Joey Gallo Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America (2024)

Organization Prospect Rankings

• It was a Las Vegas sweep of the 2015 Baseball America awards, with Bryce Harper taking Major League Player of the Year honors and Kris Bryant winning Rookie of the Year. The next power-hitting monster out of Vegas is Gallo, who was once teammates with Harper when they were eight and nine years old and who worked with Bryant's father Mike as a personal hitting coach. Signed for $2.25 million as the No. 39 overall pick in 2012. Gallo posted back-to-back 40-plus home run seasons in 2013 and 2014. He got off to a strong start in 2015, jumping from Double-A Frisco to the majors on June 2 when Adrian Beltre went on the disabled list. Gallo stayed there the rest of the month and homered off Clayton Kershaw, but when the strikeouts started piling up, he went back down to Triple-A. He continued to show big power and too many whiffs with Round Rock before going back to Texas as a September callup. Even baseball's most experienced scouts marvel at Gallo's majestic power. It's a true 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, the most raw power of anyone in the minors and as much power as anyone on the planet, with the possible exception of Giancarlo Stanton. He dazzles in batting practice, and while he has a pull-conscious approach, he can go deep to any part of the park in games. It's easy power that he generates with tremendous strength, quick hands and bat speed, along with excellent leverage and loft. Gallo made major strides in 2014 with his contact rate, and through the first two months of the season, he appeared to be heading in the right direction, mashing in Double-A while trimming his strikeout rate from 40 percent at that level in 2014 to 34 percent in 2015. But in the major leagues and in Triple-A, Gallo's swing got longer, he struggled to recognize pitches and chased too many balls off the plate, leaving him with too many holes. Gallo played 2015 as a 21-year-old, the same age as college juniors just getting acclimated to pro ball, so he's already ahead of schedule with plenty of time to make adjustments. He has to work to keep his swing short--something that will always be a challenge with his long levers-- and learn that he doesn't have to swing for the fences every time. Gallo walked in 14 percent of his plate appearances in the minors in 2015, so even if he's a .250-.260 hitter, he should draw plenty of walks and have the power to be a middleof- the-order force. There aren't many third basem*n Gallo's size, but he's quite athletic for his size, though a below-average runner. With his hands, agility and plus arm, he could stick at third base. Yet with Beltre under contract for one more season, Gallo has also seen time in the outfield and would fit well in either corner spot. Not quite ready for the big leagues, Gallo should return to Triple-A to open the 2016 season. If is able to make the proper adjustments to that level and is dominating the Pacific Coast League early, he could be up quickly, with a chance to develop into a star.
• Tales of Gallo's prodigious power date back to his days as a youth, when he and teammate Bryce Harper were 8 and 9 years old. Gallo went on to hit 65 career home runs in high school, a Nevada state record, before signing with the Rangers for $2.25 million as the No. 39 overall pick in 2012. Gallo quickly set another home run record with 18 blasts in the Rookie-level Arizona League en route to winning the league MVP. He followed that up with a minor league-leading 40-homer season in 2013'despite missing most of July with a groin injury'then hit 42 home runs in 2014, topped in the minors only by fellow Las Vegan Kris Bryant of the Cubs, who hit 43. Tales of Gallo's power sound like hyperbole, but scouts and coaches with 30-plus years of experience say Gallo hits balls as far as nearly anyone they have ever seen. He put on a stunning batting practice display during the Futures Game, hitting balls out of Target Field and smashing the windshield of a promotional truck set up by a sponsor on the right-field concourse. Gallo has easy, top-of-thescale 80 raw power on the 20-80 scouting scale, which he generates with quick hands, premium bat speed and plenty of strength, leveraging the ball with majestic loft and backspin. What changed Gallo from a good young talent to one of the game's elite prospects was the improvement in his strikeout rate, which dropped from 37 percent at low Class A Hickory in 2013 to 26 percent at high Class A Myrtle Beach in 2014, though it spiked again once he reached Double-A Frisco in the second half. Gallo simplified his swing, eliminating some of the excess movement and shortening his load to be more direct to the ball. With his muscular 6-foot-5 frame, his swing always will be long and his power will come with strikeouts. But he also improved his ability to control the strike zone, which helps his hitting and boosts his on-base percentage with a high walk rate. Overall discipline still is an area he needs to hone, however, especially against high fastballs. Gallo is a below-average runner, and few players with his size play third base in the major leagues. Yet he's remarkably athletic for his size, has sound hands and a plus arm, so there's a chance he can play the hot corner. Sticking at third would boost Gallo's value, but the offensive potential is plenty for a corner outfield spot or first base, two positions he's also experimented with during instructional league. Gallo's swing-and-miss tendencies still make him a high-risk player, but the remarkable improvement and tantalizing upside makes him a potential MVP candidate if everything clicks into place. Gallo spent the second half of 2014 at Double-A, and he probably will return to Frisco to open 2015, though he should reach Triple-A Round Rock by midseason, and possibly Texas by the end of the year.
• After Gallo set a Nevada high school record with 65 career home runs, the Rangers drafted him with the No. 39 pick in 2012 and signed him for $2.25 million. In his pro debut, he set a Rookie-level Arizona League record with 18 homers and was named its MVP. In his first full season in 2013, Gallo led the minors with 40 home runs despite missing most of July with a groin injury. He has one of the most extreme skill sets in baseball. Scouts gush about him having the best raw power in the minors, with veteran scouts and managers consistently remarking that Gallo hits balls unlike anyone they've seen at his age, with tremendous backspin, loft, leverage and quick-twitch bat speed. He has the potential for another 40-homer season, but the question is whether that's going to come in the majors or in Japan. Gallo struck out in an alarming 37 percent of his plate appearances at low Class A Hickory, with long arms and a long swing that create serious contact issues, especially against high heat or soft stuff off the plate. He walked in 11 percent of his trips to the plate, so he's not a total hacker. Despite below-average speed, Gallo is a smart baserunner who goes well from first to third. He has a plus arm and solid hands, so the Rangers want to keep him at third base. But with his lack of range, first-step quickness and footwork issues, his future more likely is in an outfield corner or first base. Gallo could become anything from Mike Hessman to Russ Branyan to Chris Davis, with a high-risk, high-reward skill set that makes him one of the game's most fascinating prospects. He'll continue at high Class A Myrtle Beach in 2014.
• Gallo established a pair of home run records in 2012, a year in which he signed for a well above-slot $2.25 million as the draft's 39th overall selection. He set a Nevada high school record with 65 career homers, then blasted 18 in the Rookie-level Arizona League to establish its single-season standard and win the circuit's MVP award. Top-of-the-scale raw power is Gallo's calling card, as he uses his quick hands to drive the ball to all fields. The question is how much he can tap into it because he swings and misses a lot. He expanded his strike zone in pro ball and piled up strikeouts after oppponents began pitching him backward. He works deep counts and takes his walks, and the Rangers think he can reduce his strikeouts and streakiness if he continues to shorten his path to the ball. Gallo has sure hands but subpar range at third base, so Texas has put him through agility drills to improve his first-step quickness. He sat in the mid-90s as a pitcher in high school and has a plus arm, but he made 17 errors in 56 pro games because he has trouble setting his feet on throws. If Gallo can improve his feel for hitting and prove himself at third base, he could make a relatively quick climb.

Draft Prospects

• Gallo is an enigma. There's thunder in his bat, and he can put on a show in batting practice. He became Nevada's state leader in career home runs this season after hitting his 60th, and he crushed the 10th-longest home run in Petco Park history at the Perfect Game All-America Game with wood last summer. But scouts wonder how he'll tap into that power in pro ball. He swings and misses a lot and sometimes looks overmatched against below-average stuff. Gallo has a big league body at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds. He's not mobile at third base, so while his strong arm plays, his limited range and quickness would work better at first. That would put a lot of pressure on his bat. If he signs instead of heading to Louisiana State, Gallo will likely go out as a position player, but he has a fallback option as a pitcher. He's raw on the mound and has one of the strongest arms of any position player in this year's draft and has been clocked at 98 mph off the mound in short outings. He sits in the 93-95 mph range and mixes in an intriguing slider.

Minor League Top Prospects

• Gallo stands out as one of the top power prospects in the game with the potential to belt 30 or more home runs annually as a middle-of-the-order presence. He spent 2016 primarily at Triple-A for the second consecutive season, with brief cameos in Texas  before a September callup. A strong-framed slugger, Gallo solidified his prospect status with 40-homer seasons in 2013 and 2014. He tied for third in the PCL with 25 homers, while splitting his time between third base (44 starts) and first base (32 starts). Gallo's carrying tool is power but he is a good athlete whose arm strength grades as plus and could be an asset at third base or a corner-outfield post. Defensively, Gallo will never win a Gold Glove at the hot corner, but his versatility and athleticism is an asset, and he has drawn comparisons with the Orioles' Chris Davis. A career .254 hitter in the minors, he works deep counts as he looks for a pitch to crush. This leads to many strikeouts but also many walks because pitchers have to work him so carefully.
• Gallo has long displayed his prodigious power. He led the minor leagues with 40 home runs in his first full season in 2013 and ranked second with 42 a year later. His powerful bat led him to make his major league debut in June when Adrian Beltre went on the disabled list. Gallo has top-of-the-scale power and has shown the ability to drive the ball out of any ballpark at any time. He uses his large frame to generate tremendous bat speed and he is an aggressive hitter who doesn't get cheated at the plate. With that, however, comes a lot of swings and misses. He struck out in nearly 40 percent of his plate appearances at Round Rock, a number that is not out of line with his career rate of 35 percent. Gallo is a below-average runner and is still developing defensively at third base, but he is athletic for his size and has a plus arm. This season, for the first time in his career, the Rangers used Gallo in the outfield, even playing him in center field in one game. His swing-and-miss tendencies carry significant risk, but his power production gives him tantalizing upside.
• All Gallo's warts and wows were on display when he spent a month in the big leagues in June. His power grades at the top of the scale--no minor league hitter has more--and good enough that the Rangers were willing to look beyond an alarming strikeout rate that climbed from 34 percent at Double-A to 40 percent at Triple-A to north of 45 percent in the majors. Gallo balances the whiffs with his power and by drawing walks, plus he offers the defensive versatility to play either third base or left field. His athleticism and arm strength set him apart from other guys his size with power. Gallo generates his power with outstanding bat speed, strength, leverage and loft in his lefthanded swing. He's an average runner underway. While swing-and-miss always will be a big part of his game, his hit tool has impressed scouts who believe he'll hit at least .250 in the majors. His strike-zone awareness and ability to draw walks will boost his on-base percentage. He also has shown an ability to shorten his stroke with two strikes.
• Gallo led the league in homers despite playing in just 58 games, a feat that earned him the league's MVP award. He went on to terrorize pitchers at Double-A Frisco and to win the Futures Game MVP award for belting a home run off a promotional vehicle in the deep right-field concourse. "I think he was the best player overall, with his defense, arm, strength and power," Winston-Salem manager Tommy Thompson said. "He hustles. He's a joy to watch, even though he's on the other team." Gallo possesses the raw power to hit 40 home runs per season in the big leagues, though hitting for average might not be in the cards. He had trouble making contact with Frisco, striking out 115 times in 250 at-bats and hitting just .232, but that didn't sway CL managers. A solid defensive third baseman, he shows consistently double-plus arm strength. "He'll be a slugger in the big leagues," Lynchburg manager Luis Salazar said. "Those guys aren't easy to find."
• Gallo came to the Texas League in mid-June after blasting 21 home runs in just 58 Carolina League games, and he homered in four of his first five games with Frisco. He was neck and neck with Cubs phenom Kris Bryant in the minor league home run race before hitting just .179 with five home runs over his final 106 at-bats, when he proved vulnerable to breaking pitches on the outer half. Gallo's strike-zone discipline isn't the issue as much as his two-strike approach, when he would benefit from shortening his swing. He's a physical specimen with well above-average power generated by long arms, strong wrists and tremendous leverage in his lower half that enables him to drive the ball to (and out of) any part of the park. Gallo has enough range and arm strength for third base, though one scout suggested stiffness in his throwing motion makes it difficult to consistently make accurate throws. He runs well for a player his size, particularly once underway, and has good instincts on the bases.
• If Brinson?s future is hard to decipher, Gallo?s is Infinite Jest. Talking about his strengths and weaknesses, much like the David Foster Wallace novel, can take a while. No hitter in the minors has better raw power than Gallo. Managers and scouts share did-you-see-when? stories about his feats in batting practice and in games. He became the first teenager to hit 40 home runs in a pro season in more than half a century. His arm at third base frequently reminds everyone that he could hit 95 mph off the mound in high school. All those amazing traits come with caveats, though. Gallo struck out nearly as much as Brinson (37 percent), and while he has excellent bat speed, his swing is a long one. Pitchers with a game plan and a good fastball could get him to chase offspeed stuff out of the zone or get him by blowing high fastballs by him. Gallo also will have to prove he can stay at third base. Too often he lets the ball play him, leading to 20 errors in 101 games.
• The Rangers paid a well above-slot $2.25 million to sign Gallo in the supplemental first round. Some scouts questioned whether his top-of-the-scale raw power would translate to pro ball because he swings and misses a lot, but he emphatically answered the doubters by shattering the AZL record with 18 homers in just 43 games. The league MVP has very good bat speed and good leverage in his swing. "I've never seen a kid with anywhere near that much power, and power to all fields," Rangers manager Corey Ragsdale said. Gallo drew 37 walks but also struck out in a third of his at-bats, with many of the whiffs coming when opponents stopped challenging him and he started chases pitches out of the strike zone. Clocked up to 98 mph on the mound in high school, he has the arm strength for third base but lacks quickness, range and footwork at the hot corner. He made 12 errors in 40 games and may be destined for first base.

Top 100 Rankings

• It was a Las Vegas sweep of the 2015 Baseball America awards, with Bryce Harper taking Major League Player of the Year honors and Kris Bryant winning Rookie of the Year. The next power-hitting monster out of Vegas is Gallo, who was once teammates with Harper when they were eight and nine years old and who worked with Bryant's father Mike as a personal hitting coach. Signed for $2.25 million as the No. 39 overall pick in 2012. Gallo posted back-to-back 40-plus home run seasons in 2013 and 2014. He got off to a strong start in 2015, jumping from Double-A Frisco to the majors on June 2 when Adrian Beltre went on the disabled list. Gallo stayed there the rest of the month and homered off Clayton Kershaw, but when the strikeouts started piling up, he went back down to Triple-A. He continued to show big power and too many whiffs with Round Rock before going back to Texas as a September callup. Even baseball's most experienced scouts marvel at Gallo's majestic power. It's a true 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, the most raw power of anyone in the minors and as much power as anyone on the planet, with the possible exception of Giancarlo Stanton. He dazzles in batting practice, and while he has a pull-conscious approach, he can go deep to any part of the park in games. It's easy power that he generates with tremendous strength, quick hands and bat speed, along with excellent leverage and loft. Gallo made major strides in 2014 with his contact rate, and through the first two months of the season, he appeared to be heading in the right direction, mashing in Double-A while trimming his strikeout rate from 40 percent at that level in 2014 to 34 percent in 2015. But in the major leagues and in Triple-A, Gallo's swing got longer, he struggled to recognize pitches and chased too many balls off the plate, leaving him with too many holes. Gallo played 2015 as a 21-year-old, the same age as college juniors just getting acclimated to pro ball, so he's already ahead of schedule with plenty of time to make adjustments. He has to work to keep his swing short--something that will always be a challenge with his long levers-- and learn that he doesn't have to swing for the fences every time. Gallo walked in 14 percent of his plate appearances in the minors in 2015, so even if he's a .250-.260 hitter, he should draw plenty of walks and have the power to be a middleof- the-order force. There aren't many third basem*n Gallo's size, but he's quite athletic for his size, though a below-average runner. With his hands, agility and plus arm, he could stick at third base. Yet with Beltre under contract for one more season, Gallo has also seen time in the outfield and would fit well in either corner spot. Not quite ready for the big leagues, Gallo should return to Triple-A to open the 2016 season. If is able to make the proper adjustments to that level and is dominating the Pacific Coast League early, he could be up quickly, with a chance to develop into a star.
• Background: Gallo established a pair of home run records in 2012, a year in which he signed for a well above-slot $2.25 million as the draft's 39th overall selection. He set a Nevada high school record with 65 career homers, then blasted 18 in the Rookie-level Arizona League to establish its single-season standard and win the circuit's MVP award. Scouting Report: Top-of-the-scale raw power is Gallo's calling card, as he uses his quick hands to drive the ball to all fields. The question is how much he can tap into it because he swings and misses a lot. He expanded his strike zone in pro ball and piled up strikeouts after oppponents began pitching him backward. He works deep counts and takes his walks, and the Rangers think he can reduce his strikeouts and streakiness if he continues to shorten his path to the ball. Gallo has sure hands but subpar range at third base, so Texas has put him through agility drills to improve his first-step quickness. He sat in the mid-90s as a pitcher in high school and has a plus arm, but he made 17 errors in 56 pro games because he has trouble setting his feet on throws. The Future: If Gallo can improve his feel for hitting and prove himself at third base, he could make a relatively quick climb. Those are big ifs, however.