Rangers OF Willie Calhoun Joins Express on Rehab Assignment

ROUND ROCK, Texas – Welcome back, Willie! The Texas Rangers announced on Monday afternoon that former E-Train OF Willie Calhoun is returning to the Round Rock Express to continue his Major League Rehab Assignment. Calhoun is expected to start in left field and bat second for the Express tonight as Round Rock hosts the Sugar Land Skeeters (Houston Astros affiliate) at Dell Diamond. Tickets for the 7:05 p.m. first pitch are available via RRExpress.com.

Calhoun has been sidelined since suffering a fractured left ulna bone after being hit by a pitch on June 26. He was added to the Rangers’ 10-day Injured List on June 27 and transferred to the club’s 60-day Injured List on August 5. He began his rehab assignment on September 6 with the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League Rangers, hitting .353 (6-17) with two doubles, a home run, five RBI and four runs scored across five games.

Prior to suffering the injury, Calhoun was hitting .254 (52-205) with eight doubles, two triples, five home runs and 19 RBI in 59 games with the Rangers. He also worked 19 walks and scored 23 runs during his fifth consecutive season appearing at the Major League level.

Calhoun suited up for the Express in 137 games from 2017-2018 after being acquired by the Texas Rangers from the Los Angeles Dodgers along with RHP A.J. Alexy and INF Brendon Davis in exchange for RHP Yu Darvish in a trade deadline deal on July 31, 2017. During his time with the E-Train, Calhoun hit .297 (162-545) with 35 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs and 73 RBI. In 487 career games at the minor league level, the Vallejo, California native owns a .289 average (537-1860) to go along with 117 doubles, eight triples, 86 home runs and 308 RBI. Following a breakout 2017 season at the Triple-A level, Calhoun was called up by the Rangers on September 12 and made his MLB debut that night against the Seattle Mariners, singling in his first career at-bat.

The 26-year-old has spent parts of the last five seasons with the Rangers, combining to hit .248 (185-747) with 29 doubles, four triples, 30 home runs and 95 RBI in 219 career games at the MLB level. Calhoun was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2015 June Draft out of Yavapai Junior College in Arizona.

With Calhoun manning left field, the Express look to claim their current six-game series against the Skeeters tonight at Dell Diamond. Round Rock RHP Tyson Miller (3-2, 3.14) is scheduled to face Sugar Land RHP Hunter Brown (4-0, 4.32). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Single game tickets are on sale now. For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!