Owen White

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #5 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/Low
  
  Track Record: Like many Rangers pitching prospects of a certain vintage, White has had a checkered injury history. He did not pitch post-draft in 2018, then missed the 2019 season with Tommy John surgery before the pandemic wiped out the 2020 season. A broken hand limited White to 35.1 innings in 2021, and he lost two months to arm fatigue in 2022. In 2023, he pitched a career-high 112.2 innings, including four over two big league starts.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite reaching the big leagues, White’s stuff took a severe dip in quality. That was particularly true of his four-seam fastball, which dropped nearly 2 mph in velocity as well as a corresponding loss of vertical break. Those two factors led to his whiff rate on four-seamers nearly being cut in half, from 33% in 2022 to 17% in 2023. White’s downgraded fastball can be explained in part by even more health issues. He dealt with nagging injuries to his hip and shoulder throughout the season and struggled to get down the mound with any sort of authority. The Rangers would also like to see White improve his nutrition. The biggest change to White’s arsenal involved his slider, which was switched to a sweeper shape during the season in an effort to induce more swings and misses against righthanders. His above-average curveball is the best in a system that trends heavily toward sliders, and he rounds out his mix with an average changeup and a fringy cutter. White’s control was solid at Double-A but suffered at Triple-A, where the automated ball-strike system punishes pitchers who attack north to south.
  
  The Future: White will look for a reset in 2024, when he’ll have a chance to make the Opening Day roster but will likely head back to Triple-A. The Rangers system overall is thin on pitching, so he should have plenty of chances to return to Texas.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #2 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
  
  Track Record: Almost since the moment he was drafted, White's development has been stagnated. The Rangers rested him post-draft, he missed the 2019 season with Tommy John surgery and then lost 2020 to the pandemic. His 2021 season was limited to just 35.1 innings by a broken hand suffered during his first start of the season. He made up for lost time by pitching in the Arizona Fall League, where he was named the league's pitcher of the year. The 2022 season was White's fullest yet, but he still missed two months of the second half at Double-A Frisco with fatigue in his pitching arm. White returned for the Texas League playoffs and struck out all six hitters he faced in Frisco's championship-clinching win.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite pitching just 113.2 innings since being drafted in 2018, White has established himself as the clear top arm in Texas' system. He boasts a full four-pitch complement, led by a mid-90s fastball that peaked at 98 mph and grades as plus despite just average shape. White's best offspeed pitch is a mid-80s slider with excellent spin and shape that got chases at rate of nearly 39%. His slider is followed closely by a curveball that averages nearly 3,000 rpms of spin and shows powerful downer break in the high 70s. Though his changeup is the fourth pitch in his arsenal, White throws it for plenty of strikes and scouts believe it could get to an average offering. He also throws a low-90s two-seamer, but it isn't a featured part of his mix. White ties everything together with plus control and a fierce competitive streak that draws raves throughout the organization.
  
  The Future: After closing the year in Double-A, White will likely move to Triple-A Round Rock to begin 2023 and could push for a callup by season's end. He was added to the 40-man roster in November.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 55. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 60
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #7 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Although White was drafted in 2018, he didn’t make his official pro debut until 2021. He was rested post-draft in 2018, missed 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and then lost 2020 to the coronavirus pandemic. His 2021 season was shortened after he broke his hand during the opening start of the season and didn’t return until August before shining down the stretch and again in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: During his time rehabbing his broken hand, White evolved. He tweaked the grip on his four-seam fastball to give it more true riding action, and the results showed in the data. His mid-90s four-seamer posted a truly elite swing-and-miss rate of nearly 46% and showed strong spin rates and movement patterns. White also throws two-seam and cut fastballs to give him an array of pitches that move in different directions. He backs up the fastballs with a full mix of curveball, slider and changeup. Both breaking balls show promising analytical qualities but still need refinement. He worked this year to throw his high-70s curveball for strikes and chases, and he’s trying to become more consistent in general with the way he throws his low-80s slider. His changeup, thrown in the mid 80s, has excellent separation from his fastball and projects as average.
  
  The Future: White was excellent in the AFL, where he was mostly making up as much lost time as possible. He’ll move to High-A next year and is one of the system’s most promising pitching prospects.
  
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #22 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: The Rangers drafted White in the second round in 2018 and gave him an above-slot $1.5 million to pass up a South Carolina commitment. To date, that is the most noteworthy part of his professional career. White has not pitched in an official game in three seasons since signing. The Rangers rested him after the draft and he blew out his elbow in 2019, requiring season-ending Tommy John surgery. He did return to pitch in 2020 instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite the missed time, White has starter written all over him. He features a fourpitch mix topped by a fastball that sat 93-97 mph during instructs. His best offspeed pitch is a 78-80 mph curveball with plus potential, and he throws an 83-87 mph slider and 84-87 mph changeup that flash average. Best of all, he throws a lot of strikes. He was a terrific prep athlete who is learning to repeat his delivery. He also fields his position well and keeps runners close.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rangers plan to send White to low Class A Hickory to open 2021. As he continues to develop his body and gain reps, his ceiling could be a mid-rotation starter.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #15 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Rangers had a pitching-heavy draft in 2018, and after selecting righthander Cole Winn with their first-round pick, the Rangers drafted White in the second round. He signed for $1.5 million, though he didn't pitch after signing as the Rangers took it slowly with their high school arms.
  
  Scouting Report: A high school quarterback, White is an excellent athlete for a pitcher. He has clean arm action and fast arm speed that produces a fastball in the low-90s and up to 96. He's still skinny, with enough room on his frame that he might be able to throw harder once he adds more weight. He throws strikes with his fastball to get ahead of hitters and can miss bats with his curveball, which flashes above-average, and while he used a slider as well in high school, he didn't show that pitch after signing at instructional league. White has a changeup but hasn't needed to throw it much yet. White's bouncy athleticism shows in the way he gets off the mound quickly to field his position.
  
  The Future: White likely will follow the path of Hans Crouse and Cole Ragans by pitching in short-season Spokane in 2019.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #59 prospect in 2018 draft
  White has been on scouts' radars for some time now, as he emerged on the national scene a few years ago with impressive stuff and a projectable, athletic frame. Prior to last fall, the 6-foot-3 righthander had fallen off a bit with his velocity and evaluators wondered if he would ever return to the form that had allowed him to stand out in previous years. White removed all doubt, however, when he re-found his electric stuff and preformed well at the Wilson Premier Class, where he threw a complete game, one-hit shutout with a fastball in the low 90s, a sharp curveball and feel for a changeup. A few weeks later, at Perfect Game's World Wood Bat Association World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., White threw another seven-inning shutout with 13 strikeouts and no walks, holding his fastball velocity into the final innings. White re-established himself as one of the more exciting prep arms in the 2018 class with his fall outings last year, and has been equally electric this spring at Carson High in China Grove, N.C. He's been up to 95 with his fastball, sitting more in the 91-93 mph range with an above-average curveball and a changeup that scouts are dreaming on thanks to White's athleticism. In addition to a curveball, White has also experimented with a slider that has a chance to be an above-average breaking pitch down the line. Committed to South Carolina, White is expected to be a tough sign, but could go as high as the supplemental first round or early in the second.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #81 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #59 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
  
  Track Record: Almost since the moment he was drafted, White's development has been stagnated. The Rangers rested him post-draft, he missed the 2019 season with Tommy John surgery and then lost 2020 to the pandemic. His 2021 season was limited to just 35.1 innings by a broken hand suffered during his first start of the season. He made up for lost time by pitching in the Arizona Fall League, where he was named the league's pitcher of the year. The 2022 season was White's fullest yet, but he still missed two months of the second half at Double-A Frisco with fatigue in his pitching arm. White returned for the Texas League playoffs and struck out all six hitters he faced in Frisco's championship-clinching win.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite pitching just 113.2 innings since being drafted in 2018, White has established himself as the clear top arm in Texas' system. He boasts a full four-pitch complement, led by a mid-90s fastball that peaked at 98 mph and grades as plus despite just average shape. White's best offspeed pitch is a mid-80s slider with excellent spin and shape that got chases at rate of nearly 39%. His slider is followed closely by a curveball that averages nearly 3,000 rpms of spin and shows powerful downer break in the high 70s. Though his changeup is the fourth pitch in his arsenal, White throws it for plenty of strikes and scouts believe it could get to an average offering. He also throws a low-90s two-seamer, but it isn't a featured part of his mix. White ties everything together with plus control and a fierce competitive streak that draws raves throughout the organization.
  
  The Future: After closing the year in Double-A, White will likely move to Triple-A Round Rock to begin 2023 and could push for a callup by season's end. He was added to the 40-man roster in November.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 55. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 60
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
  
  Track Record: Almost since the moment he was drafted, White's development has been stagnated. The Rangers rested him post-draft, he missed the 2019 season with Tommy John surgery and then lost 2020 to the pandemic. His 2021 season was limited to just 35.1 innings by a broken hand suffered during his first start of the season. He made up for lost time by pitching in the Arizona Fall League, where he was named the league's pitcher of the year. The 2022 season was White's fullest yet, but he still missed two months of the second half at Double-A Frisco with fatigue in his pitching arm. White returned for the Texas League playoffs and struck out all six hitters he faced in Frisco's championship-clinching win.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite pitching just 113.2 innings since being drafted in 2018, White has established himself as the clear top arm in Texas' system. He boasts a full four-pitch complement, led by a mid-90s fastball that peaked at 98 mph and grades as plus despite just average shape. White's best offspeed pitch is a mid-80s slider with excellent spin and shape that got chases at rate of nearly 39%. His slider is followed closely by a curveball that averages nearly 3,000 rpms of spin and shows powerful downer break in the high 70s. Though his changeup is the fourth pitch in his arsenal, White throws it for plenty of strikes and scouts believe it could get to an average offering. He also throws a low-90s two-seamer, but it isn't a featured part of his mix. White ties everything together with plus control and a fierce competitive streak that draws raves throughout the organization.
  
  The Future: After closing the year in Double-A, White will likely move to Triple-A Round Rock to begin 2023 and could push for a callup by season's end. He was added to the 40-man roster in November.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 55. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 60
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Midseason Update: White started the year slowly, but a tweak in his approach helped him return to the dominant form he showed in 2021 at Low-A Down East and in a particularly standout showing in the Arizona Fall League. His breaking balls became much crisper, which helped unlock the rest of his standout arsenal. He can go north and south with his four-seam fastball and curveball or he can go east and west his two-seamer and slider. A firm changeup rounds out his mix. He has excellent command of his whole mix, and there are scouts who believe he could be in the Rangers&#39 rotation at some point in 2023. Track Record: Although White was drafted in 2018, he didn&#39t make his official pro debut until 2021. He was rested post-draft in 2018, missed 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and then lost 2020 to the coronavirus pandemic. His 2021 season was shortened after he broke his hand during the opening start of the season and didn&#39t return until August before shining down the stretch and again in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: During his time rehabbing his broken hand, White evolved. He tweaked the grip on his four-seam fastball to give it more true riding action, and the results showed in the data. His mid-90s four-seamer posted a truly elite swing-and-miss rate of nearly 46% and showed strong spin rates and movement patterns. White also throws two-seam and cut fastballs to give him an array of pitches that move in different directions. He backs up the fastballs with a full mix of curveball, slider and changeup. Both breaking balls show promising analytical qualities but still need refinement. He worked this year to throw his high-70s curveball for strikes and chases, and he&#39s trying to become more consistent in general with the way he throws his low-80s slider. His changeup, thrown in the mid 80s, has excellent separation from his fastball and projects as average.
  
  The Future: White was excellent in the AFL, where he was mostly making up as much lost time as possible. He&#39ll move to High-A next year and is one of the system&#39s most promising pitching prospects.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 60.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Although White was drafted in 2018, he didn’t make his official pro debut until 2021. He was rested post-draft in 2018, missed 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and then lost 2020 to the coronavirus pandemic. His 2021 season was shortened after he broke his hand during the opening start of the season and didn’t return until August before shining down the stretch and again in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: During his time rehabbing his broken hand, White evolved. He tweaked the grip on his four-seam fastball to give it more true riding action, and the results showed in the data. His mid-90s four-seamer posted a truly elite swing-and-miss rate of nearly 46% and showed strong spin rates and movement patterns. White also throws two-seam and cut fastballs to give him an array of pitches that move in different directions. He backs up the fastballs with a full mix of curveball, slider and changeup. Both breaking balls show promising analytical qualities but still need refinement. He worked this year to throw his high-70s curveball for strikes and chases, and he’s trying to become more consistent in general with the way he throws his low-80s slider. His changeup, thrown in the mid 80s, has excellent separation from his fastball and projects as average.
  
  The Future: White was excellent in the AFL, where he was mostly making up as much lost time as possible. He’ll move to High-A next year and is one of the system’s most promising pitching prospects.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Rangers drafted White in the second round in 2018 and gave him an above-slot $1.5 million to pass up a South Carolina commitment. To date, that is the most noteworthy part of his professional career. White has not pitched in an official game in three seasons since signing. The Rangers rested him after the draft and he blew out his elbow in 2019, requiring season-ending Tommy John surgery. He did return to pitch in 2020 instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite the missed time, White has starter written all over him. He features a fourpitch mix topped by a fastball that sat 93-97 mph during instructs. His best offspeed pitch is a 78-80 mph curveball with plus potential, and he throws an 83-87 mph slider and 84-87 mph changeup that flash average. Best of all, he throws a lot of strikes. He was a terrific prep athlete who is learning to repeat his delivery. He also fields his position well and keeps runners close.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rangers plan to send White to low Class A Hickory to open 2021. As he continues to develop his body and gain reps, his ceiling could be a mid-rotation starter.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Rangers drafted White in the second round in 2018 and gave him an above-slot $1.5 million to pass up a South Carolina commitment. To date, that is the most noteworthy part of his professional career. White has not pitched in an official game in three seasons since signing. The Rangers rested him after the draft and he blew out his elbow in 2019, requiring season-ending Tommy John surgery. He did return to pitch in 2020 instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite the missed time, White has starter written all over him. He features a fourpitch mix topped by a fastball that sat 93-97 mph during instructs. His best offspeed pitch is a 78-80 mph curveball with plus potential, and he throws an 83-87 mph slider and 84-87 mph changeup that flash average. Best of all, he throws a lot of strikes. He was a terrific prep athlete who is learning to repeat his delivery. He also fields his position well and keeps runners close.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rangers plan to send White to low Class A Hickory to open 2021. As he continues to develop his body and gain reps, his ceiling could be a mid-rotation starter.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Rangers drafted White in the second round in 2018 and gave him an above-slot $1.5 million to pass up a South Carolina commitment. To date, that is the most noteworthy part of his professional career. White has not pitched in an official game in three seasons since signing. The Rangers rested him after the draft and he blew out his elbow in 2019, requiring season-ending Tommy John surgery. He did return to pitch in 2020 instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite the missed time, White has starter written all over him. He features a fourpitch mix topped by a fastball that sat 93-97 mph during instructs. His best offspeed pitch is a 78-80 mph curveball with plus potential, and he throws an 83-87 mph slider and 84-87 mph changeup that flash average. Best of all, he throws a lot of strikes. He was a terrific prep athlete who is learning to repeat his delivery. He also fields his position well and keeps runners close.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rangers plan to send White to low Class A Hickory to open 2021. As he continues to develop his body and gain reps, his ceiling could be a mid-rotation starter.