Carter's arrow was pointing firmly up at this time last year. He flourished during a late-season promotion to the Rangers and kept that up during the playoffs as the Rangers rolled to a World Series title. Unfortunately, the 2024 campaign wound up being a lost one for the youngster. Carter had dealt with back problems off and on since entering pro ball and last year didn't play in a game after late May because of a lower-back stress reaction. He eventually underwent an ablation procedure, which he and the Rangers hope allow him to finally put the nagging issues behind him. Carter's numbers when on the field in 2024 were dreadful, but it's tempting to completely throw them out the window since he was never healthy. The left-handed batter hasn't hit southpaws in the majors or minors, so a strong-side platoon could await him in 2025. However, that and the injury concerns figure to make the draft-day cost minimal, and the skills that made Carter a top prospect remain. Read Past Outlooks