As the off-season continues and the virtual Winter Meetings coming up, the Rangers are making roster moves. The Rangers signed Joe Gatto, who is a right-handed pitcher and re-signed outfielder Scott Heineman. Both were signed to Major-League contracts.
Joe Gatto
Gatto, 25, is a right-handed pitcher who stands at 6’3 and 220 lbs. The Los Angeles Angels selected him in the 2nd round of the 2014 draft and he’s been in their farm system ever since. Baseball America had him rated within the top 50 prospects in the 2014 draft class.
Gatto, has experience as a starter but in 2019 he came out the pen for the Mobile Baybears. The Baybears were the Double-A affiliate for the Angels but now they have relocated to Madison Alabama and are called the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
In total he has pitched in 48 games (16 starts) at the Double-A level and has a 8-8 record with a 5.36 earned run average. Through his Minor-League career, he has a 28-31 record with a 4.80 earned run average and a 1.581 WHIP. He doesn’t give up many home runs. He’s got a career number of 0.5 home runs per 9 innings pitched.
He did not pitch this year due to the minor league season being canceled.
Scott Heineman
Heineman played in 24 games this year but only had 54 plate appearances. At the plate, he hit a line of .154/.184/.269/.454 with 1 home run, 7 RBI, 2 walks and 11 strikeouts. He had an rWAR of -0.3.
Defensively, he played 17 games (10 starts) at center field and had a .970 field percentage but had a 1.000 fielding percentage at left field, right field and 1st base but only played 5 games in those spots.
The Rangers will have an outfield that consists of Joey Gallo in right, Leody Taveras in center and Willie Calhoun, Eli White, Scott Heineman or Nick Solak in left. Defensively, with White starting at left, it would be a solid outfield. There will probably be a platoon to start the season at left field and DH.
