Texas Rangers: Johnathan Taylor Will Not Sign With the Team

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The Texas Rangers brought first round draft picks Kevin Matthews and Zach Cone to Turner Field in Atlanta to meet the players prior to their game against the Braves.

Another player who joined Matthews and Cone was 33rd round pick, Johnathan Taylor, who was paralyzed from the waist down after a collision with Cone, his teammate at Georgia.

Taylor was able to meet some of the Ranger players on Saturday and according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, received the lions' share of attention from the media who were there.



Picture courtesy: Associated Press

He made the announcement that he would not be signing with the Rangers but instead would be staying in school to finish his degree and continue his rehab. Georgia baseball coach Dave Perno told Wilson the team hopes Taylor can be with the team next season and travel with them as a student manager.

"I don't know if there are very many people who could handle it the way he has," Perno said over the weekend. "One way or the other he'll be in the dugout whenever he wants. You just want him around your team."

The Rangers, on the other hand, have every intention of supporting Taylor and even went so far as to say they hope he can have a position with the club when he is ready to talk to them about it.

A.J. Preller, Senior Director of Player Personnel for the Texas Rangers, said of Taylor, "going forward we'll be there to support him in any way possible. His goal is to get better every day, and that's the goal that we talk about to our players. That's where it's a very good fit."

It's an incredible gesture by the Rangers to not only draft him but to let him know he has a spot with the team when he is ready to move to that part of his life.

"Right now my goal is to get better in rehab, focus on trying to get my legs back up under me again. Start walking, running, and get back up on that field again," Taylor told WSB-TV in Atlanta.

Texas Rangers Notes: Lewis, Matthews, Cone, Rodriguez, Scheppers

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Colby Lewis Finally Gets it Right

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Texas Rangers' right hander Colby Lewis couldn't have picked a better time to finally have a good outing for his team.

After giving up 15 earned runs in his last two combined starts (4.2 IP), Lewis came out and had a solid outing against the Atlanta Braves, giving up just two runs and striking out 10 through six and two-third innings in a 6-2 Rangers' win. A win this team desperately needed after dropping seven of their last nine going into Friday night's game.

This is the kind of start Lewis needs to be able to carry a little bit of momentum and confidence into his next outing which will likely come at home against the Houston Astros next week.

Rangers Sign Both First Round Picks

On Friday afternoon, the Texas Rangers made the announcement they had reached an agreement with their two first round draft picks, right hander Kevin Matthews and outfielder Zach Cone.

Matthews, a right hander from Richmon Hill High School in Georgia. Thought to be a solid commit to the University of Virginia, word quickly spread that Matthews had every intention of signing with the team. He made good on those rumors, signing for $936,000 and will report to the Arizona Rookie League.

The other first round pick the team was able to sign on Friday was former Georgia Bulldog outfielder, Zach Cone. You might remember Cone was involved in a collision with teammate Johnathan Taylor on March 6th that left Taylor partially paralyzed with a broken neck.

Not only did the Rangers draft Cone but they also surprised Taylor by drafting him as well. Cone signed on Friday for $873,000 and will report to Class A Spokane.



Francisco Rodriguez a Possible Target



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It's well known the Rangers will be one of those teams looking to add pitching depth at or before the trade deadline at the end of July. With that date quickly approaching, the list of names this team could be interested in has grown by the day.



We have heard the likes of San Diego Padres' closer Heath Bell, Washington Nationals' relievers Todd Coffey and Tyler Clippard, and Kansas City Royals' closer Joakim Soria just to name a few.

But one other name who has been mentioned is former Los Angels Angels' and current New York Mets' closer, Francisco Rodriguez. You might know Rodriguez as the young star with the Angels who came in to a game against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series and made them look like little leaguers at the plate.



Rodriguez is currently 1-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 19 saves on the season but has given up almost as many runs this season (12) as he gave up all of last season (14).

Tanner Scheppers Re-Activated



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Though the Rangers will look for bullpen help as well as another starter at the trade deadline, they may not have to look any further than their own minor league system for a pitcher who can make an immediate impact.

Tanner Scheppers is one of the top pitching prospects in the Rangers system and had been just one move away from the big leagues at Triple-A Round Rock.

Unfortunately, Scheppers struggled before going on the disabled list with a back injury.

On Friday, the young right hander was re-activated by the team and sent to Double-A Frisco to join the RoughRidgers' bullpen. According to general manager Jon Daniels, it might be awhile before Scheppers makes his way up the ladder again. "Coming off the injury, we want Tanner to get his routine down before we challenge him at a higher level," he told Jeff Wilson of the Star Telegram.

2011 MLB Draft: Texas Rangers Draft Kevin Matthews, Zach Cone on Day One

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On Monday night, Major League Baseball opened day one of the 2011 first year player draft and the Texas Rangers would have just two picks on day one.

They went with high school left hander Kevin Matthews, who seems committed to playing baseball at the University of Virginia, and outfielder Zach Cone from the University of Georgia. A pick which seemed to draw more questions and laughs than approval.

LHP Kevin Matthews (5'11" 180 lbs) - Richmond Hills HS

Matthews is a small for a pitcher at 5 feet 10 and 160 pounds, but he can dunk a basketball. His fastball was timed as high as 94 mph this year, but it was usually in the 88-90 mph range.

Comparisons for Matthews range from Rangers' minor-league lefthanders Kasey Kiker and Robbie Ross to former major-league closer Billy Wagner. Matthews may have to move into the bullpen. -- Gerry Fraley, Dallas Morning News

Smaller frame with some present strength. Well paced delivery with clean easy arm circle, accelerates well to the plate, quick arm through release, bit cross bodied, 3/4's release point, repeats mechanics very well.

Steady 88-90 mph fastball gets on hitters quickly, big sweeping mid 70's curveball with very good size/depth, nice sink on change up. Good feel for all his pitches and how to locate. Should dominate left handers at the next level and be immediately successful. -- Perfectgame.org


Richmond Hill [HS] finished the season with an 11-11 record, but Matthews earned All-Greater Savannah honors for the second year in a row by compiling a 4-2 record with a 1.68 ERA. He struck out 94 batters in just 41 2/3 innings. -- Dennis Knight, Savannah Morning News


OF Zach Cone (6'2" 205 lbs) - University of Georgia

Cone looks as good in the uniform as any college position player in this year's draft but the tools have never translated into on-field performance. He has bat speed and upper-body strength, but doesn't keep his head steady and has long had trouble recognizing off-speed stuff.

He's an above-average runner who should be fine in left or right field in pro ball but needs to work on his reads. His spring was also affected after he collided with another Georgia outfielder, Jonathan Taylor, who was left partially paralyzed by the accident. -- ESPN Scouting Report


Cone hit .275 in 2011 for the Bulldogs with four home runs and 12 doubles. He led Georgia in steals with 13 out of 16 attempts.

Cone won Georgia's triple crown in 2010, hitting .363 with 10 home runs and 53 RBIs. -- Travis L. Brown, ESPN


Cone is a righthanded hitter who is considered to be a quality athlete, with good speed and defense in centerfield, but questions about his ability to hit.  Cone has been a sub-.300 hitter at Georgia this year, and his scouting report makes him sound like a more athletic version of another supplemental first rounder the Rangers took out of the SEC, Tennessee centerfielder Julio Borbon. -- Adam Morris, Lone Star Ball