Texas’ Wyatt Langford and Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio will open the season in the majors. Jackson Holliday – the exciting young Baltimore Orioles infielder – won’t be joining them in the big leagues just yet.
The Rangers announced Langford would open the season with them and the Brewers did the same with Chourio, while the Orioles reassigned Holliday to their minor league camp.
Langford, 22, entered Friday with a .388 average, 446 on-base percentage, six homers, and 19 RBIs in 49 Cactus League at-bats. The Rangers selected the outfielder out of the University of Florida with the fourth overall pick in last year’s amateur draft.
Chourio, who turned 20 on March 11, agreed to an $82 million, eight-year contract during the offseason despite having played only six games above Double-A. He hit .283 with a .338 on-base percentage, 22 homers, 91 RBIs, and 44 steals in 128 games while playing Double-A and Triple-A ball last season.
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Heading into Friday, Chourio was hitting .280 with a .333 on-base percentage, no homers, and three RBIs in 50 Cactus League at-bats.
Holliday, 20, entered Friday having gone 6 for 14 with two homers, six RBIs, and two steals in Grapefruit League action. The son of former seven-time All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday was the first overall pick in the 2022 draft.
Holliday batted .323 with a .442 on-base percentage, 12 homers, 75 RBIs, and 24 steals in 125 games for four minor league teams from the Class A to Triple-A levels last season. He primarily played second base and shortstop while also making two appearances at third base.
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Baltimore has until April 11 to promote Holliday and be eligible for a prospect promotion pick at the end of the first round of the 2025 amateur draft, such as were earned by Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez in 2022 and Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and Arizona’s Corbin Carroll last year.
A highly-ranked eligible prospect earns a pick for his team for winning Rookie of the Year or finishing among the top three in Cy Young or MVP voting.
RANGERS SIGN MICHAEL LORENZEN
Right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen, an All-Star last season, has joined the Rangers on a $4.5 million, one-year deal that includes $2.5 million in performance bonuses for innings.
The Rangers made room for Lorenzen on the roster by putting right-hander Jacob deGrom on the 60-day injured list as he recovers from surgery to his throwing elbow.
Lorenzen went 9-9 with a 4.18 ERA in 29 games with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies last season.
TIGERS OPTION MATT MANNING
The Detroit Tigers optioned right-hander Matt Manning to Triple-A Toledo. Manning, 26, went 5-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 15 starts last season.
This decision likely means the Tigers will open the season with a rotation including Tarik Stubal, Kenta Maeda, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize and Reese Olsen.
METS PRAISE JD MARTINEZ SIGNING
New York Mets players praised the team's agreement with J.D. Martinez on a $12 million, one-year deal, which is subject to a successful physical.
Martinez, 36, batted .271 with 33 homers and 103 RBIs in 113 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.
“His IQ at the dish is through the roof,” Mets first baseman Pete Alonso told reporters. “He’s one of those guys that I consider to be like a hitting savant.”
BREWERS SEND AARON ASHBY, JOEY WIEMER TO MINORS
Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby will continue his comeback from a major shoulder injury in the minors.
The Brewers announced Friday they had optioned Ashby and outfielder Joey Wiemer to Triple-A Nashville.
Ashby missed the 2023 season after arthroscopic shoulder surgery but has pitched in two Cactus League games this spring training. The 25-year-old went 2-10 with a 4.44 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings in 2022.
Wiemer, 25, batted .204 with a .283 on-base percentage, 13 homers, 42 RBIs and 11 steals in 132 games as a rookie last season. Chourio joins a group in Milwaukee that includes Christian Yelich, Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick, who also has been working out at third base.
