South Central grad Spencer Patton called up by the Texas Rangers

South Central High School graduate Spencer Patton will join the Texas Rangers bullpen on Thursday, and should soon after make his Major League debut.

Patton, who was acquired by the Rangers in a July trade with the Kansas City Royals, was 1-1 with a 3.38 earned-run average and four saves in 15 appearances for the Triple-A Round Rock Express of the Pacific Coast League.

He struck out 25 batters in 16 innings of work, but had struggled lately, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk in his final three appearances for Round Rock.

In his minor league career, Patton has appeared in 121 games, striking out 328 batters in 241.1 innings. He made 12 starts early in his career before moving the bullpen, where he has excelled as a closer, converting 22 of 24 save chances.

The injury-riddled Texas Rangers are the worst team in baseball at 53-84.

Patton was a 2006 graduate of SCHS, and pitched collegiately at Parkland College and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

He was a 24th-round selection of the Royals in the 2011 first-year player draft, and steadily climbed the ladder in the minor leagues, getting his first shot at Triple-A last year during the postseason.