Hot topic: Drew Meyer faces a crucial spring with the Rangers. The Rangers' No. 1 draft pick in 2002 was taken off the roster in the offseason and is in camp as a non-roster player.

He competes for a job as a utility player after hitting .228 at Triple-A Oklahoma last year. He can run and play defense at multiple positions but must show he can hit. He is working with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo on learning to drive the inside pitch rather than just whack at it.

"I'm at the point where I've got to go out and perform," Meyer said. "Before I was worried about moving up in the system. Now it's on my shoulders. If you go out and play well, you get a shot. If not, you won't."

Time is running short.

"He knows he has got to hit and be a productive offensive player," farm director Scott Servais said.

On the move: John Mayberry Jr., the Rangers' first pick in the 2005 draft, is coming off a strong season in the Hawaiian Winter League. Mayberry hit .318 with three home runs and 23 RBIs in 25 games and was named to the league's postseason All-Star team. He played at Class A Clinton last season and will will start the season at Class A Bakersfield. Of obvious interest will be how quickly Mayberry plays his way to Double-A Frisco.

On the pine: Ben Harrison was on the rise in the system last year when he hit .289 with 26 home runs and 101 RBIz at Class A Bakersfield and Frisco. But he separated his shoulder in Venezuela and is not expected back before May 1.

Names in the game: Former Rangers third baseman Scott Coolbaugh has joined the organization as the hitting coach at Frisco. He has four years of experience as a manager and hitting instructor in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Coolbaugh was the Rangers' third-round pick in the 1987 draft out of the University of Texas, who hit .215 in parts of four Major League seasons. He was with the Rangers in 1989-90, the Padres in 1991 and the Cardinals in 1994. He spent the past two years running his own home construction business.

They're No. 1: Left-handed pitcher Kasey Kiker, No. 1 in 2006, was 0-7 with a 4.19 ERA at Class A Spokane last year. He'll be moved up at some point this year to Clinton, where his pitching count won't be as strict.

"He was disappointed with his record, but we had a pitch count on," Servais said. "This year, I told him, it's game on. He's out there to win games and get people out."

Class of '06: Keep an eye on Craig Gentry, a 10th-round pick out of the University of Arkansas last year. He hit .281 with a .350 on-base percentage at Spokane last year and stole 20 bases in 56 games. But his defensive play in center field also has been impressive.

"He can really go get the ball," Servais said. "He is a very good defensive player and has made strides with the bat. He's going to be a good player in our system."

What they're saying: "It's great. I'm going to pick his brain. If you're going to learn something, you might as well learn from one of the best." -- Rangers rookie pitcher Eric Hurley, who is lockering next to Sammy Sosa in the Major League clubhouse.