While the Rangers prepare to introduce Skip Schumaker as their next manager some time in the coming days, all week, we’ll glance around the roster at what happened, what solutions might be on hand, what questions might need to be answered. We’ll even grade it all out for the new skipper because we are always here to help.
Where to start? Well, let’s set the bar low: Catcher. Things can only look up after that.
Primary cast: Jonah Heim, Kyle Higashioka
What went right: Despite a number of minor, but nagging, injuries, Kyle Higashioka set career highs in games (94), batting average (.241), OBP (.291) and WAR (1.6), according to Baseball-Reference’s measure. And they were a winning team with him behind the plate, going 38-30 in his starts at catcher. That’s a playoff-caliber win percentage (.559). In addition, the pitchers thrived with him, too. They compiled a 3.16 ERA when he was behind the plate. He was a top-tier pitch framer, though his throwing and blocking were considered below average. The biggest issue with him was the Rangers would have liked to have him even more.
Rangers
What went wrong: Jonah Heim. Really, where did he go? Remember when he started the All-Star Game for the American League in 2023? Since that day, he has ranked 45th of 46 catchers (minimum 500 at-bats) in the site’s comprehensive metric at -42.3 below average. It’s basically a dead heat with San Francisco’s Patrick Bailey (-42.5). In addition, his pitch-framing, which ranked fourth in baseball in 2023, has steadily declined; he was below average in 2025, according to Statcast’s measurement. By contrast, Bailey didn’t hit, but he was the top framer in the league. The point: Heim didn’t add value on either side of the ball. And perhaps worst, his body language looked tortured the last two seasons, almost as if he did not enjoy playing. It was evident to teammates and staff alike.
What needs answering: Who will be the primary catcher in 2025? It’s all but certain that Heim won’t be back for a third turn through arbitration. He made $4.6 million in 2025 and the Rangers aren’t about to offer a raise off that. And it’s unlikely that Higashioka, who turns 36 next April, can take on a heavier load. He battled back and hamstring issues for much of the season. Getting 50-60 starts at catcher from him and another 25 or so at DH seems about the max. So, the Rangers are going to be hunting for ways to find a starter among the thinnest pool of talent at any position in the majors. J.T. Realmuto, who grew up outside of Oklahoma City, is an aging star who will be 35 next year. Victor Caratini is 32 with some good plate skills, but he made $6 million in 2025 and is likely due a raise.
One number says it all: .602 – Jonah Heim’s OPS over the last two seasons. It ranks 186th of 188 players with at least 800 plate appearances (averaging 400 per season) in that stretch. In every compartmentalized slash line category, at .217/.269/.334/.602, Heim ranks 183rd or worse. It was simply astounding ineffectiveness.
Prospects: Not great. Though the Rangers drafted more catchers in the 2024 draft, including first-rounder Malcolm Moore, than any previous draft, they don’t have anybody close to helping them at the major league level. Moore, at No. 11, was the only catcher in the organization’s top 30, according to MLB Pipeline. And No. 11 one-year in for a first-rounder isn’t great. His stock has fallen. He has a .604 professional OPS and offensive numbers for catchers are going to start taking on more weight with ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) creeping its way into the majors. Further down in the system, 19-year-old Josh Springer, a 12th-rounder in the 2024 draft, had a strong enough debut in the Arizona Complex League this year that he got a look at Class A before the year was out.
Summary: At least Heim gave the Rangers a pretty definitive answer about his future. After seemingly breaking out in 2023, he’s regressed dramatically in consecutive years. There was some question entering this season if 2024 was just a hangover from the World Series. No, it was not. It was all too sobering. The Rangers need to find a primary catcher in the majors, a veteran starter and backup for Triple-A capable of stepping in at the majors in case of injury. They have a clear picture of what they need. It’s bleak, but at least it’s clear.
Grade: D – And we’re being generous. The best thing that could be said about the position throughout the organization was that the major league backup had a nice year.
In Skip Schumaker, Rangers have manager who fits shift in offensive approach Texas needsFormer Ranger Robbie Grossman on Bruce Bochy: ‘One of the best I’ve ever been around’
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Click or tap here to sign up for our Rangers newsletter.