Texas Rangers notes: TCU-ex Matt Carpenter added on minor-league deal for depth, insurance at third

(AP photo/Jeff Roberson)

Another veteran, former All-Star has been added to the Texas Rangers spring roster, and this one has local ties.

Matt Carpenter, who went to TCU and lives in Fort Worth, agreed a minor-league deal and could wiggle his way into the picture at third base.

The Rangers have a void at third Josh Jung underwent surgery last month on his left shoulder and Isiah Kiner-Falefa was traded last weekend. Andy Ibanez, who has 253 career at-bats, is the internal front-runner for the job.

Carpenter, 36, has 4,403 at-bats in an 11-year career with St. Louis that included All-Star appearances in 2013, 2014 and 2016. A career .262 hitter, Carpenter batted only .176 over the past two seasons.

In addition to playing third base, Carpenter can also play first and second.

He enters the third-base mix with Ibanez and Charlie Culberson, another veteran in camp on a minor-league deal.

Seager homers in opener

Corey Seager connected for a three-run homer and Nathaniel Lowe added a solo shot as the Rangers opened Cactus League play with a 5-5 tie against Kansas City.

Seager went 2 for 2 in his first game of any kind with the Rangers after signing a 10-year, $325 million deal Dec. 1. Marcus Semien, who signed a seven-year, $175 million contract the same day, went 0 for 2.

The Royals did the bulk of their scoring against 2021 first-rounder Jack Leiter, who allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings after striking out the first four batters he faced. The last four, though, went single, homer, walk, walk.

Left-hander Jake Latz started for the Rangers and allowed one run in four innings. Another lefty, Cody Bradford, followed with the same results.

The Rangers have listed seven right-handers as their probable pitchers Saturday vs. Milwaukee: Dane Dunning, Nick Tropeano, Joe Barlow, Spencer Patton, Josh Sborz, Chase Lee and Justin Anderson.

More farm love

MLB Pipeline revealed its top 100 prospects Friday, and the Rangers are well represented with five players.

Leiter tops the list at No. 17 overall, followed by Jung at No. 29, right-hander Cole Winn at No. 48, and infielders Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue at Nos. 83 and 89.

The Rangers placed three prospects in the Baseball America top 100 and six in the FanGraphs rankings.

The Texas Rangers Newsletter placed Leiter atop its top 40 Rangers prospect list.

Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com

[/membership]