Texas Rangers: Will Joey Gallo Ever Reach His Full Potential?

The Joey Gallo era has started in Arlington, and now over a month in we finally have a big enough of a sample size to truly analyze his numbers. He’s been a big boost for Texas, but will Gallo ever reach that All-Star level?

Well, it’s been a mixed bag for Texas Rangers third baseman Joey Gallo this season. He’s hitting monster home run balls, but his strikeout rate is enormous and it could actually be hurting the team.

This season Gallo is hitting .188 with 13 home runs and 29 RBI with 63 strikeouts in 43 games. Currently, Gallo sits tied at second in the MLB in home runs behind Yankees young slugger Aaron Judge, and Braves veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman.

There is no denying his power numbers are legitimate and he can rake with some of the best in the league. In a full season Gallo has the potential to hit 40-45 home runs a season if he plays almost every day.

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That seems great for the Rangers, but he also leads the league in strikeouts with 63. The walk rate has been better for Gallo as he’s walked 20 time this season. It’s still not enough to cancel out his enormous strikeout numbers.

On defense, Gallo is well below average and is actually better off moving to the DH position. The Rangers need Gallo to play third while Adrian Beltre works his way back from the disabled list. Once Beltre returns, Gallo should move to the DH spot instead of playing on the infield.

That move could actually help Gallo focus more on just hitting than worrying about defense. It won’t make a huge difference though, as I believe we’re seeing the full picture of what Gallo has to offer the MLB.

At worst Gallo is a left-handed Chris Carter. A big power bat that can hit 40 home runs, but will hit .180 and strikeout a bunch. At best if Gallo can improve he could turn into a player similar to former Rangers first baseman Chris Davis.

If you’re unfamiliar with Davis’ numbers, he’s a career .250 hitter and hits roughly 30-40 home runs a year with 200 plus strikeouts. Don’t expect Gallo to turn into something he’s not, but he could be a nice asset to the Rangers future.

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If this story turns out anything like Chris Davis, let’s hope the Rangers don’t give up on Gallo. He’s going to produce big home run totals, but the team needs to accept what kind of player he truly is.