of prospects in the Baseball America top 20 list for the AAA International League, doing so despite the handicap of not actually having a team in the International League.

Lefthanded pitcher Kolby Allard, acquired from the Atlanta Braves for Chris Martin at the trade deadline, was ranked the #15 prospect in the I.L. for the time he spent with Gwinnett, the Braves’ AAA affiliate. Hitter-Without-Position Nick Solak, acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Peter Fairbanks in July, checked in at #16 on the list, by virtue of the time he played for Durham, the Rays’ AAA affiliate.

Allard and Solak have both gotten a chance to play in the majors since coming over to Texas, and each has handled their auditions well, with Allard putting up a 4.25 ERA and a 3.74 FIP in 8 starts in the majors, while Solak is slashing .306/.409/.520 in 115 major league plate appearances while playing third base and second base when he’s not DHing.