No. 7 David Davalillo knows how to use his stuff

SURPRISE, Ariz. — In late January, after the Texas Rangers swung a deal that sent significant prospect capital east to improve the major league roster, general manager Ross Fenstermaker rationalized the club’s moves as “the price we pay in order to compete.”

Oh, yeah, they’ve paid a price.

The Rangers have dealt eight top 30 prospects, per MLB Pipeline’s evaluations, since last summer’s trade deadline. They shipped three to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-handed pitcher Merrill Kelly to bolster their rotation midseason and another five to the Washington Nationals for MacKenzie Gore last month to do the same thing. That’s the cost of big league improvement.

It’ll also ding the depth of a farm system. The Rangers have the No. 22 farm system per ESPN, the No. 24 farm system per Baseball America and the No. 25 farm system per USA TODAY. The success of the farm system, much like the major league roster, will be predicated on how a number of position player prospects respond to down seasons.

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Baseball America, which hasn’t ranked the club’s system this low since the 2021 season, said it “needs major rebounds from its near-proximity prospects to supplement the big league roster.”

Their collective progression will determine where the farm stands this time next year. Until then, we continue our daily countdown of The Dallas Morning News’ top 30 prospects.

No. 7: RHP David Davalillo

Age: 23

Height/weight: 6-1, 175

B/T: R/R

Who he is: The Rangers signed Davalillo — who was originally plucked out of Venezuela by the New York Mets — to a minor league deal — in the middle of the 2022 season. He’s been one of the minor league’s most productive pitchers since with a 2.35 ERA in 241 career innings since. Davalillo comes from a baseball family; his great uncle Vic was a two-time All-Star outfielder and is a member of the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame; his grandfather Pompeyo, a shortstop, is also in the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame, and his brother Gabriel is a catcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.

Texas Rangers minor league pitcher David Davalillo (center) is presented with the 2025 Nolan...

Why he’s here: Davalillo has arguably the best pitchability in the system. He throws five pitches — a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a splitter, a curveball and a slider — with what MLB Pipeline classifies as plus control. He posted a 126-to-28 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 107 innings last season and owns a 66% career strike percentage. His repeatable delivery is a plus and he was effective against right-handers (.174 batting average against) and left-handers (.198 batting average against) last season split between High-A Hub City and Double-A Frisco.

His fastball can run up into the mid 90’s but is a weapon because of his ability to command it. The knock on Davalillo is the lack of elite stuff — or, for that matter, an elite singular pitch — though the Rangers have shown a greater interest in strike throwers over flamethrowers that are devoid of control.

What’s his future: Davalillo has succeeded at every level he’s pitched at despite a stuff quality that’s a few steps behind the organization’s premier arms. He was added to the 40-man roster in the fall, invited to big league camp and pitched in one Cactus League game before he was optioned back to Double-A Frisco. He’ll return to Frisco, where he posted a 2.73 ERA in 56 innings last year, to start this season.

He’ll need to continue to throw strikes and show command of his deep arsenal. If his secondary pitches can improve to supplement an average fastball, Davalillo’s upside rises.

Where he’ll start; MLB ETA; Double-A Frisco; 2027

Rangers’ top 30 prospects

No. 30: RHP Mason McConnaughey

No. 29: OF Braylin Morel

No. 28: RHP Frandel Pineda

No. 27: LHP Josh Trentadue

No. 26: RHP Paul Bonzagni

No. 25: OF Maxton Martin

No. 24: LHP Ben Abeldt

No. 23: OF Paulino Santana

No. 22: LHP Dalton Pence

No. 21: RHP Izack Tiger