The Texas Rangers have claimed catcher Willie MacIver and right-hander Michel Otañez via waiver claim from the Athletics Wednesday. Additionally, outfielders Dustin Harris and Billy McKinney, who were up and down with the Rangers in 2025, have cleared waivers and are now free agents. MacIver had played in the major leagues for the Athletics during the 2025 season after starting the year at Triple-A Las Vegas. Otañez, meanwhile, made his major league debut for the Athletics in 2024.
What MacIver Brings to the Rangers
Willie MacIver made his Major League debut over 32 games with the Athletics in 2025, batting .186 (19-for-102) with three home runs, five doubles, and nine RBI, while making 29 defensive starts at catcher. The 29-year-old spent the balance of the campaign at Triple-A Las Vegas where he posted a .362/.426/.541/.967 slash line with seven home runs, two triples, 12 doubles, and 56 RBI in 54 games for the Aviators. MacIver paced the Pacific Coast League last season in batting average, while also ranking highly on the circuit in on-base percentage, ranking fourth, and OPS, ranking sixth.
A native of Pleasant Hill, California, Willie MacIver has logged seven professional seasons since he was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB Draft from the University of Washington. He carries a career .264 (549-for 2076) batting average in 583 minor league games, also swatting 73 home runs with 329 RBI in that span. The backstop has nabbed 171 of 551 attempted base stealers in the minors for a 31% caught stealing percentage.
Cup of Coffee for Otañez
Michel Otañez has gone 1–0 with a 4.81 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 42 relief appearances in the majors, all with the Athletics from 2024-25. The right-hander allowed eight earned runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched over six relief outings with the Athletics in 2025 while also appearing in 18 games with Triple-A Las Vegas and one game with Single-A Stockton. He posted a 3.44 ERA in 36 appearances out of the A’s bullpen during his rookie campaign in 2024, leading the American League with a 14.59 strikeouts per 9.0 innings ratio.
The Villa La Mata, Dominican Republic native began his professional career with the New York Mets organization after signing a minor league contract in 2016. Otañez logged five seasons in the Mets chain (2016, 2018-19, 2021-22) and one year in Arizona’s organization (2023) before signing a minor league contract with the Athletics on December 9, 2023.
Following today’s transactions, the Rangers have 35 players on the club’s Major League roster.
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