The Texas Rangers have officially parted ways with left-handed pitcher Anthony Veneziano, releasing him from his minor league contract to allow him to pursue an opportunity with a professional club in Asia.

The decision comes just weeks after Veneziano initially signed with Texas, but it reflects a common practice across Major League Baseball when non-roster players receive guaranteed offers from overseas organizations. Rather than block the move, the Rangers opted to grant Veneziano his release, giving him a clearer path to continued playing time and financial stability.

Veneziano, 28, has spent portions of three seasons in the majors, bouncing between organizations as he searched for a consistent role. His big league debut came in 2023 with the Kansas City Royals, where he logged a brief two-game stint that served as his introduction to MLB competition.

Over the next two seasons, his journey continued across multiple teams, including stops with the Royals, Marlins, and Cardinals, often in short bursts dictated by roster needs and bullpen turnover.

In 2024, Veneziano split time between Kansas City and Miami, appearing primarily in relief and accumulating just over 13 innings. His most extensive major league workload came in 2025, when he combined for 25 innings between the Marlins and Cardinals.

St. Louis claimed him off waivers shortly after the trade deadline, viewing him as left-handed depth for its pitching staff. However, his tenure with the Cardinals was short-lived, and he was eventually removed from the 40-man roster in November, prompting him to enter minor league free agency.

Statistically, Veneziano’s MLB track record suggests a pitcher with serviceable strikeout ability but mounting command concerns. Across 40 2/3 career big league innings, he posted a 3.98 ERA, a respectable figure on the surface.

Digging deeper, however, reveals an uneven performance profile. While his strikeout rate hovered in the low 20-percent range, control issues became more pronounced in 2025, when his walk rate spiked and frequently put him behind in counts. Those struggles carried into Triple-A, where he issued more walks than strikeouts and struggled to keep runs off the board.

Originally developed as a starter, Veneziano has largely transitioned into a bullpen role. He has made just one major league start, serving as an opener during a bullpen game with Miami last June.

By 2025, he was used almost exclusively in relief across all levels, a shift that may have limited his long-term ceiling in the eyes of MLB clubs. A move overseas could present an opportunity to reset his career, potentially returning to a starting role or at least carving out a more defined workload.

Beyond on-field considerations, the financial component likely played a role in Veneziano’s decision. Guaranteed contracts in Asian leagues often provide more security than the back-and-forth of minor league deals and short-term call-ups.

For the Rangers, granting the release costs little and reinforces a player-friendly approach, while Veneziano gains a fresh start and a chance to reestablish his value on a new stage.

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