Texas' exciting crop of pitching prospects looks to spin the narrative
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Rangers haven't signed a fully homegrown pitching All-Star since Martín Pérez in 2007 and have ranked better than the Major League average in run prevention just once in the last 11 seasons. Not coincidentally, they won 90 games and the World Series when that happened in
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Rangers haven't signed a fully homegrown pitching All-Star since Martín Pérez in 2007 and have ranked better than the Major League average in run prevention just once in the last 11 seasons. Not coincidentally, they won 90 games and the World Series when that happened in 2023.
But the outlook is bright for Texas pitching prospects these days. Jack Leiter (No. 3) and Kumar Rocker (No. 2/MLB No. 44), top-three-overall picks in the 2021 and 2022 Drafts, made their big league debuts last year. Winston Santos (No. 5) and Emiliano Teodo (No. 6), signed for $10,000 each out of the Dominican Republic in the same 2019-20 international class, successfully navigated Double-A and should arrive in Arlington in the near future, as should reliever Marc Church (No. 23), an 18th-round pick in '19.
Alejandro Rosario (No. 7), a fifth-rounder in 2023, dominated two Class A levels last year and some scouts believed he was the best mound prospect in the system before his elbow blew out last month and required Tommy John surgery. Strike throwers Mitch Bratt (No. 21) and Josh Stephan (No. 22) continued to thrive, while Paul Bonzagni (No. 24), Kolton Curtis (No. 29) and David Davalillo (No. 30) emerged at the lower levels last summer. Stephan and Curtis were non-drafted free agents, while Bonzagni was a 12th-rounder and Davalillo signed for $10,000 out of Venezeula.
"We're not all the way there yet but the narrative has been that we haven't been good at developing pitching," GM Ross Fenstermaker said. "Now we're having success and it's not just the pitchers we took up at the top of the Draft with Rocker and Leiter. It's also Rosario, [Jose] Corniell, Teodo, Santos, Church and more.
"It's scouting and player development working together, our medical and performance teams, the way we train our coaches to work with pitchers. We're doing things in a very different way than we did five or six years ago. It was very uncomfortable at first but now we're starting to see the fruits of our labor."
Rocker, who had shoulder surgery before joining the Rangers and Tommy John surgery shortly afterward, regained his wipeout mid-80s slider with two-plane depth last year while working at 96-97 mph and touching 100 with his fastball. Return to health keyed his success, while his former Vanderbilt teammate Leiter had to make adjustments after his mechanics, stuff and control all regressed during his first two years in pro ball.
Leiter won Triple-A Pacific Coast League pitcher of the year honors in 2024 after doing a better job of maintaining the timing with his delivery and providing more and higher quality strikes. He also works in the mid-90s and reaches triple digits with his fastball, while his upper-80s slider is the best of his four secondary offerings. He has added a promising kick-changeup in the low 90s that has the Rangers excited.
Leiter did get knocked around for an 8.83 ERA in five starts with Texas last year, underscoring his need to further improve his control and command.
"Jack has gone through a lot of adversity as pro and handled it well," farm director Josh Bonifay said. "He's outstanding with his fastball when he locates it at the top of the zone. He has outstanding breaking stuff, too. When he locates in the zone, he's very good."
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
Santos parlayed some mechanical adjustments into improved fastball velocity, operating in the mid-90s and hitting 98 mph while tightening his mid-80s slider into a consistent plus pitch. Teodo has the best stuff in the system -- a 97-99 mph sinker that climbs to 102, an upper-80s slider that breaks straight down and a lively upper-80s changeup -- though evaluators are split on whether he'll wind up as a starter or reliever. Church is purely a bullpen option, albeit one with a mid-90s fastball, devastating mid-80s slider and a nasty 89-93 mph splitter that he unveiled in the Arizona Fall League last year.
"We're very excited about our pitching depth," Bonifay said. "But any time that you think that you have enough pitching, you don't. So we need to continue to work on developing pitchers."
Camp standout: Sebastian Walcott
Signed for $3.2 million out of the Bahamas in 2023, Walcott (No. 1/MLB No. 17) is one of the best and most exciting prospects in the Minors. The shortstop's raw power and arm strength both grade as at least plus-plus, and he batted .261/.342/.443 in High-A last year, leading the South Atlantic League in triples (nine), extra-base hits (50) and total bases (192) as its youngest regular (age 18).
Walcott won't turn 19 until Friday but impressed manager Bruce Bochy and his staff with his performance in big league camp. He went 4-for-9 with three doubles and a home run, soaked up plenty of advice from veteran Marcus Semien and looked like he belonged despite his youth.
"He acquitted himself quite well in this environment," Fenstermaker said. "Just watching him jog on the field the other day, he looked like a Major League player right now. The way he moved, his size, his physicality -- he carries himself very well.
"He's very, very mature. He's always been like that. He was raised so well. He has an element of polish you typically don't see at 18 or 19 years old."
Spring Breakout sleeper: David Davalillo
Davalillo comes from a baseball family, with a grandfather (Pompeyo) and great-uncle (Vic) who played in the Majors, a father (David) who reached Double-A and a younger brother (Gabriel) who signed with the Angels for $2 million in January. He's not very physical and he doesn't light up radar guns but he did lead the Minors with a 1.88 ERA between two Class A stops in 2024.
Davalillo's main weapon is a low-80s splitter that generated a 58 percent swing-and-miss rate last year. It's his lone pitch that grades as better than average, though the right-hander helps his cause by throwing strikes with five offerings, commanding his two- and four-seam fastballs well and sequencing his pitches masterfully.
"David has had a fantastic camp," Bonifay said. "His work ethic is so good. He committed to staying here in the offseason, working on his body, working on his arsenal, working on his strength. That splitter is filthy and I love the way he goes about his business. He has confidence on the mound."
Breakout potential: Pablo Guerrero
The son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero and the younger brother of All-Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pablo signed for $97,500 out of the Dominican Republic in 2023. He slashed .260/.343/.417 in his first two pro seasons and struggled after he moved to Single-A the day before he turned 18 last July. He spent the offseason improving his 6-foot-2 frame, leading to increased strength, exit velocities and athleticism.
"He's very physically strong," Bonifay said. "He changed his body and is hitting the ball extremely hard. He has discipline at the plate and when he makes impact, it's loud. He's turned himself into a good defensive first baseman and he's a leader in the clubhouse despite his age. He knows what it takes."
Jim Callis is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him @jimcallisMLB and @jimcallis.bsky.social. Listen to him on the weekly MLB Pipeline Podcast.
Former Claws Fill Spring Breakout Roster
JERESY SHORE, NJ - Spring Breakout comes to BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater on Friday, March 14th at 1:00 pm when a team of Phillies prospects takes on a team of Pirates prospects. Rosters were announced this week and they include a group of former BlueClaws! Fans can watch the game
Claws Craziness - Enter to Win Front Row Phillies Tickets
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - March is for Madness and Claws Craziness! The BlueClaws have unveiled a special program through which fans are entered to win prizes across the month of March! More tickets purchased equals more chances to win!
County Days Set For April 13th, 27th with $5 Tickets On Sale
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Buster was on the move recently, heading to County Tourism offices in both Ocean and Monmouth Counties, to promote County Days in ShoreTown this spring! Monmouth County Day is Sunday, April 13th and Ocean County Day is Sunday, April 27th. Tickets are available for just $5
BlueClaws Charities, New Jersey Natural Gas to Give Four Scholarships As Part of Copa de la Diversión Program
JERSEY SHORE, NJ – BlueClaws Charities and New Jersey Natural Gas have come together once again on a scholarship program in conjunction with the team’s Medusas de Jersey Shore brand and Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversión initiative. "Copa de la Diversión," or "Fun Cup," is a season-long event
BlueClaws Collecting National Anthem Applications
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Individuals interested in performing the National Anthem at a BlueClaws game this summer can now apply. Performers are encouraged to submit an audition video online for consideration. To submit, CLICK HERE and please fill out the form completely. All submissions are due by March 15th.
2025 Single-Game Tickets Now On Sale
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Single-game tickets for the 2025 BlueClaws season are now on sale! Fans can purchase tickets to any 2025 BlueClaws game from Opening Night to Father's Day to the 4th of July to Star Wars Night and everything in between! Click here to order tickets online.
Star Wars Night Bundle Now On Sale
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - The BlueClaws are excited to host Star Wars Night, presented by RWJBarnabas Health, on Friday, July 18th, and our special Star Wars Night bundle is currently on sale!
Welcome to Baseball Season
The Super Bowl is in the books, and you know what that means - baseball season is right around the corner!
Bluey is Coming to ShoreTown on April 26th
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - On the morning of this morning, the BlueClaws announced that the one and only Bluey will be making a visit to ShoreTown Ballpark this year on Saturday, April 26th at the team's 4:05 pm game against Brooklyn (Mets).
2025 Summer Concert Series Schedule Announced
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - In this week's CLAW Network episode (watch here on YouTube), the BlueClaws announced the 2025 Farro's Tees Summer Concert Series schedule, with four bands to perform in the Sand Bar this summer!
Additional 2025 Promotional Nights Unveiled
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - The BlueClaws unveiled several more 2024 Promotional Nights on this week's episode of CLAW Network (which you can watch in full here).
Three BlueClaws Make MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Rankings
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Three Phillies prospects that have played for the BlueClaws were named to MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospect Rankings, it was announced on Friday. Andrew Painter (2022 BlueClaw) checked in at #8, Aidan Miller (2024 BlueClaw) was ranked 27, and Justin Crawford (2023-24 BlueClaw) was ranked 64.
BlueClaws Announce 2025 Fireworks Schedule
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - The BlueClaws will have 14 special fireworks shows at ShoreTown Ballpark this year summer, beginning with Opening Night at the Jersey Shore on April 8th, presented by Jenkinson's Boardwalk.
Former BlueClaws Earn Invites to Phillies Spring Training
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - The Phillies announced their non-roster invites to Spring Training with several former BlueClaws earning a spot. 2024 BlueClaws Justin Crawford, Otto Kemp, and Aidan Miller are among the players on the list.
BlueClaws Set Dates For Three Key Theme Nights
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - The BlueClaws announced dates for three key Theme Nights - First Responders Night, Military Appreciation Night, and Salute to Heroes Night.
BlueClaws to Host Job Fair on January 25th at ShoreTown Ballpark
JERSEY SHORE, NJ – The Jersey Shore BlueClaws will host a Job Fair at ShoreTown Ballpark on Saturday, January 25th from 9 am to 2 pm. The team is once again hiring a group of hard-working, energetic professionals for a wide variety of gameday staff positions for the 2025 season.
BlueClaws, RWJBarnabas Health to Host January 7th Blood Drive - Blood Levels at Critical Need
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - The BlueClaws and RWJBarnabas Health will partner on an Emergency Blood & Platelet Drive at ShoreTown Ballpark Park on Tuesday, January 7th from 11:30 am until 5:30 pm. The current blood supply is at critical levels and the need for donors is extremely high. Pre-registration is
Holiday Flash Sale - First Five Games of '25 for Just $25
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - 2025 is the 25th year of the BlueClaws and we're starting the celebrations early with a special ticket offer! Get a ticket to each of the first five games of 2025 for just $25!
Cyber Weekend Specials - Extra Ticket With Your Plan
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Get even more bang for your buck this Cyber Weekend by ordering a BlueClaws ticket package online. You'll get an extra game in any plan, and three additional with your 10-Game Partial Plan! All you have to do is order your ticket package online between Friday,
Military Appreciation Night Hero Nomination Form Now Open
JERSEY SHORE, NJ – The BlueClaws will once again honor military heroes through a special post-game ceremony after the July 24th Military Appreciation Night game and the team is now collecting nominations of military heroes to be recognized that night. Military Appreciation Night is presented by OceanFirst Bank.
This road trip will give you the spirit of '76
Because there's no better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than getting out to a ballgame, earlier in the week we presented a breakdown of must-catch Minor League games with Independence Day celebrations, with one entry for each farm system. But let's say you're not satisfied with one Independence
Crawford, Abel lead Phillies' Organization All-Stars
Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each organization and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in each farm system. Next up in our 2023 Organization All-Stars series are the Philadelphia Phillies. 2023 organization summary: Triple-A Lehigh Valley: 80-66
The best of the Phillies' Minor League ballparks
The Minor League Ballpark Guides series presented by Wyndham brings all the most fun features of Minors ballparks across America (and one in Canada!) onto your desktop, tablet or mobile device, whether you're interested in taking a virtual tour from where you sit or planning a trip to catch some
Copa de la Diversión en la comunidad
Copa de la Diversión is a multi-faceted fan engagement platform focused on embracing the cultures and values that resonate most with local Latino/a communities. Indeed, some of the greatest success stories within Copa -- sponsored by Nationwide, the platform's official insurance partner -- relate to each club’s ability to make