Lowe could technically also play third, but the fact is that neither guy is really suited for the other position. In theory, you could keep both if GuzmГЎn could also play outfield. Of course, youвЂ™re running the risk of disenfranchising Lowe, for whom you just traded a pretty good package of prospects. The Rangers could start the season with GuzmГЎn on a вЂњlast chanceвЂќ basis, since - and this is important - Lowe has minor-league options and GuzmГЎn doesnвЂ™t. But Ronald GuzmГЎn has come into camp a completely revitalized player. The process of elimination, position-player starters:ДЇirst base: this seemed like a done deal when the Rangers traded for Nate Lowe and publicly acknowledged that they expected him to win the starting job. That means weвЂ™ve locked in 10 out of 26 positions, leaving 38 players vying for 16 roster spots. One of Nate Lowe or Ronald GuzmГЎn is certain to be on the roster, but neither is a lock just yet. Or Willie Calhoun or Nick Solak, since they each have option years left and that might make the difference in a tight squeeze. But I canвЂ™t (for example) put David Dahl here, since itвЂ™s not impossible that he might need a little more time on the IL as his shoulder recovers. See? Three position players are locked in. Position players (3): (C) - Jose Trevino (INF) - Isiah Kiner-Falefa (OF) - Joey Gallo I considered adding Kyle Cody and Taylor Hearn, and theyвЂ™ll probably still make the roster, but a scenario exists - unlikely as it might be - where one or both would start the season at the alt site or Triple A. On the fringe: Joely Rodriguez, who would be a shoo-in if not for an ankle injury delaying his spring. Pitchers (7): Kohei Arihara, Dane Dunning, Mike Foltynewicz, Kyle Gibson, Jonathan HernГЎndez, JosГ© Leclerc, Brett Martin Of course, this is assuming no injuries, which is never a good bet to make, but cвЂ™mon - itвЂ™s not like weвЂ™re going to make guesses about what injuries are coming down the pipeline.

These are the guys who would appear to be in no danger whatsoever of being left off the Opening Day roster. No, they are almost definitely not going to be on the Opening Day roster, since the minor leagues exist this year (we think), and they both need a bit more development before theyвЂ™re ready to take the reins at the big-league level.Д¬ool, that gets us down to вЂ¦ 48. Yes, Apostel and Tejeda made their big-league debuts last year. Position players (12): (C) - David Garcia, * Matt Whatley (INF) - Sherten Apostel, Anderson Tejeda, * Justin Foscue, * Yonny HernГЎndez, * Josh Jung, * Curtis Terry, * Davis Wendzel (OF) - * Jason Martin, * Bubba Thompson, * Steele Walker

ThatвЂ™s not to say Cotton or Speas wonвЂ™t turn a corner in the next few weeks and shock the world, but I feel safe in my guesses for now. The others havenвЂ™t generated much buzz this spring. Gatto and Phillips were optioned to Triple A on Sunday, so theyвЂ™re definitely on this list. Alexy, Brock Burke, Demarcus Evans, Joe Gatto, Tyler Phillips, Yerry Rodriguez, * Justin Anderson, * Jharel Cotton, * Hans Crouse, * Jake Latz, * Luis Ortiz, * Fernery Ozuna, * Alex Speas, * Cole Winn Others are likely to start the season on the IL. Some of these are recent draftees who are just in camp because thereвЂ™s not a minor-league camp yet, and the team wanted them to spend time around the big-league guys. We can at least start by listing the players who we can confidently guess will not be on the Opening Day roster. LetвЂ™s try to get this down from 74 to 26, shall we? WonвЂ™t make it: Sure, thereвЂ™s always the conversation about the fifth starter or the last one or two members of the bullpen, but here we are on March 8, and only two* positions in the lineup are locked in (*itвЂ™s probably three, but starting catcher hasnвЂ™t officially been announced yet, even though itвЂ™s almost certainly Jose Trevino).ДЄlright. In my previous five seasons covering the Rangers, I canвЂ™t remember a spring with more uncertainty about who would and would not be on the Opening Day roster. That means we have just enough information to start throwing out wild speculation about the roster makeup, but we havenвЂ™t waited until the night before Opening Day (that would be cheating).ДЇull transparency: I could use the extra time. Pitchers and catchers reported just over three weeks ago, and Opening Day is about three-and-a-half weeks away. Believe it or not, weвЂ™re already roughly halfway through spring training.

Rangers openin day