ARLINGTON -- The Rangers on Tuesday added three prospects to the 40-man roster to protect them from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft: right-handers David Davalillo (ranked by MLB Pipeline as their No. 7 prospect) and Leandro Lopez (No. 29), and first baseman/outfielder Abimelec Ortiz (No. 18).
The 2025 Rule 5 Draft will take place on Dec. 10 during the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.
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The Rangers have a long list of prospects who could be selected, including infielder Cameron Cauley (No. 17), right-hander Brock Porter and outfielder Aaron Zavala.
The three additions bring Texas’ Major League roster to 38 players ahead of Friday’s non-tender deadline.
Davalillo, 23, was the Rangers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year this season. Across 23 games (22 starts) between High-A Hub City and Double-A Frisco, he posted a 2.44 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP and a .184 opponent batting average. He collected 126 strikeouts compared to just 28 walks in 107 innings.
Davalillo led Rangers farmhands (minimum 100 innings) in strikeouts per nine innings (10.6), strikeout rate (29.6%), opponent batting average and WHIP.
“He keeps getting better and better, which is encouraging,” general manager Ross Fenstermaker said over the summer. “... Our hope and intent is that he continues to build upon some of the success that he continues inching closer and closer to being a Major League option for us down the line.”
Lopez, 23, split 2025 between Hub City and Frisco, posting a 2.40 ERA in 101 1/3 innings. When he was promoted to Double-A on July 20, he ranked third among South Atlantic League arms in ERA (2.19) over 14 starts.
Ortiz was the Rangers’ Minor League Player of the Year in 2023. The 23-year-old split this year between Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. He posted a slash line of .257/.356/.479 and had 25 home runs and 89 RBIs over 130 games. A natural first baseman, he made starts defensively at first (71), right field (34) and designated hitter (22).