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 Saturday’s loss to the White Sox.
“He’s an energy guy,” said manager Bruce Bochy. “Those guys are always good for a ball club. 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.”
He immediately made an impact in Sunday’s 5-4 win, including a walk in the second inning and a diving catch in the fifth to end the frame and save a run from scoring. Capped by Adolis García's two-run double, the Rangers rallied for three runs in the ninth to avoid a sweep in Chicago.
According to team PR, Osuna is the first Ranger in the pitch-tracking era (since 1988) to work a walk of at least seven pitches in his first MLB plate appearance. Prior to Osuna on Sunday, the last player across MLB to do so was Detroit’s Jace Jung on Aug. 16, 2024, against the Yankees (also 7 pitches).
Though he didn’t collect his first hit, he did consistently put together good at-bats and work good counts.
“Osuna, he’s a good defender,” Bochy said. “He had to go a long ways to get that ball. He might have been a tad deep, but he made it up with his legs. He saved a run there. I thought [his poise at the plate] was good. He saw a lot of pitches in his first game. He looked so poised out there relaxing. He's been around the game. He seemed comfortable when he walked in here. He'll get adjusted to it easily.”
Osuna grew up in and around the game of baseball. That’s why he plays the game with the passion and excitement that intrigued Bochy this past spring. And it’s clear why he does.
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.”