The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Top prospects crack lineups for Rangers, Brewers
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 will 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.
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 seven-time All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday was the first overall pick in the 2022 draft.
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.
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.