Ezequiel Duran -- Prospect Evaluation
Prospect Evaluation sources for Ezequiel Duran of the Texas Rangers
Ezequiel Durán is a 26-year-old utility infielder for the Texas Rangers who can play second base, shortstop, and third base. Standing 5-10 and weighing 185 lbs, the Dominican-born right-handed batter exceeded rookie limits during the 2022 season and is now in his first year of arbitration eligibility for 2026, with free agency arriving in 2029. Career-wise, Durán has compiled a .251 batting average with 22 home runs, 273 hits, and 24 stolen bases across 1,087 at-bats. His career WAR stands at 1.6. The 2025 season saw him struggle offensively, posting a .224 average with 46 hits, 0 home runs, and 11 stolen bases in 205 at-bats, contributing to a .559 OPS. Pre-2022, Durán was ranked as the #83 prospect by MLB.com and #99 by Baseball Prospectus, indicating he was a notable prospect before reaching the majors. He was part of the Rangers' 2023 World Series roster.
Ezequiel Duran signed with the Yankees in 2017 after missing the 2015 international signing deadline due to registration issues. Upon signing, he immediately demonstrated significant power potential, recording a 222 wRC+ in the Dominican Summer League with exit velocities exceeding 110 mph. After a promotion to Rookie-Advanced Pulaski in 2018 exposed his aggressive approach to higher-level pitching, Duran showed the ability to adjust rather than fade like many DSL-only performers.
In 2019 at Short-Season A, Duran had a tumultuous start, striking out 14 times in his first six games before making significant adjustments. Following this rough patch, he became one of the New York-Penn League's top offensive forces, leading the league with 13 home runs while finishing top-10 in multiple offensive categories. Over 277 plate appearances, he posted a .256/.329/.496 slash line with a 149 wRC+ after his initial struggles. His average exit velocity of 91.9 mph on balls in play underscored his ability to generate hard contact consistently.
Defensively, Duran answered earlier scouting concerns about his ability to stay up the middle as a second baseman and demonstrated sufficient range and arm strength that current reports suggest he could play shortstop if needed. Playing alongside Josh Smith (2019 second-round pick), they formed one of the league's best middle infield combinations. FanGraphs' ZiPS projections rank Duran as the 84th-best prospect in baseball overall.
MiLB.com presents its 2025 Top Second Base Prospects ranking, highlighting the top emerging talent at the position across professional baseball. Nick Gonzales of the Pittsburgh Pirates leads the list at age 25, having already reached MLB as a 2B/SS. Following closely is Nolan Gorman of the St. Louis Cardinals at age 24, a 2B/3B prospect who has also made the jump to the major leagues. Nick Yorke, another Pirates prospect, ranks third at age 23 and plays 2B/OF at the AAA level, representing the next tier of advancement. Michael Busch rounds out the top four at age 27 with the Chicago Cubs as an INF, while Ezequiel Duran of the Texas Rangers completes the top five at age 25, currently performing at AAA. The ranking reflects a mix of prospects at various developmental stages, from those already contributing at MLB to those still advancing through minor league systems.
Ezequiel Alberto Duran is a Dominican shortstop/third baseman born May 22, 1999, standing 5'11" and weighing 185 pounds. He made his MLB debut on June 4, 2022, after being acquired by the Texas Rangers in a trade from the New York Yankees involving multiple players including LHP Joely Rodriguez and LF Joey Gallo.
Duran has been ranked as a top prospect across multiple organizations. He was ranked New York Yankees #11 prospect in 2021 and #24 prospect in 2020, and subsequently ranked Texas Rangers #4 prospect in 2022. He was also named New York-Penn League #7 prospect in 2019.
In his recorded statistics, Duran compiled 73 at-bats with a .301 batting average, .370 on-base percentage, and .452 slugging percentage with 1 home run. His career has involved multiple transactions between MLB and the Rangers' minor league affiliate Round Rock Express, as well as assignments to other minor league teams including the Frisco RoughRiders and Hickory Crawdads. A notable transaction placed him on the 10-day injured list in May 2023 with mild right oblique discomfort, from which he was subsequently activated.