Lobus, 24, is one of several young relievers in Texas Rangers<\/a> camp who are in competition for one of the few available spots in the team\u2019s rebuilt bullpen. He went undrafted out of Mercer three years ago, signed with the Rangers that summer, moved quickly through the system and has compiled a 3.53 ERA in 165\u2154 professional innings. <\/p>\n \u201cHe is going to, in our opinion, help us at some point this season,\u201d Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. \u201cWhether it\u2019s early, breaking camp or not, that remains to be seen. He\u2019s got something about him that we really like.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s different from feedback than the kind he received during the 2022 and 2023 MLB drafts. Lobus, who had a 4.54 ERA in his junior season at Mercer and a 6.96 ERA in his senior season, was not picked in either. He entered the transfer portal and planned to play a fifth college season at UNC Charlotte before his agent called with news that the Rangers were interested. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s definitely something I\u2019ll carry with me for as long as I play this game,\u201d Lobus said. \u201cI\u2019ll keep that chip on my shoulder from it. No matter who we play, every night, every team passed on me.\u201d<\/p>\n He then paused and did the math. <\/p>\n \u201cFor two straight years,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was an interesting experience, for sure, but I\u2019m grateful to land with the Rangers. <\/p>\n Lobus pitched against one of the teams that passed on him Sunday afternoon. He threw a scoreless seventh inning vs. the Colorado Rockies in his Cactus League debut. He got catcher Braxton Fullard to fly out on three pitches and walked center fielder GJ Hill on six pitches before right fielder Benny Montgomery grounded into a double play on a sinker. <\/p>\n His slider \u2014 which Schumaker described as \u201creal\u201d \u2014 was the pitch that he fine-tuned with the help of minor league pitching coaches Julio Valdez and Thomas St. Clair after he joined the organization. It ran just 80 mph vs. the Rockies but carried 20 inches of horizontal break, per Statcast data, and is \u201cuncomfortable for righties\u201d according to Schumaker. <\/p>\n \u201cWe were all kind of on the same page trying to create some lift with the slider,\u201d Lobus said. \u201cIf I can create that lift with some sweep, it\u2019s kind of just a great look. I don\u2019t throw super hard, so, I have to play the angles game.\u201d <\/p>\n Lobus reached Double-A Frisco by the end of his first full professional season. He had a 3.48 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 45 games pitched almost exclusively out of Frisco\u2019s bullpen last season. He has not yet pitched above that level but will have a real chance to prove his big-league worth this spring<\/a> as the Rangers look to round out their bullpen. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the goal, to pitch in the big leagues and help this club,\u201d Lobus said. \u201cBut, right now, I\u2019m just really focused on trying to get a little better each day, taking care of my business and kind of seeing what happens from there.\u201d<\/p>\n Sunday ball with the boys: See photos from the Texas Rangers’ Cactus League affair with the Rockies<\/p>\n Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1771815382_112_3655LJBM3NA6FNUAHE73LJVLJM.jpg\")
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