MLB Top 5: Texas Rangers Second Basemen and Shortstops

This is the third article in a series that looks at the five best players at each position for the Texas Rangers. In this installment are second basemen and shortstops.

As with many other teams, speed and defense are prevalent among the middle infielders for the Texas Rangers. Included in this group are stars from the franchise’s three World Series appearances, the all-time club leaders in many offensive categories and an MVP turned pariah after a foray into performance-enhancing drugs.

The Best Second Basemen and Shortstops in Texas Rangers History

Second Basemen

Honorable Mentions – After two seasons with the Indians, Oklahoma native Dave Nelson was traded to the Senators and scored the franchise’s final run in Washington in 1971. The following year, he stole 51 bases, the second-highest single season total in franchise history. Nelson earned the only All-Star selection of his decade-long career in 1973, when he amassed 43 steals and set career-highs with a .286 average, 71 runs, 165 hits, seven home runs and 48 RBIs. He spent his final two seasons with the Royals then was a coach in college and with the White Sox and held instruction roles with several organizations over the next two decades. Nelson was also a broadcaster with four different franchises, most notably the Brewers, before passing away due to liver cancer in 2018 at age 73.

Mark McLemore was known as a “Supersub” for most of his 19-year major league career, but he was a full-time starter at second base during his five-year stint with the Rangers (1995-99). His best season with the club was his last, as he batted .274 with 45 RBIs, 155 hits and a career-best 105 runs scored. McLemore appeared in 10 playoff games with Texas, totaling four hits and two RBIs. He also led American League second basemen in assists and finished second in putouts and double plays in 1996. McLemore finished his career with four seasons in Seattle and one more in Oakland before becoming a broadcaster, primarily with Texas.

Michael Young spent his first four seasons at second base, developing into one of the league’s better hitters before moving one spot to his right and earning six straight All-Star selections. He steadily improved his performance at the plate, finishing his time at the keystone position by batting .306 with 106 runs, 204 hits, 14 home runs and 72 RBIs in 2003. Young was also solid in the field, leading the league in double plays twice and assists once. He also finished second among A. L. second basemen in putouts twice, as well as fielding percentage in 2002.

Young changed positions after the acquisition of Alfonso Soriano, who was traded from the Yankees to the Rangers in the Alex Rodriguez deal. He was an All-Star and a silver slugger in both of his seasons with Texas and was named MVP of the 2004 Midsummer Classic after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning. Soriano was a member of the 30-30 club in 2005 (36 home runs and 30 stolen bases), and he ended his brief run with the Rangers with a .274 average, 179 runs, 341 hits, 64 homers and 195 RBIs in 301 games. He was traded to Washington and spent one season with the Nationals and seven with the Cubs before ending his career where it started, with the Yankees.

5. Elliott “Bump” Wills – The son of Dodgers great Maury Wills was an Arizona State product who was known for his speed. Wills stole 25 or more bases four times in five seasons with the Rangers (1977-81), and his 161 ranks third in franchise history. After driving in a career-high 62 runs and finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting, he passed by Nelson by stealing a team-record 52 bases in 1978. Wills led the league in putouts and assists by a second baseman twice each but was traded to the Cubs in 1982, After one season in Chicago, he played two years in Japan before taking a few years off. Willis spent more than a decade as a minor league coach, manager and instructor with the Rangers, and he currently coaches youth baseball in Texas.

4. Rougned Odor – A native of Venezuela, he signed with the Rangers in 2011 at age 17. Odor played seven seasons with Texas, totaling at least 30 home runs and 75 RBIs three times. His best season was 2016, when he drove in 88 runs and set career highs with a .271 average, 33 homers, 89 runs and 164 hits. “Stink” set a personal-best with 93 RBIs in 2019, but he also led the league with 178 strikeouts. After seven seasons with the Rangers, he was traded to the Yankees in 2021, finishing his time in Texas ranked sixth in franchise history in strikeouts (799) and eighth in triples (26) to go with 429 runs, 749 hits, 146 doubles, 146 home runs, 458 RBIs and 1,385 total bases in 858 games. Odor also appeared in eight postseason games with Texas, totaling nine runs, seven hits and two home runs. He played with the Orioles and Padres but did not appear in the 2024 campaign after leaving Japan before the season started and getting traded to and released by the Yankees in August.

3. Marcus Semien – The San Francisco native was drafted by the White Sox, spent six years with the Athletics and had a career year with the Blue Jays in 2021 before signing a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers. Semien’s numbers fell in his first season in Texas, but he rebounded to earn All-Star and silver slugger honors and finish third in the MVP voting in 2023 after batting a career-best .276 with 29 home runs and 100 RBIs, as well as posting league-leading totals of 122 runs and 185 hits. “Sauce” was a big reason why the Rangers won their first title, amassing 12 runs, 17 hits, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 17 postseason contests, and he drove in eight runs against the Diamondbacks in the World Series. His numbers dropped again in 2024, but he earned his third All-Star selection in four years.

2. Julio Franco –The native of the Dominican Republic enjoyed a 25-year baseball career which included stops with eight major league teams plus two stints in Japan and another in South Korea. After becoming a steady presence with Cleveland, Franco was traded to Texas, where he earned three straight silver sluggers and All-Star selections, including 1990, when he was named MVP of the Midsummer Classic. He followed that with his bast season statistically, leading the league (and ranking second in team history) with a .341 average and setting career highs with 108 runs, 201 hits and 36 stolen bases.

A knee injury forced Franco to be a designated hitter in his final two seasons with the Rangers, and he signed with the White Sox in 1994. He ended his five-year Texas tenure (1989-93) ranked third on the franchise list with a .307 average, fifth with a .382 on-base percentage and eighth with 98 steals. Franco’s production dropped later in his career, but he moved to first base and later became a pinch hitter to prolong his career. His major league playing career ended at age 48 with the Braves in 2007, but he continued to play and later coach in Japan, Korea and Mexico, as well as with independent teams in the United States.

1. Ian Kinsler – The Arizona native went from 17th round draft pick to baseball’s top overall prospect before he made his debut with the Rangers in 2006. Upon his arrival, Kinsler quickly became one of the best hitters at his position, getting Rookie of the Year consideration and having his best season in 2008. He earned his first of three All-Star selections with Texas after posting 41 doubles, 18 home runs, 71 RBIs, 26 stolen bases and a career-best .319 average. The following year, he went 6-for-6 and hit fir the cycle in a game in April and went on to join the 30-30 club (31 homers and 31 steals), a feat he repeated in 2011. Two years after that, he set the franchise record for stolen bases (which was later broken by the player at the top spot on the shortstop list).

Overall, Kinsler stole 20 or more bases five times. He ranks second in franchise history in steals (172), sixth in runs (748, including six seasons with 80 or more), eighth in doubles (249) and walks (462) and tied for ninth in home runs (156) to go with a .273 average, 1,145 hits, 539 RBIs and 1,908 total bases. Kinsler appeared in two World Series with the Rangers, amassing 18 runs, 38 hits, seven doubles, four homers and 20 RBIs in 36 postseason contests. After eight seasons in Texas (2006-13), he had four solid seasons with the Tigers and won a title with the Red Sox in 2018 before finishing his career in San Diego the following year. Kinsler played for both Team USA and Israel in the World Baseball Classic and was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame in 2022.

Shortstops

Honorable Mention – Scott Fletcher started his career by playing for both Chicago teams before he was traded to the Rangers. He spent four years in Texas (1986-89) and had his best season in 1987, when he batted .287 and set career highs with 63 RBIs, 82 runs and 169 hits. Although that was Fletcher’s career highlight, the future coach with the Braves gained notoriety when Rangers owner and future U. S. President George W. Bush named his dog after him.

5B Ed Brinkman – He was a defensive standout who improved his hitting throughout his time in Washington (1961-70 and ’75). Brinkman was a high school teammate of Pete Rose in Cincinnati and was actually the more sought-after prospect. His best years came at the tail end of his initial run with the Senator, batting .266 and setting a career high with 71 runs in 1969 and posted a personal-best 164 hits the following year while leading American League shortstops in putouts, assists and double plays. Brinkman won the fielding title in 1967 and added gold glove and All-Star selections after being traded to the Tigers. His final full year in the big leagues included trades to the Padres and Cardinals and a one-game stint with the Rangers before finishing his career with the Yankees. Brinkman is tied for sixth in franchise history with 27 triples and tenth with 1,143 games. He was a coach in the Tigers organization and spent a long time as a scout with the White Sox. Brinkman passed away from heart failure in 2008 at age 66.

5A Colbert “Toby” Harrah – Known for his mustache and sideburns look and his practical jokes in the Rangers’ clubhouse, Harrah played three infield positions in two stints with the team (1969, 71-78 and 85-86). He is also the answer to a trivia question as the last batter for the franchise when it was based in Washington. After the Senators took a 7-5 lead over the Yankees, Harrah was at the plate when the fans stormed the field and caused such a ruckus that, in order to preserve the safety of the players, the umpires awarded the game to New York by forfeit. His Rangers tenure also featured another signature moment against the Yankees. In an August 1977 game, Harrah hit an inside-the-park grand slam and Wills followed with one of the solo variety.

Harrah was traded, first to the Indians (for third baseman Buddy Bell), then the Yankees, and finally back to the Rangers in 1985, where he finished off his career with two seasons at second base. Over 11 years with the Rangers, he earned three All-Star selections and ranks second in franchise history in walks (708), fourth in stolen bases (153), seventh in games (1,355), ninth in runs (631) and hits (1,174) and tenth in RBIs (568). After nearly four years as a first base coach, Harrah had a brief stint as manager in Texas at the end of the 1992 season. He spent nearly 25 years as a coach with multiple major league teams.

4. Corey Seager – A native of Charlotte, he was a first-round pick of the Dodgers in 2012 and has been a stellar shortstop for a decade. Seager was the 2016 Rookie of the Year and finished third in the MVP voting that season. He was also a two-time All-Star and silver slugger, but his greatest contribution in Los Angeles came in 2020, when he was named MVP of both the NLCS and World Series in the COVID-shortened season. Seager signed a massive 10-year, $325 million deal with Texas in 2022 and has earned three straight All-Star selections while hitting at least 30 home runs each year.

Seager had a career year in 2023, finishing second in the MVP race and winning a third silver slugger while setting personal bests with 33 homers and 96 RBIs, hitting .327 with 88 runs, 156 hits and a league-leading 42 doubles. He was even better in the postseason, posting six runs, eight hits and two homers against the Astros in the ALCS and hitting three more against the Diamondbacks as the Rangers won their first championship and Seager earned his second World Series MVP Award. Even though Texas fell in the standings this past season, he was his usual stellar self (despite suffering a sports hernia), hitting 30 homers while also wining the fielding title. Seager enters the 2025 season ranked fifth in franchise history with a .524 slugging percentage.

3. Alex Rodriguez – After his run as the top draft pick and star shortstop in Seattle and before his move to third base and prodigious power numbers in New York, Rodriguez was a superstar in Texas after signing a 10-year, $252 million deal in late 2000. He led the league in home runs all three seasons with the Rangers and posted three of the top five marks in franchise history. In addition to his three All-Star selections, three silver sluggers and two gold gloves, Rodriguez totaled at least 120 runs, 180 hits and 115 RBI each year, led the league in runs and total bases twice each and finished as the MVP runner-up after batting .300 and leading the league with 57 home runs (a team record) and 142 RBIs.

The following year, “A-Rod” took home the league’s top honor, batting .298 with 118 RBIs and league-leading totals of 124 runs, 47 homers and a .600 slugging percentage. He was traded to the Yankees in early 2004 in deal that brought Alfonso Soriano to Texas. Rodriguez finished his Rangers’ tenure as the all-time franchise leader with a .615 slugging percentage. He is tied for second in on-base percentage (.395), tied for fourth in batting average (.305) and tied for ninth in home runs (156) to go with 1,146 total bases, which includes a team-record 393 in 2001. Rodriguez won two more MVP Awards and a title with the Yankees in 2009. However, despite all his success which includes 696 home runs, 2,086 RBIs and 3,115 hits, he will be best remembered for missing the entire 2014 season with a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, which not only hurt his public image but cost him a spot in the Hall of Fame.

2. Michael Young – He was a standout wherever he played, whether it was on the infield grass or as a designated hitter. Young spent five of his 13 seasons in Texas (2000-12) at shortstop, earning an All-Star selection in each campaign at the position. His best season came in 2005 when he won the batting title with a .331 average, and both led the league and set a team record with 221 hits. He followed that with a .314 mark with 217 hits, 103 RBIs and a franchise-best 52 doubles. Even though Young won the fielding title and a gold glove in 2008, he moved to third base the following season to accommodate the acquisition of the player who occupies the top spot on this list.

Young’s tenure in Texas included seven All-Star selections (he was named MVP of the 2006 Midsummer Classic), six seasons with 200 or more hits and five with at least 80 runs, 30 doubles and 80 RBIs. He is the all-time franchise leader in games played (1,823), runs (1,085), hits (2,230), doubles (553), strikeouts (1,152) and total bases (3,286), and he ranks third in RBIs (984), fifth in walks (532), seventh in home runs (177) and tenth in average (.301). Young was a key piece in back-to-back pennant winning teams, totaling 11 runs, 35 hits, 10 doubles, three homers and 19 RBIs in 34 playoff games. Young was traded to Philadelphia and then Los Angeles and retired in 2014. He was named special assistant to the general manager with his longtime team, was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame in 2016 and was the National League manager in the 2024 MLB All-Star Futures Game.

1. Elvis Andrus – The Venezuela native signed with the Braves as a 16-year-old in 2005 and was traded to the Rangers two years later. His arrival moved Young to third base and led to one of the most productive careers of any shortstop in the 21st century. Andrus began his 12-year career with the Rangers (2009-20) by earning two MLB All-Star Futures Game selections and finishing as the runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2009. Two All-Star Game appearances over the next three seasons led to the Rangers signing him to an eight-year, $120 million extension in 2013. Although he led American League shortstops in putouts five times, Andrus’ top asset was his speed, and he stole 20 or more bases 10 times with Texas.

“Commando” blew past Kinsler for the franchise stolen base record in 2014, and he finished with 305 in his Rangers career. Andrus ranks second in team history in games (1,652) and triples (48), third in runs (893), hits (1,743, including eight straight seasons with 150 or more) and strikeouts (962), fifth in doubles (303) and total bases (2,370) and eighth in RBIs (636) to go with a .274 average and 76 home runs. He was another star in the team’s runs to the World Series in 2010-11, totaling 21 runs, 46 hits, seven RBIs and nine steals in 42 career postseason contests. Andrus was traded to the Athletics in 2021, and he also played with the White Sox, had a tryout with the Diamondbacks and signed a one-day contract to retire with the Rangers. He is an owner of a team with the Baseball United venture in Asia and served as a coach for the MLB All-Star Futures Game in 2024.