KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Royals announced tonight that they have acquired left-handed pitcher Cole Ragans and minor league outfielder Roni Cabrera from the Texas Rangers for left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman. Ragans, a 40-man roster player, has been optioned to Triple-A Omaha and Cabrera has been assigned to the Royals Dominican Summer League team.
Ragans, 25, was named the Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season, after going 8-5 with a 3.04 ERA (32 ER in 94.2 IP) and 113 strikeouts (10.7 K/9) in 18 starts between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. He made his Major League debut last August, making 9 starts down the stretch with the Rangers.
Ragans made the Opening Day roster this season and pitched in 17 games in relief but was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on June 13. He was selected by the Rangers in the 1st round (30th overall) of the 2016 Draft out of North Florida Christian High School.
Cabrera, 17, signed with Texas as an international free agent in 2022 out of the Dominican Republic. He played in 37 games last season for the Rangers Blue Dominican Summer League team. Through 16 games in the DSL this season, he’s batting .315 (17-for-54) with 11 extra-base hits, 10 RBI, 6 stolen bases and more walks (13) than strikeouts (7).
Chapman, 35, signed a one-year contract with Kansas City in January. In 31 appearances with the Royals this season, Chapman is 4-2 with 2 saves, a 2.45 ERA (8 ER in 29.1 IP) and 53 strikeouts.
