The Texas Rangers made a notable addition to their pitching depth on Wednesday, acquiring right-hander Carter Baumler from the Pittsburgh Pirates. In exchange, Texas is sending right-handed reliever Jaiker Garcia and cash considerations to Pittsburgh. The move comes only hours after the Pirates selected Baumler during the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft, and the Rangers promptly placed him on their 40-man roster. With the transaction complete, Texas now sits at 35 players on its roster as it continues to shape its pitching staff for the upcoming season.

For the Rangers, the appeal of Baumler lies in the combination of youth, projection, and recent performance. The 23-year-old spent 2025 climbing steadily through the Baltimore Orioles’ minor league system, logging time across three levels. Over 28 relief outings with the FCL Orioles, High-A Aberdeen, and Double-A Chesapeake, Baumler compiled a sterling 2.04 ERA across 39.2 innings. During that stretch, he posted a 2-0 record, notched a pair of saves, and continued to demonstrate the strike-throwing ability and poise that made him an intriguing prospect when he was drafted.

Baumler originally entered pro ball as a fifth-round pick of the Orioles in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Dowling Catholic High School in Iowa. His early career was temporarily slowed by Tommy John surgery in late 2020, a procedure performed by Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister. That setback delayed his progress, keeping him out of official game action in 2021. However, once he returned to the mound, he began showing signs of the potential Baltimore believed in when they selected him.

Across four seasons in the Orioles’ organization, Baumler produced solid overall numbers: a 7-1 record, a 3.05 ERA, and 104 strikeouts in 88.2 innings of work. He made 49 appearances during that span, including 10 starts, though his usage in 2025 indicated a clear transition toward full-time work out of the bullpen. For a Rangers team looking to stockpile controllable pitching and develop more internal relief options, Baumler represents a low-risk, high-upside swing.

Heading the other way in the trade is Jaiker Garcia, a 20-year-old right-hander who converted to pitching only two years ago. Garcia logged 18 outings for the ACL Rangers in 2025, producing a 3-3 record, two saves, and a 4.66 ERA across 19.1 innings. His overall professional résumé includes a 5-8 mark and a 7.22 ERA over 37 games, numbers shaped in part by his relatively recent shift from hitting to pitching. Originally signed by Texas as a position player in 2022, the Venezuela native moved to the mound full-time in 2023 and has spent the last two seasons refining his mechanics and repertoire.

For both organizations, the trade offers a chance to realign resources. Pittsburgh adds a young arm with developmental upside while Texas brings in a promising bullpen piece who has regained momentum after early-career injuries. As Spring Training approaches, Baumler will enter camp with a real opportunity to compete for a role in the Rangers’ pitching plans for 2026.

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