Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today selected three players on day one of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. Rounds one through three took place tonight in Atlanta at the Coca-Cola Roxy in The Battery, with the Rangers making one selection in each round. The second and final day of the Draft will begin tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. CT with rounds 4-20, concluding at approximately 7:00 p.m. CT. Texas will have pick no. 115 overall in the fourth round, no. 146 in the fifth round, and will then select 10th in each of rounds 6-20 to finish the draft.
SS GAVIN FIEN (1st round, 12th overall) – The 18-year-old Fien (pronounced ‘FEEN’) hit .358 (34-95) with 5 home runs, one triple, 6 doubles, 16 RBI, 24 runs, 8 stolen bases, and more walks (11) than strikeouts (9) in 30 games as a senior for Great Oak this spring. Over 4 varsity seasons with the Wolfpack from 2022-25, the right-handed hitter and thrower slashed .378/.451/.633/1.084 (108-286) with 12 home runs, 4 triples, 29 doubles, and 65 RBI across 91 games.
The Temecula, Calif. native was also a standout on the 2024 USA Baseball 18U National Team, which went a perfect 8-0 en route to a gold medal in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier last summer. Fien started all eight games and hit .400 with 11 RBI and a 1.109 OPS during the tournament.
RHP AJ RUSSELL (2nd round, 52nd overall) – Russell, 21, went 2-1 with a 3.55 ERA (10 ER/25.1 IP) and 36 strikeouts against 11 walks in 12 appearances/6 starts for Tennessee in 2025, his third season within the Volunteers program. The right-hander compiled a career collegiate record of 4-2 with a 2.70 ERA (21 ER/70.0 IP) and 104 strikeouts in 42 appearances/11 starts. Russell earned Baseball America Freshman All-American honors in 2023, posting a 0.89 ERA (3 ER/30.1 IP) in his collegiate debut. He returned to the mound in 2025 after undergoing right elbow surgery in June 2024.
A Franklin, Tenn. native, Russell was one of five players from the University of Tennessee selected within the first 52 picks of this year’s draft. With the selection of Russell, the Rangers have chosen a Volunteer with their second-round pick in consecutive drafts, this after taking outfielder Dylan Dreiling in round 2 of the 2024 Draft.
TWP JOSH OWENS (3rd round, 84th overall) – Owens, 18, enjoyed a productive prep career at Providence Academy in Johnson City, Tenn., batting .460 with 35 RBI for the Knights this spring. The two-way player also appeared in 20 games for the Elizabethton River Riders of the Appalachian League (collegiate summer) this season, batting .271/.419/.492/.910 (16-59) while posting a 3.72 ERA (4 ER/9.2 IP) in 4 appearances on the mound – including one start. Owens’ River Riders squad played its home games at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark in Elizabethton, the same field where Rangers 2020 second round pick Evan Carter played his high school games (Elizabethton H.S.).
In 2024, the two-way talent appeared in 6 games for the 18-U USA National Team, where he was teammates with Rangers 2025 first-round selection shortstop Gavin Fien. Owens’ father, Jeremy, was selected by San Diego in the eighth round of the 1998 MLB Draft, reaching as high as Triple-A with the San Diego, Boston, and Tampa Bay organizations. Jeremy also served as the skipper for Josh’s Elizabethton Appalachian League squad this summer. Owens is committed to play collegiately at Georgia Southern University.
– RANGERS –