OU baseball: Former Sooner Dane Acker to have arm surgery, placed on injured list by Texas Rangers

The Down East Wood Ducks, the Low-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, placed pitching prospect and former Sooners standout Dane Acker on the 7-day injured list due to a right elbow strain Tuesday. 

While he’s only made two starts, Acker was a bright spot in minor league spring training getting up to 99 miles per hour and never sitting below 94-97. In his two starts in Class A, Acker struck out 11 total while only giving up four hits. The severity of Acker’s elbow strain isn’t yet known, and he’ll have surgery on his right elbow Wednesday. It’s unclear if it’s a UCL repair or a full Tommy John Surgery reconstruction, according to Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant. 

Acker was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics, despite only making four starts for OU in the shortened season due to COVID-19 in 2020. He holds one of the greatest performances in program history when he tossed a no-hitter against No. 11 LSU on March 1, striking out 11 batters and walking just one. 

Acker was recently acquired by the Rangers along with outfielder Khris Davis in the trade that sent shortstop Elvis Andrus to Oakland on Feb. 6. Acker joined outfielder Steele Walker, another former Sooner and the Rangers’ No. 11 prospect, in the organization.