Cole Winn Bio
Cole Robert Winn (born November 25, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). A former first-round draft pick, Winn worked his way through the Rangers’ minor league system before reaching the major leagues in 2024. As a right-handed starter, he has been developed within one organization since being selected out of high school in 2018.
Winn built his reputation as one of the top amateur arms in the 2018 draft class, highlighted by back-to-back Gatorade state player of the year honors. After several seasons of development in the Texas farm system, he made his MLB debut with the Rangers in April 2024, marking the culmination of a six-year climb from high school standout to big league pitcher.
Early Life and Background
Cole Robert Winn grew up in Longmont, Colorado, where he attended Silver Creek High School. He spent his freshman, sophomore, and junior years with the Silver Creek Raptors, developing into one of the most highly regarded high school pitchers in the country. As a junior in 2017, he went 9-0 on the mound with a 0.73 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 47 and two-thirds innings, while also batting .388 with two home runs and 19 RBIs.
His junior performance earned him the title of Colorado’s Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year. That summer, in July 2017, Winn played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game at Wrigley Field, further establishing himself on a national stage. Before his senior year, he transferred to Lutheran High School of Orange County in Orange, California, to face stronger competition and showcase his abilities against top high school hitters.
Path to Professional Baseball
As a senior at Lutheran High School, Winn pitched to an 8-2 record with a 0.20 ERA, cementing his status as a premier draft prospect. He was named California’s Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year and Baseball America’s High School Player of the Year for his efforts. Originally, he committed to play college baseball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but later decommitted and signed to play for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, keeping open several paths toward professional baseball.
Those plans changed when the Texas Rangers selected Winn in the first round, with the 15th overall selection, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Rangers for a $3.15 million signing bonus rather than attending college, choosing instead to begin his professional career immediately. After signing, he did not appear in an official game with a Rangers affiliate during the 2018 season, instead taking part in a new program designed for newly drafted high school pitchers.
Cole Winn Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
Following the draft, Winn was placed in a de-load program instituted by the Texas Rangers, which emphasized building a foundation mentally and physically while resting bodies from a strenuous senior season and pre-draft showcase circuit. The players went through strength training and classroom work until post-season fall instructional training began. Winn was ranked as the 89th overall prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline in their preseason 2019 Top 100 list, 72nd by ESPN’s Keith Law, and 78th by FanGraphs.
Winn made his professional debut in 2019, when he was assigned to the Hickory Crawdads of the Single-A South Atlantic League. Over 18 starts with Hickory, he compiled a 4-4 record with a 4.46 ERA and logged 68 and two-thirds innings, adjusting to the speed of professional hitters while refining his pitch arsenal.
Minor League Development (2020-2023)
Winn spent 2020 at the Rangers’ Alternate Training Site, after the minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to action in 2021, opening the year with the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Central League. In June, Winn was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field, a recognition of his growing prospect status.
Across 19 games for Frisco in 2021, Winn posted a 3-3 record with a 2.31 ERA and 97 strikeouts over 78 innings, establishing himself as one of the top arms in the Rangers system. After Frisco’s season ended in mid-September, he was promoted to the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A West, where he posted a 3.38 ERA over two outings. He was named the Rangers’ 2021 Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year for his efforts.
Winn returned to Round Rock for the 2022 season, making 28 starts and going 9-8 with a 6.51 ERA, 123 strikeouts, and 87 walks over 121 and two-thirds innings. On November 15, 2022, the Rangers selected Winn to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He spent 2023 once again with Round Rock, going 9-8 with a 7.22 ERA and 97 strikeouts over 101 innings. Following that season, he played for the Criollos de Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League, going 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 24 innings.
Major League Debut and Current Rangers Era (2024-Present)
Winn was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock to begin the 2024 season, but on April 14, 2024, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time, fulfilling the goal he had worked toward since high school. After struggling to a 7.79 ERA in 13 appearances, he was placed on the injured list with right shoulder discomfort on June 24, 2024. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list two days later as he worked through the injury.
Winn was optioned once again to Triple-A Round Rock to begin the 2025 season, where he has continued to build arm strength and refine his approach on the mound. His focus has been on returning to full health and re-establishing himself as a reliable rotation option for the Rangers organization.
Notable Events and Milestones
Winn’s signature moments include his selection as the 15th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, his invitation to the 2021 All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field, and his MLB debut on April 14, 2024, with the Texas Rangers. He was also named the Rangers’ 2021 Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year after a strong Double-A campaign.
Cole Winn Career Wins
Cole Winn’s professional victories span multiple minor league levels, including Single-A Hickory, Double-A Frisco, Triple-A Round Rock, and the Puerto Rican Winter League. While his career at the major league level is still developing, his track record in the Rangers’ minor league system reflects steady progression and flashes of dominance.
Minor League Highlights
Winn’s most notable minor league season came in 2021 with the Frisco RoughRiders, where he went 3-3 with a 2.31 ERA and 97 strikeouts over 78 innings, earning him the Rangers’ 2021 Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year award. In 2022 with Triple-A Round Rock, he went 9-8 with 123 strikeouts across 28 starts, logging the most walks in the minor leagues that year. He followed with a 9-8 record and 97 strikeouts in 2023 at Round Rock.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his work in the Texas farm system, Winn also pitched for the Criollos de Caguas in the Puerto Rican Winter League after the 2023 season, going 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 24 innings. His professional debut in 2019 with the Hickory Crawdads yielded a 4-4 record and a 4.46 ERA over 18 starts, marking a strong start to his pro career.
Cole Winn Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cole Robert Winn grew up in Longmont, Colorado, where he developed his pitching craft at Silver Creek High School before transferring to Lutheran High School of Orange County in California for his senior year. His full name, including his middle name Robert, reflects his family’s background in the American heartland.
2025 Season Performance
Cole Robert Winn entered the 2025 season optioned to Triple-A Round Rock, where he has been working to return to full strength after right shoulder discomfort cut short his 2024 campaign. The Rangers organization has continued to develop him as a starting pitching prospect, with the goal of eventually establishing him as a contributor at the major league level.
His 2025 outlook centers on building innings, refining his command, and demonstrating the durability required of a big league starter. Given his history as a first-round pick and his prior success in the minor leagues, Winn remains a closely watched arm within the Rangers’ developmental pipeline.