Michael De Leon’s Pound-Packing Project Working

SURPRISE, Ariz. —When the Rangers signed shortstop Michael De Leon out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, he weighed 140 pounds.

Maybe, if he was soaking wet.

The wiry frame brought into question whether De Leon would ever hit enough to make it to the big leagues. The defensive work has never been in doubt.

So for three years De Leon has done nothing in the offseason but eat and lift weights in an attempt to pack muscle onto his 6-foot frame.

The project is starting to pay off.

The 20-year-old De Leon weighed in at 195 pounds at the beginning of spring training, and the Rangers saw line drives off his bat in both minor league games and as a fill-in during Cactus League games.

But De Leon’s glove opened the most eyes.

“It’s fun watching that kid play defense, I know that,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “The defense is special.”

De Leon’s bat is picking up. He hit three homers in his first two seasons in 2014 and 2015, but swatted nine and collected 25 doubles last season at high Class A High Desert while carrying a .261 average.

The now-defunct High Desert franchise was a hitter’s paradise, but De Leon definitely showed more strength behind his swing. He might begin this season at high Class A Down East in the Carolina League instead Double-A Frisco, but the next level isn’t far away.

He’s confident that he can play and hit wherever he winds up. He’s been buoyed by his Cactus League experiences, including a walk-off single in a victory on March 21.

“I feel very good about that because they gave me the opportunity to play, and I try to give them my best every day,” De Leon said. “I’m working on getting stronger and getting in a stronger position to hit to drive the ball.”

He’s doing that now.

RANGERS ROUNDUP

• Outfielder Leody Taveras swatted a walk-off, opposite-field grand slam in a minor league game on March 22. The Rangers believe the 18-year-old switch-hitter, the system’s No. 1 prospect, could move quickly through the system.

• The Rangers selected righthander Wes Benjamin in the fifth round of the 2014 draft out of Kansas even though he had recently had Tommy John surgery. He made an impression on minor league coaches in spring training to move up the organizational depth chart.

— Jeff Wilson covers the Rangers for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram