Texas Rangers No. 8 prospect LHP Dalton Pence has been promoted from Double-A Frisco to the Triple-A Round Rock Express where he will make his first start tonight against the Reno Aces.
Pence, an 11th-round pick in the 2024 draft, has been one of the more dominant arms in the system this season and now sits one step closer to the majors.
At Double-A
Pence made 11 appearances for the RoughRiders before the promotion, holding Texas League hitters to a .212/.293/.346/.639 line. He posted a 2.77 ERA over 55.1 innings with 61 strikeouts and a 1.211 WHIP. For the season, right-handed hitters batted .209/.265/.378/.643 against him, while lefties hit .206/.319/.294/.613.
Including his time with Hub City this season, Pence owns a 2.71 ERA across 79.2 innings with 91 strikeouts and 28 walks.
A Personal Note
I'll miss seeing Pence pitch in Frisco, but any time a prospect gets promoted to the next level, it's a good thing. The last time I saw him pitch was the game where Cody Bradford made a rehab start. Pence relieved right-hander Magdaleno that night, working 4.0 innings and allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts, touching 95 mph on the gun.
Since Joining the Organization
Since entering the Rangers farm system, Pence has a 2.72 ERA across 162.0 total innings with 55 walks and 194 strikeouts, good for a 1.074 WHIP.
Pence's move to Round Rock puts him at the doorstep of the majors. How he adjusts to Triple-A will be an interesting storyline to follow in the Rangers system the rest of the season.
