Plans For Joey Gallo Go South

Joey Gallo (Photo by Bill Mitchell)

ARLINGTON—Joey Gallo headed to the Venezuelan League on Oct. 21 for the first taste of winter ball in his career.

The Rangers had hoped he would find a swing and approach that would catapult him onto the Opening Day roster. But that plan came to crashing halt when Gallo strained his hamstring and returned home for the winter after just three games.

Nothing will be handed to the 23-year-old Gallo, despite a potential vacancy at first base if free agent Mitch Moreland departs. The Rangers would love to see Gallo, the top power hitter in the minors, seize the job.

But he has adjustments to make after fading in the second half at Triple-A Round Rock and going just 1-for-25 with the Rangers. He finished the season by striking out in his final 13 at-bats and 19 times overall.

“Obviously, it’s not the experience Joey wanted,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “However, Joey is still a premium talent in the sense that this guy has what very few have in the game: the raw power that is off the charts.”

Many players who have gone to play winter ball have come back with their eyes wide open after experiencing the intensity of the games. That’s because performance matters in Latin American leagues.

In Venezuela, Gallo, a natural third baseman, played only first base, where he could receive competition in spring training from Ryan Rua and Jurickson Profar.

The Rangers liked the approach Gallo found in spring training and carried into the season. A groin injury disrupted his progress along with two callups before he arrived in September.

Gallo, a supplemental first-round pick in 2012 from high school in Las Vegas, admits that he is going to strike out plenty as a power hitter, but he believes he is a better hitter than he showed.

“It’s the hitting ability and consistency that need to improve,” Banister said. “He’s going to get better. We believe he’s going to.”

RANGERS ROUNDUP

• The Rangers made a $10,000 donation to The Salvation Army and the club distributed $5,000 in Walmart gift cards to help in the recovery from floods in Kinston, N.C., the home of their new high Class A affiliate.

• Shane McCain, a nondrafted free agent signed in 2014, went to the Arizona Fall League to replace fellow lefthander Andrew Faulkner, who was shut down so that he can begin his offseason program.