Rangers reach deals with 7 undrafted players

ARLINGTON -- Right-hander Josh Stephan from South Grand Prairie (Texas) High School, just 10 miles from Globe Life Field, was among seven non-drafted free agents who have agreed to terms with the Rangers, the club announced Monday.

All 30 Major League clubs are working hard to sign undrafted players after the Draft was limited to five rounds this year because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no telling where these players would have fit in a normal Draft, but the Rangers feel strongly about who they signed.

• Team-by-team: Undrafted free agent signing tracker

“Obviously we think these guys are all talented players, guys our scouts have earmarked for a long time,” said Bobby Crook, the Rangers’ special assignment scout who is leading their efforts to sign undrafted players.

“Throughout this process, we tried to find players we want to add to the system. This is a process unlike any other. It’s guys we really tried to sell the opportunity and the people we would surround them with in our system. To their credit and our credit, they bought into that, and we are excited to have them in our system.”

• Rangers Draft Tracker: Every 2020 pick

The Rangers took five players in the MLB Draft on Wednesday and Thursday. Second baseman Justin Foscue, outfielder Evan Carter, pitchers Tekoah Roby and Dylan MacLean, and infielder Thomas Saggese are all expected to sign with the Rangers.

Last year, the Rangers signed 28 of 41 players taken in the 2019 Draft.

“It’s certainly ongoing,” Crook said. “I don’t know how many it will be, but we are still talking to several players.”

With this year’s Draft being shortened to five rounds, each team is allowed to sign an unlimited number of undrafted players for $20,000 or less.

Here are the Rangers’ first seven undrafted players to agree to terms:

Fernando Amaro, C, PJ Education School (Cidra, Puerto Rico)
Amaro just switched from infield to catcher this season. He has a strong arm with good catch-and-throw skills. He has some offensive power potential. Amaro had a commitment to Miami-Dade College before agreeing with the Rangers.

Nick Krauth, RHP, University of Connecticut
Krauth was off to a good start for the Huskies this spring, allowing just one earned run over four games and 24 2/3 innings. He allowed 14 hits and nine walks while striking out 24. He isn’t a hard-thrower, but he throws strikes and has solid secondary pitches. He was a transfer from Diablo Valley College in California, where he went 5-4 with a 2.20 ERA and 74 strikeouts over 86 innings. Krauth was drafted by the Indians in the 16th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Northgate High School in Concord, Calif., and spent one year at the University of New Mexico.

D.J. McCarty, RHP, Temescal Canyon (Calif.) High School
He had a 1.59 ERA in his junior season for the Titans and had a commitment to Central Arizona College. McCarty throws 88-92 mph with a good breaking ball. The Rangers see him as a tall right-hander who can increase his velocity in a good strength and conditioning program.

Connor Sechler, RHP, Missouri State University
Sechler spent two years at Missouri State but was suspended last September for violation of team rules. The Rangers are aware of the situation and felt comfortable with making a deal. Sechler pitched in the Cape Cod League last summer and was 3-2 with a 3.82 ERA while striking out 34 in 30 2/3 innings. Over two years at Missouri State, he struck out 121 in 105 1/3 innings with a 3.85 ERA. Opponents hit .217 off him.

Brady Smith, C, University of Florida
The Rangers view Smith as a catcher even though he made all six starts in the infield this spring. He played 53 games as a catcher as a sophomore and had a utility role as a freshman, when the Gators went to the College World Series. Smith played in 124 games at Florida over three years and hit .257 with a .350 on-base percentage and a .394 slugging percentage.

Colton Snyder, RHP, Concordia University Irvine
He is a 6-foot-3 righty who pitched 16 innings over five appearances for Concordia this year, allowing eight runs on 15 hits and 10 walks with 11 strikeouts. He was followed by area scout Steve Flores, who called Snyder at 6 a.m. PT on Sunday, the official beginning of the signing period for undrafted free agents.

Josh Stephan, RHP, South Grand Prairie High School
Rangers scout Josh Simpson had been following Stephan, who was committed to Stephen F. Austin University. Stephan played on a scout team the Rangers took to a national fall tournament in Florida last year. He has an average fastball but a good breaking ball. Stephan throws strikes and has a good feel for pitching. He stands 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, and the Rangers see him getting more velocity as he puts on weight and strength.