ARLINGTON -- Right-hander Joe Gatto, who has spent the past seven years in the Angels' farm system, has not compiled the usual impressive statistics expected from a highly coveted pitcher.

Gatto last pitched for Double-A Mobile in 2019, making 32 relief appearances and going 5-4 with a 4.80 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. He averaged 9.4 strikeouts and 4.6 walks per nine innings.

But Rangers scouts see something beyond the numbers. They see a right-hander who can throw 95-98 mph and has improved his mechanics to create more vertical movement with his fastball. That should go well with his hard curve and swing-and-miss changeup.

Gatto continued those adjustments and improvements this past year while working out in the Phoenix area, and he had a number of Major League teams interested when he became a Minor League free agent after the season.

The Rangers were among those teams, and they signed Gatto to a Major League deal on Thursday even though he has never pitched above Double-A. Gatto will go to Spring Training and compete for a spot in the bullpen.

¡°We¡¯ve followed Joe since he was an amateur,¡± said Ross Fenstermaker, the Rangers director of pro scouting. ¡°We are really intrigued by the adjustments he made in 2019, going from a starter to a reliever, and are excited to add him to the mix. We feel confident in the things he started to address.¡±

Fenstermaker said Gatto was one of the Rangers' main focuses among Minor League free agents. Other clubs felt the same way, and that¡¯s why Gatto was able to secure a Major League contract.

¡°He started the process of Minor League free agency as one of our top-end targets,¡± Fenstermaker said. ¡°[It] ultimately led to pretty steep competition, and we felt we could separate ourselves from the pack by offering the roster spots.¡±

Over six Minor League seasons, Gatto is 28-31 with a 4.80 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP while averaging 7.3 strikeouts and 4.0 walks per nine innings.

Heineman re-signs with Rangers
The Rangers also announced the re-signing of outfielder Scott Heineman to a one-year contract, Heineman¡¯s signing comes one day after Texas made him a free agent by not tendering him a contract. The unusual move involved contract technicalities that needed to be worked out.

Heineman played in 49 games for the Rangers over the past two seasons, hitting .189/.259/.331. He will compete for a spot in the outfield in Spring Training. Heineman started to come on for the Rangers in 2018-19 when he played a combined 149 games at Triple-A and hit .307/.371/.463 with 19 home runs and 82 RBIs.