The Texas Rangers just completed their 2018 draft last week but it's interesting to look back one year at how the top 2017 draftees are doing.

First round (26) —  Bubba Thompson, OF, age 20 (Thompson is slashing 287/350/479 with eight doubles, two homers and 15 RBIs in 24 games at full-season Class A Hickory. He has 7 SB without getting caught.)

First round (29) — Chris Seise, SS, 19 (Seise hit .284 with two teams last season but struck out 60 times in 51 games; would have likely played at Hickory this year but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury)

Second round (66) — Hans Crouse, RHP, 19 (Crouse was simply unhittable in Arizona last fall, striking out 30 and allowing just 7 hits in 20 innings; he should start short-season Class A ball soon)

Third round (104) — Matthew Whatley, C, 22 (Whatley, from Claremore, Oklahoma, hit .295 in 44 games after signing last year. Known for his defense and he's struggling at 175/243/291 in the Class A Advanced Carolina League. His two home runs have come in the past nine games)

Fourth round (134) —  Ryan Dease, RHP, 19 (Went 3-1 with a 2.05 ERA in Arizona last fall; hasn't started his 2018 season yet)

Fifth round (164) — Jake Latz, LHP, 22 (Only thrown 2.2 innings as a pro so far)

Eighth round (254) — Tyreque Reed, 1B. 21 (Was impressive with .455 on-base and .617 slugging in 120 at-bats in Arizona last fall; slashing 206/270/422 at Hickory in 28 games and 102 at-bats. Does have 12 extra-base hits and just nine singles)

30th round — Ryan Dorow, SS, 22 (Has moved to second at Hickory but has adjusted well as he's at 265/327/427. Has 6 homers after not going deep in 41 games a year ago)

 

Dodgers batter Colon in 8-2 win over Texas


LOS ANGELES (AP) — After muddling their way through the first two months of the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers are hitting their stride in June.
Joc Pederson, Max Muncy and Yasiel Puig homered off ageless wonder Bartolo Colon, and the defending NL champions broke loose for seven runs in the fourth inning to rout the last-place Texas Rangers 12-5 on Tuesday night and improve to 8-2 this month.
Los Angeles moved two games above .500 for the first time this season.
The Dodgers pounded out 16 hits in taking their second straight game.
"We're taking a lot of good swings," manager Dave Roberts said.
Colon, the 45-year-old right-hander, has allowed 19 homers this season. He recorded his 2,500th career strikeout against Muncy in the first.
Colon (3-4) got tagged for season highs in runs (eight) and hits (nine) over 3 1/3 innings after tossing at least five innings in 10 of 11 starts. He was trying to break a tie with Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for most wins by a Dominican-born pitcher — they both have 243.
"They took advantage of me. They got heated up good," Colon said through a translator. "That's what happened, so I couldn't do (anything). They were very aggressive and I couldn't hold them."
The Rangers lost their season high-tying fifth in a row in their first visit to Dodger Stadium since 2015. Adrian Beltre had an RBI single for the Rangers, and Shin-Soo Choo homered leading off the fifth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: SS Elvis Andrus will be the designated hitter and play seven innings in the second game of a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Wednesday.
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler went on the 10-day DL with a right rib microfracture, an injury sustained when he was hit by a 108 mph line drive by Colorado's Trevor Story on May 21. ... LHP Clayton Kershaw (lower back strain) threw a bullpen, and a simulated game will occur soon. "He's reassured me he feels great," Roberts said. ... LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (left groin strain) threw a bullpen.
BELTRE AND ICHIRO
With two hits, Beltre tied Ichiro Suzuki for 21st place on the career list at 3,089.


NEXT FIVE

Wednesday – Texas Rangers (Cole Hamels 3-6, 3.86) at Los Angeles Dodgers (Kenta Maeda, 4-4, 3.61), 9:05 p.m., FSSW

Friday – Colorado Rockies (Chad Bettis, 4-1, 4.40) at Texas Rangers (Mike Minor, 4-4, 5.65), 7:10 p.m., FSSW

Saturday – Colorado Rockies (Kyle Freeland, 6-6, 3.68) at Texas Rangers (Matt Moore, 1-5, 7.88), 3:05 p.m., FSSW

Sunday – Colorado Rockies (Jon Gray, 6-6, 5.66) at Texas Rangers (Bartolo Colon 3-3, 4.16), 2:05 p.m., FSSW

Monday– Texas Rangers (Cole Hamels 3-6, 3.86) at  Kansas City Royals (Ian Kennedy 1-6, 5.76), 7 p.m., FSSW