The Texas Rangers selected third baseman Gavin Fien from Great Oaks High School in California. Standing at 6’3″ and weighing 200 pounds, Fien’s physique allows him to hit strong line drives with a smooth right-handed swing, and he projects to develop more power as he matures. According to MLB.com, his tools are rated above average: hit (50), power (50), arm (55), fielding (50), and overall (50), positioning him as a versatile, jack-of-all-trades prospect.

Fien’s strongest asset, his plus arm (rated 55), makes him a natural fit to stay at third base long-term, though he has the flexibility to move to a corner outfield role if needed. He showcased his talent for scouts by hitting .400 for the U.S. Under-18 team and earning MVP honors at MLB’s High School All-American Game with two hits.

This past season, Fien hit .358 with five home runs, a slight step back from his .411 average as a junior and .410 as a sophomore, when he hit three home runs each year. Despite an unorthodox setup with high hands, he has typically been on time with his swing. However, this spring, he struggled to find his rhythm, often hesitating at the plate.

The Rangers are going with a high potential bat and this is the first time that they have picked a high school kid since Cole Winn in 2018. This is something that the Rangers have done in the past as they focus on going after big high school prospects with more of a ceiling than a floor.

Recently they have gone away from this approach with taking college bats Malcolm Moore (2024), Wyatt Langford (2023), Justin Foscue (2020), Davis Wendzel (2019), Josh Jung (2019) as well as college pitchers known as the Vandy Boys, Jack Leiter (2021) and Kumar Rocker (2022).

Upon entering the Rangers’ system, Fien is expected to rank among their top ten prospects. His professional career will likely begin in the complex leagues, with potential progression to Hub City or Hickory.