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: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Defrank signed with the Marlins out of the Dominican Republic for $560,000, giving him the fourth-largest bonus for any pitcher in the 2025 international signing period. Having only turned 17 in August, the gargantuan righty is still quite far from the Majors, but the early returns point to him becoming Miami's best international pitching prospect since Eury Pérez. He began his pro career with 31 strong innings in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League -- with a 3.19 ERA and 34 strikeouts to just 10 walks in 31 innings -- and is expected to come stateside in 2026.

The 6-foot-5 righty is quite physically mature for his age with an athletic, muscly frame. Between his size and arm speed, he's already able to touch triple digits on a four-seamer that operates at 97 mph. He's able to locate the pitch well and gets both ride and armside run. Defrank's changeup features splitter-like sink and is quite advanced for his age, sitting 88-91 mph. He rounds out his arsenal with a high-spin sweeping slider that parks at 86-89 mph and could eventually become plus.

Defrank's power stuff at this age is impressive enough, and the fact that he's consistently throwing it for strikes separates him from most DSL pitchers. His command still has a ways to go, as expected from someone his age, but he has the athleticism and repeats his delivery well enough to already show average control. Teenage pitching prospects are incredibly risky, but he's checking every box you'd want to see, including impressive makeup and leadership.

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
	03/05/2026	RHP Kevin Defrank assigned to Miami Marlins Prospects.
	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.