Leody Taveras

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #3 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: After zooming to short-season Spokane in his pro debut, Taveras began moving more methodically through the minors and spent a year and a half at high Class A before finishing 2019 at Double-A Frisco. Taveras’ offense had stagnated, so it was somewhat surprising to see him crack the Rangers’ Opening Day roster in 2020. He performed admirably for a 21-year-old with modest upper-level experience and spent the year as the Rangers’ primary center fielder.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rangers officials credit Taveras for showing more exit velocity and lift in his swing in 2020, as well as the first double-digit walk rate of his career. He’s normally a disciplined hitter and struck out more than expected in the majors, but that was associated with him being more aggressive on pitches he believed he could drive. The goal is to find a happy medium and help him be an average hitter with double-digit home run power. Taveras is a plus-plus runner and finished in the 94th percentile for MLB Statcast’s sprint speed. Taveras uses that speed to be a plus defender in center field and boasts a plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Taveras’ bat continues to trend upward, he could be an impact player on both sides of the ball.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #3 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Taveras was one of the elite international prospects in 2015, when he signed with the Rangers for $2.1 million. A cousin of former major league center fielder Willy Taveras, Leody has moved quickly through the Rangers' system to reach Double-A as a 20-year-old.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Taveras plays plus defense at a premium position. He's a plus runner with a quick first step who reads the ball well off the bat with good range, both to the gaps and running down balls hit over his head. His strong arm is another plus tool. While Taveras' defense grades out well, there are more questions about his bat. He has always been one of the youngest players at his level and has solid bat-to-ball skills, though his strikeout rate jumped from 17 percent in 2018 to 21 percent in 2019. Taveras has strong hands and the frame that suggests more power could come, but for now his contact is mostly soft. He's still entering his age-21 season, so there's time for Taveras to grow into more juice, but it's the biggest risk factor in his profile right now.
  
  THE FUTURE: Scouts continue to want to see more offensive impact from Taveras to feel comfortable with him realizing his upside. He could return to Double-A Frisco to open 2019, but should be in Triple-A by the end of the year.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #3 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Taveras ranked as one of the premium prospects in a stacked 2015 international class, signing that year on July 2 for $2.1 million. The Rangers have pushed Taveras aggressively, so while he didn't do much damage at the plate in 2018, at 19 he was also one of the youngest players in high Class A.
  
  Scouting Report: A cousin of former major leaguer Willy Taveras, Leody is another speedy center fielder who shines in the field. Taveras reads the ball well off the bat with a quick first step to get to his plus speed, gliding around the outfield with excellent range. He backs it up with a plus arm and projects as a plus defender, with some scouts saying he's plus-plus. While Taveras' defense still drew praise, there was growing skepticism among scouts about his future hitting ability. He is a patient hitter with good bat-to-ball skills, but the contact he made often lacked any impact. Some of that comes down to pitch selection and learning to hunt his pitch swinging at pitches he can do damage with rather than simply making light contact. Getting stronger will be crucial for Taveras, both to drive the ball with more force and to maintain better swing position from both sides of the plate.
  
  The Future: A repeat of 2018 would drop Taveras' stock considerably, so 2019 will be key for him to show that he's enough of an offensive threat to hit toward the top of the lineup. He is a good candidate to return to the Carolina League, though the Rangers will have to manage fellow center fielders Julio Pablo Martinez and Bubba Thompson as well.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #2 prospect in 2018
  Taveras, a cousin of former big league center fielder Willy Taveras, signed for $2.1 million as a 16-year-old in 2015 and has shown the most upside of any prospect in the Rangers' system. Pushed to the low Class A South Atlantic League as an 18-year-old, Taveras' performance was modest but he still stood out as one of the league's premium prospects. Taveras has a chance for five average to plus tools at a premium position. He has a simple, balanced swing from both sides, using his hands well to generate bat speed and a clean swing path. Taveras makes frequent contact and stays through the ball well, which allows him to use the whole field, and he could develop into a plus hitter. His strike-zone discipline continued to improve in 2017 and he started to flash more pop, with a lean, projectable frame that should help him develop average power. Taveras glides around center field with plus speed, good instincts and quick reads off the bat to go with a plus arm that's accurate. Taveras has more risk than Willie Calhoun and is still a few years away, but if it all comes together he has a chance to be a cornerstone player and perennial all-star candidate. His aggressive path continues in 2018 at high Class A Down East.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #1 prospect in 2017
  The Rangers have had one of the most productive international pipelines in baseball over the last decade, with one of the most aggressive contingents of scouts in Latin America. They had their sights set on Taveras from an early age, then officially signed him as a 16-year-old for $2.1 million when he became eligible on July 2, 2015. Taveras is a younger cousin of Willy Taveras, the former outfielder who stood out for his speed and defense during his seven-year major league career, including 2008 when he led the majors with 68 stolen bases. Before Taveras made his official pro debut, the Rangers brought him over from the minor league back fields in 2016 and put him in three spring-training games with the major league club, and he went 1-for-4 with a double. He opened the 2016 season back home in the Dominican Summer League but didn't spend much time there before the Rangers brought him to the U.S. for the Rookie-level Arizona League. He ranked as the league's No. 1 prospect, got promoted to the short-season Northwest League in August and also ranked as that league's No. 1 prospect. Taveras is a smooth, well-rounded player with an exciting blend of tools and skills for his age, and he draws comparisons with a young Carlos Beltran. Lean and athletic, Taveras has a short, simple swing from both sides of the plate. He's a balanced hitter who uses his hands well in connection with his lower half. He's a high-contact hitter with good feel for the barrel who unleashes a fluid swing with whippy bat speed and a clean path to the ball. He is adept at hitting fastballs, and while he's still learning to recognize offspeed pitches, he has solid strike-zone awareness and improved his ability to manage the zone since signing, showing the ability to make adjustments within an at-bat. He uses the whole field with a line-drive approach, showing mostly gap power in games with the ability to drive the ball over the fence occasionally during batting practice. With his bat speed, strong hands and room to fill out his projectable frame, Taveras could eventually grow into average power. He makes the game look easy at the plate and in center field. He's a plus runner with long, gliding strides. He looks natural and instinctive in center field, where he gets sharp reads and jumps off the bat to give him good range. Even when Taveras does take a false step, he has the speed to compensate and cover plenty of ground. He also has a plus arm with good accuracy. Taveras has yet to reach full-season ball, but he has the highest ceiling and most exciting skill set in the Rangers system, with five tools that could all grade out average to plus. Mature beyond his years, he should open 2017 at low Class A Hickory. Between his ability and the Rangers' track record of hitting the accelerator with their most talented young international prospects, he could move quickly through the farm system.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Texas League #14 prospect in 2019
  Taveras was one of the 10 youngest players to start the season in the high Class A Carolina League. The Rangers then pushed him to the Texas League just before the all-star break and Taveras held his own, posting a .265/.320/.375 slash line at Frisco and improving as the year went on. Taveras is a supreme athlete who is a plus defender in center field with plus speed and a plus arm. His speed plays on the bases, where he notched a career-high 32 steals in 2019. A switch-hitter, Taveras is still raw at the plate and has below-average power. His overall bat-to-ball skills are strong, but he struggles to drive the ball consistently. Taveras has the potential to be a standout defensive center fielder and steal 30-plus bases in the majors. The development of his fringe-average hitting ability will determine if he ever actually gets there.
• 
  Ranked Carolina League #13 prospect in 2019
  Less than three years after he signed for $2.1 million, Taveras played his entire 19-year-old season and most of his 20-year-old season with high Class A Down East. He turned 21 less than a week after the season ended at Double-A Frisco, where he hit .262/.315/.373 in 260 at-bats. Though he played just 67 games for the Wood Ducks, he was tied for fifth in the Carolina League in stolen bases. At Double-A, though, he was successful on just 11 of 18 stolen base attempts. This was still a key year of learning for Taveras, according to his manager at Down East. "It was good for him to refine what he does," Down East manager Corey Ragsdale said. "He’s taken another step with his baserunning and defense, and offensively. He's focused and ready to play. Any player that young will go through some struggles in Double-A. Defensively, he can go get it and throw with the best of them. He's good at going back on balls, and he plays with confidence.” Overall, Taveras struck out 122 times and walked 53 this year. Scouts would to see him roll over on fewer pitches and hit with more quality contact. A good first step, excellent range and a plus arm leave no questions about his defensive ability.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #3 prospect in 2017
  Taveras' production was modest, but that wasn't shocking considering he played much of the year as an 18-year-old. Evaluators still love the swing and expect in the long-term he'll be an impact up-the-middle defender and bat. "He's a runner with a great swing and a plus arm," said one pro scout. "He has bat speed and he's a solid defender who stays in center field." Taveras should add more power as he matures, but his all-fields approach portends higher batting averages in his future as well. A switch-hitter who showed more power from the left side, scouts thought his righthanded swing was more fluid, so he should be fine long-term against both righties and lefties.
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #1 prospect in 2016
  Signed for $2.1 million in 2015, Taveras started his first pro season in the Dominican Summer League, then moved to the Rookie-level Arizona League and on Aug. 4 was promoted to Spokane for his final stop. There, despite modest production, he showed managers and scouts a well-balanced set of tools. He's got above-average range to his left and right and possesses a plus arm in center field. Long and lean at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, Taveras has yet to grow into his man's body. Scouts expect power to develop from both sides of the plate once he packs on more muscle. For now, he's a line-drive, gap-to-gap type of hitter with plus speed. Taveras has some swing-and-miss to his game that should improve with more reps. He's a long way off, but he projects as a center fielder with value on both sides of the ball.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #1 prospect in 2016
  The switch-hitting Taveras quickly generated a buzz among scouts in the AZL, playing in his first pro season after signing for $2.1 million. Scouts couldn't remember an AZL player being evaluated as heavily prior to the Aug. 1 trade deadline as the native Dominican, a cousin of former major league outfielder Willy Taveras. Taveras is a natural center fielder with an advanced feel for hitting, and he draws comparisons with a young Carlos Beltran. "Defensively, he's as good of a young center fielder as I've seen," Rangers manager Matt Siegel said. "He was put on this earth to be a center fielder." A five-tool athlete, Taveras takes a whippy bat to the plate with a good feel for the barrel. His power began to emerge during his time in Arizona and will continue to develop with added strength. He's an above-average runner who stole 11 bases during his 33 games in Arizona. An instinctual defender who moves well in the outfield because of his long strides, Taveras is a plus defender with plus range and an accurate, above-average arm.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #51 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #47 prospect in 2017

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: After zooming to short-season Spokane in his pro debut, Taveras began moving more methodically through the minors and spent a year and a half at high Class A before finishing 2019 at Double-A Frisco. Taveras’ offense had stagnated, so it was somewhat surprising to see him crack the Rangers’ Opening Day roster in 2020. He performed admirably for a 21-year-old with modest upper-level experience and spent the year as the Rangers’ primary center fielder.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rangers officials credit Taveras for showing more exit velocity and lift in his swing in 2020, as well as the first double-digit walk rate of his career. He’s normally a disciplined hitter and struck out more than expected in the majors, but that was associated with him being more aggressive on pitches he believed he could drive. The goal is to find a happy medium and help him be an average hitter with double-digit home run power. Taveras is a plus-plus runner and finished in the 94th percentile for MLB Statcast’s sprint speed. Taveras uses that speed to be a plus defender in center field and boasts a plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Taveras’ bat continues to trend upward, he could be an impact player on both sides of the ball.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: After zooming to short-season Spokane in his pro debut, Taveras began moving more methodically through the minors and spent a year and a half at high Class A before finishing 2019 at Double-A Frisco. Taveras’ offense had stagnated, so it was somewhat surprising to see him crack the Rangers’ Opening Day roster in 2020. He performed admirably for a 21-year-old with modest upper-level experience and spent the year as the Rangers’ primary center fielder.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rangers officials credit Taveras for showing more exit velocity and lift in his swing in 2020, as well as the first double-digit walk rate of his career. He’s normally a disciplined hitter and struck out more than expected in the majors, but that was associated with him being more aggressive on pitches he believed he could drive. The goal is to find a happy medium and help him be an average hitter with double-digit home run power. Taveras is a plus-plus runner and finished in the 94th percentile for MLB Statcast’s sprint speed. Taveras uses that speed to be a plus defender in center field and boasts a plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Taveras’ bat continues to trend upward, he could be an impact player on both sides of the ball.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Taveras was one of the elite international prospects in 2015, when he signed with the Rangers for $2.1 million. A cousin of former major league center fielder Willy Taveras, Leody has moved quickly through the Rangers’ system to reach Double-A as a 20-year-old.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Taveras plays plus defense at a premium position. He’s a plus runner with a quick first step who reads the ball well off the bat with good range, both to the gaps and running down balls hit over his head. His strong arm is another plus tool. While Taveras’ defense grades out well, there are more questions about his bat. He has always been one of the youngest players at his level and has solid bat-to-ball skills, though his strikeout rate jumped from 17 percent in 2018 to 21 percent in 2019. Taveras has strong hands and the frame that suggests more power could come, but for now his contact is mostly soft. He’s still entering his age-21 season, so there’s time for Taveras to grow into more juice, but it’s the biggest risk factor in his profile right now.
  
  THE FUTURE: Scouts continue to want to see more offensive impact from Taveras to feel comfortable with him realizing his upside. He could return to Double-A Frisco to open 2019, but should be in Triple-A by the end of the year.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Taveras was one of the elite international prospects in 2015, when he signed with the Rangers for $2.1 million. A cousin of former major league center fielder Willy Taveras, Leody has moved quickly through the Rangers' system to reach Double-A as a 20-year-old.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Taveras plays plus defense at a premium position. He's a plus runner with a quick first step who reads the ball well off the bat with good range, both to the gaps and running down balls hit over his head. His strong arm is another plus tool. While Taveras' defense grades out well, there are more questions about his bat. He has always been one of the youngest players at his level and has solid bat-to-ball skills, though his strikeout rate jumped from 17 percent in 2018 to 21 percent in 2019. Taveras has strong hands and the frame that suggests more power could come, but for now his contact is mostly soft. He's still entering his age-21 season, so there's time for Taveras to grow into more juice, but it's the biggest risk factor in his profile right now.
  
  THE FUTURE: Scouts continue to want to see more offensive impact from Taveras to feel comfortable with him realizing his upside. He could return to Double-A Frisco to open 2019, but should be in Triple-A by the end of the year.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Less than three years after he signed for $2.1 million, Taveras played his entire 19-year-old season and most of his 20-year-old season with high Class A Down East. He turned 21 less than a week after the season ended at Double-A Frisco, where he hit .262/.315/.373 in 260 at-bats. Though he played just 67 games for the Wood Ducks, he was tied for fifth in the Carolina League in stolen bases. At Double-A, though, he was successful on just 11 of 18 stolen base attempts. This was still a key year of learning for Taveras, according to his manager at Down East. "It was good for him to refine what he does," Down East manager Corey Ragsdale said. "He’s taken another step with his baserunning and defense, and offensively. He's focused and ready to play. Any player that young will go through some struggles in Double-A. Defensively, he can go get it and throw with the best of them. He's good at going back on balls, and he plays with confidence.” Overall, Taveras struck out 122 times and walked 53 this year. Scouts would to see him roll over on fewer pitches and hit with more quality contact. A good first step, excellent range and a plus arm leave no questions about his defensive ability.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Taveras was one of the 10 youngest players to start the season in the high Class A Carolina League. The Rangers then pushed him to the Texas League just before the all-star break and Taveras held his own, posting a .265/.320/.375 slash line at Frisco and improving as the year went on. Taveras is a supreme athlete who is a plus defender in center field with plus speed and a plus arm. His speed plays on the bases, where he notched a career-high 32 steals in 2019. A switch-hitter, Taveras is still raw at the plate and has below-average power. His overall bat-to-ball skills are strong, but he struggles to drive the ball consistently. Taveras has the potential to be a standout defensive center fielder and steal 30-plus bases in the majors. The development of his fringe-average hitting ability will determine if he ever actually gets there.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Taveras has a lean, athletic frame and glides around in center field. He gets quick jumps off the bat, with his speed, arm and defense all grading out plus. Offensively, Taveras has strong hands, a sound swing from both sides of the plate with a knack for making contact. While Taveras has the attributes to be a good hitter, he has yet to translate that into high-level offensive performance. That’s mitigated some by the fact that the Rangers have pushed him to the high Class A Carolina League at just 19 years old, though eventually the performance will have to match the tools.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Taveras, a cousin of former big league center fielder Willy Taveras, signed for $2.1 million as a 16-year-old in 2015 and has shown the most upside of any prospect in the Rangers' system. Pushed to the low Class A South Atlantic League as an 18-year-old, his performance was modest but he still stood out as one of the league's best prospects. Scouting Report: Taveras has a chance for five average to plus tools at a premium position. He has a simple, balanced swing from both sides, uses his hands well to generate bat speed and has a clean swing path. Taveras makes frequent contact and stays through the ball well, which allows him to use the whole field, and he could develop into a plus hitter. His strike-zone discipline continued to improve in 2017, and he started to flash more pop, with a lean, projectable frame that should help him develop average power. Taveras glides around center field with plus speed, good instincts and quick reads off the bat to go with a plus arm that is accurate. The Future: Taveras has more risk than Willie Calhoun and is still a few years away, but if it all comes together he has a shot to be a cornerstone player. His aggressive path will continue in 2018 at high Class A Down East.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Rangers have had one of the most productive international pipelines in baseball over the last decade, with one of the most aggressive contingents of scouts in Latin America. They had their sights set on Taveras from an early age, then officially signed him as a 16-year-old for $2.1 million when he became eligible on July 2, 2015. Taveras is a younger cousin of Willy Taveras, the former outfielder who stood out for his speed and defense during his seven-year major league career, including 2008 when he led the majors with 68 stolen bases. Before Taveras made his official pro debut, the Rangers brought him over from the minor league back fields in 2016 and put him in three spring-training games with the major league club, and he went 1-for-4 with a double. He opened the 2016 season back home in the Dominican Summer League but didn't spend much time there before the Rangers brought him to the U.S. for the Rookie-level Arizona League. He ranked as the league's No. 1 prospect, got promoted to the short-season Northwest League in August and also ranked as that league's No. 1 prospect. Scouting Report: Taveras is a smooth, well-rounded player with an exciting blend of tools and skills for his age, and he draws comparisons with a young Carlos Beltran. Lean and athletic, Taveras has a short, simple swing from both sides of the plate. He's a balanced hitter who uses his hands well in connection with his lower half. He's a high-contact hitter with good feel for the barrel who unleashes a fluid swing with whippy bat speed and a clean path to the ball. He is adept at hitting fastballs, and while he's still learning to recognize offspeed pitches, he has solid strike-zone awareness and improved his ability to manage the zone since signing, showing the ability to make adjustments within an at-bat. He uses the whole field with a line-drive approach, showing mostly gap power in games with the ability to drive the ball over the fence occasionally during batting practice. With his bat speed, strong hands and room to fill out his projectable frame, Taveras could eventually grow into average power. He makes the game look easy at the plate and in center field. He's a plus runner with long, gliding strides. He looks natural and instinctive in center field, where he gets sharp reads and jumps off the bat to give him good range. Even when Taveras does take a false step, he has the speed to compensate and cover plenty of ground. He also has a plus arm with good accuracy.
  
  The Future: Taveras has yet to reach full-season ball, but he has the highest ceiling and most exciting skill set in the Rangers system, with five tools that could all grade out average to plus. Mature beyond his years, he should open 2017 at low Class A Hickory. Between his ability and the Rangers' track record of hitting the accelerator with their most talented young international prospects, he could move quickly through the system.