How a Former NL MVP Veteran Can Share Wisdom with the Texas Rangers Young Outfielders
The Texas Rangers signed 39-year-old Andrew McCutchen to a Minor League contract on March 5th. The former National League MVP played 135 games last season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he played for the last three seasons. He had a batting average of .239, batting in 57 runners, complemented with 13 home runs. He has also had a stint with the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Yankees since 2018. Although the veteran has been somewhat of a journeyman the last few years, McCutchen has proven time and time again that he can still be reliable on the field, in the batter's box, and in the clubhouse. For some, McCutchen might be a nostalgic name to hear, but his 2013 MVP season is a thing of beauty and a classic. McCutchen had boasted a .317 batting average with 21 home runs, 84 runs batted in, 27 stolen bases, and a very impressive on-base percentage of .404.
McCutchen brings the bat, the glove, and the sportsmanship. He won the Gold Glove Award in 2012 for his defensive excellence as a center fielder, and he also won four Silver Slugger Awards for his excellence in the batter’s box in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Although it has been some time since he’s won these awards, the mentality is still there and can be coached to others. He has also won the Roberto Clemente Award for his involvement in the community and his sportsmanship, which just further proves that he’s going to be a rock in that clubhouse and someone that these other players and teammates can look up to. The first couple of players that come to mind that can learn first-hand from ‘Cutch are Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford. Both of these players have all the potential in the world, as Langford showed off last season by being a finalist for the AL Gold Glove Award, hitting .241 with 22 home runs and 62 runs batted in. The injury bug has taken over as of late for Carter, as he is fully recovered from lingering back issues and a wrist fracture that ended his season. However, if we take a look back at the 2023 World Series-winning season, Carter was a tank in the box and in the outfield, playing a crucial role at such a young age in the Rangers taking the championship home. If McCutchen can make the team and prove to the Rangers that he can be a reliable player by the time Spring Training ends, expect the potential for Langford and Carter to exceed expectations and their ceiling to get even higher and become a huge part in potentially sending the Rangers back to the playoffs.
With Skip Schumaker, the new Rangers manager, leading a rather young team into the 2026 season, it never hurts to have reliable veterans sharing wisdom with the young talent. The Rangers had signed Joc Pederson to a two-year contract in 2024 with hopes that he could provide that veteran presence in the outfield and be a consistent hitter. Yet, he suffered a right-hand fracture in May of last year and was more of a role player and designated hitter. Pederson wasn’t the answer, so let the McCutchen experiment begin.
