CarL1 Down East Wood Ducks

Jeffrey Springs Named to Rangers Opening Day Roster

Published on March 28, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release


Kinston, N.C. - The Texas Rangers announced that former Wood Ducks pitcher Jeffrey Springs has made their opening day roster for the 2019 season. Springs becomes the first Down East player to begin a season on a Major League roster. Last season he joined Ricardo Rodriguez and C.D. Pelham as former Wood Ducks to have made their Major League debuts.

A native of Belmont, N.C., Springs pitched for the Wood Ducks in 2017, posting a 3.69 ERA in 31 games (17 starts). He finished second in the Carolina League in strikeouts, with 146, the most of any Rangers minor leaguer that season.

Springs began the 2017 campaign in the Woodies rotation, but transitioned to the bullpen midway through the year, and was dominant down the stretch, ending the season with a 25.1 scoreless inning streak. In the playoffs the lefty logged two scoreless outings, helping the Wood Ducks to a Mills Cup Championship in their inaugural season.

Springs made his major league debut last season, on July 31 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, working two innings, and allowing a run. Springs' versatility allowed the Rangers to use him in a variety of roles in the final two months of the year, serving as the "opener" in his two starts for Texas, while also appearing in a save situation. His first big-league win came September 23 when he fired two scoreless innings in relief against the Seattle Mariners.

Selected in the 30th round in 2015 out of Appalachian State, Springs got the opportunity to return to his home state, and to the Down East organization, this off-season, when he joined teammates Jose Trevino and Willie Calhoun at the Wood Ducks Hot Stove event on January 10.

The Rangers open the season this afternoon against the Chicago Cubs at 4:05 p.m. ET at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

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Carolina League Stories from March 28, 2019


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