Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter is one of those players that Rangers manager Skip Schumaker hopes can really make a difference in 2026.

Even before the team reaches Spring Training down in Port Charlotte, Fla., Schumaker has some things that he wants to see from Carter. Carter, a left-handed batter for the Rangers, hasn’t been known as someone who hits left-handed pitchers consistently.

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For Schumaker, that’s an issue that he wants to see improvement upon from Carter.

“I think he understands that and he’s out to prove that he can play against lefties,” Schumaker said last week at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., according to Texas Rangers on SI. “But you have to give him a little bit of an opportunity to produce.”

Last season, Carter hit five home runs and had 25 RBIs while hitting .247. Carter also stole 14 bases, showing that he has a mix of power, speed, and agility that the Rangers just love.

Carter, though, has been getting over a fractured wrist. Rangers general manager Ross Fenstermaker believes that Carter should be ready to rock when Spring Training comes around.

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If Carter can put up some consistent numbers across the board next season, then the Rangers will welcome him as a big producer for the ballclub.

The SI article pointed out some striking statistics about Carter hitting left-handed pitchers versus right-handed pitchers. Take a look at his numbers against lefties: 23 at-bats with a slash line of .087/.250/.087 with just one RBI. What about righties? A completely different story. Five homers, 24 RBIs in 171 at-bats, and a slash line of .269/.349/.433.

That’s one whale of a difference for Carter.

Schumaker wants those numbers to come out in a more balanced way. Should Carter be able to bring up those numbers against lefties, then it’s probably going to get him more at-bats from Schumaker. But if Carter struggles against them, then Schumaker will have to put into effect a platoon system.

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He’d have to make sure whoever plays center field when Carter isn’t in there can put up some quality ABs for the Rangers.

In 2026, Carter and the Rangers want to get back into the MLB postseason conversation. As has been mentioned at Rangers Roundtable, the Rangers have two big stumbling blocks facing them: the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros.

Those two teams have dominated the American League West Division for some time. Of course, when the Rangers won the World Series back in 2023, they had the upper hand over both teams.

Schumaker has been brought into the dugout to bring a new mindset, a new attitude, a new way of playing on the field. It’s going to be interesting to see how Carter plays into Schumaker’s plans for next season.

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