The Texas Rangers have a somewhat checkered history when it comes to their first-round picks in the Major League Baseball draft.

For instance, 18 of them never made it to the Majors, dating back to Johnny Jones in the Washington Senators days in 1967. A few, such as this year’s first-round pick, Gavin Fein, still have plenty of time to get there.  

Here, we rank the worst five draft picks in Rangers history based on bWAR, or wins above replacement, at baseball-reference.com. Players that never made the Majors were not considered. To qualify, the draft pick must have played at least 100 games in the Majors.  

Monty Fariss (1988, -0.2 bWAR)A Texas Rangers cap and baseball mitt sit on the dugout steps during a game against the Athletics at Globe Life Field.

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Fariss played his college baseball at Oklahoma State, same as another Rangers first-round pick, Pete Incaviglia. Texas selected the shortstop No. 6 overall, and he reached the Majors in 1991. He played in 104 MLB games, including 18 more with the then-Florida Marlins in 1993. He slashed .217/.311/.332 with four home runs and 29 RBI.

Bubba Thompson (2017, -0.6 bWAR)Texas Rangers left fielder Bubba Thompson takes a lead off of second base

Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Thompson was a star football and baseball player in high school before the Rangers selected him No. 26 overall out of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile, Ala. Thompson, considered one of the fastest players in the game, made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Rangers and spent part of the 2024 season with the Cincinnati Reds. In 109 MLB games the outfielder has slashed .232/.273/.295 with one home run and 13 RBI. Now 27 years old, he could play his way off this list one day.

Jason Romano (1996, -1.4 bWAR)A view of the Texas Rangers logo on the field before the game

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The Rangers made Romano, a third baseman, the No. 39 overall pick in the draft, which was a supplemental pick. He was drafted out of Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Fla. He reached the Majors in 2002 with the Rangers, but he eked out a four-year career with five different teams, ending with the Cincinnati Reds in 2005. In 129 games he slashed .204/.257/.277 with two home runs and 12 RBI.

Mike Olt (2010, -1.5 BWAR)Chicago White Sox third baseman Mike Olt hits a two run home run

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Another compensatory pick, Olt, a third baseman, was selected with the No. 49 selection in the draft out of the University of Connecticut. He made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Rangers. After he wasn’t in the Majors in 2013, he played two more seasons with the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox. In 135 games, he slashed .168/.250/.330 with 16 home runs and 43 RBI.

Lewis Brinson (2012, -3.8 bWAR)San Francisco Giants center fielder Lewis Brinson gets ready in the dugout before the start of the game

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Brinson, an outfielder, was taken with the No. 29 pick in the draft out of Coral Springs High School in Coral Springs, Fla. Brinson never played for the Rangers. He was traded to Milwaukee in 2016 and made his MLB debut there in 2017. He also played for the Marlins and the San Francisco Giants, with his last MLB game in 2022. He played in 357 games and slashed .198/.246/.328 with 28 home runs and 109 RBI.

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