If you have been following the Texas Rangers minor league updates this year, you’ve probably seen the name Hector Osorio showing up quite a bit. The lefthanded hitting outfielder from Venezuela, who turned 21 in early April, is slashing .295/.429/.561 in 218 plate appearances over 48 games for low-A Hickory this year, while putting up a 37:24 BB:K ratio and splitting his time between center field and right field.
Coming into 2026, Osorio wasn’t on most folks’ radars — he hadn’t been on any of the
Baseball America or MLB Pipeline top 30 lists for the Rangers, didn’t make Fangraphs’ top 45 or top 38 lists from 2025 and 2026, respectively, and had never appeared on Jamey Newberg’s Top 72 Rangers prospect rankings.
That’s starting to change, however — Jamey put Osorio at #34 on his most recent top 72 list in May, and suggested a week later that he “possibly undersold” the outfielder by having him that low. When Gavin Collyer graduated from the MLB Pipeline top 30 Rangers list last week, Osorio was the player they added to the list in his place. And I expect Baseball America to add Osorio to their Rangers top 30 list the next time they update.
We were fortunate enough to get to visit with Hector, with the assistance of his interpreter, earlier this week and visit with him about his career and his big 2026 season. The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
LSB: I appreciate you taking a few minutes out to do a little Q&A with us. I know you signed out of Venezuela — when did you first start playing baseball?
HO: I started playing when I was three years old. On my dad’s side of the family, they are very passionate about baseball and there are a lot of people who play baseball on that side of the family. My dad himself tried to pursue the dream to play professionally, and that didn’t really pan out for him, but he made sure to pass on that love to me, and got me started when I was about three years old.
LSB: When was it that you first started getting noticed by major league scouts?
HO: I joined an academy when I was about 11 years old, and it was around age 12 when I started doing tryouts in front of scouts, and that was the first time I was sort of on anyone’s radar. So I was pretty young, around 12.
LSB: I am sure there were other teams besides the Rangers who showed an interest in you — how was it that you decided that the Rangers were the organization you wanted to sign with?
HO: It was a pretty interesting situation because I was in talks with another team. I was at one of these tryouts showing off for this other team, and the Rangers were there. They were actually there to see a different ballplayer. It just so happened that they got their eyes on me, and I sort of became like a new goal for them. And then from there everything happened very quickly.
LSB: I know Rangers fans are glad you ended up choosing to sign with the Rangers. You spent a couple of years playing in the Dominican Summer League, then went to the Arizona Complex League in 2024 and spent the summer there at Surprise and played there. What was the adjustment like coming to the States and playing in Arizona after two years playing in the DSL?
HO: It is a big jump, but fortunately I can say that, for me, it didn’t feel as intense of a change, because they really do a nice job of preparing you in the Dominican League. Obviously its a new country with a new language and a different culture, and there’s some things to learn in that aspect, but I really think they do a good job of developing and teaching you and preparing you for all that is to come when you make that jump. So I didn’t feel as severe of a change — I felt pretty prepared. I think the way they prepare you there is really key to having success here.
LSB: What was it that they did to prepare you that had you so well situated when you came to the States?
HO: They prepare you in so many ways. I can only speak for myself, but there was a lot that I didn’t know, and I can tell you just from teaching you things like the mental aspect of baseball, a lot of fundamental things that you’re not aware of, that once you make that leap here to Arizona, you’re going to find that ready to go. But you don’t know that exists until they teach you about a lot of these basics over there. And there’s things like, even the language — there’s lessons available for that so you can start preparing for that jump.
LSB: In 2025, you went to Hickory for your first season in full season ball. How much of a difference was it, going from playing in the complex league to playing full season ball, having the long bus rides, a lot more fans i the stands, and the like?
HO: I want to say that it didn’t feel like that big of a change, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that there are more fans present, so maybe you feel more pressure at first. There’s a lot more games, the season is longer, sometimes those bus rides might wear you out a little bit. But honestly, I can say coming into this season I know what to expect now. You get into the groove of your routines, and its not as challenging as it was that first go-round.
LSB: You’ve gotten off to a great start to the 2026 season. Is there anything in particular that you credit that to, or that you worked on in the offseason to make that big step forward?
HO: I think for me the biggest difference has been in the physical aspect of my body. I’ve prepared, I’ve put on some weight, probably an extra fourteen pounds, and I think keeping fit and putting on that extra weight has maybe helped me have a bit more power when I’m up at the plate. I feel like I, personally, have felt that difference in me.
LSB: I noticed the power has definitely been standing out — you have more home runs so far this year than you have had in your entire career up to this point. Baseball Reference has you listed at 6’, 150 lbs. — is that underselling your size at this point?
HO: I would say they have me a little bit under what I am now. That 150 lbs. is probably what I weighed when I went to the Dominican League. I think I’m closer to 200 lbs. now.
LSB: Now that you’ve been doing those bus rides for a while, what is your favorite place to go to to eat when you are on the road?
HO: I can tell you that the second we hit the road, wherever we land, we are always looking for Venezuelan food. And we always find it! It is really quite fascinating to me — I don’t understand how, but there’s always a Venezuelan spot, so that’s usually what we want to fuel up on.
LSB: What do you feel like your real strengths as a player are?
HO: I think at first glance, you can say that the physical aspect of my body makes me a decent athlete. But I really think that I view the game differently. I think that I make good contact at the plate, and I think I’m really good at recognizing pitches.
LSB: Something that stands out with you is your plate discipline. Is that something that’s just always been part of your game? Is there something in particular you’ve worked at to improve your plate discipline and pitch recognition?
HO: Its funny — that’s something I think I’ve always naturally had, and I didn’t always appreciate. When I got to the Dominican League I really did not appreciate how many walks I could draw — and then in time I started to understand that there’s real value in that. And again, it gets back to what I was saying, it comes really naturally for me with recognizing pitches. And I appreciate that now.
LSB: What are your goals for the rest of 2026?
HO: I think my biggest goal right now is to stay healthy — stay healthy meaning I can keep up this same rhythm for the length of a long season. I think that’s what matters the most to me right now.
