No matter what happens with the collective bargaining negotiations in Major League Baseball, minor league baseball will start on time in 2027.

The reason? While the CBA between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association expires on Dec. 1, the CBA for minor league baseball does not expire until after the 2027 season. So, if the work stoppage that is anticipated extends into the Major League regular season, fans will be able to busy themselves with minor league baseball games until those two sides can agree on a new deal.

That's good news for the Texas Rangers because their farm system needs some development. While shortstop Sebastian Walcott is the one of the most highly anticipated prospects in baseball, much of the Rangers’ intriguing talent is at the lower levels of their minor league system.

Here are three prospects that could make huge affiliate jumps in 2027. The criteria? They must have finished the 2026 season at either Class A Hickory or High-A Hub City and be in position to make a two-affiliate jump in 2027.

RHP AJ Russell

AJ Russell was the Rangers’ second round pick out of Tennessee in 2025, and he got his feet wet with both Hickory and Hub City in 2026.

The result? He went 1-5 with a 4.01 ERA in 23 games, including 21 starts. That doesn't scream a good season. But he struck out 96 hitters in 60.2 innings. He only allowed 31 walks and six home runs while batters hit .241 against him.

When it comes to minor league development those are the areas that teams track. Russell could start at Double-A Frisco in 2027 and, if he pitches with the maturity the Rangers believe he has, he could end the season at Triple-A Round Rock.

INF Yolfran Castillo

The Rangers signed Yolfran Castillo out of Venezuela in 2024 and he just wrapped up his first full minor league season, playing mostly at Hickory before he got one game in at Hub City. It's possible he starts the 2027 season at Hub City, but there's enough raw talent, ability and progress there for him to jump two affiliates by the end of 2027. Here's why.

He slashed .288/.390/.416 with eight home runs and 58 RBI. The 19-year-old is starting to fill out and the power is coming. He’s a huge threat on the bases with 55 stolen bases in 2026. And, he has an Evan Carter-level eye at the plate with 70 walks and 74 strikeouts last season. Last season felt like Castillo putting all the pieces in place for a huge 2027.

RHP Jacob Johnson

Jacob Johnson hasn't had a great Arizona Fall League, but that shouldn't diminish what he did in his first season in the minor league system after the Rangers took him in the 11th round in 2025 out of Pearl River Community College in Mississippi.

The 20-year-old went 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA in 14 games, with 13 starts. He struck out 48 and walked 25 in 43 innings as he allowed batters to hit just .193 against him. That should position Johnson to start the 2027 season at Hub City. The raw talent in his right arm will determine how far he goes in 2027.

Three I Left Off

Three players that are worth mentioning are pitcher Caden Scarborough and two-way prospects Josh Owens and Seong-Jun Kim.

Scarborough's development was somewhat derailed by surgery before spring training for skin cancer. When he returned, he went 1-7 with a 5.16 ERA in 14 games. He also missed the final month of the season with a right elbow strain. The Rangers may be a bit cautious with their No. 2 prospect.

Owens and Kim are both pitchers and position players and signed with the Rangers out of high school. Texas will be cautious with both in 2027. Both started in the Arizona Complex League and got to Hickory by the end of 2026. It would be no surprise to see the pair start at Hickory in 2027 and reach Hub City by season’s end. But a multi-affiliate jump is unlikely.