Rangers top prospect Jung set for MLB debut Fri.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Josh Jung cannot even describe the whirlwind of feelings he has gone by the previous seven months, since shoulder surgical procedure that took away the highest prospect’s alternative to compete for a spot on the Texas Rangers roster in spring coaching.

Now after initially pondering he may not get to play in any respect this season, Jung is about to make his massive league debut Friday evening after a month of Triple-A video games. The Rangers plan to place Jung, the eighth total decide within the 2019 draft out of Texas Tech, on their 28-man energetic roster earlier than the sequence opener at dwelling in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays.

“A whole 180, going from on the tremendous excessive coming into camp to … I am not going to play this yr to truly getting out to play video games in Arizona after which attending to an affiliate and now getting an opportunity up within the massive leagues,” Jung mentioned Thursday, whereas standing in entrance of his locker within the otherwise-empty Rangers clubhouse on an off day for the group.

Requested if he was nervous in any respect about his debut, Jung responded, “Completely. It is all the things I’ve ever been working for my total life. So completely.”

Jung, 24, is prone to be their major third baseman for the ultimate 3 1/2 weeks of their season. It’s the function that he had been anticipated to have a chance to win in spring coaching earlier than he bought harm.

His massive league debut will include the Rangers (59-77) headed for his or her sixth consecutive dropping season, and weeks after president of baseball operations Jon Daniels and supervisor Chris Woodward have been fired. There are 26 video games remaining, and their subsequent win will match their victory whole from final season after they misplaced 102 video games.

Jung was lifting weights earlier than the opening of the group’s minor league camp in Arizona in February, earlier than the top of the MLB lockout, when he felt discomfort in his non-throwing (left) shoulder. He was initially identified with a pressure, however had surgical procedure per week later to to restore a torn labrum.

“It was an ongoing dialog the entire time just about. I imply, February to March, it was like in all probability not enjoying this yr. Week 12, Week 16, come again, bought to start out swinging the bat at week 16 form of seeing how all the things was, see how my shoulder was responding,” he mentioned. “Then the dialog began to vary a bit bit. So between the four- and five-month mark is when it actually began. Hey, let’s examine what we are able to do right here.”

Jung hit .266 with 9 homers and 29 RBIs in 31 video games — eight in Arizona earlier than 23 with Triple-A Spherical Rock. That included thrice hitting three-run homers over a two-game span to solely improve the hype — and led to him ultimately taking a break from social media. He additionally had a 1-for-17 span with 11 strikeouts and no walks.

“I bought off to the primary two weeks out of rehab and was unconscious. The subsequent two weeks, I used to be chilly as ice,” Jung mentioned. “I simply wanted to discover a steadiness and simply get again to being the place my toes have been. I believe that was the largest factor for me. So I used to be like I’ve bought to get off social media for a bit bit.”