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Opening Day is just two months away, and the Texas Rangers are just a few players short of filling their roster.

The club is still searching for a pitcher to fill the final rotation spot. The Rangers need a couple more position players and two relievers. And with 54 players going to Surprise, Ariz. for spring training, Texas is sure to find the right guys.

Here, we are going to look at three dark-horse prospects who could sneak onto the Opening Day roster. Their names haven’t been mentioned much, but they have a decent chance of being in Arlington on March 31.

Luis Sardinas

Luis Sardinas is currently ranked as the Rangers’ No. 7 prospect by Baseball America.

The 20-year-old is a decent hitter with good speed. He had a collective .288 batting average and 32 steals between High-A Myrtle beach and Double-A Frisco. He can hit for extra bases and has a knack for scoring.

Sardinas’ issue is finding a place for him to play.

He is a shortstop who has Elvis Andrus and Jurickson Profar in front of him. He hasn’t shown much ability to play around the diamond, either. Plus, the Rangers have super utility man Adam Rosales.

There may not be enough room for him come March 31. It would also serve him better to continue developing at the lower levels.

But if somebody up the middle has a setback, Sardinas could be next in line.

Wilmer Font

Wilmer Font is another guy who could make the Opening Day roster for Texas.

And with Robbie Ross possibly spending time in the minors, another spot could be open in the bullpen.

Font was originally a starter until 2010, when he had surgery and missed the 2011 season. He came back and started a few games before transitioning to reliever. The 23-year-old has been dominant out of the bullpen at three different levels of the organization.

At this point, he could be more of a lock than a dark horse. But with the acquisition of Shawn Tolleson, among others, it could be a longer wait than Font hoped for.

Luke Jackson

Luke Jackson may have the longest road to the 2014 roster, but he shouldn’t be ruled out.

Derek Holland’s injury has opened a spot in the rotation. Nick Tepesch and Colby Lewis should be considered favorites to fill in, but Jackson could be ready for the big league level.

He finished his 2013 campaign with an 11-4 record and 2.04 ERA between Myrtle Beach and Frisco. He had a WHIP of 1.180 and struck out 134 batters in 128 innings. His command is still a work in progress, but he has a live arm and would fit in nicely at the back end of the rotation.

If Texas doesn’t think the other candidates are worthy of the spot, Jackson could find himself making his MLB debut in April.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

You can follow Trey on Twitter @treydwarren

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

There is only one spot left undecided in the Texas Rangers starting rotation for 2014.

It is presumably for the fourth or fifth spot. The team has three lefties in Derek Holland, Martin Perez and Matt Harrison, and Yu Darvish is the lone righty.

Last season, Harrison started the year at the top of the rotation and was followed by Darvish. It will be different when next season starts, but not much. Texas fans will get to see what the rotation would have looked like last season if it weren’t plagued with injuries.

So without further ado, here is the Rangers’ projected starting rotation for next season.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The Texas Rangers are looking to put the 2013 season completely in their rear view as they gear up for 2014.

Last year was filled with both good and bad memories, from a near-perfect game to a trade that didn’t pan out. The team also made history during a July series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Texas didn’t get a chance at a playoff run, but it was still a fun season to watch.

We are going to look at some of the most memorable events from this past season, whether we want to remember it forever or erase it from memory.

What are the most memorable events for you from 2013?

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels is providing reasons for fans to be excited about the upcoming 2014 season.

The team will be looking to bounce back from its disappointing 2013 campaign that ended with a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, a loss which kept the Rangers from making the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

Daniels has been busy this offseason and has taken care of some issues that caused disruption last year. The improvements have created excitement and expectations for the club, like taking back the division and making the playoffs.

Here are three reasons why Texas fans should expect a better season in 2014.

Improved Lineup

The Rangers scored 808 runs in 2012, the most in baseball. Last year they dropped to No. 8 with 730 runs. Adrian Beltre was the only true threat throughout the season, especially after Nelson Cruz was hit with a 50-game suspension for PEDs.

But after a trade that brought in Prince Fielder and the signing of free agent Shin-Soo Choo, Texas has one of the better lineups in baseball.

Choo is one of the best leadoff hitters in the league, finishing fourth in OBP last season (.423). He also had a .285 batting average with 21 homers and 107 runs scored. He did strike out 133 times in 2013, but he also had 112 walks.

Not only did the Rangers find a leadoff hitter, they also got a feared power hitter in Prince Fielder. He batted behind Miguel Cabrera the previous two seasons but should now have Beltre protecting him the lineup. Fielder still hit 25 home runs and drove in 106 runs last season. He and Choo both bring .389 career OBPs to Arlington, an area that Texas struggled with in 2013.

The only questions left to be answered both are derived from the two young guys in the lineup. Jurickson Profar will most likely occupy second base now that Ian Kinsler is playing in Detroit. But now that the former No. 1 prospect has an everyday job, he should be able to find a long-term groove at the plate.

Leonys Martin will be looking to bounce back in 2014 after his first full stint with the Rangers. He hit just .260 last season but was a threat when he reached base, stealing 36 bags. He will most likely occupy the bottom of the lineup, as he did in 2013.

Rangers fans should expect an offense that resembles the lineups that helped this team reach the playoffs three years in a row.

Bullpen Almost the Same

With the exception of Joe Nathan, the Texas bullpen will look the same as it did in 2013.

The relievers for the Rangers were some of the most reliable in all of baseball. They tied the Arizona Diamondbacks with the most bullpen wins (35), had the fourth-best ERA (2.91) and gave up the third-fewest runs (159).

With Nathan gone, Texas will have a new closer at the helm. Luckily, the Rangers have a litter of capable arms. Tanner Scheppers, Joakim Soria and Neftali Feliz will all be battling for the job, and the last two have closing experience. If Alexi Ogando doesn’t occupy the final rotation spot, he can also set up or close.

The bullpen helped the Rangers sustain leads and keep them in ballgames when the offense struggled to put insurance runs on the board. With the improved lineup, the staff may end up with much more rest then last season.

A Healthy Rotation

Eleven different pitchers started at least two games last season for Texas, and only three hurlers had 20 or more.

One of those hurlers wasn’t even on the Opening Day roster. Martin Perez found his way into the rotation with a four-year contract extension after a good showing last year. He finished with a 10-6 record and a 3.62 ERA in 20 starts. He finished sixth in the Rookie of the Year vote but was arguably an MVP for Texas after injuries broke down the rotation.

Matt Harrison is making his return after multiple back surgeries cut his year short. He was a workhorse for the Rangers with two straight seasons of 30 starts in 2011 and 2012. Harrison will be a vital part of the rotation if he is as successful as he was prior to the surgeries.

With the improved lineup, Yu Darvish may be in line for a Cy Young. He finished second in voting last season with a 13-9 record and an MLB-best 277 strikeouts. He is at his best when he attacks and establishes his fastball, and he might be more comfortable doing that with better run support.

This team was able to win 91 games last season even though it was plagued with injuries and struggled to score runs. With a healthy rotation and improved lineup, the Rangers should find themselves back atop the AL West.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

You can follow Trey on Twitter @treydwarren

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It doesn’t look like Nelson Cruz or Shin-Soo Choo will be playing for the Texas Rangers in 2014.

During an interview on KRLD-FM The Fan’s Ben and Skin show, general manager Jon Daniels said he expected the Prince Fielder trade to be the biggest move they make this winter (via the Dallas Morning News). That answer came after he was asked about conversations with Cruz and Choo.

But should it be the biggest move?

Of course not, but it all depends on whether Daniels is willing to make another one. It would make sense to bring in at least one of the aforementioned players.

Based off the 2013 season, Choo would be the best option to spend money on.

Daniels has shown he is less willing to give players long-term deals, especially after the age of 30. He did sign Elvis Andrus to an eight-year extension, but the shortstop was 24 when he signed it in April. Fielder has seven years left on his deal, but four of those seasons will be discounted thanks to the $30 million the Tigers sent with him.

Scott Boras, Choo’s agent, is famous for trying to get the longest and largest deal possible for his clients. He got Jacoby Ellsbury a seven-year deal worth $153 million with the Yankees 10 days ago.

That seems to be the only thing standing in the way of the Rangers landing Choo.

It may be the time to just go ahead and give him the seven years they want. Besides the stolen base department, Choo’s numbers are more impressive then Ellsbury’s.

Choo has a career .288 batting average and a .389 OBP and averages 20 homers per 162 games.  Although he struck out 133 times, he walked 112 times last season and led the National League with 26 hits-by-pitch. In a nutshell, he gets on base and produces runs.

The South Korean has stolen 20 or more bases in four of the past five seasons. He has had 31 or more doubles and has scored at least 81 times in the same time frame, including a career high of 107 runs in 2013.

Choo could easily improve on those numbers if he signed with the Rangers. He has Andrus, one of the best bunters in the game, to move him over, followed by Fielder and Adrian Beltre to bring him in. Plus, Choo is one of the better defensive right fielders in the big leagues.

That means moving Alex Rios to left field, but that shouldn’t be too much of a factor. If you are going to pay a guy like Choo, you put him at his best position.

It may not happen, but Texas should pull the trigger on Choo. He is an established leadoff hitter who would improve the lineup and the outfield.

It’s time for Daniels to show him the money.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

You can follow Trey on Twitter @treydwarren

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Arizona Fall League ended Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 win for the Surprise Saguaros over the Mesa Solar Sox.

The Texas Rangers organization are a part of the Saguaros and helped claim the team’s first AFL title since 1995. The team finished 18-12-1, winning the West division by 4.5 games. 

Eight prospects represented the Rangers this year, one more than each of the other four teams making up Saguaros’ squad. Ryan Harvey was replaced by Keone Kela when the organization believed he had enough innings for the year. 

It’s difficult to give these players grades on their performance considering each game is sort of its own prospect all-star game; however, few players played exceptionally well during the 31-game league, while others struggled.

Here are the grades for each of the Rangers’ prospects.

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The Rangers took care of one housekeeping duty on Tuesday with the re-signing of catcher Geovany Soto.

According to Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com, the Rangers gave Soto a one-year deal worth $3.05 million plus incentives. Soto played in 54 games last year behind starting catcher A.J. Pierzynski. He finished the season with a .245 batting average, hitting nine home runs and driving in 22 runs.

It would be safe to assume the veteran will not be the starter in 2014. The contract more or less says Soto is a safeguard if the Rangers can’t get Pierzynski back or sign free agent Brian McCann to a multi-year deal.

On the other hand, Soto has proven to be a reliable catcher over the course of a season. In 2008, he played in 141 games, the most of his career, hitting .285 and had career highs in home runs (23), RBIs (86) and doubles (35). 

The free-agent market of 2014 is so weak that the Rangers could also start working prospects in next season. Staying in-house would also help the Rangers spend money on higher-profile players at other positions.

Robinson Chirinos is one option to back up Soto in 2014. He played in 13 games last season, but only mustered five hits in 28 at-bats. In 74 games at Triple-A Round Rock, he hit .257 with eight home runs and 40 RBIs.

Double-A Frisco’s Brett Nicholas is another option. He hit .289 with 21 home runs in 136 games last season. He has primarily played first base since 2012, but has committed just two errors at the catcher position since joining the Rangers organization in 2010.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com