Sept 25, 2024: Jung's sophomore season ends early due to right wrist tendinitis.

Jung missed the majority of the year with a fractured right wrist after being hit with a pitch just four games into the regular season. Throughout his rehab, Jung endured discomfort near the surgical site, which slowed his progress until he returned to the active roster on July 29. That discomfort returned within the last few weeks. Jung hadn’t played since Sept. 18 against Toronto at Globe Life Field, when he went 0-for-3 at the plate. The hope was for him to return to the lineup during the final road trip of the season, but he will instead visit his surgeon in Arizona on Thursday to get a CT scan and figure out the best course of action for the offseason.

“He wants to try to play through it,” manager Bruce Bochy said during the last homestand. “I'm going to wait just to make sure this thing's OK and see [if it clears] up, so he can get to a point where he can take his normal swing. I don't think he's there right now, just watching him. I'm sure he feels it when you impact the ball. The vibration, everything is still bothering that hand."

Jung said it’s the same buildup of discomfort as his shutdown earlier in this season, but it has not yet reached the same stage of pain.

Jung hit .264/.298/.421 in 46 games this season, but before fracturing his wrist, he was without a doubt the Rangers’ best hitter after going 7-for-17 with two walks, one double, one triple and two homers over the first four games.

“Honestly, I just want to get an answer,” Jung said. “I don't want my career to be defined by getting cortisone shots every six weeks, truly. I just want to find an answer to what is going on. [President of baseball operations Chris Young] even had a talk with me saying I need a healthy offseason, not an offseason to get healthy, which is something I've been having to deal with."

Injuries have plagued Jung throughout his professional career. Jung slashed .266/.315/.467 with 23 homers in his first full big league season in 2023, but he landed on the injured list for six weeks with a fractured left thumb. His big league debut was also delayed due to a slew of injuries in the Minors between 2021-22.

As the club’s top prospect, Jung sustained a stress fracture in his left foot going into Spring Training in 2021, then tore a labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder while lifting weights during camp in '22. He ultimately did not make his MLB debut until September of that year.That means three of Jung’s last four Spring Trainings have begun with injuries, including a strained left calf in 2024 that kept him out until the final week of Cactus League games. Bochy said he’s not concerned about the narrative that Jung is “injury-prone.”

“It's just a little early, I think, even though he's had his share of injuries,” Bochy said. “More than his shares, he’s kind of ball hogging them right now. We don't want to put that label on him. … Most importantly, what he's got to do is get healthy. We need him on the field. We told him that. We missed him. Every team has to deal with injuries, and it's not an excuse by any means, but we did miss him. There's no getting around it. We need to have him on the field for us to have success.” (K Landry - MLB.com - Sept 25, 2024) 

Jung graduated from MacArthur High School in San Antonio, Texas.

Josh's parents are Jeff and Mary Jung. His dad has long been a high school baseball and football coach in the state of Texas. Both parents graduated from the University of Texas.

At Texas Tech, Jung majored in communication studies.  He was a first-team Freshman All-American in 2017. And then, he was an All-American in 2018, his sophomore year at Texas Tech.

June 2019: The Rangers chose Josh in the first round (#8 overall), out of Texas Tech University. He went behind only C Adley Rutschman (O's), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals), Andrew Vaughn (White Sox), JJ Bleday (Marlins), Riley Greene (Tigers), C.J. Abrams, and P Nick Lodolo (Reds).

“Just being drafted in general is a dream come true,” Josh said. “Getting to play college ball and being good enough to be drafted in the first round is pretty special. Also, being drafted by the Rangers and staying in Texas, that’s pretty special. We are really excited.”

After Josh got drafted, there was still is some unfinished business. The Red Raiders had advanced to the Super Regional level of the NCAA Tournament with the goal of returning to the College World Series. Once the Red Raiders’ season is over, the Rangers expect no issues in coming to terms with Jung.

“Very excited,” Rangers scouting director Kip Fagg said. “Very good hitter, very good defender, very good kid. We are very excited to get Josh.”  (Sullivan - mlb.com - 6/3/19)

July 3, 2019: The Rangers reached an agreement with Josh on a $4.4 million bonus, via scout Josh Simpson. (It was about $700,000 under the slot value of $5,176,000 million.)

Josh's younger brother Jace is following in his footsteps at San Antonio McArthur school.

2019 Season: So how did Jung do in his first year as a pro player? Well, to put it in a few words, he’s looked good. When he arrived in the Rangers’ system, Jung went to the Rookie affiliate and was stunning in his four games. Jung went 10-17 with three extra base hits and five RBI. That earned him a promotion to Single-A Hickory, skipping Spokane all together. While he was never going to keep up with the stats he posted in a four-game stint in Rookie-ball, he was still fairly impressive in Hickory despite more or less skipping two levels of pro ball.

Jung made 40 appearances for the Crawdads and posted a .287 average in his time there. The only real knock on Jung’s time in Hickory was that we didn’t see much by way of power from the young infielder as he hit only one homer in 157 at-bats and we saw an OPS of just .752, somewhat below expectations. However, from the standpoint of putting together good at-bats, Jung struck out just 29 times while walking 16 times and driving in 23 runs.

In both 2020 and 2021, the Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Jung as the #1 prospect in the Rangers' organization. He dropped to #2 in the spring of 2022.

2020 Alternate Camp:  In 2019, Jung was teammates with pitchers Cole Winn and Ricky Vanasco at Class A Hickory, helping lead the Crawdads to the South Atlantic League finals. This summer, the trio developed an intense competition amid the solitude at the Rangers' alternate training site, trying to get the most out of simulated games played in empty ballparks.

“It was just a mutual respect thing,” Jung said. “I am trying to beat you every time. I don’t care who you are. I don’t care if we are friends, I’m going to try and beat you. I think that mentality got reciprocated for sure. The pitcher could be just trying to get through the inning, and I step in the box and it turned into a fight.”

This was not how Jung was supposed to spend the summer, not after being the Rangers' first-round Draft pick out of Texas Tech in 2019, and becoming their No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline.

In 2020, Jung should have been playing at Class A Advanced Down East or possibly Double-A Frisco, the next steps toward fulfilling his dream of playing in the Major Leagues. Instead, he was assigned to alternate camp, held at Globe Life Field when the big league team was on the road and at old Globe Life Park across the street when they were home.

Jung counted himself lucky. The Rangers were allowed a 60-man player pool, while those who weren't included got sent home with the Minor League season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You see that, and you say, 'If I’m dogging it today, that’s just a lack of respect for those guys,'” Jung said. “Because those guys wish they were in your shoes. You have to give it your all every day. You can’t have those days where you come in lackadaisical.”

Jung had been there since Summer Camp, but the Rangers did not call him up to the Major Leagues. They were reluctant to give up a 40-man roster spot to a player who did not need to be protected this winter from the Rule 5 Draft.

Jung still said it was a great experience, getting to work with Minor League hitting coaches Cody Atkinson, Josue Perez and Brad Flanders, as well as infield coordinator Kenny Holmberg. 

“Josh has a very high ceiling and high floor and the chance to be an everyday infielder and key cog in the middle of a championship-level lineup,” Rangers director of Minor League operations Paul Kruger said. “Josh has consistently given some of the best at-bats in alternate-site camp and continues to show a mix of above-average power and plus approach at the plate.

“He continues to put in the work defensively at [multiple] infield positions, and the footwork and agility work done with our strength staff and Kenny Holmberg has helped him continue to improve on his first steps and angles defensively. This has helped turn him into a good defender at all positions in the infield.”

The Rangers hosted intrasquad games, and there was plenty of extra work available for anybody who needed it. Jung is primarily a third baseman, but he worked at the other infield positions to increase his versatility. Jung said that physically and mentally he is far beyond where he was in college and that the experience was possibly even better than playing in Minor League games.

“I know that’s crazy to say, but in these times, how often do you get to just train for three months at your big league stadium and getting to understand all that while you’re in the Minor Leagues?” Jung said. “Like that never happens. Being in Arlington, training with the big league staff, having our coordinator on us every day, I feel like it was more valuable in my career than going out playing games.” 

The Rangers sent Jung home early from alternate camp. The San Antonio native was waiting a couple of weeks until was time to go to instructional league in Arizona. The plan was for Jung to get into as many games as possible and to start applying what he learned this summer.

“Going to Arlington, that was just a blast,” Jung said. “Get to be there for three months, learning from those guys, seeing how they play, seeing how everything operates, how everything is run and just being a part of that camp was just unbelievable and a great experience.”

Josh finished 2020 at instructional league, where he starred as one of the top hitters in Arizona. (TR Sullivan - MLB.com - Sept 22, 2020)

2021 Season: Jung missed the first month of the Minor League season following foot surgery, but he went on to slash .326/.398/.592 (.990 OPS) between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. Jung was phenomenal down the stretch, hitting nine homers in 35 Triple-A games to help the Express to a 67-62 record.

The Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Jung as the Rangers' 3rd-best prospect in the spring of 2023.

Jan 31, 2022: Josh thinks this offseason has been his longest time away from baseball. The Rangers’ No. 2 prospect kept himself busy with lots of experimental cooking.

“I bought a Traeger and a Blackstone and I have a little smoker,” he said. And watching new television shows; “Book of Boba Fett” on Disney+ is a recent favorite. And even heading back to his alma mater in Lubbock, Texas, to catch up with his brother, 2022 No. 6 Draft prospect Jace Jung, and the Texas Tech baseball team.  

It was a much needed rest for the 6-foot-2 third baseman, who slashed .326/.398/.592 with a .990 OPS in 78 games between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock in 2022, he explained to a group of reporters when a group of top prospects met at Globe Life Field after an organizational leadership minicamp.

“It's been actually a lot of fun,” Jung said of his downtime. “Finishing the season and giving my foot time to just recover was huge. I took six weeks just completely off. I lifted a little bit towards the end because I was getting the itch. But I took six weeks completely off of baseball, taking a step back and was like ‘Hey, I had a good season, I went through a lot of stuff and I learned a lot. Let's just kind of reflect on it and have some time to myself.’”

Jung is the club's top position player prospect, and the infielder many have been anticipating being stationed at the hot corner since he was selected at No. 8 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. And he's taken every step necessary to be in Arlington sooner rather than later.

Before Jung made his season debut in June, he said his plan was to “be water” in the batter’s box. Taking the phrase from famed martial artist Bruce Lee, he wanted to refine his mental skills as well as his physical ones as he rehabbed his foot injury.

He admits that it wasn’t always easy, and he struggled early in his return from injury. But once he stopped being so in his head, the baseball part of it came easy.

“I definitely had some moments where I was probably a rock instead of water, being stubborn at the plate,” Jung said. “I was saying to myself, ‘Surrender the result when I'm walking into the box.’ Those two weeks were a struggle and I got just like complacent. I was just saying it and not really being super intentional with my thought process. It was a process but it's fun.”

It was a roller-coaster year for Jung, who was expected to make his MLB debut in 2021, but had a delayed start to the Minor League season with a stress fracture in his right foot suffered during Spring Training. In fact, almost none of Jung’s professional career has gone according to plan.

After the 2019 MLB Draft, he debuted in both Arizona and what was then Low-A Hickory. But then, as he prepared for his first full professional season, the pandemic shut down Minor League Baseball and Jung spent all of the 2020 season on Texas’ taxi squad. But despite the weird hand he had been dealt throughout his professional career, Jung has thrived every time he was given an opportunity.

“Josh has always impressed as somebody who's going to take advantage of every resource that he has at his disposal,” said Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels. “I mean, he has a genuine curiosity and a desire to improve, and I don't think he's just saying what you want to hear. You see with how he acts and the kind of things that he researches on his own. He has such a drive to improve himself.”

It's been two years of anticipation from both the organization and fans, but Jung seems poised for his debut in 2022. It’s unclear whether that’ll be on Opening Day or later in the season, but there’s no doubt Jung will be in Arlington soon.

The Rangers suddenly have a much more crowded infield than before and Jung definitely won't be handed a spot on the Opening Day roster. After the signing of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to man the middle of the infield, Texas' 2021 starting shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa may slide back over to Jung’s position of third base.

“You want to be optimistic, right?” Jung said about making the Opening Day roster. “Going into camp, it's like, just be healthy and stay healthy. That's the main goal. But the goal is to break with the club at some point this year. I'm not going to put goals or limits on when I want to get there because I truly don't control that portion of it. 

“But what I do control is going in every single day and being the best Josh Jung I can be. If that wins me the job, great. If it doesn't, I'm still going to be the same guy wherever I end up . . . trying to ultimately make it to the big leagues at some point. Whether it's Opening Day or June or whenever.” (K Landry - MLB.com - Jan 31, 2022)

Feb 23, 2022: The Rangers' top position-player prospect, Jung is expected to make his MLB debut this season, but the surgery extends that timeline until at least mid-August. This is the second consecutive year that an injury has delayed Jung’s season and his highly anticipated big league debut. In 2021, he suffered a stress fracture in his right foot during Spring Training and didn’t appear in a game until June.

“I think the experience he had with the foot will serve him well,” GM Chris Young said. “I think that he will be able to understand what all goes into the rehab process. Josh proved that last year; he's been through it. We have no doubt about the character, the work ethic and [the] commitment that he will make. We know that our rehab staff is tremendous. We are confident that with all those factors combined, Josh will have a smooth recovery.” (K Landry - MLB.com - Feb 23, 2022) 

Jung hit a 1-2 pitch off Blue Jays starter Ross Stripling over the left-field fence to give the Rangers their first run of the game. Texas was down 3-1 at the time.

Jung is the second Rangers player to homer in his first MLB at-bat. The first was Jurickson Profar on Sept. 2, 2012, in Cleveland. So Jung is the first to do it at home.

2022 Season: Jung was the Rangers' top prospect and saw 102 MLB plate appearances last season. His .654 OPS and 39:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio disappointed many, but it's just growing pains. Jung had a .326/.398/.592 (.990) slash line in 2021 between Double-A and Triple-A with 19 homers in 78 games. Scouts rate his hit tool at a 60-grade level, and his strong arm with average defense should be good enough at third to hold it down for a while.  (Tim Muma - Nov. 2, 2022)

Dec 26, 2022: The Rangers player poised to break in 2023: 3B Josh Jung.

The Rangers' top prospect per MLB Pipeline, Jung got a cup of coffee in the big leagues last season after making his debut on Sept. 9. He hit a home run in his very first at-bat, but went on to slash just .204/.235/.416 with a .653 OPS in 26 games.

Jung’s start to the Minor League season has been delayed by separate injuries two years in a row, but he’s produced every time he’s been on the field.

A fully healthy Jung with a normal offseason and Spring Training is perfectly poised for a breakout campaign and potential Rookie of the Year run.  (Kennedi Landry - MLB.com  - Dec 26, 2022)

Josh Jung tries to find a comic book store in every city when the Rangers are on a road trip. It's something that he feels takes him away from baseball for a bit.  

His love for comic books is one that was born first out of the premiere of one of Marvel’s first films in “Captain America: The First Avenger” in 2011. A few years later, when working with the Miracle League in high school, the kids he was working with asked him to dress like Captain America for Halloween. 

“That's kind of how it all really came to be kind of embedded in me,” Jung said. “I just really fell in love with the Marvel Universe and then got into all the comic books.”

It’s only grown deeper and deeper ever since. 

That love for Marvel Comics, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more specifically, Captain America, is present in his day-to-day life, both on and off the baseball field. His ever-present water bottle has a Captain America logo and a mini Captain America shield is in his locker at Globe Life Field. When asked in Spring Training who his favorite superhero was, Jung simply pulled out a Captain America t-shirt from his locker without comment. “Yeah, like I said, everywhere we go, I try to go to a comic store or something because I collect baseball cards, but I'm more into comic books and stuff right now,” Jung said. “So it’s kind of cool, because there's more backstory in the comics. It’s like reading a book and then watching the movies. The movie isn’t gonna have everything. So knowing what's in the movies and reading the comic books, it’s almost like, ‘Oh, wait, that's how it all connects.’ It’s cool.” His favorite Marvel movie remains “Captain America: The First Avenger,” but as he’s dug deeper into the comic book storylines, he’s begun to enjoy all the different aspects of the universe. 

And to no surprise, most of the focus is on Captain America. 

“Of the stuff I have right now, my favorite is a little spin-off after ‘Endgame,’” he said. “Like ‘Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty’ and ‘Symbol of Truth.’ But those have been coming out afterwards, and it's like Sam Wilson’s Captain America and then like Captain America, when he goes back in time kind of doing his thing. So just kind of reading those things is fun.”

And his love for Marvel and Captain America has no-doubt evolved in recent years, assisted by the pandemic that left him with lots of free time, and simply by being an adult with the means to invest in his own interests however he pleases. It’s more than just t-shirts and water bottles. In addition to Jung’s small -- but still growing -- comic book collection, he’s got a replica Captain America shield and a few statues lying around in his house in Lubbock.

 “Now I’m collecting all kinds of stuff,” Jung said. “It's kind of cool when shows come out and you can go back and read about it. It’s just all-encompassing. I’m always looking. I have some apps and it's like with comics you get a key, and keys, certain keys, are like first appearances of people and all that kind of stuff. So I’m always looking at those keys and seeing all that kind of stuff, looking at what's hot and what's not.

“It’s fun. It kind of takes me away from baseball a little bit.”

His fandom isn’t limited to Marvel, either. He loves DC comics just as much and enjoys the CW/DC universe of shows, like "Arrow." "Supergirl," "Legends of Tomorrow" and "The Flash". His comic book collection includes just as many Star Wars stories -- maybe even more -- as Marvel and DC Comics. “I have Ahsoka Tano’s first appearance in "Clone Wars" [the comics], it came out in like 2007 or something,” Jung said. “I've mainly got Star Wars stuff and comics, especially newer Star Wars stuff.”

And he could talk way more about Star Wars than he can about Marvel. Back in 2022, coming off an injury-riddled season the previous year, Jung escaped baseball by binging “Book of Boba Fett” -- another Star Wars spinoff to go along with “The Mandalorian” -- on Disney+.He’s also vocal about his love for “The Clone Wars,” a cartoon spinoff of the Star Wars prequels series following Anakin Skywalker before his turn to the dark side between “Episode II: Attack of the Clones” and “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.”And now, even still, he’s digging deeper and deeper into the lore.

“The Star Wars convention was a couple of weeks ago and they talked about how they're expanding their little universe,” Jung explained. “One of the series is ‘Dawn of the Jedi,’ which is supposed to be a prequel to all the stuff we've seen already that they're going to work on. They have these comic books that came out like 2014 or something that are literally called ‘Dawn of the Jedi,’ so they blew up and I was trying to get them.”If he had to pick a fandom, which is he picking?

“I have to pick one? Oh, god, I don’t know. You can’t make me, they’re different worlds! I can have them both!“ But I guess if I have to, Captain America is my favorite Marvel comic. Like when I go comic book shopping, it's usually just Captain America stuff. With Star Wars, it's everything, all-encompassing. So I guess if I had to pick, I would probably go to Star Wars. I collect all kinds of Star Wars stuff, and then Marvel's just Captain America stuff.”  (Kennedi Landry - May 17, 2023)

July 2023: Jung was chosen to start at 3rd base for the AL at the MLB All-Star Game. 

2023 Season: Before Jung, the last time the Rangers signed a player who developed into a homegrown All-Star was 2012, when they drafted Joey Gallo in the supplemental first round.

It's no secret that baseball card collecting is often a hobby Major League players take up themselves. After all, they grew up as fans first. The Phillies' Matt Strahm has been vocal about his own passion for the hobby, including collecting cards depicting players who have homered against him.But Rangers third baseman Josh Jung, who finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting less than a week ago after a stellar rookie (and World Series champion) season, took it a step further.

Jung confirmed on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday that he had planted an "Easter egg" out in the card collecting hobby, having doodled on his own card -- which he also signed -- giving himself a pair of round glasses and a thin mustache with "Go Rangers!" written above his bust."I'm glad it finally surfaced!" Jung wrote. "It won't be the last."

Maybe other players will follow in Jung's suit, inspired by the young star. Seems like something fans should keep an eye out for.

Note that the card owner is listing it on Ebay for $10, 000. (Paige Leckie - Nov. 19, 2023)

Jung is an imposing figure at the plate. He always gives you a professional at-bat. He can punish a pitcher's mistake because he controls the strike zone so well. He is big and strong, but his approach at the plate emphasizes hitting for both above-average (55 grade hit tool) and (60 grade) power. 

Josh's 2022 season was the first time Jung showed real weakness at the plate. Between Triple-A and the big leagues, he struck out 74 times against just 11 walks. He was extremely aggressive during his time in the minor leagues, swinging nearly half the time and missing on pitches in the zone around 20% of the time. Rangers officials believe Jung was pressing a little bit and expect him to look a bit more like himself with further experience. That's especially true considering injuries and the pandemic have limited him to just 777 plate appearances in three seasons. (Josh Norris - Baseball America Prospect Handbook - Spring, 2023)

Once he had a month to recover from the 2022 season, Josh Jung realized that he wasn’t the player he has always been.

He was swinging too much and swinging too often at pitches out of the strike zone.

The 2019 first-rounder from Texas Tech said he has never been that kind of hitter, but he had also never felt quite like he did in August and September.

Jung strayed from his approach in an effort to keep impressing.

“I was just going up there putting so much pressure on myself just to make contact,” he said. “And once you start focusing on that stuff, you start doing exactly what you don't want to do. I was going up there like, 'I don't want to strike out.' Well, that's probably what's going to happen because that's what you're focused on. I think that's what I kind of fell into.”

The mental fix, Jung said, was embracing the pressure. The physical fix, he said, was finding the swing he’d had all his life before surgery. That finally happened in January.

“I kind of found it and I was like, 'Oh, there it is,’ ” he said. “And it was just like, 'Yeah, I'm confident and ready to go.’ ” (Jeff Wilson - Baseball America - March, 2023)

Jung was one of the most advanced hitters in his Draft class and his bat-on-ball skills, ability to recognize pitches and strike-zone management all have been as good as advertised. He has a sound right-handed stroke and after struggling to lift and pull pitches in his 2019 pro debut, he has adapted and is doing a much better job of translating his bat speed and strength into power. He's driving balls in the air more often and hitting them harder than in the past, and he could become a .300 hitter who produces 25 homers per season. (Spring 2022)

Josh displays exceptional strike-zone awareness, a polished, direct swing and the ability to hit pitches in any part of the zone. He primarily drives balls back up the middle or the opposite way into the right-center gap, but he makes adjustments and began pulling balls with authority late in 2021. He punished fastballs and wasn’t fazed by velocity.

He worked to make contact earlier, and the result was an increase in pull-side power. He has big-time bat speed and plus raw power, which showed up in a 91.1 mph average exit velocity that tied for second in the organization and was nearly the same as big league power brokers Pete Alonso and Jorge Soler. While he rehabbed his foot injury, he used virtual reality to simulate at-bats and would often watch extended spring training games at the team’s complex in Arizona. (Josh Norris - Baseball America Prospect Handbook - Spring, 2022)

His advanced approach and his overall knowledge of the game continue to leave a favorable impression, along with the work ethic and openness to trying something new.

“The changes I've seen in him over the last couple of years, obviously shows he's put a ton of work in,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “But just the swing, his ability to work. It's no-nonsense. He wants the hardest work. And he's not scared. He's not shy.” (Jeff Wilson - Baseball America - Spring, 2022)

Jung struggles to fully take advantage of his significant strength; he's geared to driving the ball to right field and right-center. He has yet to show the ability to consistently pull an inside pitch. 

Josh is a pure hitter who is best at driving the ball up the middle. That up-the-middle approach also helps him avoid getting pull-happy and chasing pitches off the plate. Multiple evaluators noted how impressed they were with his ability to lay off borderline pitches in tough counts. (Sept. 2021)

One of the most advanced hitters in his Draft class, Jung recognizes pitches and manages the strike zone well while barreling all types of pitching on a regular basis. He has a sound right-handed stroke and the bat speed and strength to hit at least 20 homers per season. After he had trouble pulling the ball for power in his first taste of pro ball, he made adjustments in 2020 to enable him to drive more balls in the air to left field. (Spring 2021)

The Rangers believe Jung is going to hit in the middle of their lineup for years to come. His bat-to-ball skills are the best in the organization, and he works over pitchers during an at-bat. It’s not just his strike-zone judgment that stands out, but his ability to adjust within an at-bat. His ability to make contact, which might be his best tool, allows him to be aggressive early in counts and still line a ball into the gap if he falls behind.

Josh's hand speed fuels his ability to hit, and he has a sharp eye and an understanding of how to manipulate the barrel. Jung is going to be difficult to strike out, something that will stand out in the whiff-heavy Rangers lineup. The goal in 2020 was to transition Jung from simply a contact hitter, which he was in college, into a hitter who can do more damage. His power was mostly to right-center field at Texas Tech. 

Jung worked on pulling fastballs in 2020 and developed to the point where 30-homer power is possible. He has 60 grade present power, and should be around 20 homers on the low end. But when a game is on the line, Jung is the hitter the Rangers will want at the plate. (Jeff Wilson - Baseball America Prospect Handbook - Spring, 2021)

One of the most polished hitters in the 2019 Draft, Jung recognizes pitches well, controls the strike zone and barrels the ball consistently. He has a sound right-handed swing and a mature approach, concentrating on driving the ball from gap to gap rather than swinging for the fences. He has the bat speed and strength to hit 25 homers per season, though he had trouble pulling the ball for power in his debut, and scouts are divided on how much pop he'll ultimately develop. (Spring 2020)

He’s calm and under control at the plate, staying inside the ball well with a short stroke and a straightaway hitting approach. He drives the ball well to the middle of the field and right-center field. He’s a patient, disciplined hitter who walked more than he struck out in each of his final two college seasons. He recognizes pitches well and puts himself into favorable counts, though when he does fall behind he’s comfortable hitting in those situations because of his bat-to-ball skills.

Jung has a chance to develop into a plus hitter, though the question is how much power he will have. Some scouts think he could have average power, but it’s a hit-first profile, with Jung’s approach geared for line drives and spreading the ball around the park rather than trying to turn on the ball for extra-base damage. (Ben Badler - BA Prospect Handbook - Spring, 2020)

He understands the strike zone and draws walks.

Josh has a solid awareness of the strike zone and is happy to work deep in counts.

Falling behind doesn’t seem to bother him either, as he’s shown he can work back from disadvantaged counts. When Jung does get a quality pitch to hit, his swing is geared to drive the ball up the middle or to the right-center field gap.

There are plenty of examples of hitters who learn how to pull the ball as pros, but without significant changes, Jung projects as having average power, at best. Some evaluators have concerns that part of his hit-over-power approach comes from his average bat speed. (Baseball America - May, 2019)

He has power to the gaps, and some of those balls will leave the yard when he matures.

Josh impresses with his ability to keep his hands inside the ball with a backside-oriented approach. Jung has plenty of strength and bat speed, and should hit for more in-game power in the future as he pulls the ball more regularly. He has a nice opposite-field approach.

And Jung has a good feel for making adjustments during plate appearances. (Spring, 2019)

Sept 2020: Jung still said it was a great experience, getting to work with Minor League hitting coaches Cody Atkinson, Josue Perez and Brad Flanders, as well as infield coordinator Kenny Holmberg. Texas measured its hitters every day in different categories -- such as strike zone recognition, quality of at-bats -- and Jung was regularly finishing near the top.

“Josh has a very high ceiling and high floor and the chance to be an everyday infielder and key cog in the middle of a championship-level lineup,” Rangers director of Minor League operations Paul Kruger said. “Josh has consistently given some of the best at-bats in alternate-site camp and continues to show a mix of above-average power and plus approach at the plate.

2020 Season:  Rangers: Josh Jung, 3B (No. 1/MLB No. 50)

The No. 8 overall draft pick in 2019, Jung was one of the most advanced hitters in his Draft class and could take over at third base for the Rangers early next season. He made progress with pulling the ball for power at the alternate training site and in instructional league while also improving his defense at the hot corner and getting some action at shortstop, second base and the outfield.

Josh has near-average range at 3rd base, for a 45 grade. His hands and footwork are both adequate. He just lacks lateral quickness. But he can more than handle business at the hot corner. He’s a big-bodied third baseman, but he shows excellent body control, soft hands and an accurate arm that grades 50.

Jung is mostly steady at third base but struggles on hard shots hit his way. He's got the body control and agility to make accurate throws from a variety of angles, which mitigates his below-average arm strength.

Jung also has worked diligently to improve at third base. While he's a below-average runner, he has the athleticism, instincts, hands and strong arm to provide at least average defense at the hot corner. The Rangers have also tried him at second base, shortstop and in the outfield during instructional league to enhance his versatility. (Spring 2022)

Josh is occasionally a clunky defender at third base, but he anticipates well and converts routine plays. He is a hard worker who occasionally has to be pulled back so he doesn’t overdo it.

Though Jung has below-average speed, he has the athleticism, instincts, hands and strong arm to play at least an average third base. He spent the second half of the 2019 college season at shortstop and saw time there again in alt camp and instructs, where he also got reps at second base and in the outfield. Texas believes enough in Jung at the hot corner to move Gold Glover Isiah Kiner-Falefa to shortstop for 2021.  (Spring 2021)

Jung is a third baseman. He’s not flashy, but he makes every play and has enough arm to handle the hot corner. His bat is going to force him into the lineup, and that helped influence the Rangers’ decision to move Gold Glove third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa to shortstop, where Elvis Andrus is on the decline and not performing consistently enough to warrant everyday playing time. (Jeff Wilson - BAPH - Spring, 2021)

Defensively, Jung draws a split camp among scouts, but he should be able to provide average defense at third base. He moved from third base to shortstop his junior year at Texas Tech, but he went back to third base in pro ball. A below-average runner, Jung needs to improve his agility in the field, but his hands work well, he’s good on the slow roller and he has a plus arm with the ability to make accurate throws on the run.

Though he upgraded Texas Tech's defense by moving to shortstop, Jung lacks the quickness to play there in pro ball. He's a below-average runner but has enough athleticism and instincts to get the job done at third base. He made just two errors in 38 pro games last summer, showing reliable hands and a strong arm. (Spring 2020)

Jung has a strong arm, a 60 grade, and his throws have easy carry across the diamond from the hot corner.

Scouts have been impressed with Jung’s defense at third base, but many scouts wonder whether he can handle the position in pro ball because he lacks above-average quickness. Improving the fluidity of his defensive movements may ease some of those concerns. 

Some scouts look at his tight hips and below-average foot speed and project he’ll have to move to a corner outfield spot or first base. But Jung has good hands, an accurate, plus arm and the ability to throw on the run. He also does an excellent job charging in on balls.

March 20, 2021: Jung was on the IL with left foot surgery. He has a stress fracture in his left foot, president of baseball ops Jon Daniels announced.

The third baseman travel back to the Dallas-Fort Worth to get a screw put in the ankle. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Keith Heier, with a standard recovery time of 6-8 weeks. Daniels said surgery was considered more effective than straight rest and rehabbing of the injury, which could have Jung out for a longer period of time.

Feb. 23, 2022: Jung was shut down after experiencing left shoulder discomfort while lifting weights. He was examined by team physician Dr. Keith Meister with the evaluation indicating a labral strain.

Feb 23-July 28, 2022: Jung underwent left shoulder surgery and missed most of the season.

Aug. 6-Sept 18, 2023: Jung had to leave the Rangers’ 6-0 win over the Marlins in the sixth inning, shortly after he knocked down Jorge Soler’s 109.4 mph line drive with his glove hand and then started a crucial double play. Manager Bruce Bochy said Jung underwent X-rays during the game, revealing a broken bone in his thumb. He had surgery to repair his thumb.

Aug 9, 2023: Jung underwent successful surgery that involved installing a plate and screws to stabilize the fracture in his left thumb, the Rangers announced. Hand specialist Dr. Don Sheridan performed the procedure in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The plan is for Jung to rehab with the Rangers, with the expectation that he will return before the end of the regular season.

Feb 17, 2024: Jung experienced discomfort while fielding ground balls after arriving in Surprise, Ariz., earlier that day. He got an MRI, showing a low-grade calf strain, according to manager Bruce Bochy. The Rangers staff expects Jung to miss a minimum of two to three weeks and will continue evaluating him during that time period. He is expected to be ready for Opening Day.

April 2-July 29, 2024: Jung was placed on the 10-day IL, a day after he suffered a fractured wrist from being struck by a pitch that he swung at during the late stages of the game against the Rays.

Manager Bruce Bochy said postgame that scans quickly revealed a fractured wrist. Jung, who missed six weeks last season with a fractured left thumb, had surgery in Phoenix on April 2, and the expected timetable for his return is again around six weeks, though general manager Chris Young said that timelines are always flexible. 

June 29, 2024: The Rangers pushed back the start of Jung’s hitting progression again with manager Bruce Bochy saying Jung will see a specialist to evaluate the readiness of his surgically-repaired right wrist. Bochy said Jung will not test the wrist in a batting practice session this weekend as originally planned.

“He’s disappointed,” Bochy said. “A couple of days ago he was feeling really good. We were optimistic he would be swinging. There is still just a little soreness in there. We want to get rid of that before we ramp him up again.”(J Trezza - MLB.com - June 29, 2024)

July 14, 2024: Jung said he took 15 swings with a regular bat off a tee. Manager Bruce Bochy said that Jung will continue to ramp up during the All-Star break. "He’s probably close to starting a rehab [assignment] right after the [All-Star] break,” Bochy said.