Rangers sign their first 17 draft picks, including first-rounder Malcolm Moore from Stanford
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have signed their first 17 draft picks, including first-rounder Malcolm Moore.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have signed their first 17 draft picks, including first-rounder Malcolm Moore.
Moore, a catcher out of Stanford, was the 30th overall pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft, which was held during the All-Star festivities hosted by the Rangers. The team announced the signings Wednesday, eight days after the draft ended.
Texas introduced Moore before their game against the Chicago White Sox, after he had taken batting practice with the Rangers. He got a $3 million signing bonus.
Tennessee outfielder Dylan Dreiling, the second-round pick, got a $1,287,600 bonus.
The Rangers also signed four undrafted free agents.
Moore is only the fourth catcher the Rangers have taken with a first-round pick, and the first since 2010. Only one of the previous three made it to the majors, that being Bill Haselman, the 23rd overall pick in 1987.
A left-handed hitter, Moore batted .288 with 31 home runs and 99 RBIs in 118 games over two seasons with Stanford. He led the Cardinal as a sophomore this year with 16 homers in 54 games, and had more walks (44) than strikeouts (35).
READ MORE: García breaks his slump and Eovaldi records 10 strikeouts as the Texas Rangers secure their fourth consecutive win, defeating the Chicago White Sox 10-2
Adolis García broke out of a long slump with three hits, including crucial plays that led to tying and go-ahead runs. Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven strong innings, striking out 10 batters without issuing a walk, as the Texas Rangers defeated the Chicago White Sox 10-2 on Wednesday night, marking their fourth consecutive win.
Corey Seager contributed with a solo home run among his four hits for the Rangers, who have won 11 of their last 15 games, narrowing the gap to three games behind AL West leaders Houston. Robbie Grossman and Nathaniel Lowe also homered, while Josh Smith added an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.
“This win comes at a crucial time,” Lowe commented. “Corey mentioned in spring training that after a championship season, April is tough. We struggled through May and June, but now, with the trade deadline approaching, we’re poised for a strong push.”
The White Sox (27-77) extended their losing streak to 10 games, dropping to 50 games below a .500 winning percentage for the first time since their 1970 season, when they finished with a record of 56-106.
They are the first team since the 1962 expansion Mets to lose 77 of their first 104 games, a year when New York ended up with 120 losses, the most in modern baseball history.
“It’s been really tough for everyone, players and coaches alike,” Luis Robert Jr. said through an interpreter. “No one wants to go through this, but unfortunately, this is where we find ourselves.”
Seager started the rally in the fifth inning with a double, scoring the tying run when García hit a hustle-driven double to knock out White Sox starter Chris Flexen (2-10). Lowe followed with an RBI single.
García had struggled, going 2 for 26 in his previous seven games and batting just .133 (8 for 60) in July. He added another RBI by hustling to beat out a fielder’s choice grounder in a six-run eighth inning, which Lowe capped with a three-run homer.
