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Rangers Rising Star Prospect David Davalillo Continues Breakthrough Season

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 6:05 PM ET

The rise of Texas Rangers pitching prospect David Davalillo appears to have no end in sight.

The 22-year-old was promoted to Double-A Frisco on June 20 and, after a short stay on the team’s developmental list, was activated on July 4.

His performance has been a confirmation that the Rangers are getting better at developing mid-draft and international pitching prospects, as Davalillo has risen from the bottom of the Rangers’ Top 30 prospects to No. 10, according to MLB Pipeline.

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Recently, the site selected a breakthrough player from each organization and Davalillo was the site’s selection.

David Davalillo’s Breakthrough Season

David Davalillo with 4 hitless innings for Frisco tonight. In 7G in AA, he’s got a 1.99 ERA. He’s thriving on command and tremendous offspeed pitches. Peep this SPL (PxP says “CH”- it’s a SPL) he uses to get SEA’s top prospect, Colt Emerson. pic.twitter.com/VehzxXs3Z7
— Tepid Participation (@TepidP) August 8, 2025

He started this season at High-A Hub City and after 11 starts, there was much more for him to prove. He went 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 11 starts, with 68 strikeouts and 11 walks in 51 innings. Batters were hitting just .170 against him and he had a 0.82 WHIP.

Texas had little choice but to promote him. While he is only 1-2 in seven games (six starts), many of his other numbers are holding steady.

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He has a 1.99 ERA with Frisco, along with 32 strikeouts and 12 walks in 31.2 innings. Batters are hitting just .179 against him and he has a 1.01 WHIP.

For the season he is 5-3 with a 2.07 ERA in 18 games (17 starts), with 100 strikeouts and 23 walks in 82.2 innings.

It leaves open the possibility of a promotion to Triple-A Round Rock by the end of the season, given his progress.

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David Davalillo Before This Season

The international signee out of Venezuela has been with the Rangers since 2022 and his progress has picked up steam since the start of the 2024 season. In 11 starts with Hub City he went 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 51 innings. He struck out 68 and walked 11. Batters hit just .170 against him.

Between Class A and High A last season, he went 8-2 with a 1.88 ERA in 22 games (21 starts). He struck out 113 and walked 32 in 110.1 innings. Batters hit .217 against him.

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The Rangers signed him for just $10,000, oddly enough the same amount the Houston Astros signed Jose Altuve for out of Venezuela as an international free agent.

If Davalillo turns out like Altuve, it could turn into one of the Rangers’ best investments in franchise history.

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This article first appeared on Texas Rangers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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