Why Rangers Had to Promote Flamethrowing Prospect Wilian Bormie to Triple-A

It's not easy to keep up with the number of prospects in the Texas Rangers system. So for those who don't know who Wilian Bormie is, well get ready.

Rangers fans may be hearing more about him soon.

On Tuesday, the Rangers officially transferred his contract from Double-A Frisco to Triple-A Round Rock.

Based on his performance, the 25-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic had nothing left to prove at Frisco and now has everything to gain by carrying that success over to Round Rock.

The numbers speak for themselves. So does the velocity that comes out of his live right arm. And it needs to be tested at the Rangers’ highest affiliate.

Wilian Bormie’s Stature Grows

The Texas Rangers baseball logo. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Bormie hopped on many radars last year. According to Baseball America (subscription required), Bormie put 4.2 mph on his average fastball. He went from 92.3 mph in 2024 to 96.5 mph in 2025. It was one of the biggest velocity jumps in the minor leagues. He carried that velocity to Frisco where the radar gun has caught him throwing a fastball as high as 103 mph.

Batters had a hard time catching up to his stuff. He appeared in 18 games at Frisco and went 6-0 with a 1.78 ERA. He struck out 33 and walked nine in 25.1 innings and allowed just 15 hits. He only allowed five earned runs and did all that on a tidy 402 pitches.

This didn’t come out of blue. It’s steady improvement. After his ERA hit 4.83 in 2023, that number has come down every year. In 2024 it was 3.47. Last year it was 2.97. Every season has brought him more success. But Round Rock will test him at a level he has not been tested yet.

He's never pitched at the Triple-A level. Hitters here are a mix of players that have played in the majors and are trying to get back or young prospects with the goods who are trying to get called up for the first time. Both types of hitters are hungry and hard to get out. For a good comparison, some of the hitters he’ll face will be on the level of Rangers second baseman Josh Smith, who reported to Round Rock for a rehab assignment on Tuesday.

Texas doesn't have a pitcher with his velocity at the top end in their system. He must prove he can get hitters out at Round Rock before the Rangers entertain calling him up. Pitchers have an inevitable adjustment period from Double-A to Triple-A. Bormie’s success won’t be based on his fastball. It will be based on whether Triple-A hitters can hit his secondary pitches. Many Double-A hitters are fooled by those secondary pitchers. Older hitters with more experience tend to sit on those pitches.

It's natural to think that he could be in the majors one day. In an era where velocity is king, he has it. But the Rangers need to be patient. They've always believed that players earn their promotions. He’s already earned one this year. If he earns another, then he becomes an immediate late innings option with a live arm and a fearlessness that comes with being a young player.

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