Rangers Top Prospects: #6 Neil Ramirez

 

No one took a larger leap in the Rangers organization last season than Neil Ramirez.

Flash back to 2007 right after he was drafted out of high school. The youngster from Virginia Beach spent a year in short season Spokane and two injury-plagued years in Class A Hickory leading up to the 2010 offseason.  It was then he committed himself to a rigorous mental and physical off-season conditioning program in Arizona that would pay dividends.

After a phenomenal spring in 2011, the 22-year-old was promoted to opening day starter with Class A-Advanced Myrtle Beach where he would only make one solid start. Five days later Round Rock called for an emergency starter and the organization reached all the way down to Myrtle Beach to fill it. Ramirez shut out a stacked Omaha lineup for six innings that featured the likes of Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Johnny Giovotella. He never looked back.

Ramirez stayed with the Express for four months before getting sent down to Class AA Frisco after an injury. His season total over all three levels was encouraging as he amassed a 5-3 record with a 3.12 ERA and 119 strikeouts.

Ramirez will almost certainly start the year in Round Rock. He was added to the 40-man roster after the 2011 season and will be a depth option for the major league team with a solid 2012 campaign. This will be an important year for the right-hander. Many scouts project to see Ramirez get major league time at some point in 2012 if he can get off to a good start. It is important to remember the Rangers have made a habit of promoting young starters as relievers first so he could possibly see time in the Texas bullpen as well in the next few seasons.