Rangers announce nine non-roster invitations to Major League Spring Training camp

Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today formally announced agreements with nine players on minor league contracts with invitations to 2025 Major League Spring Training camp. Those nine players:

C Tucker Barnhart RHP Adrian Houser

INF Jax Biggers C Cooper Johnson

RHP Caleb Boushley LHP Michael Plassmeyer

RHP Codi Heuer INF Alan Trejo

RHP Nolan Hoffman

Additionally, the club has announced the following dates for 2025 Rangers Spring Training camp:

First pitcher/catcher workout: Wednesday, February 12

First full squad workout: Monday, February 17

Photo Day: Wednesday, February 19

Barnhart, who turns 34 in January, split the 2024 season between the Arizona and Cincinnati organizations, hitting .173 (14-81) in 31 games with the Diamondbacks while also appearing in 21 games with Triple-A Louisville (CIN). The 11-year MLB veteran and two-time Rawlings Gold Glove recipient (2017, 2020) owns a career slash line of .241/.318/.351/.669 (659-2736) with 53 home runs and 292 RBI for the Reds (2014-21), Tigers (2022), Cubs (2023), and Diamondbacks (2024). Originally selected by Cincinnati in the 10th round of the 2009 MLB Draft from Brownsburg HS (Ind.), Barnhart has accrued 7.1 dWAR (baseball-reference) since 2016, 5th most among catchers in that span.

Biggers, 27, has re-signed with Texas after becoming a free agent. He slashed .275/.390/.382/.772 (100-364) with 3 home runs, 4 triples, 22 doubles and 55 RBI in 119 games spent exclusively with Triple-A Round Rock last season. The infielder drew 71 walks in 2024, which led all Rangers farmhands and were tied for 5th most in the Pacific Coast League. The 2024 recipient of the Texas organization’s ‘True Ranger’ award, Biggers has spent the entirety of his professional career in the Rangers farm system and owns a .255 (429-1684) batting average with 23 home runs and 213 RBI in 506 games. The Missouri City, Tex. native was an 8th-round selection by Texas in the 2018 MLB Draft from the University of Arkansas.

The 31-year-old Boushley has gone 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA (3 ER/6.1 IP) in 3 career Major League relief appearances, seeing MLB action in each of the last two seasons in 2023 (1 G with Milwaukee) and 2024 (2 G with Minnesota). The Hortonville, Wis. native was selected by San Diego in the 33rd round of the 2017 MLB Draft from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and has spent time in the Padres (2017-21), Brewers (2022-23), and Twins (2024) organizations. He owns a career 48-37 record, one save, and a 4.41 ERA in 179 games/120 starts over seven minor league seasons.

Heuer, 28, was re-signed by Texas as a minor league free agent. He has gone 10-4 with a 3.56 ERA (36 ER/91.0 IP) over 86 career Major League appearances, all in relief, for Chicago-AL (2020-21) and Chicago-NL (2021). The right-hander owns a 6-6 record and 3.73 ERA (49 ER/118.1 IP) in 71 minor league games/14 starts in the White Sox (2018-19) and Cubs (2023) organizations. He was previously inked by Texas to a minor league contract prior to the 2024 campaign, but did not pitch as he recovered from a right elbow fracture suffered in 2023. A native of Missoula, Mont., Heuer was originally selected by the White Sox in the 6th round of the 2018 MLB Draft from Wichita State University.

Hoffman, 27, paced the Triple-A Norfolk (BAL) staff in wins (8) and appearances (tied, 44) in 2024, posting a 3.88 ERA (25 ER/58.0 IP) and career-high 11.9 strikeouts per 9.0 figure (77 SO/58.0 IP) last season. The right-hander has spent six minor league seasons in the Mariners (2018-21) and Orioles (2022-24) organizations, carrying a 14-13 record, 23 saves, and 3.28 ERA in 163 minor league games/2 starts. The Lincoln, Neb. native was selected by Seattle in the 5th round of the 2018 MLB Draft from Texas A&M.

Houser, who turns 32 on February 2, went 1-5 with a 5.84 ERA (45 ER/69.1 IP) over 23 games/7 starts last season for the New York Mets. He spent the balance of the campaign in the minor leagues with Triple-A Iowa (CHC) and Norfolk (BAL), going 0-4 with a 6.37 ERA in 7 starts. 2024 marked the right-hander’s seventh consecutive season seeing Major League action (beg. 2018), as the eight-year MLB veteran carries a 32-39 record with a 4.21 ERA in 152 games/104 starts for Milwaukee (2015, 2018-23) and New York-NL (2024). In 2021, he established career highs in wins (10), starts (26), and innings (142.1) with the Brewers. A native of Tahlequah, Okla., Houser was originally selected by the Astros in the 2nd round of the 2011 MLB Draft from Locust Grove H.S. (Okla.).

The 26-year-old Johnson, who will be in a Major League Spring Training camp for the first time, has re-signed with Texas after spending the past two seasons in the organization. The Illinois native batted .235/.355/.474/.829 (59-251) with 14 home runs, 18 doubles, and 46 RBI over 79 games with Double-A Frisco last season. Johnson, who is still seeking his first action above the Double-A level, has appeared in 280 games over a six-year professional career in the Detroit (2019-22) and Texas (2023-24) organizations since being selected by the Tigers in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

Plassmeyer, 28, went 5-10 with a 7.93 ERA (62 ER/70.1 IP) and 86 strikeouts (11.0 SO/9) in 28 games/11 starts last season with Indianapolis, Pittsburgh’s Triple-A affiliate. The southpaw made his MLB debut with Philadelphia on Aug. 23, 2022 and posted a 9.82 ERA (12 ER/11.0 IP) in 3 career MLB appearances/one start, all with the Phillies from 2022-23. A 4th-round pick by the Mariners in the 2018 MLB Draft from the University of Missouri, Plassmeyer holds a 28-37 record with a 4.20 ERA (252 ER/539.2 IP) in 135 career minor league games/108 starts in the Seattle (2018), Tampa Bay (2019-21), San Francisco (2021-22), Philadelphia (2022-23), and Pittsburgh (2024) organizations.

Trejo, 28, batted .143 (9-63) in 28 games for Colorado last season, making starts defensively at second base (14), third base (3), and shortstop (2). He was designated for assignment on June 28 and signed by Los Angeles-NL to a minor league contract on July 1. The infielder spent the balance of the campaign at Triple-A Oklahoma City (LAD), batting .265 (56-211) with 6 home runs and 24 RBI in 59 games. A veteran of four Major League seasons (2021-24), Trejo has seen the entirety of his MLB action with Colorado and sports a career .228 batting average (99-434) with 9 home runs and 47 RBI in 173 games for the Rockies. The Los Angeles, Calif. native was originally selected by the Rockies in the 16th round of the 2017 MLB Draft from San Diego State University.