103 miles per hour. Let that sink in for a second. Somewhere in Frisco, Texas, a 25 year old from the Dominican Republic has been quietly making batters look completely foolish — and the Texas Rangers have finally decided the rest of the world deserves to see what he can do.
Wilian Bormie is heading to Triple-A. And if you don’t know the name yet, write it down.
From Nobody’s Radar To Everyone’s Watchlist
This didn’t happen overnight. Bormie’s rise has been one of the most steady and quietly impressive development stories in the entire Rangers system over the last few years.
Cast your mind back to 2023 — a 4.83 ERA, nothing particularly eye catching, just another arm trying to find his way through the minor leagues. Then 2024 brought a 3.47 ERA. Last year it dropped again to 2.97. Every single season has brought improvement. Every single season he’s gotten better.
But the number that really turned heads was this one — 4.2 mph added to his average fastball between 2024 and 2025. He went from 92.3 mph to 96.5 mph in a single year, one of the biggest velocity jumps in the entire minor leagues according to Baseball America. And at Frisco the radar gun has since clocked him as high as 103 mph.
One hundred and three miles per hour. From a bullpen arm the casual fan had never heard of.
The Numbers At Frisco Were Just Ridiculous
Batters at Double-A simply couldn’t keep up. In 18 appearances Bormie went 6-0 with a 1.78 ERA — which is the kind of line that makes you do a double take and check it’s not a typo. 33 strikeouts, just 15 hits allowed, five earned runs across 25.1 innings. All of that on a remarkably efficient 402 pitches.
There was nothing left for him to prove at that level. The Rangers knew it. Bormie almost certainly knew it. And so on Tuesday his contract was officially transferred to Triple-A Round Rock.
Why Triple-A Is A Completely Different Beast
Here’s where the story gets really interesting — and where the real test begins. Round Rock isn’t Frisco. The hitters Bormie will face now are a completely different proposition. Former big leaguers trying to claw their way back. Top prospects with genuine major league potential trying to earn their first call up. Hungry, experienced and very hard to get out.
A fastball that touches 103 mph will still command respect at any level. But Triple-A hitters are smarter. They’ll sit on the secondary pitches. They’ll be patient. And that’s where Bormie’s development either takes the next step or hits its first real wall.
The Rangers have been clear about their philosophy — players earn their promotions. Bormie earned this one. The next one, if it comes, puts him in a Texas uniform on a major league mound.
The Bigger Picture For Texas
The Rangers don’t currently have a pitcher at the top of their system with anywhere near this kind of velocity. In an era where triple digit heat is genuinely king, having a live arm like Bormie developing through the system is exactly the kind of depth that wins championships down the line.
If he figures out Triple-A — and there’s every reason to believe he can given his trajectory — Bormie becomes an immediate late innings weapon. The kind of reliever who can slam the door in the eighth or ninth with a fastball that physically challenges even the best hitters in the world.
The wait is over. Round Rock, you’ve been warned. ⚾🔥
