Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Sweeper: 45 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45

The history of impact big leaguers hitters that Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has produced is extensive. Pitchers have been more of a hit-or-miss proposition, although many -- Octavio Dotel, Francisco Cordero and Carlos Estévez, among many others -- have found success in relief roles. Defrank ranks as one of the best pitching prospects to come from the D.R. in the past few seasons, and the fact that he’ll be just 16 years old for the majority of his first pro year enhances scouts’ excitement about his upside. He trains with Maximo Pichardo at E&L Pichardo Baseball Academy.

Defrank operates with a unique motion that features holding his glove out in front of him before quickly closing off for a fluid, repeatable delivery. His fastball has been clocked as high as 96 mph, but he operates more in the 92-93 range during game action. His premier offering at this stage is his changeup, which gets terrific separation off his heater. It’s a true diving cambio that flummoxes hitters, even in two-strike counts when they can anticipate it. His sweeper is something of a work in progress -- while it generates high spin rates and has good velocity, it can often bleed into operating like two separate pitches. 

As is the case with most young international hurlers, Defrank offers significant projection as he continues to fill out. In a market that is notoriously finicky for pitchers to break through, Defrank’s long-term starter attributes stand out -- he works explosively downhill and showcases dynamic movements both on the mound and when asked to field his position. His 6-foot-5 frame is well suited to adding size too, which should only help in the durability department as he gets more innings under his belt.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Not only did the Marlins land one of the best position players (Andrew Salas) in the 2025 international class, but they also came away with one of the best arms. Though Defrank’s $560,000 bonus paled in comparison to Salas’ $3.7 million, it was the fourth-highest amount given to a pitcher on this year’s market. His fastball hit 100 mph at the club’s complex in the Dominican Republic shortly after he signed.

Defrank will pitch most of his first pro season as a 16-year-old and already is starting to sit in the mid-90s with his fastball, which features armside run and carry and has more projection remaining. He also has an extremely advanced changeup for his age, which has plenty of sink and fade and good velocity separation from his heater. His sweeping slider has added some power and comes with promising spin rates, though it lacks the consistency of his other two offerings.

Defrank has an athletic 6-foot-5 build and moves down the mound well, creating extension that makes his pitches more difficult to hit. He has a quick yet repeatable delivery and should have no problem throwing strikes. He’s the most intriguing Marlins international pitching prospect since Eury Pérez and has the upside to eventually fit into the front half of a big league rotation.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	02/06/2025	DSL Miami activated RHP Kevin Defrank.
	02/06/2025	RHP Kevin Defrank assigned to DSL Miami.
	01/15/2025	Miami Marlins signed free agent RHP Kevin Defrank to a minor league contract.