Rangers' Gallo tops two prospect lists, is poised for breakout in 2016

By foxsports
Published

There's a reason the Texas Rangers didn't include slugger Joey Gallo in any trades made during the 2015 season.

The club believes very strongly in Gallo's ability, even after the 22-year-old struck out 57 times in just 123 plate appearances in 36 games for the Rangers. 

This week, MLB Pipeline released its list of the Top 10 third base prospects in the game...and Gallo is right there at the top spot, ahead of Boston's Rafael Devers and Ryan McMahon of the Chicago White Sox. 

Last year's MLB Pipeline ranking put Gallo in the top 5 alongside Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs, Miguel Sano of the Minnesota Twins and Mikel Franko of the Philadelphia Phillies. Bryant, Sano and Franko all made it to the MLB level in 2015, so perhaps it is Gallo's turn to finally earn a permanent spot on the Rangers' roster too.

Perhaps helping his cause is Gallo's placement on another prospect list this week. Baseball America ranked the Rangers' Top 10 prospects and, as expected, Gallo is No. 1 ahead of Lewis Brinson and Nomar Mazara. 

Gallo obviously has talent, but is he polished enough to make the transition to big-league slugger? He hit six home runs in his limited playing time in 2015 filling in for Adrian Beltre, but the strikeouts piled up. He also struggled with Triple-A Round Rock, hitting just .195/.289/.450 in 53 games during the year.

Barring a breakout performance in spring training, it seems logical to expect Gallo to open the season in the minors...but he could very well make it back up to the Rangers at some point during the regular season. 

Having lost Mike Napoli (an all-or-nothing slugger type similar to Gallo), the rookie could feasibly step in when called upon and have another chance to earn some playing time in Arlington.