Veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen made an immediate impression in his first appearance with the Texas Rangers this spring.

Delivering a key hit in the club’s 4–1 Cactus League win over the San Diego Padres on Monday afternoon.

According to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com, the 39-year-old McCutchen, who recently signed a minor-league contract with Texas, went 1-for-3 with an RBI double in his debut at Peoria Stadium.

The hit was a reminder that the former National League MVP still possesses plenty of pop in his bat.

As McCutchen exited the Rangers’ visiting clubhouse after the game, teammate Sam Haggerty could be heard shouting toward him in appreciation.

“He’s still got it!” Haggerty exclaimed as he headed to his car.

McCutchen’s lone hit came in the form of a sharply struck double that produced an RBI.

The ball left his bat at 104.1 MPH, one of two hard-hit balls he produced during the game.

Earlier in the contest, he also lined out on a ball that registered 100.9 mph off the bat.

For McCutchen, the performance represented an encouraging first step as he works to quickly get up to game speed.

“It feels good to get back out there on the field and try to get the game speed of things going,” McCutchen said. “I trust in my work this offseason, and trust in that process as best as I can, going out there. I’m trying not to overdo it and just stay within myself."

“It was a good day,” he added. “I feel like I saw the ball well, worked a couple full counts and made some good contact.”

McCutchen officially joined the Rangers on Friday and spent the weekend taking live at-bats on the backfields in Surprise, Arizona, before appearing in his first official spring game on Monday.

Despite arriving late to camp, the veteran is well aware that time is limited if he hopes to earn a spot on the club’s Opening Day roster.

With just over two weeks remaining before the regular season begins, every opportunity to make an impression carries added weight.

Even with the condensed timeline, McCutchen said the Rangers organization has helped him settle in quickly.

“I've really enjoyed myself [this past week], and that's credit to the Rangers organization,” McCutchen said. “They've made me feel welcome since I've gotten here. They've let me just be a veteran, do what I need to do.”

McCutchen also praised manager Skip Schumaker and the coaching staff for allowing him the flexibility to ease into camp while preparing for the possibility of contributing during the season.

“Given that there was only literally two and a half weeks left for a regular season, it speaks volumes of [Schumaker] and everyone involved,” McCutchen said. “I've really enjoyed myself, been able to be here and be comfortable very quickly.”

For now, the Rangers will continue evaluating whether the longtime big-leaguer can carve out a role—but his debut offered a strong early statement.

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