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Texas Rangers Sign Pitcher Austin Gomber to Minor League Deal

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Texas Rangers Sign LHP Austin Gomber to Minor League Deal

The Texas Rangers have officially signed left-handed pitcher Austin Gomber to a minor league contract, which includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training.

Player History

Gomber, 32, was drafted by the Cardinals in the fourth round in 2014. He made his major league debut with St. Louis in 2018 before being traded to the Rockies as part of the Nolan Arenado deal. During his time with the Cardinals, Gomber recorded a 3.72 ERA and 3.89 FIP across 104 innings.

In his debut season with the Rockies in 2021, Gomber posted a 4.53 ERA (106 ERA+) over 23 starts. His performance showed a decline in 2022 and 2023, then an improvement to near league-average in 2024. A notable change was a reduction in strikeout rate; in 2021, Gomber had a 23.2% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. From 2022-24, his walk rate decreased to 6.3%, but his strikeout rate also fell to 16.3%. His ground ball rate decreased from 44.3% to 40.5% during this period.

In 2025, Gomber's strikeout rate was 12.5%, his ground ball rate was 33.2%, and his barrel rate was 14.5%. Across 12 starts for the Rockies, he recorded a 7.49 ERA and 6.50 FIP over 57 2/3 innings. The Rockies released him in August. He then signed a minor league deal with the Cubs and pitched for Triple-A Iowa, achieving a 0.47 ERA in 19 innings over four appearances (three starts).

Rangers Outlook

Following his Triple-A success, Gomber signed a minor league contract with the Rangers. He is expected to add rotation depth to the team. The Rangers' potential rotation includes MacKenzie Gore, Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Jack Leiter, and Kumar Rocker.

DeGrom and Eovaldi have injury histories, and Rocker's MLB readiness is unproven.

Gomber is expected to compete for a spot in the Rangers' rotation this spring, potentially against Kumar Rocker and Jacob Latz for the fifth starter role.

Despite other potential candidates, Gomber is considered a contender for a rotation spot, either through competition or due to potential injuries to other pitchers.