Left-hander Jacob Latz is the Texas Rangers’ lone representative at the 2026 All-Star Game, five years after his MLB debut and nine years after he was drafted.
The Jacob Latz All-Star story doesn’t begin at the end of spring training, when he was informed that he had lost out in the battle to be the Texas Rangers‘ fifth starter. Rather than sulk, he channeled his disappointment into some of the finest relief work in the American League.
This isn’t his first time on the road less traveled, encountering potholes and detours since his freshman year of college. Ultimately, missing out on the rotation was just another instance in which his career has been redirected.
It’s been that way since Latz left high school in Illinois. Just getting drafted by the Rangers out of college was a **** py ride, as injuries, dietary issues and an eligibility issue limited him to only a handful of innings over three seasons at LSU and Kent State.
Even his MLB debut, in 2021, was unusual. He was the Rangers’ starting pitcher only because the team was dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19. Latz didn’t pitch in the majors again until September 2023, just in time to earn a World Series ring.
The Jacob Latz All-Star story doesn’t begin at the end of spring training, when he was informed that he had lost out in the battle to be the Texas Rangers‘ fifth starter. Rather than sulk, he channeled his disappointment into some of the finest relief work in the American League.
This isn’t his first time on the road less traveled, encountering potholes and detours since his freshman year of college. Ultimately, missing out on the rotation was just another instance in which his career has been redirected.
It’s been that way since Latz left high school in Illinois. Just getting drafted by the Rangers out of college was a **** py ride, as injuries, dietary issues and an eligibility issue limited him to only a handful of innings over three seasons at LSU and Kent State.
Even his MLB debut, in 2021, was unusual. He was the Rangers’ starting pitcher only because the team was dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19. Latz didn’t pitch in the majors again until September 2023, just in time to earn a World Series ring.
16 days ago
