When the Texas Rangers start their play in the Arizona Fall League all eyes will be on this top hitting prospect.
Sometimes, smaller transactions can lead to significant success, as seen with Alejandro Osuna.
The Texas Rangers signed him for $125,000 in 2020 after he garnered interest from several teams, largely due to being the younger brother of former All-Star closer Roberto Osuna and the nephew of ex-MLB player Antonio Osuna. Now, he’s carving out his own path as he prepares for the Arizona Fall League, starting Monday.
Ranked as the Rangers’ No. 16 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Osuna will play for the Surprise Saguaros at the team’s spring training facility in Surprise. He will be joined by prospects from the Royals, Houston Astros, Cleveland Guardians, and Baltimore Orioles.
After three solid seasons in the Rangers’ minor league system, Osuna had a breakout year in 2024 with High-A Hickory and Double-A Frisco, earning the organization’s minor-league player of the year award. He finished the season with a slash line of .292/.362/.507/.869, hitting a career-high 18 home runs and driving in 61 RBIs, along with 17 stolen bases. MLB.com likened his playing style to New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo.
Among Texas minor leaguers with at least 300 at-bats, Osuna led in slugging percentage and OPS. After his promotion to Frisco on June 28, he improved his performance, posting a slash line of .306/.379/.523/.902 with nine home runs and 32 RBIs.
Though Osuna is likely at least a year away from contributing to the Rangers, a strong performance in the AFL could position him for a promotion to Triple-A Round Rock in 2025.
He’s not alone in heading to Arizona; he’s one of three top-30 Rangers prospects making the trip. Right-handed pitchers Josh Stephan (No. 25) and Skylar Hales (No. 29) will join him, along with infielder Max Acosta, third baseman Cody Freeman, left-handed pitcher Avery Weems, and right-handed pitchers Marc Church and Leandro Lopez.
The AFL kicks off on October 7. Since its inception in 1992, over 3,000 players have participated and eventually reached the Major Leagues. The Fall Stars game is scheduled for November 9 at Sloan Park, with the annual home run derby on November 8. The season wraps up on November 14, followed by a play-in semifinal game on November 15 at Scottsdale Stadium, and the championship game the next day at Salt River Fields.
