Tuesday, June 23

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FRISCO, Texas -- Malcolm Moore doesn’t sugarcoat it. The 2025 season was difficult for him, both on and off the field. 

Moore, the Rangers’ 2024 MLB Draft first-rounder at 30th overall, had his first full professional season derailed by a foul tip that broke his finger in April. He was sidelined for two months and some change before hitting just .198/.293/.271 in High-A.

The performance saw him drop from MLB Pipeline’s No. 4 Rangers prospect to No. 18 as he went into the offseason looking to find his joy in the game again. 

“[Last season] was very difficult,” Moore told MLB.com. “Obviously, physically, there is some stuff that goes on with the hand, but I think the big thing is it being my first full year last year, being hurt right away, definitely mentally took a toll on me. I was away from home, from my friends. Rehab can be a little lonely. Being by myself sucked. And when I came back, I struggled with being around a new group of people. Again, it was lonely. Coming into this season, I wanted to make sure I tried my best to have a good time and enjoy my teammates.”

Moore went back home to Northern California in the offseason -- as opposed to Arizona, where he spent the previous winter. He began to enjoy training with his high school teammates and being around his family and friends.

He truthfully didn’t change too much physically or mechanically. But mentally, he’s in a better place. It’s paid off so far.

Moore opened the 2026 season repeating High-A in Spartanburg, hitting a passable .231/.324/.400 in April. But he turned it up in May, slashing .386/.469/.699 and including a stretch in which he hit home runs in four straight games and had eight consecutive multi-hit performances. 

In all, Moore hit .300/.387/.542 in 48 games at High-A before being rewarded with a promotion to Double-A Frisco on June 16. 

“Baseball’s a hard game,” Moore said. “Knowing that and accepting that helped me a little bit. I know how bad it can be and how lonely this game can be. So going into this season, offensively, I didn’t change much. Sure, I worked during the offseason. Everybody's trying to get better every day, right? But I think it's having the perspective of going out there and trying to play the game on the field. Not in the dugout or in the cages, it’s planning against the other team.”

Coming out of Stanford, Moore’s scouting report had him clocked as a below-average defender with similarly perceived arm strength. So maybe more impressive than the bat coming into form is the fact that he’s thrown out 33% of baserunners this season. 

He’s calling games for the first time, and he’s handling a pitching staff at two levels now that is far different from anything he ever did at Stanford. 

In a short period of time, he’s turned himself into a quality backstop.

“The first year out, we knew we had some things to work on with his defense,” said general manager Ross Fenstermaker. “We didn't have a full-time catching coordinator at the time, and we were in a little bit of a transitional phase. Our coaches and catching coaches at the affiliates did a great job, but I just think the commitment that he made this offseason, the work that he put in really answered any of those questions. It’s been impressive to see the complete catching package back there.”

Fenstermaker went on to say that when the Rangers drafted Moore, they knew his bat was well ahead of his defense. But they were also sure that he had the right ingredients to develop to where the two are equal. 

And now, in his second full professional season, he’s looked like every bit of the player the Rangers envisioned on both sides of the field. 

“Other than the two-week start to the season that was a little bit disappointing for him, he's been on an incredible run,” Fenstermaker said. “I think he's been on in all facets of the game. The offense has been a standout. I think it's a .910 OPS right now. His ability on the defensive side has been impressive as well. He's thrown out 30-something percent of runners, his receiving, his game calling, it's all been a big positive step for us. He's putting in a lot of work, and I'm happy for him and the progress that he's made.”

“That was the first time that someone took a chance on me. Kim [Ng, then-Marlins general manager] hired a rookie manager to try to change the culture and the vibe, and it was a special time. I'll never forget it. I am very grateful for it. We had a good group, a lot of coaches are here now with me here in Texas, but it was a special time. A lot of special players, still some really good people here that I'm looking forward to seeing, some players that are still here as well. It was a good group and, again, I was and am grateful for the opportunity.” -- Rangers manager Skip Schumaker on returning to Miami, where he managed from 2023-24

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