Acker reaping benefits from healthy start in '24

This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ARLINGTON -- In All-Star catcher Jonah Heim, the Rangers have already gotten a lot of good out of a February 2021 trade with the Oakland A’s that sent longtime shortstop Elvis Andrus out west.

But another player in that deal -- right-handed pitcher Dane Acker -- has burst out of the gate this season with Double-A Frisco and has looked like one of the best pitchers in the Rangers’ system.

In his most recent start, Acker -- Texas’ No. 27 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- tossed 4 2/3 no-hit innings against the Arkansas Travelers. He struck out seven batters in Frisco’s 4-0 win on Friday night.

Acker now has a 0.68 ERA through three starts in 2024. In 13 1/3 innings, he’s allowed only five hits and has 18 strikeouts to just five walks.

“He's finally healthy,” said Rangers assistant general manager for player development Ross Fenstermaker. “It's just great to have him back out there. He's battled through a few injuries in his career, but when he's out there, he’s extremely competitive as a strike thrower. He doesn't get hit hard. He's got really good pitches and he's doing great.”

Acker was selected by Oakland Athletics as a fourth-rounder out of the University of Oklahoma in the COVID-shortened 2020 MLB Draft. He didn’t make his professional debut until arriving in the Rangers organization following the trade.

His debut season was ultimately cut short after just two starts in Low-A Down East as he blew out his right elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2021. He joined High-A Hickory in late ‘22, but struggled as he allowed 16 runs (15 earned) in 12 2/3 innings. Opposing hitters batted .308 with a 2.053 WHIP over those four starts.

Acker seemingly bounced back in 2023, with a 2.54 ERA, a .182 opponents' batting average and 76 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings between a return to High-A and a promotion to Double-A Frisco over that summer, though he once again struggled with nagging injuries throughout the year.

Health is definitely the key to Acker unlocking his full potential.

And while his ceiling may not be as high as it once was, Texas still has confidence in him being a big league starter in the coming years. When healthy, he’s proved he has the stuff to compete.

“He’s got a unique fastball, both the velocity and the [vertical movement] that's associated with it,” Fenstermaker explained. “And then he gets going with a good breaking ball and he has a really good changeup. We've been working on the slider development with him. It's coming and showing some really exciting, exciting signs so far. We think he's going to be able to round out a quality four-pitch mix that you're seeing.”

Other notable lines from this week in the Minors:

Triple-A Round Rock: RHP Owen White
White had a solid outing in the Express’ 8-5 win over the Salt Lake Bees on Tuesday night, tossing 5 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on six hits, one walk and three strikeouts. The right-hander is looking to get back on track and prove he can compete at the big league level this season.

The Rangers’ No. 9 prospect, White made his big league debut last season with two relief appearances, though he struggled a bit in his time in Triple-A. In 2023, White took a slight step back with a 4.22 ERA in 108 2/3 innings with the Express and the RoughRiders after his breakout '22 season, in which he posted a 3.59 ERA between High-A Hickory and Double-A.

High-A Hickory: RHP Winston Santos
Santos, who is unranked in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30, has been one of the biggest surprises of the lower levels of the Rangers' system this season. In his most recent start, Santos tossed five scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in a 5-3 Hickory win on Friday night.

The 22-year-old has a 0.57 ERA in his first three starts across 15 2/3 innings. Over that time, he’s struck out 24 batters with just four walks.

Single-A Down East: RHPs Alejandro Rosario and Wilian Bormie
The prospect duo combined for eight scoreless innings and 14 strikeouts last Friday in a 9-1 victory over Delmarva.

Rosario - 4 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 7 K

Bormie - 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 7 K