Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 35 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

Pompeyo Davalillo was one of the first Venezuelans to play in the Majors when he was called up by the Washington Senators in 1953, before eventually being inducted into his country’s Baseball Hall of Fame. His younger brother, Vic, also joined him in the Hall, having a more sustained run in the big leagues from 1963-1980. The Davalillo family's pro baseball lineage continued with David, a right-handed pitcher, joining the Rangers’ organization in June 2022 as an international free agent. Next up is Gabriel, a renowned performer on the international scene, who trains with Daniel Alvarez.

Davalillo fits the mold of an offense-first backstop who has a track record of mashing. Built with a right-handed swing that is geared for power, he is able to drive a variety of offerings to all parts of the field for extra bases. Utilizing quick hands, swift hips and a repeatable swing, he is able to do damage particularly on inside offerings. Some evaluators are reminded of fellow Venezuelan catcher Francisco Alvarez when comparing their offensive profiles, as Davalillo similarly boasts sizable pop from a sub-6-foot frame. 

Far from a burner, Davalillo will see his defensive home be constrained to either sticking behind the plate or moving to first. All indications out of the gate are that he’ll have every chance to catch in pro ball, as he has worked well with pitching staffs on the amateur circuit. He started all eight games for Venezuela during the 18U Baseball World Cup during the summer of 2023.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 35 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

Davalillo was the top-ranked catcher in the 2025 international signing class and the Angels don’t like to miss out on backstops from the market, having landed Dario Laverde and Juan Flores in 2022 and '23, respectively. Davalillo, who comes from a longtime baseball family in Venezuela that includes older brother David, a right-hander with the Rangers, fetched a much higher price than the previous backstops, getting $2 million to begin his pro career with the Angels.

A hit-over-glove backstop, Davalillo enters pro ball with a reputation for hitting the ball hard. It’s a right-handed swing geared for power, and he can drive all kinds of pitches to all fields. He has quick hands, swift hips and a repeatable swing, showing a particular penchant for turning on inside pitches to his pull side. He’s drawn some comps to fellow Venezuelan catcher Francisco Alvarez because of his frame and considerable raw power.

A well-below-average runner, it remains to be seen whether Davalillo can stick behind the plate. He has a decent arm and works well with pitchers, but he needs to work on his receiving and agility in order to stick there, something he’ll be given every opportunity to do. Maintaining the flexibility of his lower half will be key for him on both sides of the ball, though there’s confidence the bat is going to help him climb the ladder even if a position switch is necessary in the future.

Awards

DSL Mid-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	02/24/2026	C Gabriel Davalillo assigned to Los Angeles Angels.
	07/20/2025	C Gabriel Davalillo assigned to DSL AL All-Stars.
	03/08/2025	C Gabriel Davalillo assigned to DSL Angels.
	01/15/2025	Los Angeles Angels signed free agent C Gabriel Davalillo to a minor league contract.