Scouting report: Rangers' Justin Foscue

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After a slow start to the season, Justin Foscue took a pitch in the ribcage in late May and missed over a month for High-A Hickory. Since his return, he’s been an offensive force.

That’s exactly what the Rangers envisioned.

Texas snagged Foscue with the 14th overall selection in the 2020 Draft, a pick that some saw as a reach but that fit with the organization's process. In 2019, the Rangers took two collegiate third basemen within the first 41 picks: Josh Jung out of Texas Tech (now their top prospect) and Davis Wendzel from Baylor (No. 8).

Foscue, a second baseman from Mississippi State, fit the bill as a polished college product who could hit, handle the rigors of the infield and possibly climb quickly to the big leagues.

“I think it just all starts with who I am as a person,” Foscue told “The Show Before The Show” podcast before the 2021 season. “I know [the Rangers] believe in picking guys that are very good people, and I think for my fit for their team, with my hitting ability, with my plate discipline and my approach, I think it just fits their style of play. They told me they believe in my abilities. They just want me to go out there and play, so I don’t feel any pressure with being picked 14th overall. I don’t believe in any of that. I think I just need to go out there and play my game and trust their training staff to develop me.”

After signing with Texas on June 19 of last year, Foscue got action at his new club’s alternate training site and instructional league during the unique landscape that was professional baseball in 2020. He impressed in both stops as part of the Rangers’ loaded position player prospect group.

“I think two of the biggest gains that we had this past ‘taxi squad’ year were with those position players,” Texas director of Minor League operations Paul Kruger said last year. “We saw some of the fruits of it in Arlington and also guys like Davis Wendzel and Justin Foscue having the chance to come to the [alternate site] and the ability to work with our hitting coaches more one-on-one and really take that step forward.”’

With a real Minor League season finally a possibility in 2021, Foscue was assigned to Hickory and batted .182/.315/.364 during his first 13 games. After being hit by a pitch on May 21, Foscue missed six weeks due to a left rib contusion. The time off helped something click.

Foscue went 3-for-11 with a homer during three early July rehab games with the Arizona Complex League Rangers and then caught fire upon his return to Hickory. Over his first seven games back with the Crawdads, the 22-year-old batted .533/.576/1.500 and ran his home run streak to eight games, counting one he belted in the ACL. Foscue put up multiple-hit performances in five of his first seven games back in Hickory.

“I was eager to get to play this season after the lost year last year, and especially the way I started off,” Foscue told MLB Pipeline after his return to the Crawdads. “I really was eager to get back and prove everybody wrong, trying to put up some good numbers. There was a little bit of pressure, just because of the numbers I had before. But besides that, things happen for a reason, and I can't say I regret anything that’s happened to get me here.”

Here's what the experts at MLB Pipeline have to say about Foscue.

Scouting grades (20-80 scale)

HIT: 50
POWER: 50
RUN: 40
ARM: 50
FIELD: 50
OVERALL: 55

"The Rangers used their first-round picks in 2019 and 2020 on infielders with offensive upside and a track record of production at the highest levels of college baseball. They followed Texas Tech third baseman Josh Jung with Foscue, who signed for an under-slot $3.25 million as the 14th overall pick last June. He led Mississippi State to the College World Series in each of his two full seasons and became the third-highest Bulldogs position player ever drafted, behind only Will Clark (No. 2, 1985) and Hunter Renfroe (No. 13, 2013).

"An offensive-minded player whose right-handed power is his best tool, Foscue has a profile similar to that of Jeff Kent. He has more strength and bat speed than a typical second baseman and attacks pitches with a pull-heavy approach. Though he's aggressive at the plate, he makes consistent contact and should produce 20 or more homers per season without striking out excessively.

Foscue records below-average run times from home to first but has close to average speed underway. Though his arm and range are nothing special at second base, he has good hands and turns double plays well. He played third base as a freshman in college but would be stretched at shortstop, reducing his potential value as a utilityman."