Texas Rangers: Delino DeShields, Not Done Yet

Delino DeShields, the 2015 Texas Rangers Rookie of the Year, will be a key cog in the Rangers machine this season.

Delino DeShields, the Texas Rangers leadoff man and starting centerfielder, has come a long ways in just 13 months. Acquired via Rule V Draft, the Rangers plucked the slow developing prospect from the Houston Astros minor league system. Added as a low-risk/high-reward player, the Rangers took a swing and found a gem.

Now, just weeks away from spring training, Delino is going to be instrumental in the Texas Rangers plans to repeat as AL West Champs. Expectations have now risen. Such are the costs of batting .261, with two home runs , 37 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in his 121 games with the Rangers.

No one would have seen this coming a year ago. Leonys Martin was the starting centerfielder and the early favorite to lock down the leadoff spot in the lineup. He had great speed, strong defense, an amazing arm, and some bat potential. But after injuries, poor plate discipline, and overall underwhelming execution, the Rangers gave DeShields a shot.

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Delino Deshields made the jump from Texas franchises as well as a jump from Double-A to the majors last season. Not quite the caliber of outfielder that Martin was, Delino was spectacular in the leadoff role. His .331 OBP as the leadoff hitter is on par with Elvis Andrus’ rookie year (.338) and his 13 walks were a sign of his maturity and plate discipline.

Fun Fact: As SportsDay’s Evan Grant pointed out in November:

"“Among the 211 players with at least 400 plate appearances in 2015, only Joey Votto, a former MVP, swung at pitches outside the zone at a lower rate (19.3 percent) that DeShields (20.0 percent).”"

Delino’s 12 hits off of bunts were particularly impressive since bunts are inherently sacrificial in nature. The Texas Rangers have been searching for a smart, patient, and lightning-quick leadoff man for some time now, and Delino DeShields seems to be the man for the foreseeable future. These thoughts made obvious by the trading of Leonys Martin this winter.

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Texas Rangers’ Manager, Jeff Banister, was recently asked which player will be the 2016 breakout version of Delino DeShields.

To which Banister replied, “Delino DeShields”.

These are words that indicate Delino DeShields has only scratched the surface of his potential. He made a very significant move up from Double-A last season and was relied on in two very important roles (CF and leadoff). Through it all he never flinched.

Delino DeShields is never going to be a power hitter but he can improve on his already impressive plate discipline. He’s never going to have a plus arm (maybe never average, really), but he can improve on his angles and reaction time in the field.

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Delino DeShields (who is not technically a “Jr” since his middle name is different from his father’s) will need to pick up where he left off last season. The Texas Rangers currently have their eggs in his basket and seem optimistic about his future, but keep in mind, they felt all of that about Leonys Martin at this time last year as well.

The Texas Rangers are thin in proven commodity outfielders this year and with only James Jones behind him, Delino will need to rise to the increased expectations if the Texas Rangers hope to repeat (and build upon) their 2015 success.

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The Texas Rangers do have an exciting prospect on the rise in Lewis Brinson. The 21-year-old centerfielder is probably about a year away, but at 6’3” 170lbs and with a .601 slugging percentage, the Rangers have reason to be excited. He has the arm, the bat, and all the potential to be a star, but his existence will have nothing to do with the 2016 Texas Rangers.