OAKLAND -- It’s a Cole world.

Right-hander Cole Winn, the Rangers' No. 3 prospect, and left-hander Cole Ragans were selected to represent the organization at the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on July 11 at Coors Field in Denver.

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For Ragans, in particular, the selection is a significant milestone given the obstacles he’s had to overcome.

Ragans, 23, was taken with the 30th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft out of North Florida Christian School. He showed early why he was a first-round talent. In '17, his first extended taste of professional ball, Ragans had a 3.61 ERA across 13 starts with Low-A Spokane. For good reason, Ragans was considered one of Texas’ best prospects.

Then, came the setbacks. Right before his first full season of Minor League ball, Ragans underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2018. About 14 months later, right before he was set to resume pitching, Ragans underwent his second Tommy John surgery. With last year's Minor League campaign being canceled as well, Ragans ended up missing three seasons.

In his return, Ragans has proven he still has plenty of juice left in his arm. In eight starts this season for High-A Hickory, Ragans has a 3.22 ERA and 3.37 FIP across 36 1/3 innings. Ragans is striking out 11.39 batters per nine innings, walking 3.22 and allowing 0.74 homers. Ragans still has to traverse several more levels in the Minors, but he’s trending in the right direction.

Winn, the 15th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft by Texas, has lived up to the billing of the organization’s third-ranked prospect. In nine starts this season for Double-A Frisco, Winn has a 2.27 ERA and is striking out 10.10 batters per nine innings. Earlier this season, Winn was named Double-A Central Pitcher of the Week after tossing six innings of no-hit ball.

The Rangers won’t be sending a position player to the exhibition, but that’s not due to a lack of a deserving candidate.

Third baseman Josh Jung, the Rangers’ top overall prospect, didn't make his season debut until mid-June after undergoing surgery in late March due to a stress fracture in his left foot. Jung has only played 11 games with Double-A Round Rock, but he hasn’t shown any rust. Across 48 plate appearances, Jung is slashing .311/.354/.600 with four home runs.

Solak rounding into form

Nick Solak realized that something needed to change.

Beginning with a four-game set against the Red Sox in late April, Solak saw that he was being pitched differently. He saw fewer fastballs. He was getting more breaking balls and changeups. The league adapted, and Solak struggled. Hard. Solak described the last couple of months as “the worst I’ve ever struggled in this game.”

So Solak adapted. Instead of being fed a diet of fastballs off the pitching machine, he began to practice against sliders as well. Solak also began taking simulated at-bats off his hitting coaches, which allowed him to time the wind-up and delivery, as well as pick up the spin of various pitches.

Those adjustments have been paying dividends in recent days. In Solak’s last three games entering Wednesday, he had six hits in 13 at-bats. In Tuesday's 5-4 win over the A’s, Solak hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning that ultimately proved to be the difference.

“Those are some of the adjustments I’ve had to make in my work,” Solak said. “I’m confident that it will help me day in and day out. I’ve been working on it for a while now. The results might not be there as quickly as I like, but that’s part of the game, and it’s something that I understand.”