Leody Taveras and the End of a Decade-Long Chapter in Texas
As the Texas Rangers turn the page on their 2025 season, it’s time to look back at the players who wore the uniform this year - and few stories are as layered as that of Leody Taveras. Once considered a cornerstone of the Rangers’ future, Taveras’ time in Texas came to an unceremonious end this past season. And while his career continues elsewhere, his chapter with the Rangers has officially closed.
Let’s rewind.
Taveras was more than just a name on the roster - he was a long-term investment. Signed nearly a decade ago, he was part of the organization before many of the current core even arrived.
His tenure predates names like Cole Hamels and Ian Desmond. He was there before Cole Ragans, Bubba Thompson, and Hans Crouse.
For a long time, Taveras wasn’t just in the Rangers’ system - he was symbolic of its future.
And for a while, it looked like that future might arrive.
There were flashes: a promising debut in 2020, a bounce-back in 2022, and then a legitimate breakout campaign in 2023 that had many - both inside and outside the organization - believing center field was locked down for years to come. His athleticism, switch-hitting ability, and defensive tools made him a tantalizing package.
Even when 2024 didn’t go as planned, there was still belief that the floor was a serviceable everyday starter - and the ceiling? Maybe even an All-Star.
But 2025 changed that narrative.
Taveras started the season with Texas but struggled mightily out of the gate. The plate discipline that had once shown signs of growth fell off a cliff.
In 82 plate appearances for the Rangers, he drew just two walks - a walk rate of 2.4%. His strikeout rate ballooned to 27.8%, a significant jump from the 21% range he’d hovered around the previous two seasons.
That’s the kind of walk-to-strikeout ratio that gets you benched - or worse, waived.
Despite the struggles, he somehow managed a .241/.259/.342 slash line during that stint, though the underlying metrics painted an even bleaker picture. His .261 wOBA was already below average, but his .205 xwOBA suggested he was actually overperforming.
A hard-hit rate of just 15.8% told the story of a hitter not making meaningful contact. He was popping up too often, swinging through too much, and not doing enough damage when he did connect.
Defensively, the metrics didn’t come to his rescue. While Defensive Runs Saved and Statcast didn’t fully agree on his outfield value, the consensus was clear: he wasn’t playing well enough in the field to justify the offensive struggles.
Texas made the call - they placed him on outright waivers. Whether the goal was to send him down or clear his $4.75 million salary off the books, the result was the same: the Seattle Mariners claimed him in May, ending his nearly 10-year run with the Rangers. Texas saved a few million, gained a $50,000 waiver fee, and moved on.
Seattle hoped for a turnaround, but it never came. His approach at the plate didn’t improve.
The walk and strikeout rates stayed in the same troubling range, and while he made slightly better contact, the results were even worse. In 86 plate appearances with the Mariners, he hit just .174/.198/.272.
A month later, Seattle designated him for assignment.
This time, he cleared waivers and was sent to Triple-A Tacoma.
In the Pacific Coast League, something clicked. Taveras rediscovered his strike zone discipline, walking 41 times and striking out just 57 in 372 plate appearances - the best K/BB ratio of his professional career.
He slashed .280/.358/.446 in Triple-A, showing enough at the plate to earn a major league deal with the Baltimore Orioles in November. In fact, he became the first player to sign a major league contract in this offseason’s free agency period - a small but notable distinction.
So while Taveras’ journey continues in Baltimore, the Texas chapter is closed. For nearly a decade, he was a fixture in the Rangers’ system - a prospect with promise, a player who showed flashes, and a reminder of how unpredictable player development can be.
The Leody Taveras era in Texas might not have ended the way many hoped, but it was a story worth telling - full of potential, perseverance, and ultimately, a parting of ways.
Next up in our offseason player review series: Gerson Garabito.