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It seems the Texas Rangers are rediscovering the potential of pitcher Carl Edwards Jr., as both sides have reunited more than a decade after their first connection. On Tuesday, the Rangers signed the veteran right-hander to a minor league contract, assigning him to Triple-A Round Rock to strengthen the organization's pitching depth.
The 33-year-old returns to the franchise that initially selected him in the 48th round of the 2011 MLB Draft following his high school career at Prosperity High School in South Carolina. Ranked as the club's No. 13 prospect by Baseball America in 2013, Edwards never made his MLB debut with Texas. That same year, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs as part of the deal for pitcher Matt Garza.
Edwards enjoyed his best years in the majors with the Cubs, appearing in parts of four seasons and winning a World Series title in 2016. From 2019 to 2025, he played for seven MLB teams, recording a 3.59 ERA and seven saves over 283 innings pitched.
Injuries and limited time at the significant league level have slowed his production efforts in those latest seasons. Edwards appeared in just two games with the Los Angeles Angels when he was assigned for assignment in April 2025. After choosing free agency, Edwards returned to the Tigres de Quintana Roo in the Mexican League, a league conducive to hitters.
While with the Tigres, Edwards transitioned from reliever to starter, throwing 14 starts and 74 2/3 innings with a 3.38 ERA, 18.9% strikeout rate, and 7.5% walk rate. Given the league average ERA of 5.90, his overall effort was very productive, and he would be a good addition to the Valley Round Rock Triple-A rotation.
The Rangers' Triple-A pitching staff has thinned considerably this year following the departures of several arms. Adrian Houser was released in May, Gerson Garabito left for Korea in June, and Dane Dunning was traded to Atlanta last week. With multiple starters now gone, Edwards — capable of handling various innings — arrives at a key moment for Round Rock.
This transition is a complete circle for Edwards, as he returns to the organization where he started his professional career and, at this point, comes back as a guy who hopes to improve the Texas Rangers' pitching depth.
