King added to player pool, Allen released

Left handed pitcher John King has been added to the Texas Rangers’ 60 man player pool, the team announced today. King will be working out with the other pool members at the alternate training site, and is eligible to be added to the 40 man roster and activated at some point in the 2020 season.

King, who turns 26 in September, was a 10th round pick of the Rangers out of the University of Houston as a senior in 2017. He had been pitching his senior year with a damaged UCL that necessitated Tommy John surgery that summer, which meant he had only two appearances late in the season in 2018.

King generated buzz in Instructionals, however, and then had a strong 2019 campaign, putting up a 2.40 ERA in 97 innings over 19 starts between Hickory and Down East. I think it was anticipated he would be in Frisco to start the 2020 before COVID-19 changed everyone’s plans.

King is seen as a relatively polished arm, a guy with high makeup and good pitchability. He is Rule 5 eligible after the 2020 season, and seems likely to be added to the 40 man this offseason, so it makes sense that he would be added to the player pool, where he can work out with the other taxi squad guys, and be an option should Texas need to add some one later in the season.

In addition, righthanded relief pitcher Cody Allen has been released by the Rangers. A former close with the Cleveland Indians, Allen was in camp on a minor league deal.