25-year old righty Josh Lindblom will be called up next Monday to replace Alexi Ogando (on the D.L.) in the starting rotation.  Lindblom has pitched in 8 games (7 starts) in AAA-ball this year for the Rangers and he is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP.  He has given up 27 hits and 11 walks while whiffing 33 batters in his first 43 1/3 innings in AAA, which is impressive.  Lindblom has pitched in 101 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 4-5 with 1 save, a 3.31 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.  The Rangers acquired Lindblom on December 9th 2012 from the Phillies in the deal which sent Michael Young out of town.

19-year old switch-hitting 2B/SS Luis Sardenas came into this season as the Rangers’ #7 prospect according to Baseball America.  He has played in 33 games in A-ball so far this year and he is 35 for 127 (.276 avg, .676 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 0 homers, 6 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.  He has now played in 169 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 192 of 656 (.293 avg, .702 OPS) with 117 runs scored, 2 homers, 51 RBIs and 52 stolen bases.  The Rangers will take things slowly with Sardenas.

30-year old righty starting pitcher Randy Wells has decided to retire from baseball.  He pitched in 5 games (all starts) in AAA-ball for the Rangers this year and he was 0-4 with a 6.08 ERA and a 1.86 WHIP.  He gave up 32 hits (4 homers) and he walked 12 batters while whiffing 20 of them in 23 2/3 innings in AAA-ball as he was getting hit hard.  Wells pitched in 98 games (86 starts) in his five years in the majors and he was 28-32 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.  This isn’t much of a loss moving forward for the Rangers.

24-year old righty swinging 1B/3B Mike Olt is off to a rough start in AAA-ball for the Rangers in 2013.  He has played in 20 games in AAA-ball so far this year and he is 10 for 72 (.139 avg, .471 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs.  Olt has whiffed a stunningly awful 32 times so far this year.  Olt has played in 257 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 256 of 943 (.271 avg, .879 OPS) with 168 runs scored, 53 homers, 177 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.  Olt came into this season as the Rangers’ #2 prospect according to Baseball America.  Olt got his first taste of the majors in 2012 with the Rangers, appearing in 16 games in which he was 5 for 33 (.152 avg, .432 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers, 5 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Olt better get his act together at the plate if he wants to get back to the majors in 2013.

20-year old switch-hitting SS Jurickson Profar came into this season as the Rangers’ #1 prospect according to Baseball America.  Profar has played in 8 games in AAA-ball so far this year for the Rangers and he is 6 for 27 (.222 avg, .659 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 0 homers, 3 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.  He has now played in 312 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 327 of 1,189 (.275 avg, .813 OPS) with 209 runs scored, 30 homers, 153 RBIs and 50 stolen bases.  Profar did get his first taste of the show last year for the Rangers, appearing in 9 games in which he was 3 for 17 (.176 avg, .647 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer and 2 RBIs.  Profar could play with the Rangers at some point in 2013, or he could be prime trade bait.

The Rangers have eight rookies that could help them at some point in 2013.  Here is a look at them:

Jurickson Profar:  20-year old righty swinging SS Jurickson Profar comes into this season as the Rangers’ #1 prospect according to Baseball America.  Profar played in 9 games for the Rangers last year in his first taste of the majors and he was 3 for 17 (.176 avg, .647 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer and 2 RBIs.  He also played in 126 games in AA-ball for the Rangers last year and he was 135 of 480 (.281 avg, .820 OPS) with 76 runs scored, 14 homers, 62 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.  Profar has now played in 304 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 321 of 1,162 (.276 avg, .817 OPS) with 204 runs scored, 30 homers, 150 RBIs and 47 stolen bases.

Mike Olt:  24-year old righty swinging 1B/3B Mike Olt came into the 2013 season as the Rangers’ #2 prospect according to Baseball America.  Olt played in 16 games for the Rangers last year in his first taste of the majors and he was 5 for 33 (.152 avg, .432 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers, 5 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Olt also played in 95 games in AA-ball last year and he was 102 of 354 (.288 avg, .977 OPS) with 65 runs scored, 28 homers, 82 RBIs and 4 stolen bases.  Olt has now played in 237 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 246 of 871 (.282 avg, .912 OPS) with 163 runs scored, 52 homers, 171 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

Martin Perez:  21-year old lefty starting pitcher Martin Perez comes into this season as the Rangers’ #3 prospect according to Baseball America.  He pitched in 12 games (6 starts) for the Rangers last year in his first taste of the majors and he was 1-4 with a 5.45 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP.  Perez also pitched in 22 games (21 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 7-6 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP.  Perez has now pitched in 115 games (104 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 27-30 with 1 save, a 4.23 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP.  Perez will start the 2013 on the D.L. with a broken bone in his left arm.

Leonys Martin:  25-year old lefty swinging CF Leonys Martin comes into this season as the Rangers’ #4 prospect according to Baseball America.  Martin played in 24 games for the Rangers last year and he was 8 for 46 (.174 avg, .605 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 0 homers, 6 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.  He also played in 55 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 83 of 231 (.359 avg, 1.033 OPS) with 48 runs scored, 12 homers, 42 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.  Martin has now played in 32 games in his first two years with the Rangers and he is 11 for 54 (.204 avg, .643 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 0 homers, 6 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.  Martin will start out the 2013 season platooning with Craig Gentry, but he has the potential to just take over full time.

Justin Grimm:  24-year old righty starting pitcher Justin Grimm comes into the 2013 season as the Rangers’ #5 prospect according to Baseball America.  Grimm pitched in 5 games (2 starts) for the Rangers last year in his first taste of the majors and he was 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP.  Grimm also pitched in 25 games (22 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 11-6 with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.  Grimm has now pitched in 50 games (47 starts) in his first two years in the minors and he is 18-9 with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

Nick Tepesch:  24-year old righty Nick Tepesch comes into the 2013 season as the Rangers’ #19 prospect according to Baseball America.  He pitched in 28 games (26 starts) in A+AA-ball last year and he was 11-6 with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.  Tepesch has now pitched in 57 games (49 starts) in his first two years in the minors and he is 18-11 with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

Wilmer Font:  22-year old righty reliever Wilmer Font comes into this season as the Rangers’ #22 prospect according to Baseball America.  Font pitched in 3 games (0 starts) for the Rangers last year and he was 0-0 with a 9.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP in his first taste of the majors.  Font also pitched in 33 games (19 starts) in A+AA-ball last year and he was 4-5 with 1 save, a 4.03 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP.  Font has now pitched in 95 games (69 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 20-14 with 1 save, a 4.08 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

Joe Ortiz:  22-year old lefty reliever Joe Ortiz comes into this season as the Rangers’ #30 prospect according to Baseball America.  Ortiz pitched in 51 games (0 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 2-3 with 6 saves, a 2.15 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.  He has now pitched in 183 games (0 starts) in his first six years in the minors and he is 16-12 with 28 saves, a 2.28 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.

The Rangers will be without 18-year old lefty swinging minor league OF/1B Ronald Guzman for the next seven weeks due to right knee surgery.  He played in 52 games in Rookie-ball last year for the Rangers and he was 68 of 212 (.321 avg, .808 OPS) with 29 runs scored, 1 homer, 33 RBIs and 7 stolen bases.  The Rangers had to be excited about the way Guzman handled his first look at professional pitching in 2012.

The Rangers have designated 24-year old lefty reliever/starter Miguel de los Santos for assignment. He pitched in 26 games (4 starts) in AA-ball for the Rangers this year and he was 3-2 with a 5.22 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. de los Santos pitched in 114 games (53 starts) in his seven years in the minors for the Rangers and he was 15-15 with 12 saves, a 3.87 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. I don’t think the Rangers will lose any sleep if they lose de los Santos on waivers.

UPDATE: (9/7/2012) - The Rangers have lost Miguel de los Santos on waivers to the Milwaukee Brewers.

23-year old righty reliever Ben Rowan has been awesome so far this year in the minors for the Rangers. He has pitched in 36 games (0 starts) in A-ball for the Rangers so far this year and he is 5-0 with 18 saves, a 1.46 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP. Rowen have given up 36 hits and only 3 walks in 55 1/3 innings in the minors so far this year while whiffing 48 batters. Those are some pretty impressive numbers. Rowen has now pitched in 90 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the minors and he is 12-4 with 21 saves, a 1.59 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. The Rangers are likely going to start moving Rowen up in 2013 to see if he can continue to dominate with better competition.

23-year old righty reliever Johan Yan has pitched pretty well in the minors so far this year. He has pitched in 30 games (0 starts) in AA+AAA-ball so far this year and he is 0-1 with 10 saves, a 3.71 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Yan has had some issues with his control this year though as he has walked 20 batters in only 34 innings in the minors. Yan has now pitched in 114 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the minors and he is 8-9 with 25 saves, a 3.22 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He could be trade bait for the Rangers later this month.