Rangers top prospect Josh Jung has shoulder surgery

Rangers prime prospect Josh Jung underwent surgical procedure to restore a torn labrum in his left shoulder Wednesday morning, the group informed reporters (Twitter link through Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning Information). It’s anticipated to be about six months earlier than he’s cleared to even start serving as a delegated hitter in video games. Jung sustained the injury recently whereas lifting weights as a part of his offseason coaching routine. Texas had already shut him down, however the hope was that he may keep away from surgical procedure. After receiving extra medical opinions this week, nevertheless, surgical procedure was deemed the required course of therapy.

It’s a brutal blow for the Rangers, which hoped final 12 months may function the ultimate full 12 months of growth for Jung. An enormous league debut in some unspecified time in the future in 2022 was broadly anticipated after the 2019 No. 8 general decide laid waste to Double-A and Triple-A pitching in 2021. In 342 plate appearances between these two ranges, Jung slashed a mixed .326/.398/.592 with 19 house runs, 22 doubles, a triple, a 22.2% strikeout charge and a 9.1% stroll charge.

There was some thought that with a sufficiently big spring displaying, Jung may even place himself as a candidate to interrupt camp with the Rangers. Texas is clearly shifting from its prior rebuilding mode right into a win-now mindset, as evidenced by the offseason signings of Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Jon Gray. Jung is the overwhelming favourite to finally slot in because the group’s on a regular basis third baseman, and most scouting stories on the promising former Texas Tech star anticipate him to just do that. He ranked because the No. 26 prospect in MLB at Baseball America this winter, No. 31 at Baseball Prospectus and No. 19 at ESPN. The group at FanGraphs was most bullish on Jung, inserting a 60 grade on him general (on the 20-80 scale) and rating him inside the game’s 15 greatest farmhands.

Any coronation of Jung because the group’s on a regular basis third baseman is now on maintain for almost all of the 2022 season — if not till the 2023 marketing campaign. With Jung now out of the image for the foreseeable future, versatile defensive star Isiah Kiner-Falefa finds himself shifting from a super-utility position (and interesting trade candidate) to the group’s main choice on the sizzling nook.

The 26-year-old Kiner-Falefa is well-equipped to deal with such a job, as he proved in 2020 when he gained a Gold Glove Award at third base. He moved to shortstop for the 2021 marketing campaign and turned in one other robust defensive displaying, though the potential drop-off from Jung to Kiner-Falefa from an offensive standpoint is more likely to be steep. Proficient as he’s with the glove, Kiner-Falefa is primarily a singles hitter who not often walks. He’s posted a .273/.316/.361 batting line over the previous two seasons, which is productive sufficient to supply worth when mixed together with his defensive prowess, however Jung has fairly a bit extra energy and is broadly anticipated to be an influence performer on offense.

Offensive hole between the 2 however, Kiner-Falefa is a strong choice to have available. He had reportedly been of interest to the Yankees as a doable commerce candidate previous to the lockout, however Jung’s damage certainly dampens the chance that the Rangers would take into account parting with Kiner-Falefa. Whereas they may, speculatively talking, nonetheless transfer Kiner-Falefa if a compelling sufficient supply presents itself and comply with that commerce with a short-term free agent signing, the likelier situation is that Kiner-Falefa will likely be manning the recent nook at Globe Life Area for the overwhelming majority of the 2022 season.