Righty Dunning heading to Rangers

Dane Dunning is on the move again.

MLB.com's No. 98 overall prospect and left-hander Avery Weems were traded to the Rangers for right-hander Lance Lynn. Reports came in late Monday night with both clubs confirming Tuesday afternoon.

We’ve acquired RHP Dane Dunning & LHP Avery Weems from the White Sox in exchange for RHP Lance Lynn. pic.twitter.com/T3U6GMusX2

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) December 8, 2020

After missing all of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery, the former fifth-ranked White Sox prospect made his Major League debut on Aug. 19 against the Tigers. The right-hander made seven regular-season starts for the South Siders in 2020 and posted a 2-0 mark with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. The 25-year-old fanned 35, walked 13 and limited opponents to a .197 average over 34 frames.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound hurler also tossed two-thirds of a scoreless inning against the Athletics in the playoffs. Before his injury, Dunning reached Double-A Birmingham in 2018 and dominated Southern League hitters with a 2.76 ERA and 69 whiffs over 62 frames in 11 starts. He was named a midseason All-Star with the Barons.

The Orange Park, Florida native was dealt for the second time in his career during the Winter Meetings. Dunning went from the Nationals to the White Sox alongside Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López for Adam Eaton in December 2016, six months after Dunning was selected 29th overall in the Draft out of Florida.

Dane Dunning’s percentile rankings in the Majors last season.

Again, this is after missing all of 2019 due to Tommy John surgery and not getting to rehab with starts in the Minors. He’s just getting going. #WhiteSox #Rangers pic.twitter.com/EWHg1fDWw9

— Sam Dykstra (@SamDykstraMiLB) December 8, 2020

In 49 career Minor League starts, he has posted a 2.74 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP with 300 punchouts over 266 frames. Dunning's best pitch is a 60-grade fastball that has the ability to hit 96 mph and attacks hitters with heavy sink and good control to both sides of the plate. His arsenal also contains a plus-slider and a 55-grade curveball. Both are considered power pitches that display effective break. The righty has been developing a changeup that has the potential to become a reliable fourth pitch.

Weems, a 2019 sixth-round pick, was drafted out of Arizona and split his first professional season between the Rookie-level Arizona League and Rookie Advanced Great Falls. In 10 starts for the Voyagers, Weems posted a 2.47 ERA and whiffed 60 while walking just seven over 47 1/3 innings in the Pioneer League en route to being named a 2019 MiLB.com Organization All-Star.

In other Hot Stove news:

Jays pick up pair off waivers: Toronto claimed right-hander Anthony Castro from the Tigers and righty Walker Lockett from the Mariners off waivers on Monday. Castro, 25, became Toronto’s No. 19 prospect. In six seasons stateside, the Venezuela native has gone 36-23 with a 3.48 ERA and 521 strikeouts over 556 2/3 innings in 123 games. Lockett, 26, has appeared in the Majors over the past three years with the Mariners, Mets and Padres. He’s 2-4 with a 7.67 over 20 games in The Show and 28-31 with a 4.11 ERA in 114 games in the Minors.