The Rangers are finally seeing the potential in Nomar Mazara. They had to trade him get it.
His name is Steele Walker, a 23-year-old left-handed hitting center fielder acquired from the White Sox organization for Nomar Mazara.
Walker, a graduate of Prosper High School and Oklahoma University, was selected in the second round by Chicago in the 2018 draft and spent 2019 in Class-A. He hit .284, with an on-base average of .361. He hit 36 doubles, five triples and ten home runs in 457 at-bats, even stealing thirteen bases.
The Rangers like him for his well-rounded offense.
This trade opens right field for Joey Gallo.
Mazara was a victim of being too many of the same on the Rangers roster. Too many corner outfielders, too many left-handed bats, too many underacheiving players. He was, perhaps, the biggest underachiever of them all, one time considered to be the Rangers star of the future.
Unfortunately, Mazara never took that next step. He was not elite or anywhere in the zip code of elite so a Single-A prospect like Steele Walker was the best they could hope for in exchange.
You can’t have too many prospects. Odds are one of them will eventually materialize. Mazara was never able to. Maybe one day Walker will.
After all, with a name like Steele Walker he is destined to be an action hero or a baseball hero. Or both.
Good luck in Chicago, Nomar.
Welcome to the Rangers organization, Steele.
(*apologies for the easy pun.)