​The Major League Baseball draft kicks off Saturday at noon, and if you’re highly interested, meticulous, and handy with a remote, you just might be able to watch. This year, MLB shifted the draft to a Saturday afternoon start, with the first four rounds on Saturday and the remaining 16 rounds on Sunday. The first 10 picks will be televised on NBC/Peacock, then coverage moves to MLB Network for picks 11 through 40, and finally to MLB.com/MLB TV for the rest of the day’s proceedings. So if you want to follow where Fort Worth Christian’s Grady Emerson, the country’s top high school prospect, lands and you’re curious about the Rangers’ selections, you could be channel-surfing across three networks in one day.
Looking ahead, next year MLB supporters have proposed another format change, aiming to limit the draft to 12 rounds and exclude high school players. That could make this year potentially the last opportunity to experience the draft in its current form. With that context, here’s everything you need to know about the Texas Rangers’ draft situation as they head into what scouting director Kip Fagg calls a “very deep draft.”
The Rangers’ first-round pick is No. 16 overall, but they also hold picks No. 54, 89, and 117 on the first day. The first-round choice comes with an assigned bonus slot value of $5,051,000. The Rangers have up to $10,219,200 available to spend on their first 10 picks. While there are slot bonuses assigned to each pick, teams aren’t required to spend that exact amount; any savings can be allocated to lower picks. For rounds 11 through 20, the maximum is $150,000 per pick, with anything over that counting against the overall bonus pool.
The pool system reshapes draft strategy into a balance of value and talent rather than chasing a single best player. This year’s Rangers’ roster already features several players who first made their mark as top draft selections in previous years. From 2018 to 2023, the Rangers have seen Cole Winn (2018), Josh Jung (2019), Justin Foscue (2020), Jack Leiter (2021), Kumar Rocker (2022), and Wyatt Langford (2023) rise through the system and reach the majors.
Last year, the Rangers took California high school infielder Gavin Fien with the 12th overall pick, but he appeared in only 10 games with the organization before being traded to Washington as part of the package that brought MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers. At 19, Fien has since moved to the outfield and was slashing .240/.328/.406/.734 at Class A Fredericksburg (Va.).
Here’s a look at five potential fits for the Rangers in this year’s draft: Jared Grindlinger, LHP-OF, Huntington Beach, Calif. HS. A month ago, it seemed Grindlinger might be the Rangers’ pick at 16 if he remained available. He’s a legitimate two-way talent, and the Rangers have invested heavily in two-way players in recent years, including third-round pick Josh Owens last year and international signee Seong Jun-Kim. For that reason, there’s reason to believe Grindlinger could be the best fit. His fastball has projected velocity, and his overall profile offers the kind of versatility the organization has prioritized in its recent drafting strategies.