Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter looked like MLB's next superstar in the 2023 postseason. After playing only 23 regular season games, Carter made the playoff roster and slashed .300/.417/.500 across 17 postseason contests en route to helping Texas win the World Series. Injuries have limited him since, however, as Carter has yet to play in more than 63 games in a regular season. Carter is only 23 years old, though, and the Rangers are not giving up on him anytime soon.
“The plan for the Rangers, I talked to Chris Young about this, is they want him to be the everyday center fielder,” MLB insider Tom Verducci said during an appearance on MLB Network. “They'd rather not platoon him… He is at camp to win the job on an everyday basis. If he can't, if they need to platoon, maybe Wyatt Langford slides over to center. But right now, they love what they're seeing out of Evan Carter.”
Carter's performance has dwindled since his unbelievable 2023 run. It is difficult to find a rhythm while having playing time limited, though. Carter's potential suggests he can play at that 2023 level once again if he finds a way to stay healthy.
The Rangers believe they can reach the postseason this year. In a similar manner to Carter, Texas has not found the same level of success since the '23 World Series push. The current roster still features a high ceiling, though.
A healthy Evan Carter 2026 campaign would go a long way towards helping the Rangers make a postseason run once again.
