Brock Holt is a 32-year-old utility infielder, a former All-Star and a World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox.
He can play just about anywhere on the field. In fact, the only position he hasn’t played since making his MLB debut in 2012 is catcher.
A case can be made that the left-handed hitter is actually better against left-handed pitchers, and while Holt isn’t as good offensively as former Rice teammate Anthony Rendon, he holds his own.
Holt has made the Texas Rangers’ 2021 Opening Day roster, his role to be determined.
At the same time, though, a case can be made that he doesn’t belong on the roster at all. And it’s not just him.
The Rangers are rebuilding, after all.
But at a time when the Rangers value youth, they also value experience. They don’t want all the inexperienced players on the roster ,who are learning how to be professionals and how to win in the majors, without some big brothers to guide them along.
“We need to surround them with some veterans to protect them to some degree,” Rangers general manager Chris Young said. “So that when they do stumble, that we’re not running them out there, killing their confidence, that these guys have the opportunity to be supported with veteran players who have been through the battles and know how things are done.”
The Rangers will potentially have six players age 30 and up, all on one-year deals, who make the team.
At a time when they need to develop and evaluate as much young talent as possible, Holt and injured outfielder Khris Davis, 33, and right-hander Jordan Lyles, 30, would appear to be in the way of progress.
The same would go for left-handers Hyeon-Jong Yang, 33, if he were to make the team, and right-handers Ian Kennedy, 36, and Matt Bush, 35, who appear certain to make the team as non-roster invites to camp.
Manager Chris Woodward said that the No. 1 thing he hopes the Rangers accomplish this season is to learn how to win in the major leagues.
Holt knows how to do that. Winning has become an expectation in Boston, where he spent seven seasons and learned from veterans such as Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli.
Holt wants to make young players feel comfortable and not be afraid to ask for help. Some organizations have discounted the importance of veteran leadership, he said, and it’s been to their detriment.
“I’m a guy who has been very fortunate to play on some good teams with some good players that have taught me a lot about the game, and a lot about how to prepare, be a winner and play for some championship teams,” said Holt, a Stephenville native. “I’m going to be a guy who some guys come to, and I’m looking forward to being that veteran type of guy who can talk guys through a situation or help them out of certain spots.”
The one thing veterans typically have in common is some level of success and postseason experience. Holt, Davis, Kennedy and Bush have played in the postseason, and Lyles has been on teams that have been in contention late into the season.
The same goes for Opening Day starter Kyle Gibson, 33, and fellow right-handed starter Mike Foltynewicz, 29.
Though he would be a MLB rookie if he makes the team, Yang won two championships in the Korea Baseball Organization and was the Korean Series MVP and league MVP in 2017.
They are aiding development, not hindering it.
“We’re a young team. We know we have a lot of development and growth to happen. I don’t know why we wouldn’t value veteran leadership,” Woodward said. “It’s critical. These guys haven’t been through the years and experience that some of these veterans have.”
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