Does Texas have MLB’s best infield with Corey Seager at SS?

Thanks to the MLB owner-imposed lockout, the Rangers will not report to spring training Feb. 14, as had been the original schedule. Nevertheless, we begin preparation for the start of camp, whenever that may be. Our daily, position-by-position look around the Rangers roster as it sits with construction stalled:

SHORTSTOP

Likely starter: Corey Seager

On the bench: Isiah Kiner-Falefa

Surveying the market: Seager, signed for $325 million, was the market. The Rangers chose him over Trevor Story and Carlos Correa in the mega-free agent free-for-all.

What happened in 2021: As they did with Nick Solak at second base, the Rangers cleared the decks of obstacles by trading Elvis Andrus to give Kiner-Falefa a true full-season audition at shortstop. Kiner did what he’s always done: Played strong defense but was below average on offense. And despite the defensive responsibilities at short, it’s still an offensive position these days. League average OPS for the position was .736; Kiner produced a .670. It ranked 24th of 26 qualifiers at the position. The Rangers needed more offense.

What’s new for ‘22: Seager is a game-changer. Over the course of his career, which dates to 2015, Seager’s .870 OPS is 22nd in baseball (minimum 2,000 plate appearances). He is the only middle infielder at that level. There are questions if he will remain at shortstop throughout his 10-year contract, but this is about 2022, not 2026. The biggest concern: Durability. He played 636 of the Dodgers’ 901 (70.5%) games since he made his MLB debut on Sept. 3, 2015. That equates to an average of about 114 games per 162-game season.

By the numbers: Seager went into 2021 as the all-time leader in homers at Globe Life Field with 8 in just 77 plate appearances during the inaugural 2020 season and postseason.

On the farm: The Rangers are thick with middle infielders who could play multiple infield positions. Davis Wendzel, Josh Smith, Maximo Acosta, Jonathan Ornelas and Luisangel Acuña are all shortstop prospects who could arguably be in the team’s top 30 prospects. Wendzel and Smith are advanced, while Acuña and Acosta are still teenagers. And former first-rounder Chris Seise, a bundle of tools, is still hanging around, and could explode if he can ever stay healthy.

What it means: With Seager and Semien, the Rangers could have the majors’ best middle infield. Semien’s ability to play short — and the presence of Isiah Kiner-Falefa — means the Rangers should be well-covered for almost any contingency. There will be MVP-caliber expectations attached to Seager. That is a lot to live up to.

2022 Rangers positional analysis

Catcher | First base | Second base | Shortstop | More coming soon…

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