In need of spark, Rangers call up No. 7 prospect Osuna

CHICAGO -- The Rangers need a spark. They need somebody to ignite a dormant offense and bring some energy into a quiet, but calm clubhouse.

They hope Alejandro Osuna is going to be that guy.

The Rangers announced on Sunday that they were calling up Osuna -- the club’s No. 7-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- for his MLB debut at Rate Field. News of Osuna's callup first broke on Saturday night after designated hitter Joc Pederson fractured his right hand after being hit by a pitch in a 10-5 loss to the White Sox. Pederson was placed on the 10-day IL and outfielder Kevin Pillar was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

“He’s an energy guy,” said manager Bruce Bochy. “Those guys are always good for a ballclub. He's always smiling, he loves baseball. You love the way he plays with that passion. He grew up in the game, the bloodlines are there. … He’s doing a nice job in Triple-A. I’m looking forward to watching him.”

Osuna is the younger brother of former All-Star closer Roberto Osuna, who was one of the first people he told about the callup on Saturday night.

No single player made a bigger impression on Major League camp this spring than Osuna, who went 15-for-35 in Cactus League play with a handful of impressive defensive plays in the outfield.

“That built a lot of confidence for me,” Osuna said of his experience in big league camp. “I just try to enjoy it all. I’m not scared to ask questions, and that’s helped me a lot. That confidence is there. I’m just trying to help the team win. I try to do everything the right way. Try to score runs for the guys, just try to get wins for them.”

Osuna was the Rangers' Minor League player of the year in 2024 after hitting .292/.362/.507 with 18 homers and 17 stolen bases between High-A Hickory and Double-A Frisco. He led all Texas farmhands in slugging, OPS (.869) and wRC+ (143). He also led the Arizona Fall League with 22 walks in 25 games and won the developmental circuit's Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award.

Bochy said Osuna landed on his radar during the Fall League, and he only grew more impressed throughout Spring Training.

He opened the 2025 season back with Frisco, hitting .283/.363/.409 in the first 31 games before getting the call up to Triple-A Round Rock. He’s got just eight Triple-A games under his belt, with an impressive .918 OPS at the conclusion of Saturday’s game.

Between the two levels, he has combined for 31 runs scored with 21 walks against 29 strikeouts in the Minors this season. He also posted a 17-game hit streak with Frisco from April 15-May 6, batting .391/.453/.547 in that span with six walks and five strikeouts.

In addition to his bat-to-ball skills and his keen eye at the plate, Osuna is a polished center fielder with the ability to play the corner outfield spots as well.

“He dealt with a little bit of injury stuff at the early part of last year, so that held him back,” general manager Ross Fenstermaker said during Spring Training. “Kudos to our scouts and our coaches who identified what might be a breakout coming. He plays like somebody who has Major League bloodlines, which he does. He just plays the game the right way. He plays it hard. He's got talent on top of it.”