Derek Holland is the most successful pitcher the Rangers have drafted in the past ten years.

Here is the pitching dilemma facing the best team in the American League:

1. They have two types of relief pitchers, either really good or really bad (in all fairness, it’s a situation that is getting much better).

2. Their relief pitchers are really overworked.

3. Their relief pitchers are about to be taxed even more, because…

4. Three of their six starters are currently residing on the disabled list. And a fourth starter is just returning.

So, right now, the Rangers are faced with a crisis of pitching.

While they have one of the higher touted farm systems, their success with arms on the mound has not been very fruitful.

I thought it would be interesting to compile a list of every pitcher the Rangers have drafted since 2006, not counting the 2016 draft from a couple of weeks ago. So I did:

2006 Draft
Kasey Kiker
Jacob Brigham
Brennan Garr
Craig Crow
Kevin Angelle
Michael Ballard
John Maschino
Michael Wagner
Tyler Fleming
Brandt Walker
Cory Leubke
Robert McClain
Derek Holland
William Hall
Daniel Hoben
Adam Schaecher
Shannon Wirth
Austin Weilep
John Slusarz
John Labert
John Hollis
Gary Pointer
Christopher Dennis
Daniel Herrera
Ryan Ostosky
Patrick Donovan

2007 Draft
Blake Beavan
Michael Main
Neil Ramirez
Tommy Hunter 
Evan Reed
John Gast
Andrew Laughter
Anthony Ranaudo
Thomas Pomeranz
Hector Nelo
Josh Lueke
Ryan Tatusko
Erik Davis
Ryan Falcon
Benjamin Henry
Anton Maxwell
Gaspar Santiago
Daniel Huchingson
Brian Dupra
Bryan Salsbury
Hunter Hill
Tyler Fleming
Sean Meehan
Joey Rosas
Kristopher Jiggitts
Ryan Turner

2008 Draft
Robbie Ross
Tim Murphy
Joseph Wieland
Richard Bleier
Matt Thompson
Kevin Castner
Cliff Springston
Corey Young
Justin Gutsie
Justin Miller
Dustin Brader
Trever Hurley
Eric Evans
Tanner Roark
Charles Lowell
Charlie Robertson
Justin King
Tyler Tufts
Ryan Schlecht
Jack Armstrong
Matthew Andriese
Briand Feekin
Stephen Pryor
Cody Eppley
Alex Pepe
Truman Samples

2009 Draft
Matt Purke
Tanner Scheppers
Robbie Erlin
Andrew Doyle
Nick McBride
Branden Tullis
Tome Lemke
Johnny Gunter
Justin Jamison
Chad Bell
Keith Campbell
Paul Strong
Michael Schaaf
Jerome Werniuk
Chris Matlock
Sam Brown
Shawn Blackwell
Kevin Castner
Aaron Barrett
Derek Law
Charles Watson
Eddie Butler
Matt Carasiti
Charles Nading
Forrest Garrett
Shane Zegarac
Tyler Christman
Jered Grundy
Tyler Wiggins
Catlan Kendrick

2010 Draft
Luke Jackson
Cody Buckel
Justin Grimm
Jimmy Reyes
Zach Osborne
Chris Hanna
Nick Tepesch
Ryan Rodebaugh
Anthony Haase
Brett Weibley
Sean Wilson
Joe Van Meter
Ben Rown
Andres Perez-Lobo
Jacob Cole
Chase Johnson
Alex Claudio 
John Kukuruda
Trae Davis
Justin Earls
Steven McKinnon
Matt Hill
John Lieske
Ryan Woolley
Colby Killian
Shawn Stuart
Darly Norris
Daniel Ward
Forrest Koumas
Trevor Teykl

2011 Draft
Kevin Matthews
Will Lamb
Kyle Castro
Brandon Woodruff
Kyle Hendricks
Connor Sadzeck
Greg Williams
Andrew Faulkner
Jerad Eickhoff (traded for Cole Hamels)
Nick Martinez
Nathan Harsh
Chance Sossamon
Michael Mason
Jordan Remer
Ryan Bores
Kyle DeVore
Nick Sawyer
Phil Klein 
Sam Robinson
Taylor Dennis
Cy Sneed
Tucker Donahue
Josh Peterson
Joey Pankake
Kaleb Merck
Philip Pfeifer
Brandon Finnegan
Tyler Powell
Kevin Moriarty
Carl Edwards
Mick VanVossen
Kenneth Wiser

2012 Draft
Colin Wiles
Alec Asher
Cody Kendall
John Niggle
Casey Shiver
Eric Brooks
Keone Kela
Sam Stafford
Ryan Harvey
Tyler Smith
Josh McElwee
Jacob Lemoine
Coby Cowgill
Chase Johnson-Mullins
Austen Thraikill
Ryan Bores
Brandon Kuter
Zach Brill
Alex Young
Ryan Burr
Brad Stone
Sterling Wynn
Matt Withrow
Paul Schwendel

2013 Draft
Chi Chi Gonzalez 
Akeen Bostick
David Ledbetter
San Wolff
Nick Gardewine
Jose Samayoa
Cole Wiper
Derek Thompson
Jarred Smith
Cody Ege
Sean Labsan
David Gates
Ryan Ledbetter
Jackson Lamb
Luke Lanphere
Zachary Winn
Luis Pollorena
Chris Dula
Travis Dean
Ryan Williamson
Justin Sprenger
Joe Palumbo
John Straka
Easton Napiontek
Dakota Hudson
San Mendez

2014 Draft
Luis Ortiz
Brett Martin
Wes Benjamin
Nick Green
Erik Swanson
Scott Williams
Joe Watson
Gabe Gonzalez
Gio Abreu
Joe Filomeno
Reed Garrett
John Phillips
Sterling Wynn
Austin Pettibone
Jayce Vancena
Jason Hoppe
Chris Mathewson
Cody Palmquist
John Fasola
Andre Jackson
Adam Parks
Storm Rynard
Will Carter
Cody Chartrand
Tyree Johnson
Nick Dignacco

2015 Draft
Dillon Tate
Michael Matuella
Jacob Lemoine
Tyler Ferguson
Blake Bass
Peter Fairbanks
Adam Choplick
Tyler Phillips
Jason Richman
Luke Shilling
Tyler Davis
Ashotn Perritt
Demarcus Evans
Jacob Shortslef
Clyde Kendrick
Maikor Mora
J.D. Pelham
Joeanthony Rivera
Isaiah Carranza
Billy Layne Jr
Shea Murray

Drafting baseball talent is about as reliable as picking the winning Power Ball numbers. Drafting pitchers is even harder.

This might help explain why the Rangers are in full-court press mode trying to find more pitching.

In ten years of drafting, the Rangers have reaped the benefit of one reliable starting pitcher, Derek Holland. Of course, they used another one to land Cole Hamels. And they have had a few more that have made more than a few quality starts for the Rangers. But only Holland has cracked the rotation full time.

The point is, the Rangers are searching for pitching help from outside they system for one reason.

When you can’t develop it, you have to either trade for it or buy it.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

David Price (8-4, 4.24) vs. Nick Martinez (1-1, 5.14)
Game time: 7:05 pm

How the Red Sox hit against Martinez.
How the Rangers hit against Price.