There may still be 25 games remaining in the 2021 season, but it's no secret that many involved with the Texas Rangers already have their eyes on this winter and the 2022 season. Unle s the Rangers finish 14-11 the rest of the way, they will lose 100 games in a season for the Jedd Gyorko Jersey first time since their second year in Texas in 1973.Understandably, fans are clamoring for improvement. And with president of baseball operations Jon Daniels, general manager Chris Young and manager Chris Woodward all talking about adding pieces this winter, it's natural for optimists to peak through their crystal ball while skeptics brush off the notion of adding significant free agents to a rebuilding team.This is probably far too early to predict the 2022 Opening Day roster, but we're going to take a stab at it anyway. This will surely have multiple makeovers over the course of the winter. But with where things stand here on September 7, this is an idea of how the position player group may look when the Rangers host Joey Gallo and the New York Yankees on Opening Day next April.Catcher: Jose TrevinoThere may be a little bit of recency bias here, but when Jose Trevino is hitting well, he shows his true value. Over his last 12 games, he's slashing .311/.367/.489/.856 with eight of his 14 hits being doubles.He's elite at framing pitches and, if it were quantifiable, his leadership quality is off the charts. Consistency at the plate will be what ultimately decides Trevino future in the big leagues. If he can post a league average OPS, he can be a true No. 1 catcher. If not, he may be best suited for a very valuable No. 2.Trevino is more than willing to put in the work to remain consistent at the plate, and I'm a believer that those with a determined mindset like one that Trevino po se ses will, more times than not, achieve their goals.First Base: Nathaniel LoweAll in all, it hasn't been a bad year at all for Nathaniel Lowe. It's his first full season as an everyday first baseman in the big leagues, and he could be a 2-win player by season's end.I believe there's more power in the bat. Definitely enough for 20-plus homers. The adjustments that Lowe has made over the last month have allowed him to turn a corner, as he is hitting the ball in the air a bit more often. However, there is still plenty of room for improvement.The defense is a bit of a worry, especially if Lowe doesn't pose a threat at the plate. But if he truly takes off at the plate, he's a favorable DH candidate in 2022 and beyond.Lowe has definitely done enough this season to earn another crack at playing Paul DeJong Jersey everyday at first base. However, as the Rangers get closer to wanting to compete, expectations will rise next season. There has to be tangible improvement.Second Base: Isiah Kiner-FalefaThree positions for Isiah Kiner-Falefa in three years? It's po sible.I think we know by now who Kiner-Falefa is. He's a high-contact hitter who can pull the ball or slap it the other way for a bunch of singles. He'll hit 20-25 doubles per season, along with five homers or so. He also provides elite defense in the infield. He's already won a Gold Glove at third base, and he's a strong candidate for a Gold Glove at shortstop this season. If he wins, he'll be the first player in Major League history to accomplish the feat.So, why not make it a Gold Glove at second base in 2022? That's history that would likely not be touched. In addition, there are two players the Rangers could definitely make room for at his current and previous positions.Third Base: Josh JungI'm buying in to the Josh Jung hype. After he displayed the ability to pull the ball with power at the alternate training site in 2020, we all waited to see how it would translate to games in 2021.The foot injury set him back, Albert Pujols Jersey and probably delayed his call to The Show by a season. But Jung has done nothing but hit along the line at the two top levels of the minor leagues this season.In 43 games at Double-A Frisco, Jung slashed .308/.366/.544/.910 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI. In his first introduction to Triple-A ball, Jung has slashed .264/.371/.547/.918 with three home runs and six RBI in 14 games.Finally, with a full season of profe sional baseball under his belt, Jung will go into big league camp next year with a spot on the Opening Day roster within his grasp. I'm predicting he wins an starting spot outright. If not, Kiner-Falefa could slide over to third base for...Shortstop: Carlos CorreaMany of you Rangers fans may not like it, but I'm sticking with it. I've already said . . He would not only add a great bat to the lineup, but can slot in at shortstop, giving the Rangers two Gold Glove-caliber shortstops on the roster.In addition, he can give the Rangers a much needed boost in attitude and swagger. If the Rangers are going Lance Lynn Jersey to compete in two or three years, they need a guy like Correa.Scroll to ContinueFor those refusing the idea because he's an Astro or because of the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, I challenge you to boo the man the moment he hits a game-winning home run at Globe Life Field in Rangers red, white and blue.As for the money, it would take likely at least seven years and $200 million to get Correa to think about Arlington. He will only be entering his age 27 season in 2022, so seven years is not a bad place to start.Left Field: DJ PetersDJ Peters was already intriguing to Rangers management before claiming him off waivers in August. Now, he is showing everyone why.The .205/.265/.452/.717 slash line doesn't jump off the page at you, but we are seeing plenty of flashes of Peters' talent. The Rangers have worked with Peters on his swing mechanics, which include a lot of "long levers", as hitting coach Luis Ortiz describes it. However, Peters has completely bought in to the changes, and most importantly, he doesn't allow the results to affect his psyche. That's a mental toughne s that is hard to find in young players.He also provides very good defense at any of the three spots in the outfield. Having him in left St. Louis Cardinals Jersey field would make the Rangers trio of outfielders very, very good from a defensive standpoint.Center Field: Leody TaverasTaveras has had a very trying year, but it looks like he's beginning to turn a corner at the plate. After slashing.245/.343/.475/.818 in 87 games at Triple-A Round Rock, Taveras was ready for another crack at the big league level, and has showed just what he is capable of over the last week or so.His defensive ability makes him a lock for center field as long as Chris Woodward and the rest of Rangers management believe he can produce offensively.If Taveras can finish the season strong at the plate, he could be in line for a crack at the Opening Day spot in center field once again. Only this time, Taveras will be much more seasoned and have a better grasp on what it takes to stick in the big leagues.Right Field: Adolis GarcaNext to Kiner-Falefa, Adolis Garca is the closest thing to a lock for next season. However, he still has a bit of proving to
