Marc Church

Church drew some buzz last spring after Rangers' brass identified him as a potential closer candidate for the 2025 campaign. While the 24-year-old broke camp with Texas, he struggled to throw strikes in the early going, posting a 5:6 K:BB over 4.2 frames. This resulted in a quick demotion to the minors, but an oblique injury delayed Church until late-May. Once healthy, the 6-foot-3 righty struggled for Triple-A Round Rock, issuing nine walks across 4.2 innings until right elbow inflammation essentially ended his season (he returned for one appearance in September). During his time with the Rangers, the relief prospect showed roughly the same velocity on his pitches as in 2024 and used his 87 mile-per-hour slider slightly more often than his 96 mph fastball. With his elbow injury behind him, Church could factor into the Rangers' high-leverage mix for 2026 as long as he demonstrates improved command. Read Past Outlooks