SURPRISE, Ariz. - It's that time of year again: Time to check with the ol' Evtron 3000 to spit out our highly researched, completely analyzed roster projections.

I mean, the team has been in camp a week. We've got lots of big data. Data like you would not believe. So much data it will make your head spin. Anybody who would dare make a roster projection before this is, well, just pulling names out of hats. It's FAKE ROSTERS! Sad. This stuff: We had some of the best minds working on this, fueled by a meatball and fresh basil pizza.

So, as the Rangers prepare to take the field for the first official workout of spring, here is your 2017 Roster Projection version 1.0. It's in beta. Check back next week.

Starting pitchers (4): RHP Yu Darvish, LHP Cole Hamels, LHP Martin Perez, RHP Andrew Cashner

The biggest question is who will occupy the fifth spot in the rotation until Tyson Ross is ready. RHP A.J. Griffin, RHP Dillon Gee, RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez and RHP Nick Martinez are all conceivable choices, but so, is E) none of the above. Ross is expected to get on a mound in mid- to late-March and could be ready by, say, April 15 if there is not a single setback from his Thoracic Outlet syndrome surgery. April 15 is a good target date, too, because it's the first time the Rangers absolutely need a fifth starter. With two off days in the first week of the season, they can go with a four-man rotation for almost three full turns. It would allow them to keep an eighth reliever.

Relief pitchers (8): RHP Sam Dyson, RHP Matt Bush, RHP Tony Barnette, LHP Alex Claudio, RHP Keone Kela, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, RHP Tanner Scheppers, RHP Mike Hauschild

If the Rangers go with a traditional seven-man bullpen, they either will have to carry just one left-hander or pick between Kela or Scheppers for one spot and LHPs Andrew Faulkner, Wesley Wright, Adam Loewen or Dario Alvarez for the other. If they choose to go with eight from the start, it would allow them to keep a long reliever/swing man, who could start a game, if necessary. Hauschild, a Rule 5 pick, is intriguing in that role. He has to stay in the majors with the team all season or be offered back to Houston, so in any close roster calls he's got something of a tiebreaker on his side. With the 10-day DL now a thing, I expect the Rangers to manipulate their roster as much as possible to retain as many pitching options as possible. That's one reason Hauschild makes my first roster. Another: He's a strike thrower and the Rangers need more of those.

Catchers (2): Jonathan Lucroy, Robinson Chirinos

The skinny: Nothing to see here. Barring injury, this is set with Lucroy as a solid No. 1 and Chirinos at No. 2. There will be no late-spring churning of trade and waiver wires to find a backup. And with optionable Brett Nicholas as the No. 3 guy, the Rangers are in far better shape than any recent season.

Infielders (6): 1B Mike Napoli, 2B Rougned Odor, SS Elvis Andrus, 3B Adrian Beltre, INF-OF Jurickson Profar, 1B-DH-OF Josh Hamilton

The skinny: Profar's extreme versatility allows the Rangers to carry the potentially booming bat of Hamilton, even if he may not have a really set position, over backup infielder Hanser Alberto. There is no reason to expect anything out of Hamilton since he's essentially missed the last two years and half of a third. All the more reason I've got him on this roster. When you least expect it, that's when he seems to deliver.

Outfielders (5): LF Ryan Rua, CF Carlos Gomez, RF Nomar Mazara, OF-DH Shin-Soo Choo, OF Delino DeShields

The skinny: Rua and Profar will platoon in left field with DeShields a late-game defensive and speed option, particularly for Profar. It pushes Choo into primarily a DH role. But expect the Rangers to try to rotate players regularly through the DH position. If DeShields really struggles this spring, it might open a path to the roster for Drew Robinson or Jared Hoying, but that's the closest thing there is to an opening.