An MLB player never forgets where they were when they found out they were going to the big leagues. Getting that news is among the most memorable things to happen in a player’s career, and is often a life-changing moment.
For Texas Rangers reliever Carter Baumler, his official “you’ve made the team” story is quite a bit more memorable than most. Baumler received that news Monday … while he was on the mound pitching in an actual spring-training game.
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The moment occurred in the fifth inning of Monday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. After Baumler, 24, got two quick outs, the game was briefly paused due to a mound visit. Since Baumler had not faced the required three-batter minimum, the reliever was surprised to see manager Skip Schumaker walking out on the field.
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While the broadcast couldn’t pick up on the conversation between Schumaker and Baumler, it quickly became clear what was happening.
After a very quick exchange with Schumaker, Baumler smiled on the mound and then received mitt taps from his teammates as a sign of congratulations.
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He was still pitching in a game, of course, so Baumler had to compose himself pretty quickly. He did just that, striking out Isaac Collins to end the inning.
Once he made it back to the dugout, Baumler was pulled aside by the Rangers’ broadcast team, which believed it knew what just happened.
They were proven right, as Baumler got emotional upon realizing he made the major-league roster.
After the contest, Schumaker explained his decision to give Baumler the news during the game, per MLB.com.
“You want to make it as memorable as you can,” Schumaker said. “I’ll never forget when I got called up — the exact moment, the exact game, in Memphis, Tennessee. … It was just like the most amazing time. I was just trying to think of a special way to tell him.”
It’s been quite the journey for Baumler to reach the majors. After being selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Baumler missed his first season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His 2021 season was also halted after it was determined he would undergo Tommy John surgery.
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Baumler finally made his minor-league debut in 2022, but didn’t pitch much over the next couple seasons. He turned in somewhat of a breakout year in 2025, posting a 2.04 ERA over three levels.
Given his history, though, Baumler was left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates and immediately traded to the Rangers.
In order for a Rule 5 draft pick to stick with their team, they need to make the major-league roster. While the Rangers were incentivized to keep Baumler around, he earned his spot by tossing 9 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball this spring.
Now, he’ll open the season in the Rangers’ bullpen … and he already has quite the story to tell about his journey to the big leagues.
