2026 season preview part 4: Predictions + Debutant Draft with Grant Schiller

It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

Water usually wins.

It rots wood and tears docks apart, unless you build with treks.

Trek's marine grade decking is 100% submersible, built to resist rod and salt and fresh water.

Water has met its match.

Trek's decking.

Visit treks.com slash docks.

More juggling a lot, but you can still squeeze in a financial plan.

With the Northwestern Mutual Financial Advisor as your partner, it's not only possible,

it's personalized, so if you're tying the knot, closing on a house, or welcoming a little

one, you'll be ready for whatever life tosses your way.

It's the right time to feel less stressed and more certain.

That's a better way to money.

Let's get started at nm.com.

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Opening day is here, and Grant Schiller is back for our fourth edition of the debut

ton trap.

We're previewing the season, making our picks for the postseason.

How will the Rangers do?

One of the expectations.

All that more on this was at Lockdown Rangers.

Let's get into it.

You are locked on Rangers.

Your daily Texas Rangers podcast.

Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

You are locked on the Texas Raiders, the first and best daily Rangers podcast.

I'm Bryce Patrick.

A criminally addicted Texas Ranger fan coming to the team for 13 seasons, including all

eight as the founder and host of this podcast.

Today it is opening day.

I have Grant Schiller, the OG Schill with me today.

Thank you all so much for making Lockdown Ranger first.

Every single day, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, now the number one sports podcast

network.

Not already can follow me on Twitter.

I'm Bryce Patrick.

You can follow the show at Lockdown Rangers.

You can follow Grant at OG Schill.

I believe still on Twitter, participating occasionally.

Maybe?

Yeah, very occasionally, but it is almost my Twitter season with the runner season about

to get ready.

So instead of one tweet every quarter, it might be one tweet a week.

Now, he is pumping up those numbers, joining me today.

If you do not know, the OG Schill Grant Schiller baseball prognest, non-sticator, ball-nower

extraordinaire, the man of many, many talents joining me for our annual season preview.

Honestly, my favorite episode every single year.

We have our debut on draft coming up, where we picked Rangers prospects who will make

their debut and we also reveal who won last year's draft with a twist on the scoring

system to not only this year, but I'm applying it retroactively to last year as well.

Before we get into all of that goodness today, this episode is brought to you by MLB The

Show 26.

Visit MLBD.Show slash Lockdown and use code Lockdown to unlock a pack for use in Diamond

Dynasty.

They'll be now on PlayStation 5 Xbox and Nintendo Switch rated E for everyone.

Now, on this first segment, I want to talk about expectations because it's opening day

and some people may be just tuning right back in and they may not pay attention to this

whole off season.

They're like, okay, what do I need to expect?

What is a winning season?

I want to start with you.

What are you expecting from the Rangers in 2026?

Well, I guess the expectations and what I expect are different, even though it seems like

it should be one of the same.

The expectations for the team has to be making the playoffs.

This is a veteran group.

They've moved further pieces from the farm system.

They're all in on this group.

You look at an ordained aging team.

Next year, we don't know if there's going to be a baseball, which means this might be

the only year of McKenzie Gore.

It might be the last year of a quality.

The Garam is going to be extremely old by 2028.

We don't really have a farm at this point.

As everybody will see in the debut, Tom Drafts with just slim thickings, expectation has

to be making the playoffs.

It just has to be the baseline.

As far as what I expect, I think this is the hardest year for me to actually define my

prediction for the team.

Gun to my head, I think they do make the playoffs, but there's still so many ifs that have to

go right for that to happen, because the depth isn't there, in part because the farm is

so fair.

The starting rotation has to stay relatively healthy for the second straight year.

Peterson has to be a capable, big league hitter, or if he's not, McCutchen has to be.

Seeker needs to stay healthier.

Smith needs to be an everyday guy.

Burger and young need to have bounce back season, at least some sort.

Carter needs to stay healthy and show what he can do.

If this team clicks on all cylinders, it's a hundred-win team.

If all the answers to that are yes and they stay healthy, if the answers are no or they

even have slightly below average injury luck, it can be an 80-win team and you're selling

it for deadline.

I think it's as diverse a potential set of outcomes as I can remember in quite a lot.

It feels like that's the main thing with this season.

It feels like everything's on the table and also nothing's on the table.

It's just so many question marks.

The weirdest part about that is that it is so many question marks for the team.

That's mainly the same from last year, outside of the bullpen, but bullpen's always come

and go.

There's a lot of just mix and mass features.

I think it'll be about the same as last year.

I'm hoping a little bit better on the back end though.

You're right.

There's so many question marks and I think you're hit the nail on the head of they've got

to be postseason or bust.

If it's bust, then there will be some big changes in a big way.

I think maybe Chris Jungle will start to be on the hot seat and I think maybe he should

be.

He's done some great things, especially like revamping this farm.

He's done a good job of being a by-first GM, but I think he's given the team a little

bit too much trust at the deadline the last couple of years.

I think in 2024, it was more of a very obvious sell-off job.

I also, I think, made the case at the time of, like, if this team puts it together, which

at that point, it was still like you're a year removed from the world, you still have

the same roster.

You didn't think, okay, surely all these guys were bad in the first half.

They might still come back around.

They were still in it enough about both of these deadlines that I understand with that

veteran group of not wanting to pull the plug, but still, if he had, maybe this farm

is probably in a much better place, maybe this team is, I mean, they still wouldn't,

they still didn't make the postseason, even while trying.

And I appreciated him doing more of a half measure last year, as opposed to a full buy,

even though they were more in it last year, like, you still had to give this team something.

I would have rather have them gotten a hitter, but like, again, you were kind of stuck

for better, for worse, with this basically entire offense, and you're just kind of banking

on everything being better.

And I don't know about you, but who are these guys that are needing these bounce back seasons?

Are you most competent enough guys like Carter's Day of the ifs, big ifs of the hitters,

like if Cory Seager stays healthy, if Evan Carter's healthy, and still, you know, mashing

110 mile an hour exit velocities, like which of these big question mark if hitters, are

you the most in on?

I don't know that I'd say him all the way in on him, but I'm probably the most in on

Jake Berger, at least being like 110 WRC plus guy.

Carter, I just worry about the loss development time of the last couple of years.

He's still a young kid, as good as he's shown to be in pockets.

He's still a young kid, and he's missed a lot of time in the last two years.

He still hasn't really shown he can hit lefties.

I worry about that.

Young I just worry about his approach at the plate, and whether he's going to be mature

enough and have the spin recognition to improve to where he needs to be.

Seager hasn't really shown a track record of being able to say healthy and it's been muscular

injuries, which tend to be more recurring.

So I'd probably land on Berger or not to be some 45 home run guy, but maybe to get back

to being a 30 home run guy and 10% above league average at the plate, and I really hope

he does, that I'll say him and Nemo really showed themselves as really fan-friendly, seemingly

very, very good guys that spring training when I was out there this year, really stood

head and shoulders over the rest.

So I'm rooting for him too.

Yeah, me too.

I know my fiance is very player is Jake Berger, so she'd be very, very happy to hear him

having a bounce back year this year.

I think of these guys.

I think I'm a little more optimistic on Evan Carter.

I think I don't know if he's ever going to crush lefties.

He's not going to be Brandon Nemo-esque, but I think with the exit velocities, with everything

else that he does on the field, like if he's rocking a 330 on base against lefties, even

if he's not hitting for any power at all, that's good enough.

I think the whole concerns against lefties, they're valid and it's a tough thing to miss

that much time, but I'm just believing in the makeup of that kid of everything else that

he does on the diamond, and the added power, I just, I never thought that would be a thing

with Evan Carter, and if he's a guy who can pop 2025 home runs as well as everything

else he does, like that is like game changing for, I mean, absolutely game changing for him,

even if you're only getting 120 games out of him, like that's still a like three and a

half four win player, and that's huge for this team that didn't have that many of those

last year.

No, it is.

Look, best case scenario, you roll Langford Carter and Nemo out there, that's a really

good defensive outfield in every one of them can hit.

So Carter can stay healthy, Langford takes the jump, and Nemo takes the right field the

way I expect he probably will, could be looking at a two three or stretch of one of the best

outfields in the game, but again, yes.

Yep, a whole bunch of ifs said, and maybe at some point in that two three year stretch,

we see Sebastian walk.

We, I don't know if he'll make an appearance on this year's edition of the day we don't

tont draft, but coming up, we're going to make some predictions.

Who is making the postseason?

Where will the Rangers finish?

Who will win MVP?

Spoiler alert, my pick is a Texas Ranger.

This show is brought to you by Robin Hood, what have sports were traded like markets?

Now you can put your sports IQ to work in real time with Robin Hood prediction markets.

It's not you, and it's not new against the house.

It's you participating in a live market, you can buy yourself in positions live all game

long.

User sports knowledge in the moments that matter, Robin Hood prediction markets changes

the game.

It's people moving the action.

So when the momentum shifts, you can move with it.

I always knew the game, but never had a dynamic way to apply that knowledge.

Now I can actually take part live in a market powered by people.

You're no longer just a spectator, play by play, you decide.

Treat every play with Robin Hood, now available across the US, download the Robin Hood app

now again.

Futures and cleared swabs trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for

ever.

Every contract, event contracts are offered by Robin Hood derivatives LLC, a registered

futures commission, merchant and swap firm.

This show is also brought to you by TurboTax.

It's tax time, but for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes is a lot.

Trying to book an appointment that's not the most convenient sitting in a waiting room

with a stack of papers, emailing back and forth and wondering if they really get your

situation.

But this year, you're getting a major upgrade into a TurboTax now has in person locations

nationwide.

You'll be face to face with a real tax expert and your documents get uploaded straight

to your TurboTax app on the spot.

And just like that, you're done.

Your TurboTax expert works to get you every dollar you deserve while you get real time

notifications as you go about your day.

It's the relief of walking again, meeting a real person and walking out knowing your taxes

are being handled right.

Head to TurboTax.com slash local to find a store near you and book your appointment.

Head to the everyday thinking locked on my energy first of every single day.

On tomorrow's show, I will be talking about this game that has already or is happening

today, opening day cannot wait to talk about it on tomorrow's episode of locked on rangers.

Joining me today is Grant Schill, the OG shill talking about our predictions, making some

predictions.

I already made some bold ones earlier this week.

You know what they are.

I don't know what they are because I'm recording this on Monday.

And so I will pick those out as before I record the episode.

Let's talk predictions.

Let's start with the playoffs.

Who do you have make?

Actually, no, let's start with the rangers.

Obviously, this is a rangers podcast.

What am I doing?

Where do you think the rangers finish?

What is their record?

And do they make the postseason?

And if so, how far?

I have the rangers finishing second in the division with an 86 and 76 record, wild card

position and let's say they've got quite a rotation, let's say they lose in the championship

series.

Oh, I did fine with that, but I'd say that's a good year.

I have them just one game better with 87 wins.

I have them finishing as the second wild card.

I think this team's going to be good.

I think they lose the division by like two games.

I think the Mariners are an 89 win team.

So they're one loss worse than last year.

I think this is going to be very close to the race, but I'm just not quite sure that the

rangers have the horses to do it.

It's going to be close.

This is a talented team, but again, there's just so many ifs.

And with Seattle, I kind of know what I'm getting, at least assuming that there are no

major injuries there now for the rest of the playoffs.

So you have the Seattle Mariners, when the AOS, who else do you have going to the postseason?

And oh, wait, I didn't make my prediction of how far that go.

I say the Rangers go to the world series and that they lose to the Phillies.

The Phillies.

I'm feeling I'm feeling that this is their year.

I think that the Phillies just got some juice and I think that Bryce Harper is going to

be fueled by being so, so dang PO about about the WBC and his own GM talking trash

show that I think they take down the Rangers in six games in the world series.

I would sign up for that right now.

Heartbreaking is the ending might be.

I would happily sign up for that coming off of a couple of 500 or below seasons.

AOS got the Mariners winning it.

Both predictions.

I do have the Astros behind the athletics and then four points.

Oh, a man after my own heart.

A.L. Central in my world series champions are the Detroit Tigers.

Okay.

The A.L. East.

I've got Toronto taking the division and the Red Sox and Orioles as wild card teams.

And the A.K. is joining the Astros in fourth place.

Wow.

You're getting spicy with it.

I love it.

I'm going to I'm going to go give.

Okay.

Oh, wait, no, you have you have other.

I forgot there's more.

Oh, wait.

There's more.

I'm going to go ahead.

I've got all six A.L.

You did.

Okay.

Hmm.

So nobody nobody else in the A.L. Central making the making the postseason.

No.

No, I know the projections systems have a lot of teams bunched up there and the Royals is

a potential contender, but I think the Tigers kind of run away with that division.

I think that's fair.

I I I am not quite as bullish as you like you.

I have Seattle winning the A.L. West in the central.

I have the Royals.

I am feeling good about their offense and I'm feeling like their pitching is going to

be good enough.

Cool.

Regans is freaking awesome.

I love him very much.

I miss him every single day, but maybe maybe watching a different lefty check it in the

upper 90s with some nasty secondary stuff is going to make me feel a little bit okay

with that.

I mean, every time I look at this little, this little championship trophy and remember

that oh, they won the World Series that the ease is my mind about giving up on cold

regans.

Still hurts a little bit, but not quite as much.

In the A.L. East, they burned me last year, but I'm still going back to the Boston Red

Sox.

I feel I feel good about them.

I feel like Roman Anthony is going to be just awesome this year.

Their roster is weird and they've got a bunch of parts that don't really fit together,

but I really think that Masataki Yoshida is going to make it impact.

He looked awesome in this WBC.

They have like seven left fielders on the roster, but like I don't think it matters because

they've got so many guys that are very talented.

The Braggman loss is going to hurt them.

And so I don't think they make it to the A.L.C.S.

I think they get bounced in the first round, but I do think they win the division with

like 96 wins.

And then behind them, I have the Yankees as the first wild card.

And then in the third wild card, I have the Detroit Tigers.

I am not a believer in the Baltimore Oil.

I think there is so much hype on them, especially in their lineup.

And I'm like, you just added Peter Lanzo and Taylor Ward to a lineup that sucked last

year.

It was bad.

And their pitching is still not good, but it's still not good.

I just, they've got a lot of question marks there.

I don't think they shorted up enough, signing one pre-decent closer who was also wildly

erratic.

It was terrible the second half of the year.

I just don't trust the Orioles hype.

And maybe I'm just mad about John Mose-Molts and his comments during the A.L.D.S.

in 2023.

And I want to punish them for it, even though I love our lots on Orioles, so I was Conor

Newcombe.

Conor, don't listen to this.

I didn't mean it.

But also, I meant it a little bit.

Yeah.

No, I think those are all fair points on the Orioles.

But I just think Gunnar Henderson is going to be pretty incredible at this point in his

career.

He almost did.

I'm going to be boring and have Otoni and Judge's my two MVPs.

I forced Henderson to be my A.L. winner.

Okay.

Yeah.

For my American League-Sai young winner, I have Nathan Evoli.

I think he's going to do it.

I really think he's going to be incredible this year.

Like I do.

I really do.

I think my bull prediction, I'm going to have or had something about Jack White.

At this point, I have not made up my mind.

Maybe this should have been my bull prediction, and I'm doing it early, but no.

And then for my A.L. MVP, gosh, I wanted to go something other than Judge here.

It feels really hard to do it.

I think Julio Rodriguez, I think that's what I'm going to go with.

I think he finally has a season where he has more than two months where he's good.

Because it's crazy to be the kind of number he puts up.

When four months out of the year, he's awful at the plate.

And then two months out of the year, he's like just the greatest hit of this world was

ever seen.

I think he can do that for two months and then have the other four months where he's pretty

solid.

I think he's just going to follow that pattern except be much better and not have, he's

going to have one terrible month, two pretty good months and two.

Oh my gosh.

Oh my gosh.

Oh my gosh.

I want to see Julio Rodriguez in a singular at bat.

But for rookie of the year, I think I'm going to go Murkami.

I think he's going to have a big year, especially counting stats wise and narrative wise, I think

he's going to have a lot on his side.

And if he has 35 home runs, even if he's hitting 230, like I think he will with maybe

a 35% strikeout right here, so crazy, I think he's going to walk enough and he's going

to play, he's going to be fine enough at first base for a guy to win rookie of the year.

But I think he's going to put on some just absolutely jaw-dropping homers that's going

to win him a yellow rookie of the year.

I will continue my theme of being high on the Orioles.

How dare you?

I'm going to get a Samuel Bessayo.

That's fair.

I think he's going to come up, you've got the, it's a good left-handed hitter's park.

I think he's going to come up and he's going to hit 25 plus home runs, play some games

that catch her, probably not a whole lot.

But I think he's going to be a big part of why they bounce back this year.

I think he's pretty big league ready with the bat.

That's fair.

We have taken more time on this AO than I initially anticipated.

Let's run through real quick in the national league.

Who are your policies and teams in award picks?

Shockingly, I've got the Dodgers in the West.

The Dodgers in the Central, Braves in the East, Wildcards of Phillies, Metz, who I have

the Tigers beating in the World Series, and the Reds, no Brewers.

Okay, no Brewers.

Interesting.

Let's be green.

Oh, sorry.

Go ahead.

Let's see.

I have Dodgers, I'm boring.

It's just too obvious at this point to not pick them.

I don't think they win the World Series this year.

I don't even make it to the World Series this year, like I had in my picks earlier.

In the Central, I've still got the Brew Crew.

I keep picking against them, and I'm still continually wrong, and so I'm going to fall

back on, I know they lost a lot, but they're the Brewers, and I think Jackson Jury is going

to be just awesome.

I am so all in on Bryce Trang, and not just because it spells his name the correct way,

but for other reasons.

In the East, I've got the Phillies winning it for my Wildcard team.

I've got the Braves as the number one Wildcard out there in the National League.

And then I think the Cubs are going to be the second one.

I think it's going to be a really competitive Wildcard, like I think we might have a bunch

of 90 win teams all around here.

And then for the third Wildcard, screw it.

I'm saying the Giants.

They're weird, they're plucky, and they're interesting.

And I think that would be very fun.

What are your award picks out there in the National League?

Yeah, so I've got very bold predictions here.

I've got Jury Weatherhold as the rookie of the year.

Some young cat made Paul Skins as the Sai Young.

Who?

You played it Air Force.

Oh, he was almost in the military.

That was him.

He was the guy who was almost in the military.

And then I've got Shohei Otoni edging out an eight-win Elliott La Cruz for the MCP.

Oh, that would be fun.

That would be fun.

For my National League award winners, I have Christopher Sanchez taken at home this year.

I think he's going to be primed off of that big extension that he was already like on

the most, I think, team-friendly contract of anybody in all of baseball that was on

like any kind of extension, not just obviously the rookie salary.

But I have Sanchez winning the Sai Young.

I feel pretty good about Connor Griffin winning the National League, rookie of the year.

I think he's just going to come up and tear the roof off.

It was between him and Boba Chandler for me, obviously, very weirdly high on the pitch

for pirates, even though I don't have them making the postseason.

I just think there's too many other good teams.

They're going to be fun this year, and that is good enough for Pittsburgh.

I think it should be.

And then for my MVP, just say Otoni.

That's Otoni.

It's boring.

It's Otoni.

He's just, he is a singularity.

And that's what it is.

But you know what?

I'm going to have some more interesting picks coming up here because we are going to do

the fourth edition of our debut Tontrapped and unveil the winner of last year's debut

Tontrapped spoiler alert.

I'm actually not going to give a spoiler alert.

This show is brought to you by MLB, the show, the top 100 on today's show.

We are talking a little bit about why Langford and his incredible season.

You can play as him in this version of MLB, the show 26, an incredible version of one

of my favorite games ever.

It is just the best sports game out there.

It is made by people who know baseball.

And it shows it every single detail.

You've also got the World Baseball Classic added into this one you can play as some WBC teams

in your diamond dynasty.

It is just such an incredible game.

It is very incredibly well made.

And just there's all kinds of new different things in this edition updated rating system

as well.

It is just such a fun game.

You're going to have a hard time putting it down.

So if you love talking baseball, you'll love playing it even even more.

Visit MLB, the dot show slash locked on and use code locked on unlock a pack for use

in diamond dynasty.

Internet connection required available now on PlayStation five Xbox Series S and X and

Nintendo Switch.

Unity for everyone.

This show is also brought to you by Fandall.

The tournament is here.

One of the best times of year brackets buzzer beaters upsets.

It is non stop action from the tip until they cut down those nets.

Right now Fandall is giving new customers a way to stay in on the action all tournament

long.

Here's the best part.

You get up to $300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days.

That means just 10 chances to stay involved throughout the entire tournament.

You can mix it up.

How everyone game picks futures or even saying game parlays for bigger potential payouts.

It's perfect for the tournament because every day there's something new different matchups,

new storylines and more ways to get involved as the bracket unfolds.

Even if your bracket's busted, there is still plenty of ways to get in on the action.

So visit fandall.com to sign up today.

That's fandall.com to get in on the action.

Now we are here.

Chop it up with Grant Schiller, the OG shell doing the fourth edition of our debut taunt

draft.

Now, if you are wondering this whole episode, what the heck is a debut taunt draft?

What are you talking about?

Are you talking about the dead you taunts?

No.

It is a debut taunt.

There are no debut taunts here in the debut taunt draft.

This is the fourth edition that we have done this.

I have won titles in 2024, in 2023.

I think I don't think we did it in 2022.

I went back and looked at my notes and I tried to find, I found the show and actually,

no, I do know because I just did this like an hour ago that we did not do it.

So this is the fourth edition.

And in 2025, this was a real nail, nail bider and we are including a new wrinkle in the

scoring system, not just for this year, but I've also retroactively applied it to last

year because I like it so much better.

The way we do it is we pick players who have not made their debut.

That's what the debut taunt draft is.

We pick five players last year, we picked four, we have the year before we also picked

four in 2024.

I won because I had the first pick and I picked white Langford and he was very good.

And in 2023, and my last pick, I took Evan Carter, no, that was me.

That was you.

Oh, yeah.

I won in 23 because I grabbed Carter.

I'm rewriting the narrative here.

You're calling me on my stuff.

This was neck and neck, this scoring, it has gone back to back.

And now let's look at last year where I had a million Toyota who did not make his debut.

I had Alejandra Ozuna who made his debut and got point two war.

I had Skylar Hales who did not debut and Brian Maglano who did not debut.

But the new wrinkle in the scoring is each player who makes their debut gets half a

war because a lot of these guys come up and they are not very good.

And so it'd be very easy to just pick guys who are not going to make their debut and one

guy who you think is or maybe just hope the other guy picks somebody who makes their

debut and is bad.

And so we're going to change things up a little bit this year.

So half a war for everybody who makes their debut.

So if you total that up, I have point seven war.

We're using baseball reference for because that just makes life easier.

Last year, Grant had Sebastian Walcott who did not debut and unfortunately will not be

playing until probably August of this year if he's playing at all.

Luis, he had Winston Santos who did not debut, Luis Cervello who debuted and then had a

negative point four baseball reference war, which is a positive point one for him.

And then he had Blankrim who I am counting as positive point one war because baseball

reference is weird about this for the Rangers that give him negative point two war and five

games, but positive point three war and 15 games for the Colorado Rockies, which they

total out to zero war.

I'm giving you a positive point one for that.

So that's positive point six for that a positive point seven total.

We are at a dead on tie just doing this math as it shakes out right here.

My goodness, this has been back as back and forth as it gets.

And so this year, since last year, you had the first pick in the draft and you took

Bambam who did not debut this year, I mean, it could take Bambam first.

That would be it'd be insanely stupid because I'm going to go with the guy who is the

number 25 prospect on MLB pipeline.

That is Carter Balmer because he has already made the opening day roster.

He is the Rangers rule five thick.

I feel very confident about him making the roster.

I feel very confident about him being good this year.

Now I don't think he's going to have a white Langford for a half-ish win rookie season, but

I feel very good about him not only making his debut, but that curveball is something nasty

and I cannot wait to see it on maybe not opening day, but I'd say the first series will

probably see at least an appearance from Carter Balmer.

Now who are you picking with your first pick?

Was that the obvious one that I was?

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's a great pick because he's going to make the roster and I don't think he's going

to be terrible.

That's a pretty easy positive order to start it off with.

I mean, it is slim pickings this year.

I'm probably going to start with another guy who I think is very likely to make his debut

this year even if he's not going to throw many innings and they may not be very good innings,

but I will take Gavin Collier as a pitcher very close to the big leagues with a deceptive

delivery and at some point he's going to have a hot stretch of throwing strikes.

If they need a reliever, he's the guy at that point.

That's a solid pick.

That's a solid one.

He was high up on my draft board, so that's a good one.

I thought he might make the roster out of camp, but you know, other guys had, they signed

too many guaranteed big league deals for that to happen.

Yeah.

My second pick, I will take the guy that picked last year and he was hurt all last year.

He's also hurt right now, but he's a guy that have a lot of belief in and think of the

Rangers are competitive.

He's going to come up and be a key reliever down the stretch.

We're going to go with Winston Santos.

That was the guy who was next up on my board.

I was seriously considering taking him with the number one pick because I feel good about

him and I don't feel as good about all that many other players in this squad.

Now, I'm debating on doing something rash, possibly stupid, with my next overall pick.

I might make it my third pick just because, but it's functionally the same thing.

I'm going to go with AJ Russell as my pick because this guy throws incredibly hard.

This guy could be a prime candidate to catch a cake to the zoomies just like my dog and

make it all the way up to the big leagues because I mean, this is a special, special,

special fastball.

I'd rather that not happen.

I'd like to be wrong and he just stays as a starting pitcher, but there is extreme

reliever risk and even if he's a reliever, he's going to be a really freaking nasty one.

And so with my second pick, I am going with AJ Russell and the third pick, I'm going

another reliever.

I mean, it's probably going to be like mostly relievers in all of this.

I'm going with Emilio on a Toyota.

I picked him last year.

He did not debut.

He was dealing with a lot of injuries.

The dude throws 102 and he's got a promising change up and probably maybe not the nasty

is breaking ball in the whole system, but like it's definitely up there.

And if he's healthy and if he's throwing the sane amount of strikes, I would like the

guy with that throws 102 miles an hour in this big league pen sooner as opposed to later.

Those are two good picks.

I had Russell on my list.

He was going to be in my next round of picks.

So again, it really depends on the Rangers being competitive, but if they are competitive,

and he's in his zone at all, that's normally called up in September for the stretch run.

Who is your second big with Santos?

Yeah.

Okay.

In the bullpen and stay on the 40 man, a guy who, if I had to guess, probably doesn't

do this here, but he's on the 40 man.

So he's got a shot.

I'm going to go with the Andre Lopez.

Oh, that was the next guy on my board.

Our boards are very sad at this point.

It's not an exciting draft board.

It's like a, we're picking 30th in the draft.

This is a guy who maybe, maybe he can play a defensive decision.

Maybe he can hit.

I don't know.

Let's just put it this way.

If this were the amateur draft, we're picking Kellen deGlin's and Jake's goals.

Whoa.

That's tough.

That's, that's tough.

Hey, I, I, these guys aren't, you know, going to be six from players, but these are solid

certain.

This is not a Kellen deGlin.

That's, that shot's fired, man.

So I'm fourth pick.

I'm going to go with David Davaleo.

Tough breaking balls.

He's a, he's a difficult bat in the Rangers really don't have a whole lot of starting

pitching depth.

So I'm, I'm banked on him, making a spot starter too.

And is he on the 40 man?

I think he might be.

He is.

He is on the 40 man roster.

So that's, that's a good pick for that.

I, I got to push back.

You keep saying they don't have depth.

I think they really do.

I, it may not be the best depth, like I think they've done enough, like I feel confident.

I mean, I know they did have a, like I, I am a little bit for, as a eight starter, I,

I am.

I mean, as an eight starter, yeah, I feel all right about that.

I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not the biggest Austin Gomer guy, but I'm not, I'm not

the, the lowest on him.

And you know what?

Cody Bradford's coming back at some point this year.

So like, I, yeah, that's going to be like,

legit, like six deep and although we did get officially news today as I'm recording

this like about an hour ago that rocker is officially the number five in this rotation

and that we will see Jacob Latz, the bullpen, like if you need a spot start from Latz, like

that's, that's seven solid guys with including Latz and Bradford and like, you can't really

always have like two full locations worth, but like I, I feel, I feel decent about that.

I do feel decent about the double EO pick.

I think he might end up making a debut anyway at some point this year because when you

have two 36 plus year old pictures in your rotation, banking on 30 starts from them,

not necessarily the most likely thing.

And you know what?

Come on rocker also has a pretty lengthy injury history as well, even if he is as awesome

as he's looked so far this spring.

So you so far have Gavin Collier, Winston St.

Charles Leandro Lopez and David Davaleo, I have Carter Bommler, AJ Russell and me

a lot of Toyota and I have got two picks left and I'm going to go for my next last

back.

I'm going to go with two guys that are position players.

That's right.

I am going to go with Cameron Collie for my fourth and penultimate pick.

I feel good about Collie getting a shot on this roster.

I am a much higher believer in the hit tool with Cam Collie than you are.

And even if he doesn't have a great hit tool, the guy can run into one.

He is an elite base dealer.

He is an elite defender at so many different premium positions.

He can work a decent enough at bat.

It's not going to be, you know, like one so to out there.

But like this is a guy with some loud tools and a great makeup guy.

Like just very much a baseball rat.

And so for that reason, I am putting him as my next last pick.

And with my last pick, because it is little bleak out there and maybe because I am just

the biggest believer in Sebastian Walcott of all time, I'm putting Sebastian Walcott as

my number five pick.

He's not coming back into August.

But hey, if the Rangers are in a stretch run and maybe who knows, maybe it's in the

postseason.

And he's just there as a DH to just run into one.

I don't know.

This is probably stupid.

But maybe I'm just that big a believer on Sebastian Walcott, doing the impossible and

making his debut this year.

Unfortunately, he didn't achieve his goal of being a big leader as a teenager.

He really wanted to do that.

And unless the season started, I believe it was about 10 days ago.

And he was healthy.

Then that was not happening.

Happy belated birthday, Sebastian Walcott.

I'm a believer in you.

Go make your big league debut as a DH while you can't throw it all because I am just that

much of a believer in the Bohemian sensation.

I love it.

I love it.

Call me was a good pick there, by the way.

Use on my list for my last spot.

So my last spot, I'm down to two relievers, Peyton Gray, who made quite an impression

in the spring.

I liked him at Frisco last year, too.

Not an overpowering guy, but good command, three decent pitches.

But what I'm probably going to do, do you remember who the rangers traded, Rudenette, a door

for?

I actually don't.

There's a couple of pieces.

First was an outfielder who slips my mind.

He was the bigger piece of the trade, but he didn't get out of A-Ball.

The second was a left handed reliever by the name of Robbie Austro.

No way.

That's who they traded him for.

Unless my memory is completely failing me, yes it is.

Your memory is unfortunately failing you.

He was traded for Antonio Cabello and Josh Nowers.

Wow.

Okay.

They both, they both, they both came for the Yankees, but all these guys came for the Yankees.

And I honestly completely forgot if they even traded him to the Yankees.

I remember that he was there, but I forgot that that was a trade.

Yep.

Austro was for Trevino.

Well, that's disappointing, but either way, it's still a great pull.

He's left handed.

He throws hard.

He's got a curveball and he's left handed.

So we're going to say that Robbie Austro, who has bigly caliber stuff, gets on a run

of throwing strikes and they need to left you in the bullpen.

And he's going to come in, he's going to have five wards of season.

Whoa, five wards, that's a big Robbie Austro guy here, I guess.

I think I believe in Robbie Austro more than Robbie Austro's dad believes in Robbie

Austro.

Wow.

That is a lot of belief in Robbie Austro.

And I respect you for believing so hard in him.

So to recap this debut on track, I have Carter Bommler, AJ Russell, I mean, I had a Toyota

camcally.

I think I have both these guys for the two years in a row.

And then Sebastian Walkup with my final pick.

Grant, you have Gavin Collier, Winston Santos, Leandro Lopez, David W Leo and Robbie

Austro.

All arms, no bats.

And with this form system, I think is probably a wise choice.

Honestly, part of me thought about maybe going with a Trevor Hover as that final, final

pick.

Maybe that would have been smarter.

It definitely would have been smarter than picking Sebastian Walkup.

But I just wanted to show how much of a band band believer I am that nothing will keep

this man down.

It's only internal brain surgery, who knows, maybe he'll even come back in June and he'll

be, you know, pumping, pumping 95 with his throws from, from shortstop, probably not.

That would probably be dangerous and stupid.

But who knows, this kid, the sky is limit with this kid.

The sky is limit with this team this year.

The floor is, well, lower than the sky this year.

But I think should be a very, very fun year, Grant.

It is always just a pleasure doing this debut on track.

I didn't realize how close these drafts were.

Now that we are even, this one is for bragging rights for at least a full year, coming back

and tying it.

I thought you would won this year's draft before I was doing the math as I was doing it,

like in my head.

But this is a fun addition yet again, and I like this new score and says, well, I think

it's more fair.

What about you?

No, I agree.

Otherwise, I would have picked like five rookie ball guys and just expected that your

guys would put up negative four on the whole.

You would have put up a Josh Owens prediction or a lorky guy's a lorky Rodriguez.

He's got to make his debut this year.

I promise.

I promise we're going to see a lorky go from the Dominican Summer League all the way to

the big leagues.

That would be one of the wildest stories in all of my league baseball.

I don't think that's going to happen, although I am a big a lorky Rodriguez guy.

I am a big big believer in Josh Owens, but still will be many debut haunt drafts until

we are picking those guys.

And Grant, thank you so much for joining me as always, my friend.

Thank you all so much for listening and subscribing.

Y'all, it's opening day.

We made it.

Thank you all so much for listening.

Until next time, don't forget to enjoy opening day baseball.

Water usually wins.

It warps in Rott's wood.

It pulls it apart bored by bored.

Unless you build with treks.

Treks marine grade decking is 100% submersible for docks.

Built to last, it resists Rott warping and decay in salt and fresh water.

For homeowners, that means care free days on the water, not constant maintenance.

For builders, it means trusted performance that minimizes callbacks.

Water has met its match, treks decking, performance engineered for your life outdoors.

Visit treks.com slash docs.

Snoring, gasping during sleep, feeling fatigued?

Wake up to Zeppbound, Terzeppetide.

The first and only FDA approved prescription medicine for moderate to severe obstructive

sleep apnea, OSA, and adults with obesity.

Zeppbound is an injectable prescription medicine that may help adults with moderate to severe

obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, and obesity to improve their OSA.

Zeppbound should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Zeppbound is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 milligram injection.

Zeppbound contains Terzeppetide and should not be used with other Terzeppetide-containing products

or any GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.

It is not known if Zeppbound is safe and effective for use in children.

Do not share needles or pens or reuse needles.

Don't take Zeppbound if allergic to it, or if you or someone in your family had medullary

thyroid cancer, or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2.

Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck.

Stop Zeppbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic

reaction.

Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gall bladder problems.

Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes, depression, or suicidal thoughts before

schedule procedures with anesthesia.

If you're nursing, pregnant, planned to be or taking birth control pills.

Taking Zeppbound with a sulfonoluria or insulin may cause a little blood sugar.

Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen

kidney problems.

Talk to your doctor.

Call 1-800-545-5979 or visit zeppbound.lily.com.

Zeppbound and its delivery device base in QuickPin are registered trademarks owned or licensed

by Eli Lilly and company.

It's subsidiaries or affiliates.

You're juggling a lot, but you can still squeeze in a financial plan.

With the Northwestern Mutual Financial Advisor as your partner, it's not only possible,

it's personalized.

So if you're tying the knot, closing on a house, or welcoming a little one, you'll be

ready for whatever life tosses your way.

It's the right time to feel less stressed and more certain.

That's a better way to money.

Let's get started at nm.com.

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin.