Cole Ragans starting for Texas on Thursday

Cole Ragans, the Texas Rangers first round draft pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, has been listed as the Rangers likely starter for Thursday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. This will be Ragans’ major league debut.

This news makes me truly happy. Ragans, a 24 year old left hander, looked like an extremely promising pitching prospect after a strong season in the Northwest League in 2017. When the news broke in the spring of 2018 that Ragans would need Tommy John surgery, it was disappointing.

What happened the next season was even worse. Ragans was close to appearing in game action again when his surgically repaired UCL tore. After months of grueling rehab, Ragans needed a second Tommy John…