Rangers manager uses mound visit for the coolest Opening Day reveal
Texas Rangers right-hander Carter Baumler was on the mound for a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals when he got a quick mound visit. Baumler did not expect to see Rangers manager Skip Schumaker considering he was throwing pretty well. But during the exchange, it seemed obvious that it wasn't just mid-game feedback on his pitching.
Baumler seemed thrilled after the conversation. The 24-year-old pitcher, who was acquired by the Rangers after the Rule 5 draft in December 2025, indeed received some good news. Here is what Baumler said about the surprise visit: "I wasn't expecting it.
I was like, why is he coming out here? He got on the mound and told me I made the team. So, yeah.
Pretty cool. " The 2020 MLB draft pick has had an unconventional journey to get where he is today. He missed his first professional season due to the COVID-19 pandemic then tore his UCL and missed the 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery.
After the long road to get where he is today, Schumaker wanted to go the extra mile for this interaction: "There's only one time you get told you are making a major league roster for your first time. So you want to make it as memorable as you can. I'll never forget when I got called up: The exact moment, the exact game in Memphis Tennessee.