ANAHEIM -- Four Rangers prospects were named as participants for the 2019 Arizona Fall League, with rosters unveiled on Wednesday. Outfielder Bubba Thompson, catcher Matt Whatley and right-handers Josh Advocate and Cole Uvila will be playing for the Surprise Saguaros starting on Sept. 18, getting the chance to compete for a month against many of baseball’s top prospects.

Thompson, 21, was a first-round Draft pick (26th overall) in 2017 and is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 8 prospect in the Rangers’ system.

“When I saw him in Spring Training, he really impressed me, just watching his swing,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “He obviously had a really good camp for us when he came over. I saw the talent right away, saw the power, the swing itself and just makeup, mentality. ... He’s a guy that’s heavily on the radar.”

Playing in the AFL will afford Thompson some extra playing time after sitting for over two months this year across a pair of injured list stints, first for a fractured left hamate bone and then an ankle injury. The injuries and time missed have impacted his numbers, with Thompson posting a .182/.262/.326 slash with five homers in 50 games with Class A Advanced Down East. Two of those home runs came Tuesday night, his first career multihomer game a professional.

“Hopefully, he can get healthy again and get [his numbers back up],” said Woodward. “I know he’s probably playing catch up right now. I feel bad for him, because he’s trying to make up for lost time, and his numbers aren’t probably where they wanna be, but we all value him pretty high.”

Uvila, 25, was a 40th-round pick in 2018, but the reliever has impressed quickly, posting a 2.04 ERA and 92 strikeouts between Class A and Class A Advanced this season. His 13.50 strikeouts per nine innings is second highest in the Carolina League this season (min. 50 innings pitched).

Whatley, 23, was the Rangers’ third-round pick in the 2017 Draft. He has spent the season with Class A Hickory, where he’s batted .233/.351/.317 with four homers.

Advocate, 25, was also taken in the 2017 Draft, in the 20th round. Working primarily in relief for Down East, Advocate has a 2.75 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 72 innings pitched, with 73 strikeouts and 26 walks.

The Rangers will add additional players to the roster at a later date.

Tough month ahead

Following their upcoming series against the Mariners, things are going to get a lot more difficult for the Rangers. Seven of their eight remaining 2019 series will come against teams with records over .500, including the first-place Yankees and Astros, as well as teams fighting for American League Wild Card spots in the Rays, Athletics and Red Sox.

Entering play Wednesday, the Rangers are three teams back for the second Wild Card spot, but they’re also 13 games out and five games under .500 at 64-69. With a resurgence at this point being highly unlikely, Woodward is choosing to focus on the long term, saying that he is “very, very grateful” for the challenges his team is set to face in September.

“It may sound funny, because everybody would say, ‘Ah, I’d rather be playing the lesser teams and make our winning percentage higher at the end of the year,’” said Woodward. “I would rather us face all playoff teams and show our guys, ‘OK, this is what we’re gonna have to deal with, possibly, in the future.’ If we’re going to become the team we want to become, let’s take on the best. If you’re gonna be the best fighter in the world, you’re gonna have to fight the best fighter in the world.”