Winn aces 'rewarding' Major League debut

This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry's Rangers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Nothing about the situation was optimal.

Cole Winn, the Rangers’ first-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, entered Sunday's game against the Astros in the seventh inning, to face a bases-loaded, one-out jam, as Houston led 7-2.

In a perfect world, Winn -- who was Texas' No. 14 prospect last year -- would have started the game and introduced himself to Major League Baseball in a much different way.

But it’s not a perfect world, and Winn was called up in place of injured starter Cody Bradford, who landed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a lower back strain.

Winn made the most of his opportunity, striking out one across 1 2/3 scoreless innings in his MLB debut at Minute Maid Park. He allowed just one inherited run from Yerry Rodríguez to score on a groundout.

“It's kind of been a whirlwind, but very exciting,” Winn said. “I'll take that situation. I think I would have taken back -- I would’ve liked them to hit it [to] a little bit better spot and we roll [a] double play so I don't give up one of Yerry’s runs. That’s the only thing I would take back.

“This means everything, especially after the past couple years. Obviously, not the greatest years I've had, but there was a lot of learning. To be able to come out here and pitch on a Major League mound in a Major League game, it's really special.”

It’s not what any pitcher, especially one who was once a Top 100 Prospect, dreams of when thinking about their MLB debut.

But it was perfect nonetheless.

“I was proud of him yesterday,” manager Bruce Bochy said before Monday’s game in Detroit. “That was not the situation I wanted to bring him in, but he handled it so well. He’s got the stuff to pitch up here. Now, it’s just believing you can pitch here and have that confidence.

"He has the equipment to do it. He’s bumping 96 [mph] with a good breaking ball and a good split that works here. I think he has good control when he’s got that confidence. So, he should feel good about that outing. I’m sure nerves were going. I mean, it was loud in there [at Minute Maid Park] yesterday. Just really, really happy how he’s handled it.”

Once the Rangers' top pitching prospect, Winn struggled the past two seasons with Triple-A Round Rock. Texas drafted him 15th overall in 2018, and he was the Rangers' 2021 Nolan Ryan Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

He then posted a 6.51 ERA in 28 starts in 2022 and a 7.22 ERA in 29 games (13 starts) in ‘23, as he began transitioning to the bullpen midway through the season. He’s pitched exclusively out of the bullpen for the Express this season and held opponents scoreless in three of his four outings.

Winn pitched in the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason, looking to refine some of the things he worked on at the end of the 2023. One of those items was adding a two-seamer back into his repertoire, a pitch he had scrapped coming out of high school.

“I felt like I was figuring out a lot of things at the end of the year last year, so I think I was just building on that and continuing to challenge myself and grow,” Winn said during Spring Training. “The only thing I can control is how I perform and how I do day to day, so I think that's the main focus for me right now. Just trying to put myself in a good spot to potentially make the team.”

He was ultimately sent to Minor League camp midway through Spring Training, but Winn didn’t let that bother him and continued trying to put himself in the best position to contribute at the big league level sometime this season.

“I just trust myself,” Winn said. “Trust my preparation. I felt like I put a lot of work into the mental side of the game, so I feel more confident with where I'm at with that. I got together with a great sports psychologist and mentor Brian Cain. He's helped me out a ton. I just feel a lot more confident. My headspace is much better.”

On top of everything, Winn credits the help of veterans such as Danny Duffy, Chasen Shreve and Shane Greene in Round Rock with assisting his development, both mentally and physically. They’ve helped him find a routine and helped him find the best ways to be successful.

Winn didn’t know if he would only be with the big league club for a day or for a week or for forever. But he packed enough clothes for the rest of the road trip to Detroit and Atlanta.

He’s here for the time being. He doesn’t yet know what the future holds, as it pertains to his longevity on the team.

“I knew things had to fall into place for me to get here,” Winn said. “But it’s fortunate that I was able to get up here, not under the circumstances, but fortunate to be able to get up here and have a chance and just kind of show what I can do. It's a pretty rewarding feeling, especially after the last couple years and not doing well at all. So to see a little bit of success, it's fun.”