LATEST NEWS ; The minor league award winners for 2024 have been revealed by the Texas Rangers.
The Texas Rangers yesterday announced their 2024 minor league award winners. They are as follows:
Tom Grieve Player of the Year: Alejandro Osuna
Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year: Alejandro Rosario
Reliever of the Year: Bryan Magdaleno
Defender of the Year: Cody Freeman
True Ranger Award: Jax Biggers
Osuna, 22, is a lefthanded hitting outfielder who split the season between high-A Hickory and AA Frisco. He put up a .292/.362/.507 slash line in 461 plate appearances between the two levels while going 17 for 23 in stolen base attempts and playing primarily center field. He actually hit better after his promotion to Frisco, slashing .306/.379/.523 in 265 plate appearancess for the Roughriders. Osuna was signed as an international free agent in October, 2020, and thus will be Rule 5 eligible after next season.
Rosario, 22, is a righthanded pitcher drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Miami. He made his pro debut in April this year and exceeded all expectations, ultimately putting up a 2.24 ERA in 88.1 IP between low-A and high-A, striking out 129 batters, walking 13 and allowing just two home runs. Rosario is showing up on top 100 prospect lists, and prior to Kumar Rocker going HAM, was arguably the Rangers’ best pitching prospect.
Magdaleno, 23, is a lefty reliever who had only five innings in full season ball prior to 2024, and who put up a 7.13 ERA in 17.2 innings between the ACL and low-A in 2023. He exploded in 2024, spending the year primarily with Down East, but also pitching at high-A Hickory and AA Frisco. He put up a 1.27 ERA in 42.2 innings over 36 appearances, striking out 68 of 168 batters faced while walking 21 and allowing one home run. Over his final 20 appearances, he allowed opposing batters a .040/.161/.040 slash line, striking out 41 of 88 batters faced and giving up 0 earned runs. He is Rule 5 eligible this offseason, and has pitched well enough that the Rangers will probably have to consider adding him to the 40 man roster.
Freeman, 23, is a righthanded hitting infielder who played almost exclusively third base this year after spending the previous three seasons splitting time between the infield and catcher. Freeman spent the entire season at AA Frisco, where he slashed .264/.321/.432 in 123 games. A 4th round pick in the 2019 draft, he is Rule 5 eligible for the second time this offseason.
Biggers, 27, appeared in 117 games for Round Rock this year while playing all over the infield. An 8th round pick in 2018 out of the University of Arkansas, Biggers slashed .271/.389/.381 for Round Rock. He will be a free agent at season’s end.
